for answere I say there is agreement betweene them in the most part of those many things whereby our Ceremonies are vrged and accused to be simply euill and vnlawfull as before appeareth so that this obiection is nothing to the pointin question or to giue direct answere to this argument For my allegation of these things doeth confirme thus much Namely that it is good and necessary to practise inconuenient scandalous and hurtfull Ceremonies in a case of superior reason namely of procuring the Churches peace and libertie of the Gospel and the like which no man will deny and I seeke no more For admit these Ceremonies with vs in controuersie to be inconuenient hurtfull and scandalous more or lesse it skilleth not so long as they bee of no other nature then those Iewish Ceremonies prescribed and practised by the Apostles as hath beene prooued they are not how will it be auoyded but that in case of superior reason as of auoyding depriuation of the Ministrie they may lawfully and needfully be practised and that according to the minde of the holy Ghost and the direction of the holy Scripture Obiection But the Church of England hath not the like causes and reasons to prescribe and enioyne the present Ceremonies as the Apostles had to prescribe the Iewish Answere First this obiection is nothing to the poynt in hand For the question is heere not whether our Church doth well to prescribe these Ceremonies But whether such Ceremonies being prescribed as the Church conformed to by the Apostles decree in a case of necessitie ought not to be conformed to by our depriued Ministers in a case of like or greater necessitie Secondly But the Church of England in prescribing Preface to the book of common Prayer tit Of Ceremonies these Ceremonies professeth a respect of winning and profiting two sorts First Some thinking it a matter of great conscience to depart from a piece of the least of their Ceremonies Secondly some new fangled would innouate all things and despise the old nothing liking them but that which is new therefore they thought it expedient to take away some such as were most apt to bee abused to superstition and to retaine others and in their practise they tooke away so many ceremonies as time would serue quietly to doe it the rest were reserued to keepe order and quiet decipline in the Church Which is further noted to King Edwards answere to the Deuonshire and Cornishe rebells who being Ans to 3. Artic. Act monument Papistes would haue the Masse in Lattine To whom the King replyeth that the good things in the Masse-bookes were onely translated into English for their sakes onely the superstition taken out Obiect The Apostles Acts 16. 3. and 18. 18. and 21. 26. Did vse the Iewish ceremonies voluntarily without compulsion of any superior authority or Law to stoppe a scandal with the weake brethren of the Iewes If therefore that be pressed for the vse of our ceremonies it will proue a necessitie of vsing them out of the case of depriuation aswell as in that extremity and that a man must practise them voluntarily without any compulsion or hazard of Ministry Ans First though the cases of the Apostles practise in Act. 16. 18. 23. were voluntarily performed that is without commaund of any superior authority yet the case of practise in Acts 15. 28. 29. Was inioyned decreed and commanded Acts 16 4. and 21. 25. And that by the rule of necessitie then which there can hardly be a greater argument of compulsion Act. 15. 28. Secondly and besides the very cases alleadged were done by compulsion also of preuenting the Iewes offence yea in a case of danger also of depriuation to the Apostles if they had not conformed as appeareth by the tumult made by the Iewes Acts. 21. 27 28 29 30. Vpon a supposition of those Iewes that Paul taught non-confirmitie vnto the Iewish ceremonies Verse 21. By the which tumult they raised it came to passe that Paul was indeed depriued from any free vse of his Apostleship in Iudea til he came to Rome as appeareth in the sequell of the history And if there were no Law for depriuation of Ministers yet if the execution of their office were in hazard I doubt not but they should conforme for compulsion may aswell be vsed without Law as with Law Obiect Those ceremonies were practised but once or twice vpon extraordinary occasions But ours are vrged for a perpetuity and vpon an ordinary and standing reason and are like to continue without euer remoouing them Answ Neither doeth this obiection come neere the poynt in hand which prooueth that such ceremonies as ours are in themselues not simply euill nor of noe other nature then those ceremonies enioyned and practised by the Apostles which therefore in a case of necessity may bee practised by vs yet I answere Touching the ceremonies practised by the Apostles First it is true they were not alwayes by them practised but vpon certaine occasions Howbeit they were alwayes practised by them when they met with the same occasion of necessity and would oftner haue practised them if by the like necessity they had beene driuen to it which shewes the necessity of conforming to inconuenient ceremonies in the case of depriuation Secondly when the Apostles decreed the abstaining from blood and strangled it was inioyned without limitation of time whereupon a man might haue made this obiection vnto their decree and say They are vrged for a perpetuitie and vpon an ordinary and standing reason namely of necessity and fitnesse and are not euer like to be remooued Thirdly also some of the prescribed Iewish ceremonies endured longer in the Church then on the sudden may be imagined For it is obserued that Christians abstayned from blood and strangled till the time of Tertullian Origen Whitaker de Ro. pon cont 4. quest 7. fol. 832. 833. Syrill Eusebius Councell of Ganga yea of Augustine 400. yeeres after Christ 2 Concerning our ceremonies it is vntrue that they are vrged for a perpetuity for the preface of the common prayer booke expresly saith of the ceremonies prescribed thus they are retained for a discipline and order which vpon iust causes may be altered and changed and therefore not to be esteemed equall to Gods Law And for the continuance of practise of our ceremonies I suppose noe sound Protestant will pleade for the necessity of their practise or continuance longer then the reason of necessity doeth hold Our case is rather to be matched with the time of Pauls refusing Obiect part M Parker 2. sect 14. fol. 71 to circumcise Titus and of his reproouing Peter for his dissimulation in cōforming to the Iewes Ga. 2. 3. 11. 13. Answ This can by noe meanes hold as appeareth because Paul in a case of hazard of his Ministry disquiet of the Church and interruption of preaching the Gospell which is our case did circumcise Timothy Acts 16. 3. But did vtterly refuse as also all the
CASSANDER ANGLICANVS Shewing THE NECESSITY OF CONFORMITIE TO THE PRESCRIBED CEREMONIES OF OVR CHVRCH In Case of Depriuation By IOHN SPRINT Minister of Thornbury in Glocester-Shire sometimes of Christ Church in Oxon. MATTH 12. 7. I will haue mercie and not sacrifice LONDON Imprinted by IOHN BILL ANNO M. DC XVIII TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL Mr. DOCTOR GOODWIN Deane and to the Canons of the Colledge of CHRIST-CHVRCH in Oxon. FOr dedication of this booke to you R. w. I had direction frō the Riuers who Eccles 1. 7. empt themselues into the Seas from whence they came To you by whose Reuerend praedecessors I was in common consent chosen scholler into Christ-Church by whom that small modell of Learning which I haue if I haue any thing in mee which may be called Learning was deriued to me and by whom I was of free donation without bribe or sute first placed in my pastorall charge Then you I haue no greater patrones for you I haue no greater gift And this I offer to your view your censure your memoriall God euer graunt you so to blesse the Colledge of Christ-church by your free elections and elocations that the Church of Christ may euer blesse God for you and your selues may feele the comfort of your well-doing in this life and find the fruit thereof in the life to come London 27 of April M. DC XVIII Who am euer at your seruice in CHRIST IO. SPRINT TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Mr. SAMVEL BVRTON Archdeacon of the Diocesse of Gloucester SIR AS it pleased you to appoint mee a certaine time to giue answere of my purpose or refusal of Conformitie So I haue at last resolued to offer it vnto you in these my Letters Confessing ingenuously for some respects seeming weighty to my poore iudgement my vnwillingnesse thereto if by any meanes I might auoide it Howbeit seeing I see the sway of Authoritie ouer-ruling and inforcing thereunto partly in obedience to it and partly for other more important reasons swaying my Conscience I giue you to vnderstand that I am resolued to Conforme To the which resolution I confesse I was the rather drawen by the mixture of your discreete proceedings yet not so much driuen thereunto by your publike authoritie as drawen by your priuate lenitie and kindnesse and vndeserued respect vnto my meannesse I being well acquainted with the common condition of mans will which may be induced when it cannot be inforced And I trust with equall good conscience and successe to proceede and continue in seruice vnto God and to his Church in this my Conformitie as before I did in not Conforming And I heartily wish that in the like case all others did the like This I can say that my indeauours haue not beene wanting to perswade others wherein I haue preuailed with not a few And I am perswaded that if my reasons of this point might see the light authoritie giuing way thereunto it would more preuaile to induce men of contrarie iudgement then many other bookes penned to that purpose Not for any worth of Art or reading that is in them more then others my selfe being the meanest of many thousands for a matter of this nature But partly in respect of the qualitie of the penner which haue beene I confesse a Non-conformitan and partly because of the conclusion prooued which inforceth the imputation of a sinne vpon the sufferers of silencing for not conforming a matter which of all things the Ministers of this kinde will least indure And partly also for the sufficiency of the Truth presented in those reasons Now if any shall thinke the booke vnfit to bee published because it reacheth not home to prooue the conueniency or necessitie of the Ceremonies themselues they may bee pleased to consider that this position of mine being onely proposed by way of presupposall concludeth nothing to crosse that I haue endeauoured to prooue this others whose knowledge and dexteritie is greater haue libertie to prooue further if they please But this I may more then probably affirme that the very most of not conforming Ministers will hearken vnto this when I am assured they will not vnto that My reasons I offer to your Learned view and correction of authoritie If any thing bee found in them hindering the passage thereof I wish it bee censured with a Deleatur For that my intention is not rashly to thrust out any thing offensiue to authoritie but that which may bee to the profit of the Church Which I humbly desire of God in this and al other mine indeauours for his owne names sake To whose sauing grace in Christ I commend you with many thankes for your many vndeserued fauours This 21. of October 1617. Thornebury By yours humbly at command in Christ IO. SPRINT TO THE READER EVery part of Trueth is precious euen the least as the least graine of muske is sweete Because it is the Trueth Because Gods Truth and because small errors intertained against small Trueths haue often euill sometimes pernicious effects Which last appeareth in the controuersie of our Ceremonies the sparkles of which difference haue growen vnto great flames in this our Church Where the fault is as God knoweth so the day will try and God will one day iudge But difference of apprehensions hath brought foorth difference of iudgements and difference of iudgements hath brought forth difference of practise and disagreement in affection The difference of practise hath mooued Authority to silence and suppresse refusers of Conformitie The disagreement in affection hath mooued the Ministers depriued to speake euil of persons in authority and of Conformers Whereby in the euent the course of the Gospell is interrupted and of Popery enlarged the friends of Sion are grieued the enemies reioyced the Deuill gratified and God not pleased The Church is rent with Schisme the Trueth scandalized by dissention the Ministers vndone by losse of liuing and the vnitie of brethren liuing in the same house professing the same Faith and reioycing in the same Hope is pulled in pieces And this like to continue God knowes how long but all men know the longer the worse For which cause I haue vndertaken this seruice to Gods Church to vnfold the state of this question which as yet hath not been so directly and distinctly handled in my opinion as it might by any that I know The Ministers haue heretofore laboured to proue the Ceremonies euill to be vsed and fit to be abolished but they neuer went about to prooue whether in case of Depriuation they ought to haue conformed which is the question directly concerning their case This is performed in this tractate and resolued by reason drawen from God and man from Scripture and Authority of all sorts which thou good Reader mayest perceiue if thy desire allure thee or thy patience will giue thee leaue to reade The occasion of my penning it was this At The occasion of penning this Treatise first being of aduersary iudgement to the Ceremonies I laboured as men doe
that are sicke of preiudice to gather all I could against them and abstained from the practise of them as from things simply euill But after hauing been indicted at a quarter Sessions for refusing to conforme by some of my Parish for my fidelity in opposing their disordered life I was occasioned to looke more neerely into the state of this question whether I might vse them with my peace in any case or not namely of necessity Depriuation I asked of my selfe two things whether I would rather suffer death then vse them in a Church professing the foundation and vrging them as things indifferent not pressing them as binding Conscience in themselues or as needfull to saluation And whether the execution of my Ministery which was pressed on my Conscience with a woe if I neglected it should not be as deare vnto me as my life Which questions when they put mee to a stand and that I could not well resolue vnto my selfe for the ill conceit I had against the Ceremonies I beganne to search into the iudgement of our best latter writers and the practise of reformed Churches from whence I went vnto antiquitie of primitiue and purer times where with one consent and harmonie of iudgement I found them for the practise of farre more and more offensiue Ceremonies then ours may bee supposed and chiefely in this case This was a ground to stay my iudgement and build my resolution From which when once I found it in con-conscience I could not in modestie I durst not depart in haste For with what shew or conscience should any man turne his backe in dislike or his face in opposition to the iudgement and practise of all Churches of Christ since the Apostles And from all those worthy Lights those Spirituall persons the Teachers of the Churches the champions of the Trueth the Masters of Religion by whom and by whom onely God had in all ages propagated his Gospell conuerted soules confirmed Veritie confuted Heresies and Errors builded Christes Church discouered and ouerthrowne the Church of Antichrist Chiefly seeing it is the iudgement not of one or two nor of some against some other but euen of All not One excepted which is of note or classicall authority And none against this iudgement excepting conuicted and condemned Hereticks and Schismaticks such as Donatists Anabaptists and our latter Brownists From thence I looked into the reasons mouing them vnto this iudgement that practise which in this Tractate are set downe So that here is no nouelty broached or fancy of mine owne proposed to thy view Christian reader but Antiquity and Vniuersality not Papall but Euangelicall according to the Scripture not of Carnall but Spirituall persons which may bee to thy Conscience as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The causes of publishing are principally three respecting Causes of publishing the trueth the Ministers my brethren and my selfe The publication of this booke concerneth the trueth in two respects First because it is a questioned trueth which may not bee concealed without iniury to God and to his Church and it is a sin of no light nature to withhold the trueth in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. next it is a profitable trueth which may occasion some Ministers to enter which dare not for conformitie and others to returne which are depriued for not conforming to the Ceremonies both tending to the benefit and edification of Gods Church For what greater profit may there be then that which is opposed to the greatest mischiefe For as it pleaseth God to saue them that beleeue 1 Cor. 1. 21. prou 29. 18. by preaching so where no vision is the people perish Secondly it respecteth the ministers of two sorts First such as are depriued on whom these reasons doe inforce a sinne for not conforming in the case of depriuation and it is very scandalous for Ministers professing sinceritie of Christ his Gospel to haue begunne and to continue in a wrong course neither can they approoue their conscience before God or man to beginne and to remaine in error and not amend when they see a better way Then it concerneth the Ministers that haue conformed in this case both because it serueth to cleere the innocencie of sundry godly teachers that haue conformed to preuent their depriuation which are hardly thought of and traduced as backsliders and betrayers of Gods cause And if this trueth were knowen they would not haue condemned innocents As also because it is meete that the hearts of such as haue conformed of feare and are wounded with griefe should bee relieued this trueth seruing to quiet their afflicted conscience which must not bee neglected Lastly it respecteth my selfe and that two wayes First because by suppressing of this veritie I should wrap my selfe in the guilte of a two fold sin namely vnthankfulnesse to God vnrighteousnesse to man For why hath God opened my eyes to see this truth but to that end I should reueale it vnto others And it were vnrighteousnesse and hatred to my Leu. 19. 17. brethren to suffer them to sin and not to shew them of it to see them to wander and not to point vnto the right way Lastly it were iniquitie to my selfe to suffer my Ministerie to be euill spoken of for practising the trueth there being scandall taken farre and neere at the alteration of my iudgement and profession of my purpose to conforme rather then to suffer depriuation which I may lawfully and must also of some necessitie preuent To this I adde the respect I haue vnto our Schismatickes the Brownists whose errors are hereby discouered and their false conclusions ouerthrowne Obiections answered But it will bee said I am in error If so it shall the easier be confuted And when any man hath shewed it to be error hee may the more safely call it so And I shall bee the rather induced to confesse it so to be It will be well and more agreeing to the comfort of mens consciences and more fitted to the rekconing they must giue to bee aduised before they so conclude it Howbeit if I erre it is with such company with whom in some case I had rather erre as one speaketh then thinke or know the trueth with some other Neither can I bee perswaded neither will any man proue easily that all true Churches of Christ of all ages agreeing in a pointe haue agreed in an error But thus good men receaue disgrace that stand against the Ceremonies To this I say that no man can no good man will esteeme the trueth to bee his owne disgrace It is a grace by seeing error to acknowledge it It is an honour vnto God to disgrace our selues by gracing and embracing of his trueth Can any man preferre his credit to Gods dishonour and redeeme it with the shipwracke of the trueth O but I lay a sinne vnto the charge of all the Ministers depriued And to this I say they lay a sinne vpon their brethren not inferiour to themselues that haue
conformed to the Ceremonies by their account in nature euill Nay they lay a sinne vpon all Churches and godly Teachers since the time of Christ should any man indure so great indignity or swallow such absurditie by sparing them And admit they be prooued to be found in sinne it is no newes that hath beene taught from the beginning Rom. 3. 4 23. Iam. 3. 2. 1. Cor. 13. 9 10 that all men are liers and that all haue sinned yea in many things wee offend all Wee know but in part and difference will bee among the best and with difference error on one side or another in matters circumstantiall vntill perfection come Our Psal 19 12. comfort is that all sinnes especially vnknowne to such as are in Christ are pardoned as being included in the compasse of their generall repentance Though reason accuse them of a sinne yet grace in 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Christ his blood cleanseth from all sinne neither can any man condemne where God hath iustified Rom. 8. 33 34. And what I thinke of them in charitie that to my comfort I thinke of my selfe and all that holde this iudgement albeit it prooue an error Yet againe good mindes will be offended at this which I haue written But either it is Truth or error If error I confesse they haue iust cause and I will confesse it when I see it But if it bee the Trueth what will the children of the light bee offended at Gal. 4. 16. Luk. 7. 35. the light or am I their enemie because I tell them the Trueth wisedome is iustified of all her children And euery one that is of the Trueth heareth the Iohn 18. 37. voice thereof And wicked men with such as are the enemies of our Church such as Papists Brownists Anabaptists will triumph and reioyce that such as haue stood out against Conformitie doe now defend it But when was it otherwise when will it how can it bee but that weake eyes should be offended at the light It is a griefe to raigning sinnes to see others to amend They triumph in our conforming but will they not much more in our eiection they reioyce in our conforming to the Ceremonies and wee will grieue at their conforming to the world Lastly some haue obserued how certaine of the Modest offer fol. 19. Ministers which stood against Conformitie haue after yeelding euidently lost the grace and power of their gifts some fallen to idlenesse neglect of publicke and priuate duties yea to prophane and scandalous life conuersation And so say I haue sundry done vpon my knowledge that haue holden out against Conformitie euen to suspension depriuation whose zeale in that behalfe hath either been prepostrous more insisting on the lesser then the weightier matters of the Law or ioyned with grosse ignorance themselues not able to haue giuen a reason of their doings before God or man It being iust with God to punish them on either side who without conscience or ground of Faith do either conforme or refuse Conformitie For otherwise none can be ignorant but that on either side sundry haue remained in the constant euidence of Gods best gifts and graces and in the blessing of a sanctified estate To teach vs that it is not the zeale for or against the Ceremonies but an heart established in grace that Heb. 13. 9. can keepe men from the markes and badges of hypocrisie Now for the manner of my handling these my The manner of handling reasons I trust it shall appeare to euery person fearing God that as I haue written these things with a good conscience as in the sight of God so I haue performed it with due respect to my Brethren as it becommeth Truth I know with whom I hold this controuersie not with enemies but brethren and I haue not learned the language of fowle speech If any man be moued to reply I wish him to performe it in the spirit of meekenesse and in the euidence of Iames 3. 17. heauenly wisedome for that our passions are great hinderances of finding out the Truth And no man breaketh out into inordinate affection in any controuersie chiefly of this nature but hee hazardeth the losse of a better thing then that he seeketh Hee seeketh Truth and loseth Charitie and power of godlinesse whereas he should seeke Truth in Charitie For Charitie reioyceth not in iniquitie but in Ephes 4. 15. 1. Coâ— 13. 6. the Truth God needeth not our lies to defend his Truth I leaue such practise for my part to Papists and to Brownists who by vnablenesse to leaue their rayling formes and bitternesse do manifest the foulenesse of their heart and falsehood of their cause that cannot bee defended but by weapons borrowed from corrupted nature and the diuill And in a word declare themselues vnprofitable in the Truth they know vncapable of any Truth they know not and quite vnworthy of respect Wee haue had contentions enough about circumstances and Ceremonies The yeeres should teach vs how smally the Lord doeth blesse the dissentions of Brethren And the times approach wherin it must be knowne Rom. 14. 17. that the kingdome of God stands not in meate and drinke nor godlinesse in Ceremonialls but in the power of a regenerated state And that sauing grace wil stand though men neuer write or preach against a Bishop or suffer depriuation for refusall of a Ceremony And that the grace of God doth teach vs to seeke resolution of euery doubt and to witnesse our dislike of things to bee disliked in wisedome and proportion but neuer to contend about any thing but for the faith once giuen to the Saints If any man Iude v 3. Phil 3. 15. bee otherwise minded God shall reueale the same vnto him If any man bee ignorant let him be 1. Cor. 14 38. ignorant still If any man will be contentious we 1. Cor. 11. 16. haue no such custome nor the Churche of God In the foundation we all agree Time and day will 1. Cor. 3 11. 12. 13. 15 10. try the hay and stubble from the gold and siluer And the fire of Gods triall will surely sindge delinquents Let euery man take heede how hee builds 1. Cor. 4. 5. Let vs iudge nothing before the time vntil the Lord come who will bring to light the things hidden in darkenesse Phil. 3. 16. But whereunto we haue attained let vs walke by the same rule and let vs minde the same thing Iude v. 20. Let vs edifie our selues in our most holy Faith and pray one for nother And the in their hearts Iames 5. 16. Lord doe good to those that are good and to them that are vpright Psal 125. 4. IOHN SPRINT THE NECESSITIE OF CONFORMITIE IN THE CASE OF DEPRIVATION IT is necessary for a Minister to Conclusion conforme to the Ceremonies prescribed in the Church of England rather then to suffer Depriuation Quest. 1 Two questions touching this conclusion
there are to be discussed The first whether a man may with a good conscience suffer himselfe to bee depriued or suspended of his Ministry for not conforming to the Ceremonies prescribed and established in the present Church of England Such as the Surplesse Crosse in Baptisme Kneeling at Communion Ring in Marriage and the like The second whether a man ought not rather of conscience to conforme to all the Ceremonies prescribed in the Church of England then to suffer himselfe to be depriued of his Ministry Answ 1 These questions depend the one vpon the other so that the answere of the one giueth answer to the other Therefore the former question I answer negatiuely That namely A man cannot as I suppose with a good conscience suffer himselfe to bee depriued of his Ministry for not conforming to the Ceremonies To the latter question I say that a man is bound in conscience rather to conforme to all the Ceremonies of the Church of England then suffer his Ministry to be suspended or depriued The reason of which answers stands in this Because he shall sin against God in not conforming and in suffering himselfe for that cause to be depriued of his Ministration in the Church That he shall sinne in so doing will appeare by these two reasons Reason 1 First that the practise of suffering depriuation for not conforming to the ceremonies of this our Church and the doctrine thereof is directly against the Word of God This also is proued by two points Because it is against the doctrine and practise of the holy Apostles of Christ Because it is against the grounds of Gods Word and they are two One ground is this where two duties doe meet a greater and a lesse whereof both cannot bee done at the same time the lesser dutie must yeeld vnto the greater But this doctrine of suffering depriuation for not conforming teacheth and the practise thereof causeth to neglect a greater duty for the performing of a lesser Therefore it seemeth to bee an errour in doctrine and a sin in practise A second ground is this All things must bee done in loue 1. Cor. 6. 14. But this doctrine and practise is against the royall Lawe of loue and therefore seemeth to bee vnlawfull Reason 2 The second maine reason is this For that the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for not conforming to the Ceremonies of our Church or the like tendeth to condemne all true Churches all faithfull and sound teachers all sincere Christians of all times and places since the time of the Apostles of Christ which haue taught and practised otherwise These things being directly and plainely proued it will I doubt not appeare that to suffer depriuation or suspension for refusing to conforme to the Ceremonies prescribed is a sinne Whereupon will follow these conclusions That seeing those Ministers haue sinned at least a sinne of ignorance who haue suffered depriuation for refusing to conforme to the Ceremonies prescribed they ought of conscience to offer conformitie to the Ceremonies that they may returne to their Ministry againe That such as not conforming to the Ceremonies doe remaine in their places vndepriued are bound in conscience to conforme vnto the Ceremonies rather then to suffer themselues to be depriued or suspended That such as are profitably or probably fitted with gifts vnto the Ministry and doe withall desire to enter into that calling are also tied in conscience before God to promise and practise conformity to the Ceremonies prescribed rather then refusing so to doe to bee kept out of the Ministery That such Christians as doe make conscience of the Ceremonies as kneeling at the Communion admitting their children to be baptised with the Crosse hearing of publike prayer or preaching in a Surplesse are of conscience to admit of these things and to practise them rather then to absent themselues or to be depriued of the worships of God and that otherwise they shall sinne against God It remaineth therefore that the former reasons be proued which by Gods helpe I will performe in order Arg. 1 Reason 1 The doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation and losse of Ministry is directly against the Word of GOD which no man will deny to be sinfull and erronious This assertion is confirmed by the probation of two farther points Because such doctrine and practise is contrary to the doctrine and practise of the Apostles of Christ Because it is against the grounds of Gods Word Concerning the first point namely that the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation especially vpon the reasons vrged against our Ceremonies is contrary to the doctrine of the holy and inspired Apostles and so by consequence is an errour and sin I proue it by two reasons Because 1 the holy Apostles with the whole Church at Ierusalem 2 by inspiration of the holy Ghost and commandement of God 3 did practise themselues 4 and caused others to practise 5 yea aduised one another 6 and inioyned or commanded 7 whole Churches the practise of 8 as euill and inconuenient Ceremonies 9 in sundry maine respects as in their iudgement ours are namely in number 10 nature 11 vse 12 and euill effects and 13 that for reasons equiuolent or inferiour to the auoyding of depriuation This proposition I thus proue in the seuerall members 1. The holy Apostles and whole Church at Ierusalem namely Peter Acts 15. 7. Iames Acts 15. 13. 21. 18. 21. 24. 25. Paul Acts 15. 2. 22. 18. 18. 21. 26. 1. Cor. 9. 10. Barnabas Acts 15. 2. 22. Iudas Sylas which were Prophets Acts 15. 22. 23. The Apostles all the Elders and whole Church Acts 15. 4. 6. 23. and 21. 18. 25. 2. By inspiration of the holy Ghost and commaundement of God as appeareth Acts 15. 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs. Also Iames and the Elders Acts 21. 18. that determined before one practise of conformity to Iewish Ceremonies Acts 21. 25. By inspiration of the holy Ghost Acts 15. 13. 28. did afterwards perswade Paul to another practise of conformity to Iewish Rites Acts 21. 23. 24. And the things written and determined by the Apostles euen concerning matters of order in the Church are the commandements of God 1. Cor. 14. 37. 3. Did practise themselues For Paul shaued himselfe and made a vow Act. 18. 18. Paul purified himselfe contributed and entred into the Temple declared the accomplishment of the dayes of the purification vntill that an offering should bee offered for euery one of them Acts 21. 24. 26. Paul vnto the Iew became as a Iew to the men vnder the Law as though he had been vnder the Law 1. Cor. 9. 20. 4. And caused others to practise For Paul circumcised Timothy Acts 16. 3. Paul took the men and was purified with them Acts 21. 24. 5. Aduised one another For Iames and the Elders perswaded Paul thus to conforme Doe this that we say vnto thee take them the votaries purifie thy selfe with them contribute with
Apoâ—tles at Ierusalem to circumcise Titus * Aretius in act 16. 3. fol. 75. Gualter in act 16. hom 106. fol. 149. Beza annotat in Gal. 2. 5. Because they were vrged as necessary to saluation Acts 15. 15. Because by them false brethren laboured to bring their Christian libertie into bondage Gal. 2. 3. 4. Because by that practise in that sense he should teach iustification by workes Gal. 2. 14. 15. 16. This case sorteth therefore to the Papists who teach that God is worshipped by them That a man is iustified by practising of them That a man is bound in conscience to vse them as hee is the precepts of God al which false doctrines are in so many words disclaimed both by oath doctrine and confession of the Church in the booke of the Articles of religion as also in Artic. 11. 20. 34. the preface to the booke of common Prayer where the superstitious vse of these Ceremonies is disclaimed as also the opinion of Gods worship by them and the reasons set downe of prescribing these namely the quiet and decent order in the Church And that the conueniency or agreement of our case with the Apostles conforming not with the Apostles refusing the Iewish Ceremonies may the better appeare I haue added these paralells which I desire may be considered The Apostles and the Church of Ierusalem The Church of England To auoid offence of weak and obstinate Iewes and to winne them To auoid offence of weak and obstinate Papists and to winne them Prescribed and inioyned Ceremonies abused superstitiously Prescribe and enioyne Ceremonies abused superstitiously Holden as the worships of God and needfull to saluation Holden as the worships of God and needefull to saluation By the vnbeleeuing and weake Iewes By the superstitious Papists popishly affected But not by the Apostles nor faithfull Christian But not by any sincere Protestant teachers or people The members therefore of eyther Church may and ought equally to conforme to either Ceremonies in a case of necessitie and of superiour reason Againe The Apostles The depriued Ministers In a case of superiour reason as to further the Gospel to preuent the hindering of their preaching In a case of superior reason as to further the Gospell to preuent their depriuation and suspension Conformed to Ceremonies many wayes inconuenient abused superstitiously and holden necessary by the Iewes Ought to conforme to ceremonies though many waies inconuenient in their opinioÌ„ abused to superstitioÌ„ holden necessary by the Papists Imposed by weakenesse and violence of the Iewes Imposed and vrged as they construe it by weak Christians authority threatning depriuation Obiect Others perceiuing more force in this argument then some haue done to presse them to the practise of our Ceremonies in the case of depriuation and yet remaining peremptory in their former iudgement doe answere it another way thus Answ That Saint Paul did euill in vowing shauing himselfe contributing offering sacrifice circumcising Timothy because they were Ceremonies of practise But the Apostles constitution Acts 15. 28 was onely of Ceremonies of omission of like nature with our abstaining from flesh on fasting daies not of the Crosse or Surplesse They who thus reply haue had I confesse a light of this their answer from some * Hier. apud August Epist 19. Hierom. Ep. 89. Gualt in act 23. hoÌ„ 138. fol. 248. Bullin in act 21. M. Parker of the Crosse part 2. sect 14 fol. 70. learned men which vsually haue their differences from others according to the reasons mouing them who thus did censure Saint Paul in these actions Yet Gaulter and Bulling doe onely doubt of the place Acts 21. not of the rest but to this I say We may probably see how these repliers if they had liued in these dayes would haue behaued themselues towards the holy Apostle at least they would haue reprooued him and condemned him for committing a sinne and would by all meanes haue disliked his doings yea they would haue cast off a thousand weake beleeuing and obstinate Iewes and suffered depriuation of a thousand ministries rather then to conforme to that which the inspired Apostle Paul did submit himselfe vnto But withall we may consider whether authoritie in practise were rather to bee esteemed theirs or Saint Pauls And indeed it is a miserable shift when no better answer can be framed to accuse the inspired Apostles in their doings because their practise will not stand with the reasons which themselues haue framed or vndertaken to maintaine the suffering of depriuation for refusing to conforme A very feeble answer as I suppose which will not stand but by heauing at the pillars of the Church of Christ Though they accuse the Apostles for this conformity yet the Scriptures doe not so and it may seeme to much boldnesse to speake especially in so dangerous a case of laying sin vnto the charge of such and so great persons where the Holy Ghost is silent But this practise of S. Paul may be easily and strongly iustified 1. Because he was aduised to this practise by Saint Iames and the Church of Ierusalem Acts 21. 18 20 21 23 24. Which persons inioyning other Iewish Ceremonies in the like case were directed and inspired by the holy Ghost in so doing Acts 25. 28 29. 2. Because the Holy Ghost seemeth to iustifie the reason of Paul in circumcising Timothy not onely in not condemning him in his practises but in approuing of his reason in so doing Acts 16. 3. Paul circumcised him because of the Iewes of those quarters For saith the holy Ghost in the text they knew all that his Father was a Grecian 3. Because Paul iustifieth this practise of his in those Scriptures of his Epistles wherein vndoubtedly he did not erre as the 1. Cor. 9. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. and 10. 13. and giueth a maine reason thereof because by his practise hee would winne the more vnto the liking of the Gospel and be a meanes of their saluation 4 Because it cannot bee immagined that Paul was ignorant if it were a sinne for hee was at the Synod at Ierusalem Chap. 15. where circumcision other Ceremonies were denied in other cases and if he knew it to bee a sinne it were strange hee should so many times fall into a relapse Acts 16. 18. and 21. and obserue the Iewish Sabboth so continually Acts 17. 8. and 18. 4. and 13. 14. 44. 5 Aretius giueth another reason to iustifie this fact of Paul * Aretius in cap. act 21. fol. 95. Antiocheia ecclesia bona parte constabat ex gentibus itaque maior pars non erat offendenda in gratiam paucorum Hic vero Ierosolymis maior pars imo omnes Iudaei sunt quos Paulus debuit considerare And of his iudgement are the best interpreters namely Augustine Caluin Beza Aretius Piscator Gualter Zanchius Iunius Bucanus who with one consent doe hold these things indifferent which indifferent things should serue for the edification of the Church Touching the Apostles constituion
2. 3. 4. Fourthly Iesus Christ preferring the healing of the sicke a greater duety before the strict keeping the Ceremoniall rest a lesser duty and commanding a kind of seruile labour viz. the carying home of a bed in some case vnlawfull Io. 5. 8. 9. proueth it not onely by a peculiar reason proper vnto himselfe that hee is Lord of the Sabbath and therefore might ouerrule in this case Mat. 12. 8. But euen by reasons of Common equity namely First because it is lawfull by not strictly keeping ceremoniall rest to doe morrally well on the Sabbath day omitting sacrifice to doe mercy Mat. 11. 12. Secondly because the end is superior to the meanes for the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath Mar. 2. 27. 4 Fourthly because it is contrary to the inspired examples in the Scripture which are of common equity and reason and to the practise of the faithfull Saints of God namely besides the forenamed examples of the Priests of the Apostles of Dauid of our Sauiour first of Salomon who in a case of necessity did offer vpon another Altar then the Altar appointed for the worship of God because it was not able to receiue the offrings 2. Chro. 7. 7. but was to little for that end 1. King 8. 64. Whereas they were to offer sacrifice and to burne incense vpon one onely Altar in the Temple 2. King 23. 12. It being a Type of Christ the only sacrifice and mediator Heb. 13. 10. 2. of Hezekias who to set forward the mayne and substantiall worships of God did admit of many to the Passeouer albeit they were not ceremonially sanctified but legally vncleane and did not receiue the same as it was written in the Law nor according to the purification of the Sanctuary yet with a true heart seeking the Lord they were accepted namely in a case of superiour reason 2. Chron. 30. 17. 18. 19. 20. Thirdly of Paul who to saue his life a greater duety did with his owne hands cast away into the Sea the good creatures of God which otherwise should haue beene preserued and so for that cause neglected a lesser duety Act. 27. 30. Fourthly of the inspired Apostles of Christ who as before is noted did practise on themselues Act. 21. 26. and vpon others Acts 16. 3. and did aduise Act. 21. 23. 24. yea ordaine inioyne and command the practise of Iewish ceremonies as circumcision shauing purifying abstayning from blood and strangled meate and that as a duty good and necessary Act. 15. 28. which to auoide and not to vse was a duety required of God which to vse and practise in other cases was reprooued by the holy Ghost Acts 15. 10. and 21. 21. Gal. 4. 9. 10. 11. and 2. 12. 13. 14 and 5. 2. 3. 4. Colo. 2. 20. 21. 22. 23. and were needlesse shadowes Col. 2. 20. Ordinances of the world Col. 2. 20. Commandements of men turning from the trueth Col. 2. 12. Titus 1. 14. Impotent and beggarly rudiments Gal. 4. 9. 10. And of sundry perillous and perniciouse effects yet this they did admit albeit the violation of a duety to doe a greater duety of superior reason namely to procure the vnity of brethren Act. 15. 2. 4. 6. 7. 24. The wyninng of strangers to the faith 1. Cor. 9. 19 20. And to propagate the Gospell 1. Cor. 9. 23. To preuent the scandall of weake beleeuers Act. 16. 3. and 21. 20. And the danger of interruption or depriuation of the Ministery by the violent Iewes persecution Act. 21. 12. 24. 27. 28. Thus is the first point confirmed to the which doctrine sundrie godly learned men euen so many as I haue reade of this point doe also consent both in the same words and proofes viz. * vid. Caluin in Mat. 12. 1. 3 fol. 260. Vrsin cat part 3. fol. 707. immediat ante praecept 1. impress Cantabridg anno 1585. Piscator in Mat 12. 1. 2. 3. in analisi fol. 190. in obseruat ad eundem locum fol. 205. 106. 107 Idem in obseruat in Mat. 9. 13. fol. 156. Idem in obser ad Mat. 15. 3. 4. 5. 6. fol. 243. Polan syntagm Theolog. lib. 9 c. 29 fol. 4077. 4078. Martyn in summula verbi dei cap. 2. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. fol. 47. 48. de-calogo Mr. Perkins vol. 1. of his workes treatise of conscience Cap. 2. fol. 520. Yet to this poynt or proposition howsoeuer firme it bee in it selfe as hath appeared and is approoued by the best diuines yet some obiections haue beene layd against it which I will heere set downe Ob. Where it is sayd in the former proposition when two dueties doe meete at one time it is obiected that they cannot bee dueties both at once For if they were both dueties they would both bind and so a man must needes commit a sinne seeing hee is straitned betweene two dueties and must omit the one this therefore is not well proposed Ans The mentioning of these two duties meeting together at one time in our practise doeth not intend that they doe both of them bynd the conscience at the same instant but they are called dueties as they are considered apart being both workes are commanded of God in two seuerall commandements Which two workes being dueties considered apart doe sometimes offer themselues to our practise at one instant As to heare a Sermon at the Church on the Sabboth and to tend a sicke person ready to die at home at the sametime both are duties being cōsidred apart but meeting together and offering themselues to our practise at one time there is indeede but one duety because both cannot be performed in one instant In which case the greater worke is the duety the lesser bindes not for that present In like case for a minister to refuse inconuenient ceremonies albeit it be a duty being cōsidered apart from the duty of preaching the word yet when it meeteth with the duty of preaching so as preaching the word will not stand with refusing inconuenient ceremonies this refusing of ceremonies bindeth not the cōscience but leaueth to be a duty There are not two duties at that instant but only one which is to preach the word of God In which case the refusing of inconuenient Ceremonies is no duety neither is their practise a sinne yea the practise of them is a duety if otherwise they cannot preach the Word this obiection therefore needeth not Obiection The doctrine included in that point or proposition is not true because there may be a greater duetie neglected for the performance of a lesser which may then be done when the performance of the lesser keepeth him frō sin as for example A Preacher enioyned to preach naked ought to neglect preaching Besides it is contrary to the rule of the Apostle Rom. 3. 8. The least euil must not be done that the greatest good may be performed For when I cannot doe it without sinne it is no duety and therefore you should propose the matter thus It is necessary to performe
do vnfit Ceremonies destroy the power efficacy thereof Seuenthly Because the dutie of preaching is simply necessary both in respect of Gods particular command and also in respect of the preacher who is attended with a woe if he neglect 1. Cor. 9. 16. Hos 4. 6. and in respect of the people who are ordinarily by this meanes gathered edified and saued Ephes 4. 11 12 1. Cor. 1. 21 and doe perish if they haue it not Prou. 29. 18 Hos 4. 6. But the vsing of conuenient Ceremonies is not simply necessarie onely secundum quid for the sake of preaching to further and vphold it in which respect scandelous and dangerous ceremonies may be necessary to be inioyned and practised Act. 15. 28. 29. And with inconuenient and hurtful Ceremonies a Church may be a true church as the Apostolical Church of Antioch was as the most part of primitiue churches were and of reformed Churches vsing far worse ceremonies then ours are pretended to be Also a Christian may haue the being of a true Christian may so remaine standing in the true practise of faith repentance loue patience c. and in the assurance of his election adoption iustification and in that state may finally be saued albeit hee liue and die in the practise of as euill ceremonies as ours are supposed who if he should continue without the meanes of preaching the Word might haue great cause to doubt of all Eightly Because of their subordination for Ceremonies as before is noted and the determination of them doe serue the ordinance of preaching the Word and are by the Church to be determined as may best serue for the furtherance thereof so they be not formally in their nature impious in which respects as before is said it may be expedient to admit of very inconuenient and accidentally hurtfull Ceremonies namely for the furtherance of the Gospel edification of the church Else the Apostles by direction of the holy Ghost sinned in their doctrine and practise But the ordinance of preaching doth at no time serue fit Ceremonies neither should giue place by laboring against vnfit Thus from the nature now from their effects it doth in like sort appeare that the duty of preaching tieth the conscience with a farre greater bond then the duty of refusing of the prescribed Ceremonies First on the better part The benefit of preaching the Word is incomparably greater then the benefit of auoyding these or the like inconuenient Ceremonies By the preaching of the Word the Church hath name and being yea though Ceremonies as is noted be very inconuenient and doe remaine in the Church as timber hay and stuble vpon Christ the foundation Ceremonies be they euer so well ordered without preaching are of no force to giue name or being to the Church Now farre greater is the Churches being the progresse and liberty of the Gospell the publike vse of the meanes of new birth faith and saluation and the visibility of Christ his kingdome vpon earth then the auoyding of offence and such other inconueniences accidentall not inherent neither purposed by Ceremonies in their nature not euill but meerely indifferent the one bringing a publike good to the whole Church the inconuenience of the other but priuate to a few who take offence and in this case by their owne default Besides experience sheweth how God hath prospered multitudes of latter times that haue entred by conformitie in euery place and such who standing in their places haue with a grounded conscience not by sinister respects conformed to preuent their depriuation or to redeeme it being lost The Lord hath done as much good by them as by any Minister depriued by the conuersion confirmation consolation reclamation excitation edification I say not refusing Ceremonies speaking against Bishops pleading for Church discipline but in the maine doctrines and duties of sauing grace and goodnesse Gods blessing hath beene on them as much as euer before the Papists and enemies of righteousnesse haue beene no lesse vexed and conuinced yea Saints no lesse comforted and confirmed the Church no lesse fortified and the truth of the Gospell no lesse propagated if not much more And the reason hereof is plaine because experience sheweth that the Church is not builded vp but destroied rather afflicted consciences nothing quieted but troubled rather doubtful mindes not setled but distracted rather zealous mindes not rectified but disordered rather Papists and Brownists not wonne or conuinced but rather driuen further backe by the doctrine practise endlesse disputations of discipline ceremonies constitution of Churches and the like but by the sound doctrine essentiall practise of repentance from dead works faith in Christ loue patience and good works which sauing points of the mistery of godlinesse are more taught and better practised by simple hearts when the stumbling blockes of these lesse pertinent questions as Mint and Cummin in respect of Mercy and Iudgement are remoued or more sparingly and peaceably debated Secondly on the worser part The mischiefe offence and inconuenience of the Ministers depriuation for not conforming to the Ceremonies seemeth in reason and hath appeared in experience to bee more by many degrees then the scandall and inconueniences arising of conforming to redeeming of their preaching which thing appeareth First because the Papistes doe more reioyce the Godly are much more grieued the Libertines doe much more triumph and so are like to doe as they haue all more cause to behold the Gospel interrupted the trueth obscured the Church weakened the Ministers of God throwne out the flocke of Christ scattered and the visible kingdome of Christ diuided and dessolued then they would be to behold some inconuenient Ceremonies these greater things of the law remaining entire whereby Antichrist and sinne is dayly discouered and wasted and by the which trueth and pietie doe more encrease and preuaile Admit that by inconuenient Ceremonies the Church should bee blemished and the consciences of many scandalized yet in depriuation of teachers without supply of as good the Church of God tendeth to dessolution and vtter ruine yea the soules of all the people are endangered to perish Prouerb 29. 18. Hos 4. 6. Math. 15. 14. For without the preaching of the worde there is no publique ordinary meanes of saluation left and so by consequence no ordinary meanes of the hope of saluation though all both Minister and people should abstaine from these inconuenient Ceremonies Wheras so long as the word and Gospel preached doeth remaine Christ the foundation doeth remaine both in sound and doctrine 1. Cor. 3. 11. Ephe. 2. 20. as also in assured presence Matth. 18. 20. and 28. 20. the infinite value of whose blood clenseth from all sin 1. Ioh. 1. 7. and 5 12 howsoeuer the stubble of corrupt doctrine Ceremonies do remaine withall and so the Church both Minister and people retaining and laying hold on the foundation may bee saued though as by fire 1. Cor. 3. 15. Secondly experience teacheth vs what a decay of
iudged they of the Crosse in Baptisme and of kneeling at Communion the rest which afterward shal be alleadged The reasons prouing this poynt are these Because they are neither expresly Commaunded nor forbidden of God Bucanus vbi superius this rule also of a thing indifferent hath Polanus Syntag. lib. 6. cap. 38. fol. 3036. Paraeus Colleg. 2. cap. 31. sect 15. fol. 274. Illyricus claue Scriptur fol. 22. part 1. Adiap And are distinguished from things simply good which are expressely Commaunded from things simply euill which are expressely forbidden of God being in their nature neither morrally good or euill neither Commanded nor forbidden of God and by accident may bee both good and euill Exerc. part inter Thes fol. 826. Obiection Beza contra Sarauiam cap. 25. fol. 200. saith indifferent things I call which are neither expressely nor secretly Commaunded nor forbidden by the word neither maketh vs the better being vsed nor the worse if wee vse them not But our ceremonies are forbidden in the word in generall and in particular in our vse Ergo. Answere So may be said of the Iewish ceremonies rather then of ours both they and these are in nature indifferent not impious and in the case of depriuation or necessity are not forbidden any way but commaunded rather because wee must vse indifferent things for the furtherance of the Churches edification and not refuse them though they seeme to vs inconuenient to the Churches destruction And as for Beza with all other sound writers that are of other mindes concerning our ceremonies they hold them in their nature indifferent and not forbidden in the word especially in our vse and in the case of simple necessity 2 Because in some cases a man may vse them and not sinne which a thing in nature euil he can neuer vse but he shal incuitably sin of this nature are Idolatry adultery blasphemy periury which sins no circumstance can euer amend Beza cont Saraui cap. 25. fol. 199. Indifferentia sunt quorum vsus modo bonus modo illicitus prout viz bene vel male illis vtitur quae naturam habeant neque ad bonum neque ad malum determinatam 3 Because in some respects and in some vse they may bee good a thing in nature euill can neuer bee put to any profitable vse Peter Martyr saith Adiaphoris bene vel male vti possumus L. Clas 4. cap. 4. fol. 707. 4 Because in some respects and in the same vse they may bee good and necessary as the Iewish rites were in the Apostles practise 5 Because they are of the same nature with the Iewish rites practised by the Apostles Of this opinion is Peter Martyr Loc cum inter Epist fol. 1087. Zanchius in Philip. 1. fol. 45. Polanus in Ezech. 44. fol. 807. which ceremonies by the streame of all sound writers are holden as indifferent in nature in the case wherein they vsed them 6 Because a man vsing them all the dayes of his life as they are prescribed in our Church and that without repentance for such vse of them may still remaine a godly and good man and presupposing him otherwise to walke in holinesse may in that estate bee saued whereas one sinne in nature as to liue in fornication 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10. Being continued in especially if it should bee pleaded for and defended Mat. 5. 9. Cannot stand with his saluation So Bucer script Anglican 1458. Martyr inter Episto fol. 1085. Amico cuidam Aretius sayth that indifferent things are such as are in equall respect to good and to bad Prob. cap. 83. de Adiaph fol. 266. 7 Because if they were in nature euill a godly person could not communicate with a good conscience with our Church which doth prescribe and practise them and remoueth them not being admonished neither in the Ministery or any worship of God Bucer Epist. Io. Alasco Martyr fol 1086. Hoopero 8 Because all such as haue continued in the vse of them and defended the same might be iudged impiouse and wicked such as are the Martyrs and other worthy persons of our Church and other Churches also yea the Apostles and all faithfull teachers and Churches since their time should be condemned yea it might bee taught as a doctrine that such as vse them with continuance or maintaining them could not be saued which I suppose none of the Ministers which are depriued will iustifie Martyr fol. 1086. Hoopero Simply euill may be taken for any thing particularly forbidden of God or the omission of a thing particularly commanded of God sundry things of which kind though in themselues considered are euill may bee done lawfully for a superior good and in that case doe leaue to be simply euill as to doe seuile labour on the Sabbaoth day to eate such bread as God had forbidden to the persons which did eate thereof to come or admit commers in a legall vnsanctified estate to the Sacraments and the like which shall bee after mentioned more fully therefore to this purpose I distinguish of euill as before which may bee two wayes considered either for that which is intrinsically formally and in the nature thereof euill not onely because God hath forbidden it or commaunded the contrary which kinde of euill is immutabiliter malum as murther periury adultery c. Being against the immutabilitie of Gods nature no circumstance can make them good though by circumstances they may bee lessened or made greater of this nature our Ceremonies are not neither can they bee euills of this kinde or else euill is taken for that which being indifferent in nature yet by accident is euill namely in vse when offence will be taken thereat by diuers persons in diuers respects or rather inconueniences will arise which were euill therefore to vse if it lay in mans power to refuse them Againe for that which being particularly forbidden of God in his Word is therefore vnlawfull to doe The euill of both which latter kinde may by circumstances bee amended and the practise thereof may leaue to be a sinne namely in a case of superiour reason when a dutie of greater band doth tie the conscience which that it may be the better manifested we may obserue two points First the degrees Secondly the subordination of duties commanded in the Law of God Consider first that there are degrees of duties of both Tables of the Law which appeareth in reason for there are duties substantiall and duties circumstantiall Substantiall duties are both internall of the first Table as loue knowledge feare and confidence in God of the second Table as loue reuerence patience kindnesse compassion iustice c. Substantiall externall also of the first Table standeth in the maine worships of inuocation preaching and hearing of the Word receiuing of the Scraments lawfull swearing c. Of the second Table as outward reuerence obedience helpe and tribute to superiours kindnesse and thankfulnesse shewed to equalls almes reward correction and instruction to inferiours The circumstantiall duties of either Table are
of necessitie that a man must either goe naked and so impaire his health or indanger his life and goe after an vnseemely fashion or else hee must weare some inconuenient apparrell in the wearing whereof some good mindes will bee offended with him in the vse others will take it as an occasion by the fashion to bee vnlawfully inamored with his person and so may be an occasion to draw them to actuall adultery in thought desire intreatie or attempt suppose also that other men doe vse the same fashion or finenesse to pride and intention of adultery take away the necessitie and I confesse euen the least occasion of these scandalles were vnlawfull but with the necessitie it leaueth to bee a sinne in the wearing thereof because a greater dutie comes in place nay it were a sinne to neglect health by leauing the apparrell and compare this case with ours it may as well bee say de to bee adultery as this idolatrie it being a violation of a negatiue precept as well as this is supposed to be for all the occasions of the sinne are forbidden with the sin that a sinne of commission as well as this is conceiued to bee and the redeeming of preaching the Word the meanes of mans life spirituall and celestiall may be paralled and put in ballance with the redeeming of our health and naturall life in comparision of the other other comparisons may bee made out of other precepts but this sufficeth Secondly This Obiection doeth ineuitably accuse the Apostles of idolatry in prescribing and practising Ceremonies scandalous significant abused and apt to bee abased to superstition and in many other respects in conuenient yea what Church in the world shall escape censure for prescribing and practising Ceremonies of the like nature which euer in the purest Churches haue beene vsed more or lesse yea if this hold how can any manioyne to the Church of England or to any primitiue or reformed Church of any age seeing by this they may all be sayd to be Churches practising and maintaining of idolatry and so idolatrous Churches How can any depriued Minister communicate in any assembly in England where kneeling at the Communion is if kneeling at Communion be idolatry albeit hee sit himselfe seeing he communicateth with an idolatrous Church and with a company of idolators and so must needes be driuen to separate from England with the Brownists and from all the most and best reformed Churches primitiue and latter For we must come out from idolators and touch no vncleane thing 2. Cor. 6. 17. Rom. 18. 4. By which reason also our Sauiour Christ himselfe his Mother his Apostles al the faithfull of those times could not escape the gilte of a sinne for communicating with the Word Sacraments inuocation and Ministery of such a Church as proposed some Ceremonies of meere humane inuention as the worships of God and necessary to saluation Mat. 5. 8. 9. Lastly it takes away saluation from the Apostles the Martyrs and all faithfull teachers which communicate with such like ceremonies both because Idolators shall neuer enter 1. Cor. 6. 11. Gal. 5. 19. 20. 21. Reu. 21. 8. as also because presupposing it to be a breach of the lowest degree thereof yet breakers of the least commandement and teaching so cannot be saued Mat. 5. 19. Obiect Admitting the ceremonies of our Church to bee indifferent yet we may not by the vse of any indifferent thing offend or scandalize our brethren rather wee must neuer vse it 1. Cor. 8. 9. 12. 13. 10. 28. Rom. 14. 15. 16. 21. Answ True we may not vse any indifferent thing by which our weake brother is offended if the not vsing or vsing thereof be voluntary within our power as that indifferent thing seemeth not to be the vse whereof is commanded by a Magistrate or publique law whom therefore wee must obey whosoeuer bee offended and the offence that any doth take in this case is Scandalum acceptum non datum A Magistrate onely commandes my outward man and inflictes an outward penalty whom albeit I am commanded to obey and that of conscience in a thing indifferent yet if I disobey him not of purpose or contempt but with a conscionable and charitable respect of not offending weake or godly Christians that so I may not destroy my brother Ro. 14. 15. 20. 1. Cor. 8. 10. 11. neither wound his conscience neither sinne against Christ 1. Cor. 8. 12. I doe not sin against God but am onely lyable to the penalty enioyned my conscience is not herein touched before God because I respect and follow a greater duety 2. A Magistrate cannot command me to vse a thing whereby either purposely or by accident I shal offend my weake brother sin against Christ 1. Chro. 8. 12. though he should yet God commands me to auoyde it and tells me it is a sinne against Christ 1. Cor. 8. 1◠a superior command and of superior reason better obey God then man Answ All this is in some sence true howbeit al this holdeth onely in case of outward and ciuill penalty where I ought to beare some corporall paine or externall losse to violate the magistrates command in not offending the godly weake brother But it holdeth not in a case of spirituall publique generall penalty as of depriuation of the ministry which to auoyd by vsing a thing indifferent is a duty of superior reason then by not vsing a thing indifferent to giue offence where in that case it should not be broken which apeareth two wayes First by the greatnesse of in conuenience for it is ten times more in conuenient by not vsing of the ceremonies things indifferent in nature to suffer depriuation of ministery the Gospell to be hindred suppressed the whole Church visible kingdome of Christ to be vtterly dissolued and dissipated then by vsing them to redeeme these benefits to offend some few who in this case should not be offended and that they are is meerely their sinne Secondly by the proportion of offence and scandall For the Papist Athiest will much more triumph and reioyce and a Godly Christian wil much more grieue be troubled to see a worthy painefull and profitable minister be depriued and silenced then to weare a surplesse vse some few ceremonies the one being a smal in cōuenience but the other a deadly mischiefe to the Church of Christ so much of the second argument of the first reason Argum. 3 Now followeth the third prouing That to suffer depriuatiō for the refusing to cōforme to the prescribed ceremonies is contrary to Gods word and therefore a sin because it is contrary to a second ground of Gods word namely the royall law of loue for the further euidencing of this reaso there are two points to be considered and proued First that to do any thing that is contrary to the law of loue is contrary to the word of God Secondly to refuse conformity to the prescribed ceremonies in case of depriuation
the preaching of Gods Word 2. Tim. 4. 2. but vpon iust cause and draw the heauy woe vpon vs 1. Cor. 9. 16. Fourthly what good conscience may a man haue by breaking a greater duty to performe a lesser by committing a greater sinne to auoid that which in this case leaueth to bee a sinne to make conscience of that where none in this case is to be made and to make no conscience of that where great conscience is to bee made namely of continuing to feede the flocke committed to their charge Fifthly this obiection is answered before and holds in matters euill onely by nature not in things indifferent of nature and in vse onely inconuenient Reas 2 Because the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for inconuenient ceremonies is a great enemy to the edification of the Church which is a speciall property and effect of loue for loue edifieth Ephes 4. 16. 1. Cor. 8. 1. For by ineuitable consequence it ouerthroweth all the Churches and ministery of Christ in England yea al the reformed churches Zanch. in Phil. 1. fol. 45. b. Read the Question of Christendome at this houre yea all Churches since Christ and his Apostles Wherefore this doctrine and practise is opposite vnto the law of Loue. The ineuitable ouerthrow dissipation and destruction of all Churches by this doctrine and practise appeareth by this that followeth First wee must consider this that no Church since the Apostles time but hath practised inconuenient Ceremonies in some respect neither is there any true reformed Church at this houre in the Christian world German Danish Bohem Heluetian Dutch or French which doth not practise some inconuenient ceremonies some of them doe practise farre more then ours and more liable to exception all which is made euident in Argument the fourth Yea the Apostolicall Churches did practise inconuenient ceremonies that by the Apostles command and that as things good and necessary for the Church Act. 15. 28. 29. Secondly it therefore followeth by this doctrine of suffering depriuation for inconuenient ceremonies that all the Ministers of England yea of al Christendom must necessarily suffer depriuation for refusing their inconuenient ceremonies seing all Churches doe strictly tie their Ministers to the practise of their ceremonies yea the Apostles by this doctrine did very ill and committed sin to perswade others to conforme to inconuenient ceremonies Act. 21. 23. 24. yea to command them to conforme to them as good and necessary in that case Acts 15. 28. 29. Yea to practise this conformity on themselues Act. 21. 26. Yea and on others also Acts 16. 1. 3. Yea they should rather haue suffered their Apostleship to haue bene forfeited and left the preaching of the Gospel to haue bene suppressed the Churches of Christ to haue bene dissolued and desolated then to haue yeelded to this conformity of inconuenient ceremonies But to admit of this is apparantly absurd wherfore the reason followes and remaines in force Reas 3 Because this doctrine and practise doth needlesly on no ground or iust cause breed or produce sundry scandalls and offences against diuers sorts of persons which is against the law of loue as appeareth First it is the occasion of fraternall discord mouing the Ministers to â—udge and account of the reuerend Bishops as of Antichristian and tyrannous Prelates and the Bishops to esteeme of them as of pernitious and vnsufferable Schismatickes This disturbeth the Churches peace maketh the common enemy insult and blaspheme the Gospel at our mutuall discords and deuoureth our owne strength by biting one another and is Ergo against the law of loue 1. Thess 5. 13. Galat. 5. 13. 14. 15. Rom. 12. 8. Whereas if in the case of depriuation the Ministers did peaceably conforme this scandall would be cut off or exceedingly made lesse and mittigated of which sin the authors and accessaries are guilty before God Secondly it two fold more scandalizeth the Papist then conformity for hee doth farre more reioyce and insult to see a godly Minister thrust out and with him all the truth of the Gospel feruently and continually pressed the greatest enemy to Popery that can be then to see him weare a Surplesse in the face of our Church with his mouth opened and stomacke inlarged against Antichrist and his superstitions and will worships Thirdly it two fold more scandalizeth the Atheist and carnall Libertine and Epicure who by the painfull Ministers depriuall will exceedingly triumph to see a doore opened for him without resistance to liue in drunkennesse whoordome swearing oppressing to bring in securely wanton dancings Church-ales profane wakefeasts reuells vnlawfull sports and a thousand euills much more then to see the Minister though conforming to the ceremonies yet present to withstand disgrace and suppresse these sins and therein to glorifie God to further his kingdome to edifie his Church to propagate his Gospel with a Surplesse on his backe Fourthly it two fold more scandalizeth such one as doth truly feare the name of God who could bee more contented to enioy the meanes of his Faith and saluation and of the Communion of Saints and visible prosperity of Christ his kingdome vpon earth with a small inconuenience of some Ceremonies which hee grieueth at and is not guilty of then to lose his Pastor the Gospel and ordinary meanes of his sauing faith yea of his saluation and heereby to see if it so fall out loyterers and Wolues in sheepes clothing take the charge of the flocke of Christ and to behold the sheepe and lambes so deerely bought and heeretofore so well instructed to lie scattered vp and downe which were vnited in one fold together and led into the greene pastures of grace and life Fiftly it offendeth the Magistrate by prouoking him perswaded and resolued as hee is to disgrace these otherwise well deseruing Ministers and to strike them with the sword of authoritie and that in the dayes and light of the Gospel which would cease by conforming in this case And if wee should not offend a priuate person much lesse should we offend the Magistrate which is a publicke person about the vse of a thing indifferent If it be saide that therefore they abstaine from the Ceremonies that they might not giue offence to godly mindes I say againe that good mindes should not bee offended in this case which if they do we must neglect for that by refusall of conformity the Magistrate is prouoked to depriue them and such as are well minded haue farre more occasion of offence at the depriuation of a good teacher which is a mischeefe then at his conformity which is but a simple inconuenience at the most 6 Sixtly it vniustly condemneth the harmonie of all true Churches that euer were Primitiue and reformed for teaching false doctrine and many godly and most reuerend persons who in case of depriuation partly haue taught the doctrine of necessary conformity to inconuenient Ceremonies partly who aduised thereunto partly who practised the same themselues which hath bene an
standeth in doctrines and in the true preaching of the Gospell and in the rites expresly deliuered by Christ Harm Confess § 10. folio 8. Heluet. poster That it is a generall rule that men must not contend about indifferent things that the vnitie of the Churches should be thereby broken Zanch. de redempt c. 19. in 4 praecept fol. 696. Neither the peace thereof troubled Zepper de sacram cap. 13. fol. 314. That if different rites bee found in diuers Churches no man may thereby thinke that they are at dissention Harm confess § 17. fol. 20. Heluet. Posterioris so that they agree in the summe of doctrine Beza Epist 1. fol. 7. That the diuersitie of rites is no sufficient cause why we should separate from any Church seeing the Church hath alwaies varied in rites according to the diuersitie of places and of times Aretius loc 57. fol. 177. He citeth Augustine and approueth Irenaeus his reprouing of Victor Bulling Deca 5. serm 2. fol. 360. 361. That it is not lawfull for any man vllâ de causâ for any cause to make separation from the Church of Christ that is as much to say as in which at least sound and sincere doctrine is retained in the which standeth incolumitas pietatis the safetie of piety where the vse of the Sacraments ordained of God is preserued and they are Schismatikes that separate and that therein they do sinne Beza Epist 24. fol. 148. No not although there be sundry errours and corruptions in doctrine manners externall policy ceremonies Morneus de Eccles lib. 2. fol. 32. Zanch. confess cap. 24. § 10. fol. 207. Idem in Philipians 1. 25. 26. fol. 45. 46. Danaeus Isagog part 3. cap. 13. fol. 148. Bucan loc 41. Qu. 22 fol. 505. qu. 25. ibid. That contentions and strifes about things indifferent as rites and ceremonies are such as before are mentioned in particular to haue beene in the Primitiue Churches must not be raised in the Church Polanus symphon cathol cap. 49. thes 4. fol. 1234. cap. 47. thes 1. fol. 1212. cap. 48. thes 2. fol. 1227. Idem syntag lib. 9. cap. 29. fol. 4078. Zanch. de redemp cap. 19. fol. 696. That if there bee found any not pernitious dissimilitude of rites and ceremonies no man ought to be offended or to take scandall thereby or for this cause to reproach or to harme others or to bee the authour of Schisme or faction seeing the forme of Ecclesiasticall constitution was neuer heretofore one and the same neither yet is to this day Har. confess § 17. fol. 215. Heluet. poster That those persons doe grieuously sinne who for indifferent Ceremonies for the Churches edification do trouble the Churches or condemne other Princes Magistrates and Churches for that it is opposite both to pietie and charitie Zanch. de redemp cap. 19. fol. 697. That where there is a certaine forme of Ceremonies for the Churches edification ordained and receiued there vnitie in those Ceremonies must be retained of euery one and the Ecclesiasticall order must not be troubled or interrupted according to that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 1440. Zanch. confess cap. 24. § 15. fol. 211. That in Ceremonies of indifferent nature such as fasting c. euery faithfull person to auoid the giuing of offence is to follow the custome of the Church wherein hee is or to which hee commeth Polan symphon cathol cap. 47. thes 7. fol. 1226. That because wee are men and doe liue amongst men in the Church it is not meete that in humaine manners rites and traditions wee should bee found froward Let diuine things bee obserued as diuine and humane as humane so long as with a free and pure conscience they may bee kept Musculus Loc. part 2. de tradit § 6. fol. 31. That if any person wrangle and will bee more wise then he ought against a common established order let him looke how hee can giue a reason of his frowardnesse to God howbeit the saying of Paul should satisfie vs 1. Cor. 11. 16. wee haue no such custome neither the Churches of God Caluin instit 4. 10. 31. That things otherwise in themselues indifferent doe after a sort change or alter their nature when they are either commanded or forbidden by any lawfull authoritie Beza Epist. 24. fol. 143. That albeit Christian libertie hath taken away the yoke of the Law Ceremoniall and in steed thereof it is not lawfull for any mortall creature to lay or impose any other yoke yet the too licentious vse of things indifferent is by Gods word restrained both in generall by the law of charitie whereby wee are commanded to doe nothing which may scandalize our neighbour or omit any thing which may edifie him so farre as in our calling wee may as also in speciall by the politicke or Ecclesiasticall constitution so farre as the Churches gouerners vnder God doe iudge it profitable to the Commonwealth or Church and thereupon frameth a law Beza Epist 24. fol. 143. That such constitutions doe binde the conscience in as much as no man sciens prudens rebellandi animo witting and knowing with a minde of disobeying or in case of scandall may without sinne doe that which is so forbidden or omit that which is so commanded Beza Epist 24. fol. 143. Caluin institu 4. 10. 31. Harm confess § 17. fol. 230. 231. Sweu ibid. fol. 218. 224. Augustan And whereas it might bee here obiected that these writers doe speake of Ceremonies rightly established thus much they farther teach in generall That the Word and Sacraments are not administred rightly and exactly secundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as altogether agreeing with the prescript of the Lord no not in all the world yet albeit they be not administred according to that exact rule and by reason of our frailtie cannot bee sodainely reformed yet may they bee so performed that they may be pleasing vnto God and healthfull to the Church yet so as the defect should bee lamented and acknowledged which point if it bee not granted there will bee no pure or true Church in all the world Vrsinus catech part 2. ad quaes 84. fol. 620. That albeit many euill things do goe along and be done yet these things are done by such as hinder reformation and by the disobedient not by such as wish and sue for amendment For blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Matth. 5. 6. that is which doe desire good things to be done in the Church which if they be not done it is not their fault they may in that case retaine a good conscience Vrsinus ibid. fol. 618. That euery Ceremonie or tradition haue some certaine causes for which and some certaine end to which they be ordained and therefore euery Ceremonie must bee so obserued of the faithfull that the obseruation thereof may answere to the reasons and may bee aimed to the fulfilling of the end And seeing there is a diuerse reason of traditions some seruing to faith some to pietie some to
to be forsaken then to vse or obserue any such Ceremonies especially if this caueat be also added That these things are brought in or tolerated to this houre not properly to tie mens consciences but for other not trifling reasons I answere that it appeareth not to me that the Churches ought to be forsaken for Surplesses or Caps or any other the like thing which is truely indifferent Epist 8. fol. 77. Grindallo Againe But our Brethren demaund of vs What iudge you that wee should doe in this case vpon whom these inconuenient Ceremonies are imposed We answere Heere needeth a distinction For the condition of Ministers and people is different besides sundry may and ought to bee tolerated which are not rightly commanded Therefore first I answere albeit in our iudgement these ceremonies are not rightly commaunded Therefore first I answere Seeing these Ceremonies are not of the kinde of those things which are impious in themselues they seeme not vnto vs of so great moment as that therefore the Pastors should rather forsake their ministry then weare those garments or that the flockes should omit and leaue the publike food of their soules then heare their Pastors being arraied in such attire And these things which they cannot reforme or alter let them rather endure and beare withall then by forsaking of their Churches to giue way to greater and more dangerous euils so yeelding to the will of Satan seeking heerein nothing else Idem Epist 12. fol. 98. 99. This Letter is set downe translated in the discourse of the troubles at Frankford fol. 211. and subscribed vnto by diuers Ministers among whom are these Theodorus Beza Nicol. Colladonus Simon Goulartius Franciscus Port. Henricus Stephanus c. Bullinger and Gualter If you weare a Cap or a peculiar kinde of apparel as a ciuill and politicke thing it smelleth neither of Iudaisme nor Monachisme For these will seeme to separate themselues from the ciuill common life and account a meritorious deed in the wearing of a peculiar garment If in case any of the people be perswaded that these things sauour of Papisme Monachisme or Iudaisme let them be told the contrary and perfectly instructed therein And if so be through the importunate crying out hereon before the people by some men many be disquieted in their conscience set them beware which so doe that they bring not greater yokes on their owne neckes and prouoke the Queenes Maiesty and bring many faithfull Ministers in such daunger as they cannot ridde themselues againe In an Epist sent into England by them to Mr. N. and Mr M. It is cited in VVhit gift his defence fol. 277. They presse the vse thereof in the Primatiue Churches Idid fol. 288. Zanch. Touching the forme of garments which Ministers ought to vse publikely either in the execution of their Ministery our iudgement is that about these things wee must not so contend that for this cause the peace of the Churches should be troubled Confes cap. 25. § 30. fol. 249. Againe albeit seeing Christ neither his Apostles did not forbid that any man should take other garments then the vsuall honest graue and cleane garment Liberum est per se vti vel non vti alijs vestibus and albeit it be a free thing and be accounted among matters indifferent yet for signification it rather should become a Minister in the administration of the Sacrament to vse a linnen then a wollen garment for that that colour is an embleme of innocencie and sanctitie hence in the Apocalyps white garments are giuen to the Saints Idem de operibus Redem lib. 1. cap. 16. fol. 445. Heming I would not haue priuate persons to alter any thing in Ceremonies ordained and approued of our Magistrates by graue and waighty reasons and authoritie neither ought a most exact reason of euery particular Ceremonie be enquired so long as they sauour not of manifest superstition and impietie neither doe we iudge Ceremonies to bee of that moment that for them schisme should bee moued in the Church hee nameth there among other Ceremonies the Surplesse let the sincerity of doctrine bee retained as also the pure worship of God let other things serue partly to the peace of the Church partly to the infirmity of men and let vs leaue these things to the wisedome of gouerners and let them determine of these matters Syntag. in 4. Legem Decalogi § 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. fol. 365. Againe It is indifferent in nature to celebrate or performe holy things as Baptisme and the Lords Supper in a white and linnen garment howbeit if the vse bee not free but be reserued superstitionis gratia for superstition it cannot be any longer accounted among things indifferent for then as in a case of confession of the trueth they leaue to be indifferent Idem Enchiridion Tit. de adiaph cap. 16. clas 3. fol. 375. Polanus moues a question whether a Minister of the reformed Church when hee speaketh in the pew or pulpet ought not to put on a linen grament which they call a Surplesse vpon his vsuall attire To which he answereth thus Liberum videtur vtivel non vti in Sacris veste linea then hee sheweth that in the time of Hieron the custome was in the Church that such as did administer the Sacraments did were a linnen garment in the act of practise citing the said Hier. contra Pelag. l. 1. thus speaking quae sunt rogo inimicitiae contra Deum si Episcopus Presbyter Diaconus reliquis or do Ecclesiasticus in administratione sacrificiorum candidâ veste processerit yet hee inclineth to the remouing of these graments out of the Church But further he demandeth and putteth case that if in any reformed Church the vse of a Surplesse may not be omitted without the feare of schisme or incroaching of heretickes what shall a Minister doe then He answereth In that case it is better for a man to weare a Surplesse as an adiaphorall or indifferent thing then by the obstinate refusall thereof to stirre vp schisme to interrupt the course of true doctrine and to giue occasion vnto heretickes of possessing the Church which hee confirmeth by the example of Paul which circumcised Timothy for the Iewes sake because they all knew that his father was a Graecian Act. 16. 3. howbeit if God grant a full reformation vnto any Church so as that with Idolatry it selfe all instruments and helps thereof bee vtterly banished by so much the more is the grace of God to bee acknowledged celebrated and preserued in Ezech. cap. 44. fol. 807. Zepperus Although he testifie his dislike of the superstitious histrionicall and corrupt vse of the Surplesse among the Papists calling it an Aharonicall garment whereof there is no vse but aduiseth men to vse such a simple and decent garment in the worships of God as may seeme most honest or agreeable to euery Country or place and that from the example of Christ the Apostles and Primitiue Church yet hee confesseth that
Surplesse Bishop Hooper was a person exceeding peremptory both in preaching against the Ceremonies as appeareth in his Sermons on Ionah and on the Commandements and in the obiections which hee made against them to Bucer and P. Martyr as wee may perceiue in their answere to his Letter as also in his flat refusall of them whereupon he was by the high Commission conuented and for his constant refusal was imprisoned by them where he remained for a season Howbeit after his obiections were by Bucer and P. Martyr answered and by them and by Caluin perswaded to conforme rather then to suffer depriuation Hee conformed at the last and wore the garments and beeing appointed to preach before the King to trie his conformitie he appeared in his Bishoply Robes namely a white linnen Rotchet a long scarlet Chimere and a square Cappe Caluin Epist. 120. fol. 217. Bucer in Script Anglican fol. 705. de re Vestiar Hooper Pet. Martpr Loc. Com. ad fineminter Epistolas fol. 1085. About receiuing the Lords Supper with inconuenient Ceremonies and persons in differing doctrine P. Martyr when hee came into England first and the opinion of the corporall presence of Christ in the Lords Supper was in force and when the Ministers albeit differing from him in iudgement yet did not refuse to admit him with open confession of contrary iudgement hee ioyned with them and receiued the Lords Supper Non obstantibus illorum Ceremonijs sibilicet ipsi molestis notwithstanding the Ceremonies though very much troubling him This counsell did P. Martyr giue to Vrsinus and to other Christians in Germany Vrsin exercitat lib 2. fol. 840. About the Surplesse M. Deering While any law did bind me to weare Cap and Surplesse I did weare both since I neuer perswaded any man to refuse them c. Register fol. 84. M. Greenham Albeit he affirme that he neither could nor would weare the apparell no not so farre as he thought it might bee obserued Register fol. 87. yet from the obiection from authoritie namely that Bucer Martyr Bullinger Beza and Gualter doe thinke rather that these inconueniences should bee borne withall for a time then the Flocke should bee left to Woolues sure saith hee this reason is maine enough of it selfe if it were not authorized with these learned and godly mens writings And I pray to God the Father of Iesus Christ by his holy Spirit to mooue others to bee as vnwilling to vse it i. to suffer their flockes by depriuation for the Ceremonies to bee left to Woolues as I am vnwilling to answere it and haue it practised on mee I will not answere therefore this reason vntill there be no remedy Regist fol. 90. The iudgement and practise of Bishop Iewell Doctor Whitaker and Doctor Fulke is knowne this way Doctor Humfrey Albeit it bee knowne that hee was a great aduersary in his iudgement and long practise of refusall of the Surplesse as appeareth in a letter of his written of that thing yet he did at the last conforme vnto the Surplesse The like of late wee know did Doctor Reinolds Doctor Sparkes Doctor Chaloner Doctor Ayray Master Chaderton Master Knewstub though they stood out and testified their dislike against sundry of the Ceremonies established yet did they in case of depriuation yeeld vnto them and conforme and studiously perswaded others in this case vnto this practise The like did many other very godly and learned men at diuers times and in diuers places Thus we see their practise also Thirdly there commeth to bee considered the reasons mouing these persons to this iudgement practise namely wherefore they perswade and practised conformitie to preuent depriuation or the Churches desolation viz. Because these ceremonies seeing they are adiaphora indifferent they make no man in themselues godly or vngodly Martyr amico loc fol. 1085. And therefore albeit it were granted that these Ceremonies were not fit to bee vsed Yet if other things which are prescribed by Gods Word doe remaine entire these things may well be thought neither impious nor pernicious per sese aut sua natura of themselues or of their nwne nature Idem Hoopero loc f. 1088. Because where the doctrine it selfe is sound and pure and the Ceremonies vsed to a ciuill honesty and decency the inconueniences are rather to be passed by in silence then that by occasion of them men should proceed to contentions and more grieuous tumults Caluin Epist. 303. fol. 497. Because albeit these things bee not to be approoued yet somtimes these indifferent things howsoeuer offensiue and burthensome are to be borne withall so far forth quoad aliter non liceat as conueniently wee cannot doe otherwise lest if men contend about them more bitterly then they ought it be both an hinderance to the progresse of the Gospell and the things which in their owne nature are indifferent bee taught by our vehement contention to bee plainly wicked which two points do bring with them most grieuous inconueniences P. Martyr Hooper loc com f. 1086. And therefore these things which the Pastors cannot change they should rather beare withall then by forsaking the Church for that cause they should giue occasion for farre greater and more dangerous mischifes vnto Satan who seeketh nothing else Beza Epist 12. fol. 99. Because it is better to vse these Ceremonies hee mentions a Surplesse as a thing indifferent then by the obstinate refusall thereof to raise vp Schisme and to interrupt the course of the doctrine of truth and to giue occasion to Heretickes to possesse the Church Polan in Ezec. 44. fol. 807. Because such is the example of Paul who circumcised Timothy for the Iewes in that they all knew his father to bee a Graecian Act. 16. 3. Idem Ibid. Because wee must giue place vnto the sway of the times wherein wee liue so farre forth as may stand with keeping faith and a good conscience Act. 28. 11. 19. 10. 26. 15. 28. 29. Maister Perkins cases of Consc lib. 3. cap. 2. fol. 483. Because if we cannot doe the good that most we desire in such exquisite manner as wee would wee must content our selues with the meane and in things which are good and to bee done it is the safest course to satisfie our selues in doing the lesse lest in ventring to doe the more which cannot be we grow to the extreamity and so faile to offend in our action Eccles 7. 16. read the proofes Perkins cases of Consc lib. 3. cap. 2. fol. 484. 485. 486. Because it may bee thought expedient that these things for a time be borne withall for it may perhaps produce this effect that these contentions may be auoided by the which contentions there is great perill lest greater and farre more important benefites bee hindred and lest the mindes of men be at the first beginning turned from the Gospel as we see it come to passe Martyr ibid. fol. 1085. Because if the parity of Doctrine and of Faith doe remaine entire the Pastors may openly
be yeelded to the weaker and that for a time namely vntill they be taught the truth For if after that the truth is sufficiently and cleerely laide abroad vnto them so as being conuicted they haue nothing more what they may obiect and yet will notwithstanding sticke in doubt sure their infirmity is not to be nourished by their dissembling with them or winking at them For this is rather strong obstinacy then weakenesse Deredemp cap. 17. fol. 493. Beza in a case of depriuation aduiseth to conforme yet before they conforme hee thus counselleth them That both the Pastor and the flocke sinne not against their conscience presupposing the puritie of doctrine to be left entire We perswade the Pastors that after they haue freed their conscience both before the Kings Maiestie and the Bishops by a modest as it becommeth Christians to be free from all tumult and sedition and yet weighty protestation according as the greatnesse of the case requires they then doe openly presse vnto their flockes those things which doe tend to take away the offence arising from conformity and doe withall discreetly and peaceably giue diligent indeauour for the amendment of these abuses as the Lord shall offer occasion and so to conforme Epist 12. fol. 99. Cartwright The offence in occasioning the weake to fall and the wicked to be confirmed in their wickednesse is one of the fowlest spots cast vpon the Surplesse But when it is laid in the scales with the preaching of the word of God which is so necessary for him that is called thereunto that a woe hangeth on his head if hee doe not preach it it is of lesse importance then for the refusall of it wee should let goe so necessary a duety As for that which is vttered against the offence it is as the rest of this disputation to shew how inconueniently such things are established not that they may not in any respect be borne with In the vse of those indifferent things and abstaining from them wee are so straitly bound to haue regard vnto the weake brother as no Magistrate is able to loose the knot of that bond But where offences cannot otherwise be redeemed then by leauing that vndone which the Lord himselfe hath not left free vnto vs but cast a yoke of necessary seruice vpon vs there the case is otherwise For if the Prince vpon declaration of the inconuenience of such Ceremonies and humble suite for the release of them will nothing loose of the coard of this seruitude for my part I see no better way then with admonition of them thereunto to keepe on the course of feeding the flocke committed vnto him This is in few words my simple iudgement of the matter of this apparell and such like ceremonies In the rest of his second reply fol. 262. 263. Sarauia To the obiection that the Papists will be confirmed in their most damnable will-worships by the vse of these ceremonies 1. This is denied for two causes First for the publique contrary doctrine which challengeth and reproueth those which professe the vse of these ceremonies for superstition Secondly for the Publique authority which as is knowen to all doth forbid the Subiects of eating of flesh and commandeth other things not for that end which the Pope intendeth For there is great difference betweene those things which are performed by way of obedience to publicke authority and those things which are superstitiously assumed to be done by priuate councell There was a controuersie among the Primitiue Christians about the obseruation of legall ceremonies Some thought that euery kinde of foode was sanctified others beleeued the contrary They which thought rightly might eate of strangled meate and of blood and it was superstition for them to abstaine of conscience Neither could any man make a Law vnto himselfe of abstaining from strangled meate and blood more then from swines flesh But after that it was vpon good aduice established by the authority of the Church not to confirme any man in a false opinion that such as were conuerted from Paganisme vnto the faith of Christ should abstaine from strangled meate and blood that which to doe on a mans priuate councell had been a sinne was made to be godly by the authority of the Churches constitution Defens de diuers grad ministr cap. 25. fol. 580. 581. 2. Touching the scandall of the weake by the vse of these ceremonies which is obiected it cannot take place against a publicke law to the which priuate persons ought not to preferre their iudgement but subiect it according to the publicke doctrine and profession as well of the Magistrates as of the chiefe gouernors of the Church Ib. f. 851. 3. Touching the Papists scandall Small regard is to be had of them in this Kingdome their error can admit of no excuse after so many yeeres preaching of the Gospell Paganisme being abolished and the Idoles with their worship being cast out the Idolothytes or things offred Idoles did cease Euen so the Pope being cast out and renounced there ceaseth whatsoeuer he brought in and polluted in asmuch as those things which are done this day with vs at the Princes command or for obedience sake vnto our Lawes whereas withall sound and Christian doctrine flourisheth of the grace of God and mans merits such Ceremonies and actions cannot bee compared neither with the eating of a thing offred to Idoles neither with Popish will-worship c. Ibid. fol. 582. Obiect Bishop Hooper By the strict pressing and obedience to these Ceremonies Christian libertie will bee infringed and broken Peter Martyr The endangering of our Christian libertie will bee preuented if such Ceremonies as bee restored bee not so respected as if they were necessary to obtaine saluation and againe if wee doe so beare with such matters as these are that when they seeme to bee lesse profitable they may bee remoued Loc. fol. 1087. Hoopero Beza Albeit the Christian liberty hath taken away the yoke of the Ceremonial law and insteed therof it is not lawful for any mortal man to put another yoke yet the too promiscuous vse of things indifferent is lawfully restrained both in generall and in speciall In generall it is restrained by the law of charitie which is vniuersall that is respecting all persons and things and carefully bewaring that nothing otherwise indifferent and lawfull be done whereby ones neighbour be destroyed and that nothing be omitted whereby he may be edified But here two cautions must be presupposed one that whatsoeuer may and ought to bee done or omitted ought alway to bee iudged by the word of God the other that euery man haue a respect vnto his calling thus are we to vnderstand that of the Apostle I am made all things to all men In speciall if the vse of things indifferent be restrained by a constitution whether politicke or Ecclesiasticall For albeit God onely bindeth the conscience porperly yet so farre forth as either the Magistrate which is the Minister of God doeth iudge it to bee
that so great lights bring so weake grounds For example The Fathers did with one consent teach a refusall of all Ceremonies which were contra fidem bonos more 's and therefore seeing our Ceremonies are contra fidem bonos more 's it followeth that the doctrine and practise of refusing our Ceremonies agreeth with the doctrine of the Fathers as for their practise if it were contrary to their doctrine in that part it was their ignorance we must leaue their practise and follow their doctrine Mat. 23. 2. Answ 1 Neither doeth this obiection touch the question which is whether all Churches and faithfull teachers doe vniformely teach conformitie to such Ceremonies as ours in case of depriuation yet I answere that these allegations of theirs must bee produced and better sifted before it will bee granted that they ouerthrow themselues with their owne grounds which when it is performed I will further answere if I can It is petitio principij or a begging of the question to conclude without any further proofe that our Ceremonies are contra fidem bonos more 's and I thinke verely that our brethren themselues which doe thus obiect will not say that they are fundamentall or ouerthrowing Christ which they should doe if they were contra fidem bonos more 's Let this be soundly proued and then I will yeeld the whole cause but then with all it must bee concluded that no Church can bee a Church which retaineth fundamentall errors No conformer to them without repentance can be saued the practise of the Ceremonies ouerthrow faith a good conscience and let it be considered how farre this will stretch euen to the Apostles and all Churches and faithfull teachers since the time of Christ Obiect Many of the things alleadged touch not our cause they might haue beene spared Answ Though some things concerne not the peculiar cause of the Ministers depriued yet all which I haue alleadged do touch the question proposed which euery intelligent disputant is to follow and intend neither is there any thing that I know proposed which may not serue as a true medius terminus or pregnant argument tending directly to proue this conclusion that all true Churches teachers since the Apostles did teach practise conformitie rather then they would suffer depriuation or seperation from the Church But if any among so many things as are alleadged bee impertinent let it bee shewed and put out with my good liking there is enough besides which is without all controuersie to the purpose Obiect The times are different there may bee a matter fundamentall now which was not then in respect of the most cleere manifestation of the trueth thereof now which was not then Therefore their iudgement though pure is no rule for vs to follow now It is no true arguing They thus iudged therefore we must thus iudge of these Ceremonies as for example It was a trueth that Christ should be borne at Bethleem and of the Virgin Mary this trueth being fundamentall now was not so before Christ was borne and manifested Cornelius was a faithfull man before hee belieued in Christ the sonne of the Virgin Mary yet hee had the faith of the Messias in generall sufficient to his saluation but after it was reuealed by the Apostles to him euen this was also fundamentall Answ This obiection containeth a trueth but it faileth in the application therof vnto the case in question For there must bee proued these two points that this obiection may bee firme First that the vse of these Ceremones is growne to be a matter fundamentall which sometimes it was not and the sound reasons thereof must be alleadged which as yet they are not it is not knowen as yet by any light that euer I preceaued or heard of how these Ceremonies here questioned should be rather fundamentall now then before when by the same reasons they were opposed as they are now Secondly that the refusall of the Ceremonies questioned bee a matter of that waight and nature with the instance brought of belieuing in Christ the sonne of the Virgin Mary betweene which I confesse there seemeth to me to be so great and so reall a difference as that I suppose it to be brought in quite besides the point When these two points bee solued I will answere as occasion is offered further Obiect You haue omitted some things in this your argument or reason whereunto wee must also conforme Besides conformitie is not sufficient wee shall be required to subscribe and further these our ceremonies are nowe farre more strictly enioyned and imposed then euer before Answ The question is of what in this case we may lawfully conforme vnto if there be any thing besides which may be proued simply vnlawful euen in this case of depriuatiō to conforme vnto let it be soundly discouered wisely and zealously eschewed and a reformation humbly laboured vnto by authoritie or prayed for to God In the meane time let vs consider whether in this case our consciences be not tied to conforme to redeeme the libertie of the Ministerie Touching the vrging or pressing of these Ceremonies it is true they haue been imposed with some vehemencie yet they are not imposed nor pretended so to bee vpon the conscience as the worships of God or needfull to saluation but they are taught as variable and free things and in their nature indifferent but as they are commanded by authoritie and so imposed Obiect The force of your argument lieth in this that rather then we should suffer depriuation we should receiue and vse Ceremonies as inconuenient hurtfull and scandalous as were the Iewish Ceremonies and those which the fathers imbraced but the Iewish Ceremonies were holden necessary to saluation Act. 15. 1 3. and the Ceremonies of the Fathers were holden operatiue your argument ergo concludeth a necessitie of receiuing Ceremonies though euen holden necessary and operatiue rather then to suffer depriuation for refusing such Thus may wee also dispute for all other Popish Ceremonies as for the shauen Crowne Exorcisme White garment in Baptisme Soot Spittle Creame holy Water Answ 1. My argument concludeth onely for conforming to the Ceremonies which are prescribed in the case of depriuation and for none other from an argument drawen from the consent of all true Churches and faithfull teachers of all ages and places which did rather conforme to more and worse then ours are pretended to bee argumento à maiori ad minus ducto which holdeth strongly for conforming to our Ceremonies which are farre more tolerable and lesse inconuenient and burdensome then theirs Neither can my argument bee farther drawen or racked then I vrge it 2. Touching the Iewish Ceremonies they were holden necessary to saluation by refractary Iewes not by the Apostles and the godly well grounded Christians So our Ceremonies are holden by the Papists but not by vs therefore that instance concerneth vs no more thē the Apostles and the faithfull of those times 3. Touching the Ceremonies
ministery can bee of that necessity and vse for the glory of God and good of his Church as was the ministery of any Apostle The worke whereunto the Lord hath called and separated the Apostles viz. the planting of the Church and preaching of the Gospel to all nations was such as could not haue beene performed by any other but the Apostles alone But in the depriuation of our Ministers that refuse conformitie there is no such danger and of their preaching there can bee no such necessitie imagined though they preach not the Gospel is preached stil and that soundly and fruitfully And how then can Master Spr. say that the auoiding of depriuation with vs is a reason either superior or aequiualent vnto that which mooued the Apostles to doe as they did if hee had said there is great similitude and analogie betweene these two cases he had spoken probably but to maintaine a paritie betweene them he hath no colour of reason at all 2. The Apostles in vsing and inioyning those Ceremonies might bee well assured that they should greatly further the successe of the Gospel thereby the beleeuing Iewes would bee preserued from Apostasie the vnbeleeuing many of them would be gained and that they should not onely obtaine libertie and freedome for their Ministerie by this meanes among the Iewes but that the very vsing of these things would edifie them Now our Ministers haue no reason that is either Superior or aequiualent vnto this to perswade them to the vse of our Ceremonies for they cannot be assured that the vsing of our Ceremonies would doe any good at all no they are well assured by many reasons long experience that they would doe much hurt euery way both vnto the belieuer and to him that is not yet called to the faith And should not he thinke you haue great cause to brag of this bargaine who after that he had purchased the liberty of his ministry by yeelding vnto conformity should finde euer after a wofull experience that he hath done much more hurt by his conformity then good by his ministry 3. The Apostles in vsing inioyning those Ceremonies if they had enioyned any and the Churches also in obseruing them by their appointment if any such thing had bin were well assured in their consciences they did that which was not onely lawfull but necessary for them to doe and that they had sinned if they had not done so for they had diuine authority to warrant command to do as they did Will Master Spr. say that the auoiding of depriuation with vs is a reason either superiour or equiuolent vnto this our Ministers can discerne no such warrant for the vse of our ceremonies but are fully assured they haue this commandement expresly to the contrary And will any man perswade them that for the auoiding of depriuation or a far greater penalty though indeede that be very great they may do a thing which they are assured is euil in the sight of the Lord. For a conclusion to this answere vnto his first maine argument it shall not be amisse to set downe and repeat sundry materiall differences betweene the case of the Apostles and Churches in their times and ours now 1. They vsed such Ceremonies only as both at the first were diuine ordinances and the vse whereof was warranted vnto them by diuine authority We are required to vse such as are inuentions not humane onely but Antichristian 2. They vsed them in this perswasion of their conscience that they might in that case and ought to be vsed neither did they euer inioyne them to any that held them vnlawfull ours are imposed vpon such as are perswaded in their conscience they cannot vse them without sinne 3. They vsed them but once or twice vpon extraordinary occasion we are required to vse ours constantly and continually in the ordinary exercise of our ministery 4. They neuer vsed them but when they saw euidently that the vse of them would preuent scandall and tend vnto edification we are required to vse ours though we see euidently the vse of them would hinder edification and giue offence many waies ¶ A Reply to the Answere of my first Reason for Conformitie in case of Depriuation LEst the answeres of my reasons should hold me void of charity which is not suspitious or to be carried on with euill surmising I will omit that sending an answere to me which am the second person from them they giue answere as to a third Neither will I insist vpon the Ironies which may seeme too palpable among godly minds needed not especially in disquisition of a truth of so great consequence Onely I put my brethren and my selfe in minde for our better prosecuting of this question that piety is meeke and gentle equalling her selfe to the lower sort it scorneth not such as are differing from it in iudgement it is not prouoked to anger but in euidence and demonstration of the truth approueth her selfe to euery mans conscience in the sight of God Now as there is none end of making many bookes so Gods wisedome should instruct vs by contention not to leingthen controuersies for which cause I haue purposed to be short in reply Touching the Preface or generall answere made before the Answere to particulars it might as I suppose haue been well spared as being to small purpose and quite besides the point in question For 1. The Answerers could not be ignorant and my Conclusion drift in handling matter manner whole course of prosecuting in euery Argument doe plainely stretch no farther then to enforce Conformity in case of Depriuation Therfore this caution is but a voluntary and studious wandring from the question Neither doe these arguments labour to make the world beleeue that all depriued Ministers haue sinned in suffring Depriuation but so many onely as for not conforming haue suffred depriuation Therefore this speech of theirs is either an vntrue surmise or a scornefull Ironie 2. Though the Answerers should bee ignorant that any Minister should suffer Depriuation for onely refusing to conforme yet all the faithfull Ministers of these our parts doe know the contrary of sundry my selfe doe know it of my selfe and others And who can be ignorant that diuers Ministers haue been depriued only for not conforming by inditements at Assise and Sessions as well as by the Bishops and doe perpetually stand liable to that censure and is a cause ouer-ruled as appeareth in the Lo. Cookes reports Againe it is well knowen that for these later 5. or 6. yeeres subscription hath not been vrged to Incumbents or setled Ministers but meere conformity And Bishops haue acknowledged being put in minde by men of learning in the Lawes that they could not vrge Subscription either by vertue of the Statute or the booke of Canons to such as were already placed and setled in their charges It was therefore vnaduisedly and vntruely affirmed to say no more that M. Sprint surely bestowed his time very ill and spent a
Apostle did practise some legall Ceremon◠though in his owne purpose not as a legall Ceremony or in obedience to the Law ceremonial or as a yoke and burden but in other materiall respects in sometime and on some person after that it appeared to him and was euident that the same Ceremony among other persons and at other times was a yoke and a burden And is it not strange that my Brethren should not see this but impute it to me as a strange thing But they enioyned none such Ceremonies as were yokes and burdens admit of that the question is of practise of Ceremonies to auoide depriuation not of inioyning Next they affirme that they could not bee called ordinances of the world commandements or doctrines of men or voluntary religion neither could they be termed impotent and beggarly rudiments I say againe yes they might be so termed and that lawfully For the holy Ghost in the Apostle doth expresly terme them so in the same words both the obseruation of dayes moneths times and yeres Gal. 4. 9. 10. Holy-daies new Moones Sabboth daies Colos 2. 16. 22. as also abstinence from meates Touch not taste not handle not Col. 2. 10. 21. 22. 23. which was the very thing enioyned by the Apostles Act. 15. 28. If the Holy Ghost called them so we may be bold to terme them such But my Brethren say that they could not be termed such so long and so far forth as the Apostles did vse or inioyne them The which I answere by distinguishing betweene there nature and the vse that the Apostles had of them In their nature they were such as they were called yokes burdens or burdening traditions impotent and beggarly rudiments not onely in respect of the vnbeleeuing or ignorant beleeuing Iewes abuse but vnto the godly and best instructed Christians also for which of them would willingly haue vsed them without occasions of necessity to auoide a further incouenience yea considering them also in themselues for seeing Christ himselfe was come the body of what sound vse or erudition could they be what could they teach but Christ to come which was already come which also was an vntruth or what comfort could they minister to the Gentiles to whom they were inioyned or to Timothy and Paul by whom they were practised but as yokes and burdens only the comfort of their practise was the good purpose which they serued for the winning of the Iewes or retaining of them in the loue of the Gospell as the reasons alleadged by my Brethren out of Acts 21. 20. 24. 1. Cor. 9. 20. doe shew which were the causes of the Apostles vse of them made their practise lawfull But this much is sufficient to prooue the point in question For this sheweth the nature of those ceremonies to agree with the nature of ours As the Iewish ceremonies so likewise ours barely considered in thēselues which the Papists many professed Protestants abuse may be accounted in a sort yokes burdens burdening traditions commandements and doctrines of men voluntary religion impotent and beggerly rudiments c. yet as the Ceremonies practised by the Apostles so also ours by the same analogy in a case of necessity of expediency to redeeme the liberty of the Gospel in the Ministry of many good Teachers they are good and necessary and the commandements of God to practise 2. The second member of this Section affirmeth That it will neuer be prooued by me and if not then nothing is said to the purpose that when and where the Apostles or those Churches vsed them they had beene notoriously knowen to haue beene so abused or to haue wrought such euill effects as I there speake of And my answere is That it is true these ceremonies were not at all abused by any well grounded Christians at any time or place But it is not possible but my Brethren should know that the ceremonies well vsed by the Apostles Churches and other godly persons were knowen by them to haue been grossely abused euen as I alleadged in my first reason by the refractary and weake Christian Iewes euery where euen then when as they practised them like as we know that our Ceremonies haue been and are abused by Papists and weake Brethren notwithstanding which abuse knowledge thereof they persisted to vse them as often as necessity enforced and iust occasiō was offred For Paul knew how the Iewes abused circumcision to establish an opinion of the necessity thereof vnto saluation Act. 15. 1. yet after this knowledge he vsed it Act. 16. 3. and when S. Paul circumcised Timothy for the Iewes sake is it not euident that the Iewes had a false and abusiue opinion and practise of circumcision to preuent whose vniust offence Paul did it notwithstanding which the Apostle practised Circumcision on Timothy Likewise S. Paul his reprouing of Peter for abuse of Iewish ceremonies in causing of Gentiles to conforme vnto them Gal. 2. 11 12 14. whether wee referre the time thereof to Paraeus in Gal. 2. 104. Act. 11. 26. or as Paraeus doth to Act. 15. 30. 35. was before his circumcising of Timothy and his vowing and shauing of himselfe Act. 18. 21. Lastly was it not knowen to the Apostles when they obserued the occasion of the Iewish Sabbath to preach vnto them that the Iewes had an opinion of necessity of obseruation of that day as they had Ioh. 9. 16. Luc. 13. 14. Matt. 12. 2. Or could Paul and the Apostles bee ignorant that vowing offring contributing shauing dueties of the ceremoniall Law were abused by the Iewes both before they practised them and where they practised them and euen by occasion of their practise which doeth easily appeare by the violence which the Iewes vsed on a bare suspition that Paul was a professed enemie vnto the Legall rites Act. 21. 21 27 29. As for that which my Brethren alledge concerning Paul who hauing vsed circumcision and other Ceremonies doth after with great bitternesse reprooue and condemne the vse of them Gal. 4. 9 10. and 5. 12. Tit. 1. 14. I will omit that which some ‖ Gual in Gal. 2. Hom. 10 fol. 29. b. Codoman annal s Scriptur Ambros Chrysostomus learned men obserue that the Epistle to the Galat. was written before the Councill of Ierusalem Act. 15. and then those reproofes of his must goe before the circumcising of Timothy and shauing of himselfe Act. 16. 18. because it is controuerted and holden otherwise by †Paraeus prolegom in Ep. ad Rom. fol. 48. 49. Idem pro. em in Epist ad Gal. fol. 22. 23. other godly learned men But to it I say that that reproofe of Paul was not vsed in respect of the time after but in respect of the different case it was a case of confession that is hee was called to confesse a fundamentall truth in Titus case which he was not in the case of Timothy For the false Brethren would haue compelled Titus to haue beene circumcised meaning his conscience as
pressing it * Thus do all our godly learned men hold Paraeus in Gal. 2. f. 81. 82. Paulus Titum â—â—â—cumcisione defendendo recte fecit quia falsâ—â—â—â—nionem circumcisionis necessariae ad salutem staâ—â—lire non debuit Aretius in Act. 16. 3. f. 75. Titum noluit circumcidere quia videbat hoc peti tanquam ad salutem necessarium Idem ad Gal. 2 f. 224. circumcisionem Galatis obtruserunt vt ad salutem necessarium post obserua hîc quando sint 〈…〉 adiaphora túm scil cùm necessitas illis aniâ—â—ctitur habet enim meritum aliquod in causa salutis Gualt in Act. hom 106. f. 199 Propter hoâ— Titum circumcidere noluit eo quod illos libertati fidelium astutè insidiari videret Gal. 2. lege reg vniuersalem eo loci Idem in Gal. 2 Hom. 11 f. 32. quando Timotheum circumcidit nulla erat eo loci de circumcisione controuersia In Titi autem causus de circumcisione controuertebatur erant qui hanc ad salutem dixerint esse necessariam Piscator in Gal. 2. obseru ad v. 3. 4. 5. Titum circumcidere noluit propter Iudaeos pertinaces 〈◊〉 exemplo isto abuterenter ad iactandum consensum Pauli de suo dogmate quasi sâ—â—l circumcisio ad huc in N. T sit necessaria ad salutem Calum Titum circumcidere non poterat quia puram Euangelij doctrinam proderet in Act. 16. 3. fol. 271. a. Perkins in Gal. 2. tom 1. fol 218 b. as if he should say For my part I was ready to circumcise Titus if there had beene a meete occasion False brethren would haue imposed a necessitie vpon vs Then I and Titus refused After learne that a thing indifferent when it is made necessary to saluation as circumcision was is not to bee vsed This conclusion serues to ouerthrow the Popish religion c. Looke Beza and Roll. on this place ex necessitate salutis as Acts 15. 1 5. or as a worke iustificatory Galat 5. 2 3. whereby Paul notes that circumcision would haue beene a bondage as they did Act. 15. 10. Whereupon I conclude that Paul euen after the reproofes of the Epistle to Galat. 2. and 4. and Tit. 1. would haue beene no lesse ready to haue circumcised Titus in a like case with Timothy then hee was to circumcise Timothy after the decree of the councell of Ierusalem as Master Perkins noteth on Galathians 2. and so I say touching our Ceremonies though in our Church to redeeme the ministry and libertie of the Gospell a man were bound to conforme to the prescribed Ceremonies yet if wee were called to a case of confession if the Ceremony were vrged as needfull to saluation if our conscience were compelled to vse them if iustification were taught in their vse I holde plainely that a man should lose goods liberty life ministry then to conforme vnto them wherefore there is no such absurdity as my Brethren presuppose in affirming that which is with so good euidence approued and that which I alleadged in my answere to the sixt obiection though my brethren promised to answere it but did not standeth firme 3. The third member fearing least it might be proued which in the former member is denied putteth case that if such abuse or euill effects of such Ceremonies vsed by the Apostles had beene knowne before or when they vsed them yet would not this proue them euery way as inconuenient and euill as ours where my brethren forget that they goe on in peruerting my words For I said not that I would proue them euery way simply as inconuenient as our Ceremonies but added expressely in sundry maine respects Let it be supposed that those Ceremonies were sometimes Gods ordinances inioyned to Churches by the Apostles that these our Ceremonies were neuer good nor in themselues may serue to any good vse what serueth this to ouerthrow my conclusion which is this that the Iewish Cermonies were as inconuenient and euill as our Ceremonies then in conforming to the like case we shall doe well and if wee doe euill in conforming to the Ceremonies to preuent depriuation then did the Apostles and other persons euill in a much like case to conforme to Ceremonies as euill and inconuenient as ours are deemed in many maine respects And here my brethren thinke fit to examine the contents of my second reason which is brought for the proofe of this point Which is this as they affirme for mee that nothing in substance is obiected against our Ceremonies which might not haue beene said as well against those which the Apostles and the Churches in their times did vse Here againe I call vpon my brethren for fidelitie for I proposed my second reason thus That the same obiections in substance and for the most part which are brought forth against our Ceremonies to proue them simply and in nature sinne may be obiected and applied to the doctrine and practise of the Apostles The differences are these first I propose the reason affirmatiuely they negatiuely Wherewith they giue themselues more aduantage to confute and mee lesse to defend as all men knowe Secondly they say that nothing in substance is obiected leauing out that which I added and for the most part Thirdly they adde which might not haue been said as well which words I haue not but they haue added for their owne aduantage Which alteration if my Brethren had not made they needed not accuse me that I left out much of the force and substance of their arguments For I well know that in some things agreement in both cases would not stand and yet my reason would haue iustified it selfe But I must goe along to see how well my Brethren proue the point they affirme namely that the arguments made by them doe ouerthrow our Ceremonies and yet neuer a one doe giue the least touch to those which the Apostles and the Churches vsed and to this purpose they runne ouer foure members or orders of differences betweene the Ceremonies of our Church and those practised by the Apostles The first sort of difference affirmeth that our Ceremonies are first humane inuentions secondly notoriously knowen to be abused to superstition false doctrine thirdly and of no necessary vse in the Church all which suppose I grant let my Brethren tell me plainely whether these exceptions might not haue beene vrged by the Pastors of the Gentiles touching the iniunction made at Ierusalem as abstinence from blood and strangled and touching the practise of Circumcision shauing vowing offering and obseruation of the Iewish Sabboth by Paul and the Apostles That namely these Ceremonies are simply vnlawfull and in nature euill First because Iesus Christ heing come which was the body of whose comming they were shadowes and therefore in their nature rudiments of great pouertie and weakenesse impotent and beggerly rudiments and in themselues considered of no vse or profit and therefore leauing to be Gods commandements for God commanded them as ceremonies in the time
saluation by the Papists so were those practised by the Apostles esteemed by the Iewes yet the Apostles vsed them in case of necessity and so may wee these in the like case Secondly Abridg. fol. 38. I euer held it as an argument vrged by the depriued Ministers to perswade to the disuse of our Ceremonies that being in themselues needlesse a man hauing no necessity to vse them there is occasioned the stumbling of the weak by them the Papists and ignorant peoples abuse and opinion of Gods worship In which respect the practise of the Iewish Ceremonies might apparantly be taxed had it not beene in a case of superiour reason For the practise of them was in that case good necessary notwithstanding whatsoeuer abuse or offence might haue bin taken thereat so that they were done first voluntarily and not pressed on there conscience as Gods worships secondly on iust occasion as to redeeme the preaching of the Gospell and to win soules to Christ The fourth and last kinde of difference alleadged by my Brethren betweene our Ceremonies and the ceremonies of Apostolicall practise and iniunction of the rules prescribed in the word for the direction of the Church in the matters of ceremony which are not kept in the imposing and vsing of our Ceremonies as my Brethren say but were in those others by the Apostles First they say they are no way needefull which may be vnderstood either in respect of inioyning by our Gouernours or of practising by our Ministers In the inioyning of them againe we may consider the inioyning of them in their first plantation or for the present The inioyning of them in the first plantation in King Edwards dayes of what necessity it was it might easily be collected if we either consider the nature of coacted Churches gathered and reformed by authority of Princes where the most are worst and of how great difficulty it is to reforme all disorders at the first in comparison of Churches gathered by voluntary coition where all being willingly assembled will also willingly vnite their thoughts and proceedings to the best and this is one maine reason of the different degrees of reformation of different Churches This Church of England therefore being a coacted Church it is easie to imagine of what difficulty it was to reforme all things at the first where the most part of the Priuy Counsel of the Nobility Bishops Iudges Gentry people were open or close Papists where few or none of any countenance stood for religion at the first but the Protector and Cranmer Wherefore howsoeuer those worthy persons were sollicited and stirred vp by Caluins letters howsoeuer they laboured at the first and did what in them lay desiring to doe more as appeareth in the Preface of the common prayer Booke in the Rule before Commination howsoeuer they refined the booke of Common prayer in an 5. 6. Edwardi yet necessity compelled them there to stay The generall reasons whereof are excellently obserued and set downe by Zepperus which elsewhere I haue cited in my reasons Now if we looke to the present iniunction of our Ceremonies it is not for me to contest with authority or to call her to account for her proceedings she pretendeth necessity of enioyning them that omnis mutatio est periculosa plena scandalis and therefore also must be obserued for the only will and pleasure of such as inioyne them Now if authority on these or other like grounds will haue the Ceremonies practised or else will proceede to Depriuation there is heere an ineuitable necessity of conforming in the Ministers in which respect Conformity is simply needefull In this sense also though the ceremonies themselues be supposed to be smally profitable yet conformity to them in this case of necessity is most profitable for the edification of the Church though it bee denied by my Brethren And howsoeuer it may be granted that offence and hinderance to edification doe arise from these our Ceremonies yet it is certaine that there is no shew of comparison betweene the offence and hinderance of the peoples edification arising from the practise of the Ceremonies and the suffring of Depriuation for not conforming by euery Minister which my Brethren in their argument doe teach Now for the Iewish ceremonies to omit my Brethrens repetition of Appstolicall authority as being dealt withall before they say they were squared and directed by the rules of the holy scripture But to vnderstand this better we must needs distinguish betweene the different respects wherein wee may consider them first in their nature and then in their practise and then againe as it was needlesse or constrained or occasioned by iust reason of necessity for the furtherance of the word and good of the Church In their nature they were fruitlesse vnprofitable empty burdensome and most indecent Also in their needlesse vse they were not needfull or profitable they serued rather to destroy then edifie They were not profitable for order or decency they tended to infringe the Christian liberty and they were so farre from hauing no offence in them that they were aboue measure scandolous all which I haue so proued to my Brethren in my first and second reasons of this my first argument that though they deny and wonder yet they meddle not with any proofe thereof knowing that the very citation of the place would confute them But in their constrained vse or vse occasioned by reasons of necessity forealleadged that conformity to these Ceremonies was profitable necessary seruing to edifie by making way vnto the Churches peace and preaching of the Gospel it was ordered to vse them and this vse of the practise of indecent Ceremonies in nature did vphold one higher decency euen the decency of Apostolicall preaching conuerting soules planting of Churches and vnitie of brethren and thus that paradoxe or riddle is absolued which my brethren thought impossible to bee belieued that an indecency supported decency which if they had called to their remembrance they might haue seene how this fourth argument of the abridgement against our Ceremonies doeth very fitly square to those which the Apostles vsed Yet one thing remameth to bee considered which so much offendeth my brethren that they scarce hold it possible for a godly or learned man to hold namely to charge the holy Apostles first that they were offended in imposing that they did and secondly that they taught against the things which they iniòyed that namely they ought not to bee vsed by the Iewes or Gentiles But to the first I say that if it were necessitie that moued the Apostles to inioyne abstinence from bloud and strangled which were legall Ceremonies for they are called necessary things fol. 15. 28. yea without that necessitie they would not haue inioyned them if without necessitie vrging they would not haue inioyned them yea they must needes bee vnwilling and loth to doe that which without necessitie they would not doe If they were loth to doe it then they must needes