Ecclesiasticall work is for the maner of performaÌ„ce ordered by diuers ecclesiastical lawes prouiding that as the sacrament it self is a gift of no mean worth so the ministerie thereof might in all circumstances appeare to bee a function of no small regarde The ministerie of the things diuine is a function which as God did himselfe institute so neither may men vndertake the same but by authority and power giuen them in lawfull manner That God which is no way deficient or wanting vnto man in necessaries and hath therfore giuen vs the light of his heauenly truth because without that inestimable benefit we must needes haue wandred in darknesse to our endles perdition and who hath in the like aboundance of mercies ordeined certaine to attend vpon the due execution of requisite parts and offices therein prescribed for the good of the whole world which men therunto assigned doe hold their authority from him whether they be such as himselfe immediately or else the Church in his name inuesteth it being neither possible for all nor for euery man without distinction conuenient to take vpon him a charge of so great importance and therfore very fitly the Church of England affirmeth that it is not lawfull for any one to take to himselfe the office of preaching publikely or administring the Sacraments in the Church except he be first lawfully called to doe thâ—se things For God who hath reserued euen from the first beginning of the world vntill the end therof a Church vnto himselfe vpon earth against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile hath likewise appointed a perpetuall ministery for the seruice therein which though for outward calling hath not bin euer the same yet continually it was limited in those bounds as a thing most vnmeet and vnlawfull for any man to vndertake that was not called For as it is Gods infinite mercie when he could either saue vs without the ministry of any or by the ministry of Angels yet then to honor man with this dignity to make him a coadiutor dispenser and cohelper in so great a worke so it is his wisdome to appoint both for the auoiding of confusion and vnfitnesse such persons as are truly allotted to so honorable an office which neither before vnder or after the law was euer lawfull without any calling to vndertake The enemies to this religious order of the Church haue bin certaine louers of confusion which vnder pretence of the calling of the spirit haue ouerboldly intruded themselues into those holy functions for which lawfully they had neuer warrant Such were the Enthusiasts Anabaptists Schwenkfeldians who being enemies to all order vnder pretence of a calling from the Holy-ghost which others wanted haue made a passage contrary to that restraint of the Apostle Let no man take vpon him that honor to himselfe but he that is called of God without expectation of lawfull warrant to those duties that in the Church are greatest for in the time before the law it was not permitted to take the office of priesthood vnlesse he either were or had the prerogatiue of the eldest brother This was for the sinne of Ruben deriued to the tribe of Louie first for their zeale in that great idolatry and was after confirmed vnto him in the sedition of Corah and yet not to all of that family either to serue in that tabernacle or to teach throughout all Israel Neither were all ages equally fit vnto this calling it being neither lawfull before fiue and twenty nor after fifty to be admitted to it As also those that were admitted had a speciall consecration for a personall difference from the rest of that family to let them vnderstand that although they and only they of that tribe were to be imployed in those functions yet it was not lawfull to vndertake it without a calling this afterward wheÌ„ better notes of eminencie gaue that allowance which before birth did was with greater reuerence to be expected and to be obserued with a greater care by those whom the Church had inuested with authority to call vnto that charge To these persons because God imparted power ouer his mysticall bodie which is the society of soules and ouer that naturall which is himselfe for the knitting of both in one a worke which antiquity doth call the making of Christs body the same power is in such not amisse both tearmed a kind of marke or Character and acknowledged to be indeleble For ministeriall power is a marke of separation because it seuereth them that haue it from other men and maketh them a speciall order consecrated vnto the seruice of the most high in things wherewith others may not meddle Their difference therfore from other men is in that they are a distinct order and I call it indeleble because they which haue once receiued this power as Maister Hooker saith may not thinke to put it off and on like a cloake as the weather serueth to take it reiect and resume it as oft as themselues liste of which prophane and impious contempt these latter times haue yeelded as of all other kinds of iniquity and apostasie strange examples But let them know which put their hands to this plough that once consecrated vnto God they are made his peculiar inheritance for euer Suspensions may stoppe and degradations vtterly cutte off the vse or exercise of power giuen but voluntarily it is not in the power of man to separate and pull asunder what God by his authority coupleth Neither neede there a reordinatioÌ„ for such as were consecrated by the Church in corrupter times for out of men indued with gifts of the spirit the Church chose her ministers vnto whom was giuen ecclesiasticall power by ordination which they could neither assume or reiect at their owne pleasure Of these without doubt the Apostolick Churches did acknowledge but three degrees at the first Apostles in stead whereof are now Bishops Presbyters and Deacons for there is an error as Maister Hooker saith which beguileth many who much entangle both themselues and others by not distinguishing seruices offices and orders Ecclesiasticall the first of which three and in part the second may be executed by the laity whereas none haue or can haue the third namely order but the clergie Catechists Exorcists Readers Singers and the rest of like sort if the nature only of their labour and paines be considered may in that respect seeme clergie men euen as the fathers for that cause tearme them vsually Clerks as also in regard of the end whereunto they were trained vp which was to enter into orders when yeeres and experience should make them able notwithstanding in as much as they no way differed from others of the laity longer then during that work of seruice which at any time they might giue ouer beeing thereunto but admitted not tyed by irreuocable ordination we finde them alwaies exactly seuered from that body whereof those three before rehearsed orders alone are naturall parts
This will appeare more fully howsoeuer you mislike it â—f we consider but a little those seruices and duties about which they were imployed The first were doorekeepers for we omitte the first tonsor which was not any order but a preparation whose office was as Maister Caluin noteth to open and to shut the doores of the temple we agree in this with the Church of Rome our diffrenece is for the ordination of them The second were readers the duty of these as Zanchy saith was only to reade the Bible without any exposition in a pulpit or place more eminent then the rest so that in the compasse of a whole yeere it was fully finished and read ouer this was to make the people who could not read more familiarly acquainted with the holy scriptures Of this duty S. Cyprian in his Epistles hath written most as of one Aurelius beeing made a Reader of one Saturâ—s as also of Celerinus which afterward was a Martyr The difference betwixt vs in this point and the Church of Rome is that they make it a certaine degree and order which Maister Caluin doth not which in my opinion is no material difference seeing vndoubtedly the Church by speciall ordination without Ecclesiasticall order appointed those whom she vsed in those places The next were exorcists with vncleane spirits but this was rather doubtlesse a peculiar gift then any ordinary office in Gods Church The next were disputers which were appointed with all commers to defend the religion against the heathen The next were Acolouthi attendants vpon the Bishops with whom these had for their learning and reuerend behauiour that familiarity that they were thought fittest to succeede in the place of Bishops This as it was an imployment of great respect so it is retained in the Church of Rome at this day with too meane a regard for so reuerend a place The next were Singers for it was thought vnfit that a Bishop a Presbyter or Deacon should doe this The last which we wil reckon was the Catechists whose office was to teach children and others conuerted the summe of Christian doctrine This dutie was referred to learned men sometimes Presbyters Doctors or Deacons but not euer For though Origen and Clemens were both Doctors and Catechists in Alexandria yet all that were Catechists and so allowed to expound and teach the Scriptures were not of necessitie admitted to holy orders and so consequently as the word is properly taken by Maister Hooker none of the Clergie I say properly for Clergie is a general name for all those whose lot and portion is the Lord More specially for those who are students in diuinity after are to enter into holy orders Of these there were Colledges after the Apostles as before Colledges of the Prophets And out of these were taken such as the Church without Ecclesiasticall ordination vsed in those seruices which before are mentioned Out of all which it is most apparant that from the Clergie in respect of ministeriall power these are iustly seuered This is that which you mislike esteeming it a thing vnfit for any man to preach that hath not a ministerial calling Neither doth Maister Hooker determine how fit it is that this should be performed by men who are not entred into orders but that this hath sometimes beene the practise of the Church howsoeuer now performed by men of another calling there is no man of anie reading can possibly doubt Neither is the practise in some Colledges of diuines at this day altogether vnlike where men are admitted euen for exercise or triall to interpret expound the Scriptures which are not as yet but hereafter may be consecrated to an Ecclesiasticall function Now whereas you scoffe at the word Character as if there were no stamp at al which made a difference betwixt the Clergie and the Laity know that where there is a chaÌ„ge of estate with an impossibility of returne there we haue reason to account an indeleble character to bee imprinted This faith the Church of Rome is in Baptisme Confirmation Order Of the last of which we only contend at this time For any thing that I reade Saint Austin was the first that vsed the word in this sense and no doubt of it in Baptisme there is that mark stamped vpon vs in that we are baptized that there is a passiue power as the Schoolemen call it which maketh a man in time fit to receiue the rest which they cal Sacraments and without which they are truly accounted void This forme figure impession or character is called indeleble because that is not to be reiterated froÌ„ whence it commeth The character of Order is an actiue power as the Schoolemen speake which giueth an abilitie publikely to administer the SacrameÌ„ts vnto those whoÌ„ the church hath esteemed fit From whence proceedeth the second great exception which you haue taken in this Article namely that Maister Hooker seemeth to grant a libertie as for Catâ—chists to preach who are no Ministers so also for women in cases of some necessitie to Baptise contrary say you both to that most Reuerend Archbishop and others who constantly affirme that God wel ordred Churches forbid women all dispensation of holy mysteries Wee are not to dispute what lawes giue allowance to the performance of this office nor what care ought to make restraint from too vsuall a libertie of doing it without great necessitie seeing weaknesse is commonly bold and boldnesse a presumptuous intruder where it hath least cause But this we say which M. Hooker hath proâ—ed already that Baptisme by women is truly Baptisme good and effectual to those that haue it neither doe all those exceptions of sexe qualitie insufficiencie or whatsoeuer serue to frustrate such as the Church of her indulgence is willing to admit from being partakers of so great a benefit To make women teachers in the house of God were a grosse absurditie seeing the Apostle hath said I permit not a woman to teach and if any from the same ground exclude them froÌ„ other publike offices in the Church wee are not much against it But to womens Baptisme in priuate by occasion of vrgent necessitie the reasons that concerne ordinarie Baptisme in publike are no iust preiudice neither can we by force thereof disproue the practise of those Churches which necessity requiring allow Baptisme in priuate to be administred by women We may not from lawes that prohibite any thing with restraint conclude absolute and vnlimitted prohibitions For euen things lawfull are well prohibited when there is feare least they make the way to vnlawful more easie it may be the libertie of Baptisme by women at such times doth sometimes embolden the rasher sort to do it where no such necessity is But whether of permission besides law or in presumption against law they do it which now is no part of the question in hand it is not hereby altogether frustrate void
the end of all we doe This is confessed euen by our aduersaries themselues with whom seeing we doe agree there can be no suspition that we should dissent from that which our Church holdeth and this may serue rather to tell you what in these points is the iudgement of our Church then to defend him whose words you haue wrested to a far different sense ARTICLE VIII Works of supererogation THe neerenes oftentimes to euill is warrant enough for suspition to accuse of euill and because all errors are not equally distant from truth some men in their true assertions are supposed by weake iudgements not to differ at all from error From hence commeth it that those men who haue no other iudgement but zeale which is the best excuse I can make for your accusation in this article haue run so far with a desire of safety from those opinions that were thought dangerous that they haue come at length vnto those that were much more daungerous in truth Which practise though it argue a good care yet it proceedeth from a timorous nature wanting the ability to put a difference in the causes of true feare so that this circumspection is but cowardlinesse as he that were loth to be taken amongst his enimies trenches would get himselfe so far distant that he would outrun euen the vtmost limits of his owne armie Thus haue you dealt in this article fearing to approue any thing that might tend to supererogation you haue misliked euen the allowance of those works which are good and yet not commanded for say you to hold as Master Hooker doth that God approueth more then he commandeth what is it else but to scatter euen the graines of Popery and to lead men to those arrogant works of supererogation Herein your feare if it would haue giuen you leaue to haue looked behinde you it may be peraduenture you would not haue run away in such haste especially in cases of no great daunger And therfore giue me leaue to tell you that there is no treachery no danger no cause of flying from this opinion All the vnforced actions of men are voluntarie and all voluntarie actions tending to their end haue choice and all choice presupposeth the knowledge of some cause wherefore we make it and therfore it is no absurditie to thinke that all actions of men indued with the vse of reason are generally either good or euill And although whatsoeuer is good the same is also approued of God yet according to the sundry degrees of goodnes the kinds of diuine approbation are in like sort multiplied for some things are good yet in so meane a degree of goodnes that men are only not disproued nor disallowed of God for them as that no man hateth his owne flesh it is a matter of approbation and allowance but of no great or singular acceptation So saith our Sauiour if you do good vnto them that do so to you the verie Publicans themselues do as much Wherein to come short of them as it were a great vice so not to exceed thē is no great vertue Some things in such sort are allowable that they be also required as necessary to saluation by way of direct immediate and proper necessitie finall so that without performance of such wee cannot by ordinarie course be saued nor yet by any meanes be excluded from life if we obserue those As nature gaue light vnto the former so the Scripture is a guide to teach these wherein because all faile it is the obedience and merit onely of one that must make all righteous that must be saued Some things there are although not so required of necessitie that to leaue them vndone excludeth from saluation yet notwithstanding are of so great dignitie and acceptation with God that most ample reward in heauen is laid vp for them Of these we haue no commandement in nature or Scripture that doth exact them in particular at our hands yet those motiues there are in both which may serue to draw our minds most effectually to the performance of them In this kind there is not the least action but it doth somwhat make to the accessorie augmentation of our blisse which men haue as much reason to desire as to desire that they may be blessed no measure of blessednesse hauing power to content sauing onely where the blessed wanteth capacitie to receiue greater Vpon this dependeth whatsoeuer difference there is betweene the states of Saints in glorie Hereunto we referre whatsoeuer belongeth vnto the highest perfection for all perfection in this life is not equall of man by way of seruice toward God hereunto that feruor and first loue of Christians did bend it selfe causing them to sell their possessions and lay down the price at the blessed Apostles feete hereunto Saint Paul vndoubtedly did aime in so far abridging his owne libertie and exceeding that which the bond of necessarie and enioyned dutie tied him vnto to ease those Churches to whom he preached with his handie labour knowing that although it were not a duty which hee was commaunded yet it was an aduantage to his preaching and acceptable to God who doubtlesse approueth much more then he doth commaund Thus when a man may liue in the state of matrimonie seeking that good thereby which nature principally desireth to make rather choice of a contrarie life in regard of Saint Paules iudgmēt he doth that which is manifestly allowed and yet not commanded in Gods word because without anie breach he might doe otherwise Thus when a man who might lawfully possesse his riches yet willingly doth bestow them to religious vses vertuously imbracing that pouertie which he esteemeth as an aduantage to eternall riches doth that which argueth a greater perfection and for which he hath warrant though no precept at all because that which is a great vertue in him is not a fault simply in those that do not the like Precepts and counsels hauing this difference that the one is of absolute necessitie the other left vnto our free election where both tending to the same end yet in this differ that both tend not after the same maner both looking at the meanes but the one after a more exquisite and excelling perfection For euery man being placed in this life betwixt the things of this world and spirituall good things the more hee cleaueth to these the more perfect and excellent he is and yet to cast them away wholy is no precept of necessitie but an aduise of greater perfection He that obeyeth not a precept is guiltie of deserued punishment but he that faileth of these counsels onely wanteth without sinne that measure of perfection For it is not a fault not to vow but to vow and to performe it is a praise Hee that performeth the one shall haue greater glorie but he that faileth in the other without repentance shall haue certaine punishment Neither is it said saith Saint Austine as thou shalt not commit adulterie
perswade Valens the Emperor that the variety of sects was a thing much pleasing to God seeing by that meanes he was worshipped after diuers manners This though Constantine the great did at the first whose fact we will not at this time examine yet afterward he commanded all the temples of the Idols to be shut vp and the Christian religion to be only vsed whose sonnes Constantius and Constantinus so far followed as Saint Austin saith the example of their Father that Constantine threatned banishment to al those who rested not in the determination of the Nicene councel The contrary was practised by the Emperors Iouinian Valens and Iulian who giuing a liberty to all heretickes sought nothing more then the ouerthrow of the vnity of the Church But wisemen haue euer seene that the peace and tranquilitie of the common wealth seldome or neuer ariseth but out of the concord and agreement of the Church it selfe The dissentions whereof as they serue to hinder religion so they kindle that flame wherewithall doubtlesse in the end the common wealth it selfe must needs perish But how farre all sides are from allowance of reconcilement both the times present can testifie too well and the ages to come must needs witnesse which shall possesse a Church as sonnes doe the inheritance of contentious parents the best part whereof is wasted in vnnecessarie sutes The sound knowledge of religion as well perishing in the middest of dissention as the true practise doth faile by the plentifull abundance of too much peace There haue beene in the world from the verie first foundation thereof but three religions Paganisme which liued in the blindnesse of corrupt and depraued nature Iudaisme embracing the law which reformed heathenish impietie and taught saluation to bee looked for through one whoÌ„ God in the last dayes would send exalt to be lord of al finally Christianisme which yeeldeth obedience to the Gospell of Iesus Christ and acknowledgeth him the Sauiour whom God did promise Now the question is whether the dissenting parties in this last religion be so farre not in opinion but in the obiect differing as that there is no hope of reconciliation and the one part only hath but the priuiledge to be tearmed the Church For the matter of reconcilement it is no businesse which lieth within the compasse of this labour and whether and how it may be done we are willing to referre it to the iudgements of men who haue better abilitie to decide the cause A booke in Latine was published in the first beginning of these bitter contentions without name bearing the title of the dutie of a godly man but since Bellarmine saith that the Author was one George Cassander this booke perswading that Princes ought to make an agreement betwixt the Catholikes the Lutherans and Caluinists as he tearmes them which whilest they cannot find out the meanes to performe they should permit to all men their seuerall religions so that they held both the Scripture and the Apostles Creed for all saith he are the true members of the Church howsoeuer in particular doctrines they seeme to differ This booke was first confuted by Caluin on the one side and then by one Iohn Hessels of Louaine on the other side that all the world might see how loth both sides were to be made friends This hath since beene esteemed by others a labour much like to those pacificants in the Emperour Zeno his time or the heresie of Apelles who held as Eusebius writeth that it was needlesse to discusse the particulars of our faith and sufficient only to beleeue in Christ crucified But least any man should thinke that our contentions were but in smaller points and the difference not great both sides haue charged the other with heresies if not infidelities nay euen such as quite ouerthrowe the principall foundation of our Christian faith How truly both haue dealt those that are learned can best iudge but I am sure that in the greatest differences there are great mistakings which if they were not it is like their dissentions had beene much lesse Now for the second whether both parts may bee called the Church this is that which concerneth the cause that wee haue in hand The Church of England confesseth that the Church of Christ is a company of faithfull people among whom the pure word of God is preached and the sacraments rightly administred according to Christs institution so that as our reuerend Fathers say without Christ there is no Church and those particular Churches are more perfect which in their religious worship haue lesse failed in both these now when enemies become iudges sentences are often partiall and each side with bitternesse of tearmes doth condemne other whilest neither part is willing to confesse their errour or amend themselues Wee haue not suffered the contemptible reuiâ—ings of the Church of Rome without telling her aloud that her faults are not so few as she imagineth that her chastitie and puritie are not so great that she need to boast and that if she will needes bee proud and confidently striue to be the chiefe and the onely Church wee must tell her in zeale that what she was she is not that pride and prosperitie haue corrupted her as other Churches This though we speake out of zeale seeing her faults and knowing her contempt of vs yet out of iudgement we say which Maister Hooker doth that with Rome we dare not communicate concerning sundrie her grosse grieuous abominations yet touching those maine parts of Christian truth wherein they constantly still persist wee gladly acknowledge them to bee of the familie of Iesus Christ therefore wee hope that to reforme our selues if at anie time wee haue done amisse is not to seuer our selues from the Church wee were before in the Church we were and we are so stil as also we say that they of Rome notwithstanding their manifold defects are to bee held and reputed a part of the house of God a limme of the visible Church of Christ. This is that whereat your hote spirits haue taken offence speaking out of the same ignorant zeale against our Church as ye wish our Church to speake against the Church of Rome accounting vs for perfection of a Church as farre short of you as Rome is of vs or your selues of the Angels that are in heauen and therefore you affirme that our statute congregations of England are no true christian churches Which error as you haue at last beene from an vnresistable wisedome taught how to recant so no doubt at length vpon better aduise you wil learne in iudgment how to censure of the Church of Rome And yet mistake me not to giue her her due is not to grant more then shee ought to challenge nor to account her a part of the Church is not to affirme that shee is absolutely perfect There is no one word that from the varietie of acceptation hath bred greater difference in the Church
of the Iewes although it was not in regard of the high Priests and chiefe Doctors in all respects the true visible church yet in some sort it was because the remainders of religion were left the worship instituted of God himselfe was not wholy taken away so with the Papists we would not be affraid to communicate in our liturgie if it were not in respect of their superstitious order some prayers which are idolatrous for which we haue some reasons as yet to doubt that they haue no warrant We must all of vs be ioined to the true church else we cannot be saued that is to the catholicke not the visible for doubtles a man may bee saued that liueth not in any particular Church or that is excommunicated from all yet we say thus much That we must ioyne ourselues to some particular Church if wee will be saued with this twofold caution If such a Church be knowne vnto vs or if it be possible to ioyne vnto it Wherein because euerie particular may erre yet none absolutely exclude from saluation all men haue reason to ioyne with that that is most sound This then were the fittest point to bee discust with moderation and learning That seeing all Churches haue some vnsound parts in them which Church is to be reputed at this day the soundest of all the rest Doubtlesse the Church of Rome was once a light to all the Churches of the world but through the corruptions of some those diseases haue somwhat infected the Church which now to the sorrow of Christendome like a canker or leprosie haue inlarged themselues As there is a contention when Adam fell so histories varie when this defection beganne Some make fiue or sixe hundred yeares to be the continuance of her sound estate some three hundreth some to erre euen from the Apostles time Doubtlesse in the Apostles time there were heretikes in the Church the Nicholaitans Simon Magus Cerinthus others Eusebius reporteth out of Egesippus that although as long as the Apostles liued the Church did remaine a pure virgin yet after those times immediately errours crept into the Church Clemens Alexandrinus to confirme that there was corruption of doctrine presently after the Apostles time alleageth the prouerbe There are few sons like their Fathers Socrates saith of the Church of Rome and Alexandria the most famous Churches in the Apostles time that about the yeare 430. the Roman and Alexandrian Bishops leauing their sacred function were degenerate to a secular rule or dominion Yet we say not that all before Gregorie were sound nor all after corrupt yet their errours grew on by little and little euen from those men whose reuerend names gaue warrant to what they held they thinking nothing â—esse then by those meanes to haue corrupted the Church But shee may when it pleaseth God recouer her former soundnesse againe if we had but so much care of them as they seeme to haue of vs or that all sides peaceably with indifferencie would admit the true vse of a generall Councell But let their errours be as they are we leaue them to bee reproued by those whom that businesse doth concerne and to bee iudged by the searcher of all hearts yet for all that we affirme them to be parts of the Church of Christ and that those that liue and die in that Church may notwithstanding bee saued Of those who are of a contrarie opinion in a good meaning I say with Lactantius With howe good a meaning these poore soules do euill To conclude least you should thinke Maister Hooker to bee arrogant and presumptuous to make himselfe as you say the onely Rabbi know that hee hath saide nothing which that honourable Frenchman of worthie memorie hath not said before with great wisdome moderation and learning But if you cannot bee resolued without a miracle as you scoffingly seeme to desire wee can but in our prayers recommend your weakenesse to the God of all power and the fountaine of all light ARTICLE XII Of Preaching HOw hard it is for those who are in loue with themselues to carâ—e a well tempered indifferencie betwixt that which they out of ignorance performe and others out of iudgement auoid this Article alone may serue as euidence sufficient to perswade all For euen in the matter of greatest vse vnto Gods church the dispensation of the word of life a vehement dislike of those things which they cannot attaine hath wrought too violeÌ„t an opposition for the ouerthrow of that course which learning and truth haue held not to be the weakest meanes to support the same Hence commeth it to passe that whilest al grant the word to be powerful and effectual some thinke this is only true of the word preached which otherwise hath smal vertue except it be in sermoÌ„s those sermoÌ„s only to haue this power which are of their own making Causing the holy ghost whose streÌ„gth is perfected in weakenes to be necessarily tied to a defect of al outward ornaments as though that almighty power vpon whom euer excellency depeÌ„ds eueÌ„ in the weakest meanes were of lesse authority or lesse power wheÌ„ the meanes which he vseth were more excellent thus depriuing the church of variety of guifts who out of obedience and humility hath learned how to profit by all But as to tie the power of conuerting sinners to that which is eloquently strong in humaine wisdome were a thing not safe iniurious to the church so to bee too earnest against al outward ornaments through an affectation of pure simplicity is an error no lesse dangerous then the former was For seeing those that teach are not all either capeable or furnisht with the same guifts and that continually there is no lesse variety in those that heare it is the wisdome and discretion of the church for a better attainmeÌ„t of a more perfect estate to learne with thankfulnes and reuerence how to profit by all For as it is impossible that anie one forme of teaching should please or perswade all men a prerogatiue which was not graunted to the first and best sermons whose excellencie was that they conuerted many but not all so the rest who yet are not but must be conuerted are to expect though not with curiosity to affect a variety for the manner euen of that which in substance and end is but meerely one For the mysticall body as it is ful of variety and diuersity in his parts yet in it selfe but one so the working is manifold different though the beginning and the end Gods power and his glory be in truth to and for all men but one For sometimes the word by being read proposeth and preacheth it selfe to the hearer sometimes they deliuer it whom priuately zeale and piety moueth to be instructors of others by conference sometimes of them it is taught whom the church hath called to the publick either reading thereof or interpreting by them after a most diuers manner but
that the age present is corrected when the age past is iustly rebuked for the same fault And there cannot be a better meanes to cure our disorder at home then by discouering the effects that it hath wrought abroade Now that which principally discouereth that you are not such as in the title of this letter you terme your selues is that you make not Caluin but Christ himselfe the author of this discipline who as you say raised vp diuers men in diuers places as Oecolampadius Swinglius Suychius Philip Bucer Capito and Miconius and â—aught them by the same spirit out of the same holy scripture the same doctrine and commandement of truth and righteousnes In this you bewray what you are and how truly you fauour our present state in giuing so honorable testimony of that Church gouernment which hath bin so much oppugned by the Fathers of our Church Nay so much misliked by the Queene her self as appeareth by her most eloqueÌ„t speech against those reformers And I must needes tell you that those who haue taken vpon them the defence thereof are only able to confirme it not by places of scripture but by poore and marueâ—lous sleight coniectures collected froÌ„ them I need not giue instance in any one sentence so alledged for that I thinke the instance of any alledged otherwise not easily to be giuen A very strange thing sure it were that such a discipline as you speake of should be taught by Christ and his Apostles in the word of God and no Church euer hath found it out nor receiued it till this present time contrariwise the gouerment against which you bend yourselues to be obserued euery where through all generations and ages of the Christian world no Church euer perceiuing the word of God to be against it Finde but one Church one is not much vpon the face of the whole earth that hath bin ordered by your discipline or hath not bin ordered by ours that is to say by Episcopall regiment sithence the time that the blessed Apostles were here conuersant But you complaine of it as an iniurie that men should be willed to seeke for examples and paterns of gouerment in any of those times that haue bin before It is to small purpose that some daughter Churches haue learned to speake their mothers dialect In one word to conclude this article such is naturally our affection that whom in great things we mightily admire in them wee are not perswaded willingly that any thing should be amisse The reason wherof is that as dead flies putrefie the ointment of the apothecary so a little folly him that is in estimation for wisdome This in euery profession hath too much authorised the iudgments of a few this with Germans hath caused Luther and with many other Churches Caluin to preuaile in all things But thou O Lord art only holy thou only art iust who permittest the worthiest vessels of thy glory to be in some things blemished with the staine of humane frailty euen for this cause least we should esteem of any man aboue that which behooueth ARTICLE XX. Of Schoolemen Philosophie and Popery PHilosophie telleth vs if it be lawfull for me to vse so much Philosophie that naturall motions in the end are swifter but violet are more slowe and therefore heauy things the lower they descend doe moue faster and by so much also they moue slower by how much they ascend higher It seemeth that the accusations in this letter were such as had their first motion rather from the violence of some affection then from any naturall inclination to vnderstand the truth For surely though I take not vpon me to censure any man being my selfe clothed with so many wants yet in my weake opinion those that would desire are solution of such things as ouerthrow the foundation of the Church amongst vs which in your leâ—ter you professe should hardly esteeme the right vse of Philosophers and schoole learning to be an accusation of that kind So that whereas at the first your obiections seemed to moue with a greater strength now in the end they growe weake like the stroke of a man that is halfe tyred But I haue final reason to complaine of this which is mine owne aduantage for without the armour of other learning only in the strength of reason I duâ—st incounter a stronger man then my selfe in this wherein you accuse Maister Hooker that the right vse of Schoolemen and Philosophers is no hindrance or disgrace to true diuinity And therefore whereas you charge him that in all his discourse for the most part Aristotle and the ingenious Schoolemen almost in all points haue some finger and that reason is highly set vp against holy Scripture and such like I verely perswade my selfe that herein he hath committed no vnlawfull thing For those schoole imployments are acknowledged by graue and wise men not vnprofitablie to haue bin inuented the most approued for learning and iudgment doe vse them without blame the vse of them hath bin well liked by those that haue written in this kind the quality of the readers of his bookes though not of the most yet of those whom the matter concerned most was such as he could not but thinke them of capacity very sufficient to conceiue harder learning then he hath vsed any the cause he had in hand did in my opinion necessarily require those schoolemen and philosophers that he hath vsed for where a cause is strangely mistaken for want of distinctions what other way was there for him but by distinctions to lay it open That so it might appeare vnto all men whether it were consonant to truth or no and although you and I peraduenture being vsed to a more familiar and easie learning thinke it vnmeete to admit approoue or frequent the schooles yet our opinions are no Canons for Maister Hooker And although you being troubled in minde doe thinke that his writings seeme like fetters and manacles yet no doubt he hath met both with readers and hearers more calmely affected which haue iudged otherwise But it is a strange presumption in my opinion for priuate men such as professe themselues to be but common Christians which your writings besides your owne confession doe make manifest to prescribe a forme either of writing or teaching so plaine and familiar or rather indeed so empty and shallow that no man may doubte how vnlearned soeuer to giue his censure Must all knowledge be humbled so low that it must stoope to the capacity of the meanest reader But the Fathers say you haue misliked it Indeed I confesse there is an ouermuch vse which is euill in all things where there is not an absolute necessity Besides things comparatiuely spoken in regard of true vnderstanding of the scriptures is no rule for warrant that they are to be misliked simply For Stapleton himselfe confesseth in his cautions of expounding the scripture that the Schoolemen haue not a certaine and infallible authority of