Verball discourse it is answered that the Bishop hath already received approbation of his worke from his sacred Majesty and as much thankes and respect from the Lord's Grace of Canterbury as a faithfull person can expect or desire from a Superior and continuing as he hath begun he is in no danger to lose either his Majesties or the Arch-Bishops or any other worthy Persons lawfull favour 2 The Author with thankfulnesse to God protesteth that He having bestowed above two hundred of his bookes upon Persons among which many were of great worth and quality hath never as yet received so much as one check or affront from any one since a three fold impression of the Book And the Dialogue deviser is the first Satan so far as the Bishop is hitherto informed who hath fomed out his gall and venome against it Sed quamvis libraverit accusationis suae hastas totis adversus nos viribus interserit credimus in Deo salvatore quod scuto circumdabit veritas ejus cum Psalmista cantare poterimus Sagittae parvulorum facta sunt sagittae eorum although he hath with all his might bent his Speare and darted his Weapons against us yet wee trust in God our Saviour that the shield of veri y shall protect us so that we may say with the Psalmist Their arrowes shall be as the arrowes of children Hier. adv Ruffin lib. 1. 3 The Treatise is so farre from distracting the Kings loving Subjects which are of a loyall and peaceable disposition that many intelligent persons who have diligently read and examined the same having in former time been doubtfull are now setled in a firme resolution never to bee distracted with Sabbatarian fancies any more A. You know what is said in a late book allowed by Authority Communion Booke Catec expounded by Reve. That the holy Fathers in God the Bishops are to be guides in Divinity to the whole Clergie of inferiour Order So as all Priests are to submit to their godly judgements in all matters appertaining to Religion And the reason is given because the Fathers of the Church now and alwayes do in the great mystery of godlinesse comprehend many things which the common people doe not Yea also some things which Ministers of the inferiour Order doe not apprehend So as it is expected of those Holy Prelates that we must lay our hand on our mouth when they speake and be altogether regulated by their profound dictats B. I remember well the Booke and I cannot but wonder that those passages were not expunged with many others when the Book was called in and then the second time published You know we live in a learned age a One of whom it may truly be spoken None so bold as blinde Bayard may live in a learned age and we deny the Popes infallibility or that it can convey it selfe as from the head and so confine it selfe within the Veines of the body of the Prelacy Or that a Rotchet can confer this grace Ex opere operato And beleeve me Brother when we see such a Papall spirit begin to perk up in this our Church is it not high time trow you to look about us Shall we stumble at the Noone day and in the Meridian of the Gospell close our eyes and become the sworne Vassals of blinde Obedience b Cusan Exercitat l. 6. Obedientiâ— irrationalis est consummata obedientia scilicet quando obeditur sine inquisitione rationis sicut jumentuÌ„ obedit domino suo No no In this case therefore were Goliah himselfe the Champion I would by Gods grace try a fall with him Answ If bold Bayard were armed with Davids spirit and fortitude what Gyant were able to stand before him But if his whole strength consisteth in wording and facing onely Quid prodest Simiae si videatur esse Leo c Greg. Nazian in sentent What can it availe an Ape to conceive himselfe to bee as strong as a Lion But passing by this vaine ostentation let us take the matter delivered by him into examination 1 He censureth a moderne Writer for affirming that the Bishops of the Church are Guides to the inferiour Clergy to direct them in matters of Religion 2 He disputeth against this Position in manner following The Pope is not infallible Ergo the Bishops being Veines of the Body whereof the Pope is Head cannot be Iudges or Guides to instruct the inferiour Clergy 3 He saith that the Author whom he opposeth is guided with a Papall spirit Now this as I conceive is the Summe and marrow of the Dialogaster his argumentation In answer hereunto the Bishop saith that if this Objecter had intended to proceed in a right method of Disputation he must first of all have stated the Question and considered what Iudiciall power the Bishops of the Church of England challenge concerning regulating and deciding matters of Controversie in Religion and then he might have framed Arguments made Inferences and used his Invectives and Declamations and not before But being bold and blinde and not regarding and considering the Churches Tenet concerning Episcopall power he disputeth in a rude and deriding manner rather venting his malice against the Order of Bishops as Hereticks c Cyprian l 3. Ep. 9. Haec sunt initia Haereticorum ortus atque conatus SchismaticoruÌ„ male cogitantium ut sibi placeant praepositum superbo tumore conteÌ„nant in ancient times were wont to do than delivering any thing true substantiall or to the purpose 1 The Question is whether Bishops lawfully called and qualified according to the Apostles rule 1 Tim. 3. have any power of judicature in matters belonging to Religion or in questions Theologicall 2 Whether they bee Veines of the Pope and guided by a Papall spirit if they challenge or exercise any such power 3 Whether they can have no such power unlesse they be endued with Divine Grace Ex opere operato Now to these Questions our Answer is 1 That Bishops lawfully called and qualified according to the Apostles Rule have a ministeriall and subordinate power and authority to determine Theologicall Controversies by the Rule of holy Scripture and by the consentient Tradition and testimony of the ancient and orthodoxall Catholike Church For Timothy and Titus being Bishops lawfully ordained b Euseb hist Eccl. l. 3. c 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercised such power in the Church c Habiles idonei ad ecclesias quas â—â—i Apostoli fundaveranâ— pascendâ—s regendâ—sque estimâ—ti fuerint c Hieron c. Ruffin li. 2. Vtrum recipi debet EpiscoporuÌ„ relinquitur judicio Iren. lib. 4. cap. 43. lis qui in Ecclesus sunt Presbyteris oportet obaudire quicunque cum Episcopatus successione charisma veritatis acceperunt The Bishops and Fathers in the foure first generall Councels d Euseb vit Const l. 3. c. 18. Quicquid in sanctis EpiscoporuÌ„ Conciliis decernitur id universum divinae voluntati debet attribui did the like
So likewise did S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Ireneus S. Athanasius and all other orthodoxall Bishops in their times and the inferiour Clergie and other Christian people submitted themselves unto them 2 To enable Bishops to exercise this power of judicature in such manner as they assume it it is not necessary that they be endowed with miraculous inspiration as the Holy Apostles were but they may attain ability to perform this by diligent study and meditation of holy Scripture and of the learned writings of the godly fathers and by helps of good learning and by the assistance of ordinary grace And this appeareth by the Bishops in the Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon and by Irenaeus Cyprian Ambrose Augustine Athanasius Hilarius Cyrillus c. Thirdly The Romane a Iacob de Graff Decis Aur. part 1. li. 2. Omnia agit disponit judicat prout sibi placet c. Apud eum est pro ratione voluntas quod ei placet vigorem habet legis Baron Annal. An. 373. n. 21. Bosiuâ— de sign Eccles li. 5. ca. 9. Greg. Val. in Tho. to 3. disp 1. q. 1. punct 7. Pontife claimeth a twofold power of judicature in questâ—ons Theologicall 1. Such an infallible unerring and binding power as that no Church or Creature may appeale from his sentence or Tribunall in any case whatsoever But the Bishops of the Church of England challenge no such power but they maintaine that the inferiour Clergie or any other Christian people upon waightie and substantiall grounds of veâ—â—â—le may dissent from their sentence b August de unit Eccles cap. 10. Nec catholicis episcopis consentieÌ„dum est sicubi forte falluntur ut contra canonicas scripturas aliquid sentiant Id. de persev sanct ca. 21. Neminem velim sic amplecti mea omnia ut me sequatur nisi in eis quibus me non errare perspexerit 2. The Pope groundeth the infallibility of his sentence upon immediate divine inspiration and because He is the supreme visible head of the universall Catholicke Church succeeding Saint Peter not only as a Bishop but as an Apostle c Apud Gratian. dist 19. Sic omnes sanctiones Apostolicae sedis accipiendae sunt tanquam ipsius divina voce Petri firmatae Aug. Triumph Sum. de pot Eccles q. 6. ar 1. Sententia Papae sententia Dei est una Ib. quaest 18. ar 4. Papa quantum ad dognitionem gratuitam revelatam est major Angelis Gretser def Bellar. to 1. ca. 1. Id Solum pro verbo Dei veneramur suscipimus quod nobis Pontifex ex cathedra Petri tanquám supremus Christianorum magister omniumque controversiarum judex definiendo proponit Gulielm Rubeo â— dist 19. qu. 2. Papa Christi vicarius habet tantam potestatem in spiritualibus quantam habuit Christus non ut Deus sed ut homo verus But the Bishops in our Church make not themselves Apostles but are called to be Pastors of the Church by ordinary meanes and likewise they attaine ability of true and right judgement by ordinary helpes of learning and by ordinary assistance of divine Grace Now if it shall be objected that the inferiour Clergie and many other good Christians may equall Bishops and sometimes exceed them in Learning Piety Vertue and therefore Bishops may not be judges of the inferiour Clergie Our Answer is 1. That by the lawes of our kingdome and the Canons of our Church many learned Persons are appointed to be Assistants unto Bishops and in our Nationall Synods in which all waighty matters concerning Religion are determined nothing is or may bee concluded but by the common Vote and consent of the Major part of the Convocation which consisteth of many other learned Divines besides Bishops Secondly to the end that order may bee observed discord prevented and Heresies condemned it is necessary that there bee a power of judicature in some able and worthy persons and our State walking in the way of pious Antiquity a Cyprian Epist 27. Inde per temporum successionum vices episcoporum ordinatio Ecclesiae ratio decurrit ut Ecclesia super episcopos constituatur omnis actus ecclesiae per eosdem praepositos gubernetur Aug. Epist 86. Episcopo tuo noli resistere quod ipse facit sine ullo scrupulo vel disceptatione sectare Hieron ad Nepotian Esto subjectus pontifici tuo quasi animae parentem suscipe Id. adv Luciferian Ecclesiae salus in summi sacerdotis dignitate pendet cui si non exors quaedam ab omnibus eminens detur potestas tot in Ecclesiis efficientur schismata quot sacerdotes hath setled this power in the Bishops of our Church for if it shall bee left free to every singular and private person to frame a rule of faith and to judge and determine matters of Religion and Theologicall questions and Controversies by his owne private skill and spirit it will then be consequent that there shall bee no common Ecclesiasticall rule of faith to settle unity in Religion but the people of the land will be divided into as many Sects and factions as themselves please b Cyprian li. 1. ep 2. Neque aliunde haereses abortae sunt aut nata sunt schismata quam inde quod sacerdoti non obtemperatur Nec unus in Ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos ad tempus judex vice Christi cogitatur cui secundum magisteria divina obtemperaret fraternitas universa Idem li 4. ep 9. Vnde schismata haereses obortae sunt nisi dum episcopus qui unus est ecclesiae praeest superba quorundaÌ„ praesumptione contemnitur homo dignatione Dei honoratus ab indignis hominibus judicatur and a greater confusion must be among Christians than there was in old time among Pagans and Infidels Lastly it appeareth by the forme of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons authorized in this kingdome that the inferiour Clergy are obliged to submit themselves to the Bishop being their Ordinary and to whom the charge and government is committed over them The words of the booke of Ordination are these which follow BISHOP Will you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chiefe Ministers unto whom the government and charge is committed over you following with a glad minde and will their godly admonitions and submitting your selves to their godly judgements Answer I will so doe the Lord being my helper Having thus farre proceeded in declaring both the quality of Episcopall authority in judging the inferiour Clergie and also how necessary it is for preservation of verity and unity in Religion that this authority be respected and maintained In the next place we will examine the waight of the Dialogaster's objections Object 1 If Bishops are to be guides to the inferiour Clergie in matters of Religion then the inferiour Clergie must lay their hands on their mouth and be altogether regulated by their Dictates But this is unreasonable c. Answ No
proprie significare membranam extrema qua faetus vaccarum obtegitur in qua ipsa vestigia duntaxat oculorum apparent as blinde as a Calves Kell who cannot discerne the rudity and falsity of it As for example The Sacrament of Baptisme succeeded and came in place of Circumcision The Holy Eucharist in place of the Legall Passeover Evangelicall Sacrifices in place of Legall and Leviticall The Evangelicall Law in place of Moses Law If now one shall argue Ergo the Sacrament of Baptisme is commanded by the Old Law of Circumcision and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper by the Old Law of the Legall Passeover c. shall he not declare himselfe to be voyde of common understanding Although therefore the Lord's-Day came in place of the Old Sabbath day of the fourth Commandement Yet it was not commanded or observed in the Christian Church by authority of that Law any more than Baptisme is command by the Law of Circumcision But now the contrary to that which the Objector imagineth may be concluded by this argument namely That day which comes in place of the Old Sabbath Day is not commanded by the Old Law but by some other new Law For these two dayes differ in kinde the one being Legall and the other Evangelicall now even as that which is meerely Legall is not commanded by the Law of the Gospell but by the Old Law even so that which is meerely Evangelicall is not commanded by a precept of the Old Law But the observation of the Lord's-Day considered as a particular Holy day grounded upon our Saviour's Resurrection is meerely Evangelicall according to Brother B. himselfe a H. B. Law and Gospell reconcil p. 51. That which gave it a stampe of divine institution was the Lord's own act in blessing and sanctifying this Lord's Day with his blessed and glorious Resurrection Therfore the Observation of the Lord's-Day is not commanded by the Old Law of the fourth Commandement A. I remember the Treatiser confesseth that the Apostles themselves at sometimes observed this Day as Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 pag. 211. B. At sometimes only What no oftner than he findes expressely mentioned This is like him in Oxford who in his Sermon sayd that the Iewes kept the Sabbath but once in 40. yeares during their abode in the wildernesse This he gathered because he found it but once mentioned but he might have found it twise if hee had looked well So as this is a most beggerly kinde of reasoning How injurious an imputation is it to the Apostles to say that they kept the Lord's-Day sometimes when as they taught and commanded b This bold companion powreth out his owne fancies takes that as granted which is impossible to bee proved Zanch. de oper Red pag. 610. Nullibi legimus Apostolos hoc cuipiam mandasse tantum legimus quid soliti fuerint facere Apostoli fideles eo die Liberum igitur reliquerunt others to observe it weekly as hath beene noted Did Christian People immediately after Christ's Ascension observe this weekely day and did not the Apostles themselves This is too grossely repugnant to good reason to our Homily and to the witnesses produced Answ 1. The Bishop's words pag. 211. are The Apostles themselves as sometimes observed this day c. Now the ingenuous Reader must consider the reason why the Bishop spake thus reservedly which was Theo. Brab had objected against the Lord's-Day that it could not be proved by Holy Scripture that the Holy Apostles constantly observed the Lord's-Day or that they commanded the observation thereof two weekes or one Moneth together in all Christian Churches In answer to this Objection the Bishop held it not sufficient to cry out this is too grossely repugnant to good reason and to the Homily and to Doctor Andrewes and it is impudent but if hee would speake to purpose hee must confirme his answer by testimonies of Scripture Now when he had searched with much diligence hee could finde none such Therefore hee carryed himselfe like himselfe in affirming no more than hee was without quiâ—â—ies and cavills well able to prove It 's an easie matter like a Pâ—â—-gun to blurt out paper shot but if one have to deale with an intelligent adversary he shall be sure to come off with disgrace if he make a noyse only and prove nothing 2 The Objector saith that it is an injurious imputation to the Apostles to say that they kept the Lord's-Day sometimes when as they had taught Christian people immediately after Christ's Ascension to observe it generally in all Churches Now in this assertion there is 1 Petitio principii for this Dictator neither already hath nor at any time hereafter will be able to demonstrate out of Holy Scripture That the Apostles presently and immediately after Christ's Ascension commanded all Christian Churches to observe the Lord's-Day For the Apostles themselves and namely Saint Peter were not resolved of the cessation of all Legall Ceremonies presently after Christ's Ascention Act. 10.14 2 Vntill the Conversion of the Gentiles the Christian converts among the Iewes observed the Old Sabbath Day and the Apostles joyned with them in their Synagogues preaching the Gospell to them upon that day Acts 13.14 They came to Antioch and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath Day and after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue said unto them Yee men and brethren if yee have any word of Exhortation for the People say on Chap. 16.13 and Chap. 17.2 And Paul as his manner was went in unto them and three Sabbath Dayes reasoned with them out of the Scriptures 3 Saint Paul was not called to be an Apostle of the Gentiles at the very instant of time of Christ's Ascension and yet he was the first of all the Apostles who in holy Scripture above twenty yeares after Christ's Ascension is reported to have preached the Gospell and broken bread upon the Lord's Day Acts 20.7 c. A. These two witnesses Bishop Andrewes and Mr. Hooker and these instances I perceive come full home to the Homily and Dr. Andrewes calls the Lord's-Day our New Sabbath Answ I doe earnestly intreate the impartiall Reader to consider that this Dialogue-former hath not one sound or probable argument in his whole Treatise either to prove his owne Tenet or to confute his Adversary His only colour is and this may mis-leade a weake and improvident Reader to wit certaine passages in the Homily and in some moderne Authors of our Nation which according to outward sound of words may seeme to favour him Therefore it must be observed 1 The greatest Doctors a Aug. de Praed sanct c. 14. Quid opus est ut eorum scrutemur opuscula qui priusquam ista haeresis oriretur noÌ„ habuerunt necessitatem in hac difficili ad solvendum quaestione versati quod procul dubio facerent si respondere talibus cogerentur at sometimes and before Errors and Heresies are openly defended are
England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's day is the same which the Fathers of the Primitive Church received from the holy Apostles and which they taught Christian people in ancient time pag. 13. But the Bishop in his Treatise maintaineth the same Doctrine which the Primitive Fathers received from the Holy Apostles and which they taught Christian people in ancient time Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day 3 The present Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day is the same which is commonly maintained by all Reformed Churches in Christendome But the Bishop in his Treatise consenteth with all the Reformed Churches in their common Doctrine of the old Sabbath and of the Lord's-day pag. 271. Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day 4 That the Homilies appointed to be read in the Church of England must not alwayes bee expounded according to the sound of words but according to the Line and Rule of holy Scripture is the Tenet of H. B. in his Plea to an Appeale pag. 14. The Bishop in his Treatise hath expounded the Homily of the Time and Place of prayer appointed to be read in the Church of England according to the Line and Rule of Holy Scripture and according to this sense and exposition nothing is delivered in the Homily repugnant to the Bishop's doctrine concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England contained in the Homily of the time and place of prayer Brother B. in his Dialogue hath these remarkable Passages following 1 The Tenet of the Dialogist is That the 4th Commandement of the Decalogue delivered in this forme of words Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath-day c. The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. The Lord rested the seventh day c. commandeth in expresse termes the religious observation of the Lord's-day and the same is a commandement of the Law of Nature Now from hence it is consequent 1. That Saturday and Sunday being two distinct and severall dayes of the Weeke if the Commandement be naturall and expresse for the one it cannot be naturall and expresse for the other unlesse the one day were named expressed or described in the same as well as the other 2 That the Iewes were obliged to the religious observation of the Saturday by the Law of the fourth Commandement which was Positive in respect of that day and Christians are bound to keepe holy the Sunday by the very same Commandement as by the Law of Nature Now all judicious men confesse that the 4th Commandement concerning keeping holy the saturday was a Positive Law Therefore we desire Br. B. to cleare this contradiction to wit how it is possible that the Law of the fourth Commandement concerning Saturday being Positive The same Law according to his Tenet commanding Sunday can be Naturall Againe let this bould Bayard resolve Vs how the observation of the Lord's-day can be said to be expressely commanded in the fourth Precept of the Decalogue when Saturday only and no other day is expressed either by the words of that Precept or is concluded from the words or sentences thereof by any formall or necessary illation Lastly let him resolve Vs how we may rightly conclude from the expresse words of the fourth Commandement that Sunday is to be kepr holy by that Law For if this man will argue rightly hee must proceed in this or the like manner The fourth Commandement literally and expressely enjoyneth the Observation of Saturday and the Precept concerning Saturday is Legally Positive Therefore Christians must observe Sunday by vertue of such a Law as was Legally Positive for keeping of Saturday Gentle Br. B. licke over your Calfe once again and please not your selfe nor abuse your Reader with such absurd Bulls and contradictions a Chrysost in 1. Corinth Ho. 38. Nihil est errore magis imbecillum suis ipsis alis implicatur nec oppugnatione aliunde opus habet transfigit ipse se A second Passage of Brother B. Vnlesse the keeping the first Day of the weeke for Sabbath bee commanded H. B. Dialog manuscript cited in tâ—e Bishop's Treatise of the Sabbath pag. 89. the Divine Authority of it will not appeare saith Br. B. for only God's Commandement bindeth the Conscience But no Divine Commandement is expressely delivered in the Old or New Testament concerning the Religious Observation of the Lord's-Day Therefore if Br. B. his first proposition is true and if hee bee not able to produce some Divine Commandement out of the Scripture for the Religious Observation of the Lord's-Day he must if he adhere to his owne principles be compelled to grant Theoph. Brabourne that the observation of the Lord's-Day is an act of superstition and will-worship A third Passage of Brother B. H. B. Dialog pag. 15. 16. It were not wise to set a Ceremony in the midd st of morall precepts It is a principle in God there can be no ceremony but all must bee eternall and so in his Image which is the Law of nature and so in the Decalogue There can be no Ceremony at all in the Law of the fourth Commandement because Saint Paul reckoned the Sabbath Day among the Ceremonies of the Old Law Colos 2.16 And all the Primitive Fathers ranked the Sabbath and Circumcision in the number of Legall Ceremonies A fourth Passage of Brother B. The Primitive Fathers did ever and usually stile the Lord's-day the Sabbath day of the 4th Commandement in a proper and literall sence The reason because sometimes but yet very seldome They named it Sabbatum in a mysticall and analogicall sence that is an Holy day on which Christian people must have a speciall care to abstaine from sin A fift Passage of Brother B. Because the Lord's-Day succeeded and came in place of the Old Sabbath Therefore the Observation thereof is commanded by the particular Law of the Old Sabbath As if one should say Baptisme succeeded and came in place of Circumcision Ergo it is commanded Christians by the Old Law of Circumcision A sixt Passage of Brother B. The Bishop's of England may not use the Testimony of Divines of reformed Churches because they dissent from them in some Theologicall questions As if one should argue Protestants may not use Saint Augustine's testimony against Pontificians or Pelagians because they have refused his Tenet concerning the absolute damnation of Infants departing this life before they were baptized a Aug. Epist 106. Parvulos non baptizâ—tos vitam habere non posse ac per hoc quamlibet tolerabilius omnibus qui etiam propria peccata committunt tamen aeterna morte mulctari Id.
the former Principles stiled the Lord's Day an Idoll and a Superstitious Tradition The Bishop thought it his duty to vindicate the honour of that Day and to deliver the true grounds upon which the Christian Church observeth it also to declare the Antiquity of the Observation thereof and the more to advance the honour of the Day he collected out of the Primitive Fathers Ecclesiasticall Histories and Ancient Records sundry remarkeable observations concerning the Religious use and sanctification of this Day Page 196. c. Lastly because some Novell Teachers here in England had wronged this Day by converting it into a Legall Sabbath and likewise they had presumed without any lawfull authority to lay heavy and unreasonable burdens upon God's people Affirming that all bodily exercise and all civill passe-time and Recreation although the same be sober and honest is simply unlawfull upon all houres of the Lord's Day and not only unlawfull but a mortall and enormious crime of the same quality and iniquity with Murder Adulterie Theft c. The Bishop had just reason to discover the error and falsiâ—ie of such principles and arguments upon which these presumptuous Dogmatizers grounded their rigid edicts pag. 235. unto pag. 250. Now after all this the Bishop himselfe is perswaded and so likewise are his Honourable and Religious Superiours that he hath performed faithfull profitable and necessary service to the Church whereof he is a member in composing and publishing his Treatise of the Sabbath And likewise his confidence is that those honourable and Reverend Commanders who imployed him in this religious service will ever protect him a Aug. de Doctr. Christ Sic Doctor bonam eligat vitam ut etiam bonam non negligat famam against base envious and scurrilous abuses and detractions such as hee is rudely and injustly loaded withall by this unmannerly and foule-mouth'd Dialogue-Broacher Neverthelesse if any learned judicious and modest Reader shall at any time note or observe any passages in his Treatise seeming to thâ—â—epugnant to Orthodoxall Verity b Aug. de Trin. li. 3. In omnibus literis meis non solum pium lectorem sed etiam liberuâ— correctorem desidero let 〈◊〉 proceed soberly substantially and modestly in propounding their exceptions c Ib. Noli meas literas ex tua opinione vel contentione sed ex divina lectione vel inconcussa ratione corrigere The Bishop is and ever will bee ready without giving the least offence to yeeld them a just and reasonable satisfaction But rude envious and clamorous Carpers such as this Dialogue-Broacher is and hath ever bin c Hieron ad Iulian. Gloriae animal popularis aurae vile mancipium are incompetent Iudges in Questions and Controversies of this quality for such Mens Tractats and Pamphlets containe nothing but only that which is Verball Illiterate and no wayes sufficient to discover or settle Truth The end also of their writing is not Verity but they study onely to flatter an irregular Multitude which is adverse to Ecclesiasticall Regiment setled in our Church and the Leaders of this Anarchicall Sect by applying themselves to the humour of these Proselytes gaine popular applause d Greg. Nazian Orat. 8. de pace Ex rebus novis claritatem famae venantur Chrys In Ioh. He. 65. Prava doctrina nihil aliud est quam inanis gloriae silia and likewise authority to make their own fancies and traditions to be no lesse esteemed than Divine Oracles For being wily as Serpents they have by long and subtill experience observed that impetuous speaking clamorous inveighing virulent declaming prevaile more with that generation than solid materiall and substantiall disputing e Hieron ad Nepotian Nihil tam facile quam vilem plebeculam indoctam concionem linguae volubilitate decipere â— quicquid non intelligit plus miratur Id. c. Ruffin li. 1. Quotidie in plateis sictus hariolus stultorum nares verberat obtorto scorpione dentes mordentiâ—m quatit miramur si imperitorum libri lectorem inveniant Now this verball forme hath the worthlesse penner of this Dialogue observed both in this and in all other his unlicensed Pamphlets The Bishop of Ely his Positions concerning the Old Sabbath Day and the Lord's-Day which are opposed by the Dialogue-Broacher Thesis 1a. The Law of the fourth Commandement concerning the religious observation of the Seventh Day Sabbath of every weeke was not purely morall or of the Law of Nature like as were the other nine Commandements of the Decalogue This Position is confirmed by Demonstrative arguments in the Bishops Treatise of the Sabbath pag. 26. unto pag. 37. Thesis 2a. The Law of the fourth Commandement concerning the Seventh Day Sabbath was Legall in respect of the speciall Day designed by the letter of that Commandement The same Law in respect of the literall Object thereof is ceased under the Gospell and obligeth not Christians to the religious observation thereof as it did the Iewes in time of the Old Law This Position is confirmed by many weighty arguments and by the Vnanimous testimony of the Ancient Fathers Page 6. 7. 8. 148. 161. 276. Thesis 3a. The Christian Church in the New Testament hath received no speciall or expresse divine precept in holy Scripture commanding the same to observe any one particular or individuall day of every weeke rather than another for their Sabbath Neither hath the Christian Church received any Divine mandate to observe any day of the weeke according to the rule of the fourth Commandement pag. 189. 239. Thesis 4a. The observation of the LORD'S-day is not grounded upon the particular Law of the fourth Commandement But onely upon the Equity of that Commandement and upon the practice and example of the holy Apostles and of the Primitive Church And after such time as the Persecutions of the Christian Church by Infidels ceased Then godly Lawes and Canons were framed by Constantine the great and by other succeeding Emperors Theodosius Valentinian Archadius Leo and Antoninus and by Bishops in their Synods for the religious observance of the LORD'S-day pag. 109 110. 135. 143. 189. 211. Thesis 5a. The Sabbath day of the fourth Commandement and the LORD'S-day both in holy Scripture and in the writings of the godly Fathers are made two distinct dayes of the weeke Neither was it the ordinary stile of the Fathers and Primitive Church to name the LORD'S-day the Sabbath-day in a proper and literall sense to wit in such a sense as the Iewes stiled their Seventh day the Sabbath day pag. 201 202. Thesis 6a. There is no Divine Law extant in the old or in the New Testament prohibiting all secular labour and all bodily exercise and honest recreation upon some part of the LORD'S-day namely at such time of the day as the religious offices thereof are ended much lesse is there found any divine Law which maketh honest and sober recreation in manner aforesaid an enormous crime equall to Murder and to Adultery pag. 229.
such thing will follow for although the inferiour Clergie are to be guided by the Bishops in matters of Religion so farre as the Bishops instruct them according to the common rule of faith collected out of Holy Scripture and confirmed by the Vote of Primitive Antiquity and which is approved and ratified by the Church whereof they are members yet they are not absolutely or altogether to be directed by the Bishops for they have liberty to dissent if by waighty and substantiall arguments they shall be able to demonstrate that the Bishops determination or doctrine is repugnant to Orthodoxall Verity a Aug. ep 28. Contra Cypriani aliquâ—m opinionem ubi quod videnduÌ„ fuit fortasse non vidit sentiat quisque quod libet tantum contra Apostolicam manifestissimam fidem nemo sentiat Id de Trin. li. 3. Prooem In omnibus literis meis non solum pium lectorem sed etiam liberum correctorem desidero c. But now againe on the contrary if any of the inferiour Clergie proceed as the Dialogaster hath done and be able to produce nothing waighty effectuall firme or solid but that which is meerely schismaticall declamatory and verball Then there is just cause that the inferiour Clergie in due obedience should submit themselves to Episcopall sounder judgement Object 2 A Bishops Rotchet cannot conferre Grace ex opere operato Ergo The inferiour Clergie are not bound to submit themselves to the Bishops judgement c. Answ The ground of this objection is apparently false for if inferiours are not bound to submit themselves to the judgement of any buâ— of such onely as have received extraordinary grace ex opere operato b Causare Gratiam ex opere operato idem est atque eam causare in omni suscipiente sufficienter disposito non per modum meriti sed prout consideratur secundum entitatem suam quatenus habet rat oneÌ„ entis quodammodo naturaliter operantis Coenick Cabrera Gregor Valent. Hosius Bosius c. Then it wil be consequent that Parochians are not obliged to submit themselves to the instruction of thâ—ir godly and lawfull Pastors Neither are Children bound to submit themselves to their Parents directions because holy order and paternity conferre not extraordinary grace to Priests or to Parents ex opere operato to instruct their Parochians or their Children as the Holy Prophets and Apostles instructed the Church to wit by a miraculous power of inspiration Object 3 Bishops have not such infallibilâ—ty as the Pope challengeth for we deny the Popes infallibility or that it can convey it selfe as from the Head and confine it selfe within the Veines of the body of the Prelacy Ergo the inferiour Clergy are not bound to submit themselves to the Bishops judgement Answ 1. If none may instruct and guide others in matters of Religion but they onely which have such infallibility as the Pope claimeth a Aug. Triumph Sum. de potest Eccles q. 6. ar 1. Nullus potest appellâ—re à Papa ad Deum quia una sententia est una Curia Dei Papae and is conveyed from him as the head into them as Veines Then neither Saint Augustine nor any other of the Fathers nor any other man since the Apostles might guide and instruct others in matters of Religion for none of these had such infallibility as the Pope challengeth c. Secondly If none may be guides to others in things Divine and Religious but such only as have the same infallibility which the Pope claimeth How comes it to passe that the Author of this Dialogue having neither extraordinary wit nor wealth of learning presumeth to make himselfe a Iudge b H. B. Tr all of privat devot Praef. I heare alas pooâ—e BurtoÌ„ he is crackt discontentment or hope of preferment have embarked him in this perilous adventure What shall I say Am I crackt Wherewith Not I am sure either with too much lâ—arning as FESTUS charged Paul or too much living And if I am mad I am not the first and Instructor of others not only in his owne Cure but of all men learned and unlearned in the kingdome c Cyprian ad Iubaian Novatianus simiarum more quae cum homines non sint homines imitantur vult ecclesiae catholicae authoritatem vendicare quando ipse in ecclesia non sit and if any man vary as all Wise men doe from his placits contained in certaine irregular and unlicensed Pamphlets Hee forth-with stigmatizeth them d Hier. Apol. c. Ruff. Quicunq te offenderit quamvis simplex quamvis innoxius sit ilico fiet criminosus in print threatneth to publish Books in Latine against them He turnes White into Blacke e Plea To the Appeale pag. 5. The Puritans stick not to cast him D. Wh. in the teâ—th with White died bâ—acke He casteth durt in their faces f Tertul. c. Hermog Maledicere singulis officium bonae conscientiae judicat and flings about with his heeles like a netled â—ade Now what partiality is this to make the Reverend and learned Bishops of the Church Veines of the Pope because they by lawfull authority guide and instruct the Clergie subject to their Episcopall jurisdiction and in the meane time that this Scripturient having received no authority from God or men and being destitute of all abilities for so great a worke should constitute himselfe a Iudge Paramount even in the most profound and obscure questions of Theologie g Greg. Nazian Apolog fugae stulte tâ—mâ—reque faciunt qui priusquam ipsi satis doctrina instructi sunt aliorum se magistros profitentur Figlinamque ut vulgo dici solet in dolio discunt A. Brother such a resolution had need have a good ground to stand upon and being a matter of such moment it requires our best zeale strength especially to vindicate the Doctrine of our Reverend Mother the Church of England which wee have sucked from her purer Breasts nor onely so but to vindicate her name from reproach for if it be so as you have said that the Doctrine of our Church is by that book overthrown then consequently as I conceive she must deepely suffer and be wounded through the sides of those whom he so often in his Book brandeth with the odious name of Novell Sabbatarians B. Brother you conceite aright for in truth all those Calumnious and odious Termes which he gives to those whose opinions except Brabournes only he impugneth in his Treatise as venomous Serpents Noysome Tares Pestilent weedes and Vncleane Beasts termes to bee abhorred of all true Christians and in a word Novell Sabbatarians they all result upon our deare Mother the Church of England c With lye and all For who are the most of those or rather all whom he thus stigmatizeth are they not or were they not in their time the true-bred Children of the Church of Engl. all unanimously professing and maintaining her Orthodox Doctrines Can therefore the Mother
be free when her pious Sons are so traduced and reproached and that for defending those very doctrines which by her means they sucked from the breasts of both the Testaments A. That must needs follow I confesse Answ In the former declamatory passage these particulars following are to be observed 1 The hypocrisie a August Serm. in Mont. l. 2. c. 3. Qui vult videri quod non est hypocrita est Id. in Psalm 103. Parie dealbatus hypocrisis simulatio paries dealbatus foris tectorium intus lutum Id d. civ D. lib. 2. Malignitas Daemonum nisi alicubi se transfiguret in AngeluÌ„ Lucis non implet negotium deceptionis of this Declamitant who professeth himselfe an obedient Son to his deare and reverend Mother the Church of England wheras in the precedent Section he most contemptuously disgraceth Episcopal Authority ordain'd by the holy Apostles and established in the Ch. of England ever since the reformation accounting the Prelates if they exercise that power of judicature which the Church of England approveth as being descended from Primitive and Apostolicall Ordination Vâ—ines of the Pope And more than so This Dialogue-broacher b Reade this Auth rs Treatise intituled Christs coÌ„fession and complaint pag. 30. anâ— pag. 59. In wh ch he condemneth Episcopall government saying It is prohibited by Christ Luc. 22.24 1 Pet. 5.3 Mat. 20.25 2 Tim. 2.3 4. And he applyes S. Pauls Text Col. 2.20 to the Ceremonies of the Church pag. 60. They look to little but the silencing of such as stumble at their Ceremonies and Hierarchie To defend the injunctions of men and their unprofitable Hieraâ—chie Plea Such kinde of Ministers are not wanting to helpe forward the re-erecting of the Romish Baal in our Land had they but a yong Manasses to restore the Altars and Groves which good King Ezekiah his Father had pulled downe in other Pamphlets declares himselfe to be an adversary to the Ecclesiasticall policy Rites Ceremonies and Canons of our present Church and scarce any professed Schismatick of later dayes hath intreated conformable persons of good quality with more despitefull abuses than this hypocrite who stileth himselfe an obedient Sonne of his Mother the Church hath done 2 This Dialogist falsely accuseth his Adversary in laying to his charge that he hath stigmatized all such as dissent from him in the Question of the Sabbath Venomous Serpents noisome Tares pestilent Weeds and uncleane Beasts for it is apparent ex Pagina secunda of the Epistle Dedicatory that those termes are applyed to notorious Hereticks malicious Schismaticks prophane Hypocrites and proud disturbers of the peace and unity of the Church c Hieron apolog c. Ruff. Tu nimium suspitiosus querulus qui dicta in Haereticos ad tuam refers contumeliam The Bishops words are This being the condition of the Church militant it cannot be otherwise but that in all ages there shall be found among those which professe Christ not only such as are vertuous and sound in faith but also men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the faith Venomous Serpents noisome Tares pestilent Weeds d Idem c. Luciferian Non solum in Ecclesia morantur oves nec mundae tantuÌ„ aves volitant sed frumentum in agro seritur inter nitentia culta Lappaeque tribuli steriles dominantur avenae and uncleane beasts Our Saviours owne prediction was There shall arise false Prophets c. S. Paul Oportet Haereses esse c. 3 Another branch of Br. B. his Declamation is The Bishop in his booke brandeth those whose opinions he impugneth with the odious name of Novell Sabbatarians Our answer is 1. The Bishop in his Treatise brandeth not all such as dissent from him in his Tenet of the Sab. c. with that name neither brandeth he any therewith because they teach Christian people to observe the Lord's-day religiously and to spend the same in the performance of holy and spirituall duties so far as is necessary for their godly edification and in such manner as the Canon and Precept of the Christian Church hath enjoyned for he holdeth this to be a necessary duty obliging al good Christians 2 He giveth this Title and Name very justly to all those who proudly and peremptorily maintaine the maine Principles and Positions upon which Sabbatarian Hereticks in ancient and in moderne times have grounded their errour touching the necessary observation of the old legall Sabbath The Reader shall finde these Principles and Positions peremptorily taught for divine truth by those Teachers whose opinions the Bishop impugneth layed downe in his Treatise Page 20. c. The observation of the Seventh day and also the precise resting from worldly affaires is morall neither is there any thing in the fourth Commandement that might intimate it to be Ceremoniall The 4th Commandement can be no more partly morall partly Ceremoniall than the same living creature can be partly a Man and partly a beast The fourth Commandement is part of the Law of Nattre and thus part of the Image of God and is no more capable of a Ceremony than God himselfe The fourth commandement in every part thereof as it is contained in the Decalogue is morall and of the Law of Nature The Decalogue being the same with the Law of Nature is one and the same for ever it followeth necessarily that the Sabbath being a part of that Decalogue is to remain for ever The observation of the seventh day is of the Law of Nature it was established before Christ was promised and therefore it is not ceremoniall but of the Law of nature and perpetuall The Summe and substance of the former Positions is The fourth Commandement of the Decalogue is purely intirely and totally morall it is a Precept of the Law of Nature and of the same quality both for morality and perpetuity with other Commandements of the Law of Nature neither was there any thing Ceremoniall in it Now the judicious Reader will presently observe that the Sabbatarian Heresie concerning the perpetuall observation of the old Legall Sab. is a necessary and undeniable Conclusion issuing out of the former Positions For every Law or Precept purely intirely and totally morall is perpetuall and unchangeable the same must be intirely observed and if nothing positive or Ceremoniall be found therein then no branch or member thereof can cease or be omitted But the keeping holy of the Seventh day Sabbath namely Saturday was a maine part of the fourth Commandement for it was the Subject or materiall Object of that Commandement literally expressely and positively specified and commanded by God Almighty in the Decalogue Therefore from the Premises it will be consequent that the Seventh day Sabbath being Saturday must be kept holy untill the end of the world The first Proposition is confirmed in manner following The prime speciall and expresse materiall Object of every Law is a substantiall part of that Law and it is of the same kinde and
quality with the Law it selfe and therefore if the Law be intirely and naturally morall then the expresse and speciall object of the same is of the same quality For example in the fifth Commandement of the Decalogue Honour thy father and thy mother c. Naturall Parents are the prime speciall and expresse Object of that Law therefore although other Objects may be added as honour the King give honour to Presbyters that rule well honour Masters c. Yet naturall Father and Mother being named expressed and specified in the Commandement remaine indelible because they are the prime Object thereof In like manner if the fourth Commandement were naturall and intirely morall like unto the fifth then the particular day expressed and described therein namely Saturday must be observed although the Apostles and Christian Church might adde the Lord's-day and some other Festivals for the enlarging of the service of Christ 4 The Bishop also in his Treatise 235. c. 249. c. hath observed certaine desperate passages in those mens Sermons and Tractats whom he stileth Novell Sabbatarians to wit To doe any servile worke or businesse upon the Lord's-day is as great a sinne as to kill a man or to commit adultery To throw a Bowle on the Sabbath-day is as great a sinne as to kill a man And to make a Feast or Wedding-dinner on the Lord's day is as great a sin as for a father to take a knife and cut his childes throat To ring more Bels than one upon the Lord's-day to call the People to Church is as great a sin as to commit murder In Harvest time though the Corne be in danger yet better were it for us that it should rot on the ground than for us by carrying it in with the breach of the Sabbath to treasure up unto ourselves wrath c. It is not lawfull for people to go out of their houses to walke in the fields These former Dictats are borrowed from the old Pharisees and the moderne Authors who have revived and maintained them comply herein with Sabbatarian Hereticks Thus to satisfie my judicious Reader I have delivered the reasons inducing me to stile certaine new Scripturients and Predicants whose opinions I impugned Novell Sabbatarians and if Br. B. and his Allies are offended and hold this Title odious let them right themselves not by raging and thrusting out rayling and libelling Pamphlets marching up and downe in blew Iackets but by renouncing and recanting those scandalous Positions which are apt to impoyson Christian People with Iudaical and Sabbatarian heresie 5 Those persons which the Bishop intended when he used that terme of Novell Sabbatizers were so far from being the true bred children of the Church of England that they were either in heart or in open profession adheres to the Presbyterian Policy and they sucked not their Doctrine of the Sabbath from the breasts of both the Testaments but partly from the corrupt Fountaines of Ancient Heretickes and partly out of the broken Cesternes of their owne private fancies B. The Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the Sabbath is most clearely a If Br. Asotuâ— had said clearely and left out the word most he had said more than he could have made good and fully set forth in the Booke of Homilies which Booke the 35. Article to which all we Ministers doe subscribe doth commend as containing A godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for these times and therefore judged to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understood of the People Answ The Homily setteth forth the Doctrine of the Church of England if the words and sentences thereof be rightly expounded to wit according to the rule of the Scripture the common vote and consentient testimony of the Orthodoxall Catholike Church of Christ in all ages and the precedent and subsequent Lawes Statutes and Canons of the kingdome and Church of England But if the words and sentences thereof be not rightly expounded b Tertul. d. Prascript ca. 17. Tantum veritati obstrepit adulter sensus quantum corruptor stilus according to the foresaid rules but according to mens private interpretation then the same may bee a meanes to lead people into error for so it fareth sometimes even with holy Scripture it selfe c Hieron Com. in Eph. 1. Interpretatione perversa ex Evangelio Domini sit Evangelium hominis quod pejus est Diaboli Id. c. Lucifer Nec sibi blandiantur si de scripturarsi capitulis videntur sibi affirmare quod dicunt cuÌ„ diabolus de scripturis aliqua sit locutus scripturae non in logendo consistunt sed in intelligeÌ„do 2 Some passages in the Homily are ambiguous Therefore the doctrine of the Church of England is not most clearely set forth in the same The Antecedent is proved by these Instances The Homily saith As for the time which Almighty God hath appointed his people to assemble together solemnly it doth appeare by the fourth Commandement of God Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Vpon which day it is plaine in the Acts of the Apostles ca. 13. the people accustomably resorted together and heard diligently the Law and the Prophets read among them In this passage the Homily might seeme to those who maintaine the Saturday Sabbath to make that day a weekly festivall because the Apostles upon that day even after Christs Ascension entred into Synagogues and did there performe Christian religious offices Act. 13.14 44. and Chap. 17.2 It followeth in the Homily God doth not binde Christians so straightly to observe the utter Ceremonies of the Sabbath in forbearing of work and labour in time of great necessity In this passage the Homily hath not clearely and explicitely declared 1. How farre forth the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement was Ceremoniall 2. What kinde of worke and labour in particular Christians may lawfully use upon the Holy day Br. B. pag. 22. Will admit no work or labour upon the Sunday but such only as is of absolute necessity as in time of Scar-fire invasion of enemies c. But the Ancient Imperiall lawes permitted sundry workes of lesse necessity than the former upon the Sunday pag. 219. and grave Divines as Calvin Bucer Beza c. approve the same a Walaeus de Sab. pag. 1â—9 Non audemus improbare quod post concilium Arelatense Constantinus in suis constitutionibus tempore pluvio aut alio necessitatis casu permittit ut messes aut vindemiae etiam die Dominico colligantur Quia si ad famis propriae solatium licuit Discipulis sabbato aristas vellere Cur non liceat in tali casu â—d pulsionem praeventionem famis communis terram coÌ„serere messem aut vindeâ—iam salvare Bez. in Cantic Ho. 30. Vt autem Christiani eo die a suis quotidianis laboribus abstinerent praeter id temporis quod in caetu ponebatur Id neque illis Apostolicis temporibus mandatum neque prius
desperate cause B. The Homily saith All Christians ought and are bound in conscience of the fourth Commandement to keepe the Lord's-day holily Ans 1. The equity and Analogie of the fourth Commandement obligeth Christians to observe a convenient and sufficient time for Gods worship and service and for the exercise of spirituall and religious duties 2 After such time as the Orthodoxall Catholike Church hath upon the example of the holy Apostles and for other weighty reasons devoted the Sunday of every Weeke to the exercise of Religious duties Christian people in obedience to the Law of the Church grounded upon the equity of the fourth Commandement and the example of the Apostles are bound in conscience to observe that Day holily in the performance of religious duties pag. 100. B. The Lord's-day is and may be called our Christian Sabbath-day and therefore it is not Iewish to call it so Answ 1. The Lord's-day is not the litterall Sabbath of the fourth Commandement and therfore in propriety of speech it cannot be called the Sabbath-day expressely or in particular commanded in the Decalogue but the same is stiled by the Homily our Christian Sabbath in a mysticall and analogicall sense even as mortâ—fication is called Circumcision Rom. 2.29 and sincerity and truth are called unleavened bread 1 Cor. 8.5 B. That this day is wholly to be spent in holy rest and duties of sanctification and therefore no part of it to be spent in vaine pleasures and profane pastimes Answ 1. The Homily according to the Tenet also of other Divines a Bucer in Mat. 12. p. 113. Eximatur è cordibus hominum opinio necessitatis ne quis credat eum diem per se esse aliis sanctiorem vel operari in eo per se esse peccatum Danaeus Eth. Christ l 2. c. 9. Nobis Christianis non tanta tamve severa rigida observatio ne laboremus in die Dominica imposita est Nam ex lege Constantini licet serere metere in die Dominica si commodum sit Aquin. 2. 2. q. 122. ar 4. ad 4. Non est ita arcta prohibitio operandi in die Dominica sicut in die Sabbati sed quaedam opera conceduntur in die Dominica quae in die Sabbati prohibebantur sicut decoctio ciboruÌ„ c. permitteth some kinde of labour upon the Sunday Therefore by wholly it understandeth not every houre and minute of the day but so much thereof as is necessary and morally sufficient for the performance of the religious duties of the day pag. 218 219. 225. 231. 2 If the Objector would have proceeded sincerely he should have declared whether by vaine pleasures and profane pastimes he understandeth all bodily exercise and recreation in generall or such only as is vitious in quality or by reason of circumstances pag. 229. If he meane the first we finde no words in the Homily condemning in generall all recreation to wit such as is sober and honest in quality and which is not attended with evill circumstances But if he understand the Homily in the latter sense to wit that it condemneth ungodly pastimes Then he might have observed the Bishops words pag. 258. The Lawes of our Church and Common-wealth condemne and chastise all things profane and vitious upon the Lord's-day And pag. 259. All obscene lascivious and voluptuous pastimes are prohibited on this day And pag. 229. All kindes of Recreations which are of evill quality in regard of their object or which are attended with evill circumstances c. If they bee used upon the Lord's-day or on other Festival daies they are sacrilegious c. And in the Ep. Dedicat. Profanation of the Lords-day and of other solemne Festivall dayes which are devoted to religious offices is impious and hateful in the sight of God and all good men and therfore to bee avoided by such as feare God and to be corrected and punished in those which shall offend and pag. 109. 110. This Ordinance and observation of the Lord's Day began in the holy Apostles age and hath universally beene continued ever since to the great honour of Christ our Saviour and to the marvellous benefit of Christian soules who upon that holy day are edified weekely in godlinesse vertue and true Religion And therefore we justly account all those who maligne the honour of this blessed day prophane and sacrilegious A. The Author seemes to acknowledge some morality naturall to be in the fourth Commandement for pag. 135. He saith Our resting from labour in respect of the generall is grounded upon the Law of Nature or the equity of the fourth Commandement B. This is nothing to the purpose to acquit him from being an Adversary to the expresse doctrine of our Church Dolosus versatur in Vniversalibus it was the speech of King Iames. The naturall morality of the fourth Commandement is not in generall to imply some Individuum Vagum some certaine uncertaine indefinite time for God's Worship a Vrsin Cat. de Sabba Non sumus allegati ut diem vel Iovis vel Saturni vel Mercurij vel ullum alium certum habeamus Rivet in Exod. 20. pag. 193. Petitur principium cum id pro confesso sumitur ad substantiam maÌ„dati quarti quatenus morale est pertinere circumstantiam dieâ— septimi Phil. Melancht loc Com. d. 3. praecepto Recte dicitur in tertio praecepto duas esse partes unam naturalem seu moralem seu genus altera pars est caeremonia propria populo Israel seu species de die septimo De priore dicitur naturale seu genus esse perpetuuÌ„ non posse abrogari videlicet mandatuÌ„ de conservaÌ„do ministerio publico sic ut aliquo die populus doceatur caeremoniae divinitus institutae exerceantur Species vero quae nominatim de septimo die loquitur abrogata est for the Commandement is expresse for a certaine day in the weeke for the Sabbath Day Remember the Sabbath to sanctifie it It saith not remember to set apart and allow some time for the service of God but it determines the time and day lest otherwise being left undetermined man should forget God Himselfe and allow no time or day at all for God's service or if he did God should bee beholden to him for it Ans 1. Is he Dolosus a deceiver who maintaineth there is a generall equitie in Divine Positive Lawes No man living is able to justifie this For in the Old Iudiciall Lawes yea in many Ceremoniall Lawes there is contained a generall Equity grounded upon the Law of Nature In the judiciall Law set downe Exod. 22.1 2. there is a generall equity implyed obliging Christians to restitution of goods unjustly by them taken away In the Law of Deuteronomy 25.4 Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne there was contained a generall naturall equity 1 Corinth 9.9 Therefore he is not Dolosus who maintaineth a generall equity in the fourth Commandement but he is a Dolt who denies
of prescribing a time and day of holy rest unto the Lord of the Sabbath who hath expressed his will and pleasure herein in his Law of the fourth Commandement as our Homily saith Answ The Bishop acknowledgeth a morall equity in the fourth Commandement for the observation of necessary sufficient and convenient times dayes houres c. For Gods publike worship and the performance of spirituall and Religious of fices And for ought this Objector hath said or can say to the contrary more than this cannot bee proved out of the Law of the fourth Commandement or by any necessary illation from any sentence of the Commandement Or from any principle of the Law of Nature b Lorea 1. 2. de leg Disp 8. Legis naturae alia sunt prima principia practica per se nota alia sunt conclusiones ex principiis deductae coÌ„clusiones autem aliae universaliores proximiores primis principiis aliae quae à primis principiis magis distant sunt specialiores de particularibus objectis For the Principle of naturall Law is God is duly and religiously to be worshipped but unlesse convenient and sufficient time be appointed God Almighty cannot bee duly and religiously worshipped Therefore a necessary convenient and sufficient time must bee appointed c Alex. Hal. 3. q. 32. m. 2. De ratione benè ordinata est quod cum semper non possumus vacare Deo propter temporales corporales necessitates quod aliquaÌ„do vacemus oportet igitur habere tempus aliquod determinatuÌ„ either expressely by God Himselfe or by such as he hath ordained to bee his Stewards and Officers in the Church for Divine worship 2 The fourth Commandement enjoyned the Iewes to keepe holy the seventh day being our Saturday but from hence we cannot conclude by necessary inference that the fourth Commandement enjoyneth Christians to keep holy the Sunday being the first day of the weeke For the speciall and proper materiall object of every Law is a substantiall part of that Law but if the substantiall part of any Law be changed and taken away a new Subject or materiall Object is no part of the old Law but another law must be ordained for the seâ—ling of that new Subject and materiall object in the place of the former 3 Whereas the Objector pretendeth that the Church of England disclaimeth all power of setling the particular time of God's publike worship how then commeth it to passe that this Church commandeth the solemne observation of Easter Whitsuntide Christmasse and of many other Holy-dayes to be dayes and times for the religious service of God and Christ A. But the Homily seemes to favour his opinion saying godly Christian people began to chuse them a standing day of the weeke c. and therefore it seemes to be at the Churches choyce B. Our choyce doth not necessarily imply a power of institution we are said to chuse life and truth before death and error are we therefore the Authors of them Againe our choyce herein is according to God's Commandement Thirdly the Homily saith expressely that those godly Christian people did in their choyce follow the example and Commandement of God Now what example c The Example of God specified in the fourth CoÌ„mandement was his own resting ceasing upon the olde Sabbath Day from the worke of prime Creation and not our Saviour his resting from the work of Resurrection upon the first day of the weeke had they but Christ's rising and resting that day after the example of God's resting the seventh day And for Commandement they had both the fourth Commandement and an Apostolicall Precept 1 Cor. 16. d No generall commandemâ—t common to all Christians for the weekely observation of Sunday is delivered in these two Texts of holy Scripture And that place in the Revelation appropriating this Day as holy to the Lord and so ratified by God himselfe And who were they which taught those godly Christian people to keep that day viz. The Apostles And therefore we must put a vast difference betweene the unerring Apostles and the succeeding Churches so as the Homily is cleare against him Answ The Objector saith The Churches choice doth not necessarily imply a power of institution c. It is answered making choyce many times implyes a free election and institution both in Scripture Deut. 26.2 1 Sam. 17.8 and in Ecclesiasticall and Humane Authors and that it is thus to be understood in the Homily is proved in manner following The sense of the Homily is according to the authorized Doctrine of the Church of England But the authorized Doctrine of the Church of England is That the appointment both of the time and number of dayes is left by the authority of Gods Word to the liberty of the Church to be assigned orderly by the discretion of the Rulers and Ministers thereof as they shall judge most expedient to the true setting forth of Gods glory and the edification of the people Ergo the Churches choyce according to the Homily is a free election of a convenient day and of other convenient and sufficient time for the service of God and the edification of Christian people 2 There is a great difference betweene a Precept and an Example The Homily saith that godly Christians to wit by imitation of God's example observed a seventh day but it affirmeth not that they did this by an expresse Commandement of any Divine Law Also godly Christians made the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue a motive to induce them to make one day of seven a weekly Holy day but that which is only a motive or a reason inducing and perswading to performe an action is not an expresse imperative or formall Law The sense therefore of the Homily is That Christians made choyce of a weekely standing day by the rule of the equity of the fourth Commandement and not by any expresse or formall Divine Law c Walaeus d. Sab. â— 7. Nec Christus nec ipsi Apostoli ex praescripto Christi de observatione hujus diei ulluÌ„ expressum mandatum quemadmodum de aliis pietatis officiis reliquerunt Non videtur autem ullo modo verisimile Si Christus nos ad observationem ullius diei ut partem cultus voluisset astringere fuisse fucurum ut id nullo praecepto indicasset Bulling Apoc. 2. Non legimus eam ullibi praecepâ—am Hospinian d. seâ— cap. 8. Non invenitur Apostolos aut alios lege aliqua aut praecepto observationem ejus instituisse 3 Our Saviour's Resurrection upon one Sunday in the yeare cannot of it selfe unlesse some precept were added be a Law to enjoyne Christians to observe every Sunday of the Weeke throughout the whole yeare reade pag. 302. 4 The fourth Commandement is directly and in plaine termes for Saturday pag. 182 183. and therefore if that Commandement is still in force according to the literall sense then the Christian Church is obliged to observe the old legall
Sabbath for the Objector hath formerly rejected the equity of the fourth Commandement and therefore he must wholly ground his Tenet upon the expresse words or upon some necessary and formall illation from the words or sentences of that Commandement 5 In S. Pauls Text 1 Cor. 16.2 we find a mandate that the Corinthians upon the first day of the weeke should lay aside something for charitable uses according as God had enabled them and more than this we reade not in that Text. 6 The Place Revel 1.10 containes no mandate for no imperative words are found therein but only a narration of the time in which S. Iohn received his Propheticall Revelation Lastly the Bishop is perswaded that the holy Apostles not presently or immediately but certaine yeares after Christ's Resurrection taught Christian people to observe the Lord's-day 109. 189. But this impetuous Objector cannot demonstrate that the holy Apostles themselves or their immediate Successours grounded the observation of this day upon the old Law of the 4th Commandement And therefore we trust Br. B. will not take it unkindely that we cannot yeeld assent to his verball Positions which are not confirmed by Divine or Ecclesiasticall testimony nor yet by any other weighty grounds of reason and lastly they are repugnant to the common Tenet of the most judicious Divines ancient and moderne A. The maine knot of the whole Controversie is about the designation of the particular and speciall time consecrated to Gods worship whether it be comprehended and prescribed in the fourth Commandement or depends upon the determination of the Church The Adversary confesseth a naturall equity in the fourth Commandement That some time is to be set apart for the service of God but indeputate and left at large to the liberty of the Church to determine and limit the speciall time when and how long what portion and proportion is to be allowed c. I pray you more fully elucidate this Point c. Ans 1. The Bishop's Tenet is That by the equity naturall of the fourth Commandement a necessary sufficient and convenient time ought to bee appointed by the Christian Church for Divine worship and for religious offices Therefore it is not left to the Churches liberty and arbitterment to allow what portion or proportion of time it pleaseth For it must in duty and obedience to God proportion a full convenient and sufficient time 2 The Church shall doe that which is offensive if without just necessary and urgent cause it presume to remove the ancient bounds or to alter the ordinance of primitive times concerning the religious observance of the Lord's-day For the Tradition a Hieron c Lucifer Etiamsi scripturae authoritas noÌ„ subesset totius orbis in hanc partem coÌ„sensus instar praecepti obtinet NaÌ„ multa alia quae per TraditioneÌ„ in Ecclesiis observantur authoritatem sibi scriptae legis usurpaverunt of the Holy Apostles and of the Primitive and Apostolicall Church ought highly to be honoured and respected and according to Saint Augustines b Aug. Ep. 118. ad Ianuar. cap. 5. rule it is insolent madnesse unlesse it be done upon necessary reason to vary from the same pag. 270. B. The Adversary doth the more easily play fast and loose c Observe How this bould Bayaâ—d faceth and in the end fayleth in his proofe in the myst of his generalities though while hee cannot or dare not for shame utterly deny the morality of the fourth Commandement which all Divines doe hold yet he denies any particular speciall determinate time to be commanded or limited therein but will have that wholly put and placed in the power of the Church It will be requisite therefore to stop this hole a You will stop this hole with bold prating onely that he may not have the least evasion but by the cords of strong reasons b Your cordes of strong reason will proove roaps of sand and cordes of vanitie be bound and forced to confesse That either the fourth Commandement doth prescribe and determine a set certaine fixed proportion of time consecrated by God himselfe unto his solemne and sacred worship Or else that it commands to Vs Christians no certaine time or day at all and so the morality of it if ever it had any is quite abolished and no other Law or Commandement now binds us but the precept or practise of the Church This is the very Summe and upshot of the matter Answ 1. The Bishop delivered all his Positions and Assertions concerning the Sabbath in perspicuous distinct and clear Sentences Termes and Propositions in which there is no ambiguity no equivocation no fast and loose as this Bold-face declameth 2 He hath confirmed the said Positions with strong and weighty reasons the most of them are Demonstrative and his Arguments are such as this Objector is afraid to looke upon them and throughout his Dialogue like unto a Cravin Cur he bites behinde at the conclusion but dares not looke the Premises of the Arguments in the face 3 It was not feare or shame that induced the Bishop to maintain the naturall equity of the fourth Commandement but love of verity and weight of reason and the consent of grave and judicious Divines But neither feare nor shame can perswade this rude animall a Homine imperito nihil est improbius Qui nisi quod ipse facit nihil rectuÌ„ purat who is maledicus conviciator non veridicus Disputator to deliver any thing materiall or which savoureth of common reason 4 The Position that the morality of the fourth Commandement must be utterly abolished unlesse it command us Christians a definite and particular day as it did the Iewes is an idle and presumptuous position as will appeare by the loose and inepte Arguments which the Dialogaster brings to confirme the same B. Now I shall prove and make it evident that the fourth Commandement either prescribes a certaine proportion of time and a fixed day b The fourth Commandement appointed a particular fixed day to wit Saturday and if it is in that very respect morall why doth H. B. condemne Th. Brab consecrate to God and in that very respect is perpetually morall binding us Christians to the same proportion or else if it determine no set proportion of time but leaves it at large c It leaves it not at large but the equity and analog e of the Commandement obligeth the Church to appoint necessâ—ry convenient and sufficient time to the Church to proportionate whether longer or shorter Then there remaines no such obligatory equity in the fourth Commandement as to binde the Church to appoint and allow such or such a proportion of time but that if this time which the Church appointeth be either one day in twenty or forty or an hundred or one day in the yeere or so or but one piece of a day in such a revolution of time and not one whole or intire day much lesse one whole day in every seven