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
actions that chiefly seemeth to conduce which is written by the Apostle vnto Titus All things are cleane vnto the cleane And vnto Timothy Euery creature of God is good But it is not necessarily required that we haue an expresse mention of euery particular and singular thing which we vse to doe This is sufficient in generall to know by faith that indifferent things cannot defile those which vse them with a sincere minde and conscience Loc. com inter Epist. fol. 1088. Hooper Obiect Bb. Hooper These Ceremonies are Aaronicall and Iewish an imitation of the Aaronicall Priesthood and therefore ought to be eschewed of all that loue Christ Answ Bucer 1. Though I admit your antecedent yet your conclusion followeth not for to imitate Aarons Ceremonies is not of it selfe vicious but onely when men vse them as necessary to saluation or to signifie that Christ is yet for to come to take flesh vpon him Epist. ad Ioan. Alasco Nothing can truely be said to appertaine to the Priesthood of Aaron so farre forth as it is abolished but that which is vsed with such like superstition as if it were now after Christ reuealed needfull to saluation or profitable of it selfe or whereby some occasion is giuen to a man to assume or to retaine this superstition with himselfe or of troubling the peace and quiet of Brethren Idem Script Anglican fol. 707. Hoopero 2 For a Rite or Ceremony to be Aaronicall adheareth or sticketh not to any of the creatures of God in no garment in no figure in no colour in no worke of God But in the minde and profession of such as abuse the good creatures of God to impious signification idem ibid. 3 If by no meanes it be lawfull to vse those things which were of Aarons Priesthood or of the Gentiles Then it is not lawfull for vs to haue Churches nor holy-dayes For there is no expresse commaundement by word in the holy Scriptures of these things It is gathered notwithstanding from the example of the old people that they are profitable for vs to the increase of godlinesse which thing also experience proueth Idem ad Ioan. Alasco Petre Martyr In the Law or Priesthood of Aaron there were 1. Sacraments whereby it pleased God to confirme and seale the promises of Christ to come all which I know are abolished that we must beleeue that Christ is alreadie giuen not to be giuen And seeing other seales of Gods promises are vnder the Gospell giuen by our Lord himselfe namely Bread and Wine we ought not to recall the antiquated signes 2 Howbeit there were some actions in the Law of that nature that properly they may not be said to be Sacraments For they made to decency to order and some benefit which I doe iudge may be recalled and retained as agreeable to the light of nature and furthering some profit to our selues Who knoweth not that the Apostles for the peace and more comfortable conuersing of beleeuers did command the Gentiles that they should abstaine from bloud and strangled Those things were out of question Aaronicall if you will comprehend all things generally which were in the Law Further no man is ignorant that Tythes are inioyned in innumerable places for the maintenance of Ministers besides if I might more diligently search and consider as the time now will not permit me I could finde out not a few things which our Church hath borrowed out of the law of Moses that from the first beginning of the Church And that I may not omit this one thing wee haue the festiuall dayes in memoriall of our Lord Resurrection Natiuitie Pentecost and death of Christ shall all these things bee abolished because they bee shadowes of the olde Law By these things I suppose you see B b. Hooper that all things appertaining to the Aaronicall Priesthood are not so abolished as that nothing thereof either may be retained or vsed by vs. Martyr loc inter Epist Hoopero fol. 1087. Obiect B b. Hooper These Ceremonies were of Antichrists inuention Answ Bucer The vse of such garments as the Surplesse were vsed Godly by the holy Fathers before the Pope became to be the Romish Antichrist Script Anglic. fol. 682. Cranmero Martyr I cannot easily grant that the diuersity of garments had their originall from the Pope seeing we reade in the Ecclesiasticall History that Iohn the Euangelist ware Petalum seu Lamina Pontificalis a kinde of garment proper to a Minister or B b. and Pontius the Deacon witnesseth of Cyprian the Martyr that when as he was to be beheaded he gaue his garment named Birrus to the executioners His garment called Dalmatica hee gaue to the Deacons and stood in his linnen garments And Christians when they were conuerted vnto Christ did as the Fathers witnesse change their garment and for a gowne did put on a cloake For the which when they were mocked of the Heathen Tertullian wrote a most learned booke de Pallio of the cloake Besides Chrysostome maketh mention of the white garment of the Ministers of the Church Neither doe I thinke that you B b. Hooper are ignorant that there was giuen a Whitegarment vnto those that were admitted vnto the Church by Baptisme Wherefore it is cleere that there were some differences of vestures before the tyranny of the Pope was in force But admitte these things to The like answere and allegations doe Bullenger Gualt giue to the sam obiection Looke Whitgifts defence fol. 268. be the Popes inuentions I cannot perswade my selfe that the impiety of the Papacy is so great that whatsoeuer it toucheth it maketh so polluted and defiled as that the vse of such things may not be granted to good and Godly persons Martyr Hoopero fol. 1087. Looke more for answere hereto in the answere to the next obiection Obiect Bb. Hooper These things abused by Antichrist are so defiled that they may not be permitted to any Church howsoeuer knowing and worshipping Christ and acquainted with her liberty of all things Answ Bucer Surely I make great conscience to say thus much For 1. I see no Scripture whereby I may defend it 2. The Scripture doth euery where preach that euery creature of God is good vnto the good that is to such as doe truely beleeue in Christ and doe godly vse his creatures And that this creature of God is good not only in naturall effects as bread is good in the effects of feeding and strengthening our bodies and wine in the effects of drinking and heating vs but also it is good in diuers significations and admonitions For godly men doe stirre vp and nourish in themselues the remembrance and consideration of many of Gods benefits from euery thing which is a creature of God From hence are those things in the Psalmes and in the Songs of the Saints concerning the praise and celebration of Gods Name to the which all the works of God doe inuite them 3. What Scripture teacheth that there is such power giuen to the Deuill
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
so farre foorth onely as they agree and consent 4 They alleadge the vngrounded opinions of some priuate fathers we their trueth so farreforth as they agree to Gods word and examples of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles 5 They insist vpon Fathers further from the Apostles from Apostolicall and Primitiue purity wee most of all insist on those who were most neere to the Apostles as being most pure and free from Antichristian contagion 6 They are only for the former Fathers we bring the consent of all our later worthy Fathers and teachers of the most reformed and purest Churches of the world Obiect This were to giue and to ascribe as much to man as to God to make them the grounds and iudges of our faith or practise yea it is so farre from being a sinne to sway from all iudgements that it is a sinne to iudge that all iudgements should bee the rule of our consciences Answ This obiection is both vnfit and vntrue It is vnfit because the argument concludeth not that they are or that we should make them the grounds and iudges of our faith and practise But that it is an errour and a sinne to condemne the whole Church of Christ for teaching errour and for practising and maintaining sinne Next it is an vntruth to call the whole company of Saints and spirituall persons Man opposed vnto God Which appeareth further by considering the aequiuocation of the word Man For man is taken either for meere man i a carnall man or to the poynt a company of carnall men prophane ignorant and erronious which cannot know nor perceiue the things of God because they are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2 14. and so it is true if the case were thus that wee should put the iudgement of this thing to a company of carnall persons for in this case it is sayde that all men are lyers Rom. 3. 4. But there is also the spirituall man which hath vnderstanding to iudge what other men do say 1. Cor. 10. 15. and discerneth all things euen the deepe things of God Psal 25. 14. 9. 1. Cor. 2. 15. 10. 12. Dan. 12. 10. Iohn 7. 17. 1. Iohn 2. 27. The consent in iudgement of which company is not to be termed a company of men opposed against God But such as being built one the foundation of the Prophets Apostles and Christ the corner stone Eph. 2. 20. are also called by holy the Ghost in this respect the pillar and ground of trueth 1. Tim. 3. 15. Obiect A priuate man may see a truth which a great many Godly men may not discerne Answ Though a priuate man may see more into some trueth and explicate or confirme it better than many other yet it were absurd to say that one man might see more then all the faithfull all godly learned Teachers all true Churches that euer were in the world for the rule is good which Lyrinensis giueth Nouè non noua The Papists take the Church for onely persons in office as Pope Cardinall Bishops and Abbots and other Doctors gathered in a Councill and it was well maintained by Gerson that a priuate man by the light of Gods word may see more then they all And the reeson is plaine First because those persons haue many wayes prooued themselues to be carnall and prophane and not able to discerne the things of God which are spiritually to be discerned And againe because they iudge not as it was inioined to the Priest in the law Secundum legem Deut. 17. 11. and so there can be no light in them Esa 8. 20. But the case in question is quite opposite to this in either part and therefore this obiection toucheth not the point Obiect The whole Church of God may erre in some circumstantiall matters All visible Churches may erre in matters not fundamentall The consent of Churches and of the faithfull teachers according to Gods word a rule of fundamental truths that is of al such truths as may quiet a mans conscience it is not so in matters of circumstance Answ 1 Wee hold rightly against the Papists that all particular Churches may erre whereupon wee assume and inferre But the Roman Church is a particular Church Therefore it may erre But that the Catholique Church taken in the sence that our part doe explicate it i for the company of the faithfull in all ages it was neuer holden by any sound diuine But the cleane contrary 2 Though the iudgement of all true Churches in matters fundamentall be infallible because without fundamentalls they could not be Churches and againe albeit all particular Churches may erre in matters circumstantiall and ceremoniall yet it is an hard speach to say that the generall or Catholique Churches or company of the faithfull in all ages haue generally consented in an error neither can there possibly on instance be shewed of such a point no not of a circumstantiall point 3 The depriued Ministers hold it a sinne in nature to practise the ceremonies prescribed in our Church or the like but sinne in nature is a thing substantiall in the practise whereof a mans conscience cannot bee quieted and therefore if the iudgements of all Churches bee brought against them either they must confesse their doctrine in this point to be an error or else that the whole general Church since Christ haue erred fundamentally which is not farre from haeresy and blasphemy and I earnestly do pray them to consider of this poynt Obiect Churches and fathers haue exceedingly differed among themselues in all times heere should wee make their iudgement and consent to bee a rule of our doctrine and practise Answ This is soone answered because I speake not of their differences or of the things wherein they are deuided but only of such things wherein they all consent and agree as namely they all agree that the Christian Sabbath must bee sanctified and that from the ground and in memoriall of Christ his resurrection for they agree that al the bookes of Scripture are the word of God and in the point in question they agree that Churches may vary in their ceremonies and discipline and yet retaine their peace one with another And that ceremonies as inconuenient as our ceremonies are supposed to be in some respect fit to be abolished yet may they be retained and ought to be practised to preuent the diuision of brethren disquiet of the Church hinderance of the Gospel and there are few points wherein they agree more constantly then in this Obiect We are commanded to call no man our teacher vpon earth because one is our Doctor and teacher euen Christ Mat. 23. 8. 10. there is one law giuer Iam. 4. 12. Answ This obiection is much vrged by Brownists as some of the others are But what will they conclude from hence surely if any such thing it must be this Therefore we may not make the iudgement of the Fathers or whatsoeuer men in earth a rule of our conscience And indeed I say
without all exception to the which it is not lawfull to adde or to detract any thing howbeit touching Ceremonies my iudgement is otherwise For first it is certaine that euen the Apostles themselues could not determinately set downe what they iudged to bee expedient for the Churches in their first beginning and therefore necessarily they proceeded by little and little as the institution of Deacons doeth make euident in as much as they suffered for a season many Iewish Ceremonies as appeareth in the story of their acts againe to whom can it bâ—e doubtfull that the Apostles had exceeding regard vnto their times places and persons in externall rites In as much as it is not profitable that the same rites were obserued euery where as appeareth in that excellent Epistle of Irenaeus to Victor besides necessity it selfe abolished certaine of their ordinances as their common feasts of loue Wherefore whatsoeuer was performed by the Apostles in rites and Ceremonies I doe not iudge that presently neither yet without some exception to bee followed as a rule And indeede I wonder not that those ancient Fathers hauing respect vnto their owne times did take away some things some things adde and some what alter Onely herein with their good leaue bee it spoken they seeme to mee to haue often failed that they neither held any measure in their rites neither had that due regard to Christian simplicitie and puritie as was meete Epist. 8. fol. 70. 71. 2. Bucer If there be no liberty granted to the Churches of ordaining Ceremonies about the Lords Supper whereof they haue not the expresse commandement of Christ by this meanes will all Churches be condemned impiae audaciae of most impious boldnesse For all Churches doe obserue in the Supper of the Lord such a time place and habit or site of body and besides doe admit women to the Communion of all which things they haue not onely no commandement but they haue also his contrary example for our Lord did celebrate his Supper at night not in the morning in a priuate house not in a publike leaning on his side and after the receiuing of the Paschall lambe not standing also hee admitted not the women sundry of whom hee had for his most holy disciples Bucer Script Anglican fol. 708. 789. 3. Caluin Forasmuch as our Lord hath both faithfully comprehended cleerely declared in the holy Scriptures the whole summe of true righteousnesse and all the partes of his worship and whatsoeuer was needefull to saluation therefore in his solus magister audiendus est in these things the Master Christ is onely to bee hearkened vnto Howbeit because he would not particularly prescribe what wee ought to follow or practise in externâ disciplinâ ceremonijs in externall discipline and ceremonies For that hee foresaw that these things did depend vpon the condition of the times neither did he iudge one forme to be agreeing to all ages Therefore here wee are to haue recourse vnto the generall rules which he hath left and giuen that whatsoeuer the necessitie of the Church for matter of order and decencie shall require may bee determined by these rules Instit 4. 10. 30. 4. Zanchius If any thing bee altered or added which is not commanded of God being not essentiall but accidentall and not as necessary but as indifferent appertaining to decencie or to order or to edification wee cannot hence conclude that any thing is altered of the appointed worship or that there is another worship erected As for example Christ performed his Supper at night The Apostles were wont to performe it also in the morning and the Church followed afterwards this time Should a man hereupon say that any thing is derogated from the Supper of the Lord surely no because Christ commanded not the same to be celebrated in the night as himselfe obserued it but onely hoc facite that we should doe that for the matter or substance which he did but not at that time wherin he did it Also to that the Primitiue Church as appeareth in Iustinus Martyr did mingle Water with the Wine in the Lords Supper it is not a sufficient ground to say they altered or changed the institution of the Lords Supper and that for two reasons One because it may be that the Wine which Christ Iesus gaue to his Disciples was mingled with water seeing the Apostles doe not report the contrary and it is probable that the Primitiue Church might receiue this from the Apostles Another reason is because the Primitiue church did not adde water as a matter altogether necessary and so as appertaining to the substance of the Lords Supper but only to signifie a mystery but if any did commend it as necessary they did vndoubtedly depraue the Lords Supper But they much more who vsed onely water in the Lords Supper as the Aquarij did against whom Cyprian did write for it is euident that Christ our Sauiour vsed wine and commaunded that wee also should do the like To this adde in that the ancient Bishops in the celebration of the Lords Supper did put on another garment then that they vsually did weare appertaineth nothing to the alteration of the Lords Supper For Christ commanded not that wee should celebrate his Supper with our vsuall garments as hee did but onely that wee should doe that which he did himselfe The like may bee affirmed of sundry other things as well in Baptisme as in the Supper of the Lord. The summe of all is this Such things as are added but yet as matters indifferent for order for decency and to edification such matters do not change the substance of the Sacraments and therefore alter not the worship But such things as are taken from the institution of Christ or els are added as necessary and appertaining to the substance those things do corrupt the institution of the Lord and so doe establish another kind of worship To this kind of addition appertain the places of forbidding to adde to Gods word Deut. 4. 1 2. Note that which hee there saith Yee shall not adde to the Word which I commaund you The Word of the Lord is necessary it tyeth the conscience and deliuereth the substance of the Worship and hath nothing adiaphorall or indifferent therein wherefore to adde vnto the Word is to ordaine or appoint in Gods worship some thing as necessary and as appertaining to the essence or worship of God and which doth so binde mens consciences euen as the Word of God it selfe wherefore he addeth not vnto the Word of God which by the consent of the Church ordaineth any thing not as necessary but as indifferent and free for order onely or for decencie and vnto edification not binding the conscience of any by such an ordinance Zanch. de redempt cap. 19. fol. 447. Obiect Bishop Hooper Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. Answ P. Martyr This I acknowledge with you to be most true hobeit that we may haue a quiet conscience in our