his Vicisti Galilaee leaves out himselfe and sets up a God Lucian 1 Tom Timon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which old repentant Eli upon Gods sentence against him hath indenizon'd into a Scripture-expression Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good and if we may apply another orthodox sense to the same words the practise both of the ancient Fathers and of the Moderne most learned devout Writers It is our Saviours almost literally It is I be not afraid From what I have hitherto said Mat. 14.27 as the severest eye cannot discerne a quarrell against my King to whom there is not only an obligation laid upon my words but my very thoughts are also tyed up Eccles. 10 20. so I hope no moderate indifferent man will arraign any piece of my language against his great Court I know I am bound there also for Thou shalt not revile the Gods i.e. as some read the Judges Exod. 22 28. I would faine perswade my selfe that at least that one ingredient of an intire Christian spreads it selfe throughout my spirituall composition to love the whole world I meane the persons for I was never baptized into that hatred and would bee loath which in another kinde of contraries is the divells tallest stratagem to stir up and inflame a contentfull pride out of humility it selfe to make my love of one though of him who is the very breath of our nostrills and whose safety is worth ten thousand of us protect Lament 4.20 2 Sam 18.3 and patronage my contempt of some others In the next place give me leave to speake a few words in the behalfe of my languishing mother the Church and you shall have them as from a true sonne of the Church in the spirit of meeknesse In which there are three points of moment which struggle for the Truth Power of Ordination Jurisdiction and Discipline The two former I conceive to be essentially in the Bishops as succeeding the Apostles for the latter I humbly conceive the forme already establisht by full act of Parliament to be the purest in Christendome All these I shall now much wrong as being removed from the advantage of bookes which led me away a willing captive to them my unconstrained opinions having not tasted the edge of any sword but that of the Spirit which hath subdued my very minde yet I shall venture upon the strength of that reason quae nec decipitur nec decipit unquam at least to wooe a Toleration of them I have some Scripture by me for the former though I wish I could readily recall those other texts also which have so irrefragably convinced my assent In the 6 of Acts and the 2. The twelve called the multitude of disciples unto them and said v. 3. Seeke ye out among you men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisedome whom we may appoint over this businesse which Dr. Gerhard applyes to the Ordination of Deacons and if to the appointing of them the care of the Apostles did descend much more to the appointing of Priests or Presbyters being a superiour Order it is the kinde of argument à fortiori with which our Saviour himselfe does incourage his Apostles against the feare of Persecution and death it selfe The very haires of your heads are all numbered Feare yee not therefore Mat 27.30 not them that can kill the body nor did the Apostles only do this but the injunction lay upon their successours the Bishops upon Timothy the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians Lay hands suddenly on no man upon Titus the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians 1 Ep. 5 c. 22. v. For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest ordaine Elders in every City The case is thus farre plaine that it hath been so 1 Ch. 5 v. it is plainer yet that it may be so by the Concession of the greatest Divine-Antagonists who having received their orders from such hands performe their Ministeriall function without any new qualification Now since their power is confest lawfull on all hands and necessary on some the designe certainly of inlarging the Kingdome of Christ and setting up his throne in the hearts of men might goe on more cheerfully whilst that way of receiving it is indulged to those thousands who can no otherwayes receive it It is as true as Scripture Except we eat the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud St John 6.35 we have no life in us That flesh and blood are imparted in the Eucharist that Eucharist by the Ministers of the Word that those whom the Bishops ordain can administer the Sacrament is granted by All that those who are otherwayes ordained cannot say also that they are not ordained is beleeved by many by very much the greater part of Christendome and what then shall become of those many soules who hunger and thirst to be thus made righteous who passionately cry out Lord evermore give us this bread v. 34. when they beleeve the Hand that reaches it out might to as good purpose hold forth a stone and when they call for this blood to drinke they shall only finde that the Well is deep and there is nothing to draw Certainly this is not such a common dyet John 4 6. 1 King 17.6 that with the Prophet Elijah wee should be beholden to the Ravens to bring us bread and flesh in the morning that bread which is flesh also I meane such of whom wee suspect they have nothing else of the Priest about them but the black they weare I cannot before I proceed but humbly desire the Reader to be as impartiall as my selfe and not to conceive any thing here to be dispatcht by an Incendiary but from a conscience which groans under these very pressures and poures it selfe out to heaven for a reliefe I would not like her who dreamt herselfe with childe of a Firebrand adde the least sparke to the combustion already made but only beg a plaister for the sores and scorchings which rankle and fester our soule in the best part of it our minde when thou hast beleeved my sincere purpose I may goe on to tell thee that if we looke upon all Christendome and all antiquity the universality of time and place will be out loud Advocates if I should tell a heathen who like King Agrippa was almost perswaded to be a Christian how much the Church of Rome agrees with us it should be no disadvantage to the Generall Cause and it should have moment too amongst our selves wherein we are at one unlesse with the Invocation of Sâ—â— we would also renounce the calling upon God because the Papists say Our Father especially which had its full operation upon that learned compacted friend of Truth and enemy of Romish errour that our acknowledgement must render unto God the things that are Gods Sir Edwin Sands in spec Eur. p. 77. considering that all
good things are from God though they be found in his very enemy but amongst the Reformed how lately has that Hierarchicall extirpation prevailed in what a Nooke of the earth He that remembers not when it was rooted and brancht out of Scotland is but yet a childe he that can tell me what blessings that Kingdome hath since injoy'd besides English gold and the impoverishment of her sister erit mihi magnus Apollo for the Reformed part of France I remember learned Moulin about six years since has printed their desires for Episcopacy and their submission only to this fatall necessity that because there cannot be two Bishops of one Diocesse and because in that Government there must be a Popish Bishop the Reformed part must therefore onely wish that happinesse which they cannot injoy is for another Reformed Church I remember their printed prayer That God would have mercy upon them in this behalfe for their want of Bishops and the Comment upon it that whereas they desire mercy they acknowledge the offence For our selves I desire pardon for such a solemne Truth as needing no fresh wound since I bleed whilst I speak it if that government were abolisht by the same full power which so frequently enacted though with humility I speake it long since Statutum est irreversibly in the Law of God and to such Lawes I presume those of the Land did never intend a confirmation by way of authority because they stand already upon a firmer Basis but declare their submission it would be a griefe as irremedilesse as unsupportable but rebus sic stantibus the Aequilibrium is much doubted when the party of one profest contrary opinion are the Judges and executioners of the other the Assertors of it being yet unexamined whether they can plead not guilty it is a just sentence even against a just sentence parte inandita altera Aequum lices statâ—â—rit hand Aequus est be they never so right in the bonum the want of the bone spoyles all it is a case not much unlike which we reprehend and must for ever in the Councell of Trent That which is a stigma to them will scarce become our ornament decere Curios I cannot but well relish the ingenuity of the Oratour Cum de Religione agitur T. Coruncanum Cicero de naturâ Deorum Lib. 3. P. Scipionem P. Scavolam Pontificis Maximis non Zenonem aut Cleanthem aut Chrysipum sequor As in point of Religion hee would not take advice from the Philosophers morality though that toucht the borders of the garment till they almost kist each other so they should not be only Pontifices but Maximi whom hee would have recourse to I cannot so far captivate my judgement but this will still be a stumbling blocke For these reasons and for many other I would gladly listen to at least a Toleration of their Government and the old forme of prayers which should not like us that use them decay for having liv'd so long but grow more vigorous from their very age if it were not a principle remov'd beyond the danger of proofe why God will ever be I would give this reason because God alwayes was and this not only to satisfie my Oaths which as one well sayes of friendship Amare Non cito desisto non temere incipio should not be taken without deliberation nor forgone with rashnesse and as another Let thy acquaintance be many but thy friends few though I may resolve often because those may be broken and my faith stand whole yet I would seldome sweare because a Violation of that will waste my conscience but also that I might obtaine the same equall favour from my Brother-Protestants which has sometimes been indulged our Religion from the harshest enemies of it and us nothing so cruell as to be wounded by those of our owne House Quod tu facias hoc mihi paete dolet a toleration to all those of the Augustane Confession was granted by the Emperour in Conventu Ratisbon anno 1532. nay by the Pope himselfe Lampad Mellific p. 429. anno 1533. Pontifex Clemens misit legatum Hugonem Randonem ad Saxoniae Ducem Electorem Protestantem by whom he signifi'd the Grant it was the very yeare in which King Henry 8 did deficere a Papa and our whole Kingdome became generally Protestants so that it is not any bold upstart vnhear'd of suite but what has been approov'd allow'd countenanc't by repeated Acts of Protestant-Parliaments if yet the Commencers themselves are branded with the Idolatrous name of Papists they are only such who will discourse and preach and write against them though Death stand in the gap and swim in the Prophets pots besides none can tell how much it would asswage the heats and risings within how it would stop the mouthes of many against Oppression in opening them to their God But to attempt a very scripturall reason and at least by consequence and rationall deduction to shew that this request is agreeable to the Christian Policy of a very Paul who in Acts 15 forbad blood and things strangled to be eaten only to comply with the Half-won Jew that he might be wholly Christian now let the case be ballanc't the abstinence from those was fully abrogated by the infallible Authority of Christ Himselfe I doubt not but the modesty of each Abrogatour here will acknowledge himselfe singly and the whole body to be fallible because men the permitted abstinence from blood under colour of Religion and conscience was as opposite to Evangelicall Doctrine as Judaisme to Christianity such a difference betwixt observation and not-observation of our Ancient Liturgy was never yet mentioned and that this is not the drift and sense of the Authour only but of the present Assembly you have the whole of it at least collaterally in their Annotations the words are he sheweth that these Ceremonies to what they were accustomed many yeeres could not without great distractions be abolisht untill they could better learne their liberty in Christ and that the word Necessary v. 28. is not to be referred to the Ceremonies themselves but to the present occasion and persons I will not pursue my purpose from the word accustomed nor from the suddainely but leave it to the judgement of any single eye whether there be not fairer at least tolerability in all respects for this then for those That there should be a sub and supra in the Church I conceive equitable from the difference in parts and abilities not onely of the same kinde though not of the same degree but if the gifts be severally look't upon wee shall finde them not only gradually but specifically distinct and I am well aware of my own insufficiency either way which would easily perswade my Canonicall Obedience to the abler man Cor 12 28. God hath set forth some first Apostles c. and then he presently askes are all Apostles are all Prophets c. from which Method I suppose I may
the teat drop by drop unstraind from mixture of hayre and dust and godly filth and much good may the drench doe them for my part I am not so eagerly bent but I can stay the dishing it and I thanke God I finde it nonrisheth me never the worse because it is the better cook't amongst the giddy people whose only Principle it is to goe by none or else who make Religion subservient to their estate and can be content to serve God so far forth as Mammon will give them leave such whom the speare which opened Christs side can better teach to pray then Christs Spouse the Church I cannot but expect upon any new thoughts of a fresh alteration to whom alteration it selfe though it be to the worse is better themselves will be the most vehement Reformers as counting that to calcine their Religion which makes it another whom I looke upon as Aristotles Materia prima which is Omulum for marum expers capax when the next tempest assailes his house doe but tell him the Heavens chide at his false worship and that the whole Fabrique will presently intombe him unlesse the change of his opinions divert the storme tell him that In te militat Aether conjurati veniunt ad Maenia venti and then doe but offer him a new platforme you shall see and pity him tost too and fro Ep 4.14 and carryed about with every winde of Doctrine upon such easie Articles let him but save a house and you shall gaine a Proselyte for my selfe he whose proofes run in this Channell will but beate the Aire till my inward part is freely conquered unballanc't with estate and advantages and that I am glad it is so I can but oppose to all other assaults that Theorem of Phalaris which swells with a Divine and Measured Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And now to shut up all concerning the Church of England in a Close which I dare commend I will give you in few the full of all which I can say or meane you shall have them as they lie in Sir Edwin Sandys Europae Speculum pag. 214. without any of the least intruding advantagious glosse a man whose report hath hitherto stood up unblemish't against Popery which his very report do's so much blemish England in their more sober Moode many of the Church of Rome will acknowledge to have beene the only Nation that tooke the right way of justificall Reformation in comparison of others who have run headlong rather to a tumultuous Innovation so they conceive it whereas that alteration which hath beene in England was brought in with peaceable and orderly proceeding by generall consent of the Prince and whole Realme Representatively Assembled in Solemn Parliament a great part of their owne Cleargy according and conforming themselves unto it no Luther no Calvin the square of their Faith what publique discussing and long deliberation did perswade them to be faulty that taking away the Succession of Bishops and Vocation of Ministery continued the Dignity and State of the Clergy preserved the Honour and Solemnity of the service of God not abased the more ancient usages of the Church not cancelled In summe no humour of affecting contrariety but a charitable endeavour rather of conformity with the Church of Rome in whatsoever they thought not gain-saying to the expresse Law of God which is the only approveable way in all meere Reformations At length I am arrived to the consolatory part which I proposed as my designe it hath the lucke of all ends to be first and last Primum in intentione ultimum in executione and falls out in its due finall place as an Application after the explaining of the Doctrinall parts which must necessarily have preceeded as the Pracognita to this Where first that I may escape the sharpe retort of Endamidas upon a Philosopher who laboured to proove that only the wise man is the good Generall he acknowledgeth the pith and substance of the Oration with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he never heard the shrill sound of Trumpet I confesse I beare in my estate the markes of that wound which I strive to heale Qua tolerata mihi donec jam Aerumnajuvaret and therefore can passe the probatum est Auson upon the Medicine if it meete with a minde equally tempered The holy charme is intended against disrepute and losse for Gods sake and conscience that wee let not the receiving of honour one from another hinder us from beleeving John 5.44 that wee count the best honour as indeed it is to serve the best Master both in Heaven and Earth our great God and our good King Nullum Theatrum Virtuti conscientia majus est that wee doe primas dare to our Creatour Tuse Quaest Lib. 2. and suffer not a peece of drossie wealth which God hath bid us to trample upon and not let that to tread downe us by the contemptible under-seate t is bred in to divide with him and Rivall his Honour Impatiens Consortis is a maxime in the supreame Court above as well as in the earthly Palaces that wee be not only halfe beleevers and like those many amongst the cheife Rulers also who meant no doubt woudrous well but because of the Pharises they did not confesse him lest they should be put out of the Synagogus John 12.43 Luk. 12.22 that we do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hange betwixt 2 because of food and rayment and though wee seeme to propend heaven-ward with the falling Metere grovell into the Daughill that wee doe not shake off Providence and instead of that inshrine a belly for our God whose reward will be heavier then that of Aarons Calfe as much as the fire of Hell scorches more then that of thy Kitchen If any droopes under the load of his present distresse St. James will reach out his hand to life him up Chron. 5. v. 10. Take my brethren the Prophets for an example of suffering affliction and of patience behold wee count them happy that indure they are already happy here because God deemes them worthy to suffer for his sake and if they indure unto the end St. Mat. 24.13 Heb. 12.2 they shall be saved and be happy eternally hereafter That Jesus sayes it who himselfe indured the Crosse and dispised the shame for the joy which was set before him That Jesus who hath now set the joy before us also if wee will but despise the shame imitating and obeying both his example and command Mat. 11.24 to take up the Crosse and follow him to the Crowne of Glory Bee the weather never so foule he is but a bad worlds-man that will not venture abroad because the wayes are deepe When a faire Inheritance awaites the end of his Journey a Rainy Day will not respite thy next Distrainer and if thou markest it well when he has prized thy last sticke of wood he do's but vertere sterquilinium let him spurne as stately