Protestants set not up a differeÌ„t ReligioÌ„ for the christian Religion is the same to both but they differ in the same Religion and the difference is in certain grosse corruptions to the very endangering of salvation which each side saith the other is guiltie of Star-chamber speach pag. 36. My second reason is That the learned make but three Religions to have beene of old in the world Paganisme Iudaisme and Christianitie and now they have added a fourth which is Turcisme Now if this ground of theirs be true as it is generally neceived perhaps it will be of dangerous consequence sadly to avow that the popish religion is rebellion though this clause passed in the â—iturgie through inadvertrance in King Iames time this reason well weighed is taken from the very foundation of Religion it selfe ibid. pag. 34. His Majesty expresly commanded mee to make the alteration and to see it printed 2 They will have us to understand though wee the papists differ in some things yet that this very day their is no schisme betwixt papists and Protestants that protestants keep union and communion with the Church of Rome in all things required for the essence of a true Church necessarie for salvation that though they communicate not with some of her doctrines and practices yet this marres not the true union and communion of the two Churches both in faith and charitie That these who passe harder censures upon Rome are but zelots in whom too much zeale hath burnt up all wisedome and charitie (z) Pottar p. 3. 66. Wee darre not communicat with Rome either in her publicke Liturgie which is manifestly polluted with grosse superstition or in these corrupt and ungrounded opinions which she hath added to the faith These make up the poperie but not the Church of Rome In them our communion is dissolved but wee have still a true and reall union with that and all other members of the Church universall in faith and charitie ibid. pag. 74. To depart from the Church of Rome in some doctrines and practices wee had just necessarie cause though the Church of Rome wanted nothing necessarie to salvation There is great difference betwixt shisme from them and reformation of our selfe It is one thing to leave communion with the Church of Rome and another to leave communicating with her erros whosoever professeth himselfe to forsake the communion of any one member of Christs bodie must confesse himself consequently to forsake the whole And therefore wee forsake not Romes communion more nor the body of Christ whereof wee acknowledge the Church of Rome to bee a member though corrupted If any Zelots hath proceeded among us to heavier censures their zeal may bee excused but their charitie and wisedome can not hee iustified Cant. relat p. 192. The Protestants have not left the Church of Rome in her essence but in her errors not in things which constitute a Church but only in such abuses and corruptions which worke toward the dessolution of a Church 3 Thar the points wherein the two Churches doe differ are such as prejudge not the Salvation of either partie that they are not foundamentall and albeit they were so yet the truths that the papists doe maintaine are of force to hinder all the evil that can coÌ„me from their errours (†) Cant. relate pag. 249. The foundation is and remaineth whole in the mids of their superstitions Heylens answere pag. 124. Suppose a great Prelat in the high Commission Court had said openly That wee and the Church of Rome differed not in fundamentalibus yet how commeth this to be an innovation in the doctrine of England For that church telleth us in the 19. article That Rome doth erre in matters of Faith but it hath not told us that she doth erre in fundamentalibus Halls old religion after the beginning It is the charitable profession of zealous Luther that under the poperie there is much Christian good yea all that under the papacie there is true Christianity yea the kernell of Christianitie Neither doe wee censure that Church for what it hath not but for what it hath Fundamentall truth is like the Maronian wine which if it bee mixed with twentie times so much water holds his strength Rome as it is Babylon wee must come out of it but as it is an outward visible Church wee neither did nor would Butterfields Maskell Poperie is poyson but fundâ—mentall truch is an antidot A little quantitie of antidot that is soveraigne will destroy much poyson Pottar pag. 62. The most necessarie and fundamentall truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned ibid. By fundamentall points of Faith wee understand these prime and capitall doctrines of Religion which make up the holy Catholick Faith which essentially constitutes a true Church and a true Christian The Apostles Creed taken in a Catholicke sense that is as it was further opened in some parts by occasion of emergent heresies in the other catholicke creed of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and Athanasius is said generally by the Scholemen Fathers to comprehend a perfect catalogue of fundamentall truths to imply a full rejection of fundamentall heresies ibid. pag. 109. It semeed to some men of great learning and judgement such as Hooker and Morton that all who professe to love the Lord Iesus are brethren and may be saved though with erros even fundamentall truths to imply a full rejection of fundamentall heresies ibid. p. 109 It seemed to some men of great learning and judgement such as Hooker and Morton that all who professe to love the Lord Iesus are brethren and may be saved though with errors even fundamentall Heretickes doe imbrace the principles of Christianitie and erre only by misconstruction Whereupon their opinions albeit repugnant indeed to Faith yet are held other wise by them and maintained as consonant to the Faith 4 That the popish errours let bee to bee fundamentall are of so small importance as they doe not prejudge either faith hope or charitie let be salvation (a) Cant relat pag. 361 Holcat Non omnis error in his quae fidei sunt est aut infidelitas aut haeresis In things not necessarie though they bee divine truths if about them men differ it is no more then they have done more or lesse in all ages and they may differ and yet preserve that one necessary Faith intire and charitie also if they be so well minded for opinions which flattereth about that one souls saving Faith there are dangerous differences this day Pottar pag. 38. It is a great vanitie to hope or expect that all learned men in this life should absolutely consent in all the particles of the divine truth so long as the Faith once delivered to the Saints and that common faith containing all necessary verities is keeped So long as men walke charitably according to this rule though in other things they be otherwise minded the unitie of the Church is no wise
more facilitating of their purposes they advance the secular power of Princes and of all soveraigne Estates above all that themselves either crave or desire alone for this end that their clerks may ride upon the shoulders of Soveraignitie to tread under the feet of their domination first the Subjects and then the Soveraignes themselves The tyrannous usurpation of the Canterburians are as many and heavie as these of the Romist Clergie How much our men are behinde the greatest tyrants that ever were in Rome let any pronounce when they have considered these their following maximes They tell us first that the making of all Ecclesiastick constitutions doth belong alone to the Bishop of the Diocesse no lesse out of Synod then in Synod That some of the inferior clergie may bee called if the Bishops please to give their advice and deliberative voice That the Prince may lend his power for confirming and executing of the constitutions made but for the work of their making it is the Bishops priviledge belonging to them alone by Divine right (a) Samuel Hoards sermons pag. 7. By the Chruch I meane the Churches Pilots who sit at the sterne Heads members divide all bodies Ecclesiasticall and civill what ever is to bee done in matters of direction and government hath alwayes beene and must be the sole prerogative of the heads of these bodies unlesse wee will have all common-wealths and churches broken in picees Ibid. pag. 8. The key of jurisdiction which is a power of binding and lousing men in foro exteriori in the coutts of justice and of making lawes and orders for the government of Gods house is peculiar to the heads and bishops of the church Ibid. p. 31. what was Ignatius and Ambrose if we look at their authoritie more than other bishops of the church That libertie therfore which they had to make new orders when they saw cause have all other prelats in their churches Edward Boughanes serm Pag. 17. Submit your selves to those that are put in authoritie by kings so then to Bishops because they are put in authoritie by Kings if they had no other clame But blessed bee God they hold not only by this but by a higher tenor since all powers are of God from him they have their spirituall jurisdiction what ever it be S. Paul therfore you see assumes this power unto himselfe of setting things in order in the kirk before any Prince become Christian 1 Cor. 11.34 The like power hee acknowledgeth to be in Titus 1.5 and in all bishops Heb. 15.17 Ibid. pag. 18. Kings make lawes and bishops make canons This indeed it was of necessitie in the beginning of Christianitie Kings made lawes for the State and bishops for the kirk because then there was no Christian Kings either to authorize them to make such lawes or who would countenance them when they were made But after that Kings became nourishing fathers to the Church in these pious and regular times bishops made no Canons without the assent and confirmation of Christian Kings and such are our Canons so made so confirmed Chounei collect pag. 53. Reges membra quidem filios Eccesiae se esse habitos reiecisse contempsisse nonnunquam audivimus obediunt simulque regnant Iura quibus gubernari se permittunt sua sunt vitalitatem nativam ex praepositis Ecclesiae tanquam ex corde recipiunt vivacitatem ex ipsis tanquam ex capitibus derivant Samuel Hoards pag. 9. Nor did they exercise this power when they were in Counsell only but when they were asunder also Speaking of apostles as they are paterns to all bishops 2. That in a whole Kingdome the Bishops alone without the privitie of any of the clergie of any of the laitie may abolish all the Ecclesiastick judicatories which the standing and unrepealled lawes which the constant customes ever since the reformation had setled and put in their rowme new forraigne courts which the kingdome had never known scarce so much as by their name (b) Our Chrurch Sessions our weekly presbyteries our yearly generall Assemblies whereof by our standing lawes wee have beene in possession are closse put downe by our book of Canons and in their rowme Church-wardens officiall courts synods for Episcopall visitation and generall Assemblies to bee called when they will to be constitute of what members they please to name are put in their place That at one stroke they may annull all the Acts of three or fourscore National Afsemblies and set up in their roome a Book of Canons of their own devysing (c) So is their book entituled Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall gathered and put in forme for the governement of the Church of Scotland and ordained to bee observed by the clergie and all others whom they concerne That they may abolish all the formes used in the worship of God without any question for threescore yeares and above both in the publicke prayers in the administration of the Sacraments in singing of Psalmes in preaching the Word in celebrating of Marriage in visiting the sicke and in ordination of Ministers Neither this alone but that it is in their hand to impose in place of these accustomed formes foure new Bookes of their owne of Service of Psalmes of Ordination of Homilies All this our Bishops in Scotland have done and to this day not any of them to our knowledge can be moved to confesse in that deed any faile against the rules either of equitie or justice what ever slips of imprudence there may bee therein And all this they have done at my lord of Canterburies direction as wee shall make good by his owne hand if ever we shall be so happy as to be permitted to produce his owne authentick autographs before the Parliament of England or any other Judicatorie that his Majestie will command to cognosce upon this our alleadgance Readily Rome it self can not be able in any one age to paralell this worke which our faction did bring foorth in one yeare It is a bundel of so many so various and so heavie acts of tyrannie Certainly England was never acquaint with the like wee see what great trouble it hath cost his Grace to get thorow there one poore ceremonie of setting the Communion table altar-wayes for there themselves dar not deny that it is repugnant to the established Lawes of their church and state for any Bishop yea for all the Bishops being joined to make the poorest Canon without the voices of their convocation-house or Nationall Assemblie yea without the Parliaments good pleasure (d) VVhites examination of the dialogue pag 22. By the lawes of our kingdome and Canons of our Church many learned persons are appointed to be assistants unto bishops and in our nationall Synods in which all weightie matters concerning religion are determined nothing is or may be concluded but by the common vote and counsell of the major part of the convocation which consisteth of many other learned Divines besides Bishops Andrews sermons
ancients who had received the rule of the true intellegence of Scripture from they holy apostles by succession In the doctrine of faith justification fulfilling of the Law merit they are fully popish In our most important controversies anent faith justification fulfilling of the Law merite c. they teach first that faith is no more but a bare knonwledge and naked assent that in the nature of it there is no confidence application at all that the souls confidence and application of Gods promises are the acts onely of hope and charity that justifying faith is the catholicke faith a generall assent to the articles of the Apostolick Creed that particular personail applying faith but presumption and fantasie (i) Shelfoord page 36 This one faith is called by Divines the Catholick faith contained in the three Creedes of the apostles Nice and Athanasius The false faith is contrarie too this the private faith or fancie rather by which men believe to besaved by them that which is the mother and nource to vice an enemie to all good life and that this is no the Catholick faith shall appear because that faith hath not a speciall object as a mans self or Gods speciall favour to this or that particular man which is hopes object but a catholick object which is the whole first truth and every member of Gods books as the school to acheth this faith goeth but to the truth and esse of divine things Fait giveth those truths a being and substance in our minde but after hope layeth hold on them in the wil and affections and applyeth them to our selves charitie goeth in unto them The apostle sayeth That hee who cometh to God must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him not a rewarder of me or thee as if the article of faith were personall Idem page 106. In the love of the heart lyeth the greatest apprehension The greatest meane of our apprehending of him is by charitie which layes hold on him in the will and reasonable affections Chounai Collect. 82. Applicatio ex parte hominis non ex alia ratione procedit quam ex amplexu amoris desiderii Ibid. page 97. Det Deus hanc spem suavissimam hujus spei plerophoriam Again they teach that justification is ascribed by the Apostle to faith onely by way of beginning inchoative because the assent to the trueth of God is that first vetue which the chaine of all other vertues whereby wee are compleet lie justified for common doth follow (k) Chonnaei collect page 69. Inchoativè per fidem iustificat Deus dat sc propter Christum cognitionem ex cognitione fidem ex fide spem sive fiduciam ex fiducia charitatem ex charitate adhaesionem obediendi complacendi defiderium ex isto desiderio meritorum Christi salubrium applicationem ex ista applicatione sanctificationem seu observantiam mandatorum ex istis omnibus in actu scilicet consummato justificationem ex illa salvationem quae omnia tum efficaciter per canalem Dei gratiae ex fide tanquam ex principio seu radice per connaturalitatem omnium ad fidem ad se invicem effluere videantur quaecunque ab aliquibus horum proveniunt ad fidem tanquam ad omnium originem referenda sunt in hoc sensu arbitramur Apostolum 3. ad Rom. vers 28. loquutum fide homines justificatum iri scilicet per fidem elicituram ex consequentiis suis operationem 3. That charitie is the forme of faith and that to it the act of justification is much more reasonablie ascribed then too faith (l) Shelfoord page 102. Charitie is called of schoole Divines grace it selfe It is thar law of the Spirit which freeth from death and sin It is the maine refuge of a distressed conscience It covereth a multitune of sins It will not suffer them to appear Without charitie workes are dead as well as faith and other vertues Hence the Schoole calleth charitie the forme of vertues Ibid. page 106. Faith converteth the minde to God but it is love that converts the heart and will to God which is the greatest and last conversion for we never seek any thing till wee desire it Our conversion is begun in the minde by faith but it is only halfe conversion yea no conversion of the whole man except the love of the heart where lyeth the greatest apprehension follow it wee see salvation by faith but we obtaine it not till wee seeke it by charities desire Wherefore I conclude that for as much as charitie is the most neere and immediat cause of our conversion that it is also the most precious grace of God for our good and the greatest mean of our apprehending him is by charitie which layeth hold on him in the will and reasonable affections therefore this must be the greatest meane of our justification Ibid. page 109. The fulfilling of the law justifieth but charitie is the fulfilling of the law where the apostle preferreth charitie to justifying faith he compareth them in the most excellent way and it is most manifest that the most excellent way is the way of our justification and conversion to God 4. That S. Pauls justification whereby we stand before the barre of God is nought but our conversion and sanctification by our inherent righteousnesse (m) Shelfoord page 107. Iustification conversion to God is all one Idem pag. 10◠Charitie is the maine refuge of a distressed conscience Montag antid page 142. A sinner is then justified when hee is transformed in minde renewed in soule regenerate by grace Chomley in his answer for Hall to Burtoun is not onely content to exeeme the Popish justification from all blot of a fundamentall errour but seemes also to make all our contraversie in this point to be but a jugling about words yea at last hee seemes to joine with the Councell of Trent in anathematizing our doctrine For thus if I remember well doth he speake If any man shall say that men are so justified by the sole imputation of Christs righteousnesse or by sole remission of sinnes that they are not also sanctified by inherent grace of charitie or also that the grace whereby we are justyfyed is only the favour of God let him be accursed and let him be so indeed for me You will say this is nothing but meere jugling I grant it but yet it is not the direct denyall of the foundation for here is both remission of sins and imputation of Christs righteousnesse included which though it be sufficient to justification in the Protestant sence yet in the Popish sense wherein sanctification is also required it is not sufficient 5. That the fulfing of Gods Law to us in this life is both possible and easie that if God did command us any thing which were impossible he should be both unjust and a tyrant (n) Shelfoord pag. 121 That there is fulfilling of the Law
ceremonias à maioribus hominibus religiosissimis usurpatas quod advarios pietatis usus valeant exercitia quedam sunt quibus mens externarum rerum sensu significatione ad divinum cultum ipsumque Deum attrahitur in Ecclesia retinendas ubi abrogatae fuerant restituendas esse statuimus Andrews stricturae p. 13. Chrisme salt candles exorcismes signe of the crosse ephata and the consecration of the water those being all matters of ceremonie are therefore in the Church power on good reasons either to retaine are to alter For their tenets in the sacrament of the supper wee shall speak anone of them in the head of the masse 4. They tell us that our dispute about the five bastard sacraments is a plaine logomachie (y) Andrews stristurae p. 11. The whole matter about the five Sacraments is a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. They tell us that not only infants after their baptisme but even men baptised in perfect age who before baptisme gave sufficient count of their faith yet they may not be esteemed full Christians while they have received confirmation by the imposition of hands and that alone by a Bishop (z) pokling altare p. 165. And because the competentes were persons of full age they received also consumation by imposition of hands ut pleni Christiani inveriantur About the orders they tell us that they agree with the papists in their number that the reason why they want their Acolits sub-deacons and the rest is but their Churches pouerty (zz) Andrews stricturae p. 12 The five orders is a point not worth the standing on while the revenues of the church were able to mantaine so many degrees it can not be denyed but that there were so many but by the Churches owne order neither by commandement nor example of Scripture but what is this to the present estate of the Church scarce able to mantaine twon Which can scarce wel mantaine the two orders of priests and deacons But which in their questions is worst of all they side here with the papists in giving to all the protestant Churches a wound which our enemies proclame to be mortall fatall incurable They tie the conferring of ordours by a full divine right to the office of bishops they avow that the lawfull use of all ordination and outward ecclesiastick jurisdiction is by God put in the hands of their persons alone Other reformed Kirks therefore wanting bishops their ministers must preacù celebrate the sacraments administer discipline not only without a lawfull warrand but also against the ordinance of God When they are put in minde of this great wound given by them to all other reformed Churches they either strive to cover it with the fig-tree-leaffs of an imagined case of necessity which never was or else plainly to passe over it as immedicable ( c.) Heylens antid sect 3. pag 8. Let the bishops stande alone on Apolicall right and no more then so and doubt it not but some will take it on your word and then plead accordingly that thing of apostolicall institution may bee laid aside When Bishop Andrews had learnedly asserted the episcopal order too bee of Christ institution I have heard that some who were there in place did secrerly interceed with King Iames to have had it altered for fear forsooth of offending our neighbour Churches Andrews resp ad epist. 3. Molm p. 195. Dixi abesse ab ecclesiis vestris aliquid quod de jure divino sit culpa autem vestra non abesse sed injuria temporum non enim tam propitios habuisse Reges Galliam vestram in Ecclesia reformanda quam habuit Brittannia nostra Interim ubi dabit meliora Deus hoc quoque quod jam abest per Dei gratiam suppletum iri Relatum inter haereticos Aerium qui Epiphanio credat vel Augustino necesse est fateatur tu qui damnes Aerium quo nomine damnas An quod se opposuerit consensui universalis ecclesiae Idem quisentit an non itidem se opponit ac eo nomine damnandus erit Montag antid page 138. Ordinationis jus autoritatem ita credimus annexam episcoporum personis ut a nemine non episcopo ordinato consecrato possit aut de beat adhiberi irritam ordinationem omnem pronunciamus quae non a legitimo canonico more proficiscatur quod si a se oriantur aliqui non missi ingerant caelesti huic muneri functioni manus viderint ipsi quid sint responsuri olim summo sacerdoti cujus partes usurpant nos nostras non aliorum tuemur vocationes Yea not only they ty ordination and jurisdiction to the person of bishops but of such bishops who must of necessity shew the derivation of al their power from the Pope as was shown before 6. In matrimonie they will keep not only the popish sacramentall words and signes the popish times of lent and other dysmall-dayes except the bishops give their dispensation but also they will have the whole matrimoniall causes ruled by the popes cannons yea which is more they avow that the Cannon-law by acts of parliament yet unrepealled stands in vigour amongst them (a) Dow p. 184. By his favour I must tell him that neither the law of God nor of the King doth disallow the use of the old canons and constitutious though made in the time of popery and by the pope or popish prelats which are not contrary to the law of God or the King If he desire proof of this let him consider whether the statute 25. Hen. 8.19 do not say as much as I affirme which having regulated diverse things touching the exercise of ecclesiasticall jurisdiction At last the statute concluds with this proviso provyded also that such Canons constitutions ordinances and synodals provinciall being already made not repugnant to the laws customes of this Realme nor to the hurt of the Kings prerogative royall shal now still be used and executed as they were before the making of this act till such time as they be viewed searched or otherwise ordered by the said two thirty persons or the more part of them according to the tenour of this present act It followes then that till these thirtie two persons determine otherwise old Canons may be still executed retaine their ancient vigour authoritie when that will be I know not but as yet I am sure it hath not been done Except in some few things which are directly opposit to some late laws of the land and that Cannon-law they will haue extendid as far down as the very councel of Basil (b) Femal glory pag. 128. With this pious and gratefull ordinance I conclude the visitation of our incomparable Ladie he meanes the act of the late Councell of Basile which ordained a festivall fo that visitation And as far up as the constitutions of the first Popes (c) Pocklingtoun altar pag. 52. There