AN EXAMINATION OF CERTAINE MOTIVES TO RECVSANSIE By W. BEDELL Printed by the Printers to the Vniversitie of CAMBRIDGE And are to be sold at London by R. Daniel at the signe of the Angell in Lumbard-street 1628. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull my very good Friend Sir THOMAS BARKER SIR I Send you here an Answer to that Paper I received from you containing a collection of certaine Reasons conveyed into the hands of some devout Gentlewomen your friends with purpose to divert them from society with Protestants and specially in Gods service established among us Vpon the first view of them I marvelled at the Authors strange drawing and misapplying Scriptures to his purpose at the opinions which he imputed to ancient Hereticks whereof to my remembrance I had never read nor heard before But when I came to examine the places more particularly in his owne Authors I found cause even to be astonished at the boldnesse of the man that taking advantage of the credulity of such good people durst put such a packet of lies into their hands And I could not but pitty their case who being fallen into the net of errour are by such a cunning but ungodly practise in danger to be inwraped and snarled by this perswasion of separation so as if Gods mercy be not the more there is no meanes for them to come ever even to understand this falshood wherby their simplicity is abused There is not a more approoved remedie against the stinging of a Scorpion then the Scorpion it selfe bruised in oyle and applyed I have here endeavoured to bray this Scorpion it shall be your part to apply it And if this Collector can and will justifie under his name his Doctrine of Separation and his Catalogue of Heresies and his Charge of Protestants to renew them he shall proove himselfe an honest man if he cannot and will yeeld to the truth at least a good Christian. If he doe not one of the two request your friends as our old Proverbe hath it to let him continue in their Pater noster but cast him his additions to the Catholick faith for ever out of their Creed Concluding I desire God to give you and them a right understanding in all things and to follow the truth in Charity and rest Yours in Christ Iesu W. BEDELL AN EXAMINATION of certaine Motives to RECVSANCIE ¶ Society with those of contrary Religion hath alwaies been pernicious and unlawfull THis Assertion is very confusedly set downe As it stands without limitation it is utterly untrue and besides nothing to the purpose For society of such as are of a false religion with those of the true Religion hath been often very profitable to them alwaies lawfull And the Religion of the reformed Churches is not a contrary religion to that of the Romane obedience but onely different as pure and corrupt reformed and deformed For the discovery of the truth the words and termes are to bee opened This terme Religion is not alwaies used in the same meaning Sometime it is put for the perswasion of the minde and judgement touching some divine nature and the devotion of the heart toward the same as the Iewish religion Aâ—… 26. 5. So religion of Angels Col. 2. 18. sometimes it is put for some more speciall observance and ceremony as the Religion of the Paschall Lambe Exod. 12. 26 43. According to which sense the rules of Saint Benedict Saint Basill and others have been called religions although they had not a divers faith or perswasion touching God nor yet a different worship in the substance but onely in circumstances as apparell formes and houres of praier and such like Contrary Religions therefore are such as have a contrary faith touching the God they worship as Iacob and Laban Gen. 31. Or a contrary manner of worshipping him in matter of substance Circumstances and differences in opinions government and ceremonies doe not make a diverse much lesse a contrary religion as appeares in the religion before and after the Law written before and after Christ. These were different as an infant a childe and a man of yeares yet the same person As for the terme Society it is likewise of divers sorts one in the duties of religion another in common life Wherein againe some is necessary and not at our choice and discretion as the society of parents and children servants and masters subjects and princes citizens neighbours kinsfolkes passengers in the same ship guests at the same table yea every man with another in that hee is a man Some againe is voluntary and at pleasure as of contracting marriage friendship familiarity choosing our habitation and company with whom we will consort our selves These explications premised I answer in these five propositions First society in the worship of God with true beleevers professing pure religion is lawfull and necessary and when it may be had cannot long bee omitted without sin Psal. 122. 1. I was glad when they said unto me let us goe into the house of the Lord Psal. 133. 1. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity Act. 2. 42 44. The Christians of the primitive Church are said to have continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in praiers and were together and Vers. 46. And they continuing daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house did eate their meat with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart Heb. 10. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Secondly society with men that worship the true God though in some points ignorant or misbeleevers may be holden so long as they are not obstinate and God is not dishonoured Act. 19. 9. Paul resorted to the Synagogue of the Iewes till they were hardned and blasphemed the way of the Lord then hee separated the Disciples See also 1. King 8. 41. where Solomon praieth for the stranger that was not of Gods people Israel but came out of a farre countrey and should come and pray towards the Temple that God would heare and doe according to his request that all the people of the earth might know his Name to feare him as Israel did Thirdly society with men that worship a false God or the true God with a false and Idolatrous worship in the exercise of their religion is utterly unlawfull Deut. 12. 30. Take heed to thy selfe that thou bee not snared by following them after that they be destroyed from before thee saying how did these nations serve their gods even so will I doe likewise Thou shalt not doe so unto the Lord thy God How neer so ever they be Deut. 13. 6 7. If thy brother the sonne of thy mother or thy sonne or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine owne soule c. So Exod. 32. 27. The Levites are bidden by Moses from the Lord to slay
preaching Christ but being in faith one differing from another the Infidels not knowing which to chuse for true Christians they sent them both back againe THis is as true as the golden Legend excelleth all other books as much as gold all other mettalls I marvell out of what Countrey the Lutherans went into New France or by what way they were sent home againe The Author of this fiction seems to have imagined that New France is as neare and accessible to France and Germany as the Frank County and the Infidels there as able to discerne what makes a different faith as the Colledge of the holy Inquisition at Rome But the blinde swallows many a flie There is but one truth and one onely true Church wherein it is conserved and of whom it must be learned in this onely Church are Gods people aâ—…d in this he hath ordained Sacrificâ—… Sacraments and a peculiar externall service to worship him that he may be knowne to be their God and they to be his people IN the multitude of opinions there is but one truth And among sundry truths there is but one necessary to salvation that wherein the holy Scriptures as the Apostle saith are able to make us wise by the faith in Christ Iesus The Keeper of this truth and of the Scriptures in which it is treasured is the Church not of one City but the Catholick Church that is the fellowship of Saints dispersed through the whole world This is that Church in which onely are Gods people In this he hath ordained the commemoration of Christs Sacrifice till his comming againe with a service not now consisting in rites and ceremonies but reasonable as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 12. which for the particular manner of it may bee divers in divers places but for the generall must be with understanding and edification 1 Cor. 14. 15 26 and with comelinesse and order vers 40. Such is God be praised the service used among us in the Churches of England That the new invented service of God is schismaticall and the doctrine now preached is heresie by the judgment of the primitive Church and for such condemned see the fathers of those daies who as the Apostles ordained have noted all such as have taught contrary to the saith which was delivered to the Churches by the Apostles HItherto hath been the endeavour of the Authour of this Collection to proove it unlawfull to hold society with those of a contrary religion Now hee goes about to shew that the Church of England is of a contrary religion But herein he behaves himselfe so superficially and sleightly as if he would have it presumed and taken for granted or received upon his word without proofe And for the former hee hath alledged some twenty texts of Scripture though some of them very impertinently as hath been seen For this there is not so much as one word of Scripture where there was most need both in respect of the matter being the convincing of heresie and the men against whom hee deales ever resting in the authority of Scripture and appealing to that rule and Touch stone He saith the new invented Service of God is schismaticall This if he meane it of ours is a slanderous speech without proofe That it is so he bids us See the fathers of the primitive Church Why how should the Fathers if our service be newly invented condemne that which they never saw or heard This is to trifle and presume his Readers are simple Innocents that will take such generall proofe as this See the Fathers of those daies What if they be no Schollers What if they have no leasure What if they be told that the Fathers of the Primitive Church doe by their describing the service of God in their owne times as it were in a table picture out ours That for the present service of the Romane faction of all the old Fathers they have not one Well yet in this his modesty is to be commended that he would not say the service of God which we use is hereticall but schismaticall We take his Confession and sure it proceeded not from want of will to speak the worst but from lack of matter to furnish out his accusation if he should have said otherwise For the substance of our Service being a Confession of our sins the pronouncing of Absolution to the penitent beleever according to the commission of the Gospel the Psalmes the Lessons out of holy Scripture the Hymne of Saint Ambrose called Te Deum that of Zachary the blessed Uirgin and Simeon the Apostles and Athanasius Creed the Lords Praier the Collects for the most part the same which themselves use but in a tongue understood Slaunder it selfe never yet durst accuse it of heresie The like may be said for the celebration of the Sacraments and the rest of the acts of the publick Ministery And here I desire the Reader to consider how he shuffelleth in this second part of his Argument for he began with men of a contrary religion and hereticks now he falls to such as have a schismaticall Service Which of the Fathers ever accounted difference in Service hereticall or schismaticall when as neither any particular forme was prescribed by our Lord Iesus Christ nor delivered by the Apostles or yet ordained by any generall Councell to be used in the Catholick Church The liturgies of the Greek Church which goe under the names of Saint Iames Saint Mark Saint Basil Saint Chrysostome are extant differing each from other and from those of the Latine Church whether the later of Saint Gregory or the ancienter of Saint Ambrose In Gregories time it is plaine that the Churches of France had not the same service with the Church of Rome for when as Austen whom he sent to plant the faith among the English demanded why there was one custome of Masses in the Romane church and another in the churches of France Saint Gregory bids him That he should chuse whether in the Romane or any other Church whatsoever might most please God and establish it in the new Church of the English In this Church of England even to the day of the reforming the Service we had divers orders as of Sarum York Hereford Bangor And so had they in Italy it selfe till Pius Quintus reformed the Breviary and Missall after the Romane use enjoyning all Churches to follow that unlesse where they had for above 200 years a custome to celebrate otherwise And Pius acknowledgeth that in the reformation of his Breviary those things that were impertinent and uncertaine were remooved and the Missall restored to the ancient rule and rite of the holy Fathers Which reformation notwithstanding and that Pius decreeth by his Bull prefixed that nothing should at any time be added taken away or altered yet in the time of Clement 8. it was again corrected in some things corrupted as Marsilius one of the Uenetian Divines
in the state of this present life it is impossible to keep Gods Commandements to perfection according to the Law but not to acceptation when we are in Christ. Fourthly that the gate of mercy is not to be shut against any sinner penitently desiring reconciliation but he is to be admitted to the same privately or publikly Fiftly that Praiers are to be made for all that are departed in the true faith of Christ that is first Thankesgiving that they are delivered from the body of death and miseries of this sinfull world Secondly Requests of Gods mercy that they may have their perfect consummation and blisse in body and soule in the kingdome of God at the last judgment Sixtly that Virginity such as the Apostle describeth 1 Cor. 7. 34 37. holy in body and spirit and undertaken to be free from the cares of this world to be carefull for the things that pertaine to the Lord is a more excellent estate then marriage Seventhly that the Saints in heaven pray for the Church on earth and it is lawfull for us to pray to God to heare their praiers but they know not our hearts neither may we aske grace or glory of any but God onely Eightly that images of God are unlawfull The images of Christ and the Saints may be used in way of history or remembrance and with reverent respect not to be worshipped with incense vowes or praiers Loe here our Doctrine for which never any man was cut off from the Primitive Church nor any counted a Rebell till the Pope began to play the masterly servant in the house of God and to strike his fellow-servants and cast out whom he list out of the family Objection The fourth Councell of Carthage at which Saint Augustine was present decreed according to the ancient practise of the Church and Apostolicall tradition that the faithfull may neither pray nor sing Psalmes with hereticks See what a sin it is to perswade a Catholick man to goe to heretical service forbidden by holy Scripture by Generall Councells and observed by all sects who doe at this day repell from their service all those that be of a contrary Religion THis authority of the Councell of Carthage was reserved for the last place and is graced with Saint Augustines name and Apostolick Tradition of likelihood because it mentions singing of Psalmes which the Church of England and other reformed Churches doe use It might seem odious if he should have said Yee may not sing a Psalme with a Protestant and some body might have replyed May I sing a Catch or a merry song and not one of Davids Psalmes may I eate with him and not give God thankes May we sleepe together and not say the Lords prayer together To this it seemed hard to make a handsome answer with reason therefore the Councell of Carthage and Saint Augustine and the ancient practise of the Church and Apostolicall Tradition are brought in to beare it downe by meer authority But for Tradition even by their owne description expounding it of doctrine not written he must give up his plea from Scripture if he claime by Tradition unlesse he will acknowledge that he as many times the ancients doe meanes by this word The same thing that was written The practise of the Church is yet to shew neither can it I beleeve be shewed ever delivered holden or practised that such as had one God one Faith one Baptisme one Lord one Spirit one hope of salvation might not have one Prayer sing one Psalme together Especially these same Psalmes that we are speaking of calling Iewes and Gentiles old and young all that have breath yea the bruit and senselesse creatures to the joynt performance of this duty The praising their Creator Did the Councell then forbid that which God commands Did Saint Augustine consent to it I think not But the Author of this Collection whether wittingly or ignorantly God knowes goeth about to beguile the simple with a cunning Translation and wrong application of this Canon to make feare where there is no feare The word which he Englisheth To sing Psalmes is more generall To sing any Ditty or Song whether it be out of the Book of Psalmes as we doe use the terme or composed by any other Author Such Psalmes had the Hereticks in their assemblies both the Arrians and the Donatists wherein they inserted such things as made to the advancing of their owne Sect yea as tended to increase contention which mooved Saint Chrysostome at Constantinople and Saint Ambrose at Milane and by their example many other Churches in the world to take up the like use of singing also besides the Psalmes of David which long before were wont to be sung in the Church The Churches in Africk were more slack herein as Saint Augustine relateth so as the Donatists blamed them because they sung soberly the divine Songs of the Prophets in the Church When themselves saith he inflame their drunken fits with singing of Psalmes composed by mans wit like a Trumpet encouraging to the fight And thus did Saint Augustine stirred up perhaps with their example compose a Ditty for the common people against the Donatists which he calls a Psalme the first Verse and under-song whereof I will set downe and apply to our present case Omnes qui gaudetis de pace modo verum judicate All you that in peace delight What is truth now judge aright Iudge I pray you all that be the children of peace whether the case be like of the blasphemous and seditious songs of Arrians and Donatist and the sacred Psalmes of the Prophets And for the application of this Canon to the reformed Churches judge whether there be no ods betweene the assemblies of true Catholick and charitable Christians and the Conventicles of desperate Hereticks and cut-throats denying the Lord that bought them or the Catholick Church that brought them forth confining it to Africk as some doe now to Rome re-baptizing those that come from others to them burning Churches and the holy Scriptures risâ—…ing houses pulling out the eyes cutting out the tongues and off the hands of those that dissented from their madnesse and setting upon them by the high-waies to kill or to be killed upon hope of becomming Martyrs Certainly these manners of the ancient hereticks doe more plainely decypher the massacres and barbarities of the holy League in France lately renewed also amongst the Grisons or not to goe so farre of our Powder Traitors here in England and generally of the Romish then the reformed Catholicks Iudge againe whether that be likely to be true which the Author of this Collection would perswade by his wresting the Scriptures forgeing and framing to his purpose the opinions of ancient hereticks slandring his even-Christians making them to hold that which it is marvell if his owne conscience did not tell him is otherwise Whether it be likely to be a Sect which as himselfe observes is different from all Sects in that according to another Canon of the selfe same Councell which he cites it prohibites none to come into the Church and heare Gods Word Gentile Heretick or Iew at least till such be dismissed as receive not the Communion And according to Saint Augustines rules Corrects that which is crooked approoves that which is right gives what is lacking acknowledges what is present according to the Apostles precept Followes peace with all that call upon the Name of the Lord. Iudge lastly and see what a sinne it is for any Catholick to disswade or be disswaded from such meetings wherein the Catholick Faith is confessed the blessed Trinity worshipped the holy Scriptures reverently read the Psalmes sung to Gods praise Praiers made for all estates in a knowne and understood language where there is admission into the Church by Baptisme instruction touching our misery through sinne by the Law our remedy in Christ by the Gospel the remembrance of whose perfect Sacrifice is celebrated his blessed Body and Blood distributed according to his institution where penitent sinners are reconciled the Dead reverently recommended into the hands of God the Living informed according to the teaching of the Apostles to live Soberly Iustly and Godly and above all if that be not all Charitably I say againe with Saint Augustine Omnes qui gaudetis de pace modò verum judicate FINIS Answer Vulgat edit quae 〈◊〉 ista religiâ—… 1. 2. 3 4. 5. Object 1 Answer Object 2. Answer Object 3. Answer Epâ—…s 2. 12 13. Act. 1. 19. See Ioseph Aâ—…t l. 9. c. 14. l. â—…1 â—…hap 8. l. 12. cap. 7. Object 4. Answer Object 5. Answer Revel 17. 9. Chap. 11. 8. Chap. 18. 23. Vers. 4. Chap. 13. 17 Object 6. Answer Object 7. Answer Stapleton Orat. 30. Object 8. Answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Object 9. Answer * Ireneus lib 3. cap. 3. Yet Epiphanius saith it of â—…bion Ob. 10. Answer Ob. 11. Answer Ob. 12. Answer Can. 84. Can. 8. Ob. 13. Answer Ob. 14. Answer Ob. 15. Answer Tim. 3. 15 Ob. 16. Answer See Mornay of the Eucharist l. 1. c. 3. B. Iewell in his Sermon at Pauls Crosse upon 1 Cor. 11. 23 1. 2. 3. Interrog 3. 4. 5. 1568. 1570. 6. Aliena incerta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ob. 1. Answer Lib. 1. c. 20 Ob. 2. Answer Ob. 3. Answer Ob. 4. Answer Object 5. Answer Ob. 6. Answer 〈◊〉 â—…m casâ—…ram atqâ—…e 〈◊〉 meriâ—… ad â—…avit Ob. 7. Answer * Ergò cineres suos amant animae Martyrum circumvolitant eos semperque praesentes sunt ne fortè si aliquis precator advenerit absentes audire non possint Object 8. Answer Object Answer I. Rom. 3. 24. 28. II. Act. 22. 16. Col. 2. 12. Rom. 4. 11 20. Act. 11. 16. See Saint Ambrose orat de obitu valent S. Aug. de Bapt. cont Don. l. 4. c. 22. 25. III. IV. V. VI. VII VIII Answer Bellarm. de verbo Dei l. 4. c. 2. Psallere Sâ—…zomen l. 8 c. 8. Aug. confes 〈◊〉 9. c. 7. Aug. Epla 119. c. 18. Aug. Tom. 7. De unitate Eccle.