pertaine to comelinesse Ergo it is of God No answere can be made or deniall to vse the some ceremonies vnlesse the partie so refusing can proue for his excuse that such a ceremony pertaineth not to comelinesse which can never bee prooved till the worlds ende For all antiquitie all Councels all Fathers all Histories are of the contrarie opinion The third Aphorisme of the Surplesse and other apparrel of the Ministers THat which is already said in the former Aphorisme is a sufficient demonstration of this question to all well affected Readers Yet I am content to adde a word or two for the helpe of the simple vulgar sort Saint Iohn the Baptist did weare an vnwonted kinde of apparell so to set foorth his extraordinarie Ministerie and the rather to moue the people to enquire of his office And no sound reason can be yeelded why the same vse can not this day be made of the distinct kinde of apparell in the Ministers of the Church Samuel the Prophet had a distinct kinde of apparell from all the other people For Saul was perswaded that he whom the Witch had raised vp was Samuel the Prophet Which opinion Saul conceiued onely vpon this ground because the Witch named his attire Yea the Prophets were euer knowne from other men by a distinct and peculiar kind of apparell This to be so the wordes of the Prophet Zacharie will declare which are these in that day shal the Prophets be ashamed euery one of his vision when he hath prophesied neither shall they weare a rough garment to deceiue The Glosse in the Geneva Bible yeeldeth vs this exposition They shall no more weare Prophets apparell to make their doctrine seeme more holy Maister Caluin granteth freely that the Prophets were distinguished from the people by a peculiar kind of garment These are his expresse wordes Haec summa est non reprehendi in pseudoprophetis vestem ipsam quemadmoduÌ„ quidam parùm consideratè arripiunt hunc locum vt damnent vestes oblongas quiâ—quid displicet eorum morositati This is the summe that this kind of garment was not reproued in the false Prophets as some men doe rashly wrest this place to condemne long gownes and whatsoeuer else doth not please their way wardnesse The same Maister Caluin in an other place hath these wordes Sedex Zâ—charia apparet prophetas certa pally forma à reliquis fuisse distinctos Nec verò ratione caruit doctores it a vistiri vt in eorum halâ—tu plus gravitatis modestiae quaÌ„ in vulgari extarct But by Zacharie it is apparant that the Prophets were distinguished from the rest of the people by a certaine kind of cloake And it was not without reason that the doctors were so attired that in their habite there might be more granitie and modestie then in the vulgar people Out of this doctrine thus deliuered by M. Caluin I obserue these worthy documeÌ„ts First that it is expedieÌ„t yâ— the ministers be known by their apparel 2. that they are way-ward fellowes that speake against varietie of garmeÌ„ts in the ministers and people Thirdly that there is grauitie modestie consequently comelinesse in the apparrell of Ministers This is a point of great importance it may not bee forgotten It is of such moment that it striketh dead and can neuer be answered S. Hieromie maketh this question plaine and cleere these are his words Quae sunt rogo inimicitiae contra deum si tuni cam hobutro mundiorem si episcopus presbyter diaconus reliquiâ—s ordâ— eccusiâ—sticus in administratione sacrificicrum candida veste processerint What emnitie I pray you is there against God if I doe weare a more cleanly garment if a Bishop a Priest or Deacon and the rest of the Clergie be attyred with a white vesture in time of devine service Vide infra ca. 10. ex Bucero Againe in an other place the same auncient holy and learned Father hath these expresse words Porrò religio divina alterum habitum habet in ministerio alterum in vsu vitâque communi Furthermore divine religion hath one habite in the ministerie an other in common life and vse thus writeth S. Hieromie whose wordes in both the places if they bee aptly ioyned together wil make it euident to euery indifferent Reader that in S. Hieroms time which was aboue one thousand and two hundred years agoe the Ministers of the Church did weare a Surplesse For in the former place he affrmeth that the Ministers of the Church did weare a white garment and in the latter he saith that they vsed one kinde of garment in the time of Gods divine seruice an other in their common conversation M. Bucer that famous godly and learned writer in his resolution to M. Hopper concerning the wearing of garments in time of divine service and Sacraments hath these expresse wordes Constat dominum nostrum Iesum ChristuÌ„ substantiam tantum ministerij cum verbi tum sacramentorum suis verbis nobis praescripsisse caetera omnia quae ad decentem vtilem administrationem mysteriorum eius pertinent ordinanda permisisse ecclesiae Unde sacram laenam nos nec vesperi nec in domo privata nec discubendo nec cum viris tantum celebramus Sequitur illa autem ae loco ae tempore de habitu corporis ad sacram caenam vel cerebrandam vel sumendam de admittendis mulierculis ad sacrae caenae communionem de modo precum atque â—ymnorum ad deum ita attâ—m de vesiuis alijs rebus ad externum decorum pertinentibus non dubito deminum ecclesiae suae liberam fecisse potestatens statuendi de his rebus ordinandi quae indicaverit quaelibet ecclesia apud suum populum maxime collatura ad sustinendam augendam reverentiam erga omnia domini sacra Si itaque aliquae ecclesiae ex hac libertate Chirsts ad hunc finem adificandae plebis Christi ministros suos vellent in sacris ministerijs aliquibus singularibus vestibus vti remota omni superstitione omni levitate omnique etiam inter fratre dissensione id est abvsu tales cerâ—è ecclesias non video quis possit iure ob hanc rem condemnare vilius peccati neaum communionis cum Antichristo Quid si ecclesia aliqua â—uro sancto suorum consensu eum morem haberet vt sâ—nguli etiam ad caenam sacram sicut olim reâ—ens baptizaâ—i agebant veste alba vterentur eam n. lâ—bertatem si quis contendat nulâ— ecclesiae Christi esse permittendam oportebit sanè faters vnum ex his aut nihil omnino circa caenam domini ordinandum ecclesiis esse concessum de quo non habeant expressum Christi mandatum quo pacto condemnabuntur cunctae ecclesiae impiae audaciae Nam omnes tempus locum habitum corporum in sacrae caenae celebratione observant admittunt que ad sacrae communionem
euen the Lambe which was slaine is fulfilled in Christ the veritie that followed after the same S. Austin in the disputation betwixt the Synagogue and the Church alledgeth against the Iewes this very Text of Ezechiel for the confirmation of making the signe of the Crosse in the fore-heads of Christians Vellem addiscere vbi signum frontis acceperis vel quis propheta signum istud quod dicis hoc est signū frontis signacuso sanctificationis inciderit I would learne saith the Synagogue where thou receiuedst the signe of the fore-hed or which of the Prophets maketh mention of that signe of which thou speakest calling it the signe of sanctification in the fore-head To this question S. Austin answereth in the person of the Church prouing it out of the 9. of Ezechil as S. Cyprian had done afore him as also out of the Reuelation in the 14. Chapter hee vseth an excellent and large discourse against the Synagogue to which for brevitie-sake I referre the Reader The same S Austin in an other place hath these expresse words Insultet ille Christo crucifixo videam ego in frontibus regum crucē Christi Sequitur vsque adeo de cruce nō erubesco vt non in occulto loco habeā crucē Christi sed in fronte portem Let the Pagan deride Christ crucified but let mee beholde his Crosse in Kings fore-heads I am so farre from being ashamed of Christes Crosse that I keepe it not in a secret place but doe beare it in my fore-head Marke well gentle Reader this godly period of this auncient blessed and learned Father S. Hierome in like manner proueth the lawfull making of the Crosse in the fore-heads of the Christians out of the same words of the Prophet Ezechiel Thus doth he write Et vt ad nostra veniamus antiquis hebraeorū literis quibus vsque hodiè vtuntur Samaritani extrema Than litera crucis habet similitudinem quae in Christianorum frontibus pingitur And to come to our owne in the olde Characters and Letters of the Hebrewes which the Samaritanes vse to this day the last Letter which is Than hath the image or similitude of the Crosse which is made in the fore-heads of Christians S. Beda likewise gathereth the same conclusion out of diuers places of the scripture These are his words Ad hoc n. gentium confractum est imperium vt signo fidei cui restiterant facies sanctorum liberè notaretur Sequitur neque n. frustra in fronte pontificis nomen domini tetragrammaton scribebatur uisi quia hoc est signum in fronte fidelium For in this signe the dominion of the Gentiles was ouerthrowne that the faces of Saints might be marked with the signe of Faith which the Gentiles had resisted Thus write the auncient and holy Fathers out of whose words I obserue First that the making of the signe of the Crosse in the fore-heads of christians is grounded vpon the holy scripture Secondly that it was the custome of the Church to vse the signe of the crosse in their dayes that is to say aboue 1315. yeares agoe To which I adde that the same vsage was the custome of the church in the time of Origen and of Tertullian that is almost 1400. yeares agoe And no maruell seeing it was an Apostolicall tradition If any hold the contrary let him name the time and the Author and if I cannot proue a further antiquitie I will be of his opinion Thirdly that those holy Fathers Saint Cyprian Saint Austen Saint Hierome Saint Beda did reioyce to beare the signe of the Crosse in their foreheads And consequently that a Christian needeth not be ashamed now adaies to beare the same badg in his forehead If I should stand to recount the testimonies of the holy Fathers for the confirmation of the lawfull vse and making of the signe of the Crosse I should both wearie my selfe and be tedious to the Reader I will therefore conclude with the iudgement of Maister Zanchius whose onely verdit me thinkes should be sufficient in this behalfe These are his expresse wordes Alia vero traditiones non sunt necessariò retinendae in ecclesijs etsi vetustae a patribus commemoratae vt quod christianum oportet signo crucis frontem munire diebus veneris sabbathi ieiunare Nam etsi servari possent si absque superstitione exercerentur tamen conscientiam non obligant Sequitur summa igitur conclusio haec sit eas traditiones quae dei verbo conformes ad vsum ecclesiae animosque hominum ad pietatem verum dei cultum excitandos accommodatae sunt etiamnum retinendas vsurpandas esse citra tamen superstitionem opinionem meriti The Church is not bound of necessitie to retaine still Other traditions although they be auncient and mentioned by the Fathers as that a Christiā must make the signe of the Crosse in his forehead and fast vpon Friday and Saterday For although these ceremonies and traditions might be still retained and kept if that were done without superstition yet for all that they doe not bind a mans conscience to keepe them Let this therefore be the summe and conclusion that such traditions as agree with the word of God and serue for the Churches vse and to stirre vp mens mindes to pietie and the true worship of God may this day b◠still retained and vsed so it be done without superstition and opinion of merite This is the conclusion of the most learned Doctor Maister Zanchius and I see no reason why it should not be my conclusion also And consequently I doe constantly affirme with him that the signe of the Crosse may this day be vsed lawfully so it be not ioyned with superstition and opinion of merite Let this be well obserued that Zanchius graunteth freely that the signe of the Crosse may bee made and that euen in the forehead For it is the very case now in question and constantly affirmed by Zanchius that it may bee well vsed though it may also bee laide away To which latter both I and the Church of England doe willingly agree with him But withall I say that seeing it is a ceremonie indifferent and may lawfully bee vsed it is not in the power of a priuate subiect to appoint or commaund to lay it away but peaceably louingly and obediently to admit and receiue the same knowing and euer remembring that in all things lawfull higher powers must be obeyed CHAP. IX Of the Election of Ministers I Haue proued alreadie that the church hath authoritie to make decrees lawes ordinances and constitutions in all things which are Adsaphora indifferent in their owne nature and tend to the peaceable gouernment of the Church for the church of God may safely admit diuers formes and orders wherby it may bee gouerned according to the diuersitie of the state thereof and variable circumstances of times places and persons The same libertie and freedome
is granted to the Church in the Election of her Ministers This veritie may easily be proued by foure reasons of great importance viz. By apostolicall practise decrees of auncient Councels the testimonie of the holy Fathers and the consent of best approoued late Writers The first Reason drawne from the practise of Christ and his Apostles CHrist himselfe as his holy Gospell teacheth vs did of himselfe alone without the consent and voices of his people both call and choose his Apostles And in like manner himselfe alone did cal choose his disciples whoÌ„ he sent abroad to Preach the Gospell into euery citie and place whither he himself should come But most certain it is that we are bouÌ„d to imitate Christs facts deeds before all other mens For euery his action is and ought to be our instruction For this cause doth the Apostle exhort the E phesians and in them all other Christians to be followers of God as deare children And the same Apostle willeth vs to be followers of him euen as he followed Christ. The Apostles themselues in their Elections of ministers did not euer obserue one and the same manner For in one place we reade that they presented two Barsabas Matthias whereof the one was chosen by Lot In an other place we find that this course was altered For the people presented seuen to the Apostles who all were chosen without Lots vpon whom the Apostles also laid on their hands Wee reade in an other place that this forme was like wise changed and that the Apostles Paul and Barnabas ordained ministers in euery citie in which ordaination they neither obserued casting of Lots nor yet any presentment by the people We find in an other place that S. Paul Elected and ordained both Timothy and Titus and gaue them authoritie to ordaine others Hereupon I inferre this euident conclusion that there is no certaine forme prescribed for the Election of ministers which is to be obserued for euer in the Church but that euery Church is free to change the same according to the circumstances of times places and persons Which doctrine wil better appeare when I shal come to the fourth Reason The second Reason drawne from the Decrees of auncient councels THe Councell of Laodicea holden in the yeare of our Lord 370. hath these wordes Non est permittendum turbis electionem eorum facere qui sunt ad sacerdotium promovends The people may not be permitted to haue the Election and choise of them who are to be preferred to the Ministerie of the Church The Councell of Cabilon hath these wordes Si quis episcopus de quacunque civilate fuerit defunctus non ab alio nisia comprevâ—ncialibus clero civibus suis alterius habeatur electio Sin autem huius ordinatio irrita habeatur If any Bishop shall dye of what citie soeuer he be let not an other be chosen by any other saue onely by the Citizens Cleargie and bishops of the same prouince If it be done otherwise the ordination shall be of no effect The Councell of Antioch teacheth the selfe same Doctrine The councell of Nice after it hath pronounced the Election of the people to be voide and of none effect addeth these wordes Oportet n. eum qui est promo vendus ad episcopatum ab episcopis eligi For he that shall be made a Bishop must be chosen of the Bishops And this second Councell of Nice alledgeth the first Councell of Nice vpon which they ground this their Decree This reason therefore is consonant to the former that there is no certaine prescript rule for the Election of the Ministers of the Church The third Reason drawne from the Testimonie of the holy Fathers SAint Hierome in his Epistle to Evagrius hath these expresse wordes Nam Alexandriae a Marco evangelista vsque ad Heraclam Dionisium episcopos presbiteri semper vnum ex so electum in excelsiori gradu collocatum episcopum nominabant For at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist vntill the Bishops Heraclas and Dionisius the pastorall Elders did alwaies choose one among them whom they placed in an higher degree and called him Bishop Marke these words well Saint Hierome saith heere that the Priests or Pastorall Elders did in Saint Markes time which was in the time of the Apostles choose one of themselues to be their Bishop He maketh no mentioÌ„ at al of any interest that the people had in that Election He that can and list may reade in the Ecclesiasticall Histories that when Anxentius the Arian was depriued of the Bishopricke of Millan then Valentinianus the Emperour called the Bishops together and willed them to place such a one in that Bishopricke as was fit for the place Which motion of the Emperour did no sooner sound in the eares of the Bishops but they forthwith humbly requested the Emperour that he himselfe would choose one whom hee thought most meete in that behalfe Yet the Emperour both grauely prudently and most Christianly answered that it were much better for them to choose one for that they were best able to iudge and discerne of his meetnesse for that place In the ende the good Emperour seeing the people tumâ—â—tuously deuided aboâ—t the Election was content to interpose his authoritie and to commaund Ambrose to be ordâ—ined Bishop there These are the wordes of Theodoretus Hac dissensione cognita Ambrosius vrbis praefectus veritus ne qui â—novarum rerum molirentur propâ—re ad ecclesiam coÌ„tendit Illi sedâ—tione compressa vno ore omnes postulant vti Ambrosius qui adhuc sacris Baptismi mâ—sterijs non erat initiatus ipsiâ— designetur episcopus Quare audua 〈◊〉 iubet illum egregium virum extemplo initiari episcopum ordinari So soone as this dissention was knowne Ambrose the gouernour of the Citie fearing least they should 〈◊〉 some new tumult commeth with speede vnto tâ—e Câ—urch The people beholding him made an end of their variance and all with one assent desired that Ambrose not as yet Baptized with the holy Lauer might bee designed their Bishop Which when the Emperour heard hee commaunded that forthwith that worthy man should be Baptized and then created their Bishop Thus writeth this auncient and learned father Out of these wordes I obserue first that in the time of Theodoret who liued almost 1200. yeares agoe the people had voices in the Election of the Ministers of the Church Secondly that such vsage of popular Election was the cause of great tumults and sedition in the Church Thirdly that it was lawfull for the Bishops to haue kept the authoritie and interest of Election in themselues Fourthly that the confirmation of Bishops was then in the power of the Emperour Fiftly that it greatly skilleth not who doe chose so fit men be chosen for the places Eusebius Caesariensis affirmeth constantly that two excellent Bishops in Palestine Theoctistus Bishop of Caesarea and Alexander Bishop of
duo volumina legit ad aedificatitonem plebis non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandum As therefore the Church readeth the books of Iudith and of Tobye and of the Machabees but receyueth them not amongst the Canonicall Scriptures so doth it also reade these two volumes for edification of the people but not to confirme any Ecclesiasticall doctrine Saint Augustine is of the same opinion and deliuereth the matter in these expresse words Hanc Scripturam quae appellatur Machabaeorum non habent Iudaei sicut Legem Prophetas Psalmos quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet tanquam testibus suis dicens oportebat impâ—eri omnia quae scripta sunt in Lege Prophetis in Psalmis de me Sed recepta est ab Ecclesia non invtiliter si sobrit legatur vel audiatur maxime propter illos Machabaeos qui pro Dei Lege sicut veri Martyres a persecutoribus tam indigna atque horrenda perpessi sunt The Scripture which is of the Machabees the Iewes repute not as they doe the Lawe and the Prophets and the Psalmes to which the Lord gaue testimonie as to his witnesses saying It behooued all things to be fulfilled which are written in the Lawe and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes of mee but the Church hath receiued it not without profite if it bee read or heard soberly especially for those Machabees who for the Lawe of God as true Martyrs suffred of their persecutors so vnworthy and horrible torments Saint Cyprian Saint Ambrose and other Fathers teache the same Doctrine and the continuall practise of the Churche in all ages doth yeelde a constant testimonie therevnto Nowe seeing the Churche of God hath thought it meete and profitable to haue the Apocryphall books read in the Church and seeing withall that Saint Austen Saint Hierome and other holy Fathers do commend the same I see no reason why a few young heads without gray beards whose authoritie is no waye comparable with the practise of the Church neither their reading experience and iudgement to bee equalized with the auncient holy Fathers should take vppon them so rashly to controll the Churche of England and to condemne her for following the practise of the Church in all ages Let these men weigh well with themselues what the holy most reuerend and learned Father Saint Austen saith to this and the like questions These are his expresse words In his n. rebus de quibus nihil certi statuit Scriptura Diuina mos populi Dei vel instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda sunt For in those things touching which the holie Scritpure hath left no certaine rule the custome of Gods people and the ordinances of our ancestours must be holden for a lawe Behold here gentle Reader a most excellent rule indeed giuen vs by this holie Father and great learned Doctor Which if they who this day impugne the governement of our English Church the Prownists and their â—â—herents I euer meane would duely ponder and regarde they would doubtlesse surceasse to vexe and distourbe the peace of our Church and receyue the ordinances of their auncestours with all reuerence and humilitie For the Church of England doth make a flat separation in which it doth in plain and expresse tearms seuer deuide the Canonicall books from the Apocryphall so as no simple Reader can but perceyue and vnderstand the same And it is not to the purpose to obiect as some haue done that the Rubricke in the booke of common prayer calleth the Apocryphall bookes holy Scripture For first when the Rubrick saith the rest of the holie Scripture it may be vnderstood fitlie of the bookes Canonicall following especially seeing it nameth not the Apocryphal expressely but quoteth some of them afterwards Secondly the Apocrypha may truely and lawfully beecalled holie Scripture Analogicè though not Univocè that is to say the wrytings of holy men or bookes conteyning holie and good matter And in this sense speaketh the Rubrick as I iudge and sundry of the holie Fathers I am well assured doe so tearme the bookes Apocryphall Howsoeuer the Rubricke be expounded or wrested two things are apparant Th' one that the Rubricke doth not call them Canonicall scripture Th' other that the Church meaneth not to equalize them with the Canonicall books of holy writ I prooue it because shee hath plainely distinguished the one from the other and preferred the authoritie of the Canonicall Neyther will it serue their turne to say as some haue done viz. That nothing may be read in the Church but onely the Canonicall scriptures For first no text of holy writ doth so affirme and consequently the Church hath power to determine thereof as is alreadie prooued Secondlie the ancient councell of Uasco which was holden aboue one thousand and one hundreth yeares agoe decreed plainlie in their publique assembly that the Deacons should read the Homelies made by the holy Fathers These are the expresse words of the Councell Hoc etiam pro aedificatione omnium Ecclesiarum pro vtilitate totius populi nobis placuit vt non solum in Ciuitatibus sedetiam in omnibus parochijs verbum faciendi daremus Presbyteris Potestatem ua vt si presbyter aliqua infirmitate prohibente per seipsum non potuerit praedicare Sanctorum Patrum Homiliae a Diaconis recitentur Wee haue also decreed for the edification of all Churches and for the good of all the people that the Priests should bee licenced to preache and not in Cities onely but also in euery Parish Churche so that the Deacons may read the Homilies of the holy Fathers if the Priest cannot preache himselfe by reason of some infirmitie Thirdly it is voyde of all reason and farre from all Christianitie to affirme it vnlawfull to read testimonialls made to signifie the distresse of our honest Neighbours that thereby wee may bee styrred vppe to releeue them more bountifullie Yea if it be true that some haue written it is a lawe amongst them of the Presbyterie to haue their orders for gouerning the Church reade publicklie once euery quarter And I knowe Expropria scientia that some of them haue done more Well now-adayes euery vpstart yongling that can rawely pronounce some Texts of the holie Byble though hee but meanely conceyue the true sense will roundly take vpon him I warrant you to reuile our most Reuerend Fathers the Archbyshops Byshoppes and to controll the gouernement of our Churche as if hee had a Commission from Heauen to doe it If I should disclose what my selfe haue heard herein and how I haue beene saluted sometimes for speaking my minde in the defence of the Reuerend Fathers and of the Godly setled Lawes of this Church of England time would sooner faile mee then matter whereof to speake CHAP. XIIII Of certaine extrauagants very offensino to the Patrons of the Presbyterie The first member of Christs Baptisme and the circumstances thereof IT is sharply reprooued that
see what subtiltie and craftie dealing contentious Satan vseth who goeth about by these dissentions in external matters to make againe a most ready way and passage for Poperie to enter into our gates But in such matters doubtlesse the Apostles rule must be obserued Whose vse and administration he saith is in our arbitrement and power yet so that we doe nothing against Gods ordinance neither haue any desire to trouble the publique peace whereof we must haue an especial care for these externall matters It is therefore this day lawfull for vs also to institute and ordaine a newe the baptisme of infants although it had not hither to bin vsed in the church if any commoditie or good successe of peace and concord might insue thereupon Out of these learned discourses of these graue and learned Writers I obserue these memorable rules for the benefit of the gentle Reader First that the ceremonies this day of our English Church are the same that were vsed in the church in the purest times 2 that in things which are neither against faith nor against manners the custome of the church must be a rule for vs to follow This is a most worthy lesson a most excellent rule and a most necessarie obseruation Thirdly that the dissentions and schismes stirred vp about externall rites and ceremonies proceede from the crastie and deceitful dealing of the diuel Fourthly that the Church hath power to make and constitute any lawes which are not repugnant and contrarie to the word of God Fiftly that our Church hath this day power to haue instituted the Baptisme of Infants although it had not beene vsed in former ages And consequently that it hath power a fortiori to set downe orders and lawes for the apparell of Ministers for surplesles square Caps interrogatories in baptisme and bowing of the knee at the name of Iesus for kneeling at the holy Communion for giuing thanks of women for their deliuerance from the perill of child-birth for prohibiting to Preach without licence for Reading of Homilies and the like Which rules and obseruations if they were wel remembred and duly obserued all schismes dissention whisperings and mutinies would wholy surâ—â—ase in this Church of England The third member of Deacons and their office in the Church In the booke of orders there is an office called the Deacon whose description is not to be found in Gods booke namely consisting in helping the Priest in diuine seruice especially when he ministreth the holy Communion in reading holy Scriptures Homilies in the congregation instructing the youth in the Catechisme in Baptizing and Preaching if he be admitted thereunto by the Bishoppe Thus Write the patrons of the Eldership and earnestly wished Presbiterie to whom I answere in this manner First that if it were true which they say as it is not indeed yet would it not followe that the office of a Deacon this day vsuall in the Church should be a thing vnlawfull to be vsed The reason is euident because as I haue already proued the Church hath authoritie to constitute make and ordaine any lawes ceremonies canons ordinances and orders which are for the good of the Church and not against the word of God for the better confirmation whereof let vs heare the verdict of maister Zanchius that most famous Writer These are his expresse words interea tamen non improbamus patres quod iuxta variaÌ„tuÌ„ verbi dispensandi tum regendae Ecclesiae rationem varios quoque ordines ministroruÌ„ multiplicarint quando id eis liberum fint sicut nobis quando constat id ab illis fuisse factum honestis de causis ad ordineÌ„ ad decoruÌ„ ad aedificationeÌ„ ecclesiae pro eo tempore pertinentibus Neuerthelesse we doe not discommend or reproue the fathers because they did multiply and increase the orders of the ministers according to the various manner of dispensing the word and of gouerning the Church Seeing that was in their libertie and power as it is also in ours And seeing also it is euident that they did that for honest causes for order comlinesse and edification of the Church as that time did require Out of these golden wordes I obserue first that the holy fathers in former ages did institute diuers orders of Ministers which orders though they be not found expressely in Gods booke yet this great learned man dareth not disalowe or reproue the same But our young maisters who for learning are vnworthy to carrie his bookes after him dare condemne them roundly and make hauocke of the Lawes of the ancient Church Secondly that the Church both then and now had and still hath full power and authoritie to constitute diuers orders of Ministers in the Church Let this obseruation bee well marked for it is of great importance and no small moment Thirdly that such orders and constitutions doe pertaine to the order comelinesse and edification of the Church Fourthly that these things may be changed at the discretion of the Church as the circumstances of the times places and persons doe require I answere secondly that the office of Deacons is no otherwise this day in our English Churches then it was of old in all Churches throughout the Christian world I proue it for that both ancient councells of Nice Carthage and others and also the holy fathers doe testifie the same so copiously as none but younglings of no reading can be ignorant thereof Thirdly that Deacons in the Apostolique time and primitiue Church did not onely serue the table and minister to the poore but also baptize and preach the Gospell I prooue it first because there were Deacons at Ephesus at Philippi and in Crete as may euidently be gathered of the Epistles which were written to Timothie Titus and the Philippians And for al that there was in those places at that time such paucitie of Christians as there could bee either small neede or none at all for Deacons to attend vpon the tables Secondly because the solemnitie of imposition of hands vsed in the ordering and consecration of Deacons doth argue a further and more excellent function then the bare and sole ministerie of the table This was well obserued by the great learned Doctor Illyricus whose wordes are these Hinc autem apparet eos non tantum ad dispensationem elemosynarum alimentorumque sed etiam ad institutionem auditorum fuisse adhibitos sicut illi Act. 6. etiam simul docuerunt non tantum aeconomiam administrarunt sed nimirum munus illorum fuit tantum rudiores instituere seu catechismum tradere dum presbyteri omnibus sufficere laboribus nequeunt Hence it is apparant that the Deacons were ordained not onely to distribute almes and reliefe to the poore but also to instruct and teach their auditors as they also of whom mention is made in the acts were occupied in teaching and not onely in houshold-businesse For their office was to instruct the ignorant and to Catechise
and best learned of the church as also of the common-weale of England vntill these last and worst dayes in which some fewe young Doctors of small reading haue audaciously taken vpon them to censure both our church and Kingdome in that behalfe 2. that it is noe small sinne for the inferiour to disobey the Lawe of his superiour in indifferent things of which sort and order is euery oath clad with circumstances to this case appertaining as it may euidently be prooued by the testimonie of the best both olde and moderne Writers It were enough for tryall hereof to call to minde what is alreadie Written But for better satisfaction of the friendly Reader I am content to alledge their testimonies whose iudgements the male-contents themselues will easily admit Maister Beza hath these expresse wordes Res alioqui per se mediae mutant quodammodo naturam quum aliquo legitimo mandato vel praecipiuntur vel prohibentur quia neque contra iustum praeceptum omitti possunt si praecipiantur neque contra interdictum fieri si prohibeantur Sequitur si n. conscientias propriè solus deus ligat tamen quatenus vel magistratus qui dei minister est iudicat interesse reip vt quippiam alio qui per se licitum non fiat vel ecclesia ordinis decori adeoque aedificationis rationem habens leges aliquas de rebus medijs ritè condit eiusmodi leges pijs omnino sunt observandae eatenus conscientias ligaÌ„t vt nemo sciens prudens rebellandi animo possit absque pece cato velfacere qua it a prohibentur vel omittere quae praecipiuntur Things otherwise of themselues indifferent doe after a sort change their nature so soone as by any lawfull precept they are either commaunded or prohibited because they neither can be omitted against a iust mandate if they be commaunded neither yet be done against an interdict when they are forbidden For albeit God alone doth properly bind the conscience yet for all that when the Magistrate being Gods minister iudgeth it expedient for the publique weale that a thing otherwise of it selfe lawfull be not done or the Church hauing respect to order and comlinesse and consequently to edification ordaineth lawes touching things indifferent then such Lawes must be altogether obserued of the godly and they so farre bind the consciences that no man can wittingly and willingly with a rebellious minde either doe the things so forbidden or omit the things so coÌ„manded but he shall thereby become guiltie of sinne Maister Martyr hath these wordes Quare hand nos latere oportet c. Wherefore we must not be ignorant that in the church there be three vertues of traditions Some of them are euidently deduced and gathered out of the Scriptures And touching this kinde all the faithful are bound to communicate together Other some are wholy repugnant to the word of God they must be reiected by what authoritie so euer they be obtruded And there be a third sort of traditions which we may call neutrall or indifferent because they are neither contrary to Gods word nor yet necessarily ioyned thereunto In which last kind we must obey the church three cautions being obserued First that they be not obtruded as a part of Gods worship or peculiar holinesse but as pertaining to order the ciuill commoditie of the church to comlinesse in diuine actions for all things are contained sufficiently in the holy Scriptures which pertaine to Gods worship and holinesse Secondly that they be not reputed so necessarie but that they may be changed if time so require Let the church keepe her interest in these indifferent things to appoint what shall bee thought most necessarie and meete to edifie the faithfull Last of all let not Gods people be burdened with too great a multitude of them Thus writeth this learned man The Churches in Heluetia in their confession of their faith after a long discourse of rites and things indiffeâ—â—nt added these wordes Semper vero ecclesiae in huiusmodiritibus sicut medijs vsae sunt libertate id quod nos quoque facimus The Churches in such rites as in things indifferent haue euer vsed their libertie which libertie our selues also challenge The Churches in Svevia in their confession haue these wordes Tales multas sanè ecclesia hodie iure obseruat pro occasione quoque condit novas quas qui reiecerit is non hominum sed dei cuius traditio est quaecunqus vtilis est auctoritatem contemnit Many such traditions the Church this day obserueth aright and as occasion requireth she appointeth and maketh new ones which new orders whosoeuer shal reiect he contemneth the authoritie not of men but of God Out of these testimonies of these famous godly zealous and most learned writers I obserue these golden lessons First that things of their own nature indifferent doe after a sort change their nature so soone as they be coÌ„manded to be done or left undone by the setled lawes of the Church Secondly that they bind the consciences of all persons subiect to the Churches iurisdiction so far and in such sort that they caÌ„not at any time or in any place transgresse the same without great sinne if such transgression be ioyned and annexed either to scandall or contempt Thirdly that whosoeuer reiecteth such lawes and ordinances of the Church contemneth the authoritie of God not of men Fourthly that he sinneth grieuously who either doth the things which the Church prohibiteth or omitteth the things which she commandeth to be done so long as her commandements remaine within the limits of things indifferent which she appointeth for order decencie and the common good of the Church I answere thirdly that the Church hath authoritie to impose euery lawfull ordinance and constitution which she deemeth profitable for the Church vpon euery person subiect to her iurisdiction This point is sufficiently proued alreadie both in this present Chapter and in many others throughout this discourse So that henceforth one onely thing remaineth for me to proue viz. That to minister the oath ex officio whereby one is bound to accuse himselfe is either a thing lawfull of it selfe or else Adiaphoron and a thing indifferent of it owne nature I attempt the proofe Euery thing is either good of it selfe as God the author and giuer of all goodnesse or euill of it selfe as the blaspheming of God or indifferent of it owne nature as golde money oyle wine and such like Now if the oath ex officio be good in it selfe then doubtlesse the Church may minister it to her subiects with out offence None that hath sence or reason will or can for shame denie the same Againe if it be Adiaphoron a thing of it owne nature indifferent then it is likewise in the power and libertie of the Church to impose the same vppon euery member within her iurisdiction This is so sufficiently proued as no deniall can bee made thereof It
Priests For writing to the people of Smyrna in Asia he hath these expresse words Honorate Deum vt authorem omnium dominum Episcopum autem tanquam principem sacerdotum imaginem Des forentem principatum quidem secundum deuÌ„ sacerdotium verò secundum Christum Honour God as the authour and Lorde of all things and a Bishop as the Prince or chief of Priests bearing the image of God superioritie according to GOD. Priest-hood according to Christ. And in the same Epistle hee reckoneth vp seuerall degrees of Bishops Priests Deacons and Lay-men The same Ignatius in that Epistle which he wrote to the Church of Trallis in Asia hath these words Quid est n. Episcopus nisi omnem principatum potestatem omnium illorum tenens quemadmodum deceat hominem tenere imitationeÌ„ des factum secunduÌ„ virtuteÌ„ For what is a Bishop but one that hath power and rule ouer them all he speaketh of Priestes and Deacons as it becommeth a man made according to vertue to keepe the imitation of God Thus writeth this holy Father who suffered a most cruell death for the testimonie of Iesus Christ beeing cast out to wilde beasts to be torne of them in pieces for the truths-sake Of these his Epistles and Martyrdome S. Polycarpe S. Hierome and Eusebius Caesariensis doe all three yeede a most lawdable and constant testimonie such as is able to penetrate any mans heart that shall seriously peruse the same S. Epiphanius and S. Austin doe both of them enroll among heresies this opinion of Aerius that a Priest or Pastor was equall to a Bishop Cum esset presbyter inquit Augustinus doluisse fertur quod Episcopus non potuit ordinari Sequitur dicobat etiam presbyterum ab Episcoponulla differentia debere discerni Aerius saith S. Austin being himselfe a Priest is reported to haue bene very sory that hee could not be made a Bishop The same Aerius held also this opinion that there was no difference betwixt a Priest and a Bishop S. Epiphanius affirming that Aerius held the same errour confuteth it by many sound reasons amongst which this is one Dicere n igsum Episcopum Prosbyterum aequalem esse quomodo erit possibile Episcoporum n. ordo patrum generator est patres n. generat ecclesia Presbyterorum verò non potens generare patres per lavacri regenerationem generat filios ecclesiae non tamen patres aut doctores For to say that a Bishop and a Priest are equall how is it possible For the order of Bishops is the begetter of the Fathers for that order begetteth Fathers to the Church But the order of Priests is not of abilitie to beget the Fathers but it begetteth sonnes to the Church by the regeneration of Baptisme yet not Fathers or Doctors This auncient Father liued aboue 12. hundred yeares agoe at which time it was holden for a grosse errour generally to say affirme or thinke that a Priest was equall to a Bishop in degree dignitie or iurisdiction This reason which S. Epiphanius maketh touching the begetting of Fathers to the Church is invincible and neuer can be answered It is the very same in substance with that of S. Hieromes which I haue set downe alreadly viz. that a Bishop differeth from a Pastorall Elder by the power of ordaining and making Ministers And to proue the superioritie of a Bishop aboue a Priest or Pastorall Elder that which Saint Austin telleth vs of Aerius is a flat and euident demonstration For Aerius being a Priest sought by all meanes to bee a Bishop and was sorie that hee could not attaine and accomplish his desire For greife whereof hee opposed himselfe against the prudent and godly setled order of the Church affirming very desperately as Saint Epiphanius saith that a Priest was euery way equal to a Bishop Now I pray you who knoweth not this to bee true that a wise man will neuer besâ—â—â—e and busie himselfe to attaine that which he hath alreadie But 〈◊〉 it is as you haue heard already that â—â—erius being a Priest 〈◊〉 under with might and maine to be made a Bishop Ergo it must needs be granted that to be a Bishop was 〈…〉 a degree dâ—gnitie aboue a Priest But to â—hat end should 〈…〉 point and question which â—â— is a position to constant 〈…〉 generally received in the dayes of S. Hierome S. Austâ—â—e S. Chrysostome S. Epiphaniâ—s Eusebues Policarpus 〈◊〉 is I haue already proue 〈◊〉 Reader shall thinke better of moderne writers then of these auncient holy and learned Fathers I am content for his better satisfaction to alledge the â—lâ—t testimonies and expresse wordes of the best approued writers in this last age M. Caluine hath these expresse wordes Quamvis nâ— commune sit omnibus verbi ministris idemque officium sunt tamen honoris gradus For although there bee one Office common to all the Ministers of the word yet are there degrees of honour among them Againe in another place he hath these words Diâ—cimus quidem ex hoc loco non eam fuisse tunc aequalitateÌ„ inter ecclesia ministres quin vâ—us aitquis authoritate consitio praeesset nihil tamen hoc ad tyranmcum profanum collationum morem qui in Papatis regnat longe n. diuersafuit apostolorum ratio We learne by this place that there was no such equalitie among the Ministers of the Church in those dayes but that one was preferred before an other in counsell and authoritie Yet this is nothing like to that tyrannicall and prophane custome of ruling in Popedome which is faire different from the manner of the Apostles The second Paragraph of the artiquitie of Bishop Archbishops Primates Metropolitans and Patriarches in the Christian Church of God THe truth is that the Church of Christ was sometime both without the names degrees of Arch-bishops Metropolitans Primates and Patraâ—ches yet it did not long so continue but was altered in the kind of gouernment euen in the time of the Apostles This affirmance S. Hierome maketh so manifest that I cannot but wonder how any without blushing doe denie the same These are S. Hieroms owne words Quod autem postea vniâ—â—â— electus est qui caeteris praeponeretur in 〈◊〉 remedium factum est ne vnusquisque adse trabens Christi ecclesiam rumperet Nam Alexandriae a Marco Evangelista vsque ad Heraclam Dionysium episcopos presbyteri semper vnum exâ—e electum in excelsiors gradu collocatum episcopum nominaâ—bant But that afterward one was chosen to beare rule ouer the â—â—est it was done to auoid schisme least euery one should â—â—â—aw companie to himselfe and so breake the vnitie of the Church For at Alexandria from S. Marke the Euangelist vnto the Bishops Heraâ—las Dionysius the priests or elders did euer cloose one among them whom they placed in an â—agher degree and named him Bishop The same Father in an other place hath these expresse wordes Idem est presbyter qui
episcopus antequam diabeli iâ—stinctu studia in religiene sierent diceretur in populis ego sum Peuli ego Apolio ego verò Cephae communi presbytererum 〈◊〉 ecclesiae gubernabantur Postquam verò vnusquisque eos quoâ— baptizaverat suos putabat esse non Christian toto orbe accrâ—â—um est vt vâ—usde presbyteris euctus svperponeretur caeteris ad quem omnis ecclesiae cura pertineret sâ—â—iâ—matum scmina tellereâ—tur An Elder and a Bishop are all one and before dissention by the diuels procurement arose in the Church and the people began to say I am of Paul I of Apolle and I of Cophas the churches were gouerned by the common consent of the Pastorall Elders Ministers or Priests But after that euery one did thinke those to be his and not Christs whom he had baptized it was decreed throughout the whole world that one of the ministers or Priest should bee chosen and set ouer the rest to whom the whole care of the Church should appertaine that the seeds of schisme might be taken away Out of these plaine aslertions of this holy learned and auncient father I obserue first that in the very beginning of the primitiue church al the ministers were equal in degree and did gouerne the church with a general coÌ„mon consent Secondly that in very short time the diuell raised vp such dissention in the church that it was thought meete to alter the kind of gouernment to set one minister ouer the rest Thirdly that this was done to take away schisme Fourthly that this alteratioÌ„ was made euen in the Apostles dayes viz. wheÌ„ one said he held of Paul an other he held of Peter an other he held of Apollo at what time S. Marke the Euangelist was made the Bishop of Alexandria Fiftly that this superioritie among the ministers of the church was decreed by a settled lawe throughout the whole world S. Irenaeus hath these wordes Omnes n. hij valaë posteriores sunt quam episcopi quibus Apostoli tradiderunt ecclesias For all these come farre after Bishops to whom the Apostles committed the charge of churches Maister Zuinglius a famous and zealous defender of the Gospell is wholy consonant to these holy and ancient Fathers His wordes shall be set downe at large when I come to the ordering of Ministers Saint Timothy and S. Titus had superioritie ouer all other Ministers both at Ephesus and at Creta and consequently they were made Arch-bishops by Saint Paul himselfe This is constantly affirmed both by Saint Crysostome Theodoritus Oecumenius and many other famous writers Saint Chrysostome hath these expresse wordes Vnus ex Pauls socijâ— hic fuit vir probatus nequeâ—n profectò ills integram insulam permisisset neque ea quae aeerant praecepisset imâ—lenda tam multorum episcoporum iudicium commisisset nisi multùmilli confideret This worthy man was one of S. Pauls fellowes for doubtlesse he would neuer haue committed one whole Iland vnto him neither haue commanded things wanting to be accomplished nor yet haue coÌ„mitted the iudgemeÌ„t of so many Bishops vnto him vnlesse he had had great confidence in him Thus writeth this holy learned and ancient father touching the superioritie of Titus Of Timotheus the same father writeth thus Quaeri mevitò potest quomodo Timotheum adse vocet cui ecclesiae gentisque totius crediderat gubernacula It may worthily be demaunded how hee calleth Timothy vnto him to whom he had committed the gouernment of the Church and of the whole nation Marke well these wordes gentis totius of the whole nation and these wordes likewise integram insulam the whole Iland and these wordes withall Muitorum episcoporum iudicium the iudgement of many Bishops For out of the said wordes it is cleerely and euidently deduced that both Timotheus and Titus were Arch-bishops in Saint Paules time the one hauing iurisdiction ouer all Asia the other ouer all Creta two great and large countries Illyricus a very famous late writer and a most worthy defender of Christian truth iumpeth with S. Chrysostome in his iudgement and opinion These are his expresse words Harum autem tres priores scriptae ad duos praestantes doctores plurimarumque ecclesiarum episcopos Timotheum Titum potissimùm informant episcopum aut superintendentem per cum etiam totam ecclesiam ab ipso gubernandam ac instruâ—ndam But the three former of these written to two excellent Doctors and Bishops of many churches Timotheus and Titus doe specially informe a Bishop or superintendent and by him the whole Church also which must be gouerned and instructed by him Loe here gentle Reader Timothie and Titus were Arch bishops that is to say the Bishops of many Churches I here let passe the wordes of Theodoretus Oecumentus and others in regard of breuitie Saint Cyprian that holy learned and auncient Father who liued aboue one thousand and three hundred yeares agoe was not only the Bishop of the famous citie of Carthage but he had also the gouernment both of Numidia and of Mauritania two goodly regions in Affrica So doth S. Cyprian himselfe write of himselfe and therefore the storie is of good credite Many Councels of Nice Antioch Carthage Mileuitane Chaicâ—doâ— and others make mention of Arch-bishops Metropolitans Primate and Patriarches It shall suffice in regard of breuitie to relate onely master Calnius testimonie of the famous Councel of Nice These are maister Caluins expresse words Quod autem singulae provinciae vnum habebant inter episcopos archiepiscopum quod item in Nicaena synodo constituti sunt patriarchae quiessent ordine dignitate archiepitscopis superiores id ad aâ—sâ—iplinae conservationem pertinebat Quanquam in hac disputatione praeteriri non potest quod rarissimi erat vsus Ob hanc igitur causam potissimum iustituti sunt illi gradus vt si quid in ecclesia qualibet incideret quod non posset bene a paâ—cis expediri ad synodum provincialem referretur Siâ—nagnitudo aut difficultas causae maiorcÌ„ quoque discussioâ—â—◠〈◊〉 adâ—iâ—ebantur patriarchae vaa cum synodis a qubuâ— esset provocatio nisi ad vniversaie concilium 〈◊〉 sic constitutam non ulli Hierarchâ—am vocaruÌ„t nomine 〈…〉 improprio â—erè 〈…〉 veteres episcâ—pos non aliam regendae ecelesiae formam volnisse fingere ab ea quam deus verbo suo praescripsit That euery prouince had an Arch-bishop among their Bishops and that the Councell of Nice did appoint Patriarches which should be in order and dignitie aboue Arch-bishops it was done for the preseruation of discipline Although in this discourse wee may not forget that it was a thing of very rare vse For this cause therefore were those degrees especially appointed that if any thing should happen in any particular church which could not there be decided the same might be referred to a general Synod If the greatnesse or difficultie of the cause required yet greater consultation then were added
Patriarches together with the Synodes from whom there could be no appeale but onely vnto a Generall Councell This kinde of gouernment some called a Hierarchie a name improper and not vsed in the Scriptures as I thinke For the holy Ghost would not haue vs to dreame of any dominion or rule when question is made of Church gouernment But omitting the name if we consider the thing it selfe we shall find that these old Bishops would not frame any other kind of gouernment in the Church then that which God prescribed in his word Thus writeth Maister Caluin of the antiquitie of degrees and superioritie amongst the Ministers of the Church Which whosoeuer shall ponder seriously all partialitie set apart together with the constitutions testimonie and approbation of the most sacred and renowned generall Councel of Nice which Councel was euer to this day highly reuerenced throughout the Christian world that man doubtlesse cannot but approoue and allowe our Bishops and Arch-bishops with their names and authorities this day established in the godly setled gouernment of the Church of England For first Maister Caluin graunteth willingly the truth it self plainly leading him thereunto that in the time of the famous Councell of Nice there were both Arch-bishops and Patriarches Secondly that that patriarches were in order dignitie aboue the Arch-bishops and consequently that there was euen then viz. aboue one thousand two hundred and fortie yeares agoe superioritie Episcopall Archiepiscopall and Patriarchall among the ministers of the Church one minister hauing iurisdiction ouer and vpon an other More then which doubtlesse our Bishops and Arch-bishops doe not this day challenge in our Church of noble England Thirdly that this superioritie and dignitie among Ministers was ordained for the preseruation of discipline in the Church and consequently that as it was then godly conuenient and necessarie for the Church so is it this day in our Church of England Fourthly that the kinde of gouernment by Arch-bishops and Patriarches was agreeable to that forme of gouernment which God prescribed in his word This is a point of great moment which may not bee forgotten To which I also adde which the Reader must obserue seriously with mee that the Councell of Nice telleth vs plainely that this superioritie of one Minister aboue and ouer an other which the Brownists cannot endure was not then first appointed but had beene time out of minde by an auncient custome of the church which the Councell confirmed and established by her decree But how doe I proue it doubtlesse by the expresse wordes of the Councell For the Councell in the sixt Cannon hath these wordes Mos antiquus perduret Let the olde custome continue And in the seuenth cannon it hath these wordes Quoniam mos antiquus obtinuit vetusta traditio Because an olde custome and auncient tradition hath preuailed c. Which olde custome had beene in the Church euen from Saint Marke the Euangelist and from Saint Timothy and Saint Titus as is already prooued And if any one will yet bee obstinate and denie that this olde custome whereof the holy and auncient Councell speaketh beganne in the Apostles time let that man or those persons which so shall say or affirme name the time before the Nicene Councell when Archbishops and Patriarches first beganne And if any man can this performe I promise to bee of his opinion If otherwise both reason and true humilitie would aduise that man and those persons who shall so say or thinke to yeelde all due obedience to their superiours and willingly to subscribe vnto the truth Which doubtlesse they will doe that heretofore haue refused to embrace the ceremonies of our English Church if this Text of the Gospell bee not truly verified in them for they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God But howe is this possible I will vnfold the case Gentle Reader protesting that I doe it of charitie and for edification sake The truth I will plainly and sincerely set downe concealing the parties name because I loue the man and haue regard vnto his credite Talking with a Preacher of mine acquaintance a man otherwise both godly learned and of singular gifts concerning the cannons of Anno. 1604. and the kinde of gouernment of this our English Church when hee seemed to mee to haue nothing of moment to say against the same hee answered mee thus that hee would neither loose his liuing nor weare the surplesse nor yet make the signe of the crosse in the childs forhead And when I demaunded how that could bee hee answered that hee would keepe one to doe it but not doe it himselfe When I replied that hee might as lawfully doe it himselfe as procure an other to doe it hee vttered these wordes How can I doe that against which I haue so often preached I proceeded and told him as a friend that his refusall seemed to tast of the spirit of the proude Pharise and not of the humble Publican c. Well I hope the partie wil be obedieÌ„t But certes I thought afore that all their proceedings had been of meere conscience which now I perceiue to be of pride in a great many of them through which manner of dealing I wil not say hypocrisie the simple sort become disobedient and are deepely drowned in errour and our Church pitifully turmoyled with schismes dissention The godly learned and zealous Patron of pure religion maister Bucer deriueth the superioritie of Arch-bishops euen from the Apostles themselues These are his expresse words I am ex perpetua ecclesiarum observations abipsis apostolis videmus visum hoc esse spiritu sancto vt inter presbyteros quibus ecclesiarum procuratio potissimùm est commissa vnus ecclesiarum totius sacriministerij curam gerat singulareÌ„ eaque cura solicitudine cunctis praeerat alijâ— Qua de causa episcopi nomen huiusmodi summis ecclesiarum cur atoribus est peculiaritèr attributum Now we see by the perpetuall obseruation of churches euen from the Apostles themselues that it pleased the holy Ghost that among the ministers to whom especially the gouernment of the church is committed one should haue the chiefe care both of the churches and the whole sacred ministery that he in that care and sollicitued should be aboue al the rest for which cause the name of Bishop is peculiarly giuen to such chiefe gouernours of churches Thus writeth maister Bucer Out of whose words I note first that the superioritie of Arch-bishops and bishops proceedeth from the holy Ghost Secondly that this superioritie was euer in the church eueÌ„ from the Apostles The same author hath in that same Chap. much more matter to the same effect The famous doctor zealous christian Hieronymie Zanchis us in the coÌ„fessioÌ„ of his faith granteth freely that there were Arch-bishops Metropolitans and Patriarches before the Nicene Councel These are his words Cum hanc coÌ„sâ—riberem fidei confessioneÌ„ omnia ex bona
conscientia scripsi sicut credias sic etiam isberè loquutus sum vt facienduÌ„ esse docent sacrae litera Fides auteÌ„ mea nititur cùm primis simplâ—citèr verbo Dei Deinde nonnihil etiam communi totius veteris catholica Ecclesia consensu si ille cum sacris literis non pugnet Credo n. qua a pijs patribus in nomine Domini congregatis communi omnium consensu citra vllaÌ„ sacraruÌ„ litorarum contradictioneÌ„ definita receptafuerunt ea etiam quanquaÌ„ haud eiusdem cum sacris literis authoritatis a spiritu sancto esse Hinc fit vt quae sunt huinscemodi ea ego improbare noc velim nec audeaÌ„ bona conscientia quid autem certius ex Historijs ex concilijs ex omnium patrum scriptis quà m illos ministroruÌ„ ordines de quibus diximus communi totius reipublicae christianae consensu in ecclesia constitutos receptosque fuisse Quis autem ego sum qui quod tota ecclesia approbavit improbem sed neque omnes nostri temporis docti viri improbare ausi sunt quippe qui norunt licuisse haec Ecclesiae ex pietate atque ad optimos fines pro electorum aedificatione ea omnia fuisse profecta ordinata When I worte this Confession of my Faith I wrote euery thing with a good conscience and as I beleeued so I also freely spoke as holy writ teacheth me to doe My beliefe is principally simply grounded vpon Gods word then some-what also vpon the coÌ„mon consent of the auncient Catholique Church so it doe not swarne from the holy Scriptures For I belâ—eue that such things as that holy Fathers gathered together in Gods name haue with common consent defined and receiued without any contradiction of the holy Scriptures do proceed from the holy Ghost though not of the same authoritie with the holy Scriptures Hence comes it that my selfe neither will nor with safe conscience dare reproue such kinde of decrees But what is more cleare and euident by Histories by Councels and by the writings of all the Fathers then that those orders of Ministers wherof we haue spoken haue bene appointed receiued in the Church euen with the common consent of the whole christian Common weale And who am I that I should reproue that which the whole Church hath approued yea which all the learned men of our age durst neuer reproue to this day as who knew right well that both the Church might lawfully doe these things also that they proceeded of pietie that all things were ordained to very godly purposes for edefication of Gods elect Thus writeth this learned godly zealous and iudicious Father who for his rare learning profound knowledge pure zeale great iudgemeÌ„t was inferior to none of his age in Christs Church if not superiour to all Out of whose words I obserue many more excellent worthy documeÌ„ts for the help of the wel affected Reader First that this godly learned man was fully resolued to die in that Faith which he heare speaketh of Secondly that he published this his Confession of Faith with a good conscience constantly beleeuing as he wrote Thirdly that his Faith was grounded vppon the word of God Fourthly that the Decrees of the holy Fathers assembled in Christes name defined by the common consent of all and not repugnant to the Scriptures were not simply the Decrees of men but also of the holy Ghost Fiftly that the Degrees of Ministers and superioritie of Bishops Arch-bishops Primates and Patriarches were approued and receiued by vniforme and common consent throughout the whole Church of Christ. Sixtly that this great learned man neither durst nor could with good conscience reproue the same Seuenthly that the Church had authoritie to appoint constitute ordaine such degrees and superiority amongst the Ministers of the Church Eightly that such constitutioÌ„s proceeded of pietie were ordeined for edisicatioÌ„ of the Church To the testimony of this graue writer I deeme it worth the labour to adde that which the same Doctor hath in another place These are his words Hoc ego ingenuè denuò profiteor talem esse meam conscientiam vt a veteruÌ„ patrum sive dogmatibus sive scripturarum interpraetationibus non facilè nisivel manifestis sacrarum literarum testimonijs vel necessarijs consequentijs apertisque demonstrationibus convictus atque coactus discedere queam Sic enim acquiescit mea conscientia in hac mentis quiete cupio etiaÌ„mors I againe professe freely my conscience to be such that I cannot easily depart either from the Doctrines of the auncient Fathers or from their interpretations of the holy Scriptures vnlesse I bee convicted and compelled therevnto either with the manifest testimonies of holy Writ or with necessarie consequences and manifest demonstrations For so my conscience is at rest and in this quiet of minde I desire to die Out of which wordes I note two things both memorable and of great importance wishing the gentle Reader to marke them attentiuely First that the auncient Fathers haue decreed according to the holy Scriptures superioritie among Ministers in the Church and the degrees of Bishops Arch-bishops Primates Metropolitans Suffragans and Patriarches Secondly that this learned Doctor thinketh himselfe bound in conscience to acknowledge receiue and obey such decrees and constitutions of the holy Fathers and therefore earnestly desireth to ende his life in that beliefe Nicolaus Hemingius affirmeth constantly that the pure church which followed the Apostles-time ordeyned diuers degrees of Ministers for the peaceable Regiment of the Church as Metropolitans Arch-bishops Patriarches The 1. Obiection Ye know that the Lords of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them and they that are great exercise authoritie ouer them But it shall not be so among you but whosoeuer will be great among you let him be your seruant The Answere I answere that these wordes of our Sauiour Christ doe only condemne ambitious desire of rule and the tyrannicall vâ—â—ge thereof but not simply all superioritie and lawfull authoritie of one aboue an other I proue it first because Christ saith not the Lords of the Iewes but the Lords of the Gentiles beare rule ouer them As if hee had said you may not haue that tyrannicall kind of gouernment which the gentiles vsed nor such ambitious desire and sinister affection of rule as was found among them And therefore is it significantly said it shall not be so He saith not it shal not be at all but it shall not be so as it was among the Gentiles Secondly bcause it is the frequent custome of the holy Scriptures to forbid things simply without exception when it doth in deedes and true meaning prohibite onely the abuse and the inordinate desire and vsage of the same Call no man your father vppon earth saith Christ for there is but one your Father which is in heauen Bâ—â— not called Doctors for one is your Doctor euen Christ But
onely ambition and greedie desire of bearing rule ouer others Which his opinion hee prooveth to bee grounded vpon Christs owne wordes And doubtlesse it is to bee admired that any Learned man will holde the contrarie opinion See Peter Martyrs opinion and note it well His expresse wordes shall bee set downe when I come to speake of the church-discipline The Reply Maister Caluin and many other learned writers alleage this Text against that superioritie which the late Bishops of Rome doe challenge ouer other Ministers of the Church which doubtlesse they could never truely doe if one Bishop or Minister may be superiour to another The Answere I answere that M. Caluin and other learned men doe truely alledge this Scripture against the falsly challenged Primacie of the proude arrogant Bishop of Rome And yet for all that it doth not prohibite the moderate and lawfull superioritie of one Minister ouer another which is both necessarie for the peaceable managing of the Church and hath euer beene vsed in the Church as it is already prooved For the Bishop of Romes superioritie is so farre from heing moderate and lawfull that it may truely be termed tyrannicall and plaine diabolical Because as I haue proved at large in other discourses hee taketh vpon him to depose kings to translate kingdomes and in most brutish and savage manner to tyrannize ouer mens soules and consciences Idque iure divino as hee beareth the world in hand The 2. Obiection The names of Arch-bishops Primates and Patriarches are proud names disholy prophane and not to bee found in the holy Scriptures The Answere I answere First that though the names be not expressed in holy writ yet is the thing it selfe sufficiently conteined in the same as is already proved Secondly that the very names are so farre from being prophane and disholy that the most zealovs Patrons of the Presbitery doe allowe and approue the same for lawfull and holy and to haue beene ordained of the holy Fathers for a godly end and purpose Maister Caluins opinion is alreadie set downe in this present chapter Yet for better satisfaction of the Reader let him heare what the same authour saith in an other place These are his wordes Quod duodecim vnum habuerint inter se qui omnes regeret nihil mirum Hoc n. fert natura hoc hominum ingenium postulat vt in quovis caetu etiamsi aequales sint omnes potestate vnus tamen sit veluti moderator in quem alij respiciant Nulla est curia sine consule nullus consessus indicum sine Praetore sen quaesitore collegium nullum sine Praefecto nulla sine magistro societas That the twelue Apostles had one among them to gouerne the rest it was no maruell For nature requireth it and the dispositioÌ„ of men will so haue it that in euery company though they be all equall in power there be one as gouernour by whom the rest may be directed There is no Court without a Consull no Senate without a Pretor no Colledge without a PresideÌ„t no societie without a maister Now it is euident that neither Bishops nor Arch-bishops in our church of England haue greater authoritie then maister Caluin speaketh of in this place For to say nothing of the dignitie of Consuls and Pretors which was very great among the Romans the maister of a Colledge as euery Scholler of Cambridge and Oxford can tell hath a perpetuall office hee is chiefe gouernour of that societie and all the members thereof owe obedience vnto him as to their head he hath authoritie to punish and to see lawes executed within his Colledge as Bishops and Arch-bishops haue in their dioceses prouinces And most certaine it is that no Arch-bishop in England hath that authoritie in his prouince which the Consul had in Rome Maister Beza confesseth that antiquitie vsed the names of Bishops and Arch-bishops and willingly admitteth of them as holy names These are his expresse wordes Nam quod pastores temporis progressu distincti sunt in metropolitas episcopos quos nunc vocant curatos id est singulis paraecijs prafectos id minime factum est respectu ministerij verbi sed potum habita ecclesiasticae iurisdictionis ac disciplinae ratione Itaque quod attinet ad verbi praedicandi munus sacramentorum administrationeÌ„ nullum est inter archiepiscopos episcopos curatos discrimen Omnes n. tenentur suos greges eodeÌ„â—ibo pascere ideâ—que communi nomine postores episcopi in scripturis passim vocantur Quae verò istorum impudentia est sacra nomina vsurpare propter ea apostolorum verorum opiscoporum successionem iactare For that in processe of time pastors were distinguished into Metropolitans or Arch-bishops Bishops and Curates it was not done in respect of the Ministerie of the word but in regard of ecclesiasticall iurisdictition and discipline Therefore touching the office of Preaching and Ministration of the sacraments there is no difference betwixt Arch-bishops Bishops and Curates For they all are bound to feede their flockes with the same meate and therfore are they called in the Scriptures by the common name of Pastors and Bishops But how impudent are these men which vnder colour of these holy names glory in the succession of the Apostles and true Bishops thus writeth master Beza iumping as euery childe may see with that doctrine which I now defend Yea the same Beza affirmeth these degrees and names to haue beene appointed by the auncient Church vpon a very good zeale These are his wordes in an other place Neque verò nos ignoramus quammulia sint a veteribuâ— constituta de episcoporum metropolitaruÌ„ Patriarcharum sedibus idque optimo zelo definitis cuinsique limitibus certaque attributa authoritate Neither are wee ignorant how many coÌ„stitutions the old fathers haue made concerning the seates of Bishops Metropolitans and Patris arches and that vpon a very godly zeale assigning to euery one his boundes and authoritie Thus the Reader seeeth how Caluin Beza Bucer Zanchius and Hemingius doe hold the same opinion which I now defend The Reply The Bishops Arch-bishops Patriarches and such like of which Beza Caluin the Councell of Nice and other councels make mention were not such as our Bishops in England Prelates of the Garter high Commissioners Iustices of Peace and Quorum The Answere I answere First that the same superioritie of one minister ouer an other was then in the olde Arch-bishops Patriarches and such like which is this day in ours here in this land yea greater by one degree at the least because England neuer had a Patriarch in it Secondly that Arch-bishops Primates and Metropolitans which are all one in effect had then the same iurisdiction in other countries which our bishops haue this day in England That is to say a superiour charge and sollicitude of all Churches within their prouinces Which thing though it be alreadie prooued sufficiently to all well affected Readers may
festiuitie for the dedication of the Temple which continued for the space of seuen whole daies Secondly Queene Hester and Mordicai appointed the Iewes to keepe a solemne feast for the remembrance of their happy deliueraÌ„ce from Hamans crueltie Thirdly the Machabees Iudas and his brethren ordained that the dedication of the Altar should be kept from yeare to yeare by the space of eight daies with mirth and gladnesse Fourthly in the daies of Nehemiah the Captaine and of Ezra the Priest the Iewes were appointed to keepe the dedication of the wall at Hierusalem with thankes-giuing and with songes Cymbals Violes and Harpes Concerning which dedication instituted by Iudas Machabaeus Christ himself honoured it with his presence and maister Caluin affordeth it this explication Ac si diceres innovationes quia templum quod pollutum fuerat de integro consecratum fuit auspicijs Iudae Machabaei ac tunc institutum fuit vt quotannis festus ac celebris esset dedicationis novae dies vt dei gratiam quae finem Antiochi tyrannidi imposuerat memoria repeterent Tunc autem in templo Christus promoâ—e apparuit vt in frequenti hominum conventu vberior esset praedicationis suae fructus As if thou shouldest say innouatioÌ„s because the Temple which had bene polluted was coÌ„secrated a fresh by Iudas Machabaeus his authoritie then was it ordained that there should be yearely a feast and a solemne day of the new dedicatioÌ„ that they might remember Gods grace and mercy which had made an end of Antiochus his tyranny At which time Christ was present after his maner in the Temple that in so great a concurse of people his Preaching might haue the better effect Yea maister Caluin granteth that the Iewes instituted their Sanheâ—rim after their returne from Captiuitie This libertie the Church hath this day as may appeare by the freedome in altering the Saboth-day For as I haue proued at large by the testimonie not onely of the ancient Fathers but also of the best approued late writers Philippus Melanction Erasmus Roterodamus Iohannes Caluinus Petrus Martyr Pellicanus Bullingerus and Vrsinus in my booke of Suruey though it be constant perpetuall to haue one day in the weeke assigned for diuine seruice that being the morall part of the Sabaoth and vnalterable yet whether this or that day ought to bee appointed for that purpose it is a thing that respects the time and may bee changed by the church If any shal hold the contrary doctrine he must perforce fall into flat iudaisme tye himselfe to the obseruaÌ„ce of dayes moneths yeares against the Apostolike doctrine For to be tied of necessitie to the time is a flat Iewish superstition intrinsecally ceremonial as all the aforenamed learned men doe will testifie with me yet I neither wish nor deeme it a thing conuenient to change the Lords day or Saboath The third aphorisme of the rules which the Church must obserue in all her constitutions ordinances and decrees THe first rule which the Church must obserue in her lawes decrees constitutions is this viz. That shee prohibite nothing which God commandeth neither coÌ„mand any thing which God prohibiteth Ye shal put nothing to the word which I coÌ„mand you neither shal ye take ought there-from Take heed therfore that yee doe as the Lord your God hath commanded you turne not aside to the right hand nor to the left Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maiest obserue and doe according to all that is written therein The second rule is this that the decrees and constitutions of the Church bee not made a part of Gods worship nor holden as necessary vnto saluation For as our Sauiour saith they worship him in vaine who teach for Doctrines the precepts of men And therfore doth the Apostle condemne Ethelothrescêian all voluntarie worship deuised by man The third rule is this that the decrees and constitutions of the Church be onely made of things indifferent and for one of these three endes viz. either for edification or for decencie and comelinesse or for order sake and peaceable gouernment of the Church Of these endes speaketh the Apostle where he willeth all things to be done vnto edifying and to be done decently and orderly These three Aphorismes seriously obserued duly pondered all Ceremonies Ordinances Decrees and Constitutions of our English Church will find ready and sufficient approbation The Demonstration The corollarie and illation deduced out of the precedent Aphorismes may be made cleare and euident by three inuincible and irrefragable reasons Wherof the first is taken from the authoritie of the holy Scriptures the second from the practise of the Catholique Church The third from the vniforme consent of best approued late Writers The 1. reason drawne from the holy Scriptures HOly Writt teacheth vs that the Church De facto hath altered many things which Christ himselfe did both institute and put in practise That the Church ordained and Decreed many things whereof the Scripture maketh no mention And that the Church may make decrees Lawes ordinances and constitutions in all things Adiaphorois which are of their own nature indifferent so the same tend to edification comelinesse or peaceable gouernment of the Church This reason is proued throughout all the precedent Aphorismes And it will be more plaine when I come to speake of the election of ministers The 2. reason drawne from the practise of the auncient Church IF the gentle Reader shall call to minde what I haue in this discourse alreadie set downe out of the Decrees of the auncient and holy Councels out of the holy Fathers and best approoued late Writers hee cannot rest doubtfull or stagger any longer in this behalfe Saint Austen writeth so grauely and so copiously of this matter in many of his bookes extant in the world as hee is well able to satisfie euery one that will be perswaded with reason In his Epistle to Ianuarius to omit all other his manifold testimonies he telleth vs that that Catholique Church by her freedome and authoritie hath instituted certaine solemne feastes of the passion resurrectioÌ„ ascension of Christ and descending of the holy Ghost to be yearely obserued throughout the Christian world He addeth these most golden wordes Nec disciplina vlla est in his melior graui prudentique christiano quà m vt eo modo agat quo agere viderit ecclosiaÌ„ ad quamcunque fortè devenerit Quod. n. neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's iniungitur indifferentèr est habenduÌ„ et pro eorum inter quos vivitur societate servandum est Neither can there be any better discipline in these matters for a graue and discrete christan then to doe so as hee shall see that Church doe to which hee hath occasion to come For that which is neither against faith
nor against good manners may be indifferently obserued for their societie amongst whom we doe conuerse In the same Epistle the same holy Father telleth vs Saint Ambrose his iudgement concerning the varietie of fasting These are his wordes Cum RomaÌ„ venio ieiuno sabbato cum hic sum non ieiuno sic etiam tu ad quam sortè ecclesiam veneris eius morem serva si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quenquaÌ„ tibi WheÌ„ I come to Rome saith Saint Ambrose I fast on Satterday when I am here at Millan I doe not fast Euen so must you doe when you come to any other Church you must doe after the manner of that Church if you will neither scandalize others nor haue others to scandalize you Heere is a most golden rule how to behaue our selues in things indifferent viz to conforme our selues to the time place and persons when where and with whom we doe conuerse If our brethren would seriously ponder and duly weigh this golden aduise of this holy Father they would abandon all contention doubtlesse about the signe of the Crosse the Surplesse and such like indifferent things and for that dutie which they owe vnto the magistrate whom they are bound to obey in all lawfull things euen for conscience sake they would conforme themselues to his lawes and their brethren and not to scandalize the whole Church as they doe To this graue testimonie of Saint Austen and Saint Ambrose it shall suffice for the second reason to adde this memorable obseruation viz. that our brethren who labour so busily to enforce vs violently to receiue their newe discipline are not able to make demonstration to vs either out of the Scriptures or generall Councels or the holy fathers or ecclesiasticall histories that any Church in the Christian world from two hundred yeares before the famous Councell of Nice vntill maister Caluins daies that is for the space of a thousand foure hundred yeares together to say nothing of former times had either the same newe discipline in practise or any pastors made after their manner Which if it cannot be done they wil I doubt not after mature delibration had therein confesse willingly and truly at least in their hearts that in this Church of England there is this day a lawfull ministerie consisting of lawfull Ministers and Bishops according to the practise of the Church in all ages The third reason drawne from the vniforme consent of best approued late writers MAister Caluin hath a very large and learned discourse of this question some part whereof shall suffice at this present These are his wordes Quia autem in externa disciplina ceremonijs non valuit sigillatim praescribere quid sequi debeamus quod illud pendere a temporum conditione provideret ne que iudicaret vnam seculis omnibus formam convenire confugere hic oportet ad generales quas dedit regulas vt ad eaâ— exigantur quaecunque ad ordinem decorum praecipi necessitas ecclefiae postulabit Postremò quia ideo Nihil expressuÌ„ traeâ— didit quianec ad salutem haec necessaria sunt en prc moribus vniuscuiusque gentis ac seculi varie accommodari debent ad ecclesiae aedificationem provt ecclesiae vtilit as requiret tam vsitatas mutare abrogare quam novas instituere conveniet Fateor equidem non temerè nec subinae nec levibus de causis ad novationem esse decurrendum Sed quid â—oceat vel aedificet charit as optimè iudicabit quam si moderatriceÌ„ esse patiemur salva erunt omnia But because in externall discipline and ceremonies hee would not particularly prescribe what wee ought to followe because he foresaw that this depended vpon the state and condition of the time and did not deeme one maner to be agreeable to all ages here we must haue recourse to his generall rules giuen vs and make triall by them of what things soeuer the necessrie of the Church shall require for order and comelinesse Lastly because hee therefore deliuered nothing expressely for that they are not necessarie to saluation but must be applied diuersly to the benefit of the Church as the manners of euery nation doe require it shall therefore be convenient as well to chaunge and abolish the olde ceremonies as to institute newe as the good of the Church shall require I confesse freely that we must not vse innouation neither rashly nor often nor vpon light occasions But what shall bee hurtfull or profitable charitie shall best discerne which if we shall suffer to rule vs euery thing shall be well The same author in an other place hath these wordes Ego autem non nego quin aliquae fuerint apostolorum traditiones non scriptae sednon concedo fuisse doctrinae partes nec de rebus ad salutem necessarijs Quidigitur quae pertinerent ad ordinem poluiam Scimus n. vnicuique ecclesiae liberum esse politiae formam instituere sibi aptam vtilem quae dominus nihil certipraescripserit But I denie not that the Apostles deliuered some traditions which are not written Yet I doe not grant that they were either parts of doctrine or necessary to saluatioÌ„ What were they then doubtlesse such as pertained to pollicy and order For we knowe that euery Church hath her fredome and libertie to institute and ordaine such a kind of pollicie discipline as shall be thought meet profitable for the same because our Lord prescribed no certaine rule therein The same author in an other place hath these words Altos omnes ritus illic non vsitatos noÌ„ tantùm restuebant sed andactèr etiam damnabant Talis morosit as deterrima est pestis quum morem ecclesiae vnius volumus provnivsrsali lege valere They did not onely refuse all other ceremonies not vsed in that place but did also malepertly condemne them Such Morositie is a most noysome plague when wee will make the manner and discipline of one onely Church to be a generall rule for all Thus writeth this learned Doctor Out of whose wordes I may truly gather so much as will euidently make good the question I have in hand For First he telleth vs plainly that the holy Apostle did not set downe any certaine rule or lawe concerning things indifferent Secondly that hee lest that freedome and libertie to the Church and that for this ende and purpose because forsooth he foresaw in his wisedome that such things depended vpon the condition of times and that one manner of discipline was not conuenient to all places and persons Thirdly that euery Church may either chaunge her olde ceremonies or institute new as the necessitie of the Church requireth Fourthly that charitie is the best rule to follow herein and that euery thing is lawfull which is agreeable to the same Which rule S. Augustine appointed before him as I haue proued already Fiftly that the Church hath received many vnwritten
traditions concerning the discipline order and government of the Church Sixtly that it is free and lawfull for euery Church to appoint ordaine and constitute that kind of pollicie discipline government which is most sit profitable for the same And the reason hereof is yeelded to be this because our Lord Iesus hath prescribed no setled law therein but hath left all indifferent things to the libertie of his Church Seuenthly that there can no greater plague come to the Church then to tye all Churches to one kinde of externall government Zanchius teacheth the selfe same doctrine euen in the same words Petrus Martyr after he hath distributed traditions into three orders shewing one kinde to bee expressed in the Scriptures an other plaine repugnant to the same the third neither contrary to the word of GOD neither necessarily affixed vnto it addeth these expresse words Sunt nonnullae traditiones quas neutras appellare libuit quod verbo deinec adversentur nec illinecessariò cohaereant inquibus mos ecclesiae gerendus est tribus interposit is cautionibus Primùm videndum est ne obtrudantur quasidei cultus deculiar is quaedam sanctimonia quandcquidem potius recipiendae sunt adordinum conservandum civilem ecclesiae commoditatem atque sacrarum actionum decorum alioquin in sacris literis luculentèr habemus descripta quaead sanctitatem cullum dei coÌ„ducunt Praeterea cavere oportet ne quaesic traduÌ„tur it a putemus necessaria vt pro tempore amoveri non possint Servetur ecclesiae suum ius de his medijs vt quoadilla statuat quicquid viderit magis adificationem credentium promovere Consideretur demùm saepiùs nimijs traditionibus ceremonijs in immensum auct is populum Christi sic gravari vt tantum non obruatur There bee some traditions which may bee termed uentrall or indifferent for that they neither are against Gods word neither doe they necessarily cohere with it In which ceremonies the Churches constitution must bee obeyed if three cautions doe concurre First that they bee not obtruded as Gods worship or peculiar holinesse but as pertaining to order and the ciuill commoditie of the Church and to comlinesse in divine actions otherwise all things are sufficiently comprised in the holy Scriptures which pertaine to holinesse and gods worship Secondly we must beware that they be not reputed so necessarie that they cannot be chaunged as the time requireth Let the Church keepe her interest and libertie in these indifferent things to appoint what shall be thought most necessarie to the edifying of the faithfull Lastly let it bee well remembred that the multitude of Ceremonies doth often so annoy the people that they are almost vndone therewith M. Beza hath these words Quoniam multitudo plerumque impirita est intractabilis maior pars saepè meliorem vincit ne in democratia quidem leguimè constituta omnia permissa sunt â—ffraeni vulgo sed constituti sunt ex populi consensu certi magistratus qui plebi praeâ—ant inconditam multitudinem regant Quod sihaec prudentia in negotijâ— humanis requiritur multò sanè magis opus est certa moderatione in ijs rebus in quibus homines prorsus caecutiunt neque causa est cur quisquam sani iudiâ—ij homo clamitet nullum hic esse prudentiae locum nisi hanc prudentiam de qua loquor ostendat cum deiverbo pugnare quod sanè non arbitror Neque n. simplicitèr spectandum quid sit ab Apostolis factum in politia ecclesiastica quum diversissimae sint circumstantiae ac proinde absque Cacozelia non possint omnia omnibus locis ac temporibus ad vnam candeÌ„que formam revocari sed potius spectandus est eorum finis scopus invariabilis ea deligenda forma ac ratio rerum agendarum quae rectè eò à educat Because the multitude is for the most part ignorant and intractable and the greater part doth often times prevaile against the better all things are not euen in a popular state lawfully appointed committed to the vnbridled multitude but certain Magistrates are appointed by the peoples consent to guide rule and gouerne them If this wisedome be required in wordly affaires much more is a moderation to be had in those matters in which men are altogether blinded Neither is there any cause why any man of sound iudgement shall exclaime that in such matters there is no place for pollicie except hee can shewe this pollicie whereof I speake to be repugnant to the word of GOD which I am perswaded he can never doe For we must not simply looke what the Apostles did in ecclesiasticall pollicie and Church-gouernment seeing there is so great varietie of circumstances that a man cannot without preposterous zeale reduce all things in all places and times to one and the same forme in doing things which leadeth the right way to the same Thus writeth Maister Beza who hath many like periods to the like effect which I omit in regard of brevitie Out of these words I note first that the Church is not so strictly bound to the practise of the Apostles that she must alwayes follow the same in these Adiaphorôis Secondly that the Church in things indifferent hath power to make any Lawes which are not repugnant to the word of God Which point I would haue the Reader to ponder seriously because it is very emphaticall and of great moment Thirdly that all Churches cannot haue one and and the same kind of government because the circumstances of times places and persons will not suffer it Fourthly that the Church in all the lawes and constitutions must chiefly respect the peaceable government of the people Hieronymus Zanchius is consonant to the other Doctors while he writeth in this manner De ritibus ceremonijs in ecclesia servandis eadem pietas eccle siarum aedificatio flagitat ne nimis acritér quasi pro aris focis vt dici solet sit aimicatiâ— disceptetur sed singulis ecclesijs lâ—beri relinquantur quemadmodum ettam in veteri ecclesia factum fuisse apud Socratem alios ecclesiasticos scriptoreâ— legimus Quibus ae rebus in genere probamus atque amplectimur vtramque epistolam Augustini ad Ianuarium Haec n. faciunt ad ecclesiae aedificationem Touching Rites and Ceremonies to bee obserued in the Church the same pietie and edifying of the Church requireth that wee contend not too biterly as if it were for matters of great moment but that euery Church haue her libertie therein as we reade in Socrates and other ecclesiasticall writers that it was the olde custome of the Church Of which things in generall we allow and embrace both the Epistles which Austin wrote to Ianuarius For these things tend to the edification of the Church The same Zanchius in an other place hath these words Interea tamen non improbamus patres quodiuxta variam tum verbi dispensandi tum
regendae ecclesiae rationem varios quoque ordines ministroruÌ„ multiplicaverint quando id eis liberum fuit sicut nobiâ— quando constat id ab illis fuisse factum honestis de causis ad ordinem ad decoruÌ„ ad aedificationem ecclesiae pro eo tempore pertinentibus In the meane while wee blame not the Fathers that for the diuers manner of dispensing the word and gouerning the Church they haue also multiplyed diuers orders of Ministers because they had libertie so to doe as our selues also haue and because it is euident that they did that vpon honest causes which pertained at that time to order comelinesse and edification of the Church Thus writeth the most learned Doctor Maister Zanchius who if I bee iudge was a man of as rare learning and profound iudgement as euer was any in the Church Out of whose words I of serue First that wee should not moue contention in the Church for any rites and Ceremonies in the same Secondly that euery Church hath her libertie therein to appoint what is best for her owne government Thirdly that the Church of olde time did vse so to doe Fourthly that Zanchius approueth S. Austins rule herein as M. Calvin did before him Fiftly that it was lawfull for the auncient Church to appoint sundry orders of ministers and the church this day hath the same authoritie Sixtly that the causes and respects for which the church may ordaine and make lawes in things indifferent are either edification order or decencie as I haue proved already at large The Corollarie of the Chapter FIrst the church may chaunge Christs owne practise and that in Rites and ceremonies pertaining to the holy Sacraments Secondly the church may appoint solemne feastes to be obserued as Salomon did institute the dedication of the Temple for seuen dayes Hester Mordecai the festivitie of their deliuerance Ezra and Nehemias the dedication of the wall at Ierusalem Iudas and his brethren the dedication of the Altar for eight dayes Thirdly the Iewes instituted their Sanhedrim after their returne from their captivitie in Babylon Fourthly the church by S. Austins iudgement may make any Lawes which are neither against faith nor good manners Fiftly the church saith Maister Calvin hath authoritie left her in things indifferent either to make newe lawes or to cassiere and chaunge the old so often as the necessitie of the church doth so require Sixtly the church receiued many vnwritten traditions concerning order and government of the Church Seuenthly the church saith Zanchius hath authoritie to constitute moe orders of Ministers when it is for the good of the Church Eightly the church may make any lawes which are not repugnant to Gods word So saith M. Beza telling vs plainly that we must not so much respect what the Apostles did as what the peace and good of the church requireth Much other like matter the same Beza together with Calvin Martyr and Zanchius haue deliuerd vnto vs as may appeare by this present Chapter I therefore conclude that the authoritie which this our our English church doth this day challenge vnto her in her riâ—es ceremonies ordinances lawes and constitutions is grounded vppon the holy Scriptures the practise of the Catholique Church and the best approued late writers Al obiections that possibly can be made against the lawes and constitutions of our English Church may bee answered with all facilitie by that which is plainly deliuered in this present Chapter whosoeuer shall marke it well will I thinke bee of mine opinion see the ninth Chapter and marke it CHAP. VIII Of things indifferent in particular The first Aphorisme of Chruch-holy dayes THe vulgar people for a great part what through vndiscreet zeale in some and tootoo rash preaching Ne quid gramuâ— dâ—â—a in othersome are so perswaded or rather bewitched blinded that they thinke they serue God better alas for pittie if they be quaffing in the Ale-house or sleeping in their chambers or gazing in the streets then doe their honest neighbours in going to the church on holy dayes there to ioyne with the faithfull in hearing diuine seruice and godly prayers They are not abashed to say for their vnchristian excuse that no power vpon earth can appoint an holy-day and that it is great superstition to obserue the same But certes none that are well studied or read either in the holy ecclesiasticall histories or in generall Councels or in the auncient Fathers or in the best approued late writers can ever without great blushing avouch or defend that vntimely hatched doctrine and vnsoundly conceived opinion Queene Hester and godly Mordecai appointed an holy day for the remembrance of Gods great benefit toward them in deliuering them from Hamans crueltie King Solomon ordained a solemne festivitie for the space of seuen dayes in the dedication of the Temple The Machabees instituted an holy feast to bee kept from yeere to yeere for the space of eight dayes for the dededication of the Altar Which feast Christ vouchsafed to honour with his corporall presence at Hierusalem The Iewes instituted their new Sanhedrim Synedrion or Presbiterie after their returne from their captimitie in Babylon as maister Calvin recordeth in his Harmonie vpon Saint Matthew The reformed churches in Helvetia doe right well allow the feastes or holy dayes of the Nativitie resurrection and such like If I should endevour my selfe to recount all that which may easily be collected out of the auncient councels the holy-fathers for the approbatioÌ„ allowaÌ„ce of holy-daies after the custome at this day of auncient time vsed in this church of England time would sooner faile me then matter whereof to speake I will in regard to brevitie content my selfe onely with one or two testimonies of councels as also of the graue holy auncient most learned father S. Austin then proceed to the testimonie of late writers because in this dispute they whoÌ„ it chiefly concerneth either haue not seene or read the councels and the fathers or else more rashly then wisely contemne their degrees iudgements and without all rime reason preferre their owne opinions before them The councel holden at Granado or Elebertine aboue 1200. yeares ago such is the antiquitie of holy-dayes in the Christian Church reputed the practise of the Church in former ages to be of such force in that behalfe that they deemed them Heritiques that would not obediently yeeld vnto the same These are the expresse words of the Elebertine Councel Pravam institutioneÌ„ emendari placuit iuxta authoritatem scripturarum vt cuncti diem Pentecostes celebremus Quod qui non fecerit quasi novam haresim induxisse notetur We haue decreed that the depraved institution bee amended according to the Scriptures that wee may all keepe the day of Penticost and the feast of Whitsonday Which who soever shall refuse to doe let him bee noted as one that hath brought a new heresie into the Church
Thus writeth this holy Councel which for antiquitie sake ought to bee reuerenced seeing Poperie long after that time had no footing in the Church And yet as we see by their Decrees he was in those dayes to be holden for an heritique that would appose himselfe against the Holy-dayes then obserued by the Lawes and ordinances of the Church For no Scripture prescribeth vnto Christians the observation of Pentecost which wee call Whitsontide For though the holy and auncient Councell speake of amending according to the Scriptures yet is it not that Councels meaning that the Scripture appointeth that festivitie to be observed in the Christian Church but that it is therefore according to the Scripture because the Scripture in generall termes hath giueÌ„ authoritie to the Church to make Lawes in all such indifferent things Let this point neuer be forgotten The Councell of Arles of Antioch and many others haue made the like decrees Saint Austin whom for vertue antiquitie and learning the whole world hath reverenced hath written so plainly and so effectually for the Churches authoritie in making Lawes for Holy-dayes that his Epistles to Ianuarius may suffice all such as can reade them and will bee satisfied with reason His wordes are alreadie alledged in the seuenth Chapter and third Aphorisme To which I am content for the better satisfaction of the Reader to adde the same holy Fathers wordes else-where Writing purposely of keeping holy daies against Adimantus a Manichee he hath these expresse wordes Nam nos quoque dominicum diem pascha solennitèr celebramus quastibet alias christianas dierum festivitates Sea quia intelligimus quò pertineant non tempora observamus sed quae illis significantur temporibus Haec anglicè redduntur postea The same holy father in another place hath these words Meminit sanctitas vestra evangelium secundum Iohannem ex ordine lectionum nos soâ—ere tractare Sed quia nunc interposita est solennit as sanctorum dierum quibus certas ex evangelio lectiones oportet in ecclesia recitars quae ita sunt annuae vt aliae esse non possint ordo ille quem susceperamus necessitate paululum intermissus est non omissus Your holinesse remembreth that wee were wont to intreate vpon the Gospell of S. Iohn according to the order of the lessons But because at this time there is interposed the solemnitie of Saint-daies vpon which daies certaine lessons taken out of the Gospel must be read which are so yearely done that they cannot be changed that order which we had taken in hand is through necessitie somewhat intermitted but not omitted For we also do solemnely celebrate both the Lords day and Easter and all other festival daies of Christians But because we vnderstand to what end they are referred wee doe not obserue times but the things signified by the times Out of these wordes I obserue first that in S. Austens time the Church obserued kept many festivall or Saints daies Secondly that the Church did allot speciall portions and parts of the holy Scripture to bee read vppon those Saints daies Thirdly that the Church obserued those daies for signification which is a point of great moment and therefore ought to be well remembred Matthias Flacius Illyricus after he hath distributed the obseruation of times into foure orders naturall ciuill ecclesiasticall and superstitious he addeth these wordes Ecclesiastica quae etiam decoro bono ordini servit quò facit quoque dies dominica tempora precipuarum historiaruÌ„ aut factorum Christi quae prosunt ad aedificationem rudium vt rectiùs meminerint quando sit dominus natus passus quando in coelum ascenderit ae de singulis illis historijs suo tempore taÌ„to commodius instituantur quod valdè rudium memoriae prodest The ecclesiasticall is that which serued for comelinesle and good order as is also the Lords day and other feasts wherein we celebrate the memorie of the chiefe histories or Acts of Christ which be profitable for the instruction of the simple that they may the better remember when the Lord was borne when hee suffered and when hee ascended vp into heauen and bee more fitly taught in due time concerning euery seuerall historie pertaining therevnto In which place the same learned Writer affirmeth that obscruation onely to bee superstitious when wee put a necessitie worship merite or righteousnesse in the obseruing of time Out of these wordes I obserue first that the keeping of Saints-daies in the Church serueth for order and comelinesse in the gouernment of the Church Secondly that the obseruation of Saint-daies is very profitable for the instruction of the simple people Which doctrine is agreeable to that which Saint Austen deliuered afore Illyricus was borne Thirdly that seeing we put neither necessitie nor worship nor merite nor righteousnesse in the obseruation of holy daies our keeping of them can no way be superstitious The reformed Churches in Germanie in their Articles which they exhibited to the Emperour doe allowe the festiuities of Saints and other holy daies And the famous Doctor Philippus Melanthon in his Apologie of the saide Articles hath these wordes Item vt ordo politia ecclesiae doceat impersios quid quo tempore gestum sit hinc sunt feriae natalis paschatis pentecostes similes hoc est quod Epiphanius ait politiae causa institutas esse traditiones viz. ordinis causa vt ordo ulâ— aamoneat homines de historia beneficijs Christi As also that order and pollicie in the Church may teach the ignorant what things were done and at what time hence come holy daies of the natiuitie Easter Pentecost and the lâ—ke Which is it that Epiphanius saith that traditions were ordained for pollicie sake viz. for to keepe order in the Church and that that order might admonish the people of the historie and benefits of Christ. Behold here how all Writers agree one with another affirming vniformely that holy daies are lawfully ordained and kept in the Church and that for signification sake and instruction of the people Maister Budinger a famous Preacher of the Church of Tigwie holdeth the selfe same opinion both in his Decades and in his commentarie vpon the Epistle to the Romanes Where hee alloweth the keeping of the holy daies and festiuities of the natiuitie circumcision and ascension the feasts of the Virgin Marie Iohn Baptist and many others Maister Zanchius is consonant to the former Writers deliuering his opinion in these wordes Post diem dominiâ—um non possum non probare illorum quoque dierum sanctifiâ—aitonem quibus momoria recurrit celebrataque in veteri ecclesia fuit nativitatis D. N. I. C. circumcisionis passionis resurrectionis ascentionis in coelum missionis speritus sancti in apostolos Reliqui diebus provt quaeque ecclesia expedire indicaverit sic etiam sacrum caetum convocet ad verbum ad sacramenia ad preces
ad collectas Semper vero absit omnis dierum superstitiosa observatio Next after the Lords day I cannot but like and allowe the sanctification of those daies also in which the auncient Church did celebrate the memorie of the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Christ of the circumcision passion resurrection ascension and the comming downe of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles Vpon all other daies as euery Church shall thinke it expedient so let them call together the congregation to Sermons Sacraments praiers and collections But euer all superstitious obseruation must bee quite laide away Out of these wordes of this zealous Christian and most learned Father whose authoritie if I had nothing else to say would weigh deepely with mine owne conscience I note first that Zanchius doth highly reuerence the constitution of the Church concerning holy-daies Secondly that euery Church hath free libertie to appoint such holy-daies as are most conuenient for themselues Thirdly that no such constitution of daies is vnlawful but that onely which tendeth to superstition And maister Caluin himselfe agreeeth vnto Zanchius in many places of his workes The second Aphorisme of kneeling at the holy Communion THeir opinion who hold it vnlawfull to receiue the holy Communion kneeling on their knees seemeth to me so rediculous senselesse and voide of all Christian modestie that I deeme it needlesse to vse many words for the coÌ„futation therof King Salomon the wisest King that euer liued in the world vsed to kneele vpon his knees and to stretch out his hands when he offered vp his prayers vnto God For thus saith holy Writ of him in that behalfe When Salomon had made an ende of praying all his prayer and supplication vnto the Lord he arose from before the Altar of the Lord from kneeling on his knees and stretching of his hands to heauen Ezra when he praied to the Lord confessed his sinnes with teares and feldown before the house of God and praied to God vpon his knees and Daniel praied vpon his knees three times a day Christ our sauiour himselfe fell down on his face when he praied to his father And Saint Luke saith that when he was drawen aside from his Disciples he kneeled down and praied S. Peter praied kneeling after the example of Christ his Lord and maister Saint Steuen when the cursed Iewes gnashed their teeth against him and ran violently vpon him and stoned him to death fell to his praiers and kneeled vpon his knees And Saint Paul bowed his knees vnto God when he praied for the people These testimonies drawne from the holy Scriptures and from the very practise of Christ himselfe and his faithfull seruants were able to satisfie euery well disposed minde neuerthelesse to take away all contention and wrangling if it may be had and obtained of the aduerse part I am content to alledge Maister Caluins opinion whose authoritie with them may not be gainsaid or withstood These are his expresse wordes Hic testarioperae praetium est eas demum humanas constitutiones me probare quae dei authoritate sundatae ex scriptura desumptae adeoque prorsus diuinae sint Exemplum sit in geniculatione quae fit dum solennes habentur precationes quaeritur sitne humana traditio quam repudiare vel negligere cuivis liceat Dico sic esse humana vt simul sit divina aâ—i est quatenus pars est decori illius cuius cura observatio nobis per apostolum commendatur hominum autem quitenus specialitèr designat quod in genere fuerat iudicatum magis quam expositum Here it is worth the labour to testifie that I doe alowe approue those coÌ„stitutions of men which are deriued from Gods authoritie and the holy Scripture and so are altogether become diuine Let vs take example in kneeling which is done in time of solemne praiers The question is if it be such a tradition of man as euery one may refuse and contemne the same as he list I answere that it is so the traditioÌ„ of man as it is elso a traditioÌ„ of God It is of God as it is a part of that comelines the care coÌ„servatioÌ„ wherof is coÌ„mended to vs by the Apostle But it is of man in respect that it designeth out in specialty that was generally insinuated rather theÌ„ expounded Thus writeth M. Calvin out of whose words I observe these golden Lessons First that all constitutions are diuine which are deduced and gathered out of the Scriptures Secondly that euery ordinaunce of the Church which pertaineth to comelinesse is a coÌ„stitution divine And consequently that euery Ceremonie approved this day in the Church of England is a divine tradition and therefore must euery one reverently obediently receiue the same as the ordinance of Almightie God If this doctrine of M. Calvins were deepely in printed in euery English subiects heâ—â—â— there would not one English subiect be so â—nd in the â—and who would kicke spâ—â—â—e or once in utter against the least ceremonie in the English Church For euery childe seeth that by M. Calvins doctrine euery Ceremonie pertaining to comelinesse Est de iure diâ—â—â—o grounded vpon the generall rule of Gods law And consequently he that wil denie any ceremonie in the English Church to be divine and not approved by Gods word must proue out of Gods word which he wil neuer do that the ceremonie doth no way pertaine to comelinesse in the church For no wise man can thinke that that is rather to be accouÌ„ted comely or vncomely which a few yonglings of late dayes haue esteemed so theÌ„ that which was euer reputed so throughout the Christian world of al learned men generally for 1000. yeeres together Nay for one thousand foure hundred yeeres that is from S. Marke the Euangelist vntill a thousand and some hundred yeares were expired and if no one learned writer can bee sound for the space of so many hundred yeares that will avouch any one Ceremonie in the Church of England this day vsed as kneeling the signe of the Crosse the Surplesse and such like to bee an vncomely Ceremonie then doubtlesse such ceremonies by Maister Calvins doctrine are grounded vpon Gods word and must bee obeyed receiued accordingly I wish the Reader to marke these words of Maister Calvin Dei est quatenus pars est decori It is of God as it is a part of comelinesse I wish I say the Reader to marke them well because they are of great importance and doe proue them â—tter in controversie most euidently To which former wordes of M. Calvin let vs now adde the wordes which follow immediately in the same place Thus doth hee write Ab hoc vno exâ—mplo estimarâ— licet quid de toto hoc geâ— nere sit sentiendum By this one example of kneeling wee may easily iudge what is to be thought of all other ceremonies Loe thus the case standeth this ceremonie the church hath ordeyned iudging it to
mulieres de quibus omnibus rebus non soâ—um â—uâ—â—um habent domini mandatum sed etiam contrarium exempâ—â—m Dominius n suam caenam celebravit vesperi non manè in demo privata non publica dâ—â—umbens cum suis sumpta caena paschait non siant hanc solam sui communionem eâ—hibens denique exclusis mulieribus quas habuit tamen inter â—s cipuâ—as suas sanctissimas Aut fieri non posse vt siut ecclesiae quas dominâ—â—â— vâ—que omni liberet suspu tone al vsu bonarum ertaturarum suarum vt puris per veram fidem in nomen eius sint omnes Dei â—onae creaturae vsu significationis purae quod qui dicat is certe nagabit eo ipso Christum dominum esse omnibus hominibus eum quem se promisit futurum omnibus liber atorem ab omni immunditia Aut posse impios abvsu suo bonas dei creaturas per seita vâ—â—tare vt nemini pio ad â—â—â—m vsum queant deseruire quod aperâ—è adversatur testimonio spiritus sancts Rom. 14. 1. cor 8. 9. 1. tim 4. aut ceriè non liâ—ere Christianis res quastibet di ponere ad admonendum creatoris sui nostri etusque in not benefictorum atque nostrorum erga cum efficiorum id quod pugnat cum eo quod spiritus sanctus passim docet de agnosâ—eÌ„ao colendo deo in omnibus operibus suis faciendo omnia in nomine domini nostra Iesu Christi ad gloriam Patris It is avident that our Lord Iesus Christ hath prescribed to vs in his word the substance onely of the Ministerie both of the word and of the Sacraments and hath permitted his Church to order all other things concerning the decent and profitable administration of his mysteries Wherevpon we celebrate the holy supper neither at night neither in private houses neither sitting downe at the Table nor with men onely but touching the time place and habite of the bodie either for celebrating or for receiuing the Holy supper touching the admission of women vnto the Communion of the sacred Supper and the manner of singing and praising God touching apparrel also other things pertaining to externall comelinesse I doubt not but our Lord hath giuen free power to his Church to order and dispose of those things as euery Church shall iudge it to bee most profitable for her people to support and increase reuerence toward all the holy mysteries of God If therefore any Churches vppon this libertie graunted by Christ and for this ende of edifying Christes people would haue their Ministers to vse in time of the holy Misteries some speciall kinde of apparell all superstition levitie dissention or abuse being taken away doubtles I see not how any man caÌ„ iustly condemne such a church of any sin in that behalfe much lesse of communion with Antichrist What if any Church with a pure and holy consent of her children had such a custome that everie one should vse a white vesture in time of the holy Supper as the newly baptized ought in olde to doe for if any will contend that that libertie may not be granted to Christes Church hee must doubtlesse confesse one of these either that the Church hath no authoritie at all to ordeine any thing touching the Lords Supper whereof they haue not the expresse commandement of Christ and so all Churches shall be condemned of impious audacitie for all Churches obserue in the celebration of the holy Supper both the time and place and the attire of the body and doe withall admit women to the holy Communion Touching all the which they haue not only no commandement of the Lord but haue also a contrary example for our Lord celebrated his Supper at night not in the morning in a private house not in a publike place sitting at the table with his Apopostles and eating the Paschall not standing and so exibited the holy Communion Yea the women were excluded whom he reputed among his most holy seruantes Either that it can not be that there bee any Churches which our Lord doth so free from all suspition and the abusing of his good creatures that to the pure all the creatures of God be good through right faith in his name and pure in the vse of signification which whosoeuer shall say hee doubtlesse must therevpon denie that Christ our Lord is the deliuerer of all men from all vncleannesse as hee promised to be Either that the wicked can by their abuse so pollute the creatures of God which are good of their owne nature that no godly man can vse them to a godly ende which saying is euidently against the testimonie of the holy Ghost Or certes that Christians can not lawfully dispose of all creatures to put them in minde of their maker and of our selues and of his benefits toward vs and of our duties toward him which maketh against that which the holy Ghost teacheth euery where for the acknowledgement and worship of God in all his works and for the doing of all things in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ to the glory of his father Againe in an other place hee writeth thus Porrò dicere has vestes per Antichristiabvâ—um sic esse contaminatas vt nulli ecclesiae quantumvis aliqua Christum suum rerum ominium libertatem nosset et coleret sint permittendae religio sanè mihi est nec vllam video scripturam qua possim istâ—m bonae dei creaturae condemnationem tueri Seqnitur ritum aliquem Aaronicum esse vel AntichristianuÌ„ in nullis haeret dei creaturis in nulla veso te in nulla fioura in nullo colore aut vllo des opere sed in animo professione bonis dei creaturis ad impias significationes abvtentium Furthermore to say that these garments and vestures are so polluted by the abuse of Antichrist that they may bee permitted to no Church although such a Church did both worship Christ and know the libertie of all things it is to me doubtlesse a great scruple of conscience neither do I know any Scripture by which I may defend this condemnation of the good creature of God that any rite becommeth Aaronical or Antichristian it is not grounded in any of Gods creatures in any vesture or garment in any figure in any colour or in any worke of God but in the minde and profession of them who abuse the good creatures of God to wicked significations Thus writeth M. Bucer in this place as he doth elsewher to the same effect Out of whose wordes I obserue First that Christ hath onely prescribed in his word the substance of his holy worship Secondly that hee hath giuen power to his Church to dispose and order all other things which concerne the decent and profitable governement and administration of his holy Mysteries Thirdly that the Church may appoint her Ministers to weare speciall garments euen in the time of
the holy Ministerie Fourthly that such garments may bee ordained for decencie and for edification Fiftly that the vse of such garments cannot be condemned by any Text of Scripture nor yet they iustly accused of any sinne who appoint them to be worne Sixtly that no abuse of man Antichrist or the maister-divell of hell can so pollute them but they may this day be lawfully vsed of the faithfull Seventhly that the Church may ordaine ceremonies for honest and godly significations The ancient Councel of Carthage which was holden about the same time and at which S. Austin was present hath these expresse words Vt diaconus tempore oblutionis tantum vel lectionis alba induatur Let the Deacon weare a white ga men onely in the time of oblation and reading Do the Deacons did we are Albes Surplesses or white vesâ—ores name them as yee list so you agree in the thing it selfe aboue a 1200. yeares agoe and that in the time of divine seruice At this councell were present 214. Bishops of which S. Augustin was one and yet all these holy men living in those dayes when no corruption of Religion had crept into the Church affirme constantly with vniforme consent that it was the custome of the Church to weare white garments in time of divine seruice M. Beza in his Epistle to certaine Englishmen demaunding his opinion touching the wearing of cappes and garments aswel in the common vse as in the Ministerie and Church seruice answered in these wordes Respondemus etsi ista nostro quidem iudicio non recte revehuntur in ecclesiam tamea quum non sint ex earum rerum genere quae per se impie sunt non videri nobis illas tanti momenti vt propterea vel pastors iâ—is deâ—crendum sit potiùs minislerium quà m vt vestes illas assumant vel gregibus omitt endum publicum pablnum potiùs quà m ita veslitos pastores audiant We answere that albert as we thinke these things are not well brought into the Church againe yet seeing they be not wicked or euill of themselues and of their owne nature they seeme not to vs to be a matter of so great moment that therefore either the Pastors should forsake the Ministerie rather then weare them or the sheepe want their publique forrage rather then heare their pastors so atâ—yred The same Beza in another Epistle to M. Grindal then Bishop of London being demaunded whether the Pastors ought rather to refuse the Ministerie then to weare caps surplesses this cautele being added that they are not made for any holinesse Religion or worship but for order and pollicie answereth in these wordes Respondeo minimè mihi videri deserendas ecclesias propter vestes aut pileos aut aliquid eiusmodi verè medium indifferens I answere that in my opinion they ought not to forsake the Church for cappes garments or for any like thing which is indifferent of it selfe indeed Thus writeth M. Beza when his counsell and opinion was required concerning the wearing of the surplesse and other Ceremonies in our English Church Out of whose words I note First that M. Beza did not fully vnderstand the state of our Church which I gather by the word Revehuntur are brought into the Church againe Where indeed if true information had beene giuen let them looke vnto it that report to forren countries so sinisterly of their Soveraigne and natiue couÌ„tries he would haue iudged better of the case Secondly that the ministers ought not to refuse the ministerie nor to make such coÌ„tentioÌ„ for the wearing of that surples such like things Thirdly that the cappe surples the like ceremonies are things truly indiffereÌ„t of their own natures in theÌ„selues Which point if it be wel marked wil make good the vse of al ceremonies in our English church To coÌ„clude M. Beza in the end closing vp of his Epistle exhorteth our English brethren to obey the Q. Maiestie all the Bishops in the land Idque ex animo and that sincerely Which counsel they neither followed then nor yet do now follow the same they seemed then willing to reply vpon his resolution But no man can please them that speaketh not Placentia and as they shall appoint him to say and do The Surples Tippit Cappe and the like are popish ceremonies and haue beene prophaned by the papists and therefore may not now be vsed I answere both with S. Austin and with M. Calvin to this in soluble so supposed obiection whâ—h indeede is of no force at all to moue any man to disobey the lawes of the Church S. Austin writing to Publicola who desired to be resolved in such kinde of questions hath these wordes Cum templa idola luci si quid huiusmodi data potestate evertuntur quamvis manifestum est cum id agimus non ea nos honorare sed potius detestari ideo tamen in vsus nostros privatos duntaxat proprios non debemus inde aliquid vsurpare vt appareat nos pietate ista descernere non avaritia Cum vero in vsus communes non proprios ac privatos vel in honorem dei veri convertuntur hoc de illis fit quod de ipsis hominibus cum ex sacrilegis 〈◊〉 impijs in veram religionem mutantur Hoc deus intelligitur docuisse illis testimorijs quae ipse proposuisti cum de luco alicnorum deorum iussit ligna ad holocaustum adhiberi Et de Hiericho vt omne aurum argentum aeramentum inferretur in the sauros Domini When temples Idoles groues and such like things are by authoritie overthrowne although it bee manifest that when we doe that we honour them not but detest them yet for all that we may not therefore conuert them to our owne private vses onely and commoditie that it may appeare that we destroy them for Religion-sake and not for couetousnesse But when they are not converted to our owne priuate vses but into common vses or to the honour of the true god then that is done in them which is done and brought to passe in them which is wrought in men themselues when of idolaters and wicked persons they are chaunged into true religion This God himselfe taught in those testimonies which thou thy selfe hast vsed when hee commanded that the wood of that grove which was dedicated to strâ—nge Gods should be taken and vsed for his sacâ—â—tices And of Hiericho that all the gold siluer and brasse should be brought into the treasurie of the Lord. M. Calvin is of the same iudgement whole words are these Neque n. nobis hodiè religio est templa retinere quae polluta fuerunt â—delis accommodare in meliorem vsum quae nos non obstringit quod propter consequentiam legi additum est Fateor quidem quaecunque ad superstitioneÌ„ fovendaÌ„ spectant è medio tollendaesse modò ne praecise vrgendo quod per se medium est
committed the managing of his house Which point is likewise proued aboundantly in the Chapters aforegoing The 4. Aphorisme of ceremonies vsed id Wed. locke or marriage IN the solemnization of Matrimonie two things are much reproued viz the Ring and the simbolicall signification To the former I answere that seeing Wed-locke is a vassible ciuill contract there is great reason that it should be assured with some ciuill permanent and externall signe Hereupon the Church which hath authoritie to ordaine ceremonies as is alreadie proued doth appoint a round Ring as a ceremonie best beseeming such a contract For the Ring being round and without end in it selfe is very fit and meete to signifie to the married couple that they ought to be ioyned in the perpetual band of loue the one to the other To the latter I answere semblahly that S. Paul may as iustly be reproued therein as the Church of England For after he hath discoursed at large of the high misterie of matrimonie assuming the husband and the wife to be one flesh hee foorthwith addeth that hee speaketh of the great misterie betweene Christ and his Church Which symbolicall signification â—s approued by Saint Austin S. Chysostome S. Ambrose S. Hierome and many others It shall suffice in this so cleere a case to alleage S. Ambrose his words for all the rest Thus doth bee write Mysterij Sacramentum grande in vnitate viri ac foeminae esse signifiâ—at sed aliam causam quae non discordet a memorato mysterio flagitat quam scit ad prosectum humani generis pertinere hoc est ecclesiae salvatoris vt sicut relictis parentibus home vxori suae adhaerdt it a relicto omni errore ecclesia adhaereat subijciatur capiti suo quod est Christus He signifieth that there is a great mysterie in the vnitie of the wife and her husband Neither doth hee reveale this onely but he also requireth an other cause which differeth not from the said mysterie which hee knoweth to appertaine to the profit of mankinde that is of the Church and of our Saviour That as man forsaking his parents adhaereth to his wife so the Church leauing all errour must adhaere and be subiect to her head which is Christ. M Bucer approveth and highly commendeth euery ceremonie which our church vseth coÌ„cerning holy wedlock Hieronimus Zanchius a most zealous and learned writer singeth the same song with Saint Ambrose These are his words Talis fuit eductio Evae ex latere Adae dormientis Item coniunctio Evae cum Adamo in matrimonium Res in se fuit visibilis sub sensum cadens sed aliam occultam representabat eductionem creationem ecclesiae ex latere Christi in cruco mortui vnionem ecclesiae cum Christo. Such was the eduction of Eve out of the side of Adam when he was a sleepe So also was the coniunction of Eve with Adam in the matrimoniall contract the thing in it selfe was visible and subiect to our sence but it did represent another secret thing euen the eduction and creation of the Church out of Christes side being dead vppon the Crosse and the vnion of the Church with Christ. The fift Aphorisme of the Symbolicall signe vsed in the confirmation of Children IT is greatly disliked and highly reprooued that our Bishops doe lay their hands vpon children to certifie them by this signe of Gods fauour towards them To which I answere that the fact and vsage of our Bishops in confirming children is according to the practise of the church in al former ages and therefore ought it not either to bee so lightly reiected or so rashly condemned S. Cornelius writing to his brother Fabius sheweth evidently how one Novatus being baptitized in his bed regarded not after his recoverie the rest of the ceremonies whereof he should haue bene partaker according to the rule of the Church no not so much as to be sealed or confirmed by the Bishop for that cause did he not receive the holy ghost Now this Cornelius liued above 1100. yeeres agoe at what time the church was free from all herisies errours superstition And yet did the church even then vse to confirme children in the selfe same maner now vsed in our English Church S. Augustin deliuereth the custome of the Church in his time in such golden excellent words as I verely thinke he is able to satisfie every one that shall with a single eye and vpright iudgement all parcialitie set apart duely ponder the same These are his words Numquid modo quibus impenitur manus vt accipiant spiritum sanctum hoc expectatur vt linguis loquaÌ„tur aut quando imposuimus manus istis infantibus attendit vnusquisque vestrum vtruÌ„ linguis loquerentur cùm videreâ— cos linguis non loqui ita perversocorde aliquis vestruÌ„ fuit vt diceret non acceperunt isti spiritum sanctum naÌ„si accepissenâ— linguis loquerentur quâ—aamodum tunc factum est si ergo per haec miracula non fiat modo testimonium praesentiae spiritus sancti vnde fit vnde cognoscit quisque se accepisse spiritum sanctum interroget cor suum si deligit fratrem spiritus Deimanet in illo Is it this day expected that they speake with tongues vpon whoÌ„ the Bishop hath laid his hands that they should receiue the holy Ghost or when we imposed hands vpon Infants did euery one of you marke if they spake with tongues and when he sawe they spake not with tongues was then any of you so way wardly affected as to say they haue not receiued the holy Ghost for if they had they would speake with tongues as it came then to passe If therefore we haue not the testimonie of the presence of the holy Ghost by miracles how knoweth euery one that hee hath receiued the holy Ghost Let him dispute the matter with his owne heart and if he loue his brother the spirit of God abideth in him Thus write these holy Fathers shewing plainly vnto vs the practise of the Church in their dayes and that the holy Ghost is giuen in confirmation as also that the imposition of hands is a signe thereof in Gods children though not giuen in such miraculous manner as in the Apostles-time Saint Hieromie teacheth the selfe same doctrine which Cornelius and Saint Austin haue deliuered These are his words Quod si hoc loco quaeris quare in ecclesia baptizatus nisi per manus episcopi non accipiat spiritum sanctum quem nos asserimus in vero baptismate tribui disce hanc observationem ex ea authoritate descendere quod post ascensum domini spiritus sanctus ad Apostolos descendit Et multis in locis idem factitatum reperimus ad honorem potiùs sacerdotij quà m ad legis necessitatem If thou heere demaund why hee that is baptized in the Church receiueth not the holy Ghost but by the hands of the Bishop which
Churches of Asia So Titus choose Ministers in Creta and Timotheus choose pastorall Elders at Ephesus And these persons haue authoritie so to doe because the whole church hath chosen them there vnto which by Gods word hath power and commission to choose the ministers of the Church Thus writeth this famous Doctor Out of these wordes I obserue these golden Lessons First that the authoritie to choose and elect the ministers of the church pertaineth vnto the whole church Secondly that the church hath this libertie and power granted to her either to choose them her self by general voices of all or else to appoint some special persons for that ende and purpose Thirdly that the manner of electing church-ministers may be chaunged as the circumstances of times persons or places shall require Fourthly that this varietie of election is grounded vpon Gods word Fiftly that Paul Bernabas Titus and Timotheus did of themselues choose the ministers of the church and consequently that the manner of electing church-ministers this day vsed in the church of England is agreeable to the word of God and also to the Apostolique practise of the Primitiue church For our Bishops doe not exercise any authoritie at all saue that onely which the whole church assembled in Parliament did by vniforme assent committed vnto them The first Obiection S. Cyprian telleth vs that the people haue interest in the Election of Ministers which was giuen them by diuine authoritie Ergo it is not in mans power to take away that freedome from them The Answere I answere First that S. Cyprian meaneth nothing else by diuine authoritie but divine examples not any divine precept commanding it so to be done Uiz. that there are examples in the Scripture by which wee may learne that the common people were present at the election of the Ministers to giue testimonie to the church of their life and conuersation as witnesses of their honest behauiour not as Iudges of the Election This my answere is grounded vpon S. Cyprians owne words which I proue sundry wayes First because he proueth his assertion onely by examples viz. For that Eleazar Matthias the 7. Deacons were chosen in the sight presence of the people Now we know that examples onely shew what may be done but they are not a law which doe or can commaund a thing of necessitie to bee done Christ ministred the holy Eucharist after Supper but wee doe it before dinner The Apostles receiued it sitting but wee take it kneeling Christ ministred it in vnleauened bread but wee in bread that is leauened So we see a great disparitie betwixt examples and precepts The former doe instruct vs but not compell vs the latter doe not onely teach vs but they also commaund vs. Againe because S. Cyprian hath these words Quod ipsum videmus de divina authoritate descendere vt sacerdos plebe praesente sub omnium oculis deligatur dignus atque idoneus publico indicio ac testimonio comprobetur Which thing wee see descends from diuine authoritie that the Priest may bee chosen when the people are present in the eyes of them all that he may be proued worthy by publique iudgement and testimonie And a little after he sheweth more plainly the cause why the people are present at elections Et Episcopus deligatur plebe praesente quae singulorum vitam plenissimè novit And that the Bishop may bee chosen in the presence of the people who know best what euery mans life hath beene Thirdly because S. Cyprian confesseth in that very place that some Prouinces had an other custome whom hee reproueth not I answere secondly that if the Antecedent bee admitted and wee also graunt the peoples interest to be De iure divino yet can nothing be inferred therevpon against the practise of the Church of England The reason is euident because nothing is done in our Churches of England to which the people haue not yeelded their assent as is alreadie proued The 2. Obiection The example of the Apostles saith M. Calvin is to vs Uice praecepti Ergo wee may not chaunge or depart from their practise in any wise The Answere I answere first that I haue proued the contrary both out of Maister Calvin and M. Beza yea M Calvin himselfe granteth freely that Christes owne practise may bee chaunged and that in a matter of greatest moment euen in the blessed Eucharist These are his owne words Nihil a Christs consilio ac voluntate alienuÌ„ facere videri qui non contemptu neque temeritate sed ipsa necessitate adacti provino aliua in ijs regionibus vsitatae potionis genus usurparent Hoc domini Calvini responsum vt optima ratione nixum Christi consilio consentaneum noster catus adeo comprobavit vt eos superstitiosè sacere censuerimus qui a vini symbolo vsque adeo penderent vt alter aÌ„ caenae partem omittere mallent quaÌ„ Analogon aliud symbolum ita cogente necessitate vsurpare M. Calvin saith M. Beza answered to his brethren in America which haue no wine that they should not doe contrary to Christes will and meaning who not vpon contempt but constrained with necessitie would vse insteede of wine some other kinde of drinke vsuall in that countery Which counsell of M. Calvin our congregation did so well like as grounded vppon good reason and agreeable to Christes counsell that we iudged them to be superstitious which did so depend vpon the Symbole of wine that they had rather omit the one part of the Supper then to vse vpon necessitie an other Symbole proportionable vnto wine This was M. Calvins opinion in this important and most weightie affaire M. Beza likewise deliuereth his iudgement in another subiect of like moment These are his expresse words Secundi generis sunt ipsa signorum materia nonnullorum râ—uum a domino institutorum forma vt exempti gratia panis vinum sunt caenae signa ex Domini institutione Ubi igitur panis aut vini vel nullus est vsus vel nulla certo tempore copia num caenae Domini nulla celebrabitur Imò ritè celebrabitur si quod panis aut vini vicem vel ex vsu communi vel pro temporis ratione supplet panis aut vini loco adhibeatur Haec n. mens fuit Christi quum panem ac vinum ad haec mysteria deligeret vt propositis earum rerum signis quibus corpus nostrum alitur veram alimoniam spiritualem velut ob oculos representaret Itaque a Christi sententi a nihil aberrat qui nullo prorsus novandi studio pro pane vino substituat quae etsi non parem similem tamen alimonia analogiam habeant Desie etiam aqua tamen baptismus alicuius differri cum adificatione non possit nec debeat ego certè quovis alio liquore non minus ritè quam aqua baptizarim Of the second kinde are the matter of the signes and the forme of
Iohanne euangelista christi discipulo dicere possumus Cùm n. multis varijs periculis obiectus apostolieam functionem longo tempore administravisset tandem Ephesiorum episcopus factus in ea vrbe anno ab ascensione domini sexagesimo octavo è vivis excessit This also must be marked that they laid away the name of Apostles so soone as they were tyed to any one church and had the continuall charge thereof To wit when they being either hindered with old age or afflicted with diseases were no longer able to endure troubles and molestations of trauaile For then they were no longer called Apostles but Bishops We may bring Saint Iames the yonger for an example or rather for a witnesse of this matter For Hierome and all the auncient Fathers call him the Bishop of Hierusalem and for no other cause saue onely that he had placed himselfe in that citie For when in former times hee as the rest of the Apostles being giuen to peregrination had taught the faith euery where the Apostles made him as a diligent watchman the Bishop of Hierusalem The same we may say of Saint Iohn the Euangelist and disciple of Christ. For when he being exposed to many dangers had executed the apostolicall function a long time hee was at length made the Bishop of Ephesus and died 68 yeares after our Lords ascension Out of these words of this excelleÌ„t discourse I note first that in the Apostles something was extraordinarie and temporarie and something likewise ordinarie and perpetuall This is an obseruation of great moment well worthy to be engrauen in Marble with a Penne of Gold Secondly that the Apostles were some time Bishops and that their function in that respect was perpetuall Thirdly that so soone as they betooke themselues to an ordinarie calling they ceased to bee called Apostles and were named Bishops And this their ordinarie calling remaineth this day in the Church and shall continue vntill the worlds ende Hence commeth it that all the holy Fathers affirme with vniforme consent that Bishops this day succeede the Apostles in their ordinarily calling This graue Writer deliuereth his opinion for ceremonies most plainly and prudently in these expresse wordes Iam obijciebant odiose nimis salem butyrum salivam lutum alia id genus imo ipsas quoque orationes quae super infantibus fiunt quod neque Iohannes neque apostoli legerentur orationibus baptismo praeivisse Ad quae sic respondimus primùm ad ceremonias Christum interim caecos quosdam visui restituisse mediantibus tactu aut luto interim solo verbo respice neque tamen eos minùs vidisse qui tactu vel luto mediante aciem recepissent quà m qui solo verbo at nihil morari nos externa ista si ecclesia iubeat resâ—indi factumque est vt protinus iuberet non ignorantibus nobis qui verbo praesumus iam inter exordia ecclesiae horum fuisse vsum tametsi eis non tantum tribueretur atque his nostris temporibus vndè citrà negotium recidimus Now they obiected too odiously Butter Salt spittle Cley and such like yea the very praiers made ouer infants because neither Iohn nor the Apostles are read to haue preuented baptisme with prayers To which wee answered and first to the ceremonies that Christ sometime cured the blinde by touching and Clay sometime by his word onely neither for all that did they see lesse who receiued sight by Clay and touching then they which sawe by his onely word but we make no reckoning of these externall things if the church command them to be taken away and wee obeâ—ed as shee appointed albeit wee ministers are not ignorant that in the beginning of the church these ceremonies were vsed though not in such sort as now adaies and therfore without contradiction we reiect them Out of this dicourse we may learne sufficiently howe to behaue our selues touching ceremonies viz. to vse or refuse signes and ceremonies as beeing thinges indifferent as the church shall thinke it expedient and appoint to be done Hemingius an other famous late writer hath these words Augustinus Ambrosius non offenduntur ex coque aliae Remae aliae Mediolani essent ceremoniae Nam inter se iunguntur pij spiritis Christi non humanis ceremonijs Vt pios gubernatores ecclesiarum velim magno studio cavere ne ceremoniae scandalo sint infirmis it a privatos nolim quicquam mutare in ceremonijs gravi authoritate a maioribus institutis approbatis Neque est quod exactissima ratio singularum ceremoniarum inquiratur modo non manifestam superstitionem impietatem redoleant Quidam offenduntur ceremonijs nostris quas clamitant papisticas esse Dicunt nos habere sacerdotes altaria vectes candelos imagines exorcismos signationes crucis planè papistico more His ego respondeo ecclesiam veram a falsae dictingunendam doctrina cultu non ceremonijs quae per se adiaphorae sunt Neque n ceremonias adiaphoras tanti momenti esse indicamus vt propter illas schismata moveantur in ecclesia Retineatur doctrinae sinceritas retineatur purus dei cultus Alia serviant partim tranquillitati partim infirmitati hominum relinquamus prudentia quberuatorum de his rebus dispiciant Austen and Ambrose are not offended that Rome had one kind of ceremonies and Millan an other For the godly are lincked together by the spirit of Christ not by humane ceremonies As I wish the godly gouernours of Churches to be very circumspect that ceremonies doe not scandalize weakelings so would I not haue priuate persons to alter any thing in ceremonies which our auncestors with graue authoritie haue ordained approued Neither is there any cause why we should require an exact reason of euery ceremonie so that they imply not any manifest superstition and impietie Some are offended with our ceremonies crying out that they are papisticall They say we haue Priests Alters Vestures Candels Images Exorcismes Crossings euen after the Popish manner To these good fellowes I aunswere that the true Church is distinguished from the false in doctrine and worship but not in ceremonies which are of their owne nature things indifferent For we thinke not ceremonies indifferent to be of such moment that for them wee may make a Schisme in the Church Let vs retaine the sinceritie of Doctrine and hold fast the pure worship of GOD. Let other things serue partly peace and tranquillitie partly the infirmitie of men and let vs leaue these things to the prudent consideration of our superiours and let them dispose thereof Out of these wordes of this great learned Writer wee may gather all things necessarie for the decision of all controuersies about rites and ceremonies of the Church For first hee telleth vs that the varietie of ceremonies at Rome and Millan did not offend Saint Austen and Saint Ambrose Secondly that priuate persons must bee obedient to the lawes of their superiours and
conservandam aptius videtur prolocorum personarum temporumratione Nam cuncta haec ad Pauli regulam dirigenda sunt vt omnia decentèr ordine fiant Wherefore hence it commeth that the Church hath power and commaundement to choose her Ministers And this may bee performed either by the whole Church or by faithfull men chosen of the Church for this ende and purpose as shall bee thought more commodious profitable and fit for the conseruation of peace respect being had to places persons and times For all these things must bee reterred to Pauls rule that all things be done decently and in order And a little after the same Writer hath these wordes Habent autem istisuam potestatem exeo quod a tota ecclesia detecti sunt quaeex verbo Deipotestatem mandaâ—nÌ„ habet eligendi ecclesiae ministros But these men haue their authoritie for that the whole Church hath chosen them which by Gods word hath power and commandement to choose the Ministers of the Church Thus writeth this learned man Out of whose words it is most apparent cleare that all power is graunted vnto the whole Church who to auoyde confusion and for order sake committeth her authoritie to certaine chosen persons Which persons are the Bishops and Prelates of the Church say I and all antiquitie will confesse the same with me For neither Councels Fathers nor auncient Canons doe make any mention of the late vpstart presbyterie The Second text is fathered vpon Saint Paul where he saith let him that ruleth doe it with diligence The third text is drawne from the same Apostle where he telleth vs that God hath ordained in the Church some Apostles some Prophets some teachers some workers of miracles after that the gifts of healing helpers gouernours To these two texts which are of one and the same effect for the establishing of the presbyterie I answere in this maÌ„ner First that the Apostle in both places may be vnderstood indifferently either of ciuill gouernours and gouernment onely or of ecclesiasticall onely or of both ioyntly consequently that the text cannot be racked so that it must perforce be vnderstood of the vnpriested Seniors of the Presbyterie especially seeing it may as fitly if not more truly be vnderstood of Kings Monarches and other ciuill christian Magistrates to whom the chiefe care and ouersight appertaineth of all persons and causes within their kingdomes territories and dominions Secondly that the original Greek word Cubernesejs signifieth gouernments not gouernours So that thereupon cannot be inferred necessarily any distinct gouernor from the afore-named Apostles prophets and Doctors For diuers offices may bee and often are coincident in one and the same officer And for this respect when the Apostle commeth to the repetition of his former assertions and should by order haue mentioned the gift of gouernance he passeth it ouer in silence albeit he reckoneth vp the other seuerally Wherby hee giueth vs to vnderstand that hee containeth the same either in all or in some one of the former offices or gifts Thirdly that none of the holy Fathers in their Commentaries did euer gather out of these texts or the like any vnpreaching Seniors Fourthly that both maister Caluin maister Bucer and maister Martyr doe extend these places to all kinde of gouernment The fourth text is taken from the Epistle to the Ephesians which proueth nothing at all because there is no mention made in that place of any gouernours saue onely of Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastors and Doctors None of which doubtlesse can be their vnpriested Elders The Fift text is borrowed from Saint Paul to Timothie where he saith the Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour specially they which labour in the word and Doctrine This text I graunt hath some colour though no truth of that which is in question But I answere that the Apostle vnderstandeth by Elders such as are ministers of the word or else of the Sacraments I proue it first because Saint Hierome Saint Chrysostome and Saint Ambrose yea and maister Caluin himselfe where hee speaketh purposely of Seniors doe so vnderstand the word Elders Secondly because the originall Greeke worde Coptôntes which signifieth to labour painfully doth argue a differeÌ„ce betweene Elders of the same calling whereof some laboured more painfully then others did the meaning of the Apostle is this and no other that laborious and painfull Elders are so much the more worthy to be graced with greater honours by howe much greater paines and troublesome turmoyles they vndertake in their ministerie For by the word labour Saint Paul vnderstandeth no ordinarie vulgar and meane exercise but an extraordinarie vehement and most painfull labour such as Timothie Titus Luke Marke and others were well acquainted withall Thirdly because the Apostle if hee had meant that some Elders did neither preach nor administer the Sacraments would haue added which labour in the word and administration of the Sacraments for it had been as easily said as which labour in the word and doctrine but because there were some that laboured onely in the word and doctrine and other some likewise who laboured in administring the Sacraments hee saide Coptôntes which labour painfully to distinguish them from such as laboured in the same kind and office though not in so laborious and painefull maner The fift proposition THe constitution of the earnestly wished and long expected English presbyterie doth ouerthrowe it selfe and can no way be defeÌ„ded I proue it first because diaconesses or widowes are no lesse required in the holy scripture then are Deacons neither are the one more extraordinarie or temporarie then are the other And consequently the frame or building of the presbyterie is not perfect seeing it consisteth onely of these foure Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons And to answere as some doe that there must bee godly poore widowes when they can bee gotten is not to the purpose For if Gods appointment and order may bee altered in widowes because sit women cannot bee gotten euen so may wee excuse the want of their ruling vpriested Seniors as also the want of their Preaching Ministers For the necessitie and want of sit persons is equall in them all I proue it Secondly because Pastors and Doctors or Teachers are not distinct officers but are taken in holy Writ for one and the same For Saint Paul hauing seuered Apostles Prophets and Euangelists addeth to them Pastors and Teachers by a coniunction copulatiue which hoe would not haue done doubtlesse if hee had deemed them to bee different orders Saint Hierome is iumpe of mine opinion and reasoneth after the selfe same manner And Saint Austen beeing demaunded of Peulimis what difference was betwixt Pastor and Doctor a pastor and a Teacher answered in this sort viz. That they were all one because hee cannot bee a pastor who hath not Doctrine wherewith hee may feede the flocke committed to his charge Maister Bullinger decideth the controuersie in plaine tearmes
church may be altered according to the circūstances of times places persons Fiftly that the English long expected presbyterie can not stand with our English Christian Monarchie For she challengeth that as her proper office which as Musculus truly saith doth properly pertaine to the ciuill Christian Magistrate I say thirdly that it cannot be concluded out of the holy Scriptures that any annuall vnpriested Elders had the rule of the Church with the Pastors and Bishops I say fourthly that for want of Christian Princes laicall Elders may be assumed to the Church-gouernment to help and assist the pastors Yea I further graunt that the said Elders may remaine vnder a christian prince so it be with his assent good pleasure and moderation But I constantly denie that such kind of gouernment must of necessitie bee had in and vnder a Christian Monarchie The first Reply S. Ambrose writeth plainly that the Synagogue and after the Church had Seniours without whose counsell nothing was done in the Church The which saith hee by what negligence it was left of I can not tell except happily it were through the slouth or rather the pride of some pastors because they alone would seeme to bee somewhat The Answere I answere first that S. Ambrose did not thinke those Elders of whom hee speaketh to be necessarie for the government of the Church I prooue it because hee being a most learned zealous and godly Arch-bishop would for his zeale and pietie haue laboured to restore them and could for his great authoritie haue effected the same Secondly that Saint Ambrose speaketh of Elders in yeares not of Elders in Office that is of wise graue and olde men of great experience whom the Bishops in former times tooke in counsell with them as did also the auncient Synagogue Our Church-wardens in this age doe in some sort resemble them It something grieued holy Ambrose that graue men auncient in yeares whom the Apostle would not haue reproued roughly did not remaine in like esteeme with the pastors of the Church as they were of old This is the true meaning and sense of S. Ambrose concerning those Elders he speaketh of I prooue it out of S. Ambrose his owne wordes which are these Nam apud omnes vtique gentes honorabilis est senectus For among all nations olde age is honoured For which cause both the Synagogue of old and the Church afterward had alwayes certaine old men without whose aduise nothing was done in the Church Loe he speaketh of honouring Elders and auncient men in regard of their yeares But he neuer meant to equalize them with those who were Elders in calling and gouerned the Churches vnder him No no the blessed man Ambrose that graue and holy Bishop of Millan neuer dreamed or once conceiued in minde that any order of the Ministerie set downe by Christes Apostles was worne out of vse in his time The 2. Reply S. Hierome who followed S. Ambrose immediately telleth vs most plainly that in his time the Presbyterie or Eldership was in the Church The Answere I answere first that if wee suppose your Presbyterie to haue beene in Saint Hieroms time and not in the dayes of Saint Ambrose it will fauour vs and wholy make against your helpes The reason is euident because that which may bee vsed at some time and be wanting at other times is not of necessitie to be vrged at all times and this is all that wee desire Secondly Saint Hierome speaketh of Priested Elders and not of men in no degree of the Ministerie His wordes are these Et nos habemus in ecclesia senatum nostrum caetum Presbyterorum And we haue in the Church our Senate a companie of Elders or Priestes Loe hee speaketh of Priestes and of Colledges of Cathedrall Churches I proue it by two reasons First for that himselfe telleth vs in his words afore-going that he speaketh of those Elders whose election Saint Paul describeth vnto Timothie Againe because it is vnpossible that those vnpriested Elders should bee in Saint Hieromes time who were worne out in Saint Ambrose his time because Saint Austin S. Ambrose and S. Hierome were all at one and the same time The 3. Obiection The long expected Presbyterie is no way preiudiciall to the Christian Monarchie but giueth to him so much as the Scripture alloweth The Answere M. Gualter a zealous vertuous and learned Writer of high esteeme in the reformed Churches sheweth plainly vnto the world what right and authoritie the new presbyterie ascribeth vnto Princes These are his wordes The Donatists of our time ought to consider these things more diligently which doe ouer rashly condemne whole Cities and Countries where the word of God is preached the sacraments rightly administred publique praier celebrated the poore sufficiently prouided for and vices by good and godly lawes for bidden and punished All these things they esteem as nothing except there be a certaine new magistracie appointed which should haue authoritie ouer Princes also The same learned writer in another place discourseth in this manner There be sundry that will needes institute Elders or an ecclesiasticall Senate according to the example of the Primitiue Church which also should haue authoritie ouer the Magistrates themselues if at any time they did not their dutie But it behooueth them first to shew that those their Seniours haue this power whereof Paul doth presently speake which thing seeing it doth by no meanes appeare and yet they deliuer vnto Satan whome they will they doe like as if some would goe about to cleanse the leaprous raise the dead and worke other miracles because these things were vsually done in the primitiue Church The same learned Doctor in another place writeth thus Their ambition is reproued which goe about to bring all Churches to the forme of their discipline and government cry out that there is no discipline there where all things are not agreeable to their traditions and orders But these mē receiue a iust reward of their arrogancy when they that come frō them to other countries goe beyond all men in fancinesse bring nothing from home but a vaine and intollerable contempt of all good men neither can they abide to be corrected by any admonition of others The zealous godly and learned Doctor Musculus hath these expresse words We thinke otherwise then they who denie to Christian Magistrates authoritie to make ecclesiasticall Lawes We boldly affirme that all power of making authenticall Lawes which binde the consciences of the subiects whether they be ciuill or ecclesiasticall doe neither pertaine to the multitude of the faithfull nor to the Ministers of Gods word but properly to the Magistrate onely to whom more power is giuen ouer his subbiects Wherevpon they are called in the Scripture Gods who doe execute the Magistracie which name of honour we doe not reade that it was giuen vnto the Priestes The very reason and nature of gouerning can not suffer that there be 2.
authentique powers in one people two diuers law-makings and dominions vnlesse it be by subordination euen as there is no place for two heads in one body The same Musculus in another place hath these golden wordes but we without dissimulation thinke thus Like as the Christian Prince hath chiefe power care in religion so hath he also power to constitute and make ecclesiasticall lawes to reforme abuses in religion The very nature of making lawes doth not suffer that they command make Lawes who haue not power to defend the Lawes and to take punishment of the transgressors and that the Magistrate should protect the lawes and punish the offendors who shal not haue power to make the lawes which he doth defend But Certes among men he that hath power to command hath also power to take reuenge I know it appertaineth to the magistrate to punish not onely the transgressors of his owne commandements but also of Gods But the case is altered if the question be made of lawes ecclesiasticall neither divulged by God immediately neither yet by his Apostles but by men within the ministerie of the Church Here doubtlesse it is not sit that they which are of meaner authoritie shall make Lawes and they who are of higher power must see them kept Men of meaner degree may cause lawes to be obserued but superiours onely can make lawes whose authoritie cōpelleth to obey them and who haue power giuen thē of God to punish the disobedient While therefore they ascribe the constitution and promulgation of ecclesiasticall lawes to those whom they call gouernours of the church to wit the presbyterie and leaue only to the magistrate power to see them kept and to punish the offenders what other thing do they but giues that to inferiours being subiects which of right belongeth to higher powers and taketh it away from superiours to whom euery soule must be subiect And so they peruerting the ordinance of God make of subiects Lawe-makers and of Law-makers subiects Thus writeth this learned man Out of these learned discourses of these two most learned and famous Writers I note these worthy documents First that vnder most Christian Princes where the Presbyterie beareth no sway the word of God is soundly preached the Sacraments rightly administred publique prayer duly celebrated the poore sufficiently relieued and vices sharply punished Secondly that all these things will not content the maisters of the Presbyterie vnlesse they may haue Princes at their commaund Thirdly that if the Patrons of the Presbyterie will needes haue all things after the manner of the Primitiue Church then must they cleanse the leaprous raise the dead worke miracles as the Apostles did Fourthly that the authors of the Presbyterie are arrogant contentious froward and saucie fellowes To which the Doctrine of our gracious soueraigne in his Bazilycon Doron is right consonant when he telleth vs very grauely besides many other vices which he there reckeneth vp that we shall neuer finde with any Hic-land or border-theeues greater ingratitude and moe lyes and vile periuries then with this kinde of people Fiftly that they denie vnto Princes authoritie to make ecclesiasticall lawes Sixtly that not the Presbyterie but the ciuill magistrates kings Emperours Monarches and other independant superiours haue power to make canons and ordinances ecclesiasticall Seuenthly that whiles they assigne vnto princes onely the execution of their Lawes they make of inferiours superiours and of subiects Law-makers and so peruert the holy ordinance of God The 4. Obiection The gouernmēt of the church in the time of the Apostles was the best most perfect Ergo no reason why it should be changed The Answere I answere First that the Church in the Apostles time was most perfect indeed concerning faith and doctrine absolutely as also touching external gouernment if regard be duly had vnto that time Secondly that there was not alwaies in the Apostolicall time one and the same externall gouernment of the Church as is alreadie proued Thirdly that the externall pollicie of the Church may admit alteration and change without all preiudice of faith and conscience according to the circumstances of times places and persons And consequently that Christian Princes enioy this day very lawfully and laudably the chiefe care and supreame ouer-sight thereof Men of best account in the reformed Churches doe in plaine tearmes approue and confirme this my doctrine Maister Caluin hath these wordes Scimus autem politiam pro varietate temporum recipere imò exigere varias mutationes Wee knowe that the pollicie of the Church receiueth yea requireth diuers alterations according to the varietie of time Maister Musculus a man of great zeale singular learning care and gifts confirmeth Maister Caluins opinion in these words The state of the Church was such at that time that the ministers could not be chosen otherwise because they then were without a Christian magistrate If thou wilt call againe the manners of those times thou must first call againe their state and condition Againe in an other place the same author writeth thus I answere that the Churches of God were at that time destitute of a Godly and faithfull magistrate Wherefore all iudgements betweene brethren brethren were then exercised by the Seniours in the ecclesiasticall senate as the custome also was in those christian churches which the Apostles planted But the condition is farre otherwise in those Churches which by the benefit of God haue christian Princes and Magistrates in whom resteth authoritie power law-making and gouernance not onely in prophane but in holy things also It is a most pestilent errour that some thinke no otherwise of the christian magistrate then of a prophane gouernance whose power reacheth onely to things prophane Haec ille Maister Beza hath these golden wordes We must not simply looke or regard what the Apostles did in the gouernment of the Church seeing the circumstances are most diuers and variable and therefore without preposterous zeale Cacozelia all things cannot in all places and times be called to one and the same forme or order but rather the ende and inuariable purpose of them must bee looked vnto and that manner and forme of doing things must be chosen which tendeth directly thereunto Haec Beza Out of these most excellent and golden discourses of these great learned men who were very famous and highly renowned in the best reformed churches I gather these memorable obseruations First that the Church is not fixed or tied to any one setled kind of gouernment but may be changed in her gouernance as the circumstances of times places and persons shall require Secondly that it is very fit and conuenient sometimes to alter the gouernment of the church Thirdly that the church may not bee gouerned now as it was in those daies when there were no christian magistrates Fourthly that wee must not respect so much what the Apostles did as their intent and purpose the scope and marke which they aimed at CHAP. XII
Of the discipline of the Church The first Section of the multiplicitie of Church-discipline THe Authors Patrons and seekers of the new English presbyterie reckon vp three parts of church-discipline viz 1. the election abdication of ecclesiasticall officers 2. the excommunication of the stubborne and absolution of the repentant 3. the decision of all such matters as rise vp in the church whether it be touching corrupt manners or peruerse doctrine For answere whereunto marke the next Section The second Section containing an answere vnto the former There is but one onely kind of publique church-discipline which is called in the new testament by the name of excommunication I say publique because I grant priuate admonition and reprehension to be a certaine kind of priuate discipline I say church-discipline because I acknowledge also ciuill discipline Discipline consisteth intrinsecally in the punishing and correcting of vice It is one part of the churches pollicie farre different from the election of ministers and decision of controuersies The third Section of the essence nature and condition of church-discipline The Patrones of the English presbyterie doe make it an essential part of the Gospell so necessarie to saluation as no Church can bee without it but the truth is otherwise I proue it first because S. Paul giueth a singular commendation to the Church of Corinth although it wanted at that time the Church-discipline which is excommunication Secondly because we may stay and continue in that Church which is destitute of excommunication Which doubtlesse we could not doe if excommunication were a part of Christs Gospell and necessarie vnto saluation For we must flee from that Church which wanteth any thing necessarie to saluation This notwithstāding many learned men euē of best accoūt in the reformed churches do think it lawfull to remaine in those Churches where excommunication is not in vse Maister Bullinger writing against the Anabaptists hath these words This the Anabaptists vrge that there is no true Church acceptable vnto God where there is no excommunication To whom we answere that the Church of Corinth was a true Church and so acknowledged of Paul before there was any vse of excommunication in it The same doctrine is taught vniformely of maister Caluin maister Gualter and others Thirdly wheresoeuer the word of God is truly preached and his Sacraments lawfully administred there is Christs Church vndoubtedly For these are the true markes by which best learned Writers discerne the Church of God The case is euident enough it is needelesse to spend much time about it Vide sententiam Gualteri in fine sectionis subsequentis The fourth Section of the persons that must excommunicate Excommunication precisely and chiefely pertaineth to the Church and secondly to those to whom the Church hath cōmitted the execution thereof I proue it by Christs owne wordes in his holy Gospell where hee willeth his Disciples to tell the faults of their brethren if they will not heare them vnto the Church that is to say vnto the whole congregation And forthwith Christ addeth these wordes Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Againe in an other place he giueth the same authoritie of binding and loosing vnto Peter alone which hee gaue in the other place to all the Apostles ioyntly Thirdly in an other place he giueth power to remit retain sins vnto his Disciples onely soly Out of which three seuerall commissions of our Lord Iesus I gather and conceiue two generall rules and settled lawes The one that onely the successors of Christs Apostles and Disciples haue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen that is of opening and shutting of binding and loosing of remitting and retaining sinnes as also the power of excommunication touching the vse and execution thereof I say touching the vse and execution thereof because it is one thing to execute excommunication and the keyes of heauen an other thing to commit the execution thereof to others The other that the whole Church hath authoritie to commit the execution of the keyes and of excommunication to some speciall persons fit for that purpose for comlinesse and order sake and for auoyding of confusion This my resolution I will proue to be grounded vpon the doctrine of great learned men highly renowned in the reformed Churches two things I haue to proue first that the whole Church hath power to commit the keyes and excōmunication to some certaine fit persons chosen for that end and purpose Secondly that onely the Ministers of the word Sacramēts can denounce the sentence and put the same in execution Concerning the former Maister Bullinger hath a long and learned discourse which is able to satisfie any indifferent Reader These are his expresse wordes caeterum video controversum inter quosdam nostri aevi homines c. But I perceiue it is a controuersie among certaine men of our age who should haue power to punish sinne and to execute the discipline of the Church some ascribing it to the whole Church other some to speciall men chosē for that purpose Doubtlesse I cannot perceiue that they offend who giue this power to certain men chosē for that end wtout doubt they doe not offend against Gods word But they obiect if he shal not heare you tel it to the church Now some chosē men are not the church But these men perceiue not that Christ his Apo. vsed the figure Synecdoche For Paul saith you being gathered with my spirit And in the latter Epistle he saith it is sufficient to the same man that he was rebuked of many If they wil stand vpon Christs words literally we wil see when they wil bring the whole church together But we speake say they of the particular Church We therfore haue the victory who say that Christ vsed the figure Synecdoche We graunt that this power is giuen to the whole Church but we call the congregation of good men the Church For it followeth forthwith in the very words of our lord where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the mids of them Therfore if Christ as they graunt committed the ecclesiasticall discipline to a particular church two or three much more eight or twelue make a particular church what letteth that christ cōmitted not the same to chosen men who are consecrate to Christs name seeing the authoritie of ecclesiasticall discipline is more intiere renowned among chosen godly men then among the confused vulgar sort who as they lack iudgement so are they often carried away with affections Haec Bullingerus Maister Gualter hath these words potestatis christi meminit alludeut ad mat 18. ne ille ecclesie sententiā cōtemneret et hoc iubet quiatunc non erat alia tales coercendi quādo magistratus non erant christiani ali◠qui iste paenas dedisset secundum
Saint Chrysostome in these golden wordes Neque ideo solum sed vt tu disceres quontam super te quoque cum Sacro Fonte dilueris Sanctus Spiritus veniat iam vero non visibils specie qua vtique non egemus cum nobis pro cunctis sola fides sufficiat Nam signa non credentibus sed incredulis dantur Neither did the Doue appeare onely for that end but that thou also mayst learne that the Holy Ghost commeth vpon thee when thou art washed in the holie Font bu that appearance is not nowe adayes in any visible shape whereof wee haue no neede seeing sole faith sufficeth for all For signes are not giuen to the faithfull but to the incredulous persons These things well pondered the obiection against the booke of Common prayer will bee to no purpose vnlesse perhaps it will bee a caueat for the Author which I heartilie wish to write and speake more circumspectly in time to come For I verily am perswaded that all things contayned in the booke of Common prayer are agreable to the holy Scriptures the practise of the Church in the purest times and composed with such Iudgement Pietie Learning and Religion that all the wisedome in the worlde is not able iustlie to controll the same In so much that I wonder and greatly admire the audacious temeritie of manie who being of small reading and learning and of no iudgment and experience if they bee compared to those auncient graue Godly wise and learned fathers that compiled the booke of common prayer dare presume to condemne the same with theyr bitter invectiues vntimely censures and vnchristianlike Anathematizations True it is that Saint Hierome saith Nec sibi blandiantur si de Scripturarum capitulis videntur sibi affirmare quod dicunt cum Diabolus de Scripturis aliqua sit locutus Scripturae non in legendo sed in intelligendo consistunt Neyther must they slatter themselues if they seeme in their owne conceits to prooue so much as they say seeing the Deuill himselfe alleadged Scripture against our Lord Iesus and the Scriptures doe not consist in bare reading but in true Sense and meaning Would God this graue aduise giuen by this holy auncient and learned Father might be a president and constant rule in this doleful age to all nouices superficiall diuines and young students in Diuinitie who more rashly then Clerklie take vpon them to controll not onelie our most Reuerend Fathers the graue wise and learned Byshops but euen the whole Synode assembled in the Conuocation house yea and the King himselfe to walke circumspectlie to liue obedientlie to think modestlie of their own gifts not to esteeme better of themselues and their iudgements then there is cause but to thinke that a learned Synode can see as farre as they and would as gladly goe to Heauen as they and consequently to ponder with themselues seriouslie that it is a too too malepeart saucinesse for young heads and superficiall Diuines of slender Iudgement and lesse reading of the holy Fathers auncient Councells and Ecclsiasticall hystories to censure and controll not onely the Godlie setled Lawes of our Christian Kingdome but euen of the continuall practise of the Churche in all ages I my selfe am about three score yeares of age I haue endeuoured by Prayer and painefull Studie to attayne good literature euer since I was fiue yeares of age I haue liued conuersed studied disputed in manie famous Vniuersities aswell in England as in forraine Countries I haue employed my whole care industry and diligence now for the space of thirty yeares and odde to vnderstand Gods word aright to know what hath bene the practize of Christes church in all former ages and for that ende and purpose I haue for the space of thirtie yeares and odde prouided all the auncient Fathers Councells Hystories Ecclesiasticall and Chronographycall so far forth as my abilitie was able to extend and reach and that nothing should be wanting in this behalf I haue borrowed bookes where I could and haue also had recourse to the best Libraryes both in the Vniuersities els where to the end I might gather notes out of such bookes as I was not able to buye and prouide In which behalfe not my selfe onely but all such as reape anie commoditie by my painfull labours are more then a little beholden to these most Reuerend Fathers Iohn the late Arch-byshoppe of Canterburie Richard now the L Arch-byshoppe of Canterburie and Tobye the L Bysh. of Durham who haue for themselues the good of others most excellent costly and goodly Libraries to which I haue found free accesse at all times when I desired All this beeing performed I haue verie seriouslie weighed pondered and considered what the Papists Arrians Macedonians Eutichians Nestorians Donatists Carpocratians Ebionites Tatians Manichees Brownists and other Sectaries doe and can say for their opinions and this notwithstanding I finde the Doctrine and the Godlie setled Lawes of this Church of England amongst which I place the late Canons of Anno. 1604. to bee consonant to Gods word to the vsuall practise of the Church in all former ages These things I vtter in these tearms because I heartilie wishe to perswade all such as are carefull of their saluation to yeeld obedience to higher Powers and not to bee carryed awaye with the Sugred words of superficiall Diuines but to learne that obedience is better then Sacrifice I am now likelie euen by the course of Nature shortly to forsake this worlde and therfore I doe not seeke any preferment for my paines which I neuer to this daye hunted after and much lesse doe I seek to draw men into errrours and so to make shipwracke of mine owne Soule No no my purpose God is my witnesse is farre otherwise as who am perswaded so fullie of the Doctrine which I deliuer that I am not affrayde to ende my life in the same The second member of certaine Rites and Ceremonies vsed in Baptisme New-fangled oddely conceited persons do scornfullie inueigh against interrogatories ministred at Baptisme against Godfathers Godmothers Fonts and otherlike Ceremonies as things vnknowen in the time of the Apostles To whome I answere in this manner First that manie things are this day lawfully done in the Church which were not in vse in the Apostles time This is already prooued Secondly that the custome of the Church in things indifferent is to be esteemed among Christians for a Law This is likewise prooued And let him that holdeth the contrarie opinion tell mee by what lawe hee can iustifie that formall coniunction of men and wemen in holy wedlock which is vsed not onely in our Church of England but also in purest reformed Churches euerie where Hee shall neuer bee able to alleadge any ground in that behalfe but the vnwritten traditions of the Church Of which traditions th' Apostle spoke as learned interpreters tell vs when he said he would set other things in
him Loe S. Luke speaketh not in the preterperfect tense or preterplusperfect tense who hath or had bene one of the seaueÌ„ Deacons but he saith in the present tense who is euen now one of the seauen For so the Originall Greeke word ontos must needs be expressed seing it is a participle of the present time or time euen now beeing And the holy Fathers together with the practise of the church haue euer so vnderstood this text of Scripture Saint Epiphanius deliuereth his minde in these plaine tearmes Omnes verò praeter ipsum susceperunt magnorum A. postolorum praesentians per impositionem manuum ipsorum acceperunt Spiritum sanctum Nam quum Philippus Diaconus esset non habebat potestatem imponendi manus vt per hoc daret Spiritum sanctum They all hee onely excepted receyued the presence of the mightie Apostles and by imposition of their hands they enioyed the holy Ghost For Philip being a Deacon onelie had not power to impose hands thereby to giue the holy Ghost S. Austen hath these expresse words Iterum multum distare inter Diaconum sacerdotem liber approbat queÌ„ dicimus actus Apostolorum Cumn ex Samaria credidissent Philippo praedicanti Diacono ab Apostolis ordinato miserunt inquit ad eos Petrum Ioannem vt venirent his qui crederâ—t darent spiritum sanctum per manus impositionem Again the booke which wee call the Acts of the Apostles prooueth that a Deacon differeth much from a Priest For when they of Samaria had beleeued the preaching of Philip the Deacon ordeined of th' Apostles they sent saith the booke Peter and Iohn vnto them that they might giue the holy Ghost by imposition of hands to those that did beleeue Thus wee see the iudgement of S. Epiphanius and S. Austen who both iointly affirme Philip to haue bene but a Deacon and yet to haue baptized and preached Yea Maister Gualter Maister Aretius and the Magaeburgenses doe all constanthe and vniformely contest the same truth with the auncient Fathers and continuall custome of the Church in all ages They write plainely that although Deacons were chieflie occupied about the dispensation of the churches goods yet did they employe their labours so far forth as they might in the other ministeries of the church The fourth member of Deacons promoted to Priesthood The Church of England is charged to doe against the word of God while shee vseth to make one and the same person first a Deacon and afterward a Priest To which calumnie I answere in briefe in this manner First that it is not against the word of God but very consonant and altogether agreable to the same For no Scripture can bee alleadged to prooue that a Deacon maye not become a Priest Maister Caluin affirmeth constantly that Philippe was first a Deacon and afterward an Euangelist Priest or pastorall elder Secondly that the church of England vsing the Deaconshippe as a steppe or degree vnto Priesthood doth nothing against the iudgement of the auncient Fathers but followeth the vsuall practise of the church in all ages The reason hereof is and euer was this viz. that there might be some time of try all of their behauiour in the Deaconshippe before they were or could bee admitted to the order of Priesthood No Councell no Father no hystorie Ecclesiasticall no time no place no person since the Apostolike age can be named to the contrary To the continuall practise of the Church from age to age th' Apostles words may sitly be applied when he saith the deacons that haue ministred well get themselues a good degree For sun 〈…〉 writer of high esteem in the church do 〈…〉 the word Degree a steppe vnto the 〈…〉 or Priesthood This notwithstanding it is not of necessitie that euery Deacon become a Priest by any canon or constitution of the church For his behauiour in the Deaconship may be such that the church will deeme him vnmeete to be preferred vnto Priesthood And therefore I conclude with these words of S. Hierome Et si scripturae authoritas non subesset totius orbis in hanc parteÌ„ consensus instar praecepti obtineret NaÌ„ multa alia quae per traditioneÌ„ in Ecclesijs obseruantur authoritateÌ„ sibi scriptae legis vsurpauerunt Although they were no authoritie in Holy Scripture yet should the consent of all the Christian worlde haue the force and strength of a law in this behalfe For many other things which the church obserueth by tradition are become equiualent to the written law Loe S. Hierome affirmeth boldly constantly as do also S. Augustine M. Caluin and others as I haue already prooued that the custome tradition of the church must bee in steede of a lawe vnto Christians Which euer is to be vnderstood in things not repugnant to the word of God or as M. Caluin speaketh which are neyther partes of doctrine nor necessarie to saluation The fyfth member of the generall confession made by priuate persons in the Church The Patrons of the expected Eldership or Presbyterie exclame against the booke of common prayer because it giueth libertie to the Laycall communicants to make a generall confession of their sinnes before the congregation then present as if therby the Laicall communicants should presently become publique ministers of the church To these men I answere in this manner first that they seeme to theÌ„selues to be the onely wise men in the worlde to condemne all the rest of follie For otherwise they would not so roundly peremptorily take vpon themselues and that without either Scripture Councell or Father nay without all time or reason to controll condemne the book of publique praier which I verily think to haue bene composed by the assistance of the Holy Ghost consequently to condemne all the ancient Byshops those glorious martyrs of our Lord Iesus the most famous Byshop of Sarisburie the Iewell of England in his time the Byshops that now liue who are both wise vertuous learned all the residue of the learned Cleargie of this our English Church Secondly that by their grosse assertion ioyned with a most vnchristian reprehension the lowly Publican highly commended in the Gospell should bee made a Minister of the Church or haue intruded him himself into the function of publique Ministerie when hee knocked vppon his breast said O God be mercifull to me a sinner Thirdly that by the same reason the notorious sinners which were put to open penance in the primitiue Church and confessed their faults before the congregation should bee in the same predicament Fourthlie that publique penitents this daye who are for all that approoued of the Patrons of the Presbyterie should be caught in the same nette Fyftlie that the same may bee saide of Women singing Psalmes in the Church and that with more probabilitie who for all that are approoued in so doing not onely in this Church of England but
also in all other reformed churches wheresoeuer I therefore conclude this member with this Golden sentence of S. Austen if any thing be obserued vniuersallie of the whole church then not to obserue that or to call it into question is meere madnesse and desperate follie The sixt member of praying to be deliuered from Lightning Plague and sodaine death It is scornefully obiected against the prayers of the church that when wee pray to bee deliuered from plague famine and from other aduersitie wee pray without faith because wee haue no promise to receiue the things we pray for To whom I answere First that our Sauiour Christ taught vs so to pray when hee deliuered to his Church the forme of that prayer which we should daily vse Being the most exact and most perfect prayer that euer was or can be made Where the Notes of the Geneua Byble expound it to be deliuered from all aduersitie And consequently that we pray with saith seeing Holy writ is our warrant for that we pray Secondly that wee haue promise to receiue that wee pray for so far forth as standeth with Gods glorie and our soules health For Christ himselfe willeth vs to aske and wee shall receiue to seeke and wee shall finde to knocke and it shall be opened vnto vs. Yea he standeth knocking at the doore of our hearts and if wee will open the doâ—e to him hee will enter into the house of our hearts and dwell with vs and giue vs all things necessarie both for our bodies and for our soules And to assure vs thereof Christ willeth vs to beleeue that wee shall haue our request it shall bee done vnto vs. And if any will replie that many aske many things in prayer and yet doe not attaine the same to such I answere with Saint Iames in these words yee aske and receyue not because yee aske amisse that ye may lay the same out on your pleasures Thirdly that when our church prayeth to bee deliuered from all aduersitie she hath both the example and aduise of most holy men The holy Patriarch Iacob fearing to receyue some bodily harme and aduersitie of his brother prayed to God in this manner O God I pray thee deliuer mee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau for I feare him least hee will come and sinite mee the mother vpon the children King Dauid fearing to receyue bodilie harme of his sonne Absalon fled away from him and prayed God to turne the counsell of Achitophel who conspired with Absalon into foolishnes The whole congregation prayed to God to prosper their King when hee went forth to battell against the Ammonites And I deeme them no good subiects to our most gracious Soueraigne King Iames who will not pray to God vnfaynedlie to defende him from all aduersitie Neyther yet those persons who refuse to pray with our church for all happinesse aswell corporall temporarie as spirituall Eternall to our most vertuous Queene Anne the noble Prince Henry all the rest of that most Royall progenie Yea Christ himselfe forewarning his disciples of externall future aduersity willeth them to pray to bee defended from the same Praye saith Christ that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabboth day And besides the sixt petition of the Lords prayer which teacheth vs to pray to be defended from all aduersitie as S. Cyprian Ursinus and Illyricus with manie other learned wryters expound it and besides the fourth petition also which teacheth vs to pray for all things needfull for this life as the same wryters tell vs many examples of the new Testament doe make it cleere and euident that Christ was well pleased with their prayers who prayed for things to this life appertaining The Ruler prayed for the life of his Daughter Christ performed his desire Bartimaeus the sonne of Tymans desired to receiue his sight obtained his request Two blind men followed Christ and requested to receiue their sight hee yeelded to their petitions A woman a Canaanite desired Christ to helpe her Daughter who was miserablie vexed with a Deuill Christ cured her daughter presently Many other like exaÌ„ples I might alledge but in steed therof this onelie goldeÌ„ sentence of S. Augustine shall suffice Cum dicimus libera nos a malo nos admonemus cogitare nondum nos esse in eo bono vbi nullum patiemur malum Et hoc quidem vltimum quod in Dominica oratione positum est tam late tamque enidenter manifestè patet vt homo Christianus in qualibet tribulatione constitutus in hoc gemitus edat in hoc lachrymas fundat hinc exordiatur in hoc immoretur ad hoc terminet orationem When wee say Deliuer vs from euill wee admonish ourselues to consider with our selues that we are not as yet in that good estate where wee shall suffer no euill And this which is last placed in the Lords Prayer is extended so farre and so plainly that a Christian man moued with any kind of tribulatioÌ„ may in this petition sigh in this shed his teares begin herein continue herein and end his prayer herein Thus writeth this holy father And now where it is wont to be obiected against the custome of our Church that we know not that God wil deliuer vs from all such aduersitie as from lightning thunder fire water sodaine death and such like I answere that we are not to command God or to appoint him an houre but to expect his good time and to referre euery part and parcell of our petitions to his holy will and pleasure euer implied in all our prayers And againe that if we must pray for nothing but that onely which wee knowe God will grant we shall seldome or neuer pray for any thing at all No wee must not say to our neighbour ryding towards London God speede you well nor to the sicke persons GOD helpe you nor for the preseruation of his Maiestie GOD saue the King How absurde these things are euery childe can discerne and yet the patrons of the Presbyterie condemne our Church for Preaching to be defended from all aduersitie vpon such sillie fansies and slender groundes The seventh member of the oath ex officio It is thought a very haynous offence that the Church doth sometime require an oath whereby certaine persons are constrained to accuse themselues Which oath because some doe offer it by vertue of their place and charge committed to them is by some male-contents ironically termed the oath ex officio But I answere first that it is as vsually ministred in the Ciuill affaires of the common-weale as in the Ecclesiasticall causes of the Church whereof none can bee ignorant that haue any notice of the ordinarie practise of his Maiesties honourable Counsell in the North of England Which vsage though of great antiquitie hath for all that euer beene approued and deemed lawfull as well by the wisest
with me that Maister Caluin speaketh of the most notorious sinnes of incest and consequently that hee graunteth power vnto the magistrate to pardon what Malefactors or sinnes so euer For though the magistrate can neuer make that to be no sinne which Gods lawe prounceth to bee sinne yet saith M. Caluin the magistrate may make a law that the same sinne shal not be punished Which doubtles is the selfe same doctrine that I do teach for the present Thirdly that by the law of the New Testament the Prince is onely charged in generall tearmes to punish malefactors and that for the common good of his faithfull people in regard whereof hee may lawfullie cease from punishing them when the common intended good of his subiectes eyther can not or wil not insue thereupon For if Kinges should at all times punish all malefactors the Church of God would often be depriued of most excelent and profitable members For which respect our Sauiour himselfe telleth vs that when the tares cannot be seuered from the good corn vnlesse both be pulled vp together then may they tollerate the tares or weedes with the good corne vntill the time of haruell As if hee had saide when the wicked cannot be punished but with great domage to the godly then may the Magistrate tollerate such malefactors vnpunished and not thereby sinne at all Therefore saith the holy father S. Austen that Christes Church doth tollerate many thinges which he neither doth nor can approue And the same holy Father in a large and learned discourse against Parmenianus shew eth plainely vnto the Reader that the notorious sins must then be anathematized when there is no daunger of schisme to enfue thereupon not otherwise least that turn to the churches harm which was intended for her good Amongst many other godly sentences which for breuitie I here omitte these are his expresse wordes In hac velut angustia quaestionis non aliquid nouâ—m aut insolitum dicam sed quod santas obseruat ecclesiae vt cum quisque fratruÌ„ id est ChristianoruÌ„ intus in ecclesiae societate constitutorum in aliquo tali peccato fuerit deprehensus vt anathemate dignus habeatur fiat hoc vbi periculum schismatis nullum est Sequitur nam ipse dominus cum seruis volentibus zizania colligere dixit sinite vtraque crescere vsque ad messem praemisit causam dicens neforte cum vultis colligere zizania eradicetis simul triticum Vbi satis osteudit cum metus iste non subest sed omnino de frumentorum certa stabilitate certa securitas manet id est quando ita cuiusque crimen notum est omnibus omnibus execrabile apparet vt velnullos prorsus vel non tales habeat defensores per quos possit schisma contingere noÌ„ dormiâ—t seueritas disciplinae Sequitur cum vero idem morbus plurimos occupaucrit nihil aliud bonis restat quam dolor gomitus In this intricate question I wil say no new or straÌ„ge thing but euen that which the soundenes of the church obserueth that when any Christian which in the societie of the church shal be taken with any such offéce as shall deserue an anathematization the same be done where there is no perill of schisme For our Lorde himselfe when hee saide to those that woulde gather the tares suffer them to grow vntill the haruest premised the cause saying least while yee desire to gather the tares ye plucke vp also the wheate VVhere hee sheweth sufficiently that when there is no such feare but there abideth securitie enough of the stabilitie of the corne that is when euerie mans crime is so apparant and execrable to all that eyther it hath none at al or no such patrones as are able to raise vp a schisme then may not the seueritie of discipline bee a sleepe But when many haue the same disease there resteth nothing for the godly but sorrowe and lamentation Thus writeth this holy Father Out of whose wordes we may gather euidently that the magistrate may lawfully tollerate sinne and sinners vnpunished when by their punishment more hurt then good would ensue to the Church VVhich selfe same doctrine King Dauid full of the holy Ghost deliuered long afore him when he vttered these wordes Know ye not ' that there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel and I am this day weake and newly annointed King and these men the sonnes of Zeruiah be too hard for me the Lord reward the doer of euill according to his wickednesse Loc the blessed King spared two most cruell murderers Ioab and Abishai his brother and this hee did onelie for this end least by their punishment greater hurt should haue come vnto his Kingdome The 2. Obiection Achab the King of Israel was punished with death because he granted pardon to Benhadad King of Aram. So King Saul was deposed from his kingdome for that he spared Agag king of the Amalekites Answere I aunswere first that Achab was precisely designed by God himselfe to doe execution vpon Benhadad And so was also Saul appointed in precise tearmes to put King Agag to death Secondly that in the New Testament Princes haue no such special commaundemeÌ„t but are only charged in general to punish malefactors Thirdly that they were extraordinarie precepts giuen to these Kinges extraordinarilie not to bee done generally to all malefactors but to two notorious persons in speciall and consequently that no generall Law can bee grounded thereupon Fourthly that affirmatiue precepts binde not in euery season but when the due circumstances of time place and persons and the common good of the faithfull shal so require as is alreadie proued For otherwise I see not how Saint Paul can bee excused who made earnest sute to Philemon to pardon his wicked seruant Onesimus who vniustly had gone away out of his seruice And the like may bee saide of Saint Austin who so ofieÌ„ made intercession to the princes of Africa to pardon the Donatists and Circumcellions who did not onelie disturbe religion but also spoiled the Christians of their lawfull goodes Yea it was the vsuall custome of the Iewes as the holy gospel beareth recorde to see some one Prisoner at libertie euerie Easter which custome is not reproued in any place of holy writ Fiftly that it is a case so cleare by Saint Paul that male factors may sometime bee pardoned as it is without all rime and reason to denic the same For what can be a greater offence then such fornication as is not once named among the Gentiles to wit that one should haue hi fathers wife And yet when the partie that did this horrible fact seemed to giue signes of true remorse Then Saint Paul himselfe pardoned him and willed the Corinthians to doe the same So did the Fathers of the Elebertine Councel pardon the vsurers of the Laical sort when they promised to