the law is that the gates should not bee opened to receiue them which is the very end of that law which forbad it to bee done and the law of nature it cannot but bee a seueritie in those that denie it which must needes in the other be excusable furthering that end for which the law was made In all lawes as in all actioÌ„s the end is the mark and this commonly is the publick good of that societie for which the law is made now if the same publick end wherat the church aymeth in prohibiting either Pluralities or non Residencie may be procured best by graunting dispensation for both these to some particuler men wee hold the law in forbidding intendeth so much and therefore in this case to dispense is not to breake the law of common right but rightly to apply it to his proper and peculiar vse wherein captiously to cleaue ouer strictly to the letter of it is rather to vnderstand lawes by the words then the intents of them which practise if wee shall vse in those lawes which had the best author and doubtlesse was able to set them best downe wee shall Iewishly keepe a Sabboth in abstayning from all things by the vertue of that law which commandeth thou shalt doe no manner of work fall into the heresie of some who held it vnlawfull vpon any occasion to sweare beecause our sauiour sayd thou shalt not sweare at all and yet in both whilst wee cleaue vnto the letter vtterly dissent from that which the law requireth Now so farre as lawes are Positiue and meerely humane it is in the power of their makers to dispense with them by vertue whereof whatsoeuer is done is not contrarie to the precept because for the doing hee hath the superiors warrant which if wee allow not in Gods lawes many things must bee sinne which doubtlesse were none Heerein if these men can proue that that which man dispenseth withall God doth not we will be content to heare them and must needes graunt that they haue not the authoritie of the superiour and that such Dispensations are without warrant But wee are and shall bee euer readie by the grace of him vpon whose mercie wee relie in all that wee doe to iustifie and maintaine the religious practise of our late Soueraigne in this against those who are willing vnthankfully vnnaturallie and irreligiouslie to depraue and traduce her most vertuous blessed happy gouernment For seeing that Dispensations are some meerely of grace wherein the Prince may lawfully respect one aboue another as in Legitimations Pardoning of heynous faults and such like in which for the dispensed or the dispenser ther is no other necessitie either in the court of man or the court of conscience sauing onely grace because it is to be thought the people and the lawes of euery countrie in these and other such matters haue yeelded this power vnto their Soueraigne Princes euen where they cannot by prerogatiue as with vs challenge so much right wee doubt not but their assertion is to manacle the Kings hands and to binde them in these chaines of their owne making who teach the world that Lawes must haue that force that all Dispensations are vnlawfull and transgressions of them Now touching other dispensations which are called of iustice they are conuersant either about the law of God and nature or about the positiue law of man in the first there is no dispensation from man yet interpretations are allowed to show that the generallitie of the words do not indeede extend to some speciall cases and that of those thinges which strong and manifest arguments teach vs that God himselfe would not haue included in the generalitie of his law Interpretation Declaration and Limitation may bee made and this by the lawyers is called one kinde of dispensation of iustice whereby the bond of the law is not released but the law is interpreted in such case not to haue force according to the true meaÌ„ing of it Now in the other dispensations of Iustice which are bestowed about the positiue lawes of man we must obserue two things first that the law remaining yet the reason in some particuler case doth cease which ought by the prince or the inferiour Iudge in dispensing to bee so declared the second is when the law is grounded vpon diuers reasons whereof some ceasing and some continuing the law is notwithstanding in force vnlesse a dispensation of Iustice bee graunted to vs. There are also besides these dispensations mixt partlie of grace and partlie of Iustice because that he graunteth it it is grace fauour yet it is Iustice because he granteth it to none but vpon iust cause so that when a King dispenseth with any positiue law of man the law teacheth vs to intend and presume both that there is a cause why hee should so doe and that the same cause is iust and sufficient and doubtlesse hee that receiueth such dispensation sinneth not against the law nor his own conscience because hee is by the same authoritie deliuered from the bond of that law by the which hee stood bound So that if the Church ought to honour learned personages not onely in word but indeed as in prouiding more liberallie to help and releeue them by the Church reueneues then for others not so learned because learning doth not onelie profit the owner but the Vniuersall Church and that causes of absence from their seuerall Cures may bee such as shal be beneficiall to the Church and iust as for recouerie of Health if called by his Superiours authoritie if for repulsing of greeuous Iniuries if sent vpon ambassage or to giue attendance if his help bee required for pacifiing of Scismes in other places if his paines bee necessarie for the confirming of the doctrine of the Church either by speaking or writing if his presence be necessarie for consultation about Church matters at some Sinode particuler prouinciall Nationall or generall if some other parts of the Church were in more need and whollie destitute of a Pastor or for any other such cause allowed by those whom the lawes haue trusted with the examination of these things shall wee that are inferiours out of enuie towards other mens respect and grace the due merit of their worthinesse whereof wee are far short make the world beleeue that the great Sinne of Non Residencie hath three goodlie vndersetters which are also broad figge leaues to couer the nakednesse of these learned men whereby many are vpholden in their sinne first rewardes of learning secondlie the power of the state to order the liuing of the Church thirdlie that so they preach they are not to bâ—e charged although they Preach not in their owne parish and make this onelie the originall of the ignorance of the whole land whom to reproue say they was to bee accounted a conuentickler a Puritan an enemie to the state could any thing in the eares of wisemen haue
this Consistoriall Gouernment may take place the benefit whereof as they magnifie little weighing those yet vnexperienced Euils which must needes follow so the harmes of it are at large set downe by diuers others who with learning and iudgment haue labored in this point There is doublesse no Societie deerer vnto God than his Church in the gouernment whereof he hath made choice of two sorts of men to be imployed vnder him The first are Ministers of his word and Sacraments whose calling is perpetuall and necessary in the Church for so long as the Church is in this world it caÌ„not possible be coÌ„tinued without these of wihch we shall more fitly speake heereafter The other are Kings and Magistrats whom to the happy estate of the Church we hold with all reuerence of such vse that those are worst that mislike their gouernment that Church in all reason like to be most happy which God in his mercy hath blessed with the best King This appeareth in the Kings of Iuda who being vertuous Religion that was decaied was restored and what the Idolatry of others had corrupted the vprightnes of some which followed did purifie againe God in his loue performing that promise vnto his Church that Kings should be her Nursings-fathers and Queenes her Nursing-mothers In this respect more specially than others they are called Gods seruants not only because they serue him in the gouernmeÌ„t of the coÌ„monwealth a thing common with them and the worst Princes but because he vouchsafeth to vse their meanes as the fittest Instruments to aduance his Church vpoÌ„ earth And surely a double seruice God expecteth from them the one Common with all Christians the other peculiar to serue him in that place as Kings Princes To haue performed the first is an action of praise and may giue great hope but to faile in the second is staynd with reproch vsually accompained with much daunger Euill Princes seruing oftentimes to Act but the ruines of that Kingdome by the fall of the Church in whose misery theselues for the most part doe perish In the first dutie as Christians they are not priuiledged aboue other men they are tyed to same obedience bound to as many vertues nay moe for exaÌ„ple must in the end being called to the same account be iudged with as much seuerite as the meanest subiect Be wise now therfore O ye Kings be learned ye that are Iudges of the Earth Serue the lord with feare reioyce vnto him with Reuerence In the latter the seruice of Princes hath two parts the one concerning the Commonwealth the other Religion and the Church to the first they are tyed as Kings to the latter they are bound as they are vertuous and Religious Kings The first in dooing mercy and iudgment in defending the fatherlesse and poore in seeing that such as be in neede and necessitie haue right in bestowing duely punishment and reward and in all those other polliticke vertues they are happy Instruments to make a prosperous and flourishing Commonwealth The second concerneth his Religion a duty as it lyeth vpon all for all ought to be Religious so especielly vpon the Prince who must not only be but be the meanes to make all other to become Religious a thing though not euer true vnder vertuous Kings whose holy examples sometimes preuaile no farther but to make Hypocrits but seldome or neuer to be expected where the Princes theÌ„selues delight to seeme opeÌ„ly prophane If man had no other light but the light of Nature would not so willingly beleeue what were done with as without the Scripture yet euen this point will appeare to be most true being the practise of those men who had no other guide for their Actions than the vnchangeable directions of the light of Nature for whatsoeuer the Religion was as in most it was nothing but Idolatrous Superstition yet the transgression thereof was esteemed worthy to receaue punishment and the appointment of this punishment was thought to be peculiar to those who had principall authoritie to gouern the Comonwealth Thus the Athenian tooke vpon theÌ„ the power to condeÌ„ne Socrates a man peraduenture wiser thaÌ„ any of the rest but faulty as they thought in ReligioÌ„ therefore to be censured by the Authoritie which they al had The like we read of the RomaÌ„s Tyberius would make Christ a God without the authority of the Senat wher though the Act was needles to Christ little honor yet it sheweth that both the care of Religion belonged to the Roman Emperor that men euen Heatheâ—s were not hastily carried to performe any actioÌ„ of that nature without the aduice of others iudgmeÌ„t neither euer the Apostles or Prophets repreheÌ„d this care in the Rulers in any age It was easie to erre what ReligioÌ„ was but all men saw to whom the care did principally belong neither should any maÌ„ deserue coÌ„mendation for performing that which were wholy exempted from the limits of his owne calling But al Antiquitiâ— hath giueÌ„ in this kind honorable Testimony to CoÌ„stantine and Theodosius two Emperors of much vertue Nay Religiâ—n it selfe which giueth the best Rules to preserue Religion being contained in the Two Tables expresly commandeth who ought to be the ouerseer the keeper and preseruer of both Inwardly the strongest moÌ„tiue is Religion and they are most for the most part Religious who are Religious for conscience but there is a feare from the hand of the Maiestrate able to restraine those at least from outwarde being euill whom neither Conscience nor Religion could make honest Christian Emperours haue with their Zeale gained much honor for this in the eye and Iudgement of Gods Church This made them when contentions arose to call Councells as that of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon to purge the Temples both from Heathenish Idolatry and Christian superstition to make lawes the better to keepe men in obedience towardes God the irreligious contempt of whose worshippe though in the Subiects themselues haue brough a iust ruine euen for not forbidding both vpon the Prince and the Commonwealth Reason then which tyeth Princes to procure the prosperitie of that land ouer which they gouerne exacteth froÌ„ them a principall care of the Church and of Religion the decay and the contempt whereof are the originall causes of pestilence dearthes wares and such like For where humors are infected a little it is like that the maners are first distempered a great deale the most of the Fathers are plentifull in this point This made Saint Austine learnedly to confute the Donatists whose Haerecy was like the error of some in our days holding that Princes ought to permit euery man to enioy what Religion he likes and to persecute no man for Religion at all this serueth to confute the two great Errors of our time the one of the Anabaptists the other of the Church of Rome The first holding it vnlawfull for a Christian to be a Magistrate much lesse to vse his
some enemies peraduenture would make them speake There are Commentaries wee know vpon Saint Luke which passe vnder Saint Ambrose name of which Ruffinus in his second Booke of Inuectiues maketh Saint Hierome to giue this Censure that hee dallyed in the words and slept in the sence Which surely as the best writers are of opinion was rather forged by Ruffinus to make Saint Herome odious than spoken by Saint Hierome to disgrace Saint Ambrose Doubtlesse it were great pity that seeing the world so much erreth in the choise of friends that this so necessary an office rather than omitted should not be performed by our worst acquaintance and the resolution of all men ought to be this which I thank God I finde in my selfe if thy friend chide iustly in his Censure he hath profited thee if vndeseruedly yet hee meant to doe thee good so that to the first being bound for that which he hath donne and to the other for that which he would haue done in reason for this good office were tyed to both and for my selfe I neuer wrot any thing with that minde to haue it publisht in print although some things I haue don for which with Master Beza I craue pardon but I am very willingly content to be Censured for them when the chiefe troubles of the Church for discipline were either appeased with discretion or else buried with the Authors of them sodainly in the yeare 1602 came forth a Booke written by Maister Nicholles as an Apologie for the dealing in that cause Intituled the Plea of the Innocent Wherein as there were many things that serued to little vse sauing only to expresse that honest desire to be wel thought of which peraduenture the Author had so the first thinge though not the greatest in my opinion to be misliked was the want of due consideration of the time for surely if Salomon said true which no man hath reason to make doubt of that there was a time for al things a time to keepe sileÌ„ce and a time to speake in my weake iudgment it had beene much sitter considering the eager contentioÌ„ amongst those of the Church of Rome to haue beene lookers on rather at the euent of that quarrel than to haue beene Authors of any new disagreement amongst ourselues but so different are the dispositioÌ„s of men that what one maÌ„ taketh to be a reason why a thing should be done and other peradueÌ„ture taketh it to be a reasoÌ„ why it should not be don to haue forborne a little had beene much safer for the Church in all reasoÌ„ more honorable for your selues I wish the Author of that booke had those three ornameÌ„ts with S. Hierom calleth the foundation of all vertue a patience to be sileÌ„t an oportunitie to speak a coÌ„tempt of riches Doubtles to renue an vnnaturall contention that was almost buried especially at that time when all proceedings in the Church wer without rigor as it could not choose but be labour euil spent so it was likely to bring little aduantage vnto Gods Church PeradueÌ„ture I mistake the cause which moued him then to vndertake that Trettise wee will heare himselfe in his Preface what he saith we haue suffered meaning himselfe and others that haue laboured for reformations and indured much reproach and coÌ„tempt which we haue patiently borne and with great silence for diuers yeares sustained that on our part the sacred word of righteousnesse might not be euill spoken of and as much as in vs lieth wee might cut-off all occasions to the common aduersarie to preuaile against the holy Church of Christ Which is among vs. This surely was iust reason and if it were performed as he saith it was not performed without Iust cause for doubtles there is nothing of so small moment that hath brought greater disaduantage to our Church than that with so much violence we haue deferred amongst our selues and blessednesse surely shall be their portion who in this kinde haue beene forward to make peace but it is not these imbracings of Ioab nor the kisses of Iudas that can bury from the worlds eye those bitter Inuectiues of Whittingam Good man Knox Buckanan Gilby Martin Throgmorton Pennry Fenner and sundrie other most odious and vnsauerie bookes besides a great number of others without name all which must needes testifie that for this whole time of our happie peace whatsoeuer the occasions were the matter hath beene carried with little silence and lesse patience These men in this case how well soeuer they haue deserued otherwise haue not bin for bitternesse of speech much inferiour to the Heretikes of former times and of whose followers I may say with Saint Chrisostom In age they are yonger but in malice Equall the Broode of Serpents are of lesse stature but haue not lesse poysoÌ„ The Whelps of Wolues though they cannot hurt so cunningly yee will hurt with biting and desire to sucke Blood The some of all is as Sidonius speaketh openly they enuied basely they forged and seruilelie they were proud and that which made all this to be much worse was that the Authors of this euill-speaking made Religion to be a warrant to speake euill and whilst they offended vpon this ground others were desirous to offend that they might not differ from their example so that a double fault lyeth vpon the first Author one that they offended in their owne person the second that they were examples to others to the like offence But why continued you not in this silence still notwithstanding all this say you The state of things is worse than euer before and I cannot tell whether our conniuence in suffering of euill speeches against vs hath done the Church harme For nowe Papists begin to comfort themselues yea they challeng vnto theÌ„ the name of honest and true men and good subiects and by the reprochfull name of Puritan All godly Protestats are most cunningly depraued Giue me leaue quietlie to tell you this much That vnlesse I mistake it you haue little reason or any that hath laboured in that cause to thinke that the state of things is worse than before At that time when you wrote thus what men were committed for their disobedience arraigned for their treasons or where was thâ—t assault as you call it of Subscription besids all Godly Protestants are not tearmed Puritans no it is but the singular affection of a some few that would seeme vpright which haue gained that name wherein they doe much glory last of all if by your sufferaÌ„ce some Priests grewe insolent and were not affraide in comparison to make themselues to bee more righteous than you this was no reason so vnreasonably to prouoke the Reuerend Fathers of the Church against you but rather all to haue ioyned and your selues formost against them and yet he not gniltie that is accused but he that is conuinced in this cause But to let passe the occasion of that treatise giue me leaue
the execution of such lawes would haue giuen tolleration for a time that they might be resolued if by their humilitie they manifested a desire that they had to learne but seâ—ing they confesse that by the late Queenes Iniunctions all superstitious ceremonies are taken away â—s shrines tables pictures and such like a testimonie not vnworthely giuen to the reformed gouernment of so good a Prince it is but a slender exception annexed such doe we take the surplesse to be A weake eye surely would haue seene a difference and an humble minde would haue indured much more rather then by such violent oppositions to haue so farre troubled the Churches peace I cannot well obserue in the tennor of that last defence the Plea of the innocent what their constant opinion is concerning the cerimonies misliked in our Church vnlesse they meane that they are idle indifferent and humane ordinations whilest they are commaunded but being disobeyed by them they are waightâ—i and great causes able to warrant resistance and rebellion in the highest measure I wish they would either account them as trifles and so being commaunded not so stifly refuse to vse them or else esteeme them matters of great moment and so thinke the gouernors of the Church haue reason and warrant so much to vrge them But the things say they in controuersie which wee desire to bee reformed and others earnestly maintaine are but accessarie additaments brought into the Church by humane constitution and without these the religion would stand But we are sure that once being brought in they are to be obeyed for conscience and surely the religion that would stand without them with them shall be able to stand much better Many things which are not requisâ—t for the being are notwithstanding required to the well being But afterward speaking of themselues as desirous to be iustified for their dealing in this cause they call it a good iust and waâ—ghtie cause founded in Gods word iniuriously reputed and tearmed an accidentall fancie and deuise I hope wise men from their owne wrytings will obserue the dealings of these men that they may not be vrged by authoritie to obedience a poynt of religion I wish they had well learned they call these things but additaments fit enough to bee contemned because they are humane constitutions and yet after to approue their obstinacie for refusing of them they call them waightie causes this contrarietie may peraduenture deceiue some but truth at the length will discouer it selfe Falsehoode is slight and shines through if we looke into it These onely mislike what they are not authoâ—s of themselues and euer labour for excuses as reasons to warrant what they doe mislike They thinke and say it is pitrie necessarie seruice wherein I thinke they vnderstand their preaching should be houlden backe by these vnnecessarie ceremonies But if vnnecessarie whereof it is not fit for them to be iudges why doe they not rather yeeld vnto them by conformitie then depriue themselues by their obstinacie of doing that good which by obedience they might and if any man thinke these ceremonies vnlawfull as weaknes may stumble in the plainest way why doe not they who haue cast these doubts show which they are the daungers of them and aduer tise those as becommeth them that make lawes seeing we vse none but those which the law doth warrant besides if abuses had crept in with these ceremonies and things tollerated first for good ends could not afterward be retained but with great abuse these only had been to be remoued by authoritie and not from the fancies of priuate men It is their error who thinke it the act of reformation to take things away and not onely the abuse for reformation is properly the repetition and restitution of the auncient vse neither can that be said to be reformed which is made new far be it from vs faith an auncient Father that things which are good and lawfull if through the corruption of some few they become hurtfull that this should be imputed to vs as our fault For thus the vse of all things were daungerous and vnlawfull seeing nothing can be so profitably imployed from whence daunger may not arise vnto those that snall vse them otherwise Doubtles they haue done much in this that haue been before vs yet some thing may be added by those which follow wherein if we alter or dissent from them it can be no blemish to their names which are not mentioned by vs but with much honor It is sufficient Rome knew not Cato but when she lost him And the innocencie vertue of Rutilius had laine secret if he had not receiued iniurie But diseases as a wise man noteth sometimes ouertake those that are most temperate punishment those that are most innocent tumults those that are most secret But to conclude this point and to iâ—stifie the Church of England in the matter of ceremonie wherein she hath heard euil by some of her owne children without cause I doubt not to affirme that few men haue euer red any iudgement or censure of ceremonies written with greater moderation and learning then that which is published next after the preface in the communon booke out of which it shall not bee amisse to note the iust reprehension of the intemperat affectours of innouation as also the lawfull defence of such ceremonies as soberly they are vsed in our Church Cerimonies there are which though they haue been deuised by man yet it is thought good to reserue them still as well for a decent order in the Church for the which they were first deâ—ised as because they pertaine to edification whereunto all things done in the Church as the Apostle teacheth oâ—ght to be referred and although the keeping or omitting of a cerimonie in it selfe considered is but a small thing yet the willfull and contemptuous transgression and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence before God let all things be done among you saith Saint Paul in a seemely and due order the appoyntment of which order pertaineth not to priuate men therefore no man ought to take in hand nor presume to appoint or alter any publike or common order in Christs Church except he be lawfully called and authorised thereunto And as concerning those persons which peraduenture wil be offended for that some of the old cerimonies are retained still if they consider that without some cerimonies it is not possible to keepe any order or quiet discipline in the Church they shall easily perceiue iust cause to reforme their iudgements and if they thinkâ— much that any of the old remaine and would rather haue all deuised anew then such men graunting some cerimonies conuenient to be had surely where the old may be well vsed there they cannot reasonably reproue the old onely for their age without bewraying their owne folly For in such a case they ought rather to haue reuerence vnto them for their
Medes and Persians that might not be changed For though reason from whence lawes of this kind haue their originall be but that voice of nature which neuer changeth concerning generals yet lawes shall follow reason reason follow nature both immutably and nature euer the same and yet lawes concerning particulers shall change often But if any man thinke that Priuiledges and Dispensations either are to bee graunted often or when they are graunted vpon iust cause are contrarie to common right doubtlesse hee erreth in both for the first surelie we owe that reuerence to those that haue beene before vs that it is an iniurie to them and for our selues ridiculous to alter ouer easilie the lawes which antiquitie hath commended to vs. Yet if aduantage apparantlie and without question redound vnto that societie whose benefit is principally intended in those lawes wee haue as little cause to wish them perpetuall as otherwise to dispence or to breake them when there is not for in abrogating of ould or establishing of new the commoditie ought to be euident which must warrant vs to depart from that which long custome hath found to bee right for seeing to the obseruation of all lawes Custome hath not the least force to procure obedience whatsoeuer is depriued of this strength is seldome regarded with so much care so for the second either neuer to dispence or not then when the measure of the common good shal bee euidentlie proportioned to a priuate case is to make lawes for to want life and those which were in the first intendiment a benefit to all to make them a captious Tirannie to some and those neither of worst nor of least merit which as ouer easely to graunt in some Princes could not but bee iniurious to the publike state so in others ouer rigorously to denie hauing princelie wisedome to discerne a particuler worthinesse in a common right could but bee that vnwarranted seueritie which surely in the end would doe great hurt Seeing then all humane lawes are onely the conclusions of the law of nature such as reason hath fitted for the benefit of some societie either the church or the common wealth and that all these are and euer must be subiect to dispensation and priueledge from those that haue supreame authoritie and that as wee think limitation of Cures either for many or attendance vpon some one is meerlie a law positiue wee hope that what the vehemencie of some mens zeale accounteth a great offence reason and deuinitie will warrant to bee no sinne For seing as well in the Church as the common wealth honors and rewards are to bee giuen not by an Arithmeticall but a Geometricall proportion and that honour and maintenance for the Clergie being from the law of God Benefices and Cures are by the law positiue surelie it cannot well bee denied but that how much of either shall bee giuen to this or that particuler person must be in the Prince to dispose onely now because lawes haue alreadie set downe how much may or ought to be graunted to any one man and what Residence and attendance hee ought to performe there if more then this for the good of the Church by Priuiledge and Dispensation ouer and besides not Contrarie or against the common right be graunted to some one can wee think it vnwarrantable and to bee a fault Dispensations for Pluralites haue bene in all times and the necessitie and vtilitie of the Church are confessed by themselues to bee the onely iust causes to make them lawfull neither doth our Church require other allowance at their hands then that in these cases it would please them to think and to write that the dispensations which are giuen are not contrarie and repugnant to common right If any think or speake otherwise in cases dispensable it is their error for it is the voice of Equitie Iustice that a generall Law doth neuer derogate from a speciall Priuiledge and that a Priuiledge is not opposit vnto the principles of common right because it dispenseth with that which common right doth prohibit for in the one it is respected by way of generalitie in the other beset with limited and speciall circumstances so that in the eie of law and reason they seeme to bee the same though they bee not wherein because men often times as one noteth waigh things stripped of some particuler circumstances which add waight vnto them they waigh them vneuenlie and thereupon oftentimes pronounce that to bee to light which is not in truth if they had skill to waigh it Now seeing the absence of all Priuiledges Non Residencie and Pluralities is in the intendement of the law for the aduantage of the Church whether it be by parties aboade in the Vniuersitie to get more learning or attendance in the families of noble men in Princes Courts or Cathedrall Churches it ought not to seeme vnreasonable that some part of the reuenues of the Church is allotted to their vse who though yet in person they bring not that benefit to some particuler flock which in time they may yet the Church at their hands shall receiue no losse for if the whole riches of the Church were a stock of monie as some Deacons paraduenture desire it might bee it can bee in reason no greater fault to giue maintenance now from some parish to some one absent for a time and in that absence profitable to the Church then in their diuision to giue that allowance which seldome they bestow for so good desert Yet whatsoeuer vnder pretence of Priuiledge is practised by any for to wrong the Church in a true construction is neither defended by vs at this time nor fit to bee suffered in admitting as I think it is not often meane persons to haue the benefit either of Non Residencie or Pluralities which were in the first intendement onely for men of better degree of more worth and of some speciall imployment in some other kind for the singuler benefit and aduantage of the Church of Christ. Which as wee cannot excuse if it bee graunted with ouer much facilitie to all those whom either idlenesse shal make absent or couetousnesse make them desire Pluralities so wee are not as yet of their opinion who think all dispensation and priuiledge in this kinde to bee against law or if not yet both the law and the priuiledge to be against truth Wee desire them without offence who vrge so strictly the lawes of our land for both these to consider this which is not altogether impertinent to this cause that if a strict law were made for a citie that were beeseeged that no man vpon any occasion might open the gates of the same citie whereby the keeping of them shut was intended to be for the good and safetie of the whole citie now if afterward some of the armie be without the gates who vnlesse they be receiued in neither they nor the citie can remaine in safetie shall wee think the verie meaning of
parts of our whole land And as doubtlesse it was happie for the Church that you vndertooke by writing the defence of this cause seeing no man could haue done it either better or with lesse exception so the day of your admission to the Sea of Canterburie is and was in all likelihood next vnto our late Souereigne the forciblest meanes and the best securitie this Church then could hope for to procure her peace neither can the Clergie of this land but in dutie and thankefulnesse offer vp continually their Zealous and deuout prayers for all blessings to come downe and light and rest vpon his sacred Maiestie and vpon his Royall posteritie to many thousand generations for those Princely fauours which his Highnesse extending to you giueth as vndoubted assurance to all vs of the peace prosperitie and happinesse of this Church I haue often with my selfe thought that the greatest riches and most to be valued which our late Souereigne left vnto his Princely Maiestie with the lawfull inheritance of this kingdome was a learned and deuout Clergie A wise and Religious Counsell An Honorable and Auncient Nobilitie Valiant and discreet leaders rich and louing Citizens painfull and diligent husbandmen In one word a people not in any Vertue Inferour to any Nation of the earth and for Loyaltie and obedience be it spoken without enuie aboue them all yet in the happinesse of all this there haue not beene since wanting which earnestly haue sought to ouerthrow the state of this Church We know not their Intentions the world seeth they are cunning to doe and to speake euill and whatsoeuer may seeme auaileable to further their cause wanteth not the best aduantage that any opportunitie can giue vnto them in which respect it is all our duties who desire the peace of this Church prosperitie of the Commonwealth no way to be wanting to the reasonable Iust and honest defence of a good cause In regard whereof though by many degrees I am the vnworthiest of a great number who haue and are readie to write in the defence of this Church the aduersaries in this cause hauing receiued the first greatest Wounds from your pen yet my care amongst the rest was to imploy my labour according to that abilitie which God hath giuen me in the modest defence of the Gouernment of this Church Which hauing beene handled so often and so learnedly heretofore it ought not to seeme straunge to any and I hope will be pardoned at your hand if wee gather but the gleanings after those that plentifully haue sown and haue reaped before vs. Whatsoeuer my labour and trauell hath beene in this it is due vnto your Grace whose manifold continued and vndeserued fauours together with my priuate dutie challengeth me my whole seruice by a greater nearenesse than that Law yee shall bring a sheafe of the first fruites of your haruest vnto the Priest Thus hartely desiring your Lordships Fauourable acceptance of this paines how small soeuer with my continuall prayers for the long preseruation of your Graces health and Honor to the comfort of a great number and the singular blessing of this Church euen through the mercies of him in whom we all liue moue and haue our being I humbly take my leaue Your Graces in all Dutie WILLIAM COVELL Faults Escaped In Epist. Didte Line the 1. for the Word Read the World Page 4 Line â—1 for blould 〈◊〉 boldnesses p 5 l. 2 for Vsull r. Vsuall p. 6 l. â—â— for to â—amer to the same p 7. 〈◊〉 2. for Aâ—henian r. Athenians p 8. l. 8 for outward r. Outwardly l. 〈◊〉 for Wâ—res r warres l. â—7 for these word r. the sword p. 9. l. 9. for as 1 is l 22. for inhabit r. inable l. â—3 for to r. of l. 38. for nor least r nor of least p 13. l. 2. for putrified r. purified p. 15. l. vlt for but time r. but in time p. 16 l â— for perâ—aps r. perhaps l. 9 for gâ—eauent geauen l. 26. for Cod r. God p. 18. l. Vlt. for to the rest r. to reft p. 20 l. 1. for Eternall r. Externall l. 30. for a little r. so litle p. 11. l. 21. in maâ—g for Pennies r. Penries p. 26. l 12. for cerefull r. carefull l. 14 for continue r. conuince p. 27. l. 5. for were 1. we are l. 31 for with r which p. 50 l. 7 for only r. one l 24 for receiue r rcuiue l. 25. for dwiseome r. wisedome p. 51. l. 3. fercentention r. contention p. 52. l. 6. for Propanenes r. Prophanenes l 9. for Redemption r. repetition p. 53. l. â—1 for fruction r function l. 13. for their r her p 56 l. 18. for them r tâ—en p. 59. l. 2. for her r. their p 6â— l. 17. for continued r. contemned p 62. l 27. for of r and p. 67. l. 27. for vscan r. vs â— caÌ„ p. 82. l. 28. for Grayer r. Gray p. 83. l. 15. for they that r. that they p. 85 l. 37. for giuen r. giuing p. 124 l. 5. for mediation r. meditation p. 125. l. 11 for disuict r. distinct p. 16 l 9. for vluen r. when p 127. l. 29. for exart r. exhort p. 129. l. 34 for were r. we are p. 134. l. 34. for both r loth p. 137. l. 34. in marg for parâ—re r parere p. 143. l. 22. for person r. persons l. 26. foâ— beâ—ng râ— bring p. 144 l 6 for either the other r either the other l. 33. for occafion r. occasion P. 145. l. 8. for vs r. as p. 146 l. 34. for thought r. though p. l. 147. 19. for reuerent r. reuerence l. 29 for others r. either p. 162. l 2. for Pulralities r Plural p. 164. l. 26. for ExtragauaÌ„ts r. Extrauagants p. 165. l. 19. in marg for coÌ„mumis r. communis l 29. in marg for quam vis r. quamuis p 189 l 13. for Codly r Godly l. 17 for disented r. dissented l vult for Ghurches r. Churches p. 186. l. 27. for Vgre r. â—rge p 187. l. 23. in marg for Cominis r. Communis p. 190 l. 7. for Mamerces r. Mâ—mercâ—s p. 191. l 17. for the the first r. the fifth p. 192 l. 33 in maâ—g for Disperandi r. desiderandi p 194 l. 27 for abased r abuâ—ed p. 196 l. 14 for patience r. patience l 15 for councell r counsaile p. 197. l 14. for chieffly r chiefly The late Lord Archbishop of Canterburie Haec est charitas expectanda haec est charitas maior imperio si fides tuta sit quâ— seruat imperium Ambrose ep 31. ad ValentinianuÌ„ The Assertion for Church policie Eccles. 32. Iob. 32. Iosua 22.16.17 Vers. 22. Apud Christianos non qui patitur sed qui facit contumelians miser est Hier. Viâ—t qui patitur In bona conscâ—entiateneo quisguis volens detraâ—it fame meae nolens addiâ— mercedâ— meae Ne aestimet quis plus ponderis esse in alienoconuitio quam in testimoniâ— suo Ambrose a By Iosâ—â—s Nichols in the
A Modest and reasonable examination of some things in vse in the Church of England sundrie times heretofore misliked and now lately in a Booke called the Plea of the Innocent and an Assertion for true and Christian Church policy made for a full satisfaction to all those that are of iudgement and not possessed with a preiudice against this present Church Gouernment wherein the principall poynts are fully and peaceably aunswered which seeme to bee offensiue in the Ecclesiasticall State of this Kingdome The Contentes whereof are set downe in the Page following By William Couell Doctor of Diuinitie Eccles. Chap. 3.1 The children of wisedome are the Church of the righteous and their ofspring is obedience and loue AT LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes for Clement Knight and are to be solde at his shop at the Signe of the holy Lambe in Saint Paules Churchyard 1604. The Contents of this Booke Chap. 1 KIngs and Princes haue authoritie and ought to haue care for the Church gouernment page 1 2 The Church visible of all other Societies is fittest to haue a Discipline but neuer the same that some men desire page 13 3 The Censure of a booke called The Plea of the Innocent pa. 25 4 The proceeding of the Reformers wholly vnlawfull pag. 32 5 Of Contention pag. 46 6 Of Ceremonies pag. 55 7 Of Subscription pag. 75 8 Of Discipline pag. 94 9 Of Archbishops and Bishops pag. 103 10 Of Ministers their Office and learning pag. 124 11 Of the maintenance of Ministers and of Tithes pag. 142 12 Of Non Residencie Pluralities and Dispensations pag. 159 13 Of publike prayer and of the defectes supposed to be in the Liturgie of the Church of England pag. 174 14 Of Tolleration of diuers Religions and how farre dissenting opinions from the true Christian faith may and ought to bee permitted in one and the same Kingdome pag. 196 15 An humble conclusion to his sacred Maiestie and the Right Honorable Lords of his Highnesse priuie Councill together with the rest whom it may concerne to defend this Church page 206 Deo omnis Potestas Gloria To the Right Honourable and most Reuerend father in God c. my verie good Lord the Lord Bishop of LONDON ⸫ THe word Right honorable is in great trauell with much euill when she shall be deliuered he onely knoweth who measureth al times with his hand and before whose eye lieth open that bottomlesse aeternitie it selfe The faces of Kingdomes and States according to the prosperitie and aduersitie of the Church amongest them sometimes looke heauily and sometimes chearfully as refreshed with more good Man whose Reason and Religion serueth to number these things feeleth in himselfe a true diuinitie manifested by that pure ambition of being greater than hee yet can bee whilest notwithstanding in the sence and feare of these things hee stoopeth as to a burthen that is too heauâ—e Religious and mature wisedome the safest builders of true greatnesse assureth men in prouidence to preuent the worst things or at least by foresight growing familiar with theÌ„ teacheth how to beare them with much patience fewe Kingdomes there are which haue not eyther more scarres in the Church not fully cured or else greater signes of greater insuing euils than our owne I am loth to be thought to flatter a fault whereunto I am not vsually subiect and a thing needlesse being the greatest hatred from the greatest loue which euerie beareth to himselfe but I may say truly and I doubt not but what I say the world thinketh the greatest part of this good next our dread Souereigne is now without enuie bee it spoken your owne The consideration whereof hath made me out of that infinite loue and duty which I owe to his Grace being dead and your Honour yet aliue to dedicate these labours to you both in the defence of that Church which truth experience her aduersaries haue proued for gouernment the most absolute since the Apostles time That it is vndertaken by me is the greatest disaduantage to this cause that it is continued and daily receiueth strength from authority is amongst infinite blessings the greatest and most vnspeakable of this Church I haue dealt as your Honour well knoweth in this cause with a threefolde disaduantage one that it hath so fully beene handled by so many of great learning heretofore so that at this time a defence was rather requisite to tell those that hope for alteration that our Church is still of the same iudgement and spake not heretofore onely to please that State a second is that the things disliked are not differences of any great learning seeing wee deale with aduersaries whose chiefest hope dependeth vpon the allowance of vnlearned followers so that Demonstrations of reason are more requisite than proofes from authoritie Last of all they are a generation apt and skilfull to speake euill I haue carefully and according to my naturall disposition auoided all occasion that might prouoke them to it yet I looke for no other neither by the grace of God so that this paines may benefit the Church do I much care the strongest tyrant of things and men is fancy the truest gouernour Religion hallowed follies when they are vnmasked are but at the best the weake opinions of simple men of whom notwithstanding if they had learned humilitie and obedience this Church might haue much vse your Lordship is besides that particular duty and thankefulnesse which I owe vnto you executor of his Testament and Inheritour of his vertues that was the true owner and possessor of these labours which if it please your Honour to accept with their vnworthie Author into your more priuate and inward affection It shall bee my happinesse to be your seruant and their credit by your Lordships meanes to doe seruice to this Church Thus in the assurance of this hope crauing pardon for my boldnesse I humbly take my leaue desiring God to blesse you with all Graces fit for so high a place and with contentment and long life to my singular comfort and the especiall benefit of this Church May 27. 1604. Your Lordships in all dutie WILLIAM COVELL To the Christian Reader IF the immoderate desire of reformation in some men had not extended it selfe further than eyther Religion or reason would wel permit and especially at that time when thankfulnesse exacted from vs all something like a Sabbath for that blessed Rest continued to this Church by the meanes of our dread Souereigne this cause and some others not yet published had with their vnworthy authors slept in a long and a charitable silence and whereas the miraculous blessings bestowed and continued vpon this land could no otherwise rightly be vnderstood than the true effectes of that Church which was planted in it seeing as S. Ambrose saith That is Charitie to be expected that is Charitie greater than the Empire if that faith bee inuiolate which preserueth the Empire I thought it vnfit to let these men vnderstand that
the peace of this Church was litle beholding to their paines who in the middest of an vniuersall ioy sounded a seditious Alarum to a second warre which as it could be no lesse than inconsiderate Zeale in some of the Tribe of Leui to drawe their swords against their Reuerend Religious Fathers as if with Aaron they had beene guiltie of erecting a Golden Calfe so we hope in the opinion of the most seuere our defence shall neither be thought needlesse nor out of season wherein peraduenture our labour is of lesse vse because we encounter in particular men of no greate authoritie in this Church whom our directions were first to haue answered in another manner but finding that to follow their steps had beene onely but to tread often in the same pathes which were wearisome in themselues and could haue brought little aduantage to this publike cause we rather resolued hauing the approbation of authoritie to giue allowance to defend a necessary weighty â—ighteous and publike Church gouernment than onely to reproue and confute some particular obscure and priuate men for accusing gaineth not that admittance in the eares of indifferent Readers which defending doth and herein I may safely protest I looked at no other scope in the labour and cost of this vnpleasing imployment than the discharge of my particular dutie and the performance of that seruice which I owed vnto this Church yet if I had known which I vnderstand since that some more of Master Hookers works had bene recouered from the iniurie of men and time once againe to speake in the defence of this truth I woulâ— most willingly haue obserued the praecept of the Sonne of Sirach Thou that art yong speake if need be and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked for the same things but who is able to speake the same things that he did being spoken by diuers are not the same and for my selfe if any man thinke this defence a presumption I may boldly say as Eâ—â—u did Behold I did wait vpon the words of the auncient and hearkened to their knowledge But seeing wee are children of that Church whose prosperitie was enuied and peace hindered by the aduersaries of this cause wee could not but let them vnderstand that the voyces of Angels of men and of time and all against them and if wee were in the comparison of them as they boâ—st of number but like the children of Ruben and the children of Gad and the Tribe of Manasses in respect of all Israell besides yet if they will needes send vs a message by Phyneas the sonne of Eleazar and ten Princes with him saying What transgression is this that ye haue transgressed against the God of Israell to turne away this day from the Lord in that ye haue built you an Altar for to rebell this day against the Lord Haue wee too little for the wickednesse of Peor whereof wee are not cleansed this day though a plague came vpon the congregation of the Lord Wee must aunswere them as they did The Lord God of Gods the Lord God of Gods he knoweth and Israell himselfe shall know if by rebellion or by transgression against the Lord we haue done it saue thou vs not this day If wee haue built vs an Altar to returne away from the Lord eyther to offer burnt offerings or meat offerings or to offer peace offerings thereon let the Lord himselfe require it And if wee haue not rather done it for feare of this thing c. vnto vers 30. Wee hope they will giue vs leaue if their Zeale make them iealous of any thing vsed or admitted in our Church to tell them that these are witnesses betwixt them and vs. c. Betweene our forefathers and our generations after vs to execute the seruice of the Lord before him in our Lyturgie in our prayers in our Sacraments and that neither their children nor the children of any Idolatrous Church should say to our children in time to come Yee haue no part in the Lord and if for all this they cease not the heape reproaches vpon that Church whose absolute gouernment they ought with thankfulnesse to imbrace and with loue to honour we must tell them as Saint Hierom doth that amongest ChristiaÌ„s not he that suffereth but he that offereth reproach is wretched Wherein surely of all that euer laboured in this cause he endured most with most patience whom vertue crownd with much Honour in this life and according to his owne propheticall word ouercame whilest he suffered and now triumpheth And for my selfe Gentle Reader I resolue humbly to endure whatsoeuer it pleaseth the vsuall impatience of their furie to lay vpon mee saying with Saint Austen In a good conscience I speake it Hee that willingly doth detract from my good name vnwillingly doth add to my reward For I lay with Saint Ambrose Let no man thinke that there is more weight in the slaunder of another than in the testimonie of his owne conscience Farewell CHAP. 1. Kings and Princes haue Authoritie and ought to haue care for the Church gouernment WWhere right hath no other aduantage but Fortune and Weaknesse hath got strength from opinion of Zeale there it is no lesse safe to maintaine error than amongst better dispositions to defend a trueth The Circle of time the best discouerer of mens secret ends and not the least nor the least violent circumstance ouer the means must at length make knowen to the weakest eye that is able to discerne least who haue beene thought wicked and prophane in humilitie for maintayning a truth and who proudly haue beene opposites to this end that being ignorant and vnhonest they might bee thought to bee learned and seeme righteous As there is not any one action since the time that this Land first embraced true Religion wherein more violent and vnnaturall dispositions haue discouered themselues than in and for the Church gouernment so is there nothing wherein the Wisedome Vertue and Souereigntie of Kings doth and ought more to appeare than in the well ordering of that Societie where vnto the most vsuall and greatest harmes haue commonly proceeded from too much Zeale For that which man once apprehendeth as vertuous to bee done without great iudgement and moderation hee seldome tempereth himselfe from doing it eyther ouer-eagerly or ouermuch This as it swayeth with Inferior persons who for the most part haue no easier and speedier meanes to become eminent so it is hardly tempered in those Princes being eminent alreadie whose vertuous education hath made them religious this being in one action to the people the best assurance they can expect for themselues the best testimony of a good conscience and toward God a demeanour least vnthankfull for any straunge or miraculous deliuerance that they haue receiued All these being made stronger when a new people are become subiects when all men are disposed to giue strength to their hopes and make collection from Signes and when deliuerances are
and people and would deuide all liuings among their Elders Decons whom they appoint to be paymasters of their Pastors if either I charge them with vntruth or any indifferent vnderstanding can thinke this not danngerous to the Church and the Commonwealth let their petitions haue successe their complaints haue audience their cause finde fauor and in that one Act let Religion the Prince peace and all vtterly perish I omitt first fruites Tenthes subsides cōtributions of Ecclesiasticall persons all which are graunted by the lawes vnto the Prince of this Land all which by thē are accounted sacriledge and robberie and left wholy to the disposition of their polliticke Consistorie and where as as wee shall haue occasion to handle heareafter some special men in particular cases both in equitie and conscience are to be exemted by priuiledge from those lawes that doe binde all a power only reserued to the Prince himselfe These hould all dispensations vnlawfull and howsoeuer they fauour it in themselues no lesse than superstitious and Antichristian in others A thing doubtlesse of much vse and great necessitie in all kingdomes and of no daunger at all where the King is vertuous Whilst the true consequēts of their false opinions haue taught the world that these and such like derogations of the Kings authoritie haue beene maintained in that vnlearned Schoole they labour to make all men beleeue that Princes haue not more honest Religious and loyall Subiects than they are A thing surely by experience neuer to be found so longe as they haue entered vnder pretence of Religion to become abbaters and disposers of the Kings Reuenewes as if he that were gouernor of the Church and the Commonwealth were bound in dutie by power and reuenewe but to haue care of the Church only a Diminution of all greatnesse is affected by thē that by the disposition of that which they esteeme to be the superfluitie of all States necessarie defences and moderate Ornaments may all faile to make them rich CHAP. II. The Church visible of all other Societies is fittest to haue a Discipline but neuer the same that some men desire TO thinke that either the Church how putrified soeuer the Religion be be in so good a case for gouernment that nothing can either be added or taken away to make it better or that the same societie how much soeuer disordered be to be altered by priuate warrāt is very daungerously and apparantly to erre in both The first being the effect of too much flattery and self loue the latter the daungerous attempt of an insolent presumption both hazardous to that holy Societie whom either they thinke for gouernment to be absolute or absolutely to be gouerned by their owne fancies In these two Errors the difference is this that they first may easily erre in thinking that to be best which Experiēce hath taught them to be good in the latter there is lesse excuse because they mislike all whatsoeuer may not be esteemed to proceede from their owne deuice that there is a gouernment requisite for that Societie which we call the Church the wisdome of God hath made knowen vnto vs both by proportion of those naturall and Ciuill Societies to which the Church is compared and by the perfection of that fellowshippe which the Saints in all ages and places where the true worship of GOD hath preuailed haue had from the foundation of the worlde amongst themselues The first roote of humane Societie as being impossible to continue without order is distinguisht by God himselfe into seuerall degrees and prerogatiues of Husbands Parents Maisters aboue Wife Children and Seruants and yet all linked in the mutuall agreement of like dueties The greater Branches that rise out of these rootes Cities countries and kingdomes are neither destitute of lawes to prescribe nor Magistrats to execute for the common good all receiuing dignitie and strength from this fountaine that by the benefit of Good lawes they are well gouerned If men were of themselues either willing or constant in that which were good It were needles to haue a discipline for all where euery mans vertue were a lawe to himselfe but seeing our corruption is such that we are easily deceiued by our selues more easily seduced by others but most and most daungerously peruerted through feare and desire the one to spurn vs that we goe not too flowe the other to bridle vs that we runne not too fast there is a line both to direct and to amend necessarily limited to all sorts and this in due season lest disorder indured bread confusion the fore-runner of all ruine Seeing then the Church of Christ is the house of God the Citty of the liuing God the kingdome of his beloued Sonne can wee thinke that he is careful for others and carelesse or negligent for his owne or that disorder is lesse daungerous or lesse to be feared in the Church than in the Common-wealth surely hee that in all places is the Author not of confusion but of peace will haue all thinges performed decently and in order for the Gouernment of his Church To this ende hee appointed Stewardes oouer his houshold Watchmen and leaders ouer his flocke laborers in his haruest Husbandmen in his Tyllage and being proportioned to a bodie maketh some to bee Eyes Eares Tongues Handes that is principall members for directing and assistance of the whole without which in all reason it must needes be vnable to prouide for the safetie and securitie of it selfe so that the Honour or happinesse had beene small to haue made it a Church vnlesse this likewise had beene added To haue made it a Church that is well Gouerned for the vnitie of of the Spirit is not kept but in the bande of peace This Regiment of the Church is as well Extelternall as Internall The latter is that gouernment which God hath by his holy Spirit and truth in the hearts of the faithfull which as it is neuer varied so it is not questioned amongest vs in the Church of Englande By this which is the Kingdome of his Sonne all men confesse that GOD inwardly and effectually worketh in his Saintes the Faith of his truth the feeling of his grace and other spirituall blessinges according to the purpose of his will for the praise of his owne Glorie in which no earthly creature is able to ioyne or to concurre with him sauing only in this that the Word and the Sacraments being left as externall meanes there must be fitte persons for both and a power in them to admitte and reiect lest happily holy thinges be defiled whilst Pearles are cast vnto Dogges and Swine From hence ariseth a necessitie of externall Gouernment in Gods Church which respecteth the appointing of meete men and the due approbation of such as are to be credited with the free dispensation of such inestimable Treasures committed to their Charge In this whilst all men agree that it ought and many that are religious are desirous that
the Church should be rightly ordered many Intemperat men without any learning or care haue offred vnto vs that kinde of gouernment which had it beene once admitted could not choose but time haue pocured a ruine to the whole Church whose labours as farre as they were honest no man hath reason to dispies but being daungerouâ— they are to be diswaded from attempting and frendely to be counsailled to aduise better For to allow the best and fauorablest excuse that this cause can afford a curtesie perhaps they desire not at our hands is to thinke they haue dealt as men that comming in loue to visite a sicke friende haue euery man geauen his aduise without skill The best reason in wise Iudgements to deny alteration of any well establisht order as also to procure approbation with good conscience to such customes as are publikely in vse is when there riseth from the due consideration of them apparant reason allthough not all waies to proue them bettter than any other for who did euer require this in mans ordinance yet competent to shew their conuenient fitnesse in regard of the vse for which they should serue duties of Religion performed by the Church ought to haue in them according to our power a sensible excellency Correspondent to the Maiestie of him whom we worship yea then are publike duties in the Church best ordered when the militant doth resemble by sensible meanes as it may in such cases that hidden dignitie and glory wherewith the Church Triumphant in Heauen is beutified how be it as the heate of the Sun which is the life of the whole world was to the people of God in the Desert a greeuous annoyance for ease whereof his extraordinary prouidence ordained a Clowdy Pillar to ouershadowe them so things of generall vse and benefit for in this world what is so perfect that no inconuenience doth euer follow it may by some accident be incommâ—dious to a few in which case for priuate Euills reamedies there are of like conditions though publike ordinances wherein the common good is respected be not stirred Let it be therefore allowed that in the externall forme of Religion such things as are apparantly and haue beene sufficiently proued effectuall and generally fit to set forward godlinesse either as betokening the greatnesse of God or as beseeming the dignitie of religion both which are shadowed in the riches and ornaments of our Church or as concurring with Celestial impressions in the minds of men may be reuerently retained some few rare casuall and tollerable or otherwise cureable inconueniences notwithstanding And in this case it is not a consideration either of least reason or least vse to obserue what hath beene allowed as fit in the iudgement of all Antiquitie for the good gouernment of the Church from which either easily or much to swarue was neuer yet in experience warranted to be safe Wherefore in the altering of formes of Church gouernment Reason doth not allow it to be good either to change what Experience hath taught to be without much hurt or in the change to followe the direction of yong heads For though Ripenes of vnderstanding be grayehairs and the vertues of such be old age yet wisedome and youth are seldome ioyned for we must seeke it among the Auncient and in the length of dayes vnderstaÌ„ding So that if the contention be to whom we must harken and who are they that rule vs in this case doubtlesse the aged for the most part are best experienced least subiect to rash vnaduised passioÌ„s seldome carried with an affectation of noueltie or change therefore best in matter of Counsaile to be best trusted and safest in matter of Change to be wholly followed for as hands are seldome profitable to any great attempts longer than youth strengthen them so Wisedome is not of much value till age and experience haue brought it to perfection In whom therefore time hath not perfected knowledge such must be content to follow them in whom it hath sharp and subtill discourses of witt which are not the ordinarie felicities of those that haue laboured in this cause procure many times great applause butbeing laid in the ballaÌ„ce with that which the habit of sound Experience plainly deliuereth they are ouer-weighed Let vs therefore as in all other things of deliberation and Counsaile follow the aduise of him who said Aske thy Father and he will shew thee thine Auncients and they shall tell the. They which doe nothing as one wisely noteth but that which men of accompt did before them are although they doe amisse yet they lesse faultie because they are not the Authors of harme and doing well their actions are freed from preiudice of Noueltie an imputatioÌ„ alone able to diminish the credite of that which is well donne The loue of thinges auncient doth argue stayednesse but leuitie and want of Experience maketh apt to innouations For vsually where Scripture doth not gaine say that which wisedome did first begin and hath beene with good men long continued challengeth allowance of them that succeede although it pleade for it selfe nothing but that which is new as their discipline is if it promise not much doth feare condemnation before triall till triall noe wise man although women and some rash heades doe doth acquite or trust it what good soeuer it pretend or promise So that in this kinde fewe things being knowen to be good till such time as they growe to be auncient as wee haue small reason to dislike or alter what by continuance wee haue found to bee profitably honest so we haue much lesse cause to admitt that which in our selues and our Church doth want triall and with others abroad hath beene the Originall of much euill Nowe because all thinges can not be Auncient which are expedient and needefull in the Church This being a bodie which neuer dieth hath euer power no lesse to ordaine in things indifferent that which neuer was than to ratifie that which hath beene before for surely the Church howesoeuer some men distast this point hath Authoritie to establish that for an order at one time which at an other it may abolish and in both doe well Laws concerning outward order are changable articles concerning doctrine are not There is saith Cassianus no place of audience left for them by whom obedience is not yielded to that which all haue agreed vpon for it is to bee feared that the sacred worde shall at their handes hardly receiue due honour by whom the holy ordinances of the Church doe receiue contempt It being a vertuous obedience in both as well to the rest in that which the Church commaundeth vnto vs as in that which God commaundeth vnto his Church And if those things which are misliked peraduenture of a number without reason were euils of that nature that could not bee remooued without manifest daunger to succeede in their roomes wisedome of Necessitie must giue place to Necessity all that it can doo is
as much as may bee to mitigate the euils that when the best things are not possible the best may bee made of those that are Wisedome will rather tollerate some euill in A forme of gouernment that is tryed Than in a Gouernment vntryed to stand to the hazard of a farre greater It is the honour of all Kings that which is the Title of the Princes of this Land to bee as they are called Defendours of the Faith and this not onely in regard of Enemies abroad but in respect of those also which desire alteration at home oftentimes A hope of ease giueth men that iustly suffer occasion to complaine whose discontentments how lamentably soeuer diplayed are not alwaies the euidences of true griefe nor euer the argumentes of a iust wrong For doubtlesse let a Church bee as well gouerned as euer was any eyther in or before the Apostles time Let Moses and Aaron both labour to make it Excellent Let Dauid and all his Counsellours aduise for the good of it yet she shal neuer want those within the bosome of her who eyther wearie with that which is auncient or in loue with some newe deuise of their owne are readie to depraue that Gouernment which they ought for to reuerence as being the Orders of that Societie wherevnto in all dutie they doo owe obedience There will euer bee some Corah Dathan and Abiram to tell Moses and Aaron that they take too much vpon them Such is the frailtie of humane nature and so great our vnwillingnesse to liue in subiection to the gouernment of other men That wee will rather hazard an opposition to God himselfe than haue our Zeale to bee guided by the limits of any Lawes doubtlesse those that are thus proud may iustly suspect that GOD hath not placed them as workmen in the reformation of the External gouernment of that Kingdome whose foundation was first laid with so much humilitie This if the first authors of these troubles had well considered they would not in a matter of so great Consequent haue allotted the power and authoritie of alteration vnto the violent and vnlimited passions of the rude multitude a thing in it selfe as without warrant so incredible almost to haue proceeded from men that were furnished but with common sence Could any thing sound more pleasing to the lowest and worst parts of a Kingdome Could any thing moue sooner to rebellion than to tell them that Reformation of Religion belongeth to the Communaltie that the Communaltie may lawfully require of their King to haue true Preachers and if he be negligent they iustly may themselues prouide them maintaine them defend them against all that persecute them and may detaine the profit of the Church-liuings from the other sorte If these strange opinions which must needes sound harshly in the eares of all Kinges had not dispersed themselues like a poyson into the veynes of this Kingdome the Authors might haue slept in silence and their hallowed treasons haue remained vntouched But seeing those who were sollicitours abroad are now so neere that they be daungerous perswaders at home it is a consideration not of small importance as well to looke at the Authors and the meanes with what pretences soeuer they are ouershadowed as at the thing it selfe neither much needfull nor verie safe And howsoeuer in humane reason we haue now lesse cause than euer to feare the daunger of this euill yet seeing no harme in a religious Kingdome with a vertuous Prince findeth as little resistance as that which is couered with the name of Zeale all men haue cause both to pray aduise and assist that the misteries of this euill the iust punishment for the contempt of his truth light not vpō vs in our dayes nor in the dayes of our Children that shall succeede after There is not any fancie grounded vpon so little truth that hath so speedely growne to that greatnes as the discipline of Geneua hath It is like in our Kingdome yet fit inough peraduenture for them vnto the Gourd that shadowed Ionas but of a small continuance and yet some great Prophets are content to rest vnder the shadowe of it wee shall easily forgett the Author of greater benefits vnlesse some Worme in mercie be sent for to eate it downe at the first in the Auncient Disputations against the Papists and Anabaptistes both in Fraunce and Geneua there could bee found but two essentiall notes of the Church The true preaching of the word and the right administration of the Sacraments but when some of ours were returned from Geneua they were not affraied to tell vs a strange opinion to be publisht by learned wise men That Maister Beza helde the Geneua Discipline the third note of the Church and of as much necessitie as the Sacramentes or the worde it selfe which thing if it were as soundly proued as it seemes it is constantly beleeued by them all men had reason to acknowledge them the Authors of much good and to aduenture themselues farre in the defence of it Out of this stronge opinion haue proceeded these vnreuerend speeches against our Land Englande with an Impudent forehead hath said I will not come neere the Holy one wee are neuer the better for her Maiesties reformation seeing the Walls of Sion lye euen with the Ground Rome is come into our gates Antichrist reigneth amongst vs Infinite are the speeches collected out of their owne writings by others in this kinde and yet for all this they would seeme both to flatter the Prince if so worthie a Prince could bee flattered and highly to commend her happie gouernment so many waies profitable both to the Church and the Common-wealth but whilst we charge them with Innouation a thing whereunto wise Gouernors must haue good regard One commeth forth with great boldnesse yet one of the weakest that hath laboured in this cause and saith wee craue no alteration in Religion but only that the things which are standing as they doe may be brought to the order of the Apostles vse and to the Canon of Gods holy word in those circumstāces which remain yet vnreformed Do you speake cōsideratly in this plea were all things that are desired by you and others vsed in the Apostles time Are they all warranted by the Canon of Gods word Doubtlesse if you had perused with any indifferency all the learned discourses of those that haue laboured in this you should easily haue found that most things demaunded and so much desired are new and that wee are not now absolutely tied to all these things that were in vse in the Apostles time It shall not be amisse howsoeuer it hath beene alreadie most learnedly performed by others to let them Vnderstand that the orders of the Church haue beene at times diuers Whereof some haue beene added some ceased and that wee are not absolutely tied to imitate the times that haue beene before in euerie particular the Church as it is Militant heere on earth liueth
without offence to giue you my opinion of the whole Booke it is a verball reiterating of the same things handled and discoursed by some of those with whom by some occasioÌ„ you haue much neernes I speak it not that I thinke you had their helpe for to this their needes none but to shew that the labour might well haue beene spared seeing others with farre better successe had trauelled in that same cause Contradictions there are diuers and all is vnsaid in the last Chapter which before you haue handled in the whole Booke speaches that sauour of slattery too plaine First of the Queene whose worthinesse farre exceeded whatsoeuer you could speake of her but surely you cannot possiblie commend her gouernment who as it seemes by your complaints was no more carefull to haue the Church reformed as you deale with the Queene so you deale with the Councill nay rather than faile you will flatter the Bishops also You reckon vpa true Catologue of their excellent vses in this Church yet notwithstanding if any harme should haue come to our late Queene you threaten a little after to lay it their charge Much like vnto the Author of the demonstration of discipline who saith that the Bishops by their gouernment giue leaue to a man to be any thing but a sound Christian nay your selfe feare not to say which certainly is not true they that were incensed against the Puritanes by the Papists meanes nay you spare not our first Bishops in our late Souereignes time which hauing fledd in Queene Maries dayes were not likely in reason to be fauourers of the Church of Râ—me herevnto I may ad your often repetitions of the same things besides is not this a strang phrase We cannot tell whether we might by the lawes and order of this Realme subscribe although it were otherwise lawfull by Gods word As if the Lawes of this Land could be a restraint for subscribing being warraÌ„ted in Gods word which they so earnestly impose only in this respect because it is so warranted I omitt false English which could not be the Printers fault The principall points which you seeme to handle we will answere God willing in the Chapters following and with this desire rather to finde out the truth than to confute you the one is a dutie but the other can be smale honor Neither are you to thinke me ouer arrogaÌ„t in this ceÌ„sure seeing I may much better doe it to you than you to his Grace whom you ought in all dutie not to haue named but with greater honor hauing shewed vnto you more fauour as yourselfe connot but confesse than many others of your qualitie deserts I will therefore conclude this point saying with that learned man whom I must euer reuerence as he spake of Maister Cartwrights second Reply Let me not liue if euer I sawe any thing writteÌ„ more loosely or almost most Childishly and after much to the same effect the conclusion is this he is alltogether vnworthie to bee confuted by any man of learning Surely there is nothing we doe tast worse thaÌ„ to haue a true censure of those things which oftentimes either out of ignorance or affection are much esteemed which serueth in the ende only to delude our selues and deceiue others but though the flatterie of Parasites doe seeme pleasant yet the wounds of a Louer are much better CHAP. IIII. The proceeding of the Reformers wholy vnlawfull IT falleth oftentimes out in the deliberations of men that where they haue iust reason to desire reformation of that which is faultie the meanes many times to attaine this are in themselues vnlawfull and lesse safe Their arc few Kingdoms which haue not found this to be true both in the Church and the Commonwealth For as in all States the lowest are aptest to reeciue harme and so euer to pretend that they receiue wrong and hauing least iudgment to moderate the sence of euill are most impatient to suffer euill so whilst they become vnskilfull Phisitions to a pub like sicknesse they make vsually the remedie worse than the disease it selfe that there is any kingdome gouerned with so much happinesse wherein the hand of authoritie is carried with that equal tenor that either rewards or punishmeÌ„ts are not or are not thought to bee bestowed by fauour as we scarcely read of any that haue beene before vs so neither can we hope for a better fortune to those that are present or shall succeed heereafter For where true causes of Complaint are wanting vnnecessarie discontentments are readie to make them to seeme true nay the Church it selfe a Societie that hath farre better lawes to gouerne it than any Kingdome seldome gaineth this opinion from all but that some violeÌ„t spirits dare vndertake by orders deriued out of their owne fancies to frame a gouernment that should be more holy and more excellent So that whilst they are earnest conceitours of this forme a forme peraduenture without warrant and therefore in the ende not likely to proue safe they fall a thing vsuall into so great an admiration of their owne creature that any other gouernment be it neuer so profitable and vertuous is despised and in the ende nothing is of power to hinder the building of this Babell but the confusion of tongues So that ReformatioÌ„ by a long continued disteÌ„per which ought to be the care and the conscionable desire of all commeth at the length to be the preposterous and violent misshapen disorder of some few all men hauing this defect by nature that where they haue power to discerne an euill they haue not the vnderstanding to finde out the meanes for to make it lesse the consideration of this as it ought to make those in Authoritie to haue more care and digligence so vndoubtedly it serueth to restraine the vncharitable constructions of priuat men who must not thinke all men to be Hypocrites that are in this case carried with lesse learning and more Zeale for doubtlesse in our Church a great number haue vnfeinedly though without discretion wasted their Zeale and their labour in that cause with much hurt which if they could haue beene so coÌ„tent might haue serued the Church to a better vse But seeing that cause how euill soeuer handled hath found so much fauour euen at their hands who in reason had least cause to allow disorder and that nothing is to be more suspected as euill to be don than that which we finde to be euill donne we will make a short but a true narration of this course which hath beene held from the beginning for the establishment of this gouernment Neither is it fit that the particular ouersigts of some fewe and peraduenture of such as either were or were thought least fit to be imployed in a matter of that momeÌ„t should be any iust exception to that proceeding if men of greater learning and cheefest in that action it had beene carried without violence with much grauitie moderation and Zeale but
meanes against the heresie of Priscilian the hatred of which one euill was all the vertue he had became so wise in the end that euery man carefull of vertuous conuersation studious of Scripture and giuen vnto any abstinence in dyet was set downe in his Kalender of suspected Priscillianistes For whom it should bee expedient to approue their soundnes of faith by a more licentious and loose behauiour neither do I thinke vnto a great number that desired this name could any thing more fitly be applied than that vnto the Cathari a sect of Heretikes not cleane but worldlings or as Epifaâ—iâ—s calleth them pure impure ones But surely if eyther the Cathari the Nouatians the Pelagians the Donatists or any sect of the papists at this day worthily deserue to be termed by the name of Puritan theÌ„ surely it is no great error to apply that name to a number amongst vs who are euer readie to boast of their innocencie and in respect of themselues to account all of a contrary faction vnholy and prophane Others this Author accounteth old barrels And yet if he had well remeÌ„bred what he saith in any other place That who so feareth an oath or is an ordinarie resorter to Sermons earnest against excesse ryot Popery or any disorder they are called in the Vniuersity Prescisians and in other places Puritans Surely if this description of a Puritan were true neither were there much reproach in the name nor would a great number be left out of that sect who in all humility religion and conscience haue learned to submit themselues to the present States and I doubt not but verie truly a great nuÌ„ber of the Reuerend Fathers of the Church might more fitly be called prescise than those that for the earnest affectatioÌ„ of a new discipline desire by their followers to bee called pure For surely in all those things meÌ„tioned as notes to discerne a Puritan many that are very far from that peeuish singularity of some amongst vs haue done the Church more seuice in one yeare and liued with greater sinceritie their whole life than the principall of those who are distinguisht by that name Is it not a straunge presumption to Impropriat Conscience Holines Innocency and Integrity onely to some few as if all the rest who haue seuered themselues from the Church of Rome were no better than Athiests time-seruers prophane and irreligious only in this respect because by their authoritie and learning they haue resisted this vnreasonable desire of a new disciplne So hardly doo 〈◊〉 temper our selues when wee are strongly perswaded of our owne fancies but that all that are contrarie or repugnant to vs wee traduce theÌ„ to the world as men without conscience only for this that they are apposite A practise which alone is able to discouer to the world our exceeding pride and intollerable selfe-loue for no man can doubt but the aduersaries to this cause haue exceeded the other in all 〈◊〉 wherein they are or would seeme to bee most excellent onely they haue learned to obey which is much better than all the sacrifice of fooles But seeing words haue so many Artificers by whom they are made and the things whereunto wee apply them are fraught with so many varieties it is not alwaies apparant what the first inuentours respected much lesse what euerie mans inward conceit is which vseth their words doubtlesse to distinguish things that are of a different condition is the most ordinarie and the safest vse of names seeing necessarily to collect what things are from names by which they are called can haue small warrant these being but effectes oftentimes of malice sometimes of ignorance mistaking sometimes of some particular accident all which serue but in the construction of wisemen to make their estimation by a better rule and where things are not in nature such not to condemne them though they called by euill names The name of Puritan or Prescisian no man hath reason to vse it as a disgrace seeing with vs it serueth but to signifie such as being more strict for obseruation of Ceremonies than others both parties being opposite in that they both notwithstanding may bee equally distant from the Church of Rome and therefore as I cannot excuse such as prophanely make it any imputation to bee prescise a duetie which surely ought to bee performed by vs all in a stricter maner so neyther doo I thinke the proceeding of those to bee altogether lawfull who vnder this name hauing shrowded themselues account all men besides to bee prophane Atheistes and the resistance which they finde in their violent course to bee a cruell persecutor of innocent men in a good cause They that teach the world to thinke and to speake thus must needes bee iudged both to slaunder the profession of the Gospell amongest vs and to make themselues the best part of that Church which is seuered from the customes of the Church of Rome But lest peraduenture none of them eyther mislike the name or make the original of their sufferings to bee their innocency let vs heare one of them plead for the rest Men which made consceince of many things which the Reuereud Fathers and many learned men affirmed to bee lawfull and for this they were called Puritans There is no man can think but in matters of this nature the iudgement of the Reuerend Fathers and many other learned men that were not Bishops might haue ouerswayed the stifnesse of some few for so they were at the first without inforcing any faction or breach of the Churches vnion this phrase is vsuall in that Booke the goodnes of our cause and the innocency of our persons God deliuered his innocent seruants and being reproued for their proceeding their aunswere is the innocency of our cause doth constrayne vs and that the world may knowe the reason of their sufferings they say the chiefest cause of their trouble and reproach is their carefull and zealous following of Gods holy Word and their tender conscience in offending God Would not a man thinke that the Church of England which hath seuered it selfe not without many Daungers from the Church of Rome had looked backe and become a Harlot and a bloody Kingdome surely there cannot be a greater blemish laid vpon this Church which both is and is desirous to be thought reformed than that it hath persecuted for their conscience men holy religious Innocent and it a good cause The whole tenor of that plea of the Innocent runneth on in this course as if it were the sighes and mournings of a Church vpright and pure labouring vnder the burthen of persecution because they cannot in conscience yeelde vnto Superstition as others doo from hence are these speeches They seeing our Innocencie that of mere conscience our vprightnesse makes vs poore innocent men And in an other place to the same purpose We can boldely and in the sight of God protest our Innocency wee and our honest and iust cause
and Zeale is thought to bee farre lesse But we will hope much better of these men than that sufferance hath made them proud and their pride more contentious than heretofore And therefore me thinkes it is most straung that any man should haue so little vnderstanding as one of them hath who make vs beleeue that the Countenaunce of the Bishops were more estraunged from them now than euer before for doubtlesse if the great moderation of those persons whom our late Souereigne of blessed memorie thought fit to be aduansed to that place to be called Bishoppes had not with more than fatherly care â—estrained it selfe in compassion towards them from seuere execution of Iust lawes their occasions of complaint peraduenture would haue beene farre greater though not more reasonable but surely the Vnitie of the Church had beene much more There is nothing so daungerous as lenitie in that case where patience giueth occation for insolent contention to be more proud a thing as vnsufferable in it owne nature at all times so then especially most destitute of all excuse when inferiour persons are aptest to prouoke and the things in question in their owne iudgment are of no great momeÌ„t as those then haue don euill offices who haue renued the memorie of almost outworne errors so are they lesse tollerable in this that hauing poysoned the world with so euill opinions they seeme notwithstanding earnestly and humbly desirous to liue in peace assuring themselues that what difference soeuer prosperitie breedes doubtlesse persecution would make vs to be all one but euer reseruing this priuiledge to themselues that the Bishops in submission as offendours must first yeeld But if a man rightly consider the originall of this sinne of contention and what affections they are which giue strength vnto it hee can hardely in reason expect quietnesse to be found in the patrons of this cause pride enuie and vaine Glorie are the originall fountaies of this euill for where inferiour persons both for place and Iudgment haue ouerualued their owne fancies by their owne conceit it is no more like that in humilitie they should once yeeld thaÌ„ it is possible for obedient humilitie to become proude The distance being equall in both only in this the disaduantage greater that wee haue all of vs an aptnesse to doe euill but without grace no possible meanes in our selues to become good Hereunto if we add the second that as out of pride we loue our selues so out of enuie wee hate others no man can maruell if men that are proude vaine glorious and enuious easely also bee founde contentious for that which in different opinions maketh contenâ—iâ—â—s to cease is when men are perswaded of their betters that they are not easily deceiued and of themselues that they may and doe easely erre but all contentions are not of the same nature for some neede no excuse when we resist as we are bound for the defence of a good cause for other a small excuse may serue in that being without order yet they are not scandalous but that which is common with these men is highly sinfull without all colourable show of excuse when they are more vnreuerently bitter than is beseeming the grauitie of the persons with whom they striue and more vehement than is aunswerable to the cause that they would defend For the seruant of the Lord must not striue but must be gentle towards all men apt to teach suffering the euill men patiently so that if any man had these defects that were an aduersarie in this cause We must instruct them with meekenesse that are contrarie minded proouing if at any time God will giue them repentance that they may knowe the truth If any man teach otherwise hee is puft vp and knoweth nothing but doteth about questions and striffe of words whereof commeth enuy strife raylings euill surmisings all which are to no profit but to peruert the hearers And surely as the Apostle telleth vs Where enuie and strifes is there is sedition and all manner of euill workes But if after so much patience so many fould cleare and modest defences of a iust cause any man lust to be contentious we haue noe such custome neither the Churches of God Thus Coutention through the corruption of our nature being seldome limited in the end becommeth Inordinate and a foule sinne and so consequently without warrant when either we contend about that which is so true or so trifling that we ought not or whether we contend in that maner that doth not become vs or in that place or last of all with those persons that are vnbefitting The error in the first is that of the disciples which should be the greatest which exaÌ„ple saith Beda is willingly reade of many that desire fâ—oÌ„ the Scripture to findâ— example to warrant them to the like coÌ„tention but saith S. Ambrose if the Apostles contend it is not made a pretence of excuse for vs but set downe for a Caueat In the second the fault in those clamorous rayling and vuciuill speaches by aduersaries of all sides wherein if some in our Church had not beene too forward to aunswere their aduersaries in the same kind the best causes had beene handled with better praise and the worst had beene performed with lesse blame hence commeth it that hee who for learning hath not deserued least for the defence of our Church for modestie of writing onely excepted hath deserued best The place and the persons are ordinary circumstances to make our contentions to bee more faultie but seldome though the Scholeman say otherwise doe I finde any reason for men of the Church for to warant either ForÌ„whereas there is amongst vs Enuying strife and diuisions are we not Carnall and walke as men For saith Salomon it is a mans honor to cease from strife but euerie foole will be medling And doubtlesse if in this cause of the Church gouernment many whose conditions and learning might Iustly haue inioyned them silence had not beene medling Moderation with Grauitie might haue determined that cause which stoode only supported with a hott Zeale And seeing the best warrant of our actions must be the sincere Testimonie of our conscience from a true feare I wonder how some Inferiour and meane men could thinke it lawfull for them to vndertake a matter of that moment nay to receiue it being almost deade when men of farre greater learning and dwiseome did remaine silent some excuse peraduenture I could allowe him if others farre more worthie had not had as much Zeale and had not beene as farre better able to defend the cause but it may be he taketh his labour to be well imployed hauing made in his opinion for the good of the Church a benifit of that small Talent which God hath giuen him Other ends for which the world hath censured him hardly I dare not accâ—â—â— him of for who am I that I should condemne
an oâ—her mans seruant He standeth or falleth to his owne Master And yet as that morall wise man saith It little skilletâ— with what minde that is dâ—â—â— which is euill done because thâ—â—â—ede is seene but the minde is not It is no praise not to doe thâ—â—â—â—ich thou canst not And if the best excuse bee allowed both to him and others which can be afforded in so euill a cause wee must needes say That centention in the Church is the hurtfull effect of indiscrete Zeale And howsoeuer men bouldly apply that to themselues which was spoken by our Sauiour Christ. The Zeale of thine house hath euen eaten mee yet they little consider that with this Zeale of Gods honor which eateth them they haue no warrant that Gods house should be eaten by them true Zeale saith S. Austine desireth in his place to amend what is a misse but if he cannot he doth tollerate it and sigh for there is a Zeale that proceedeth from rancor and malice but not from loue Extraordinarie Zeale which exceedeth the limits of our priuate calling is then only no sinne when it proceedeth from the power of the spirit and not a priuate motion the same spirit warranting that Zeale by giuing an extraordinarie power as also an vnresistable strength all which were found in our Sauiour in the sonne of Eleazer in the Sonnes of Leuie in Elias and diuers others And if the Pleader hath performed any thing either more powerfully or more effectually than other men we are readie to confesse that this newe Contention arose from a holy Zeale But under this colour daungerous attempts haue beene committed in Gods Church Thus Anabaptist in Germanie cut off his brothers head in the sight of his Parents perswading them that the holy Ghost was the Author of that fact But because he could not make the Magistrate to beleuee so much hee himselfe by their sentence indured the same death And it were fitt all these Zealous murderers of their bretheren by their hot contentions were examined by the Magistrate of their lawfull calling for it is great pitie that Religion and Zeale and sometimes peraduenture a good cause all which are most innocent should suffer the reproach of a shamefull Act but such Zealous persons haue beene in all ages who vnder pretense to reforme Religion haue been the worst meÌ„ and the greatest enemies that Religion had when Claudins Nero gouerned there were some that called themselues Zealatours and vnder that name were earnest for Religion vntil theÌ„selues had brought fier to consume the Temple for which they stroue and surely if humane reason haue leaue to coniecture what is like to be the euent of these euils Atheisme propanenes and sacrilege must al enter at the dore of Contention to burnvp Religion to robbe the Church And howsoeuer peace be best built vpoÌ„ redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of wrongs for otherwise to make an Vnitie without repeting the causes of discord is but rather to please vs with the name than with equitie to compound the wrongs wherein if we had beene the first yet it may appeare that we are not willing to vrge the Authors of these Contentions too farre in giuing a beginning to his euill surely their fault must needes be the greater which will not suffer it to haue an ende alter principium malo dedit alter modum abstulit neither can we excuse the bitternesse of some whose paines were little required to haue laboured in this cause as the former in the impure coÌ„tentions of Martinisme defaced the gouernment of the Church in the persons of Bishops and Prelates so the other sort did lead into conteÌ„pt the exercises of religion in the persons of sundrie Preachers disgracing as one well noteth the higher matter though in the meaner person we can be coÌ„tent to thinke that in many the beginning of these euils was a detestation which they had to the Church of Rome But we wish such men to know that first they haue iniured greatly the Church of Christ by hindering that increase which Religion in this Land might haue had if these violently had not beene ouer willing to contend with all men and then that as there is nothing of more vse so nothing in respect can be of greater daunger in ReligioÌ„ thaÌ„ Zeale is for this if it be directed aright is mother of much â—olines but being mislead is the Adulterous stepmother of much Hypocrisie and doubâ—lesse the corrupt fountaine of the greatest and most daungerous contentions that haue troubled this Church haâ—â— bin the faise opinion of vndiscret Zeale and when our contentions growe strong they spoyle saith Soloâ—â—â— a house full of facrifices and lest they should thinke wee are willing and esteeme it an honor to contend with them we say we haue taught the truth the auncient and perpetuall gouernment of the Church we haue maintained the reformed discipline by the example of the first and best Churches after the time of persecution we teach nothing but the pure Gospell of Christ wee administer the Sacraments as wee ought we are and haue learned to bee obedient to those that rule ouer vs we wish and prouide that the Ministerie of England may be learned that men may be diligent in that honorable fruction committed to them that all Idolatrie and superstition may be banished in one word that the Church may be cured from all their infirmities by the hand of authoritie and those lawfull meanes prouided for her safetie that noe rayling and contentious speeches to the disgrace of any mans person may be vsed by vs and if any man teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholsome words of the Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to Godlinesse hee is puft vp and knoweth nothing but doateth about questions strife of words whereof commeth enuy strife raylings euill surmisinges froward disputation of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth which thinke that gaine is godlines for doubtlesse the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse God for where enuy and strife is there is sedition and all manner of euill workes but wisedome that is from aboue is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to bee entreated full of mercy and good fruits without iudging and without Hypocrisie and the fruit of righteousnesse is sowne iâ— peace of them that can make peace Wee therefore beseech you breathren by the mercies of Christ Let vs be all of one minde let vs seeke peace and ensue it let there be noe strife I pray you betwext you vs neither betwext your beardmeÌ„ nor our beard-men for we are Breatheren But if they will needes proceede in this intemperat manner to nourrish the flame of these vnhallowed Contentions which both strengthen the aduersaries and weaken our selues we can but wish that authoritie may cause their writings to bee abortiue and not see the Sunne but if their policies in this doo preuent lawes
antiquitie if they will declare themselues to be more studious of vnitie and concord then of innouations and new fanglnes which as much as may be with the true setting sorth of Christs religion is alwaies to be eschewed In these our doings we condemne no other nation nor prescribe any thing but to our owne people onely An excellent censure and graue moderation fit to be considered by al that are desirous to alter our church cerimonies And surely it must needes seeme strange that when all opinions how false so euer haue had this happinesse that some of their maintainers haue had the coullorable helpes of learning to defend their cause the chiefe aduersaries in this haue dealt at all times so weakely as if all of them purposely had ment to haue betrayed it For to speake without partiallity what truth requireth in this poynt the principall and first opposites that I reade of vnto our Church cerimonies were those that in Queene Maries time got the libertie to plant a Church at Franckford where first ioyning with the French afterward out of their humors strengthned with some counsell from Geneua so farre dissented from their religious and learned countriemen which hauing left their countrie for the profession of the Gospell lay then at Zurick Strausborugh Wezell and Emden that some bookes and the greatest part of christendome was filled with the vnreuerent vnholy and vnnaturall contentions of that time This vnwise and inconsiderate dislike yet then much more tollerable where they had some showe of authoritie to plant a Church kindled that fire which hath burned euer since and without great resolution and wisedome of some in authoritie doubtles long agoe had burst fourth into a daungerous flame within the very bowels of our Church and all onely from this head that whilest the greater part was loth to yeeld to the wiser and more learned some sparkes of that opposition notwithstanding their showe of reconcilement when they heard of Queene Maries death daungerously brake out when they returned home They from Franckeford wrote to them of Zuricke by Maister Grindall after that reuerent Archbishop and maister Chambers that they thought not that any godly man would stand to the death in the defence of cerimonies which as the booke specified vpon iust occasions may be altered and changed accounting it an argument that they are slenderly taught which for breach of a cerimonie will refuse such a singular benefit as to ioyne with the Church They likewise from Strausgburgh onely desired such vse of the communion booke as no reasonable man shal iustly reproue a graue moderation doubtles in them and a iust censure against all those as being vnreasonable men which reproue it at this day Some of those that fledde vertously out of their owne countrie which was then for the most part an aulter for y e bodies of y e dead or a prisonâ—â— the soules of the liuing vnaduisedly were content to make a schisme as the Donatists from the Romane Church for the keeping of Easter and onely through the dislike of a few ceremonies which in a letter that they wrote after Queene Maries death for ending of these contentions they call trifles and superfluous ceremonies I cannot enough wonder how men of learning and iudgement as most of them surely had both could in time of banishment in a strange citie and amongst themselues for the space of foure or fiue yeares nourish a contention with that bitternes for things of that nature which the most eager amongst them did account but trifles It had been surely a great honour to them and a greater happines to this Church if they had remembred themselues though in exile to haue been a part of it and so haue framed their orders to the gouernment and those ceremonies which were established by law and vsed by them in King Edwards time To this letter they of Franckeford make a wiser and farre more reasonable answere that it shall be to small purpose for them to contend for ceremonies where it shall lie neither in your hands nor ours to appoint what they shall be but in such mens wisedomes as shall be appoynted to the deuising of the same and which shall be receiued by common consent of the Parliament and a little after All reformed Churches differ amongst themselues in ceremonies and yet agree in the vnitie of doctrine we see noe inconueniences if we vse some ceremonies diuers from them so that we agree in the chiefe points of our religion If all of them at their returne home had obserue the moderation that was in some few such clamorous inuectiues had not been vsed against those whose places inioyne them to see an obseruation for the vniformitie of the Church of those few modest and comely ceremonies which the law appointed But at their returne one of them a man otherwise in the opinion of some vertuous and learned chargeth vs that we make these Antichristian ragges for so it pleaseth him in his heate to call them causam sine qua non in Christs holy ministerie so that these make an english priest be he neuer such a doult or villane and without these Romish reliks not Paul himselfe should preach What could any of our aduersaries haue spoken more bitterly against our cleargie and surely in the eares of any temperate and wise man it must needes seeme a strange and inconsiderate speech to slaunder a whole Church with so little reason especially that Church whose honor and peace should haue been maintained by him We dare in this take their owne offer to rest vpon melancholie iudgement a thing peraduenture not so fit in another case that when the opinion of holinesse of merit of necessitie meaning a religious necessitie not a necessitie of obedience is put into things indifferent then they darken the light of the Gospell and ought to be taken away But they are with vs as all other things of that nature of comlines of order of obedience And the same which was the reason to those in authoritie to remoue others was likewise their reason to retaine these wherein if their wisedomes saw not so much as others peraduenture would haue done if they had been in their places we dare not take vpon vs to censure their doings but where scripture is not against it we are desirous to be obedient vnto those that doe rule ouer vs. And where some thinke it is as lawfull if the Prince commaund to weare Aarons garments as these and if not Aarons much lesse the Popes first we say not that these are the Popes howsoeuer peraduenture by them vsed before vs neither are we bound for any thing that I know so precisely in all things to dissent from them We are willing to retaine of theirs what we may that those amongst vs which superstitiously are addicted to them may see that it is not of malice that we are parted and themselues may haue lesse couller of excuse for dissenting from
vs But for any Prince to commaund the wearing of Aarons grrments in that manner and to that end that Aaron ware them were to erect that priesthood which is abolished and those ceremonies which were types and ended at the passiō of Christ in despight of his passion to call againe Neither can there be a comparison more inconsiderately made then betwixt these two seeing for the one not to be vsed their reasons are neither many nor of great waight and for the other to be vsed there is none at all For if the lawe be taken away whose priestly apparrell and garments were onely a figure and shadowe of Christ to come he then which doth vse such garments of Aaron doth heretically with the Iewes confesse that Christ is not yet come and doth as much as in him lyeth renew the shadowes by him abolished and receiuing againe his schoolemaster Moses doth forsake Christ. Therefore stand in the libertie wherewith Christ hath deliuered you and be not wrapped againe in the yoake of bondage wherefore seeing these ceremonies are neither the dregges of poperie nor cannot in reason offend the weake nor haue any religion actually placed in them we see no cause as yet why they may not be continued in our Church CHAP. VII Of Subscription AS there is little hope of peace in the outward gouernment of that Church where the leaders of others are not willing or thinke it not lawfull to be obedient so there is no one act in the obseruation of al wise mā more auaileable and in reason more likely to procure this then that which tyeth the tongue and hands from any way resisting these lawfull ordinances that preserue peace A thing doubtles if it had been well wayed by those holy disturbers of the Churches rest who notwithstanding all this are desirous to seeme innocent surely themselues would haue been formost both to haue done and suffered whatsoeuer would haue serued to haue furthered the offices of deuotion and to haue blessed the Church with so much happinesse Neither can they be excused in this as men wholie ignorant seeing all know that the best times for performing religious duties is when the Church is at vnitie in it selfe and the meanes to attaine this is for inferiours to be subiect to those reasonable directions that others giue Both because submission in them is a part of dutie and few that haue authoritie to commaund if they want reason for that they doe a thing not to be thought in men of that wisedome and in a matter of so great importance yet seldome they want resolution seuerely to exact dutifull obedience where they doe commaund Mildnes which in some other cases may be a vertue being in this a vice opposite to that courage required in those who are to rale ouer vs. So that whilest some men haue published to the world what others haue done and they suffered in this kinde a hard censure of reproch for willfull resistance will blemish them to the worlds end and a memorable testimonie of the others courage shall follow amongst all posterities their blessed names euen from the writings of such as doe most dispraise them The frute of their righteousnes being the Churches peace whilest the peeuish refusall in others serued onely but to make a schisme And as the glorious Saints in heauen those blessed spirits freed from the troubles of this life enioy in Gods presence an eternall peace who before in their flesh were comforted with the peace of the holy Ghost so if against outward enemies both at home and abroade they might haue obtained peacefull dayes and nights this threefould cable should be hardly broken and the Church might sing as we haue cause and more might haue had if these men would that God hath done great things for vs alreadie whereof we reioyce for that blessing which is the happinesse of all other societies cannot in reason but be a singular aduantage for the better performance of our religious duties in Gods seruice This being the principall end of that great benefit of peace that all men inioying those particular things without daunger which God hath giuen them haue stronger motions to giue him praise and better meanes without disturbance to glorifie that name which is great wonderfull and holy And surely if it had not been for the ouerheadie disobedience of some men wee might haue giuen this glorious testimonie of the happines of this land that peace was within our walles and plentiousnes within our pallaces and that all the daies of Queene Elizabeth the Church had rest A blessing doubtles so long continued such as our fathers neuer sawe the like and when it shall be tould to our childrens children that are to come they will not beleeue it I haue euer in my weake opinion so farre honored the holy instruments of peace that I did alwaies thinke that their could not be a surer argument of an euill cause then in a Church reformed to resist authoritie and to disobey those that should rule ouer vs. All other things obserue that law which their maker appointed for them for he hath giuen them a law which shall not be broken This must needes bee the reproofe of man saith Saint Ambrose but most of all unto such who being the children of the Church nay which is more ministers to serue in it are notwithstanding disobedient vnto those lawes which in great wisedome for her owne safetie the Church hath made As if she now might complaine as Saint Bernard did out of the Prophet Esay behold for felicitie I had bitter griefe bitter before in the death of Martyres more bitter after in the conflict with heretikes but most of all now with my owne house Vnlike in this to that maister whose schollers they desire to seeme who chose rather to loose his life then to disobey We had rather all of vs inuent and teach then heare and follow for our reason is but an euill lackey but our will is worse Seeing we want not reasons as we think to warrant vs in that we do accounting the commaundements of others to be against right and what wee will our selues that to be most holy Whereas true obedience hath nothing of his owne but is wholy anothers it is daungerous when we say desperately surely we will walke after our owne imaginations and doe euery man after the stubbornes of his wicked heart This vertue of obedience maketh good things vnlawfull as the eating of the forbidden tree to Adam and euill things to be good and lawfull as to smite the Prophet the one because he did what he was forbidden was punished with death and the other was deuoured of a Lyon because he did it not That which at another time ought to haue been omitted and could not be done without a great sin now being commaunded without a great sinne could not be omitted Neither is the fault much lesse though the parties be diuers
the statute required in this kinde It is like he rather desired to tell the world that he was an actor in the troubles of that time then to giue reasons for that which he and they did or to craue with submission pardon of the Church for that which they did not Aboute the yeere saith one 1571. subscription was inforced vpon the Ministerie for which cause in that time certaine men wrote an admonition to the Parliament opening diuers things worthie of reformation whereupō arose great volumes of prouing defending c. But in the middest of these fiery contentions a goodly space of quietnes about the time that the reuerend father Maister Grindall was Archbishop of Canterburie c. after the said archbishops death there came forth a new fresh assault of subscription vniuersally imposed and againe inforced vpon all the ministers in three articles first of the Queenes maiesties soueraigne authoritie ouer all persons c. secondly that the booke of common prayer and of ordayning Bishops Priests and Deacons containe in it nothing contrarie to the word of God c. thirdly to allowe and approue all the articles of religion agreed vpon by the Archbishop and Bishops c 1562 and to beleeue all therein contained to be agreeable to God The Ministers offered freely and willingly to subscribe to the first article of her Maiesties most lawfull authoritie and for the other two they refused to doe any further then by law they were bound and namely according to the statute made for that purpose Anno 13. Hereupon many in diuers shires were suspended from the execution of their ministery and some depriued And in another place We cannot tell whether we might by the lawes and order of this realme subscribe although it were otherwise lawfull by Gods word it concerneth the whole state aduisedly to consider that the holy ministers of God be not oppresse lwith an vniust subscription This the author calleth in another place the first great storme that fell vpon them and in another place this he maketh to be the fruites of subscription that the unpreaching minister and the non-resident are both warranted by it and in another place it is meaning subscription against many good and learned ministers and some it thrusteth out Others before this author both for time and worthines haue stifly but I doubt scarse considerately refused obedience in this point The some of all their reasons tending to this end that many obscure vntruthes were contained in those things whereunto they required that they should subscribe all aiming at this that nothing was euer so greeuous in the Church to the humours and dispositions of these men as to giue by subscription their allowance vnto that which the lawes had done One of them to the Lords of the councell speaking of subscription when D. Whitgift was made Archbishop and set forth his vnaduised deuise of subscription it seemed as a strong pot of brasse that would soone haue broken in peeces all the power of poore ministers and made discipline in vtter contempt I will only put the reader in minde that though it were no dishonor vnto his grace to be the author of so wise an order for the Church yet the same by their owne confession was a lawe before her Maiestie had called him to be a Bishop another for it were endlesse and of little vse to alleage the reasons of Iohnson preacher at Northhampton of Grayer and many besides published to this end being more learned yet in my opinion lesse religious thē the rest hath set downe some reasons why the Bishops doc vrge subscription t◠her Maiesties authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall first for a hope of a more sure setlednes to themselues and their followers that none may hereafter preach against the lordlynes of prelates that none may preach against ciuill offices in a preiate that none may speake against baptisme by women that none may preach against an vnlearned ministerie that none may preach against any corruption yet established whatsoeuer A strange collection thus to aime at the intention of making lawes But we say no otherwise of him then a father did in the like case His words showe vs wholy what he is and if we therefore know him not because we haue not seene his face neither doth he knowe himselfe because he doth not see his face But these doubtles and such like are but as Saint Hierome calles them the hissings of the old serpent For wise men would haue thought that these had had nothing to haue spokē vnlesse they had propounded this to thēselues to haue spoken euill But seeing the tenor of them all is all one an vnreuerent estimation and speaking of men in authoritie and lawes that are made by them a fault surely not small nor easily forgiuen if the cause were vertuous I must needes before I answere them giue them this aduise which I hope some will follow they that do as Gennadius reporteth of one Seuerus seduced to bee a pelagian acknowledge their loquacitie with him and keepe silence vnto death that they may recompence by their silence what they haue offended in speaking Now before we answere this which they haue alleadged against subscription the consideration of the nature of that doubtles must be fittest which in all reason ought to be accounted the best warrant to excuse them both in this and the rest which they doe refuse a reason which cannot be the same to all and in those in whom it is found without deceite they are rather to be pittied and instructed then to be vrged to that which how lawfull so euer their conscience gainesaying they doe make a sinne For though the conscience of man allowing cannot make that to be no sinne which the lawe doth yet the conscience forbidding may make that to be a sinne which the lawe doth not And therefore amongst men of wisedome and vertue there is no Plea that ought to be heard with so much attention as when men for that which they doe or doe not truely and sincerely doe alleadge their conscience Now as the coullorable excuse for refusing to subscribe must be the weaknes of such mens conscience who were perswaded in themselues the things to be vnlawfull whereunto they were required to giue allowance so surely a double fault must lie vpon them if there be any such who making no conscience of those things pretend only the greatest bond vpon earth to be the lawfull warrant of refusing of that which they would not doe And surely where feare and humilitie are both wanting there it is ouer much charity to thinke that they make a conscience All men vnderstand not aright what that is which they alledge for themselues when they say their conscience There is naturally ingrafted in the heart of man that light of nature which neuer can be put out that telleth him that no euill is to be done Now reason according to the knowledge that it hath
haue no Church this being as essentiall as either the word or the sacraments where this is wanting wee haue great cause both to examine the practises of these men and to consider that discipline which they tender vnto vs for that which we now haue and what benefit by this exchange is likely to redownd vnto Gods Church And surely if both our Disciplines had the like warrant that they were the lawfull â—rdinations of men for the well gouerning of the Church not repugnant to the word of God yet it is like the aduantage would be far greater on our side being auncient not the inuention of our selues found to be safe by experience and duly proportioned with the greatnes riches freedoms glory and gouernment of this kingdome whereas theirs in their owne opinions if they were not ouer partially addicted to it is new the inuention of late time dangerous by experience in a kingdome and no way proportioned but to the limits and bounds of some priuate Citie we haue knowne the aduocates of this discipline to haue much grace for which I do honor them in exhortation and prayer but to be either inuentors or aduisors of lawes and ordinations fit for a Church discipline their manner of liuing doth not allowe them that wisdome so that wee holde it much safer to retaine our owne reforming such parts as the boldnes of sinne maketh vs to thinke now to bee too remisse rather than to aduenture an exchange euen for that which by so many titles they commend vnto vs. For surely no man is lesse fit to lend his tongue to giue praise to a worke than he or they who haue lent their heads and their hands to be authors of it both because all of vs naturally loue what we doe our selues and seldome haue wee so much vnderstanding that we doe aâ—â—isse when we had no more vnderstanding but to faile in the doing of it But where their owne weakenes or want of experience might faile as not affoording them so much wisdome to make lawes if there they will vrge vs with expresse commaundement of holy Scripture then it must not seeme strange vnto them if that for which they pretend scripture without warrant of scripture be not admitted by vs wherein if they faile the Church at their hands receiueth a double wrong first a contention to disturbe her peace and secondly the false pretence of an euerlasting truth to giue authority and warrant to the late unwise inconsiderate and vnholy inuentions of silly men Dealing in this but peraduenture with lesse malice as Satan and all heretikes haue done to couller temptations and heresies with Gods word For seeing that with man especially in the Church nothing is or ought to be of that account as the scriptuâ—es are all men are dâ—sirous for that which they are willing to maintaine to alledge that proofe which hauing gâ—eatest authoritie must with men of reason finde least resistance For in all other things let reason be neuer so apparant with some men they are as easily contemned as they are alledged this onely conteyned in the two testaments both in admonishing is vpright in promising is heauenly and in threatning is fearefull All other writings as the assurance is but weake which they can affoord so their proofes are but the opinions or iudgements of mortall men and where the hearer is of the same nature with him that perswadeth reason oftentimes doth belâ—â—ue that he hath not much reason to be perswaded But in the scriptures as Hugo saith whatsoeuer is taught is truth whatsoeuer is commaunded is goodnes and whatsoeuer is promised is happines and therefore these men haue proceeded aright if they be able to proue what they vndertake in making the plaine scripture to be the commaunder of all parts of that discipline which doubtlesse whithout scripture reason hath little warrant to thinke that lawfull we understand then by discipline in this chapter which notwithstanding few of the patrones haue defined vnto vs that eternal gouernment of the church and of euery member thereof in respect they are of the Church whereby manners are reformed the peace of the Church maintained God glorified and order and decency procured this whether in substance it be such that nothing is to be added altered or diminished is the principall contention betwixt them and vs our Church holding that it hath this libertie to prescribe orders for the whole assemblie to giue direction for the goods of the Church and the maintenance of the clergie for the proceeding in matters of Church gouernment making lawes and ordâ—rs iudiciall notice censures election of offices and such like and this not without the authoritie of him who hath the supremacie in all causes all these we hold changeablâ— according to times and places whereas those who will needes be our aduersaries in this cause will haue all such as concerne the substance of discipline to be appointed by God and to be alwaies firme and immutable and the Eldership to haue the execution of them and to this end in euery parish or precinct there must be a presbyterie of doctors pastors elders and deacons and of diuers presbiteries conferences and synodes all which say they are precisely required in Gods word But seeing remonstrance hath been made both of the errors of them all and the infinit dissentions amongst themselues we can be content to let that discipline fall which stronger then they if they were willing could hardly haue strength for to hold vp This discipline of the Church ought to see the execution of those lawes and ordinances which God by his Apostles in their time and daily since by the Church maketh neither doe we thinke that any in the bosome of the Church after so long a time of knowledge can now doubt but that God hath left vnto his Church an authoritie to make lawes the execution whereof in reason is committed to those who succeed in place and authoritie the Apostles of Christ that did plant the Church whose dominion notwithstanding we make not so absolute that like tyrants at their pleasure they may rule ouer Christs flocke yet the power that the rulers of the Church haue in matters of a lower nature are lesse limited by farre hauing warrant to ordaine and appoint things indifferent which serue for order comlines and the edification of Christs Church By this authoritie the Apostles ordained many things in the Church whereof from Christ they had no expresse mention by this power S. Paul ordained that gatherings should be made at Corinth vpon the Lords day that the man should pray bare headed and the woman couered Such authoâ—itie at this day a particular Church hath as of England France end Scotland or any other that the clergie with the allowance of the prince and the rest whom it may concerne for to make lawes may ordaine and appoint â—uch ordinances as seruing for edification order and comlines in the Church are so long in force vntill they
rule nor all with authoritie to rule Apostolicall ordination reason the custome of all Churches auncient and well gouernd and lastly nature it selfe doth ordaine Archbishops in their prouinces as Bishops also in their dioces and both in their places and vnder the Prince for to rule the Church And herein we may boldly say without offence that the causes of displeasure conceiued against Bishops how vehemently soeuer they are followed are surely lesse reasonable then against any one thing which they doe mislike seeing the vse of all other things may either be touched in show with some coullerable pretence of fault or the not vsing warranted with some likely excuse whereas in this the greeuances if there be any that are iust are in the persons not in the office and the remouing them away must leaue a passage to a disorderly confusion and possesse the Church with that fatall disease of all societies want of order whereby for the present she must needes doe many things confusedly and doubtles in short time miserably perish So that to make ambition and couetousnes the originall of this honor and tyrannie ouer their brethren to giue continuance vnto it is to make the best things in the outward pollicies of the Church to proceede from the worst authors and to lay too great an imputation to their charge whom in all reason by the benefit of this gouernment we ought to acknowledge as our spirituall fathers for deriuing the Gospell vnto vs and by a continuall succession euen from the Apostles hands The best warrants that we haue for the execution of our spirituall functions to vs the greatest calling vpon earth and to the world the hallowed and blessed instruments of all happines which being imployed to that end it must needes be an intollerable presumption in any to vndertake the same but by authoritie and power giuen them in lawfull manner for the same God which is no way deficient vnto man in things necessarie and hath giuen vs to that end the light of his heauenly truth without which we must needes haue wandred in continuall darknes hath in the like abundance of mercies ordained certaine to attend vpō the due execution of requisit parts and offices therein prescribed for the good of the whole world which men thereunto assigned doe hold their authoritie from him whether they be such as himselfe imediatly or as the Church in his name inuesteth It being neither possible for all nor for euery man without distinction conucnient to take vpon him a charge of so great importance The power of this ministerie translareth out of darknes into glorie it raiseth men from the earth and bringeth God himselfe downe from heauen by blessing visible elements it maketh them inuisible grace It giueth daily the holy Ghost It hath to dispose of that flesh which was giuen for the life of the world and that blood which was powred out to redeeme soules When it powreth out malediction vpon the heads of the wicked they perish whē it reuoketh the same they reuiue O wretched blindnes faith one if we admire not so great power more wretched if we consider it aright and notwithstanding imagine that any but God can bestowe it It is a power which alone ought to make the authors of it to man vnder God deare vnto vs which neither Prince nor Potentate King nor Caesar on earth can giue Yet neither is it being duly waied in the Bishops successors to the Apostles which bestow this nor in those who are desirous to enter into that calling any ambitiō as some men surmise seeing such reputation it hath in the eye of this present world that both neede rather incoragement to beare contempt then deserue blame as men desirous to aspire higher Now because men dying there must be a continuall supply into this calling and that those who had first the authoritie to ordaine I meane the Apostles were mortall their care doubtles must extend it selfe thus far though they could not indew men with the same measure of grace which themselues had yet they should and so doubtles did impart the same power to ordaine which was giuen to them that neither men might rush into it without admission nor the power of admission be granted to all nor the Church bee left destitute of so great a blessing And because in the executiō of holy things where the persons put in trust are but men discord disorder vsually doe breake in the wisdome of God thought it necessarie that amongst them who for their ministerie were equal an inequalitie for order and superioritie to command should be granted that by this meanes order and vnion should both be preserued in Christs Church They that most dissent in the kinde of gouernment doubtles will confesse with Nazianzen that order is the mother and preseruer of all things Which if it concerne all persons and ages in the Church of Christ as surely it doth the gouernment must not cease with the Apostles but so much of that authoritie must remaine to them who frō time to time are to supply that charge doubtles to that end haue succeeded in the apostles roomes For we easily see that equality doth breed factions and therefore wise men to suppresse the seedes of dissentions haue made one aboue the rest And the best deuisers of the new presbyterie do hold it necessarie that one chiefe in place and dignitie moderate rule euery action with that right which is allowed him by Gods law For surely a multitude vngouerned must needes be easily confused and there cannot well be obedience where all are equall where shepheards leade sundrie waies it is hard for the sheepe to know whom to follow and if no man can serue two maisters which haue equall authoritie ouer him and perhaps command contrarie things for whilest they agree though diuers they are but one then surely the Church ought not to be put to this hazard by multitudes equally ruling in one place seeing to dissent is vsuall in all places and if not yet in all persons it is casuall whereas the wisedome of the Church in them that gouerne must as wel looke vnto that which may happen as vnto that which alreadie is Now if this were the principal meanes to preuent schismes and dissentions in the primitiue Church whē the graces of God were far more aboundant eminent then now they are nay if the twelue were not lik to agree except there had bin one chiefe amongst thē for saith S. Hierom amongst the twelue one was therfore chosen that a chiefe being appointed occasion of dissention might be preuented and if euery presbytery by Gods ordinance must haue a ruler as themselues confesse how can they thinke that equalitie would keepe all the pastors of the world in peace and vnitie or that the Bishops of a whole prouince or kingdome could meete conferre conclude as often as neede requireth vnlesse their assemblies were moderated and ruled by some one
For in all societies authoritie which cannot be where all are equall must procure vnitie and obedience if vertue will not Now seeing that all men may easily erre that no errors are so daungerous as those which concerne religion the Church should be in a far worse case then the meanest common-wealth nay almost then a den of thieues if it were left destitute of meanes either to conuince heresies or to suppresse them yea though there were neither helpe nor assistance of the christian magistrate without which it were not possible for truth equitie any long time to harbour amongst the sons of men The remedie which in these cases the primitiue Church had when occasion was offered vsed against heresie and iniurie she deriued as well from the promise made by Christs owne words as from the Apostles example in the like case Christ willing them that were grieued by their brethren after the first and second admonition to tell it to the Church And addeth for direction and confirmation of all religious assemblies and conferences where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them and whatsoever you shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Now whatsoeuer is ment here by the name of Church in the reasonable exposition of any to me it is all one to prooue this order that from priuate admonitiō they went to witnesses and from them to assemblies and seeing there must be an end of controuersies amongst men vnlesse we will plucke vp by the rootes all charitie and right when neither priuate perswasion not frendly mediation can appease parties that violently contend what other order could be prescribed but a iudicial hearing and determining of things in question Now because Christ did not set the sword to be the generall and perpetuall rule to gouerne his Church for then without a Prince there could be no Church so consequently there was none either in the Apostles time or three hundred yeeres after though where they beleeue the defence and maintenance of the Church is committed to their charge it must of necessitie follow that either there is no iudge which were the vtter subuersion of all peace when the christian magistrate is wanting or els the pastors and stewards of Christs Church to whom this care is committed must assemble together and with mutuall conference performe those duties to the Church in generall which otherwise they are bound to do to each particular place and person By Gods law what obedieuce and reuerence the father may expect from his owne childe the same or greater must all beleeuers yeeld to the fathers of their faith the one begetteth vs to this life the other to a life that is much better Those then whom Christ hath placed to be watchmen and leaders the light and salt of his Church must not onely warne and guide but also lighten and season in their measure that whole body for when all other failes this onely is left to clense the house of God from vessels of dishonour yea when there were no beleeuing Magistrates to assist the Church this onely was left as the best meanes and after when christian Princes began to protect the truth they neuer had nor can haue safer direction amongst men then by the Synods of wise and godly Bishops Thus a Synod at Antioch about threescore yeeres before the councell of Nice condemned and deposed Paulus Samosatenus for heresie and when he would not yet yeeld to the Church but keepe it by violence vpon complaint to Aurelianus the Emperor though he were a heathen Samosatenus was with extreame shame driuen from the Church by the worldly Prince All countries in all ages haue had the benefit of this not as a thing arbitrarie and left free to those that peraduenture were careles of the Churches welfare but prescribed by sundrie councels as Nice Antioch Constantinople Chalcedon and commaunded by the imperiall lawes in this manner That all the Ecclesiasticall state and sacred rules may with more diligence be obserued we require saith the Emperor euery Archbishop Patriarch and Metropolitan to call vnto him once or twise euery yeere the Bishops that are vnder him in the same prouince and throughly to examine all the causes which Bishops Clarkes or Monkes haue amongst themselues and to determine them so as whatsoeuer is trespassed by any person against the Canons may be reformed So that wee must either cleane reiect Synods a thing doubtles of no small daunger as the times may fall out and make the presbyters in euery parish supreme iudges or else admit some which be no other but the Bishops both to call and to moderate these meetings for in all those Synods which continued in the Church euen when she mas most sharpely pursued by the sworde from the death of the Apostles to the raigne of Constantine they were assembled and gouerned by the Bishops of the chiefe and mother Churches and Cities in euery prouince who by the auncient councels were called Metropolitanes And after when Princes came to imbrace the faith the best meanes they could deuise to procure peace and aduance religion was by their lawes to referre Ecclesiasticall causes to Ecclesiasticall Iudges And least they should be long in strife they charged the Metropolitane to assemble the Bishops of his prouince twise euery yeere there to examine and order what matters of doubt should arise which happely might disturbe the Churches peace Thus the Synode of Rome called by Cornelius against Nouatus consisted of threescore Bishops and many others of the clergie In the councels of Rome vnder Hilarius and Gregorie where foure and thirtie presbyters subscribed after two and twentie Bishops infinit are the examples in this kind which teach vs that neither the Church at any time was or in deed◠can safely be without tempests if Synods want nor Synods can be tightly ordered if the Metropolitans and Bishops should be wanting in them Seeing then they haue this vse if this were all to make that societie able with order to suppresse heresies and redresse wrongs without which doubtles the Church of all assemblies were worst gouerned it ought not to seeme vnreasonable to any that a thing so necessarie and auncient should with honour and reuerence be retained amongst vs. But least the name of Bishops should be offensiue to any as some haue thought it onely the ambitious title of a tyrannous gouernment these that would seeme moderate aduisers to equalitie and humilitie in this case must giue vs leaue to tell them that the name is auncient the office needefull and both so warrantable that they must needes be thought at the least malicious enuiers of the peace and prosperitie of Gods Church who are desirous or can be content that order obserued in the Apostles time and those Churches which were purest and next vnto them should be banished
as Antichristian from amongst vs only because it is the pleasure of those men to admit no superiors For if the name of Archbishop be not to be found in scripture considering the thing it selfe is of necessarie vse in Gods Church they haue as little reason to except against it as if Homonsion were not warrantable because Arius gaue occasion that the Nicen councell did first inuent it Many names are inuented since the Apostles time and yet both lawfully and necessarily vsed for these men haue been told long since that the authoritie and the thing whereof the Archbishop hath his name was in Saint Paules time and therefore the name lawfull and if it were not yet both might bee lawfull seeing they appertaine to the externall pollicie and regiment of the Church which according to time place persons and other circumstances is not tyed of necessitie to be alwaies one And surely those that mislike this ouer proude title as they tearme it haue least cause seeing they of the Discipline challenge as great iurisdiction ouer their Parishes and as lofty dominion ouer Prince and Nobles as euer any Pope did ouer the whole Church And if Clement whom Polydore alledgeth to that end said that Peter in euery Prouince appoynted one Archbishop whom all other Bishops of the same Prouince should obey I see no reason why any man for that should so farre forget both modestie and charitie as some haue done to call him a hell hound a naturall sonne of Satan surely naturall he was not and the sworne souldier of Antichrist I wish these to remember that the slaunder of authors is no good answere when better reasons can be alledged then onely to say that they say it But if they thinke the title vnlawfull as some of them write because the Scripture doth appropriate it to our Sauiour Christ I wish them to remember that if Archshepheard and Archbishop be all one then the name is to bee found in Scriptures and that names proper vnto God as Shepheard light of the world and such like may be in a diuers sence and are often communicated with other men Hereunto we may adde that the famous Councell of Nice which by all men of wisdome is reuerenced esteemed and imbraced as the soundest and best testimony next the Scriptures doth not onely allowe of the name but also of the office of Metropolitane and Archbishop determining him to be no Bishop which is made without the consent of the Metropolitane and to shew that this name and office was more auncient than that famous Councell the Canon saith Let that olde custome be obserued alluding peraduenture to those Canons which passe vnder the Apostles names Neither was this name or title so strange imediatly after the Apostles time that Volusianus was affeard to say that Diomysius Areopagita was by S. Paul made Archbishop of Athens or Erasmus to call Titus Archbishop of Crete and Eusebius giueth the authoritie to Iohn the Euangelist whose suruiuing the rest brought this benefit vnto the Church that for consecrating of Bishops and other vses he was as Archbishop or Metropolitane to the whole Church For in Saint Cyprians iudgement heresies and schismes haue risen from no other occasion then from this that the Priest of God is not obeyed neither one Priest for the time in the Church and one Iudge for the time in stead of Christ thought vpon to whom if the whole brotherhoode would be obedient according to Gods teaching no man would moue any thing against the Colledge of Priests This speech of that auncient Father was to comfort Cornelius shewing that faintnes in that case was to betray the Church and that sects and schismes must needes arise where the authoritie of Bishops is despised For this place was not to confirme the authoritie of the Church of Rome but as the best expounde him that hee would haue an Archbishop in euery Prouince to beare rule ouer the rest of the Cleargy For hee that attempteth any thing in the Church without the Bishop breaketh peace and confoundeth good order and Cyprian being Bishop of Carthage had the charge and ouersight of all the Churches in Africke in Numidia and in both the Mauritanes and not only these but as Gregorie Nazianzene saith the whole East parts for the which cause Illiricus doth call him Metropolitane So that if herein wise men had onely inuented what was fit and not followed what was before them their action had not been without warrant seeing in the outward pollicie of gouerning the Church where precepts and examples are wanting it is not forbidden for those that come after as well to be examples to others as to follow the examples of such as haue gone before them But if in the first planters of the Church which both in comparison of the rest were fewe and blessed with graces farre more excellent than any in our time inequalitie was allowed and that allowance without fault it must needes in all reason follow that the authoritie of Archbishop was not thought so dangerous as now to the gouerning of Christs Church wherein if either their maintenance bee greater or their outward honor more in these Christian times of peace then could be expected amongst Pagans and they tyrants no man can in reason or ought with out blame to oppugne these who will not be thought an enemie to the former seeing the times and names being diuers the authoritie notwithstanding is all one But it is the vnnaturall fault of this age through the sides of those whom peraduenture in some priuate respects we mislike to wound euen our fathers in religion whom we ought to honor But seeing these men doubtles are much wiser who take vpon them to be the reformers of our Church then that they should be offended with the names where the things are lawfull it is surely to be thought in all reason that the superioritie of Bishops is not by them accounted so great a fault as that any amongst the clergie whose office and ministerie is all one should by a speciall name aboue the rest of theirbrethren be called Bishops As if to ouer see that flocke committed to their charge were a dutie belonging and by our Sauiour imposed vpon them onely But because the names of things haue so many artificers by whom they wore first made but moe who after haue vsed them to an other sence it shall not so much concerne vs to inquire what in the beginning was the difference betwixt Bishop and presbyter as to learne afterward what the Church ment when these names expressed those persons which for office and ministerie of word and sacraments not for order and iurisdiction were all one The clergie of the Gospell were at the first after the Apostles time either Presbyters or Deacons for those who aduisedly at the first did impose names vnto things had either regarde vnto that which naturally was most proper or if peraduenture to some
Euangelist Saint Marke sixe yeeres before Peter and Paul were martyred sixe and thirtie before the death of Saint Iohn in the which there is nothing that can or ought to be misliked This as it is true so it is warranted with much reason for vnlesse we suppose a thing surely not likely if possible all in a presbytery to be men without fault a power to doe harme vnto Christs Church must by this curcular reuolution fall into their hands whom wisedome of election would hardly haue called to that place Besides what men shall worthily suffer whilest they are inferiors there is some likelyhoode they will offer the like when they doe commaund Neither is this to quench ambition as they thinke but to kindle a farre greater in the whole clergie For what we giue vnto one experienced of yeeres tried in gouernment freed for the most part from the passions of young men these without difference propound to all And thus they cure this feuer of ambition by infecting many as if diseases were therefore lesse because moe were sicke For what cannot be inioyed without pride is not easily expected without sinne fruition and expectation of one and the same thing are so neere that neither can be vertuâ—â—s where both are not Neither doe we giue vnto Archbisâ—ops or bishops power or honor by Gods law but what their people must needes yeeld vnto their pastors and presbyters if they will haue any We are not to limit Princes whom they shall vse in councell or to whom they shall commit the execution of their lawes especially such as are made for the Churches good seeing we finde that God hath blest those Princes and kingdomes most where vertuous Bishops haue been admitted to the Princes Councell wherein surely they haue brought a farre greater benefit to the peace and prosperitie of the Church then in reason they could by any other imployment besides Neither was it a meanes for to be idle either in Caluin or Beza both of them fit men for that place that they were both admitted as councellors of that state It cannot chuse but bee great intemperancie in them who haue so dishonorably laboured to deface that dignitie so auncient and of such vse in the Church of God as also to wound euen the best and the worthyest in that place with tearmes farre vnbeseeming as if their vngouerned humors had fully resolued to belch out poyson against all that were thought excellent It pleaseth one of them to censure them all thus Archbishops and Bishops are vnlawfull vnnaturall false and basterdly gouernors of the Church and the ordinances of the diuell Another saith they are in respect of their places enemies to God Much hath the vnwise and immodest dealings of sundrie in our Church labored to dishonor so honorable and so great an office experience hath taught vs the good of them and to these we onely make this answere that wee are sorrie to see them so skilfull and so willing to speake euill But doubtles it is loue to our present state which hath made them so zealous in this cause for saith one If we be sworne to her maiesties most lawfull supremacie ouer all persons and espie in our Church a lordly prelacie a thing brought into the Church by humane inuention by meanes weereof it is apparant that the Pope of Rome hath climed about all states both Ecclesiasticall and ciuill if now our desire extend it selfe that our lordly dignities and power of our Bishops might be examined by holy scripture and brought backe a degree or twaine neerer to the apostolike practise and Christs institution that so all occasions might be cut off hereafter that this climing vsurpation might neuer take holde vpon England any more are we troublers of the state Doubtles we are If it were not a thing possible to make a difference betwixt the clyming vsurpation of the Church of Rome and the lawfull prelacie how lordly so euer established in our Church I doubt not but all our Bishops would cast themselues at his Maiesties feete and intreate his highnes to vnburthen them of all that honour which hetherto they haue held iniurious to his supremacie and contrarie to the scriptures and the Apostles practise To men of vnderstanding things could not bee thus odiously compared that are moste vnlike The Pope challengeth authoritie ouer all christendome so doe not our Archbishops the Pope exalteth himselfe aboue Kings and Princes but our Archbishops with reuerence and humilitie acknowledg their subiection and more dutifully I doubt not then those who thus carefully are fearefull of their clyming The Pope saith that to bee subiect vnto him is of necessitie to saluation our Archbishops acknowledge no such thing and as their limits of gouernment are farre vnlike so the manner of their gonernment is farre more lawfull the one being an vsurpation which ambition sought out superstition and pollicie haue holden vp the other a necessarie authoritie which schismes and dissentions in the Church inuented the Apostles vsed all antiquitie followed and the peace of the Church did impose vpon them So that one of the most modest and most learned that seemeth to fauour the cause of discipline maketh it a principall point of the Ecclesiasticall gouernment that the inferior clergie in things honest bee obedient to the Bishop and the Bishop to the Metropolitan expressing the vse of that which others vehemently mislike and acknowledging the names and subordination of both But as it is an imputation in their opinion to the Archbishops that their place and authoritie is like the Popes so it is a blemish to our Bishops in the iudgement of these men that for learning and vertue they are not like vnto those holy fathers of the Church that haue gone before them We dare not take vpon vs to thinke that our times are better and more fruitefull in vertue then other were or that the Bishops of our land a thing to be wished are all of them without fault but seeing it pleaseth some to compare them thus I hope it shall neither be dishonour to the vertuous memories of those that are dead nor bee thought a flattery towards those that doe liue if we say considering we may say it with much truth that for soundnesse of doctrine honestie of life and the moderate vse of externall things they are not inferiour to the most reuerend of those Bishops that haue been before them For doctrine wee are loth to rippe vp the errors that the anncient Bishops were infected with Papias Bishop of Ierusalem who liued in Ignatius and Policarpus time held the error of a thousand yeere after the resurection wherein the kingdome of Christ should here remaine vpon earth Most of the auncient fathers were infected with this opinion Saint Cyprian that same clere fountaine as Saint Hierom calles him failed in the opinion of rebaptisation diuers both of the Greeke and Latin Church were spotted with the errors about freewill merits inuocation of
Saints many things might bee alleadged in this kinde if it were any vertue to rippe vp their faults whom we ought to honor where as I hope the aduersaries to our Bishops will confesse that neuer any companie of Bishops since the Apostles time taught and held such sound doctrine in all points as the Bishops of England at this day For the second which is honestie of life euery age hath some imperfections amongst all conditions the most worthie are not free from the slanderers tongue In the councell of Nice in the presence of the Emperor the Bishops libeld one against another contentions ouer eager bitter were betwixt Epiphanius and Chrisostome both very worthy and very reuerend Bishops betwixt S. Austin and S. Hierom whereas doubtles if some zealous for discipline had held their peace the Church of England had beene as Hierusalem a Citie built at vnitie in it selfe Now for the last which is the moderate Imployment of externall things vve recken it amongst the greatest felicityes of our time that when the expectation of greedy cormorants was big with hope of the deuouring the riches and reuenews that the Church had that euen then the conscionable zeale of the prince by vertuous and wise lawes manacled their hands whose desires were vnsatiat and their harts vnhallowed and left vnto the church a rich and honorable patrimony for Indowment whereby worthy rulers may not want double honor labour may haue her merit and religion may bee able to releeue the poore Heerein if any couetously doe retaine or riotously mispend what vertuous authority confirmed vnto better vses a thing which I hope no man can accuse in the Bishops of our church let them amend their faults and not their offence be made a cloke to those monsters that thirst with desire for to robbe the church More perticulerly amongst the rest of him who being the worthiest amongst the clergie and worthylie in the highest place is by an vntemperate spirit with vnholy sacriledge said of all the Bishops in the sea of Canterburie to haue done most harme and that none had so ambitious and aspiring a minde as hee no not Cardinall Wolsey none so proud as he no not Stephen Gardiner none so Tyrannicall as hee no not Bonner I may say truely of him that if the church gouernment of this land which he defended with great Iudgement with his pen hee had not with as great authority protected for the space of this twenty yeres in the place of an Archbishop which God graunt for the good of his church may continew still doubtles Contention Ignorance and Atheisme long since had ouer-runne the Church Of whom because it is neither honour to him to bee commended by mee nor disgrace to bee reproched by them I will say considering his iustice in gouernment his care in prouiding for the Clergie his wisedome in Counselling his Integritie in preferring his Diligence in Preaching his grauitie in behauiour his humilitie in conuersing his care to the Church his zeale to religion his courage to the truth as Theodosius spake of S. Ambrose I know onelie Ambrose who is most worthy to beâ— called a Bishop But not to labour any further in this cause which hath had so many of singuler worthy men abâ—e to defend it much better wee say this calling so much misliked serueth to a greater perfection to a fitnes in action and to a singuler ornament in gouerning the Church For the first the fulnes of grace which is in the heads of the Church distilleth as by seuerall wayes to the singuler benefit of all parts whilst hee hath giuen some to be Apostles some to bee Prophets some to bee Euangelists some to bee Pastors and Doctors for the consummation and Perfection of his Church for the fitnes in action the Church hauing diuers Imployments as well for gouernment as doctrine requireth and alloweth seuerall ordinations to serue these Let no man therefore presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand but that he vnderstand according to sobrietie as God hath delt to euery man the measure of faith For as wee haue many members in one bodie and all members haue not one office so wee being many are one bodie in Christ and euery one anothers members Last of all for Ornament that Atheists vnbeleeuers may wonder and bee in loue with the comely and beautifull gouernment of Christs Church as the Queene of Saba was with the order of Salomons house for in a great house are not onely vessels of gold and â—f siluer but of wood and earth some for honour and some vnto dishonor vnitie and varietie are the ornaments of the church of Christ Vnitie of Faith Charitie and Peace Varietie of Offices and degrees and these saith the Apostle for the repairing of the Saints for the work of the Ministrie for the edification of the body of Christ for if the whole body were ancare wher were the seeing if the whole were an eie where were the heating but now hath God disposed the members euery one of them in the body at his owne pleasure for if they were all one member where were the body And who are these that they should mislike what Example Authoritie and Experience haue found sufficient CHAP. X. Of Ministers their office and learning IF the passage from earth to heauen were either not needefull at all or possible to bee performed ordinarilie by any other meanes then a vertuous meditation betwixt God and man then peraduenture Instruments of best vse for the defects of this life were wholly to bee regarded and the vtter want of the Clergies seruice were as lawfull in the best kingdomes as the contempt of their persons is vsuall and common with the worst subiects But seeing vniuersall Corruption is the truest inscription of mankinde and holinesse to the Lord is the great title that God hath that man by that power may bee made like vnto him that did first make him hee hath appointed for the performance of this worke holy times holy places holy things and holy persons all chiefely to this end that as hee is himselfe so man likewise by these might bee made holie As if the same puritie which could not endure those blessed spirits once stained to continew in a place of blisse but cast them down did lesse reasonablie allow that creature whose greatest happines peraduenture was but vpon earth to be carried vp to heauen into those ioyes vnles redeemed by his Son and sanctified by his holy spirit and by both these by the seruice and ministerie of men and not Angels darkenesse were made light rebellion obedience the children of wrath the sonnes of an infinit loue enmitie reconsiled and made peace and lastly sinfull men were become holy So that the summe of their dutie whose labours are imployed in this kinde is onely to honour God and to saue mâ—n And their difference from all the world besides is principally this that being
as Ioseph said to 〈◊〉 prouide for a man of vnderstanding and wisedome and set him ouer the Land of â—egipt ther is nothing surely more dangerous then a watchman that is blind a Preacher that is dumb a Teacher that is Ignorant or a Prelate that is Remiâ—â—e â—either doe I think our Church hath so much cause to complaine as some men beare vs in hand nor if it had as may appeare hereafter it is neither onely nor Principally the Bishops fault Fourthly a lawful caling whom the lord hath made not he whom fauour nor any other corruption nor the peoples vnwarranted vocation nor his owne Intrusion hath placed in that roome For this shall remaine vndispensable to the worlds end let no man take vpon him that honor but hee that is called of God as Aaron was Lastly is required the fit execution of his Place that hee giue them their meate in due season the parties are those which are of his familie the Lords house to them it must bee Meate not Poyson as many giue and it must bee in Due season that is when it can seasonablie bee performed For hee that hath alotted a time for all things hath giuen this allowance that there is a time to keepe silence and a time to speake Which some not considering haue made the Apostles commaundement Bee instant in season and out of season to lie with equall necessitie vpon the former clause Preach the word As if this eagernes in the dispatch of this dutie might warrant them loosely negligently vnlearnedly for want of time to preach those profound misteries which vttered in due season are like Aples of Gold with pictures of Siluer Surely to Preach diligently is not to Preach often but rather to bee diligent in studying for that we preach which a great number nelecting men otherwise zealous and able to doe well haue thought it not onely Excuse but Commendation sufficient that they preach often Wherein doubtles the Church receiueth at their hands a double wrong both a Contempt of those misteries wherinto they search not for want of time and an vncharitable Condemning of others who wanting peraduenture that felicitie of tongue which they haue or rather who are loath to handle those holy things vnlike themselues are thought by many to bee Idle for not Preaching so often as others doe A thing certainely more excusable by much if men in Preaching were onely to haue respect to the Capacitie of the hearers and not to the Maiestie of that word which they expound vnto them For-getting that Euery Scribe that is taught vnto the Kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a househoulder which bringeth forth out of his treasurie things both new and old I hope the due meditation of this text wil put them in minde that to speak often is not euer to say much for saith the son of Sirach The talking of a Foâ—le is like a burthen in the way but there is comelinesse in the talke of a Wise man they inquire at the mouth of the wise man in the congregâ—tion they shall ponder his words in their hart for the words of such as haue vnderstanding are waighed in the ballance Doubtlesse I can neuer perswade my selfe when Wee speake of those matters which wee haue made vnto the King of Heauen that the exactest Industrie which either tongue or pen can take in the handling of this work can displease God wherin I will not condemne as vnprofitable the labours of such who are defectiue in this kinde no more then I hope they will the Seldome Reuerend and learned Preaching of those men who in these respects are not so common speakers as others bee But not to handle the excellencies of some and the vertues which were to bee wished in all let vs consider a little better the nature of this Ministrie and see how sufficiently our Church is prouided in this kinde And the defects if there bee any as wee may not supose that wee haue none from whence they proceed and how the best remedies may bee prouided for them We call then the Ecclesiasticall Ministrie a sacred Action Publick Instituted of Christ in the Church of God for the saluation of the elect his own glory vntill the end of the world wherein some seuerall men Lawfully elected called and ordained to this function Externallie and Visiblie serue both to offer vp the Publick and Common praiers of any one Church and by the pure Preaching of the word and the lawfull administration of the Sacraments and holy Discipline they serue Instrumentallie to Christ who Inwardly and Inuisiblie by his holy Spirit doth Teach Correct Comfort Nourish with his flesh and bloud his misticall Bodie which wee call the Church The consideration it is like of this office hath neither fully possest all who are desireous to enter into this calling because whom all other worldlie hopes haue forsaken they commonly reserue ministeriall vocation as their last and surest refuge euer open to forlorne men nor those who blame some part of the Clergie of this land whereas in deed the greatnesse of the haruest and the scarsetie of able workmen hath made it necessarie that Law should yeelde to admit numbers of men but slenderlie and meanlie qualified now as wee cannot excuse the former fault whether it bee the corruption in their owne desires or the greedinesse of those who are the Patrons of Church liuings making that the Church that should nourish them whose seruice shee needeth hath obtruded vpon her their seruice that know not otherwise how to liue and sustaine themselues Yet surely for the other neither is the fault so common as it hath beene in times past nor altogether so great if these Reformers who haue so much knowledge themselues could but with patience indure a smaller proportion in other mennâ— for it fareth with the Church as with a common wealth where manie gouernours are needfull and they not many whom their qualitie can commend the penuâ—ie of worthier must needs make the meaner sort capable who notwithstanding are not altogether so vnfit as some men thinke to discharge the greatest if not the principallest part which is committed to them For seeing no man of sound Iudgement can doubt but that Sacraments where the Ministers haue lawfull ordination nay peraduenture Baptisme wher they haue not is as auaileable to saluation as administred by the best Preacher and that preaching it selfe is not onely to make and frame of themselues which manie doe foolishly which are thought by their followers that they preach well but also to reade the Scriptures and those learned Homelies of other men as some vnanswerably haue confirmed vnto vs and that not the least part of this dutie is the publike offering vp of the praiers of the whole Congregation which themselues confesse to bee Praiers though the other to bee no Sermon we may boldly say which they hitherto are both to confesse that Ministers vnable
are worthie men enough why doth he complaine of the silencing of some as a great wrong to the Church which in this great scarsitie of good and lawfull Ministers did much want their seruice Secondly that the Apostle described the qualities required in men of this calling doth not say that if none can bee found or not a sufficient man in whome all these qualities concur that then the Church shal rather be destitute of Ministers then haue such For there were in the Apostles time that swarued froÌ„ this rule and yet he was glad that they preached the Gospell Heerein we differ not from the confession of the Heluetian church which it is like our aduersaries in this cause doe more reuerence then they doe our owne who say wee condemne all vnmeet Ministers not indued with guifts necessarie for a shepheard that should feed his flock how bee it wee acknowledge that the harmlesse simplicitie of some shepheards in the ould Church did sometime more profit the Church then the great exquisit but a little to proude learning of some others Wherefore we reiect not now a daies the good simplicities of certaine so that they bee not altogether vnskilfull of God and his word and yet for all this let no man think but there are as many learned godlie graue and worthy Ministers of the word in this Church of England at this day bee it spoken without pride to Gods honour and the ioy of our whole land as in any one realme or perticuler Church in all Christendome that either is now or hath beene before vs. But for the scarsetie not of our owne in comparison of others but rather in respect of the multitude of our parish Churches I hope they will giue vs leaue to render them better and truer reasons then as yet wee haue receiued at their hands who onely with out cause to make it the Bishops fault are willing to tell the world that if these vrging of order and obedience which it pleaseth them to teaâ—â—â—e beggerlie trifle of mans deuise were not that then learning and religion would not bee of so little account and estimation amongst vs. But I hope all men see that the defect of prouision in this kind and yet I wish that most reformed Churches were but so well furnished is neither from religion professed nor from the gouernment that is vsed nor from the gouernours of the Church but the crueltie of the times past wherein numbers of meete Ministers haue beene consumed the vnwillingnesse of manie at this present who seeing the contentions amongst our selues and by reason of these the contempt of the Clergie are vnwilling to enter into this calling the schismes and deuisions which haue made a number renounce this office others worthilie to bee suspended and depriued from all which the Church which ought to haue had the vse of the labour and learning of men of abilitie is forced to craue a supply at their hands who are not altogether so sufficient to performe that charge But the greatest occasion of this euill is where law and reason haue giuen authoritie to some to be patrons to present their consciences haue beene corrupt and they haue failed of that trust which former times haue iustlie reposed in them Wherein if the people complaine that their authoritie to choose is defeated by this meanes surely it is but vnthankfulnesse in them to mislike a thing begun with so great reason for their good continued now more then a thousand yeeres warranted by lawes and practised with the liking of all nations the beeginning of patronages is not expreslie mentioned in the lawes of this land Aduocations Presentations are remembred in Magna Charta as currant by the lawes before that time the plea of Quare Impedit when Bishops refuse the patrons clarke is mentioned long since for this custome was most vsuall that the patron might not place a Clarke without the Bishop nor the Bishop refuse the Clarke of the patron if hee were such as were alowable by the Canons of the Church In Spaine before that time the councell of Toledo made this Canon wee decree that so long as the founders of Churches remaine in this life they shall bee suffered to haue the chiefe and continuall care of the said place and themselues shall offer meete Rectors vnto the Bishop to bee ordained in those Churches and if the Bishop neglecting the founders shall presume to place any other let him know that this admission shal bee voide and to his shame others shal be placed in their steads euen such as the founders shall choose beeing not vnworthy Long before this the like was determined by the Roman lawes strictlie to bee obserueÌ„d through the Roman Empire If any build a Church or house of praier and would haue Clarks to bee placed there hee or his heires if hee alow maintenance for those Clarks and name such as are worthy let them bee ordained vpon his nomination but if such as they choose bee prohibited by the Canons as vnworthy then let the Bishop take care to promote some whom hee thinketh to bee more worthy It seemeth this law had two reasons for the patronage which doubtlesse are not the least ground of that intrest which they now haue The first the building of the Church a work which while the world was in loue with religion gaind greatest reuerence to those of whom it could point and say these are the men that haue built vs Sinagogs Heerein if any fraudulentlie discharge that vertuous trust which through many discents is deriued vnto them I hope God will looke vpon them in mercie to amendment as the carefull Phisition vpon sick persons in the meane time I must tell them what I heare that the church by their meanes is like the body of the Amalekite sicke and vnlesse it bee refreshed like spedily to die for famine For whilst meaner men content with lesse alowance hauing beene important suters for places in the Church obtaine them the Patrons haue deuided the maintenance of the Clergie and the small alowance hath depriued them peraduenture of a better teacher And howsoeuer good lawes haue beene made to auoide the corruptions of Patrons in this kinde yet the couetous desires of such as hardly satisfied are able to finde meanes to escape the danger and yet falselie notwithstanding to defraud the Church For humane lawes how vertuous or religious soeuer where the vprightnesse of conscience is wanting serueth for the most part not to make the sinne to bee lesse common but the sinner in the fact to bee more secret seeing betwixt God and man this is the difference that the law of man what it seeth doth account sinne but God punisheth as a fault what no man can reueale sauing onely the conscience of him that sinneth In the one Confession is a way to obtaine pardon but in the other a meanes to procure punishment They onely are vertuous who without all respects
one as commonly in this case they pretend number If no other way may be found then haue the Bishops and Cathedrall Churches Temporalties enough to redeeme those liuings that be impropriated other counsel the same author giueth which haue bene all answered another saith the same which the Lord B. B. and the Cathedral Churches doe possesse if it be taken in time beefore it be to much scambled how well would it serue to redeeme Impropriations and augment the smaller things with the ouerplus to serue to other good vses for his Maiesties wars and increase of learning and a litle after as if his counsell were worthie twise to be repeated he addeth the same nay he wisheth all to be taken from the Bishops Yet still they must remaine to the Ministerie and the common wealth onely to change the order and manner of the applying that wheras before they serued to vphold a Lordly pompe Idlenes and brauerie in some few they might now by a wise godly distribution bee communicated vnto many for the benefit of many Churches and if Bishops liuings be to litle a free beneuolence and as it were an offering of all sorts of people young and ould through this land ought to bee Heereunto I might ad the counsell which others giue all tending to this end that whatsoeuer the church hath and is not bestowed according to the fancie of these men should presently be altered and vndoubtedly by many degrees lamentably be imployed to worse vse It pleased that wisdome and Maiestie which then ruled ouer vs to discerne the cruell purpose of these men to hold it vnsafe to aduenture a worse maintenance for the clergie by a worse meanes And surely wee doubt not but this great vnderstanding to whome God for our happinesse hath committed the gouernment of the church and the common wealth whose dayes wee desire may continue as the dayes of heauen will throughly vnderstand that a maintenance thus procured can bring litle aduantage vnto Gods church when by this meanes colledges Bishops or cathedrall churches are puld downe For if the fountaines be dryed vp a generall thirst must be the disease of our whole land If the clergie want gouernours better to be without maintenance then without order And last of all if recompence be taken away wherwith the clergie maintained may take rest not ease for the time to come benefiting the church peraduenture in another manner lamentable experience must needs tell vs that in short space the number of diuines wil be very few In tymes past there was in euery citie a Colledge of Ministers ouer whome the Bishop bate rule the which Sainct Hierom termeth the Senat of the Church and with vs it is called a Collegiat or Cathedrall church wherein for the most part for wee cannot excuse all after their labour in the vniuersitie in the Kings house in Bishops pallaces in their painefull imployment either by writing or teaching in other places are plentifully maintained as it is most fit the best the wisest and the most learned of the clergie in this land which not onely as that most reuerend Archbishop worthy of all honor sometimes said in respect of their soundnesse in religion profoundnesse in learning diligence in preaching but wisdome also experience and dexteritie in gouerning are not onely a singuler ornament to the Realme profitable to the church an honor to the prince but also a stay frō barbarisme a bridle to sects and heresies and a bulwark against confusion From whence I doubt not next vnto those two famous noursing places of learning the Vniuersities but when our kingdome shall haue cause to send to the greatest councell that the church shall haue men of wisest moderation best liues and deepest iudgements that these places shal be able to furnish them with much honor therfore as it is a bold presumption in those men who without degrees for some commendable paines in preaching think it merit enough to aduance them to that honor so the sacrilegious impietie of those is without excuse who wish desire all places of that nature to be pulled downe or their reuenues to bee altered to some other vse make them O Lord and their Princes like Oreb and Zeb yea all their princes like Zeba and Zalmana which haue said let vs take the houses of God in possession O my God make them lyke vnto a wheel as the stubble before the winde To conclude then this point as wee hartely wish the Ministerie of England to be learned so wee hope the wisdome vertue of those whome it doth concerne without iniurie of any person state or condition wil in due time think of conuenient allowance for them and this not by selling or changing of any thing to a stock of money which was the manner of the maintenance in the primatiue Church seeing wee are taught by experience that things of that nature are vncertaine and are not so likely to carrie to those that come after a perpetuitie with them it may bee that if any age were so prophane or authority were carried away with the violence of these spirits by the wounds of the Church to cure the Wants of some few and meane persons a thing God bee thanked not much to bee feared in this religious and vnderstanding age vnder the gouernment of so vertuous and so wise a King the Church paraduenture might keepe a Festiuall day of solemnitie plentie and all aboundance for some few yeeres and for euer after Lament her desolation and ruin in want Penurie Ignorance and Contempt vnto the worlds end And whereas the ages before vs gaue this deserued honor to some few These were those holie and religious men that did build vs Temples Colledges Cathedrall Churches and gaue ample reueneues vnto them all for the continuall supply of a learned Ministrie our posterity in the vnfortunat times of fasting and mourning after so vnhallowed a feast and so prophane a surfet should haue cause to bemoane their losse and lament the times where vnto they were reserued cursing these sacrilegious Reformers that haue spoild the Churches the riches whereof being put to saile haue serued but to satisfie the couetous pollicie of some few those neither of much worth not for long time it wil be a most vertuous consideration wherein his Maiestie shall giue perfection to the happie beginnings of our late Queene Elizabeth the nursing mother of our Church whose memorie shal be sacred to all posterities by prouiding that the allowance for the Clergie may be good conuenient and that those onelie bee suffered to enter into and to execute that function who haue learned themselues and will teach others in thankfull obedience to be gouerned by those whom reason and religion haue placed ouer them the other course must needs breed confusion contempt of authoritie needlesse discontentments indiscret reprehensions ignorant teachers and the disorder of all states whereas the wisedome and counsell of those
so that from hence was vnderstoode by the name of a Benefice A pastorall cure of soules ouer the people of some parish whereas formerly it signified some standing Ecclesiasticall reuenue taken out of the treasure of God and alotted to a spirituall person to the end hee may vse the same and inioy it as his owne for tearme of life vnlesse his default cause depriuation And wee know that the Clergie for manie yeeres after Christ had no other Benefices but onely their Canonicall portions or monethlie Diuidends allowed vnto them according to their seuerall degrees and qualities out of the common stock of such guifts oblations and Tythes as the feruor of christian pietie did then yeeld In the Apostles time Churches were onelie in the cities in regard whereof those that liued in villages beeing without instruction were called Pagans which after by the example of others both intertaining and giuing allowance for the maintenance of the same truth those to whom principall care was committed in this kind appointed meaner men of lesse learning and lower qualitie to vndertake the instruction of those places who were desirous and willing to yeelde after the example of others oblations and tithes for maintenance of those that were placed ouer them Now to say that either seuerall parishes thus distinguished might by no permission bee allotted to the care and instruction of one man or that it were not lawfull for any reason how beneficiall soeuer to Gods Church to bee absent from that particuler care committed to him were in the former to denie all better trust and reward to men of more worth and greater abilities and desert and in the latter to bee ouer Tirannous in considering and allowing the cause of absence and peraduenture in a true construction ouer rigorouslie seuere in both But seing all men know which wee doubt but our aduersaries in this cause will conffesse that this limitation of particuler parishes was meerlie positiue and the inuentions of men thought and found better for the better performance of the Clergies dutie it cannot bee the absolute transgression of a deuine ordination in that sence as if either to haue moe parishes then one or from one to be absent at somtime were a direct vnexcusable breach of the morall law For the duties commanded not to bee done in them are by no meanes not for a moment euer allowed to be done at all which thraldome if in seueritie they bring vpon Gods church let them take heede what dangers they fall into themselues that by this meanes the church receiue not a greater harme whilst peraduenture in this case their remedie is worse then the disease is Now to allow absence vpon reason without appointing those causes and such as must iudge which are reasonable were to make all men to think that they had reason that were willing neither is there any great force from the nature of Relatiues if that were all why one may not as well haue diuers parishes as one parish haue diuers Pastors And howsoeuer wee hold not the reason good that beecause Tymothie Titus had manie congregations committed to their charge therefore others may yet the reason in their opinion from this example ought not to want strength who think a Bishop and a Minister is all one In this first distribution for the best discharge of their calling and the greatest benefit to the church of Christ if some vnder the Bishops aboue their bretheren which had moe and more distant parishes then any in our church all termed by one name though some were Suffraganes to Bishops it ought not to seeme a matter of vnreasonable fauour and vnlawfull to commit seuerall churches to the instruction and gouernment of some men whose learning discretion care is more eminent and that these may whilst their labours are vsed for the benefit of Christs flock lawfully bee absent and haue inferiour men of the Clergie for a tyme to supply and to execute their roomes so that doubtlesse a zeale in these reprouers did carrie them to far when alledging those extrauagant reasons against Pluralities they yeeld them to tend to couetousnesse that one man had the stipend of many that they make non Residents that it maintaines Ambition that it is the occasion of a gadding and roaguing ministerie no small cause why others want and lastly a taking away of that recompence which belongs to others these reasons in their opinion of some force howsoeuer they haue alreadie bene profoundly answered with much iudgement yet beecause they still please themselues in the rehearsall of them we can bee content both with patience to giue them hearing and withall to hope for this fauour at their hands that they will yeeld thus much to vs that many things may occasionally bee the accidentall procurers of much euill which are originally no causes nor iustly can suffer a reproofe as vnlawfull things Neither are these onely the occasions of the euills which they lay vpon them seeing either all or most are commonly to bee found amongst thē who notwithstāding would seeme to be furthest from this sin But seeing whatsoeuer in our Church is practised in either of these two Pluralities or non Residencie is not the corruption of some priuate man but the approbation and allowance of the Court of Parliament wherein what soeuer is established all men in the eie and construction of the law are thought and deemed to haue consented we cannot but thinke it vnreasonable and vnreuerend for these men to disanull or make question of an Act of their owne making and withall wee hope it both hath and shall appeare to the world that as it is not lawfull without dispensation to haue or to doe either so that authoritie to dispence in both is most agreeable to reason and Gods truth For seeing the disposition and limitation of priuate parishes extendeth no further but to be the wise Positiue inuention and ordination of those who formerlie haue gouerned in Gods Church and that all humane lawes are dispensable by supreame authoritie a dispensation being but the relaxation of a common right made vpon knowledge of the cause by him that hath right to dispence wee hope that likewise these may and that the lawes forbidding non Residencie Pluralities are in force still notwithstanding by Priuiledge some particulers are and are fit to bee exempted from the common right Doubtlesse neuer meere human law was either made with that wisedome or was in execution of so necessarie vse but that sometimes it was fitter to receiue Dispensation then to stand in force for seeing the best lawes of men are but the euidences of Humane reason which wee finde by experience groweth from a weakenesse to bee more strong and from imperfection to bee more absolute wee cannot in reason without inthralling our selues in too great a bondage deny Abrogation and Dispensation to humane lawes which are not to bee like those of the
nothing which in his name wee dare not aske beeing needfull for vs seeing they denye that it is vnlawfull to pray to bee deliuered from all aduersitie 7 To bee deliuered from Lightning and Tempest which T.C. calleth Thundring when none is nigh Doubtlesse wee haue greater reason to feare and so consequently to pray against these then any other daunger of this life It is the fearefull executioner of Gods wrath manifested in the giuing of the law to teach the transgresser what hee must expect wee want not examples The Heathen knew it dangers aboue the meanes of mans wisdome to preuent are onely to bee escaped by praier 8 The Singing nunc Dimittis Benedictus Magnificat wee know not to what purpose You cannot but know to what purpose they were first made and that the occasion of their first making was the memorie of a benefit not fit euer to bee forgotten the Church in this performeth and learneth a dutie by the same reason we may not reade the Psalmes of Dauid vnlesse wee were in Dauids case In Scripture the fence is one but the vse application is diuers yet warrantable 9 The Letanie all Popish Wee cannot doe our aduersaries a greater honour then to make them the founders of these Praiers Whether Mamercus or Gregorie made them it skilleth not The generall callamitie of the Church was the cause and seeing the presumptuous iniquities of these times may iâ—stly cause vs feare what wee feele not wee haue as much reason to pray to bee kept from them before they happen as to haue them remoued when they doe happen 10 Gloria Patri and Athanasius creed to what vse To giue honor to the Trinitie for as they were made to teach the Arrians to confesse what they beleeued not so they are for vs to praise expresse what we doe beleeue 11 To say after the Minister is a losse of time That Scripture which commandeth the people to say Amen doth not forbid them to say more custome and example tell vs that this losse is to the people an aduantage whose vniuersall consent exprest by their voices is like the roaring of the waues against the sea banck 12 Baptisme by women commanded and allowed Nay rather forbidden and the action not allowed though the act be Wee are sorie if any inconsiderately and presumptuouslie doe it but being done wee hold a greater necessity of Baptisme then that we dare thinke them fit to be baptised againe Heerein if there bee any fault surely it is not a fault in the Communion booke 13 Priuate Communions to the sick If the Minister and the sick person communicate how can they call it priuate for there bee not many yet there are two and where two or three are assembled as they ought they need not doubt of the blessing of a Congregation but seldome so few are and things of that vse in such extremitie desired it is Tirrannie to denie them for the not concurring of some solemne and conuenient circumstance 14 Churching of women And that Psalmâ— appointed If that Childbirth bee a curse for the labour and sorrow in it because then naturally an enemie is borne to Gods kingdome if many hardly escape those daungers which fitly are called by vs labour and trauell how can wâ— but thinke it conuenient to giue thanks and in that to acknowledge the author of their safe deliuerance to bee the Lord who protecteth his owne day night they looke not at any meanes vpon earth but vnto the hils from whence commeth their help 15 Holidayes a superstitious honour to Saints No a memoriall of that benefit which the Church hath receiued by that particular occasion which therefore it wanteth not warrant to appoint as occasions of mercies and deliuerances are new so new solempnities and therefore wee will euer say This is the day of the Lord and sing prayses vnto the Lord the fifte of August and the foure twentie of March for in them the Lord hath done great things for vs alreadie whereof wee reioyce Let the leprosie of those foure lepers cleaue vnto vs if wee hould our peace from Psalmes and thanksgiuing seeing it is a day of good tydings for surely as Zachous heard Christ speake so God shall heare vs thankfully confesse that this day Saluation is come vnto this land for he that is mightie hath magnified him and holy is his name 16 Reading of Homelies and Apocrypha If they serue to edifie why doe they refuse them if they bee not Canonicall neither are they so esteemed If nothing bee to bee read in the church but Scripture why is it a law amongst them to haue their orders for gouerning the church reade publickly once euery quarter the supposed errours in the Apocrypha maketh vs with the warrant of the Church to refuse them for Canonicall scripture to informe our faith but the excellent precepts that are in them make vs by the same warrant think them profitable to bee read for to reforme our manners 17 The Ring in Marriage Superstitious To finish an act of that solemnitie without some visible and significant assurance as it were no wisdome seeing vowes were neuer thought so firme as when they receaued a strength from some outward action so many reasons are giuen why this cerimonie is most fit and lesse harmelesse both betokening the affection of the hart the linking them together vnchangeablye the continuance of their affection without end the puritie of that ordinance which is heauenlie and last of all an humble submission to the ordinance of that Chrurch which hath authoritie to appoint cerimonies and hath appointed this as one most fitting to the grauitie of this action 18 Confirmation vnlawfull What wee promise by others in our Baptisme that wee then vndertake in our owne names and remembring the conflict wee haue vndertaken we come for an addition of new forces in Baptisme wee are regenerate to life but in confirmation wee are strengthned to battaile memorialls to this are not nor are not to be thought needlesse for many know they haue names who little remember that they are Baptised but whom the Church on earth hath once receaued to bee her children she ceaseth not to pursue with fauours and helps vntill she deliuereth them to their father which is in heauen 19 Burialls are heathnish and superstitious either in meeting the dead bodie with praiers mourners and such like It is well beseeming that hope which wee haue of the Resurrection and in this the liuing receaue profit though the dead doe not Wee esteeme the bodies of the faithfull as sometimes the vessells of the holie Ghost wee hold them fit to bee layd vp not to bee cast away and though they are not lost but sent before vs yet wee sadlie lament our want and their absence though ouer vehementlie wee mourn not as those that had no hope we may wish for them because they are not with vs but not too much
weaknes feare haue denied thē libertie to examine what is well or ill done this alone made that easie passage of the Portingales and the Spaniards into the Indiaes which against a nation of lesse wealth or circuit furnished with more vnderstanding had doubtles been vnpossible if the forces of both kingdomes had been vnited such is the willingnes to resist in the defence of auncient libertie where the reason of man by ciuill education hath power to discern the qualitie of that which it doth defende But in those who are of a contrarie nature will dare to do much because they would seeme not to vnderstand little there to take a Crowne is to take a heauie burdē to gouerne is to rule men where euerie particular danger of moment must haue a remedie vnlesse they will hazard by the contēpt of some few the ruine of the whole state this consideration made Dioclesian who was neither the best nor the happiest that euer gouernd thinke truely that there was nothing harder than to rule well For if they shall either commit all to others which no King whose Nation was happie euer did or take all vpon themselues in both they shall finde if not equall yet the like certaine vnresistable danger therfore well said Saturninus to those that put on his kingly ornamēts frends ye know not what an euil it is to rule many dāgers hang ouer our heads for where in other cases feare maketh mē watch in this men vsually feare those that watch ouer them I know not a better securitie in this for the kingdom God make vs all thankefull that it hath beene our happines than a good Prince nor for the Prince than a good Counsell nor for all than profitable and religious lawes These only are left vppon earth from men to be the strength and supporters to those that Rule ouer greate Kingedomes It is true which Tacitus saith that the most weightie labours of a Prince stand in need of the greatest helps therefore as tyrāts in al ages haue loathed nothing so much as good counsaile bestowing the greatest honors riches the iust recōpence of vertue vpon the worst persons whose vices serued only to make them forget thēselues and to ruinate the kingdome ouer which they gouernd so the best wisest haue euer made choise of such as were fit to be eies eares nay tongues hands all to be imployed for the common good for seldome saith one shall we see great men not to haue the assistance of great Counsaile to gouerne a great fortune nay there cannot be in a Prince a greater argument of wisedome nor a greater safetie to the Church and the common-wealth than in making his choice of a wise Councill some are of opinion that the chiefest reason why Rome florished so long was principally this because they that gouernd her followed not their owne but the Counsaile of the whole Senate Neither saith Augustus could any of these thinges meaning the troubles of his house that break out haue happened vnto me if Agrippa or Maecenas two wise Counsellours had now liued for doubtles there is not a better instrument of a happie kingdome than a wise and vertuous Counsellour who not vnfitly may be tearmed as Tacitus calleth him the ornament of peace Surely no lesse necessarie to a state that would florish than the soule to a bodie that would liue The consideration of this happines at this time maketh both the Church the Cōmonwealth dread Souereigne right honorable Lords to cast themselues at your feet and to lay open before your eyes the daungers which they feare without your gracious assistāce may fall vpon them And howsoeuer many other things of vse moment are like wheeles in this kingdome to stirre at your Honors motion yet Religion it selfe in the habit of the Church Religion that hath infinitely blest you this kingdome doth earnestly intreat that against all her enemies publike or priuate shee may rest florish and be fruitfull by your meanes and howsoeuer the Common-wealth may now be an humble suppliāt for redresse of those grieuances that offend her yet aboue all other the Church had most cause to feare that the time of a second consultation either through violence importunitie and sleight might haue beene fatall to her or that the contempt of his voyce in the dayes of peace might haue in iustice procured a scourge from the almightie to cause her to remember whom shee had despised the seuerall times for all states either to vse or to knowe their strength are peace and warre and the two professions that are the safetie of both are the militarie and the gowne It is no small care nor wisedome for a Realme to knowe when and with whom to fight and to thinke not onely vpon defence which were enough had it as much honor as safetie but vpon victorie surely in a kingdome carelesse of these men the King may oftener fight than ouercome and in his best successe peraduenture be more beholding to fortune than to his good Counsaile who surely of all other howsoeuer the warre be ended is most innocent and furthest from all blame yet it is strange to see how all men lay the faults of their inconsiderate folly rather vpon any thing than vpon themselues So that ignorance of true causes giuing the name to fortune men are willing to hide that with obscuring the cause calling it chaunce which only proceeded frō their want of Counsaile which wheresoeuer it is it leaueth no power either in peace or warre vnto that which they call Fortune I confesse sometimes there is a higher cause that Iustice which our sins awake which taketh strength from the best meanes and maketh the errors of Princes their Counsell the foundatiō of publike calamities but our purpose is not at this time to pleade for any other sauing onely for this Church for the happinesse whereof it seemeth that good lawes heretofore haue not beene so much wanting to vs as wee to them In penall lawes surely there is the greatest wisedome of those that make them and the greatest presumption of those that breake them so that for the safetie of all states but especially of the Church there are few things of greater aduantage thā the seueritie of Iustice in the strict execution of penall lawes for it is straunge that some inconueniences should first cause them seeme fit to be made and no disorder make them seeme necessarie to be obserued I thinke no other reason can be giuen but this that those lawes doe hire men with halfe the allowance to be informers which makes that good seruice to the commonwealth only in that respect odious as being not the effect of iustice and zeale but the vnconscionable desire of some couetous promoter the best remedie in this will be to referre the benefit of these to some publike vse for it is meete that vertue be maintained from the penaltie of vice and that