Surely the wisedome of the Kingdome hath beene otherwise in experience for three hundred yeares space at the least But if it bee said to me that there is a difference betweene Ciuill causes and Ecclesiasticall they may as well tell me that Churches and Chappels need no reparations though Castles and houses doe whereas commonly to speake truth dilapidations of the inward and spirituall edifications of the Church of God are in all times as great as the outward and materiall Sure I am that the very word and stile of Reformation vsed by our Sauiour ab initio non suit it a was applyed to Church matters aud those of the highest nature concerning the Law morall Neuerthelesse hee were both vnthankefull and unwise that would denie but that the Church of England during the time of Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie did flourish If I should compare it with forraine churches I would rather the comparison shouldbe in the vertues then as some make it in the defects rather I say as betweene the Vine the Oliue which should be most fruitfull not as between the bryer and the thistle which should bee most vnprofitable For that reuerence should be vsed to the Church which the good sonnes of Noah vsed to their fathers nakednesse that is as it were to goebackwards and to helpe the defects thereof and yet to dissemble them And it is to be acknowledged that scarcely any church since the Primitiue Church yeelded in like manner of yeares and Latitude of Countrey a greater number of excellent Preachers Famous Writers and graue Gouernours but for the discipline and Orders of the Church as many and the chiefest of them are very holy and good so yet if Saint Iohn were to indite an Epistle to the church of England as hee did to them of Asia it would sure haue the clause Habeo aduers us to pauca And no more for this point sauing that as an appendixe thereunto it is not amisle to touch that obiection which is made to the time and not to the matter pretending that is Reformation were necessarie yet it were not now seasonable at your Matesties first entrance Yct Hippocrates saith si quid moues à principio moue And the wisedome of all examples doth shew that the wisest Princes as they haue eue been the most sparing in remoouing or alteration of seruants and officers vpon their comming in so for remoouing of abuses and enormities and for reforming of Lawes and the policie of their States they haue chiefly sought to enable and commend their beginnings therewith knowing that the first impression with people continueth long and when mens mindes are most in expectation and suspence then are they best wrought and managed And therefore it seemeth to me that as the spring of nature I meane the spring of the yeare is the best time for purging and medicining the naturall body so the spring of Kingdoms is the most proper season for the purging and rectifying of politique bodies There remaineth yet an obiection rather of suspition then of reason and yet such as I thinke maketh a great impression in the mindes of very wise and well affected persons which is That if way be giuen to mutation though it be in taking away abuses get it may so acquaint men with sweetnesse of change as it will vndermine the stabilitie euen of that which is sound and good This surely had beene a good and true allegation in the ancient contentions and diuisions betweene the people and the Senate of Reme where things were carried at the appetites of multitudes which can neuer keepe within the compasse of any moderation But these things beeing with vs to haue an orderly passage vnder a King who hath a Royall power and approued judgement and knoweth as well the measure of things as the nature of them is surely a needlesse feare For they need not doubt but your Maiestie with the aduise of your Councell will discerne what things are intermingled like the rares amongst the wheat which haue their rootes so inwrapped and intangled as the one cannot be pulled vp without indangering the other and what are mingled but as the chaffe and the corne which needs but a fanne to fift and seuer them So much therefore for the first point of no reformation to be admitted at all For the second point That there should be but one forme of Discipline in all Churches and that imposed by a necessitie of a commandement and prescript out of the word of God it is a matter Volumes haue beene compiled of and therefore cannot receiue a briefe redargution I for my part doe confesse that in reuealing the Scriptures I could neuer find any such thing but that God had left the like libertie to the Church-gouernment as he hath done to the Ciuil gouernment to be varied according to time and place and accidents which neuerthelesse his high and diuine prouidence doth order and dispose for all ciuill gouernments are restrained from God vnto the genarall grounds of Iustice and manners but the policies and formes of them are left free So that Monarchies and Kingdomes Senates and Seignories popular States and Communalties are all lawfull and where they are planted ought to bee maintained inuiolate So likewise in Church matters the substance of Doctrine is immutable and so are the generall Rules of gouernment but for Rites and Ceremonies and for the particular Hierarchies policies and disciplines of Churches they be left at large And therefore it is good wee returne vnto the ancient bonds of vnitie in the Church of God which was one Faith one Baptisme and not one Hierarchie one Discipline and that wee obserue the league of Christians as it is penned by our Sauiour Christ which is in substance of doctrine this Hee that is nos with vs is against vs. But in things indifferent and but of circumstance this Hee that is not against vs is with vs. In these things so as the generall rules be obserued that Christs Flocks be fed that there be a succession in Byshops and Ministers which are the Prophets of the New Testament that there be a due reuerent vse of the power of the Keyes that these that Preach the Gospell liue of the Gospell that all things tend to edification that all things bee done in order and with decencie and the like the rest is left to the holy wisedome and spirituall discretion of the master-builders and inferiour builders in Christs Church as it is excellently alluded by that Father that noted that Christs Garment was without seame and yet the Churches garment was of diuers colours and thereupon setteth downe for a Rule In veste varies as sit scissura non sit In which varietie neuerthelesse it is a safe and a wise course to follow good examples and presidents But then the rule of imitation and example is to consider not onely which are the best but which are the likest as namely the gouernment of the Church in the purest times
of the first good Emperours that imbraced the Faith For the times of persecution before temporall Princes receiued the Faith as they were excellent times for doctrine and maÌ„ners so they be vnproper and vnlike examples of outward gouernment and policie And so much for this point now to the particular points of Controuersies or rather of Reformation Circumstances in the Gouernment of Byshops FIrst therefore for the Gouernment of Byshops I for my part not prejudging the Presidents of other reformed Churches doe hold it warranted by the word of God and by the practise of the ancient Church in the better times and much more conuenient for Kingdomes then parity of Ministers and gouernment by Synodes But then further it is to be considered that the Church is not now to plant or build but onely to bee pruned from corruptions and repaired and restored in some decayes For it is worth the noting that the Scripture saith Translato acerdotio necesse est vs Legis fiat translatio It is not possible in respect of the great and neere sympathie betweene the State Ciuill and the State Ecclesiasticall to make so mayne an alteration in the Church but it would haue a perilous operation vpon the Kingdome and therefore it is fit that controuersie be in peace and silence But there bee two circumstances in the administration of Byshops wherein I confesse I could neuer be satisfied The one The sole exercise of their authoritie The other the Deputation of their authoritie For the first the Byshop giueth orders alone excommunicateth alone judgeth alone This seemes to bee a thing almost without example in gouernment and therefore not vnlikely to haue crept in the degenerate and corrupt times Wee see the greatest Kings and Monarches haue their Councels There is no temporall Councell in England of the higher sort where the authoritie doth rest in one person The Kings-bench CoÌ„mon-pleas and the Exchequer are benches of a certain number of Iudges The Chancellor of England hath an Assistance of 12. Maisters of the Chancerie The Master of the Wards hath a councell of the Court So hath the Chancellor of the Duchie In the Excliequer Chamber the Lord Treasuror is ioyned with the Chancellor and the Barrons The Masters of the Requests are euer more than one The Iustices of Assile are two The Lord Presidents in the Marches and in the North haue councels of diuers The Starre-chamber is an assembly of the Kings priuie Councell aspersed with Lords Spirituall and Temporall So as in all Courts the principall person hath euer either Colleagues or Assessors The like is to bee found in other well gouerned Kingdomes abroad where the jurisdiction is yet more distributed as in the Courts of Parliament of France and in other places No man will denie but the Acts that passe the Byshops jurisdiction are of as great importance as those that passe the Ciuill Courts for mens soules are more precious then their bodies or goods so are their good names Byshops haue their infirmities and haue no exception from that generall malediction which is pronounced against all men liuing Va sole nam si occiderit c. Nay we see that the first warrant in Spirituall causes is directed to a number Dei Ecclesia which is not so in temporall matters And we see that in generall causes of Church gouernment there are aswol Assemblies of all the Clergie in Councels as of the States in Parliament whence should this sole exercise of jurisdiction come Surely I doe suppose and thinke vpon ground that ab initio non fuit ita and that the Deanes and Chapters were Counsels about the Seas and chayres of Byshops at the first and were vnto them a Presbiterie or Consistorie and intermedled not onely in the disposing of their reuenues and endowments but much more in jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall But it is probable that the Deane and Chapter stucke close to the Byshops in matters of profit and the world and would not loose their hold but in matters of jurisdiction which they accounted but trouble and attendance they suffered the Byshops to encroach and vsurpe and so the one continueth and the other is lost And wee see that the Byshop of Rome fâ—â— est ab hoste doceri and no question in that Church the first institutions were excellent performeth all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as in Consistorie And whereof consisteth this Consistorie but of the parish Priests of Rome which terme themselues Cardinals à cardivibus mundi because the Byshop pretendeth to be vniuersall ouer the whole world And hereof againe we see diuers shadowes yet remaining As that the Deane and Chapter Proforma chooseth the Byshop which is the highest point of jurisdiction And that the Byshop when hee giueth orders if there be any Ministers casually present calleth them to joyne with him in imposition of hands and some other particulars And therefore it seemes to me a thing reasonable and religious and according to the first institution that Byshops in the greatest causes and those which require a spirituall discerning namely in ordayning suspending or depriuing Ministers in excommunication being restored to the true and proper vse as shall bee afterwards touched in sentencing the validitie of Mariages and legittimations in judging causes criminous as Symonie incest blasphemie and the like should not proceed sole and vnassisted which point as I vnderstand is a Reformation that may bee planted sine strepitu without any perturbation at all and is a matter which will giue strength to the Byshops countenance to the inferiour degrees of Prelates or Ministers and the better issue or proceeding in those causes that shall passe And as I wish this strength giuen to the Byshops by Councell so it is not vnworthy your Maiesties Royall consideration whether you shall not think fit to giue strength to the general Councell of your Clergie the Conuocation House which was then restrained when the state of the Clergie was thought a suspected part to the Kingdome in regard of their late homage to the Byshop of Rome which state now will giue place to none in their loyaltie and deuotion but to your Maiestie For the second point which is the Deputation of their Authoritie I see no perfect and sure ground for that neither beeing somewhat different from the examples and rules of gouernment The Byshop exerciseth his jurisdiction by his Chancellor and Comissarie Officiall c. Wee see in all Lawes in the world Offices of confidence and skill cannot be put ouer nor exercised by deputie except it bee especially contained in the originall grant and in that case it is dutisull And for experience there was neuer any Chauncellour of England made a Deputie There was neuer any judge in any Court made a Deputie The Byshop is a Iudge and of a high Nature whence commeth it that hee should depute considering that all trust and confidence as was said is personall and inherent and cannot or ought not to bee transposed Surely in this againe ab
those which cannot read vpon the booke are yet partakers of the sence and may follow it with their mind So againe after the reading of the Word of God it was thought fit there should bee some pawse for holy meditation before they proceeded to the rest of the seruice which pawse was thought fit to be filled rather with some graue sound then with a still silence which was the reason of the plaving vpon the Organs after the Scriptures read All which was decent and tending to edification But then the curiositie of diuision and reports and other figures of Musick haue no affinitie with the reasonable seruice of God but were added in the more pompous times For the Cap and Surplsce since they bee things in their nature indifferent and yet by some held superstitious and that the question is betweene Science and Conscience it seemeth to fall within the compasse of the Apostles rule which is that the stronger doe descend and yeeld to the weaker Onely the differenceis that it will be materially said that the rule holds between priuate man and priuate man but not betweene the conscience of a priuate man and the order of a Church But yet since the question at this time is of a tolleration not by conniuence which may incourage disobedience but by law which may giue a liberty it is good againe to bee aduised whether it fall not within the equitie of the former rule The rather because the silencing of Ministers by this occasion is in this scarcitie of good Preachers a punishment that lights vpon the people as well as vpon the partie And for the Subscription it seemeth to bee in the nature of a consession and therefore more proper to binde in the vnitie of Faith and to be vrged rather for Articles of doctrine then for Rites and Ceremonies and points of outward gouernment For howsoeuer politike considerations and reasons of State may require vniformitie yet Christian and diuine grounds looke chiefly vpon vnitie Touching a Preaching Ministry TO speake of a learned Ministerie it is true that the worthinesse of the Postors and Ministers is of all other points of religion the most summary I doe not say the greatest but the most effectuall towards all the rest But herein to my vnderstanding while men goe on in Zeale to hasten this worke they are not aware of as great or greater inconuenience then that which they seeke to remoue For while they inueigh against a dumbe Ministerie they make too easie and too promiscuous an allowance of such as they account Preachers hauing not respect enough to their learnings in other Artes which are hand-maides to Diuinitie nor respect inough to the guift it selfe which many times is none at all For God forbid that euery man that can take vnto himselfe boldnesse to speak an houre together in a Church vpon a Text should be admitted for a Preacher though he meane neuer so well I know there is a great latitude in guifts and a great varietie in Auditories and Congregations but yet so as there is aliquid infionum below which you ought not to descend For you must rather leaue the Arke to shake as it shall please God then put vnworthy hands to hold it vp and when we are in Gods Temple we are warned rather to put our hands vpon our mouth then to offer the Sacrifice of fooles And surely it may be justly thought that amongst manycauses of Athiesme which are miserably met in our Age as Schismes and controuersies prophane scoffing in holy matters and others it is not the least that diuers do aduenture to haudle the word of God which are vnfit and vnworthy And herein I would haue no man mistake me as if I did extoll curious and affected Preaching which is as much on the other side to be disliked and breeds Atheisme and scandall as well as the other for who would not bee offended at one that comes into the pulpit as if he came vpon the Stage to play parts or prizes neither on the other side as if I would discourage any who hath any tollerable gift But vpon this point I ground three considerations whether it were not requisite to renew that good Exercise which was practised in this Church some yeares and afterwards put downe by order indeed from the Church in regard of some abuse thereof inconuenient for those times and yet against the aduise and opinion of one of the greatest and grauest Prelates of this Land and was commonly called Prophecying which was this That the Ministers within a Precinct did meete vppon a weeke day in some principall Towne where there was some ancient graue Minister that was President and an Auditorie admitted of Gentlemen or other persons of leasure then euery Minister successiuely beginning with the yongest did handle one and the same piece of Scripture spending seuerally some quarter of an houre or better in the whole some two houres and so the Exercise beeing begun and concluded with prayer and the President giuing a Text for the next meeting the Assembly was dissolued And this was as I take it a fort-nights Exercise which in my opinion was the best way to frame and traine vp Preachers to handle the Word of God as it ought to be handled that hath been practised For we see Orators haue their Declamations Lawyers haue their mootes Logicians their Sophems and euery practise of Science hath an exercise of erudition and imitation before men come to the life onely Preaching which is the worthiest and wherein it is most danger to doe amisse wanteth an introduction and is ventred and rushed vpon at the first but vnto this Exercise of the Prophesie I would wish these two additions the one that after this Exercise which is in some sort publique there were immediatly a priuate meeting of the same Ministers where they might brotherly admonish the one the other and especially the elder sort the younger of any thing that had passed in the Exercise in matter or manner vnsound and vncomely And in a word might mutually vse such aduise instruction comfort or encouragement as occasion might minister for publike reprehension were to be debarred The other addition that I meane is that the same Exercise were vsed in the Vniuersities for young Diuines before they presumed to Preach as well as in the Country for Ministers for they haue in some Colledges an exercise called a Common-place which can m no degree bee so profitable beeing but the speech of one man at one time And if it bee feared that it may bee occasion to whet mens speeches for Controuersies it is easily remedyed by some strict prohibition that matters of Controuersie tending any way to the violating or disquicting of the peace of the Church be not handled or entred into which prohibition in regard there is euer to be a graue person President or Moderator cannot bee suffered The second consideration is whether it were not conuenient there should be a more exact probation and