holy communion beginning pag. 526. diuis vij of the D. book AMongest diuers reasons browght to proue that the whole body of the church should so much as may be communicate â—n the holy supper togither he cauilleth â—t that alledged owt of S. Paul saying that he blameth those which did contentiously separate them selues whereas the Apostle vnder one kinde noteth al needeles sundring of the members one from another in that holy action That owt of S. Mathew 18 of two or three gathered in Christs name ys answered nether ys it denied but that two or three may communicate yf the other wil not at al onely yt ys said that where the other wil althowgh not so often as is conuenient yet that in such a case the three should for the reasons alledged whereunto he answereth nothing tarry for the rest his next diuision is answered in the 9 diuision which he taketh vp before by rending my book asonder that he might seem able to say somewhat which answer of myne vpon how good ground yt standeth let the reader iudg his reply whereunto is senseles where also his mervailing that I say the tvuelue vuere made Apostles after their first calling argueth his want considering that the ordeyning of them to be Embassadors throwghowt the world which is the vocation of their Apostleship was not vntil after the resurrection That which deceiueth hym is for that he considereth not that yt is the vse of the scripture in speaking of the beginninges of thinges to term them by the names which they had at the tyme of the writing and not which they had when that which they wrote was doen as in the names of Babel and Peleg c. the next requireth no answer In the next he accordeth that by ecclesiastical censures and ciuil punishmentes the rest of the church should be browght to communicate with the three where he manifestly forsaketh the book which leaueth yt free three seasons of the year onely excepted And the truth is yf it be conuenient that yt should be celebrated oftener yt is also meet that there should be punishmentes for the breach of that conueniency his exception against the proof of excommunication for want of doeyng this duty that to cut ovut his soul from the people signifieth to put to death and not to excoÌ„municate vttereth his want considering that the same commandement was giuen to Abraham in the gouernment of his how 's which was the church of god And yet that no ciuil sword was put into his hand ys manifest in that being a priuate man in the common wealth he dwelt in he had no power of lyfe and death But of this matter he may learn further other where His obiections against the Adm. and my allegation of canons ascribed to the Apostles are answered That the owtward vncleannes vnder the law may be easlier auoided then the inward which owght to kepe vs from the communion being so generally spoken is vntrue and refuted by me in the case of procuring the funeral of our friendes to which we are bound whereunto he answereth nothing nether can the vncleannes of lyfe which is priuate and not openly knowen hinder any oneles yt be such as men mean not to amend That weaknes of faith owght to withdraw vs from the communion is a manifest vntruth yt being instituted for the strenghtning of the weaknes thereof The examination of hym self is required not onely in the partaking of the communion but also in hearing of the vuord of god as whether he come with minde to be tawght and to folow or whether he come of curiosity or of custome or to please men and such like As for corruption of iudgment want of instruction in the vse of the sacrament open offenses and al such disorder of life as requireth separation by the churches ceÌ„sures they fal not into this case where is disputed not for what causes men owght to be put from the holy communion but for what causes they may withdraw them selues when they be by common and good policy of the church admitted Therfore al this is but an abusing of the tyme which is browght against that which I said that yf being of the church and able to examin them selues they be not fit for the hearing of the vuord nether are they fit for the receiuing of the coÌ„munioÌ„ whereby also may appear how vnworthily he doeth now the second tyme obiect contraryety with my self so openly refuted by expres wordes As for the reasons which I alledged to confirm this sentence with he once towcheth not whereunto I wil ad the iudgment of the auncient writers that he may learn to blush which not contented to haue reprehended yt here setteth yt in the beginning of his book as a dangerous point and palpable error Chrysostom writeth thus of the supper hovu tariedst thovu behynde I am thovu saist vnvuorthy then art thovu also vnvuorthy of the communication vuhich is in the prayers The like sentence he hath in another of his homilies uÌ„to the people of Antioche Ambrose saith he that is not fit to receiu the bread of the supper dayly is not fit once in a year August speaking of this matter sheweth that yf the synnes be not so great that one should be excoÌ„municated for them that then a man ovught not to separate hym self from the daily medicine of the lords body whereunto ad M. Bucer which disalowing the communion which is by the Minister aÌ„d one other and withal shewing that the rest of the church owght to be driuen vnto yt boeth alledgeth and aloweth that sentence of Chrysostom before rehersed In the next diuisioÌ„ of the cause of the superstitious fear of coming to the coÌ„munion let the reader iudg of coÌ„sidering that of the euil beginninges of lenton fast I haue spoken before and wil not suffer the D. to start away by mouing of other questions To this chapter belongeth the rest of the 15 Tracta where in the pag. 590 first diuision for his saying we read not that wemen receiued the supper he pretendeth M. Caluin and Zuinglius but they excuse not his rashnes For althowgh they haue the same wordes yet they match this cause with others which are necessary and which haue certein proof owt of the scripture althowgh not in expres wordes whereas he matcheth yt with those thinges which are by his own confession indifferent and not necessary giuing thereby to vnderstand that there is no better grownd of the one then of the other which reason being alledged to proue the occasion of triumph which he giuith here vnto the Catabaptistes and Anabaptistes he answereth not The three next diuisioÌ„s are answered Next vnto this foloweth another vnchangeable doctrine as yt lyeth pa. 603 of the D. book where althowgh the Answ dare not opeÌ„ly vndertake the defence of driuing of known papistes vnto the lords supper yet partly in trifling with the proofes browght for the
which affirmeth that al men preached in the Apostels tymes he can receiu no benefite of him in this place For if al did preach aswel as baptiz then it is true which I say that none had the ministery of the sacramentes but he which had the ministery of the word withal and vntrue which he affirmeth owt of Ambrose that some were ministers of the word which were not of the sacramentes Likewise is the testimony owt of M. Beza wherto I haue answered before flat against hym in this cause considering that his iudgment is that the Deacons did boeth preach and administer the sacramentes sometyme And as there is no harmony betwene hym and his autorityes so is there none betwene the sentences of his autors which he hath mashed togither For where some say al other say that Priestes onely baptized where he saith Musculus doeth alow that some should minister the sacramentes which can not preach yt is very true and further that he would rather haue yt doen by them then by those that can preach But his ground is vpon the misvnderstanding of Act. the 6 whilest he toke the ministring to tables which is the prouision for the poor for the ministring of the lordes supper The foundation therefore of his assertion being naught the assertion yt self can haue no place The place of the 1. Timoth. 5. is answered so is his question To return again therfore to his demaund where he asketh what point of Anabaptism it is that wemen may preach in the church when there is no other that can nor wil I answer that yt approcheth to that braunch whereby the Anabaptistes hould that meÌ„ may preach withowt an owtward calling of the church onely if they think it needful Vuhere I obiected his building vpon examples of a fevu particular persons vuhich alovueth not ours althovugh they be grounded vpon the general vse of the churches in the Apostels tyme he answereth that he buildeth no necessary rule but onely that yt may be doen vpon like occasion But this is but a vayn shift For those extraordinary actes whych are comendable were doen ether by expres coÌ„mandement or by special direction of the spirit of god the obedience whereunto was not at their chois to doe or to leau vndoen So that if the Ans wil haue these examples to be the directers of baptim by midwiues they not onely may but owght to doe yt And if there were any such case of necessity as he vntruly pretendeth and that yt might in such a case be ministered by wemen it were absurd to leau it in the chois of the Midwife whether she would minister it or no. But note I beseche yow what horrible confusion he bringeth into the world by this saying For if extraordinary examples doe proue that such thinges may be doen in such cases then may priuate men execute malefactors because Phinees did so and men may borow and neuer pay as did the Israelites If he say that he addeth vpon like occasion and circumstance it is true but thereby he meaneth yf like need or necessity be For if he mean as he owght hauing a particular commandement of god by word or a rare and extraordinary instinct by the spirit of god his answer is nothing to purpose considering that he wil not I think say that the Midwiues haue any of these two and if they had they doe it not in respect of the former example but onely by reason of the extraordinary ether commandement or motion His example of the Samaritan woman Iohn 4 is friuolous that she should become a publik preacher which had not yet learned her catechism nor was scarce owt of her Christian A. B. C. where it is manifest that she did nothing which belongeth not to euery one that is that we should exhort one another to goe where the knowledg of Christ is to be had so that she did onely as it were towl the bel to draw the Samaritanes to our Sau. Christ that he might preach vnto them Nether doeth his other example of the wemen Math. 28 which preached the resurrection help him For if that may be called a publik ministery it hath an expres commandement of the lord by the Angel. which commandement as oft as Midwiues can shew we wil acknowledg their ministery lawful otherwise the general commandement which we are bound to folow is direct against their preaching which being shewed of me is vnanswered by hym So that here he merely trifleth often saiyng that there is nothing against the baptim by wemen and neuer answering the scriptures alledged wherby it is generally forbiddeÌ„ theÌ„ to deal in these matters To that I concluded of his wordes wemen may preach if there be no man that ether can or wil that vuemen by that meanes haue his licence to preach in diuers places he answereth it needeth not seing the scriptures are red in al places But that is but an escape considering that althowgh they haue a reader yet they haue no preacher reading not being preaching as I haue a shewed And who seeth not that many with vs for want of teaching ly in horrible ignorance of the truth so that by his rule this is the tyme in which wemen may teach openly with vs. But here again he opposeth M. Caluin which saith there is a tyme wherein a woman may speak Yf he mean in her own how 's or otherwhere priuatâ—ly I graunt if publikly in the church vpon an extraordinary calling I graunt that also otherwise I can not graunt it for the reasons before and after alledged And that M. Caluin had no such meaning as he pretendeth appeareth in that he wil at no hand admit baptim by wemen to whome althowgh he oppose Zuinglius yet he sheweth not nor I think is able to shew that he alloweth of baptim by Midwiues The next diuision which sheweth that godly vuemen neuer toke the ministery of the vuord but by extraordinary calling from god approued ether by miracle or some not able yssu saith he is needles as that wherunto he agreeth which is not so For hereby is condemned the baptizing boeth by wemeÌ„ and other priuate persons whatsoeuer as that which hath no such calling and approbation of god The next to it sheweth his pouerty which endeuoring to defend the baptim by wemen was ignorant of the principal hould of that cause and was needfully met with for their sakes whom that might trouble In he next he would insinuate that they may baptiz in the how 's for that S. Paul biddeth them teach in priuat places where if he had made his argument iust and to clasp wel togither he should haue concluded that they owght to teach their howshold in priuate places therefore they owght to baptiz in priuate places and they owght to teach their families ordinarily therefore they owght to baptiz their families ordinarily thus must the argument be cut owt according to his measure and he
of the people admitted vnto these consultations when further it is found that they haue had their consent there and sometyme also their speach with far greater reason may the Christian Magistrate boeth be assistant and haue his voice in such assemblies That then which we giue vnto the ministery in such church consultations which are not of the dayly ministery as Synods be is boeth a fore consultation as we see to haue bene doen in the scripture to the end that the matter being digested and as it were cut owt and prepared a forehand yt might be the better handled in a fuller assembly as also the direction and moderation of that meeting where these matters are defined and concluded of But in the cheef point he is sure we agree with the papistes euen as the godly and learned writers ould and of our age doe agree with them and none otherwise whereof two the D. is him self constreyned to cōfes meaning as I think M. Caluin and Beza whether he doe or no so they are as may appear And how durst he say of those two vpon no ground that in this article of the Magistrats autority they differ nothing from the papistes For so he saith in effect when he saith so of vs whome he is compelled to confes to haue their assistance in this cause Althowgh they are not as he saith alone but haue diuers others bearing them company Amongest whome M. Bucer may seem to be worthy of the cheif place which affirmeth that the magistrate ovught not to administer the discipline of the church So that so far as we consent here with the papistes we doe it as in the article of the holy Trinity where we haue with warrant of the word of god the approbation also of the best we hould with them thinges in common in which respect we are not afraid to confes that we consent in some point with the Iues and Turkes or they rather with vs But yow are foūd in diuers places in their priuate orcheyardes gathering your frute of trees which their handes did first plant and from thence yow bring your stockes which yow would place in the lords vineyard And euen in this question whome haue yow opposed vnto these two which yow cōfes of our iudgmēt yow pretend in deed the Bishops of Sarisbury and winchester with M. Nowel but for two of them I haue shewed that they are in effect of the same iudgment we are assured I am they are further from yow then from vs of the third also albeit I haue not seen hym I perswade my self likewise There remaineth onely Musculus whose saying if I should deny not to be charged vpon vs but on the papistes onely seing we doe not deny altogither as they doe that he hath autority to make church lawes yow se we haue hould which yow can not easely put vs from But because when I confessed some of contrary iudgment I meant him at the least as one which if he thowght as we did not sufficiently expres yt let vs graunt yow this reed to ride vpon and to bear your self vp in this great triumph And let it be graunted yow to make your faut seem so much the les that yow haue one learned man of the same iudgment with yow That I haue no other reasons then the papistes is vntrue at least yow shew yt not And I may holily profes and in the presence of god that I went not to the papistes for them but in reading the scriptures and the autors them selues obserued them Nether could the papistes abusing them to the maintenance of their tyranny ouer Princes and the whole church affray me to vse them as I haue no more then they affraied M. Caluin and others which haue vsed of them in like maner Of al which matter the reader may vnderstand how vnworthy owtcries they be which he so oftē raiseth against vs that we giue no more to a godly Christian magistrate then to the Turk or Nero with such like For who wil communicate the church matters with Nero open to hym the necessity of houlding a Councel desire his confirmation of the church orders pray his aid in the maynteyning them cal vpon him aswel for making them where the lawful ministery faileth as for redres of the euil Yt is trw the Turk and Nero owght to doe al these euen as they owght to doe whatsoeuer belongeth vnto a godly Christian Prince for the leauing of which vndoen much more for doeyng the contrary the wrath of the lord resteth vpon them and theirs But for as much as they profes enmity of the truth as they must want boeth the honour in this world and reward in the world to come which the lord giueth vnto a Christian magistrate so the church must paciently bear the want of these thinges vnder the one which she enioyeth vnder the other To end this matter seing the church and common wealth are distinguished aswel vnder a Christian Prince as vnder an vnchristian and that thereof foloweth the distinctiō one from another not onely of the lower but also of the higher members which are the gouernours in boeth the bodies seing also the lord hath appointed the Ministers to be ouer the matters perteyning to him self Seing further the ministery of the church is by calling and giftes incidēt thereunto the fittest Iudg of the church matters last of al seing the auncient practis of the church houldeth vp her hand hereunto I conclude that as wel in the decision of the doctrine as in the chois of the variable ceremonies of the church the principal autority belōgeth vnto the ministery The rest of the sections in this tractate as those which require no reply I wil not towch but leau them to the readers iudgment THE THIRTINTH AND LAST TRACTATE AND NINTH VVITH THE D. beginning page 474 of the inconuenience of the Ceremonyes vsed in the church of England deuided into tvuo partes the first vuhereof is of the general fautes the other of the particuler THe doctrine and discipline of the church as the weightiest thinges owght especially to be looked vnto but the ceremonies also as mynt and comyn owght not to be neglected For if honest matrones haue regard to the smalest part of the attire of their daughters that yt be nether sluttish nor gawish nor after the maner of harlots much more owght that care to be taken for the church of god that by her comely and maidenlike apparel she may content euē the eyes of al which loue her spiritual chastity And althowgh the corruptions in them stryke not strayt to the heart yet as gētil poisons they consume by little and little which is rather to be takē heed vnto for that the harm they doe is to the moste part so insensible that the church may seem to dy hereon almoste withowt any grief or sens of yt or goe away as yt were in a sleap Hereupon it commeth that this part hath before
elder church was such 109 110. whether refer that where they meddled with ether the administration of the word or Sacraments they did yt by a nw cōmission and not by vertu of the Deaconship 109. Also of the godly learned of our age M. Bucer Caluin Martyr Beza 99 109 113. The Deaconship owght to be in euery Church 113 114. Likewise vnder a Christian Magistrate 100 111 112 113. Tractate the eleuenth page 116. Of the corruptions in doctrine about the holy Sacraments the first chapter whereof is against the sacriledg of priuate persons wemen especially in administring baptim because Yt confirmeth the error of the condēnatiō of thē which dy withowt baptim 133. when as the want of baptim oneles yt be with neglect or cōtemt is not onely no probable sign of condemnation or cause why we are no Christians but also is in no respect praeiudicial and where that neglect or cōtemt is which can be none when yt is with al conuenient speed browght to be baptized by the publik minister in the congregation yt returneth vpon the parents onely 124 125 134 135. Yt is void which is so ministred 134. because the washing from our synnes coming onely frō our Sa. Christ to haue confirmation of our faith by this sacramēt yt is required that yt be ministred by hym whome he hath set in his place 138 139. As the princis seal stollen and set to by one to whome yt belongeth not bringeth no security c. 139. whether refer that yt is more lawfully administred by a minister which is an heretik then by a priuate person which is a catholik 131. Also that not to haue he rein chois of hym that administreth the sacrament approcheth to the dotage of the papists in the Shepards consecration 138. Hether refer that the keping of the wordes I baptiz the in the name c. are not onely of the substance of baptim 136 137 138. As he that propoundeth the word withowt vocation preacheth not 141 142. As he that taketh part of the wordes of the scripture passing by another part propoundeth not the scripture but a devise of his own brain 141. As the communicatiō in bread withowt the cup is no supper of the lord 140. As a priuate man which killing a murtherer executeth no iustice but is hym self a murtherer 139. As the seal of the same matter and figure with the Princis withowt his autoritie is none of his 139. God hath instituted that those onely should baptiz which haue that wemen can not vocation to preach 116 117. Hether refer the making of the Ark 117 118. Also of S. Paul which hauing commission to preach as a thing annexed to preaching administred baptim 118 119. further that otherwise there should be no commandement in the scripture to hinder that wemen may not aswel be taken to the ordinary administration of the sacramentes as men 118 119. Hether also refer that alledged of the wemens preaching 122 123. of Pauls baptizing and others at the commandement of Peter withowt a calling 119 120 121. Origins example 130 131. None may take honor vnto hym self but he that is called as was Aron 128. No not so much as in priuate howses althowgh they may teach privately 124. Nor in the tyme of the supposed necessity 128 129 130 132. Hether refer that of Sephora 126 127 The iudgmēt of the godly learned boeth aūciēt and of our tyme Coūcel of Carthage 132 Cyprian Chrysostome 130 Caluin 117 Bullinger 133 Beza 130. Infantes of boeth parents Papists owght not to be baptized 142. The second chapter of the corruptions in the sacrament of the holy supper 144. Against the receiuing by two or three with vs 144 145 146. Knowen papists not to be admitted much les comppelled to the supper 147 148. Examination of those whose knowledg in the principal points of religion is douted of is commanded in the scriptures 148 149 150. The tvuelfth Tractate page 151. The administration of the church matters vnder a Christian Magistrate doeth ordinarily and principally belong vnto the church officers because By the word of god the matters perteining vnto god are committed vnto the Priests and Leuites the matters perteining vnto the common wealth being committed to Ciuil persons 152 153 154. Nether maketh yt against this that certein Leuites handled common wealth matters 154 or that certein kinges determined of church matters 166 The church gouernours are by calling the fittest to determinyn of them 158 159. whether refer that the scripture requireth not of the ciuil magistrate that he should be able to conuince an heretik The church lawes are called the Bishops and not the Emperours decrees 155 156. Althowgh yt belong vnto the Magistrate to make lawes for a Christian common wealth yet yt foloweth not thereof that he may make lawes for the church the distinction of the church and common wealth remaining euen vnder a Christian magistrate pa. 151 152. Althowgh in confused tymes yet not in wel ordered 165 166. Yt is one thing to make lawes for the church another thing to put in execution the lawes alredy made whether deuine or ecclesiastical so that althowgh the later belōg vnto the Magistrate yet thereof foloweth not that the former doeth so 153 156 161. The danger of the Ministers erring in the determination of these matters letteth not this right of theirs 167. Nor that the papists hould some point herein with vs from whome notwithstanding euen in this cause we differ manifoldly 164 165 166 167. The learnedest and godliest boeth ould and nw confirm yt Constantine the great 157 163 Hillary 155 156 Ambrose 156 161 and other bishops of his tyme 162 Augustine 163 Bucer Caluin Beza 168 the Bishop of Salisbury 159 162 Nowel 159 euen the D. hym self 164 The thirtinth Tractate Of the indifferent ceremonyes the frute and necessitie whereof is shewed 171. The former part whereof is of the ceremonies in general The first chapter of which former part is that the church of Christ owght not to be like in ceremonies vnto the synagog of Antichrist because The Apostles conformed the Gentiles to the lwes not contrariwise 172 The lord seuered his people from prophane nations in thinges otherwise indifferent 172 Especially from those with whose corruptions in religiō they were entangled and with whome they lyued and had occasiō of conuersation in which respect yt is les danger for vs to be like in this point vnto the Turkes thē vnto the Papistes 172 173 174. The conformitye offendeth the papistes 177 namely in that they take occasion of speaking euil of our religion as if it yt could not stād withowt the ayd of their ceremonies 178 179. Also that thereby they conceyue hope of bringing in again their other corruptions whereby they hardē thē selues in their error likewise that they ascribe holynes to them 79 180. whether refer that yt is no sufficient exception that the people be warned of the abvse by preaching 177 178. Yt bringeth greif of mynde to many that are godly myneded and to the weaker sort occasion of a moste dangerous fal 180. Yt aedifieth not 180 181. The popish ceremonies haue pomp annexed 180 181. Euen as to establish the doctrine and discipline of the gospel the Antichristian must be removed so to remedy the infection crept in by the ceremonies they also owght to be removed 174. The godly and learned boeth ould and of our tyme confirm yt The councel of Laodicea of Braccara 176 177. Tertulliā 175. Constātine the great 175 176. The Bishop of Salesbury 177. Nether is the decree of any church of that autority as to binde vs that euen in the matter of ceremonies her iudgmēt should not be examined by the word of god The second Chapter Of the first part of this tractate that the churches owght to be like one to another in ceremonies pag. 142. As the churches in the Apostles times and after in the primitive church 142. As the children and seruantes of noble men goe in one liuery 142. How this may be doen 142 143. Althowgh the churches owght not to fal owt abowt yt nor men make a departure from the church for want hereof yet the church to the end she may correct yt owght to be tould of her faut in this behalf p. 143 144. The third chapter That the seruice book after a sort mainteineth an vnpreaching ministery 184. Partly throwgh the lenght of prayers 184 185. But especially in contenting yt self with a Mynister which can doe no more thē a childe of ten yeares ould 185. Or els the Bishop ys yet more gilty which maketh such Ministers withowt warrant ether of god or man ib. The fourth chapter That the frute that might be is not receiued p. 186 Throwgh the change of the place and gestures of the minister which hinder the vnderstanding of the people renw the leuitical Priesthood is vncomely ād according to M. Bucer boeth absurd and munkish page 186 187. That the order hereof is dangerously left in the Bishops discretion 187. The second part Of this Tractate of the particuler fautes in our ceremonies The first part Of the first chapter thereof is of abrogating the feastes of the Natiuitie Easter and whitsonday pa. 188. For the superstition crept into mēs myndes of them especially when they are not necessary pa. 185 the superstition also being not so wel remedied by preaching onely 189. They restrain the benefites of Christ vnto the tyme they are houlden in pa. 190. In appointing of holy dayes regard must be had not onely to the riche which may withowt their hinderance abstein from labor but vnto the poorest 192 193. The church may appoint standing tymes for the publik seruice of god and vpon extraordinary causes whole holy dayes yet not therefore ordinarily command suche feastes 191 192. As ordinarily yt can not be ordeyned that men should work the dayes which god hath commanded to rest in so ordinarily yt should not be forbidden to labor in those dayes which god hath licensed to work in 193. The elder church left the feastes free 189 198. The second part Of the first chapter against Saintes dayes pag. 194.