A TREATISE OF THE AVTHORITY OF THE CHVRCH The summe wherof was delivered in a Sermon preached at Belfast at the Visitation of the Diocese of Downe and Conner the tenth day of August 1636. BY HENRIE LESLIE Bishop of the Diocese Intended for the satisfaction of them who in those places oppose the Orders of our Church and since published upon occasion of a Libell sent abroad in writing wherin this Sermon and all his proceedings are most falsely traduced Together with an ANSWER to certaine Objections made against the Orders of our Church especially kneeling at the Communion 1. COR. XI 22. Doe yee despise the Church of God AVGVST Contraratiorem nemo sobrius contra scripturas nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit CIC. lib. 2. De Nat. Deor. Vestra solùm legitis vestra amatis caeteres causâ incâ—gnitâ— condemnatis DVBLIN Printed by the Society of Stationers Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty Anno Dom. 1637. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THOMAS LORD VISCOUNT WENTWORTH Baron of Wentworth-Woodhouse Lord Newmarsh and Oversley Lord Deputy General of the Realme of Ireland Lord Lieutenant of the Countie of Yorke and Lord President of His Majesties right Honorable Councell established in the North of England and one of the Lords of His Majesties most Honorable Privy Councell RIGHT HONORABLE SOCRATES reports that there happening a terrible fire in Constantinople which consumed a great part of the city and fastened on the Church the Bishop went to the Altar and falling downe upon his knees would not rise from thence till the fire was quenched and the Church preserved So when I entered into my charge whereunto I was called by your Lordships gracious favour I found a great fire kindled in that Church which though it was but Ignis fatuus proceeding from inconsiderate zeale yet it threatned the destruction of our Church and the utter abolishing of all good order wherefor l indeavoured to bring diverse buckets of water out of the Sanctuary for quenching of that flamme albeit as yet I have not found either my paines or my prayers to be so effectuall At first the Apostles Quaere tooke a deepe impression in me â— Cor. 4.21 Shall I come unto you with a rod or in love and in the spirit of meekenesse And therefor I begun with gentle perswasions suspendens verbera and producens ubera 2. Tim. 2.25 as the fathers speake even in all meeknesse instructing them who are contrary minded as having such a charitable opinion of them as Salvian had of some Arian haeretickes in his time Salv. de Cubeâ—n l. 5. Errant sed bono animo errant and Euthymius of others Eâ—thym in Luc. 14. Quidam Pharisaei semi-mali But I found that I had to doe with men praeoccupyed with praejudice and partiality and so wedded to their own wills that they were resolved to receive no information making good the saying of Maxentius Ap. Bâ—gn in Biblioth T. 4â— Mens contentioni indulgens non sanari fed vincere cupiens aversa ab eis quae recte dicuntur tantum intenta est in hoc ut inveniat quod pro partibus suis loquatur A contentious mind desiring victory and not truth takes no notice of that which is truely spoken and deviseth only how to elude the same and find something to speake for his owne part VVhereupon I altered my course and finding by the symptomes of their disease that it is a head-paine or rather heady I remembred that when the Shunamites child cryed my head 2 Kings 4 1â— my head his father bid carry him to his mother So I thought it the best course to carry them unto their mother the Church and shew them both her authority to injoyne those orders which they oppose and her power to censure and correct such as are disobedient unto her constitutions But for all this They persist in their errors grow more resolute in their opposition and more diligent to draw disciples after them Revel 12.12 like unto him of whom it was said He is come downe unto you having great wrath because hee knoweth that he hath but a short time So that it may be said of them as the Prophet of the hard hearted Iewes Ierem. 5.3 Lord thou hast stricken them but they have not sorrowed thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a stone and have refused to returne And this is no new thing for haeretickes to bee confirmed in their errors by their sufferings It was observed in ancient time that not only Christianitas but even haeresis mortibus crescit And surely I have many times wondered how those men who are none of the learnedest should be able to draw such a faction after them and bewitch the minds of the people for every one of these Presbyteriall Dictators is more esteemed then the whole Church of God they take upon them to teach their mother to give suck the people have plucked out their owne eyes and given to their teachers being now able to see nothing but through their spectacles unto whom they doe ascribe more then Papall Infallibility But I find that it hath beene so in former times that in a faction neither the learnedest men nor the best but the most factious are regarded Primianus and Maximianus were the heads of the two factions of the Donatists and sayeth S. Augustin It was well for them that faction fell out else Primianus might have beene Postremianus and Maximianus Minimianus But now in schisme either of them was a jolly fellow and the head of a party So faction gaines these men more esteeme then otherwise they could either have or deserve in Gods Church And besides their forwardnesse to lead a faction I have observed diverse other meanes wherby they have wonne the affection of the people unto a generall liking of their cause I. A great shew of holynesse like the Encratites of old who termed all other Christians that lived not in like austerity Psychicos that is carnall And yet even in this they come farre short of that mortification which was either in Pelagius of old or is at this day in the Socinians whom I may justly terme sentinam haereticorum the worst of haeretickes II. Their diligence in preaching which yet in them is rather the labour of the lungs then of the brain and I thanke God many of the conformable Clergie are as painefull as they III. To taxe the faults of men in chiefe place and the present government which the multitude being ever prone to innovation and dislike of the present Lawes are apt to approve as Nazianzen observed in his time he is thought the holiest man that can find most faults and the greatest zelot for the trueth who is pleased with nothing but what proceeds from his owne devising Are not these they whom S. Peter describes that should arise In populo II. Pet. 2. amongst the people despisers
is a speciall meanes to direct us in applying this rule Every man doth challenge some trust in the Art he professeth And is there any that hath studyed the Scripture so well as the Bishops Pastors Doctors of the Church in all ages Besides they have a calling to expound the Scripture are therfore called Guides Rulers Lights Spirituall Fathers Teachers Ambassadors of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God Finally they have not onely a calling but a promise of the assistance of the spirit Matth. XXVIII 20. Loe I am with you unto the end of the world By vertue of which promise it is certaine that all the Pastors of the Catholick Church in all ages did never erre dangerously and therefore their Iudgment to be preferred before the opinion of any private man for God hath commaunded us to heare and obey them II. Sect. 17. The Church is to judge of the abilities of men and who are fit for the Ministery to conferre Orders appoint them their Stations and direct them in the exercise of their Function This power was committed unto Timothie and Titus and must continue in the Church untill the end of the world For as now we are not to expect new revelations so neither extraordinary missions And therefore hee that will take upon him the Office of a Minister not being called by the Church Ioh. X. is an Intruder a Thief that commeth not in by the doore but climbeth up another way What will you say then to some Dominees heere amongst you who having no Ordination to our calling have taken upon them to preach and preach I know not what even the foolish visions of their owne heart As they runne when none hath sent them 11 Sam. XVIII 23.29 and runne very swiftly because like Ahimaaz they runne by the way of the plaine So like Ahimaaz when they are come they have no tydings to tell but dolefull newes They think by their puff of preaching to blowe downe the goodly Orders of our Church as the walls of Iericho were beaten downe with sheepes hornes Good God! is not this the sinne of Vzziah who intruded himselfe into the Office of the Priest-hood And was there ever the like heard amongst Christians except the Anabaptists whom some amongst you have matcht in all manner of disorder and confusion III. sect 18 It belongs unto the Church to decide controversies in religion The Apostle sayth Oportet haereses esse There must bee heresies So there must be a meanes to discover reprove condemne those herisies and pronounce out of the word of God for truth against heresie Deut. XVII 8.9.10 Under the Law the Priests assembled together had authority to give sentence in matters of Controversie The same authority did our Saviour give unto the governors of his Church when he gave them the power of the Keyes and commaunded others to heare them for that their sentence is the sentence of God Titus is commanded to reject an hereticke and so hee had power to Iudge him Doe we therfore make the Church an absolute Infallible Iudge of fayth No Onely God is the supreme Iudge of absolute Authority because he is the Law-giver And in all Common-wealths the supreme power of Iudgement belongs to the Law-giver Inferiour magistrates are but Interpreters of the Law Therefore in Scripture these two are joyned together Esay XXXIII 22. The Lord is our Iudge the Lord is our Law-giver And Iames IV. 10. There is one Law-giver able to save and destroy His throne is established in heaven but in earth we may heare his voice in the holy Scripture revealing his will to the sonnes of men whereby he speaketh to us for God now speaketh to us and teacheth his Church not by any extraordinary voyce from heauen not by Anabaptisticall Enthusiasmes but by the mouth of his holy Prophets and Apostles whose sentence is contayned in the holy Scripture Lib. V. that wee may say with Optatus Milevitanus De coelo quaerendus Iudex Sed ut quid pulsamus ad coelum cùm habeamus hic in euangelio testamentum The Iudge is in heaven But we need not goe so farre to know his sentence when we have his will expressed in the Gospell So Moses Deut. XXX v. 11.12.13.14 This commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not hidden from thee neyther is it farre off It is not in heaven neyther is it beyond the sea But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest doe it This word being lively and accompanied with the power of the Spirit doth illuminate the minds of men with the knowledge of the truth reprove convince and condemne error and therefore is said to accuse judge condemne Ioh. v. 45. VII 5. XII 4.8 by our Saviour himselfe And so though properlie the Scripture be not the Iudge but rule of faith yet we call it the Iudge by a Metonymie because God who is the Iudge speaketh in it and by it Poli◠lib. III. c. 16. So the Philosopher sayth The Law is the Vniversall Iudge that magistrates are but Ministers and Interpreters of the Law to apply it to particular causes and persons That which the Magistrates doe in Civill matters the chiefe Pastors of the Church are to doe in matter of Religion If a controversie arise they are to heare the reasons on both sides compare them try by the Touchstone of the word weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary And so that which the word hath defined in generall they are according to the rule of this word to apply unto the particular cause and controversie pronouncing for truth against error Yet so as they swarve not from the Rule whereunto God hath tyed them Esay VIII 20. To the Law to the Testimony if they speake not according to this word there is no light in them So that the Church doth Iudge and determine controversies not as an absolute infallible Iudge but as a publicke Minister and Interpreter by a subordinate power which yet is more to be esteemed then the Iudgement of any yea of a thousand private men Shee is not the Iudge but interpreter of Scripture Shee doth not Iudge of the verity of Gods Law but of the truth of private mens Iudgements And that especially if the matter in controversie bee of weight when the Bishops are assembled in Councell When there was a Controversie touching Circumcision the Apostles and Elders assembled at Ierusalem for composing the matter Act. XV. The godly Bishops in the primitive Church following their example did at all occasions assemble in Councells for determining Controversies condemning of hereticks and clearing the Truth by their joynt suffrages even in time of persecution under Pagan Emperours they did celebrate diverse Provinciall Synods as at Antioch at Casarea at Carthage And in that famous generall Councell of Nice wherein Arrius was condemned the Fathers saw such a necessitie of this Synodicall Iudgment
for preserving the peace of the Church that they ordayned that in every Province once every yeare the Bishops should assemble in Councell The same afterwards was injoyned by the Emperour Iustinian And so it was observed in the Church and by the sentence of Councells generall or particular all heresies arising were condemned Those Assemblies being lawfully called and proceeding orderly are great and awfull representations of the Church Catholick the highest externall Tribunall which the Church hath on Earth their authoritie is immediatly derived and delegated from Christ their decrees binde all persons within their Iurisdiction to externall obedience And it is not lawfull for any private man to oppose his judgement to the publicke He may offer his contrary opinion to be considered of so he doe it with evidence of Scripture and reason and very modestlie But if he doe factiously advance his own conceit and despise the Church so farre as to cast off her communion as many of you have done hee may bee justly branded and condemned for a Schismaticke In the IV. sect 19 place wee are to consider the Churches power for making of Lawes to direct us in the order that is to be observed in the outward administration of God's worship This is the thing which I must principally endeavour to prove for if the Church may make Lawes of things Indifferent and appoint matters of Order Decencie and Politie then are you bound even for Conscience sake to submit your selves unto the Orders of our Church which you now so violently oppose I will therefore joyne issue with you in this point and prove as I hope by arguments unanswerable that the Church hath such a power I. sect 20 All things lawfully incident to the outward worship of God are not expressed in the Scripture as sayth Tertullian Harum aliarum ejusmâ—di disciplinarum si legem expostules Scriptu rarum nullam invenies De Corona â—â—il If you looke for a Law in Scripture for these and such other like matters of discipline you will finde none And therefore certainly they are left to be ordered at the discretion of the Church Doe wee therefore derogate from the perfection and sufficiencie of Scripture God forbid You shall understand there is great difference betweene matters of Faith and matters of Order The Apostle hath distinguished them Col. II. 5. Beholding your Order and the stedfastnesse of your Faith T.C. first Reply p. 26. Your great master Cartwright compares matters of Faith unto garments which cover the Churches nakednesse matters of Order unto chaynes bracelets rings and other Iewells to adorne her and set her out which no man will say are of that necessitie as the former Now matters of Faith and whatsoever is essentiall in the worship of God are plentifully set downe in Scripture but besides there are other matters of Order concerning the circumstances of Time Place and Person the outward forme of Gods worship all which are not expressed in the Scripture for albeit these things be not altogether omitted in Scripture yet are they not taught so fully as the former Matters of Faith are so perfectly taught in holy Writ that nothing ever can neede to be added nothing ever cease to bee necessary But as for matters of Order and Politie both much of that which the Scripture teacheth is not alwayes needfull and much the Church of God shall alwayes neede which the Scripture teacheth not And this doth nothing derogate from the perfection of Scripture For we count those things perfect which want nothing requisite to the end for which they were ordayned Now the end for which God delivered the Scripture was to bee the Canon of our Faith and guide unto salvation within the compasse whereof those matters of Order Ceremonie and Circumstance doe not come for they respect not Credenda but Agenda or rather modum agendi Not points of doctrine but matters of practice or rather the manner of performing of outward duties And as it is no disgrace for Nature to have left it to the wit of Man to devise his owne attire no more is it any disgrace for Scripture to have left a number of such things free to be ordered at the discretion of the Church But indeed it is a great commendation to the Scripture to have omitted those things which neither needed nor could bee particularly expressed They needed not because they are so obvious And they could not both because they are so numerous and because so chaungeable I. They neded not sect 21 because they are so obvious for what need is there of any high consultation about such things as are easie and manifest to all men by common sense As a great councellour of state whose wisedome in weighty affaires is admired would take it in scorne to have his Councel solemnely asked about a toy which a poore plow-man could resolve So the meannesse of these things is such that to search the Scripture for ordering of them were to derogate from the reverend authority and dignity of the Scripture The Apostle speaking of a matter of this kind touching being bare or covered in Church assemblies using long haire or being shorne hee brings an Argument from Nature Doth not even Nature it selfe teach you II. Cor. XI 14. As nature that is Custome which is an other nature had taught the Corinthians that it is not comely for a man to have long haire So nature it selfe doth teach us that when a man commeth to present himselfe before the Lord by prayer he should doe it with al humility of mind and humiliation of body as the Psalmist sayth Ps XCV 6. Worship and fall downe kneele before the Lord our maker So likewise when wee make confession of our sayth or lift up our voyces to praise God that we should use a gesture sutable to expresse our resolution And diverse things of this kind hath the Church appointed ex ductamine rationis for albeit the substance of the service of God being above the pitch of naturall reason may not be invented by men as it is amongst the heathens but must be receaved from God himselfe yet in matters of lesser moment especially concerning outward behaviour in performance of Church-actions De Resur carnis Luminis naturalis ducatum repellere non modó stultum est sed impium Lib. IV. de Trin c. VI. wee may bee directed by naturall reason as saith Tertullian Wee may even in matters of God bee made wiser by reasons drawne from the publick perswasions which are grafted in mens minds And St Austin It is not onely foolish but impious to refuse the guydance of naturall light And if nature direct us in any thing then certainelie in this what gestures are fittest for Gods worship for gestures are naturall in so much that one of your owne Authors speaking of gestures Treatise of Divine worship p. 30. sayes that Nature stands sn stead of a direction and that they are not to be esteemed
two distinct powers upon earth the one of the Keyes committed to the Church to worke upon the conscience by binding or loosing the soule that is retaining or remitting of sinnes the other of the sword committed to the Prince to worke upon the outward man laying hold on the body and goods And neither of these is to intrude upon the execution of the others office When St Peter who had the Keyes committed unto him ventured to draw the sword he was commaunded to put it up Matth. 26.52 as a weapon that belonged not to him So when Vzziah would execute the Priests office he receaved the like check It pertaineth not unto thee Vzziah to burne incense unto the Lord â— Chron. 26.28 but to the Priests thesonnes of Aaron that are consecrated The magistrate therefore is not to take upon him to weild the Keyes which are here committed to the Church If thou complaine to him of an Injury done by thy brother he will punish him And that is not it that Christ aymes at he will not have his disciples so careful of the repairing of their wrong as of the amendement of their brother In a word he gives not precepts Oeconomicall or politicall but prescribes a Law unto the Conscience which is that if thy brother amend not after private admonition to Convent him before the Church IIII. Sect. 11. Neither by the Church are we to understand S. Peter and his supposed successor of whom the Iesuits say Papa est Virtualiter tota Ecclesia for our Saviour spake unto Peter and Peter answers him vers 21. How oft shall my brother sinne against me Now if Peter be offended he is to goe to the Church that cannot be himselfe Besides Peter may be the man who gives the offence if he did not I am sure the Pope doth And shall wee complayne of himselfe to himselfe Wee are like to have an ill hearing Finallie Sect. 12. nor by the Church are we to understand a Generall Councell That can not be called so oft as one offendeth is to be corrected And therefore it is foolishly done of the Papists to alledge this text for the infallibility of the Church Lib 3. de ver Dei cap. 5. observandum hic quidem Dominum loqui de injurijs quas unus ab aliquo patitur Lib. 4. de Rom. pont Conveniunt omnes Catholicâ— posse Pentificem etiam ut Pontificem cum suo coetu consiliariorum vel cum generali Concilio errare in Controverâ—ijs facti for they themselues doe not ascribe infallibility to any particular Church but onely to a Generall Councel confirmed by the Pope of which this Text can not be understood Besides that which is here referred to the Church is a matter of fact not of faith So Bellarmine doth acknowledge that Christ speakes of personall injuries And that in deciding of such Controversies in matters of fact which depend upon information and testimonies of witnesses The Pope may erre even with a Generall Councell at his elbow he saith is confest by all Romanists And then how this Text used by all their writers to prove the infallibility of their Church can serve their purpose no reasonable man can see By the Church then wee must understand the Governours of the particular Churches wherein we live except the person to be corrected Sect. 13. be in that place that he cannot be Iudged but by a higher Court in which case the Church we are to goe unto is a provinciall or Nationall synod So St Chrysostome and with him the generall consent of all doctors expounds it of the prelates and chiefe Pastors of the Church who have Iurisdiction to bind and loose such offenders in the words following So a learned Schooleman Parisiensis de sae ord c. 10. Potestas Iudiciaria est ipsius Ecclesiae Cujus minister ad hancrem Episcopus est constitutus As they who governe in the Commonwealth are called the Commonwealth so they who rule in the Church be called the Church because they hold the chiefe place in it As the body is said to see when it is onelie the eye that seeth So the Church is said to heare that which they onely heard who are as it were the eyes of the Church All the companie of beleevers are called Saints And yet the Apostle giveth this title unto some who were in authority aboue the rest for composing of controversies I. Cor. VI. So albeit the whole multitude of beleevers be called the Church Yet in a speciall manner this title is given to them who are chiefe in the Church for authority power St Iohn wrote his Epistles to the Angels of the Churches that is the Bishops And yet he concludeth Let him that hath an care heare what the Spirit sayth vnto the Churches So that the rulers are called the Church not onely by our Saviour but also by St Iohn because they did represent the Church whereof they had charge And in the Old Testament the Hebrew word Eda which signifieth the Church is sometimes used to expresse not the promiscuous multitude but the assembly of Iudges the Councell of the Rulers Psal LXXXII 1. God standeth in the congregation of gods So that this acception of the Church is not without precedent as some have alleadged And now having found the Church Sect. 14. let us see wherein the Church is to be heard The necessitie layd upon us to heare the Church presupposeth a power in the Church to direct yea and to commaund though not in her owne name yet in the Name of GOD who committed this power unto her That the Church hath a power I thinke no man will deny All the Controversie is touching the extent of this power which I will reduce unto certaine heads neither with the Papist deifying her power nor with the lawlesse Libertine vilifying her authoritie Bee pleased therefore to understand the Churches power for Instruction for Ordination for Determination for Direction and for Correction First it belonges to the Church to keepe and propound the sacred Oracles and to apply them by preaching and administration of the Sacraments II. To ordayne Ministers appoint them their Stations and direct them the manner how they are to discharge their dutie III. To decide Controversies in Religion IIII. To enact Lawes not only to containe men in obedience to the Law of God but also for Circumstances and Ceremonies in the outward administration of Gods worship V. To censure offenders Of the first three but briefly First Sect. 15. the Church is to keepe the holy Scripture as a depositum that which hath beene committed unto her wherein she is as a faithfull Register or Notarie that keepes the Originall Records from corruption Deut XXXI 24. When Moses had finished the Book of the Law he gave it to the Levites to be kept in the side of the Arke from them must the King receive his Coppie Deut. XV II. 18. The Apostle sayth Vnto them were
owne eyes without controll God is dishonoured and his Name blasphemed amongst the Gentiles Whence it comes to passe that sometimes for the sinne of one man God is angrie with the whole Church because of her connivence But when the Offender is exemplary punished then is God glorified and his wrath turned away from Israel II. The amendement of the party even that he being destitute of the societie of the faithfull may be ashamed and so confesse his sinne and desire reconciliation I. Thess III. 4. If any man obey not our saying note him and have no companie with him that he may be ashamed III. The preservation of others from his infection For sayeth the Apostle speaking of the Incestuous Corinthian A little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe purge out therefore the old leaven I. Cor. V. 6-7 Wee know that a member of the body being putrified and gangrened must bee cut off presently else it will infect the whole body so must all irregular persons especially teachers of false doctrine and disturbers of publick order bee cut off from the body of the Church Deviâ—â— contempl lib. II. c. 7. that the infection spread no farther as Prosper sayeth Qui corrigi nolunt tanquamputres corporis partes ferro excommunicationis sunt abscindendi They that will not amend as rotten members of the body must be cut off by the sword of excommunication It is true a good Chirurgeon will try all other meanes before he cut off a legg or an arme from a man but if there bee no other remedie Then Immedicabile vulnus Ense resecandum est So weehave tryed all manner of faire meanes to reduce you to the unitie of the Church by admonition exhortation conference instruction Our first comming was in love and in the spirit of meeknesse but now I must come unto you with a rod yea with a Sword to cut off all that trouble the Churches peace for Melius est ut pereat unus quà m unitas It is not the life of any man nor of many men that is to bee compared with the peace of the Church Besides the generall censure of Excommunication sect 39 whereunto all the members of the Church are subject both the Pastors and the Flock there is an other censure for restrayning of turbulent teachers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a removing of them from the exercise of their function by deprivation suspension or otherwise that their word fret not as a canker II. Tim. II. 17. This power was given to Timothie Bishop of Ephesus he is not onely to charge the Clergie under his jurisdiction that they doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. Tim. I. 3. but also to discharge them that doe it I. Tim. V I. 3.5 If any man teach otherwise from such separate thy selfe Hee must stay prophane and vaine bablings II. Tim. II. 16. Put away sâ—â—lish questions which ingender strife II. Tim. II. 23. Hee had authority to receave an accusation against an Elder as his Iudge to rebuke openly to put him in feare I. Tim. V. 19.20 The like authority was committed to Titus Bishop of Crete He must redresse things amisse Tit. I. 5. If there bee any disobedient vaine talkers and deceivers of mindes he must put them to silence Tit. I. 10.11 Reprove them sharpely Tit. I. 13. Convince with all authority Tit. II. 15. Reject him that is an hereticke Tit. III. 10. This hath beene the practise of the Church in all ages to remove turbulent teachers who did oppose the decrees and constitutions of Councells And this is that censure which I feare some of you by your opposition to the lawfull orders of our Church will draw upon your selves The Apostle sayth They that resist shall receive Rom. XIII 2. or acquire condemnation It is not our desire to proceed to censure against any of you but you will acquire it unto your selves and so receive thereward of your folly Our Church hath borne with you a long time with all patience and long suffering opening her lap to receive you into her Communion but you have made no other use of this forbearance then to confirme your selves in your errors proceeding from evill to worse from timorous scrupolositie to resolute opposition II. Sam. XX. 1. drawing a number of Disciples after you and like Sheba the sonne of Bichri blowing a trumpet to sedition whereby a fearefull rent is made in this Church and greater dangers like to ensue if they be not prevented The Anabaptists at first for the great humility zeale and devotion which seemed to be in them were onely pittied in their error and not much witestood by any Luther made request to the Duke of Saxonie that within his dominions they might bee spared for that their errors excepted they seemed otherwise very good men by meanes of which mercifull toleration they gathered such strength in few yeares that they were like to overthrow the state both of Church and Common-wealth in Germanie Your proceedings hath beene very like to theirs we have reason therefore to suspect them and to give a checke to your madnesse before you goe any further Surely as the Lord taxeth the Angel of the Church of Thyatira for suffering the woman Iezabel to teach and deceive Gods servants So may hee reprove the governors of our Church for suffering this feminine heresie so long they of that sexe being the greatest zealots and chiefe abbetters of the sect by whom many simple people are deceived led from the wholsome pastures of the Church to wander in the precipices of error and schisme This must not be suffered any longer But you will say the differences is onely about small matters and it is a pitty to deprive ministers who are painefull and laborious for a Ceremony For answer I shall desire you to consider I. That they doe not onely oppose the Ceremonies but the whole Liturgie of the Church wherein the soule of Gods publicke worship doth consist Besides their doctrine is not sound for they have taught that the Order of Bishops is Antichristian which we know to be Apostolicke That our Ceremonies are damnable which wee can prove to bee both lawfull and decent That our Service-booke is a heap of errors which wee can justifie to be the most absolute Liturgie that any Church in the world hath That the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme and kneeling in the act of receiving the Communion is plaine idolatry then which hell it selfe could not have devised a more shamelesse calumnie That the Eucharist being a Supper a Feast no gesture should be used at it but a table gesture to expresse our coheirship and equality with Christ which if it smell not strong of Arrianisme I have lost my sent That all festivall dayes besides the Lords day and all set fasts are Iewish and contrary to our Christian liberty which is the condemned heresie of Aërius Epiphan haer 75. They have cryed downe the most wholsome orders of the Church as Popish superstitions
thee as an Heathen man and a Publicane Matth. IX 10. We know that Heathens and Publicanes were aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Luke XV. 1. they had no interest in God no fellowship with the Church In the Gospell commonly Publicanes and sinners be joyned together and sometimes Publicanes and harlots And the Apostle opposes sinners of the Gentiles to Iâ—wes by nature Matth. XXI 31. Cal. II. 15. They were avoyded in common conversation in the fellowship of the private table in so much that Christ was often taxed by the Pharisees for eating with Publicanes Matth. IX 11. XI 19. And especially they were secluded from the Communion of Gods worship and in that there was a difference put betweene the Heathen man and the Publicane The Heathen might not so much as enter into the Temple if he did it was polluted Act. XXI 28. Hee hath brought Graecians into the Temple and hath polluted this holy place But the Publicane might enter into the Temple and pray Luk. XVIII 10. But he must not partake of their service and sacrifice Whereupon in the ancient Church they had two degrees of excommunication a lesser which was like the Publieanes separation and a greater like the Heathen mans separation In the same case should all excommunicate persons be amongstus we should not admit them to the Communion of our Sacraments and publicke prayers nor converse ordinarily with them nor have any fellowship with them as the Apostle commands I. Cor. V. 13. Put away therefore from among you that wicked man II. Thess III. 6. Withdraw your selves from every brother that walkeeh inordinately and vers 14. Have no company with them This is to esteeme them as Heathen men and Publicanes But there are some that are worse to persons excommunicate then eyther to Heathen men or to Publicanes who hate them deprive them of the society of those who are tyed unto them by naturall and civill obligations make a prey of their goods lands life and all and adjudge them unto hell yet Christ saith onely Sit tibi sicut Ethnicus not sit tibi plut aut pejore in loce quam Ethuicus Let him be unto thee as an Heathen not let him be unto thee worse then an Heathen Whence will follow I. That we are not to hate such men as we should not hate Heathen men nor Publicanes but pitty and pray for them It is true wee shunne the company of that which wee hate and abhorre so our Saviour will have us to shunne the company of contumacious offenders as if we did hate them but not to hate them for all that for sayes the Apostle yet count him not as an enemie II. Thess II. 15. II. That we are not barr'd from all commerce society with excommunicate persons not in cases of necessity not upon occasion of trade for the Iewes did trafficke with Publicanes and Heathen but especially not to give them good counsell and to exhort them to repentance This last is required by the Apostle admonish him as a brother II. Thess III. 15. The fellowship then that is forbidden us with such persons is a Communion in Gods worship lest it bee prophaned by them as also intire familiarity and needlesse society III. And some sorte of persons cannot bee barred from intire familiarity and daily conversation with them by any sentence of the Church as all those who are tyed unto them by naturall and civill obligations as the wife to her husband children to their parents servants to their master subjects to their Prince for the Apostle commands the beleeving woman not to depart from the unbeleeving husband I. Cor. VII 13. But to be subject even to their husbands which obey not the word I. Pet. III. 1. servants to count their masters even them that beleeve not worthy of all honour I. Tim. VI. 1. Cesar himselfe was Heathen when Christ instituted this censure and yet he commands to renderunto Cesar the things that are Cesars All kings were Heathen when the Apostles exercised this censure and yet they conimaund all obedience to be given unto them Rom. XVI 1. I. Pet. II. 13. The Christians in the Primitive Church upon all occasions tooke armes at the commaund of a heathen Emperour and St Augustin commends them for their faithfull service to Iulian that Apostate Emperour for that they were bound unto him as subjects Hence it will follow that the Church though she had never so much strength and power yet ought not can not excommunicate the King for heresie Apostasie or any other crime for that the maine end of excommunication is that the partie being deprived of all society of the faithfull may bee ashamed But the King can not be deprived of the company of any one within his kingdome all of them being his subjects and owing service and alleageance unto him So much a Popish Doctor doth acknowledge Radulph ardens in homâ— Domin 1. post Pasch Reges ne excommunicare possunt sacerdotes excommunicatione majore propter publicam personam quam sustinent Priests cannot excommunicate Kings with the greater excommunication because of the publicke person which they sustaine Wee finde indeed that St Ambrose did barre the Emperour Theodosius from the Sacrament but that was onely the lesser censure called suspension Lib. V. epist 28. ad Theodosium as may appeare by his owne words Causam contumaciae in te nullam habeo sed habeo timoris offerre non audeosacrificium si volueris assistere He found no cause of contumacie in him which onely deserves the greater censures of excommunication but he was afraid lest the sacrifice might be profaned by his presence before he had by repentance expiated the guilt of blood which he had contracted And yet even in this I thinke that the Emperours humility was more to bee commended then the Bishops zeale howsoever it is most certaine that the ancient Church never offered to excommunicate any King though never so wicked That was a later practise of that man of sinne Who exalteth himselfe against all that is called God Finally if contumacious persons bee in no worse case then Heathen men and Publicanes then the Church by her censure cannot deprive them of goods lands or life for the Iewes did not so either to Heathen men or to Publicanes And besides such a punishment doâ—th not belong to the Church but to the civill Magistrate It hath beene therefore an intollerable tyranny in the Popes to depose Kings excommunicated give away their crownes dispose of their kingdomes and to arme not only strangers but also their owne subjects against them to take away their lives As if that Christian kings did far the worse for their baptisme and profession of Christ and held not their crownes upon so secure termes as Pagan princes doe This were to put them in a worse case then are Heathen and Publicanes which our Saviour never intended for as Crownes are not founded in faith so they are not lost by insidelitie
and put your speculations in practise And as I heare some of you are about to follow them God knowes whither The Donatists had no true ground for their scparation but their own wills Their rule was Quod volamus sanctâ—m est Aug. cont ep Parmen lib. 2. cap 13. It is so with you for all your reasons hath beene answered to the full in so much that all wise men can discerne that it is not true reason that makes you stand out but will Passion a desire to please the people and as you are pleased to terme it your conscience August Pasim Optatus The Donatists did glory much in their sufferings challenge unto themselves the honour of Martyrs whereby they did confirme the hearts of simple people in their errors and rend the Church with schismes and divisions you have boasted as much of your sufferings as ever they did albeit very few of you have beene as yet touched and those that were questioned deserved a greater censure then was imposed I will say no more of your sufferings Qui resistit potestati Dei ordinationi resistit qui autem resistunt sibiipsi judicium acquirunt gravius perseâ— quitur siliuâ— patrem malè vivendo quà m Pater filium castiganâ—â—â— gravius â—n illa Saram persecuta est per iniquam superbiam quà m cam Saâ—a per debitam disciplinam c. De Vnitat Eccles Tract in Ioban Matth. V. 10. then S â— Augustin did unto the Donatists that they that resist draw punishment upon themselves for resisting the ordinance of God That the sonne persecutes the father more by his dissolute living then the father doth the sonne by chastising him That Agar the handmaid did persecute Sarah her mistresse more grievously by her proud disobedience then Sarah did her by just correction That Ismael was cast out of Abrahams house for Isaacs sake and yet the Apostle calls not Isaac but Ismael the persecuter And often he repeats this saâ—ing Non poena sed causa facit martyrem So it is onely the cause that puts a difference betweene a Martyr and Malefactor I shall therefore intreat you to looke before you leape and consider well the cause for which you suffer for as it is a blessed thing to suffer for righteousnesse sake so if ye suffer for evill doing you have no cause to rejoyce Esse Martyr non potest saith Cyprian qui in Ecclesia non est Adregnum pervenire non poterit qui eam quae regnatura est derelinquit It is a sinne to resist a lawfull ordinance to suffer for your disobedience is a greater sinne but the greatest of all is by suffering to confirme simple people in their errors intertaine faction and division and rend the bowels of the Church Here in the last place Sect. 42. I shall beseech you who professe to make a conscience of all sinne to consider how by your standing out against the orders of the Church you involve your selves into the guilt of many great and grievous crimes As I. Disobedience to lawfull authority for wee are bound in conscience to obey our superiours in all things that are notcontrary to the word of God This is the confession of the Church of Scotland printed in the beginning of their Psalme bookes and it is grounded upon Gods word Our Saviour commands us to heare the Church Matth. XVIII 17. Rom. XIII 1. Mebr. XIII 17. I. Pet. II. 13. The Apostle to bee subject to superiour powers and to obey them that have the over-sight of us S. Peter To submit our selves unto every humane Ordinance But to subsume these things you refuse to confent unto are commanded by lawfull authority and are not contrary to Gods Word but things in their owne nature meerely indifferent as hath beene not onely proved but even confessed by forraine Divines who live under another Church-governement insomuch that Bishop Hooper who was the first that I know who opposed the Ceremonies of the Church of England especially the Surplis and the Cope was convinced by the strong arguments of Bucer and Peter Martyr and advised by M. Calvin to conforme himselfe even for obedience sake for it ill becommeth those who should teach the people obedience to bee themselves examples of disobedience II. Perjurie for all of you have receaved both the Oath of the kings supremacie and of Canonicall obedience and there is nothing required of you but what the King may lawfully commaund nothing but what the Canons of the Church doe injoyne and what your selves when you entred into the ministery knew that all ministers of this kingdome were bound to observe Consider I pray you whether your proceedings bee correspondent to your oath And how you can excuse your selves from perjurie Did you sweare with a mentall reservation that is but the tricke of a Iesuite and will prove but a poore defence before Almightie God who is the Iudge and avenger of an Oath III. You cast a reproach upon the Church as if she did injoyne things unlawfull and Antichristian you disturbe her peace and rend her unitie shedding the blood of warre in peace and as it were dividing Christs seamlesse coat which is a sinne as great as worshipping of Idols for the time was when it was said Dionys Alexandr apud Niceph Euseb hist eccl lib. 6. cap. 38. Non minoris est laudis non scindere Ecclesiam quà m Idolo non sacrificare And againe Opâ—rtuerit etiam pati omnia ne scinderetur Ecclesia Deiâ— If you ought to suffer all things rather then the Church should be rent then certainly you ought to suffer your owne wills to be controlled by the Iudgement of the Church in matters of outward ordor and decencie IV. The losse of your ministerie which should be dearer unto you then your lives must bee in you a sinne What will you answere unto the Lord in that great day for suffering your selves to bee deprived of your ministery and drawing backe your hands from the plough only for wilfulnesse you may be sure that hee will not Iudge that you suffered for well doing but that you perished in the gain-saying of Core Wee know that the Apostles did become all unto all even practise themselves and advise others to practise Ceremonies as evill and inconvenient in number nature use and evill effects as ours are even in your judgement yea and such Ceremonies too as they had preached against and this they did for to avoyd a lesse evill then deprivation even to get a doore of utterance opened unto them in one place V. Behold and see how this your opposition brings a scandal upon the conformable Clergie as though we were all but time-servers And gives advantage to the Papists for our discord is there musicke The Scripture speaking of the debate betweene the servants of Abraham and Lot doth adde that the Canaanites dwelt in the land Gen. XIII 7. To signifie that though their contention was evill in it selfe yet it was worse because
desperate cause make no small advantage by their lying were it indeed God's as they beare the world in hand it would not need such props as those to support it Wilt thou mak a lye for God sayth Iob a one doth for a man to advantage his neighbour The Apostle proveth the resurrection of Christ by this inconvenience which would follow if Christ were not risen 1. Cor. XV. 1â— Then wee are found false witnesses of God for wee have testified of God that he hath raised up Christ If the Apostle had beene of these mens mind this had been no Argument for that testimony which they gave of the resurrection of Christ was a speciall motive to draw men unto the faith And so conduced unto their cause but for all that if it had been an untruth they should have been found false witnesses which God cannot endure though done with an intent to advance his owne service Amongst the sixe things which the Lord doth hate Solomon reckons a false witnesse that speaketh lyes and him that raiseth up contention among brethren And againe Prov. VI. 16. XIX 9. A false witnesse shall not be unpunished and he that speaketh lyes shall perish Yet have these men so accustomed their tongues thereunto that now Ab corum ere pallida veritas fugit But it is ordinary with these men to belye their Ordinary I wish their malice their madnesse had here stayed But as though the burning of one Temple had not beene enough to make them famous L. Bishop of Derrie they have most shamefully traduced a Reverend and worthy Praelate of our Church who came in but by accident making him to rave throughout their whole Libell whereas it is well knowne if he had entered the lists of disputation with them which he did not speaking but very little and that not unto them but unto my selfe an armie of such Pigmeyes could not have stood before him To repeat the passages wherewith they basely belye him were but to cherish credulitie in the reader All who were present testifie they never heard him speake any such words And besides a Qui perdere vult faenum emat Asinum A pulâ— If any will lose so much hay as to entertaine that Asse or time as to reade that barbarous Libell They shall finde such unworthy and sordid trash to bee farre from both the candor of his stile and gravity of his Iudgement But it may be said of these men as St Hierom of some in his dayes Existimant loquacitatem esse facundiam Lib. contra Helvid malodicere omnibus bonae conscientiae signum arbitrantur They had sufficient experience of his abilitie in this kinde about two yeares before that in the same place where he so baffled them with the strength of his Arguments that their mouthes being stop't they were evidently discerned to speake through the nose Insomuch that afterward to save the poore remnant of their repute with their followers who were present and perceived them to bee both confuted and convinced they had no other excuse but that they were daunted by the authority of his place and person A miserable subterfuge and no better then that which Foelix the Manichee made for himselfe when in a publicke dispute he was triumphed upon by St Austin but withall unwilling to confesse his ignorance Terret me apex Episcopalis Act. cum Foe lice lib. I. And yet it is well knowne that these men doe not use to deferre so much unto a Bishop as that haeretique or other heathen Philosophers in their conferences and letters did unto that learned father This contumelious and unfaire dealing did once perswade me not to answer the foole according to his foolishaesse But to contemne these Annales Volusî cacatas chartas The subject I have to doe with is so base the parties so unworthy that Vinco seu vincor semper Ego maculor And therefore perceiving them to be fallen out of one brainesickenesse into another that is from babling to scribling as desirous to be press't aswell as suspended I had set up my rest with the Epigrammatist Allatres licet usque nos usque Mart. lib. V. Epig 61. Et gannitibus improbis lacessas Certum est hanc tibi pernegarefamam Olim quam petis in meis libellis Qualiscunque legaris ut per orbem Nam te our aliquis sciat fuisse Ignotus pereas miser necesse est Non deerunt tamen hac in urbe forsan Vnus vel duo tresve quatuorve Pellem rodere qui veliâ—t caninam Nos han à scabie tonemus ungues But since they have sung an Io Paean to their victorie where they have little cause Prov. XIV 15. and by that meanes have seduced a number of simple people as the foolish will beleeve every thing insomuch that many especially of the female sexe have refused to receive the holy Sacrament for feare of Idolatrie I will take some paines breifly as the hast of the presse the importunity of mine owne affayres and present indisposition of my body will give me leave to remove these scruples that the poore people who have beene mis-led by these blinde guides may be reduced unto the unity of the Church which is the thing in this world I most desire That I may truly say with S. Cyprian Opto equidem ut si ficri potest nemo de fratribus pereat consentientis popull Corpus unum gremio suo gandens mater includat I desire if it be possible that none of the brethren perish but that the Church like a glad mother may receive them in her bosome being all of one minde This was the only cause which moved mee to heare their objections I did not admit disputation to call the present lawes in question but in all meekenesse to instruct them that were contrary minded and to settle their unresolved consciences beleeving them to be the men they profess't desirons of truth rather then victory and that if they might receive satisfaction to some few doubtes they were ready to yeeld that obedience which is required And both to conforme themselves unto the present governement to draw their people unto conformity also And in this I followed the example of S. Augustin who admitted Foelix the Manichee unto a publicke conference in the Church before the people wherein the haereticke though stiffe to maintaine his error yet gave the Bishop the reverence due to his place which these men would not affoord unto me and after long babling at last yeelded unto the truth I was not so happy in the successe in regard of the difference betwixt his auditors and mine his making conscience of the truth and accounting it Religion to reverence their Bishop and to beleeve him as Gods messenger but mine resolved never to forsake their opinions though the truth were made never so evident unto them having Iudgements forestalled with praejudice against whatsoever should be spoken by a Bishop whom to despise they account it the
highest perfection of Religion Besides the weakenesse of their understanding is such that they were not capable either of Arguments or answers but transported with the opponents sighes groanes lifting up of his eyes spreading out of his hands being the best Arguments which ever these zelots learned in the Schooles And indeed of no small waight with the common people As the Orator well knew when being in a certaine defence prevented of his usuall and lamentable conclusion by the teares and more lamentable conclusion of Horsensius he cryed out as one halfe undone Surripuisti mihi ornamenta Orationis meae Is it then any wonder that my conference which was only begun and so rather intended then acted had not the desired successe yet I dare say that censure which Erasmus past upon that conference betwixt S. Augustin and the Manichee may be as truly applyed unto ours Which is this and not impertinent to the present purpose In his actis nescio quid potissimum admirer Aug. Tom. 6. de act cum Foel fol 363. edit Basil Foelicisnè impudentiam qui provocârit ad publicam disputationem ad quam adeo non fuit instructus ut vix Asinus possit insulsius argumentari An populi tolerantiaw quae delirantem beluam citra tumultum auscultârit An Augustini stomachum invincibilem qui tam indoctis ineptijs tamdiu tantâ lenitate responderit In these Acts I know not what cheifly to admire the impudency of Foelix who did appeale to a publicke disputation for which he was so unpraepared as no Asse could have spoken more absurdly Or the lenitie of the people who without tumult heard that raving doting beast or the invincible patience of S. Augustin who with much mildenesse did so long answer to such unlearned fooleries Though I could not come neere that eminent Bishop in learning yet I laboured to imitate him in patience whereof I will yet give a further proofe by revising that Libell and making a full answer to those objections which the Disputer being instructed by the rest of his brethren what weapons to use made against the Orders of our Church at lest as many of them as keepe off the people from Conformitie And yet I finde the Libellers relation so voyd of sense that I should blush to set downe his owne words lest the Eccho might bee taken for the voyce But I hope the reader shall finde that albeit I set not downe all his words yet I have neglected nothing therein materiall And by this my hafty answer Quam non meditor sed effundo all men may receive satisfaction who are capable of instruction And wherein if my style be homely nay abject I desire the reader to remember what sort of people I have to doe with how I apply my selfe to their capacitie And perhaps the very reading of that Libell hath infected my pen with barbarisme At first our Disputer did onely dally with our Translation of the Psalmes Apocryphall Lessons and Collect for Christmasse day wherein he intended onely Velitationem quandam tanquam levis armaturae sending forth his light horsemen rather to view the advantages of the ground then to fight whom I shall not need to encounter in regard the Auditory was generally wearie of these peevish and poore exceptions And the Disputer himselfe hath confess'd as I am credibly informed that it was against his will he did moove those first scruples even in his owne judgement so apparently frivolous but that he was wrought and in a manner enforced thereunto by one of his brethren who praesumed much upon his skill in the Hebrew Besides those exceptions all that was objected for orders sake I shall reduce unto three heads for in the Libell there is neither method nor sense First he desired a warrant from Scripture to justifie our Ceremonies whereunto my answer was That if they meant a particular and expresse commaundement for every Ceremony and Church-constitution I had sufficiently proved in my Sermon that it could not be expected neither are they themselves able to produce such a warrant for such orders as they themselves injoyne and practise in their owne Congregations But if they meant a generall warrant our Church hath as much as they or any other Church yet ever had for their constitutions Even that warrant of the Apostle Let all things be done decently and in order 1. Cor. XIV 40. Which is that great Apostolicall Canon Calvin in locum by which all other Canons must be squared the true Touch-stone to try Ceremonies and the Ballance wherein all Church-Orders should bee weighed And whereas some Ceremonies seeme decent unto some which unto others seeme otherwise Those whom God hath made Governours of his Church and not any private man are to judge of their decencie If private men appoint orders to be used in the publicke worship of GOD as these men doe in their Congregations they must shew their Commission otherwise we must take that for decent in things indifferent which seemeth decent in the eye of publicke authority And those things which they were required to practise were in themselves things indifferent no wayes repugnant unto the Word of GOD had beene esteemed by the Church in all ages to be not onely decent but of singular good use And are now injoyned by lawfull authoritie And therefore they were bound in Conscience to submit themselves thereunto having for the same a warrant in Scripture in all those places which require obedience to be given unto our Superiours Rom. XIII 1. Let every soule be subject unto Superiour powers I. Pet. II. 13. Snbus it your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake Hebr. XIII 17. Obey them that have the rule over you Now what sayth the Libeller to this he struggles like a fish on the hooke and uttereth such pittiful stuffe that I am ashamed to relate it Hee tells us that the meaning of the Apostles words is Let all things ordayned by God be done decentlie and in order Bee it so The Sacrament is ordayned by God and therefore to be received decently Now I have fully proved in my Sermon that God hath not in Scripture either by precept or by example determined what particular gesture should bee used in the Sacrament And therefore the same is left to bee appointed at the discretion of the Church The Church hath appointed kneeling which is a decent gesture as afterwards I shall shew I have also declared that Kneeling is no humane invention but a naturall gesture and so ordayned by God which hath been and may bee applyed to every part of Gods worship He further sayes That rule must abide the tryall of other rules of Gods word This is strange Divinitie Will he question a rule of Gods Word call it to the barre and try it by a surie of its fellowes But I thinke his intent was if hee could have written sense to say that Kneeling at the Communion must abide the tryall of other rules And so it