that the onely feare of Gods displeasure hazard vs vpon your Maiesties whom if wee did not feare lesse then God neyther should wee long feare so much as we ought ANSVVER IT seemeth you haue well considered the manifolde daungers which are like to follow but not so carefully indeuoured that you may auoide them the miseries of a wife and tenne children which doubtlesse in you is intollerable crueltie not to pittie are amongest the greatest calamities and the heauiest of this life and not to prouide for them when wee can is to denie the faith and to be worse then Infidels What is it then to pull this miserie vpon them Heere â—nto adde that which is as you call it the life of your life the vse of your poore ministerie to the hazard of your â—â—â—cke must it not bee some grieuous transgression a sinne like the sinne of wiâ—chcraft that shall make you to aduenture all this let me tell you which peraduenture in particular your owne experience hath not found a number haue little esteemed eyther of the losse of liuing of the miserie of wise and children of their separation from their â—lockes First because an opinion of persecution for their zeale to reformation of the superstitions of the Church hath found such liberall contributions from the handes of many that they haue made often aduantage of this losse and returned richer from imprisonments then when they were at libertie nay some haue affected with all diligence their owne persecution as they call it in this kinde as the shortest and easiest way to purchase and to become rich as for their flockes if their zeale had beene such as they pretend to the saluation of their soules to how many thinges not vnreconcylably euill would they haue yeilded rather then haue brought them to so great a daunger yet giue me leaue without offence to tell you that the happinesse of your flockes depend not euer vpon such teachers neyther will the losse altogether bee so great as they peraduenture imagin but howsoeuer vndoubtedly the Church hath little reason to value their labours at any great price who haue not yet learned to bee obedient to her voyce But as the sore of disobedience groweth to an vlcer out of the swelling of pride as HVGO noteth so there are three means sayth he onely left for the cure of it playster oyntment launcing the first hee calleth example the second exhortation the third correction When the two first fayle then the last must bee vsed It may bee thought perhappes seueritie to practise so sharpe censures vpon the ministers of the Church who doe all that they doe vpon a good grounde but vvhat if no other meanes will serue to cure the great swelling of this Church haue not playsters oyntmentes milder medicines beene practised And yet are not the swellinges as great still The knife onely remaynes to launce them I exhort not to crueltie but defend those who are more grieued to punish with depriuation and such like then those that suffer it and I am heartily sorie that some otherwise men vertuous and profitable to the Church shoulde fall into these opinions with so strong an opposition as if God and the King did commaund two contrarie things I confesse my selfe the vnablest of many thousandes in this Church to vndertake the defence of the proceedings of so vertuous and wise a prince of so graue and so learned a Clergie none of all which I protest would I flatter in a knowne error to gaine the greatest reputation vpon Earth yet when I see that in these conflictes they make God and the King contrarie as if the feare of Gods displeasure did hazard them vpon his Maiesties I cannot but tell them that their â—eale doth want knowledge and that obedience is better then the sacrifice of fooles APOLOGY IT may be we are misled in opinion thanked be God it is not heresie but hee that once will goe against the vnknowne error of his Conscience will at last haue no conscience to goe against knowne error The Conscience foyled is like a distemperate Locke that no Key will open ANSVVER IF you had opinion that you were misled though it were in opinion and not heresie yet wisdome and Religion ought both to moue you to hasten to that truth from whence whilst you differ although your doctrine be all one with the Church of England yet neither can you liue with that ioy in your owne soule whilst you are at variance though for Ceremonies with those that doe rule ouer you neither can the Church inioy so good vse of your labours whilst you are not carefull to preserue the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace False opinions concerning the gouernment of the Church doubtlesse are not equall yea dangerous to those Heresies that are against the Faith yet seeing the least errour cannot bee maintained but by broaching newe wisdome will counsell vs to hasten in humility to rest and repose our selues in the iudgement of the Church But where the conscience either thinketh it vnlawfull out of her owne knowledge so supposed or feareth it not to bee lawfull out of the timerous care arising from her owne weaknesse there wee can easily bee content to expect them with much patience if their humility will giue them leaue to learne and rather to doe what they ought not vntill they bee resolued then to doe what they should being not resolued Because as you say He that once will goe against the vnknowne error of his Conscience will at last haue no Conscience to goe against knowne error But seing al men vnderstand not aright what that is which they alledge for themselues when they say theâ—r Conscience wee are willing to set downe what we haue elsewhere noted that the simplest may not bee deceiued with pretence of Conscience There is naturally ingraffed in the heart of man that light of Nature which can neuer bee put out that telleth him that no euill is to bee done Now Reason according to the knowledge that it hath which in some is more and in some lesse deliuereth his Iudgement of particulers that they are good or euill from whence the conclusion followeth they are to bee done being good and not to bee done beeing euill and this is our Conscience which is nothing els but an application of our knowledge to a particuler Act. This application is made in a threefold maner as 1 First to consider whether such a thing bee done or not done and surely in this our Consciences can best tell the actions and intention of those thinges which are done by vs. Giue not thy heart saith SALOMON to all the wordes that men speake least thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee for oftentimes thy heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others 2 The second Application is when wee Iudge of the fact which is done whether it bee well or euill the measure of our knowledge in this making vs mistake as euill for
the propositions which it publikely professeth it contayneth nothing contrarie to the word of God This then being your approbation vnder your hand doe you not think it lawful to alow by subscription what you think lawfull The truth of those things whereunto you haue beene required to subscribe hath forced a confession of their lawfulnesse euen from the mouthes of her greatest aduersaries and yet for all this because they would be to others examples of disobedience they haue refused to subscribe to thrust others of lesse learning greater moderation into the like contempt This being as one noteth the principal vnhappines of those men that they had the authoritie of the aged and the faults of youth Who being in this as they thought to publish their vertue were supposed not without cause to affect glory APOLOGY A Weeke after I was called before the Bishop of London the Deane of the Chappell being with him and after many sharpe rebukes for my Sermon preached before his Maiestie vrged to subscribe to the three articles we stood a time in clearing some exceptions then taken at last I prayed leaue to write downe the same limitation which I had written to his Maiestie and then read before them Which being denyed as idle and needlesse to be exprest because it was alwaies implied and vnderstood I taking them both and God to witnes that I did subscribe in the same sence and with the same limitations that I had expressed in that sent vnto his Maiesty did then subscribe This done I pretested vnto them that I had in the some manner and with the same protestation subscribed twise before yet wished that my present subscription might not be diuulged but as I my selfe should open it least I should be thoght to haue done that at this time out of feare for desire of inlargment which God knew I had done according to my iudgement so become lesse profitable in my calling lesse able to satisfie other men The bishop replied that the King must know it otherwise for his part it should be concealed which the Deane also promised as well as he I answered that I knew well his Maiestie must know it and cared not who knew it but in the former respect and that my selfe would make it knowne which thing I did the same houre and neuer yet denyed beseeching them to informe his Maiestie that I had done no more now then before least his Maiesty should thinke me caried by feare as a man of an euill conscience which they both promised to doe his Lordship and Master Deane then exhorted me to conformitie in practise I answered that for my iudgement of the ceremonies they knew it as did also many of the ministers amongest whom I had at sundry conferences discouered and maintayned my opinion of their lawfulnes but for practise I should yeilde to haue them vsed in my cure but in my owne person who had neuer vsed them and once lost my place for not vsing them I durst not promise it at least vntill I had done what I could to preuent offence Two daies after this I was called againe before the Bishop to be discharged of mine imprisonment by order from his Maiesties Counsell At what time the Bishop exhorted me to conforme my selfe and perswade other men for conformitie I besought his Lordship not to expect it at my hands nor to say I doubled with him if I performed it not so long as the feare of scandall should restraine me adding that his Lordship might gaine much honour to himselfe and peace to the Church by shewing compassion vpon the ministers in a few lighter things when their hearts were so inclinde to peace his Lordship replied that I should haue time to teach and satisfie my people I answered that I did not so much feare the offence of those with whom I now liue as of other places where I had liued And as touching the satisfying of other men I tolde him I might not vndertake to perswade but would be readie vpon any occasion to professe freely what I thought as I had done alreadie at sundrie conferences and that I had that day receiued some obiections of a friend in writing to which I had promised Answer His Lordship wished to see the arguments but I craued pardon bycause they were committed to me from a friend and vpon trust he then required to see mine answer before I should send it to my friend which I yeilded vnto and haue not yet broken for I neuer sent answer to it nor euer shall And this my Lord to my best remembrance is the whole summe of that which I haue done and the world speaketh of so much and diuersly out of all which this summe ariseth First that I haue foure times subscribed to the Booke of common prayer with limitation and reference of all things therein contayned vnto the purpose and doctrine of this Church of England and limitation I eyther wrote down or protested before witnesse Secondly that I neuer promised present conformitie in practise howsoeuer I confessed the ceremonies not simply vnlawfull as I did since also before your Lordship ANSVVER IT is the desire of all men who are willing to continue the reputation without wrong to be able to giue account of what they doe and to render a reason of what they speake The narration of your behauiour and trouble as also your opinion concerning conformitie with this Church as we haue receiued it vnder your owne hand so wee desire leaue without offence to obserue some few things materiall to this end and although your reducing the summe of the whole storie to those two heads first that you haue foure times subscribed to the booke of common praier with limitation and reference of all things therein contayned vnto the purpose and doctrine of this Church of England Secondly that you neuer promised conformitie in practise howsoeuer you confessed the ceremonies not simply vnlawfull be the principall things contayned in it yet because some other things are pertinent to this cause wee will rather examine then answer what you haue alleadged 1 You haue yeilded to subscribe with limitatiō which limitation is the purpose and intention of the Church of England a caueat doubtlesse not needful to be expressed seeing it is the same Church that requireth subscription who would not haue any within her own bosom require an allowance to the fancies opinions that others hould And peraduenture wise men will thinke that the distinctions found out are but euasions do what they would not seeme whilst in the meane time they might lurke vnder some equiuocall cloud as the Iesuits doe 2 Further you desire that your present subscription might not bee diuulged but as your selfe might open it a thing you see both yeilded vnto and performed by those in whose power it was but doubtfull what intention you had in concealing of it I can easily afford you so much charity as to thinke it was least some
For the indâ—lgence of Abraham to his inferiour which you desire it is no example that superiours must euer yeeld yet surely if the gouernors of our Church saue in these the moderatioÌ„ of Lot they wold say with al meeknes loue which they haue said often but with smal Let there be no strife betweene you and vs neither between your heardmen and our heardmen for we are brethren And for the difference which you desire should be made betwixt you and some of Scotland I doubt not but his excellent Maiestie who in this as an Angell of God is able to discerne the beginnings the proceedings and the end of these fancies which though they be not alike violent in all yet they euer serue to this end that vniformitie and order may cease and priuate singularities dangerous in Gods seruice may take place and all to this end fondly to please them whose intentions are vnhallowed and their desires endlesse for if an ouerflowing mercy which were nothing else but a mercilesse crueltie would frame it selfe to yeild vnto all things that you all desire would you not after this yet desire more Doubtlesse the inconstancy of these men so often varying both in Doctrine and Discipline allowing what immediatly they mislike subscribing to what they disprooue hath laide from the mouth of our aduersaries those blemishes vpon this Church as if vncertaintie and error were the onely supporters of our truth whereas if seueritie of lawes had wrought a generall vniformitie in this Church might wee not with ioynt handes haue encountered our aduersaries with a compleat armie who in the meane time looking with pleasure vpon the violence of some amongest vs are readie to afford coales and breath vnto that fire wherein without carefull prouidence our Church of necessitie must needs perish APOLOGY IT is a probable course but if it be suggested to your Maiestie out of any mans heart but your owne let me beseech you to consider if it may not be at least in sequell like the aduise of Hushay to Absolon which first ouerthrowing the good counsell of Achitophell did afterward ouerthrow the verie intentions which it seemed to support ANSVVER IT seemeth things suggested to Princes from others though the same be not the same as when they come from themselues the vsual euill custome of these times is for all men to sit in counsaile vpon the actions of Princes thus doe we direct their handes their eares their tongues and what we cannot out of our weaknesse comprehend that we interpret boldly and falsely according to our owne fancies if first all means be vsed to procure a peace by a generall conformitie amongst those whom neither lawes nor religion haue made different and after that to proceed against those which more earnestly and dangerously dissent from vs can it beare any interpretation of such euill And if euill how can it be compared to the counsell of Hushay which doubtlesse was from God to ouerthrow the dangerous and irreligious counsell that Achitophel gaue there cannot be in my opinion a greater commendation to this aduise then that it should be like the counsaile of Hushay whome God stirred vp to releiue Dauid let others affect vnto themselues the Commendation and end that Achitophell had but God grant vnto the King now euer both for the Church and Commonweale such as Hushay was For dowbtlesse the Counsell of Hushay the Archite is better then the Counsell of Achitophell APOLOGY GIue me leaue once to sweare vnto your Maiesty by the God of Gods that neuer any thing in my memory more greeued the subiects then the present course against the Ministers nothing in my opinion would gratifie them more then the contrary which if God please I could wish deriued immediatly from your noble brest that your highnesse might receiue this sole honour and thankes for such a fauour and refresh the affections of your most louing and loyall subiectes ANSVVER I doe easily thinke that it may be farre otherwise then you sweare if you mean by Subiectes either the most or the wisest or the most Religious in this Land Who vndoubtedly haue receiued farre greater griefe at the death of our late Soueraigne when mercy looking vpon the misery of this Land preuented our gratious King with the blessings of goodnesse and set a crown of pure golde vpon his head so that the Nations that are round about vs may say as Hyram when hee heard the words of Salomon Blessed be the Lord this day which hath giuen vnto DAVID a wise Son ouer this mighty people vnto Queene ELIZABETH an heire of her owne house and linage full of religion wisdome and vnderstanding As also their iust sorrow for that mourning and desolation through all our Kingdome when the most part was stroken with a plague like the tenth plague of Aegypt when there were few houses wherein there were not some dead When the mutuall comfort of friends was denyed the hearing of Gods word was as much as the hazard of mans life these surelye were greater griefs in your memorye then that for which you swear but besides I see not how it can come within the compasse of your knowledge that neuer any thing more greeued the Subiectes then the present course against the Ministers The releefe whereof would bee so farre from gratifying any that were wise vertuous or experienced in the troubles of these times vnlesse some sewe ingaged in the same tempest as that it would threaten danger to the Prince prophanesse to the Land Barbarisme to learning confusion to all stares and without an infinite mercie vtter ruine and desolation both to the Church and the commonwealth We take not vpon vs to aduise his excellent Maiestie but power out our prayers that al blessings by his loue to the Church may in his daies bee powred vpon his childrens children and that peace may be vpon Israell APOLOGY WHat can I say more the Lord God the God that hath made your Maiestie so great a King inspire your heart with his owne Counsell in these things and giue vs grace and wisdome to obey and suffer as we ought ANSVVER TO this with the plentifull addition of all graces the whole Church of great Brittain lying prostrate at his Maiesties feet doth say Amen Amen APOLOGY ANd for my selfe if your Maiesty wil pardon this boldnes and grant me to liue yet vnder your protection though in a priuate life and free me in your thoughts from the blot of dishonestie I shall promise in the word of a Christian by all meanes to studie the peace of the Church and to poure out my soule in daily prayers for your excellent Maiestie and all your blessed posteritie that God may continue these kingdomes vnder your Highnesse and yours till Christ shall come and end all in one Your Maiesties Loyall and humble vassall Iohn Burges ANSVVER IF this resolution continue you need not doubt but to finde mercy but wisedom would consult whether it be
sinister and false collections might be deriued from it whilest some others peraduenture more probably think that you meant to beare your brethren in hand that you yeilded not so farre as in truth ye did Consider if the concealement of this subscription haue not some proportion with the hypocricy of Saul but honour me I pray thee before the elders of my people and that which you feare would be taken to be an euil conscience could not but in the iudgement of so wise a Prince be thought an obedient and an humble mind 3 The third thing is that notwithstanding your allowance of these ceremonies yet you could not conforme your selfe but would willingly allow the practise of them by some other euen in your owne cure this in my apprehension doth seeme strange for seeing your flocke haue that good opinion of you as is fit for sheepe to haue of their pastor and that you feare not any scandal amongst them as your selfe afterward confessed your example might haue remooued both from them others neare vnto you all offence if there were any who peraduenture might haue stumbled at the same things being vsed by others and scandal being so dangerous is not fit to be offered by a Curate 4 Fourthly you intreat compassion towards the ministers in a few lighter things Let me tell you that mildnesse in some other cases may be a vertue but in this a vice and surely he fayleth in his episcopall courage who through remisnesse or pitie suffereth the lawes of the Church by being wilfully broken to be vnhallowed disturbers of the Churches peace and surely if the vrging of subscription which the law required haue beene the cause of the seuerall dissentions in our Church a worse effect could not haue proceeded from so good a cause then that that which was a vertuous inuention to make peace by the vnquiet disposition of some few should become the originall fountaine of so much warr Besides experience telleth vs that the mildnes which that Reuerend Archbishop Grindall vsed in those times little auailed with those men for to make them better and the last Archbishop of famous memory found it to be most true that such as were spared eyther from his owne compassion the importunity of others or a hope to win theÌ„ by this means the fauour shewed them in that kind they esteemed but desert his mildnes patieÌ„ce to be their own merit besides the things are not to be esteemed few or light which are manifold disobedieÌ„ces to those peaceable orders lawful coÌ„stitutions which the Church maketh 5 Fiftly you feare not so much the offence of those with whom you do now liue as of other places where you haue liued This can be no good pretence for disobedieÌ„ce in this case seeing they by your example were most fit to be resolued of the true lawfulnesse of those things of whose suspected vnlawfulnes they first grew iealous by your doctrine who since I hope haue been better taught APOLOGY NOw because it may seeme a part of dishonesty or leuity now to refuse the conditions so often accepted I beseech your Lordship to wey this mine answer that for so much as the purpose if not doctrine of our Church to which I referred my subscription appeareth vnto me by the late Canons Booke of conference and some speeches of your Lordship and some others to be varied somewhat from that which I before not without reason tooke it to be I hold my selfe to be where I waâ— but the state of subscription to be changed from it selfe partly in the end of requiring subscriptioÌ„ partly in the things subscribed vnto I euer-â—ook our subscription to import an admission of things so farre tollerable taken in the Churches intention that men not otherwise preiudiced might lawfully vse them being imposed this conceit the words of the subscription in which we acknowledge the booke such as may lawfully be vsed did breed in me and the Ordinary speeches of your Lordship and other Bishops strengthen as that the ceremonies were trifles rags beggerly rudiments that in the booke were multae tollerabiles ineptiae which if it pleased the King to remoue they would be glad which all are pleas rather for tolleration then approbation of them Neither did I mistake if mistake that point alone for there be many some of geeat place that vrging subscription and conformity neuer sticke to say that authority ought to remoue some things and sinneth in not doing it thereby shewing that they thinke not Subscription to approue the voluntary imposition but the compelled obseruation of some things in the booke But now I perceiue by the close of the third Article of Subscription wherin ex animo we must professe to subscribe to all things contained in any of the three articles and by the sixt Canon where the approbation of the rites and ceremonies is prouided for as well as the vse and by the whole tenour of the Canons which apparently condemne and preiudge all clayme made or to be made for any alteration now my Lord if this be the intention of our Church in requiring Subscription I cannot yeild thereto some things a man must aequitate improbare as Austin speaketh and many things may be well obserued that are not so well commanded saith Beza be it that a man might doe well rather to vse the ceremonies then loose his calling shall I acknowledge your Lordship to doe well in the ordaining of them hath God in vaine commaunded dissimilitude with idolaters were the fathers vnwise that called so instantly from conformity with the heathen or the sects of Iewes or heretikes in matters indifferent such a garland or habit or keeping of Easter day or thrise dipping c. ANSVVER THere is little hope of sufficient strength in the sequell of this Apology whose foundation is laide vpon so false a ground nature hauing taught all men this truth that where the beginnings of things faile the deductions which are as it were an issue proceeding from the same originall must needes bee worse both because all vertue which is coÌ„municated except imediately from the author of all vertue must by participation bee weakned and all admission of concurrence in other causes cannot but make something which is weake cleaue vnto that vertue besides nothing is so easie if there were either as much honesty or safety in it as for men euill disposed to wrong those that are innocent whome if wee cleare from all fault as they deserue we shall either bee thought to flatter or else burden their modestie with their deserued praises A change in you not in opinion but in obedience can no way be iustified but by an accusation of our whole state as if that now vpon the sodaine wee varied and declyned not from the doctrine but from the intention and purpose that the Church had Wee accept very willingly that which you haue graunted which no aduersaries to this Church shal
for information of manners yet seeing in those ancient times some of the fathers did inhibit the reading of them some say they were vsed by the Catechistes as wee permitted base coyne to the Irish some euen Councels forbad the reading of them and seeing by their first more innocent then prudent admission of them to be read in assemblies they wonne as appeareth in the third Councell of Carthage the stile first of Canonicall Scriptures and afterward the full dignity and haue since iustled with the Canon as Ismael did with Isack for precedeÌ„ce and hauing wonne it by this stratagem do maintaine their stile from the sâ—me reason of being read and that euen amongst vs me thinks there was neuer so great cause of aduancing them so neare the Chayr of estate as is now of teaching them to know their distances eyther by sylencing their voyces in the assemblies as most of the reformed Churches do or else by teaching them to speake in a different time as doe those Churches that read them while the coÌ„gregation is gathering not as parts to diuine seruice or at least that euery Minister were ioyned to giue them their note of difference that the people might know and discerne the voice of God from the voice of good men And if Hierom translating some of them did giue them a brand of difference why should not we in the reading Or if the elder brother suffer not the yonger to giue the armes of his house without a Crescent to distinguish them how will God that is so Iealous of his Honour put it vp that wee put no sensible difference betwixt the children of his spirit and the baser sonnes of men though good men In which cause my Lord I am the more earnest because I finde at the Conference Hierom taxed for calling them Apocripha and there though not truely for Cyril did it before him saide to bee the first that so termed them and his exceptions called the old euils of the Iewes and I find theÌ„ also tearmed Canonicall ad mores as if any writing but Gods could be properly Canonical which is co ipso canonica quo authentica as D. Whitaker well saith which make one feare that which I am loth to feare or speake must make me by so much the more afraid of allowing their admission by how much they incroch vpon the prerogatiues royoll of the Scriptures eyther in titles or in vsage ANSVVER THe custome of accusing the lawfull ordinances of this Church hath imboldened some men aboue both dutie and reason to continue still vehement in their first opposition which peraduenture at the beginning was vndertaken without cause this land as it neyther doth nor I hope euer shall professe any other doctrine but that which is sincere and true Our home aduersaries confessing that for the substance of Religion it maintayneth the true and the holy faith so for our publike Lyturgye which now is misliked by you wee will first take the censure of one as strickt as any that liued eyther since or before him and after if wee be further vrged enter into the particular defence of all that iustly can bee misliked in our Church not that wee are willing to giue any strength to this last errour or to flatter for aduancement the eye or the hand of this time an infirmitie which we hope shall not cleaue vnto vs but because wee are perswaded in conscience that the holy Spirit hath directed the consultations of the fathers of our Church euen then when first they banished superstition to frame by the assistance of a Diuine power a publike seruice of God in this land purer for the matter more effectuall for vse more chast for ceremonie more powerfull to procure deuotion then any Lyturgye publicklye established since the defection from the primitiue Church Of which as I promised I must tell you what Maister Deering said Looke if any line be blameable in our seruice take holde of your aduantage I thinke Maister Iewell will accept it for an article our seruice is good and godly euerie title grounded vpon holy Scriptures and with what face doe you call it darknesse But men are ashamed to seeme guiltie who alwaies haue beene Iudges or at least accusers That then which you mislike in this place for the rest wee shall indeuour to defend when wee come vnto them is the reseruation euen of the parcels of those Chapters some parts whereof we reiect as drosse that is to summe vp your whole accusation in few words that no Apocripha is publikely to be read in diuine seruice The Church of Christ according to her authoritie receiued from him hath warrant to approoue the Scriptures to acknowledge to receiue to publish and to commaund vnto her children so then that the Scriptures are true to vs wee haue it from the Church but that we beleeue them as true in themselues we haue it from the holy Ghost By this power the Church hath severed those parcels of Scripture by the name of Apocripha from those which vndoubtedly were penned from Gods Spirit In this diuision neyther hath the light nor the approbation beene all one seeing euen some partes penned by the holy Ghost and so now generally approued both by the Church of Rome and vs haue had some difficulty not without great examination to be admitted into the Catalogue of Gods Canon As the Epistle to the Hebrewes of S. Iames the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the Reuelation And howsoeuer those that were neuer doubted of may seeme to haue in some sort greater authoritie then those that were yet wee giue them saith M. Zanchy equall credit with the rest and to the Apocripha the next place of all other to the holy Scripture The Canonical only wee allow for probation of the doctrine of Faith but the other being proued for the confirmation therof Nay the Church of Rome confesseth howsoeuer they and wee differ which are Canonicall that the Apocripha in the Canon are to haue no place Saint Austin calleth by a larger acceptation of the word Canonicall euen those which though they had not perfect and certaine authority yet accustomably were read in the Church to edefie the people a custome as it seemeth neither now nor differing from the practise of our Church Athanasius allowed them to some men The third CouÌ„sel of Carthage not at al. Cyrill Bishoppe of Ierusalem reiectes them from beeing read in the Church of whome Doctor Whitakers whome you alledge giueth this censure in this Cyrill peradueÌ„ture was ouer vehement which forbad these bookes to be read at all For other Fathers although they accounted them Apocripha yet they permitted them to be read And Saint Hierome speaketh of the booke of wisdome and of Ecclesiasticus out of which two is more read in our seruice then out of al the Apocripha besides that they may be reade to the edification
maximè potuimus ad Ecclesiam Apostolorum veterum Catholicorum Episcoporum patrum quam scimus adhuc suisse integram atque vt Tertullianus ait incorruptam viâ—ginem nulla dum idolclatria nec errore graui ac publico contaminatam nec tantùm doctrinam nostram sed etiam sacramenta praecumque publicarum formam ad illorum ritus instituta direximus In al which doubtlesse there is nothing wanting which is requisite in a religious reformed Church sauing the charitable construction of our brethren who will needs eyther out of singularitie or feare bee our aduersaries in this cause And when nothing can bee said against the forme of that Lyturgy which wee vse they blame the orders of our Church which inioyne the whole Lyturgy to be read at the vsuall houres And vnder pretence of long prayers to banish preaching out of the Church I meruaile that any man will obiect it now seing it was an vntrue imputation long since by Master Cartwright layd vpon this church but as one telleth him neither aduisedly nor truly spoken wee will not compare two things of that nearenes and vse together but if some mens discretion could haue tempered their Zeale so farr that their owne paynes which they call Sermons might haue beene shorter and the orderly prayers of the church wholly read I doubt not but the religion of the people would haue beene much greater the worship of God more sound and the vnseasonable contentions of the Church farr lesse and if they continew but as some before them haue done to allow an houre half according to the pattern of reformed Churches for the whole Lyturgy or seruice wee are perswaded it will both bee time sufficient for performing the intention of the Canon which forbiddeth all diminshing in regard of preaching yet no man shal haue iust cause if he be willing to preach to complaine that hee wants time or that the length of prayers hath deuoured the Church for by this means hauing time which the wisdom of authority thinketh sufficient for both all extemporall inuention of vnsounde prayer shall bee vtterly banished out of christes Church and in Preaching the shortnesse of time shall necessarily cut off all impertinent discourses whilest they are sorced to comprize abundance of matter in few words But if any man thinke the Communion booke at first to be ordayned in part to supply the want of a Learned ministry which being obtayned may beomitted either in part or in whole as men please It is an error greatly mistaking the first vse and ouermuch differing from the modesty and humility of auncient tymes Wherein the Apostles came into the Sinagogue of the Iewes at Antioch and sat downe and after the Lecture of the law the prophetts which I take was their ordinary seruice the rulers of the Sinagogues sent vnto them saying ye men and brethren if ye haue any word of exhortation for the people say on read the ordinary marginall note vpon this place and it will seeme that the Sermon expected the finishing of ordinary diuine seruice as neither all waies necessarily following when this was nor at any time presuming to be vpon the Sabbath when this was not nor if the vnhallowed boldnesse of some in our time hath aduentured to thrust the graue religious discreete deliberate and iudicious prayers established by authoritie out of our Churches and forced them against all reason to giue place to an vnlearned vnorderly and bould exhortation without wisedome or sobrietie onely somewhat glorying in the show of a hote zeale was it not a petition necessary and seasonable humbly at the conference to intreat of his Maiestie for a praying ministery From the contempt whereof haue directly proceeded the prophannesse the Atheisme and all the want of Religion in this land yet let no man thinke that eyther the Canons or any of the Reuerend Fathers desire that preaching may be lesse but rather that with all modesty God being honoured in our praiers as we ought wee maye the better be able to profit by those lessons that sermons doe giue vnto vs. And therefore it is ouer greate boldnes of our aduersaryes in this to accuse any man in authoritye in the church as an aduersarie to preaching seing the whole scope of sundry of these late Canons prouideth better for more and more learned Sermons then any lawes heretofore concluded in this Kingdome so that wee banish not preaching for prayers as you would make the world beleeue but saye as our Sauiour doth in another case this ought ye to haue done but not to haue left the other vndone For doubtles the children of God fynd continually an excellent vse of both by prayer saith Isiodore wee are clensed by reading and hearing wee are instructed If both may be had they are both good If both cannot be had it is better to pray So then to say lesse then their vncharitable accusation deserueth in this cause wee affirme that they surmise vs to seeke to haue preaching neglected but wee know too wel that praiers are contemned by their meanes from which at the last without great care the neglecting of preaching must needs follow and therefore the restraynt of the one with discretion to giue way to the other is neither to delay or delude the Kings purpose against an vnlearned and scandalous ministery or like the shadowe of the moone at the battell of Cremona or an abuse to his Maiestie a sinn to bishops aplague to the Church or to the offenders Intollerable Insolencye in stead of deserued shame but rather to speake truly and as this wisdome deserueth in the vpright sinceritye of a good conscience an execution of the Kings vertuous and religious care an honour to his Princelye Maiestye a holye discretion in the reuerend Bishops a happines to the Church a brydle strayt enough to such as deserue shame for now all may learne to be longer in prayers and shortter in Sermons because speeches ouer much inlarged want vnderstanding saith Saint Austen And you may be aduised heareafter to blame your selfe and to pardon others APOLOGY ANd thus from the generall I descend to some particular exceptions as first those about the Scriptures to be read which are three 1. The omission of the Canon 2. The appointing of some corrupt Apocripha 3. The translations It is manifest that 160. Chapters of the Canon and therein some whole bookes as the Chronicles Canticles and most of the Apocalipse are omitted in the Rubrick as least to edifying This I excused in my owne heart thus that because most of these chapters omitted were either obscure or obnoxius to euill hearts if read without interpretation the Church in good discretion making a choyce of Scriptures which the learned allow did omit them in the direction of the Kalender but made no doubt but any able Minister might read them ouer and aboue the appointed Lessons with some exposition of
but so hard a iudgement in wisdom might haue been well spared considering that he coÌ„fesseth the place to be corrupt which might haue moued him either to acknowledge that by reason therof he is ignorant of the true sence of the place or to allow of the interpretation of the learned before him that haue deliuered such sence as may be admitted without allowing any vntruth Lyra saith It is a figuratiue speach like that in Tob. 6. vers 12. Wher Azarias is interpreted adiutor Dei so are the Angels Ananias is interpreted gloria Dei whose sons are the Angels Now if it be an vsurping vntruth for the Angels to offer vp the prayers of the Church vnto God in the mediation of his Son we shal peraduenture depriue our selues of a great part of their ministery dissolâ—e that communion of Saints which we professe to beleeue as an Article of Gods truth We doubt not but Christ maketh intercession for vs and offereth our prayers in another manner more powerfull effectuall then Angels can Zanchie concludeth thus Si hos non licet inuocare qui nos audiunt nostraque spectant nos curant quomodo igitur demâ—rtuos homines And in the same booke he alledgeth this place not doubting that this was a true Angell to whom you giue the lye to proue that the Angels are both sent vnto vs yet haue their aboad especially in the preseÌ„ce of God himself so that these bookes being in some sort innocent haue tasted of much euil through the ignorance of such as haue bin their iudges But we cannot shew our charity better then hartily to be sory for those who wil needs erre To conclude then this point I must intreat you in the spirit of meeknesse to take a second view of this your vnreuerend vncharitable ceÌ„sure both of his Angels in heauen his Church on earth for if the Angel had made the same answere which you alledge that he was one of the seuen Angels that offer vp the prayers of the saints to God he had not bin a lying Vsurper as it pleaseth you to tearme him for saith P. Martir If thou read in the scriptures note that he calleth them Scriptures and in the margent quoteth this place that the Angels offer vp our prayers this is not done of them to instruct or teach God but by discouering laying them open we our selues be the more earnestly bent to craue the helpe of God And what discommodity should arise if we affirm this selfe same thing of Angels Thus far P. Martir which was taken of S. Austin so that you see there was smal reason to account those blesâ—ed spirit the Angels Lying vsurpers hauing spoken no otherwiâ—e then truth may warrant or else to what end were that speech of our sauiour Se that ye dispise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen there Angels alwaies behold the face of my fathâ—r which is in heauen But you cannot with a safe conscience subscribe to a translation that vttereth so vsurping an vntruth I doubt not but you haue wel considered that it is as you say or else as in the doctrine you haue wronged the Angells so for the translation you will be found for to wrong the Church You caÌ„not be Ignorant that the approued translation authorised by the church of England is that which cometh nearest to the vulgar and is commonly called the Bishops Bible wherein according to the Latine the words are onely read thus I am Raphaell one of the seauen Angels which stand in the presence of GOD. I confesse the Geneua translation readeth it as you reproue but it was a traÌ„slation neuer for the notes or the text publickly authorised in our Church so that modesty and due consideration ought to haue examined accusations of this Nature with greater care least others rightly iudge that the assertions of such cannot be sound that wrongfully without conscience dare aduenture to accuse both the church on earth and the Angels in heauen APOLOGY TOuching the corrupt traÌ„slations of the Psalmes Epistles or Gospels in the booke they made before no barre to my Subscription because I supposed that our Subscription exteÌ„ded but to the forme of Diuine seruice In which such portions of scripture were appointed to bee reade ledd thereto partly by the words of Subscription wherein wee acknowledge in the booke such a forme as may lawfully be vsed and promise to vse the same partly by the Doctrin of our Church which iustly taxing the Papists for adhering to the vulgar Latine and maintaining that all translations ought to bee corrected by the Originall made it to me vnprobable that our Church would impose an allowance of any corrupt translations and chiefly by the practise of our Church in authorising another translation of the Church Bible by which I made no doubt but any man might correct the translations in the Communion booke where they obscured or crossed the sense But you my Lord gaue me in this point another light telling mee that we must vse only and subscribe to the traÌ„slations in the booke which I also vnderstood to be auouched by some other of your brethren and lately found out to be intended in the Canon for subscription wherin it is said that the booke of Common Prayer containeth nothing in it contrary to the worde of GOD and may lawfully So be vsed so a word now put in as containing in it nothing contrarie to the word and after that I do ex animo subscribe to all things contained in the three articles Now my Lord if Austin vpon the credit of many Latin copies would not admit one word palam where the sense rather required then receiued it because it was not in the Greeke how shall I approue vnder my hand a translation which hath many omissions many additions which sometime obscureth sometime peruerteth the sense being sometime senselesse sometimes contrarie of which I pray your Lordship to take a tast in the last page of this booke where I will muster them together ANSWER IF you had continued in your former resolution not to haue feared to subscribe although some faultes were iustly to be found in the translation vsed in our Church you had neither opened a way to your owne wrong hazarded for your curious disobedience the Churches censure nor procured our labour in defending her at this time It need not to be supposed by any that the Church of England desireth to impose an allowance of any corrupt translation neither are you or any other as we haue often told you required to allow by subscription the translation but onely to approue the forme of diuine seruice and yet surely the care of this Church since the light of the Gospell did shine in it was neuer wanting to publish the scriptures translated as agreeable to the fountaines as they could deuise and to this end authoritie did commaund the allowance of
that translation which for their 〈◊〉 and cost in it is commonly calâ—ed the Bishops Bible from whence if you or any man collect that because a new translation is authorised and the papistes iustly taxed by our men for adhering to the vulgar that any man might correct the translations in the communion Booke where they obscured or crossed the sense we must tell you that first for the vulgar translation we disable not so farre but that we are readie to confesse whether you vnderstand the Italian or that which goeth vnder the name of Saint Hierom that they were vsed anciently in the Church a thousand and three hundred yeares ago one of them by Saint Austin preferred before all the rest the other highly commended by Beza and that of the vulgar though with Pagian and Dryedo we thinke it were not Saint Hieroms but mixt yet we can be content to say as Isiodor doth of it Interpretatio eius ceteris anteponitur his translation is to be preferred before others but for all this both you the Church of Rome must know that these neither are so pure as the fountaines themselues for no translation whatsoeuer is Authenticall Scripture and that from hence euerie priuate man must not take libertie vnto himselfe to correct and amend at his owne pleasure least wee haue iust occasion to complaine as Saint Hierome doth that there be as many varieties of translations as there be bookes whilest euerie man according to his fancie addeth or detracteth as seemeth good to himselfe Neyther can an error in translating in any Church be an argument sufficient to proue it to be no Church And concerning the Church of England it hath not wanted a care and a religious care in this point and therefore it were no reason for you or any to reproue her for that wherein she deserueth prayse onely your patience is required to forbeare all priuate corrections of translations vntil authority from the diligent labors of learned men wholly imployed in that busines may establish a better yet the faults in this are not such but they may be tollerated without offence though peradueÌ„ture corrected with more benefit And seeing there is no error in faith contrarie to the doctrine of the Church that can be in pretence confirmed by any reading which we allow me thinks the article of subscription may wel say that the book of common prayer containeth nothing in it contrarie to the word of God and that it may lawfully be so vsed But say you if Austin whom I call Saint Austin vpon the credit of many Latin copies would not admit one word palam where the sense rather required theÌ„ receiued it because it was not in the Greeke how shal I approue vnder my hand a translation which hath many omissions c. If your moderation had beene like vnto Saint Austins in this case we should haue little cause to mislike your doing and yet the example which you bring for your best warrant being stretched so far as you do cannot iustly be reckond amoÌ„gst S. Austins vertues For in that place which you alledge he saith Multa latina exemplaria sic habent et pater tuus quividet in absconso reddet tibi palam sed quia in Graecis quae priora sunt non inuenimus palam non putauimus huic aliquid disserendum esse Now I see not what can be directly gathered from S. Austins example for palaÌ„ was not in some Greek copies but I hope you know what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is which sometimes they traÌ„slate in propatulo somtimes palam if the old Latin translation want it the Greek haue it as Doctor Whitakers noteth Iudge whether you ought to imitate Saint Austin in this whom the Rhemistes follow rather then the original which is followed by our Church and therefore the blemishes in our translation which your zeale hath published of omission addition obscuritie peruerting as senselesse contrary and such like we are willing to answer them when we come to your obiections in the last page whch wee know you cannot proue not that you want wit but because you are not assisted with a good cause APOLOGY FRom the exceptions concerning the Scriptures I come to those which arise about the SacrameÌ„ts And though there because to speake of priuat Communions as on the Churches part not so well ordained yet I will insist vpon priuate Baptisme and will draw vnto it that Rubrick which saith that it is certaine by Gods word that Infantes baptised haue all things needfull to saluation and are vndoubtedly saued This speech I did interpret as spokeÌ„ not simply but ex hypothesi in opposition to the popish conceit of the necessity of confirmation in this maner that the child hath al things necessary that is all outward means needs no confirmation is vndoubtedly saued that is as vndoubtedly as if it were confirmed And vnto this construction the precedent part of the Rubrick directed me the sound doctrine of our Church against the simple necessity of Baptisme and grace inseperably annexed therto did set me in it then the speech seemed like that of Christ in the ninth of Iohn where hee saith neither hath this man sinned nor his father that is not in such sense as the question was asked whether he or his father had sinned As for priuate Baptisme by a lawfull minister being acccompanied with such doctrine as our Church hitherto hath generally receiued about the same I thought it might be inexpeâ—tent but not vnlawfull But my Lord obseruing since in the booke of conference that my Lord of Londoâ— leauing the state of the child vnbaptised as vncertaine saith that if it die baptised there is an euident assurance that it is saued without any exception made of Gods eternall purpose and further that the place in the third of Iohn Except a man be regenerate of water and of the holy Ghost c. must be vnderstord of the Sacrament of baptisme which conceit if we draw the text to infants must necessarily thrust vs as it diâ— Austin and other Fathers vpon the simple necessity of that Sacrament vnto saluation as the like words in the sixt of Iohn Except ye eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of the Sonne of man ye cannot be saued being vnderstood of the other Sacrament drew on the Administration thereof to Infants perceiuing I say the grounds laid in that conference and by whom and adding therunto that addition to the Catechisme that there be two Sacraments as generally necessary to salâ—uation and the sixtie ninth Canon which vnder paine of suspension bindes the Minister in case of necessity to hast to the baptising of euery weake child the very night not excepted It seemeth to me that our Churches doctrine in this point is declining to that opinion of the simple necessitie of that Sacrament and grace annexed thereto which we formerly opposed And if this be
the present intention of our Church I dare not subscribe to such an vse of priuate Baptisme neither to the former Rubrick which being capable of a good sense may also be taken and hereafter pleaded vnder our subscriptions in a bad one ANSVVER WE cannot but wish that the holy pretenders of zeale had so much discretion that those things were iustly blameable for which they are so willing to forsake the executioÌ„ of their deuine function so boldly without conscieÌ„ce to transgresse the lawful ordinatioÌ„s of a religious King whose coÌ„maundements eyther to limit to their owne fancies or to censure after those opinions which they appreheÌ„d to be vertuous iust were both to coÌ„mit an act neuer warrantable in any age and to vsurp vpon that throne which they must not touch all men that liue in the bosome of a Church whose peace to theÌ„ ought to be dearer then 1000. liues are to be caried with that charity towards the doctrine lawes which it publikly professeth or wherwith it is well gouerned that all indeuors of reconcilement are to be beÌ„ded to this scope to make it seeme both to teach to gouern like the Church of Christ for there is nothing of that euideÌ„ce in the word of god nor euer was of that vse in the family of Gods house which oppositioÌ„ vnbridled could not peruert or vnhallowed boldnes misconster there is nothing left vpoÌ„ earth to the Church of greater vse then the SacrameÌ„ts whose chiefest force vertue coÌ„sisteth in this that they are heaueÌ„ly ceremonies which God hath saÌ„ctified ordained to be administred in his Church first as marks to know when God doth impart his vitall or sauing grace of Christ vnto all that are capable therof secondly as means conditionall which God requireth in theÌ„ vnto whom he imparteth grace for as elswhere we haue noted It must needs be a great vnthankfulnes easily breed conteÌ„pt to ascribe only that power to theÌ„ to be but as seales and that they teach but the mind by other senses as the word doth by hearing which if it were al what reasoÌ„ hath the Church to bestow any SacrameÌ„t vpoÌ„ infants who as yet for their years are not capable of any instructioÌ„ ther is therfore of SacrameÌ„ts vndoutedly some more excellent heauenly vse SacrameÌ„ts by reason of their mixt nature are more diuersly interpreted disputed of theÌ„ any other part of religioÌ„ besides for that in so great store of properties beloÌ„ging to the self same thing as euery mans wit hath takeÌ„ hold of some especial consideratioÌ„ aboue the rest so they haue accordingly giueÌ„ their censure of the vse necessity of theÌ„ for if respect be had to the duty which euery coÌ„municant doth vndertake we may cal theÌ„ truly bonds of our obedience to God strict obligations to the mutual exercise of christiaÌ„ charity prouocatioÌ„s to godlines preseruations from Sin memorials of the principall benefits of Christ. If we respect the time of their institution they are annexed for euer vnto the new Testament as other rites were before to the old If we regard the weaknes that is in vs they are warraÌ„ts for the more security of our beleefe If we compare the receiuers with those that receiue theÌ„ not they are works of destinction to separate Gods own from strangers in those that receiue theÌ„ as they ought they are tokens of Gods gracious presence wherby men are taught to know what they cannot see for Christ his holy spirit with all their blessed effectes though entring into the soule of man we are not able to apprehend or expresse how do notwithstanding giue notice of the times when they vse to make their accesse because it pleaseth Almighty God to coÌ„municate by seÌ„sible means those blessings which are incoÌ„prehensible seeing therfore that grace is a coÌ„sequent of SacrameÌ„ts a thing which accoÌ„panieth theÌ„ as their end a benefit which he that hath receiueth from God himself the author of SacrameÌ„ts not froÌ„ any other naturall or supernaturall quality in them It may be hardly both vnderstood that Sacraments are necessary and that the manner of their necessitie to life supernaturall is not in all respects as meat drink and such like vnto naturall life because they containe in themselues no vitall force or efficacy but they are duties of seruice and worship which vnlesse we performe as the author of grace requireth they are vnprofitable For all receiue not the grace of God which receiue the Sacraments of his grace neither is it ordinarily his wil to bestow the grace of sacraments vpon any but by the Sacraments which grace also they that receiue by Sacraments or with Sacraments receiue it from him and not from them for as Hugo saith These do not giue that which is giuen by these and yet ordinarily as necessary to receiue these as those graces are necessary which we receiue by these so that Baptisme though it be not a cause of grace yet the grace which is giuen by Baptisme doth so farre depend vpon the very outward Sacrament as that God will haue it imbraced as a necessary means whereby we receiue the same and howsoeuer we dare not iudge those that in in some cases do want it for the want of it yet we may boldly gather that he whose mercy now vouchsafeth to bestow the means hath also long since intended vs that wherunto they lead so that we think in this discourse of yours concerning priuate the necessity of baptisme that some things are misunderstood some things misconstrued and some things false misunderstood where you make this to be the opinion of our Church that all who are Baptised must necessarily be saued or of the contrary whereas it is but vnderstood as eyther man hath euidence left to direct his iudgement or the Church hath power to admit into the house of GOD. And for others who want this Sacrament although wee cannot Iudge of the secret election of God yet we haue reason to feare a denyall of that Grace where we see a manifestation of the want of the meanes appointed for the obtaining of it for doubtlesse as one noteth the sacrament of Baptisme in respect of God the author of the institution may admit dispensation but in regard of vs who are tyed to obey there is an absolute necessitie for it is in the power of God without these to saue but it is not in the power of man without these to come to saluation And yet our Church holdeth constantly and truely notwithstanding your doubts as well touching other beleeuers as Martyrs that Baptisme taken away by neâ—necessity taketh not away the necessity of Baptisme but is supplyed by the desire thereof For as the visible signe may be without true holinesse so the inuisible sanctification saith S Austin may sometimes be without the visible signe and yet these are no reasons either to debarre the Church from imposing priuate Baptisme vpon great peril from this
necessitie or to conclude out of this care that the Church declyneth to a necessitie ouer rigorous and such as formerly was oppugned in our Church 2 Misconstrued the speech of the most reuerend father the now Lord Archbishoppe of Canterbury who as you say made no exception of Gods eternall purpose It cannot bee ignorance but want of charity which maketh you to misconster him thus seeing euen from that learned Deane who penned the whole conference you might haue collected what manner of necessitie was vrged by him his words are these which word Necessity he so pressed not as if God without Baptisme could not saue the childe but the case put that the state of the Infāt dying vnbaptized being vncertain to God only knowne but if it dy baptised there is an euident assurāce that it is saued What could be more religious agreeable to the doctrin of truth or more necessary in these presūptuous times wherin a Sacrament of so absolute necessity by practise of some is growen into such contempt which necessity if at any time wee haue denyed dealing with those of the church of Rome It is because ouerstrictly they bind frō the act done grace to the Sacraments as if none that receiue them could want it or none receiue that grace that do want them 3 False that the plac◠of S. Iohn is not vnderstood of the Sacramēt of Baptisme which you seeking to shun least you shold magnify Baptisme ouermuch ought to take heed least you run into the contēpt therof the one being that wherūto al mē are inclined the other bringing lesse hurt to the church by a necessity ouer absolute which serueth but to make al men carefull not to neglect a thing of such institutiō so great vse whilst a fear to establish an absolute necessity bredeth by degrees a contēpt of that which is the only ordinary way into the church of Christ in heauē the only way into the church vpō earth And because the Iews had many rites which in a larger acceptatiō were called Sacramēts but in a strict acceptation as we only two to distinguish betwixt these the other it is added not without cause to the catechisme that there be two sacramēts as generally necessary to saluatiō noting that ours succeeding two of theirs Circūcision the Passouer retain a necessity as theirs more aboue the rest so that the intētion of our church being neither differing frō it self nor frō the doctrin of truth in this point you need neither feare by subscription to giue your allowance nor doubt least your subscriptiō might iustly be pleaded to a bad sence APOLOGY MY secōd exceptiō about the Sacramēts is to the interrogatories in Baptisme made to the child answered by the suretyes that this fashion was causlesly needlesly trāsferred frō those of years forerūners to Infāts free born in the church I hold with Beza Bullinger Zepper others yet thought it not vnlawful in this cōstruction namely that this professiō made in the childs name shold not import either such a distinct faith in the child which saith Austin were Insanus error or that the faith of the sureties should auaile the Infāt which the word reiecteth or that the sureties vndertook that the childe shal hereafter make good this profession which were Insana presūptio but that this profession was thus made by the mouthes of the Godfathers partly to admonish the vnderstāding congregation of that couenāt which Baptisme really inioyneth to euery Christian euen as the Prophet spake to the dead Altar to admonish liuing Ieroboam the Prophets as Chrisostom notes spake to the vnreasonable creatures to teach reasonable men how vnreasonable they were become and secondly to cast vpon the Godfathers a kind of charge with it an aduantage of calling vpon this childe when he came to yeares to knowe answere that stipulation of Baptisme which they made profession of as in his name whē he was Baptized to shew what he should haue done himselfe if he had bin of years in this sense I thinke it lawfull though perhaps too obscure and vnnecessarie But my Lord if the Catechisme which making Faith and Repentance that is the profession of Faith and Repentance necessary to those that are to be baptyzed proceeds to say that Infants perform this faith and repentance by their sureties If I say this intend as it doth insinuate a necessitie of such a profession to be made in the childes name before it might bee admitted to the Sacrament as I reiect that conceipt as an error fauoring this Anabaptisticall opinion that faith must fore-goe the Sacrament of Baptisme so I dare not subscribe to the practise so inioyned and intended and would wish it changed into that course that Bucer aduised ANSVVER IT seemeth there is a curious desire of reprehension in those men who are willing to reproue the practise of their owne Church for that which is a custome ancient necessarie and of much vse wherein wee reprehend not alone the disposition of such but wee are ready to let the world see that the things themselues are most innocent which they doe reproue Most of them are not yet come so farre as to deny Baptisme to Infants an arrour which may follow from their former opinions if they suffer Scisme to growe in them and humours to bee rules for conscience but they are ready to professe that there is no saith in the childe required to Baptisme and that to bee borne of faithfull Parents is as much for their admission into the Church as the profession of the faith which they make by the mouthes of others This as it is vnthankfull to spurne at the indulgence of the Church so it is a contempt of duety which God requireth on our part there is no attainment to life but through the onely begotten sonne of God nor by him otherwise then being such for beleefe as wee ought as if those Articles in the iudgement of God were set downe for all men first to subscribe vnto whom by Baptisme the church receiueth into Christs schoole and seeing no religion inioyeth sacraments the signes of Gods loue vnlesse it haue also that faith whereupon sacramēts are built could there as one well noteth which I am sory you obserued not before you stumbled at these doubts be any thing more conuenient then that our first admittance to the actuall receipt of his grace in the sacrament of Baptisme should be consecrated with profession of beleefe which is to the kingdome of God as a key the want whereof excludeth Infidels both from that and from all other sauing grace And howsoeuer we say with S. Austin that Infants haue not a present Actuall habit of faith yet they haue then the foundation of that wherupon afterward they build the first ground whereof was laid by the sacrament of Baptisme so that without any madd presumption as you tearme it we may say truly of
Church wherein they liue we are content to allowe although you haue not fully expressed the intention of the Church of England in this point That to signe the Infant with the signe of the Crosse was to signe him with an ancient token of Christian profession that it is not a signe from God to men nor of men to God and therefore no idolatrous worship invented in our Church but of men to men as the Ring in marriage no part of the Sacrament no consecrating or operatiue signe no Symbolicall or sacramentall signe not so much as explicatory but a simple significatiue rite expres to the CoÌ„gregations hope expectation of that child which no maÌ„ can doubt to be the vertuous religious intention of our Church both because as you confes It is after Baptisme 2. It is saide wee 3. It is omitted in priuate Baptisme 4. And lastly the signe is omitted in the Lords Supper as not giuing either vertue to the Sacrament or holinesse to the action which were in these latter times vnsufferable errors superstitiously brought in by the Church of Rome wherein all indifferent men may see the moderation of our church which hauing left the ordinary vse of the Crosse in al actions at all times for which the practise of antiquitie might haue beene some warrant haue onely admitted the same in Baptisme as then chiefly requisite for a signification of that profession which at that time the Infant vndertooke and therein ment to continue for euer after In this sence which is the warrantable intention of our Church if you haue held it lawfull heretofore and now doe not wee may say as S. Paule to the Galathians Ye did run well who hath hindred you that you did not obey the trueth but wee will not censure you but rather hope better things of you desiring all men to remember the Apostles peremptorie conclusion If any man teach otherwise consenteth not to the wholsom words of the Lord Iesus Christ to the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is puft vp and knoweth nothing but doteth about questions strife of words wherof commeth enuie strife railings euill surmises froward disputations of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth which thinke that gaine is godlinesse APOLOGIE BVt now my Lord obseruing duely the 30. Canon made of purpose to explaine the lawfull vse of the crosse to which we are now tyed as to the iudgement of the church though for my reuerend opinion of that assemhly I could easily beleeue that in this explication they haue bin vsed as were the good fathers at the counsel of Arimine vnder great penalties I finde that our Church professeth to retaine it for the very remembrance of the Crosse which is precious to all that truely beleeue in Christ and in such vse as did the antique fathers and churches and by name that by that cerimony and honorable badge the infant is dedicated to the seruice of him that dyed vpon the crosse In which construction I do not see how I can subscribe vnto it as before I did for confessing that I grudged the name of an honorable badge remembring to what dishonorable Idolatry it serued of late and yet doth in Popery and being therupon attainted by the Peares and neighbour Churches is not yet restored in blood and think we may say of it as Iacob of Reuben Thou wast fair but hast lost thy bewty by clyming vp vnto thy fathers bed I protest against that memoratiue vse of it in the congregation and in the Sacrament to call to minde the Crosse of Christ whether thereby his sufferings or his Altar be ment as that which openeth a gappe to crossings in daily vse and crosses and crucifixes and so any Imagery in the church and worship of God and think that this which hath bin abused with spirituall fornication as a common harlot may easily proue in that vse a cunning baud to solicite the vnstable hearts of men to their old superstition and therefore seemeth to me to be against the second commaundement which forbiddeth all prouocations vnto Superstition as well as the seauenth doth all incitations to Adultery ANSVVERE FRom dislikes seeming as grieuous in shewe for a long time as vehemeÌ„tly persued by a great number we are now come at the last to that one point the Crosse in Baptisme wherein alone both antiquitie is thought to be too superstitious and this present age for following the same example vnexcusable of a dangerous vnsufferable idolatrie but as the Church of England hitherto hath not found it saâ—e to follow the reformation of those men who know no other means to purifie Churches but to pull them downe so in this shee esteemeth it safer and more vertuous to free the signe of the Crosse from the staines of superstitions contracted in these later and corrupted times rather then altogether to reiect the more auncient and purer vse thereof as men ashamed of that which was Saint Pauls reioycing at the Crosse of Christ. Wee are not desirous in things of this nature to satifie the Reader with empty words bâ— as farre as wee are able in truth to let all men see that both the Church hath reason to exact an obedience to that which it doeth lawfully command and that their curiositie is without excuse who either of singularitie or ignorance seeme to pretend holy reasons to warrant them in that which they doe refuse and surely it must needes bee thought an vnthankefull and ouer-bold accusation of those men who dare aduenture to accuse a whole Church a sincere and religious Church a Church wherin they haue bin borne nourished brought vp whose true doctrine hath bin the foundation of their-iudgements if they haue any rather then they will be thought to like others or in what things they refuse obedience to her Lawes not to be warranted by Gods word as the vnstained actions of a sanctified grounded pure zeale as if the Church of England which in the true opinion of the world is more setled more reformed more vertuous vnder the gouerment of so sincere and so religious a prince had by an vniuersall consent conspired as it were to increase Idolatrie and established constitutions for the vniust recalling of the iustly banished superstions of the Romish Church and therfore obseruing duely the 30. Canon made of purpose to explaine the lawfull vse of the crosse to which we are now tyed as to the Iudgement of the church you do not see how you can possibly subscribe vnto it as before you did We desire all that are indifferent to viewe the reasons and vses contained in that Canon and we doubt not but it will appeare that their motiues were sufficient to ratifie the vse of the Crosse in the intention of our Church and to free that learned and religious assembly from the imputation you lay vpon them by comparing it to the Counsell of ARMINE First Iewish and heathenish blasphemie
desire to ouertake and also a common enemie surpriseth vs with aduantage making vs to seeme in the eye of the world to bee of their minde because with greater moderation we abstain from that vehemeÌ„t zeale to reformation that others more rashly are traÌ„sported with so that in this case the labour is neither easie nor safe For to answere our brethren at home with that trueth and freedom which both the cause and our loue to their persons doth chalenge from vs is but to open the mouth of the common aduersarie as if wee spake and thought as they doe and out of this feare to suppresse our answere were with much weakenesse to betray the trueth This consideration as it is not of small importance in the whole cause so especially in this point concerning the crosse where the diffence of a lawful ceremony may easily bee thought the erecting of that Idoll whereunto the most superstitious in those later times haue beene corruptly perswaded to giue honor For mine owne paâ—t in satisfaction to the Church of Christ whereunto I owe the vttermost of that simple talent which GOD hath giuen mee I Protest that neither out of malice I oppugne our brethren at home nor willingly would bee thought to Patronize the least errour of the Church of Rome neither I hope hath any thing euer passed my pen with so sleight consideration since I was able to deale in this cause whereof I cannot giue a sufficient reason that it is farre from the defence of any error of the Romish Church And therefore in my opinion the late Authour of the Protestantes Apologie hath dealt somewhat vnkindly with mee and others to alledge vs as witnesses for their side but most inconsiderately to the disaduantage of his owne cause who now in the latter end beeing driuen from Scriptures Fathers and Councelles are compelled to support themselues with the wrested mistaken Testimonies of such as haue and are willing to fight against them and yet if wee erre of what valewe are our errours to conuince a trueth The daunger of this euill if it were fully considered by our brethren that will needes striue with vs would make them forbeare all further contention in this cause and Ioyne with our Church in cerimonyes as they doe in doctrine that all like the children of the same wombe might bee readye as with one heart and one voyce to resist their subtill and malicious attempts who vnder colour of Religion and the Catholike faith seeke treacherously the ruine and subuersion both of this Church and this commonwelth And therfore in the Iudgment of all wise and religious men vnexcusable is their paynes and trauell who extend their witts to the vttermost of that they are able to deriue an enuye vpon that gouerment as Infected with Popish superstition wherein hitherto they haue louingly peaceably and plentifully bene brought-vp It seemeth that the vse of the Crosse in Baptisme offendeth not so much as that the Infant by this means is dedicated to Gods seruice because say you If dedicated at which word you take all your offence then either Initiated or consecrated for the words in the Hebrewe doe onely signifie one of these two of which if we graunt the first you peremptorily conclude that Baptisme is made voyde if the second that then this signe is operatiue and hath vertue in it and yet say you in the true vse of speach to dedicate and to consecrate is all one I am sorry that in matters of this consequence for which men can perswade themselues that it is warrantable to forsake their flockes that at the last the conclusion being summed vp it should bee onely a contention of wordes yet I must tell you that to speake properly and as men of Iudgment haue done before vs to consecrate is to make of prophane thinges holy to dedicate is when they are appoynted to some certayne GOD foâ— to dedicate or Initiate the Greekes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to consecrate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to sanctifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to sanctifie as Peter Martyr saith is nothing else but to apply to diuine religious vses or to prepare himself to offer some thing to God Now if it may appeare as doubtlesse it will that not onely religious things were dedicated but other things also and that their dedication was in another kinde without any worship diuine but by first vsing what inconuenience wil follow if in the whole action of baptisme and those prayers that are vsed the Infant be dedicated which in the canon is ascribed vnto the crosse that being the onely externall cerimonie expressing the intention of the whole act Thus Dauids house was dedicated for which was made the thirtieth Psalme the walles of a citie Nehem. 12.27 were dedicated which was nothing else as P. Martyr saith but that the wals of a citie being made vp the people together with the Leuites and Priests and also the Princes went thither and there gaue thanks vnto God because the walle were reedified and prayed that the city might bee righteously vsed This kinde of Dedication was called by the Hebrewes Canach The other which was Chadash was to consecrate things holy to God Now which of these you vnderstand to bee done by the crosse in Baptisme it will not bee greatly material against vs seeing the verie act of Dedication or consecration dependeth not vpon the signe of the crosse but yet so said because the crosse is an ancieÌ„t significant coÌ„uenient signe of that act of dedication or consecration which is done in Baptisme by the worde and prayer For our Dedication in Baptisme is as it were a surreÌ„dering of al that tight which our pareÌ„ts or our selues might haue in our selues into Gods hands wherein as in the dedication both of the Temple and the Tabernacle God gaue a manifest signe that hee tooke possession of both so it standeth with reason that on the Infants behalfe hereafter to put him in minde and for the present to admonish those that are lookers on that the minister signe him with that badge which is the ensigne of his merit victory whom the child must serue The ancient vse of the crosse at all other times was for infidels but in Baptisme for the good of beleeuers which is intended still but as they haue done in this so they exclude the crosse in the dedication of Temples as if it were all one to build a house to God and a parlour or Kitchin to our selues wherin though I allow not greatly the superstitious number of twelue in the building of Churches yet I am not altogether of their opinion who hold crosses vnmeete at the dedication of Temples which if some corruptly haue vsed to a false end wee cannot but mislike their superperstitious intention and yet retaine that warrantable signe which wel becommeth that place which ought to be the religious Schoole-house of Christs death If wee may credit antiquity in the