nor against good manners may be indifferently obserued for their societie amongst whom we doe conuerse In the same Epistle the same holy Father telleth vs Saint Ambrose his iudgement concerning the varietie of fasting These are his wordes Cum RomaÌ„ venio ieiuno sabbato cum hic sum non ieiuno sic etiam tu ad quam sortè ecclesiam veneris eius morem serva si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quenquaÌ„ tibi WheÌ„ I come to Rome saith Saint Ambrose I fast on Satterday when I am here at Millan I doe not fast Euen so must you doe when you come to any other Church you must doe after the manner of that Church if you will neither scandalize others nor haue others to scandalize you Heere is a most golden rule how to behaue our selues in things indifferent viz to conforme our selues to the time place and persons when where and with whom we doe conuerse If our brethren would seriously ponder and duly weigh this golden aduise of this holy Father they would abandon all contention doubtlesse about the signe of the Crosse the Surplesse and such like indifferent things and for that dutie which they owe vnto the magistrate whom they are bound to obey in all lawfull things euen for conscience sake they would conforme themselues to his lawes and their brethren and not to scandalize the whole Church as they doe To this graue testimonie of Saint Austen and Saint Ambrose it shall suffice for the second reason to adde this memorable obseruation viz. that our brethren who labour so busily to enforce vs violently to receiue their newe discipline are not able to make demonstration to vs either out of the Scriptures or generall Councels or the holy fathers or ecclesiasticall histories that any Church in the Christian world from two hundred yeares before the famous Councell of Nice vntill maister Caluins daies that is for the space of a thousand foure hundred yeares together to say nothing of former times had either the same newe discipline in practise or any pastors made after their manner Which if it cannot be done they wil I doubt not after mature delibration had therein confesse willingly and truly at least in their hearts that in this Church of England there is this day a lawfull ministerie consisting of lawfull Ministers and Bishops according to the practise of the Church in all ages The third reason drawne from the vniforme consent of best approued late writers MAister Caluin hath a very large and learned discourse of this question some part whereof shall suffice at this present These are his wordes Quia autem in externa disciplina ceremonijs non valuit sigillatim praescribere quid sequi debeamus quod illud pendere a temporum conditione provideret ne que iudicaret vnam seculis omnibus formam convenire confugere hic oportet ad generales quas dedit regulas vt ad eaâ— exigantur quaecunque ad ordinem decorum praecipi necessitas ecclefiae postulabit Postremò quia ideo Nihil expressuÌ„ traeâ— didit quianec ad salutem haec necessaria sunt en prc moribus vniuscuiusque gentis ac seculi varie accommodari debent ad ecclesiae aedificationem provt ecclesiae vtilit as requiret tam vsitatas mutare abrogare quam novas instituere conveniet Fateor equidem non temerè nec subinae nec levibus de causis ad novationem esse decurrendum Sed quid â—oceat vel aedificet charit as optimè iudicabit quam si moderatriceÌ„ esse patiemur salva erunt omnia But because in externall discipline and ceremonies hee would not particularly prescribe what wee ought to followe because he foresaw that this depended vpon the state and condition of the time and did not deeme one maner to be agreeable to all ages here we must haue recourse to his generall rules giuen vs and make triall by them of what things soeuer the necessrie of the Church shall require for order and comelinesse Lastly because hee therefore deliuered nothing expressely for that they are not necessarie to saluation but must be applied diuersly to the benefit of the Church as the manners of euery nation doe require it shall therefore be convenient as well to chaunge and abolish the olde ceremonies as to institute newe as the good of the Church shall require I confesse freely that we must not vse innouation neither rashly nor often nor vpon light occasions But what shall bee hurtfull or profitable charitie shall best discerne which if we shall suffer to rule vs euery thing shall be well The same author in an other place hath these wordes Ego autem non nego quin aliquae fuerint apostolorum traditiones non scriptae sednon concedo fuisse doctrinae partes nec de rebus ad salutem necessarijs Quidigitur quae pertinerent ad ordinem poluiam Scimus n. vnicuique ecclesiae liberum esse politiae formam instituere sibi aptam vtilem quae dominus nihil certipraescripserit But I denie not that the Apostles deliuered some traditions which are not written Yet I doe not grant that they were either parts of doctrine or necessary to saluatioÌ„ What were they then doubtlesse such as pertained to pollicy and order For we knowe that euery Church hath her fredome and libertie to institute and ordaine such a kind of pollicie discipline as shall be thought meet profitable for the same because our Lord prescribed no certaine rule therein The same author in an other place hath these words Altos omnes ritus illic non vsitatos noÌ„ tantùm restuebant sed andactèr etiam damnabant Talis morosit as deterrima est pestis quum morem ecclesiae vnius volumus provnivsrsali lege valere They did not onely refuse all other ceremonies not vsed in that place but did also malepertly condemne them Such Morositie is a most noysome plague when wee will make the manner and discipline of one onely Church to be a generall rule for all Thus writeth this learned Doctor Out of whose wordes I may truly gather so much as will euidently make good the question I have in hand For First he telleth vs plainly that the holy Apostle did not set downe any certaine rule or lawe concerning things indifferent Secondly that hee lest that freedome and libertie to the Church and that for this ende and purpose because forsooth he foresaw in his wisedome that such things depended vpon the condition of times and that one manner of discipline was not conuenient to all places and persons Thirdly that euery Church may either chaunge her olde ceremonies or institute new as the necessitie of the Church requireth Fourthly that charitie is the best rule to follow herein and that euery thing is lawfull which is agreeable to the same Which rule S. Augustine appointed before him as I haue proued already Fiftly that the Church hath received many vnwritten
onely ambition and greedie desire of bearing rule ouer others Which his opinion hee prooveth to bee grounded vpon Christs owne wordes And doubtlesse it is to bee admired that any Learned man will holde the contrarie opinion See Peter Martyrs opinion and note it well His expresse wordes shall bee set downe when I come to speake of the church-discipline The Reply Maister Caluin and many other learned writers alleage this Text against that superioritie which the late Bishops of Rome doe challenge ouer other Ministers of the Church which doubtlesse they could never truely doe if one Bishop or Minister may be superiour to another The Answere I answere that M. Caluin and other learned men doe truely alledge this Scripture against the falsly challenged Primacie of the proude arrogant Bishop of Rome And yet for all that it doth not prohibite the moderate and lawfull superioritie of one Minister ouer another which is both necessarie for the peaceable managing of the Church and hath euer beene vsed in the Church as it is already prooved For the Bishop of Romes superioritie is so farre from heing moderate and lawfull that it may truely be termed tyrannicall and plaine diabolical Because as I haue proved at large in other discourses hee taketh vpon him to depose kings to translate kingdomes and in most brutish and savage manner to tyrannize ouer mens soules and consciences Idque iure divino as hee beareth the world in hand The 2. Obiection The names of Arch-bishops Primates and Patriarches are proud names disholy prophane and not to bee found in the holy Scriptures The Answere I answere First that though the names be not expressed in holy writ yet is the thing it selfe sufficiently conteined in the same as is already proved Secondly that the very names are so farre from being prophane and disholy that the most zealovs Patrons of the Presbitery doe allowe and approue the same for lawfull and holy and to haue beene ordained of the holy Fathers for a godly end and purpose Maister Caluins opinion is alreadie set downe in this present chapter Yet for better satisfaction of the Reader let him heare what the same authour saith in an other place These are his wordes Quod duodecim vnum habuerint inter se qui omnes regeret nihil mirum Hoc n. fert natura hoc hominum ingenium postulat vt in quovis caetu etiamsi aequales sint omnes potestate vnus tamen sit veluti moderator in quem alij respiciant Nulla est curia sine consule nullus consessus indicum sine Praetore sen quaesitore collegium nullum sine Praefecto nulla sine magistro societas That the twelue Apostles had one among them to gouerne the rest it was no maruell For nature requireth it and the dispositioÌ„ of men will so haue it that in euery company though they be all equall in power there be one as gouernour by whom the rest may be directed There is no Court without a Consull no Senate without a Pretor no Colledge without a PresideÌ„t no societie without a maister Now it is euident that neither Bishops nor Arch-bishops in our church of England haue greater authoritie then maister Caluin speaketh of in this place For to say nothing of the dignitie of Consuls and Pretors which was very great among the Romans the maister of a Colledge as euery Scholler of Cambridge and Oxford can tell hath a perpetuall office hee is chiefe gouernour of that societie and all the members thereof owe obedience vnto him as to their head he hath authoritie to punish and to see lawes executed within his Colledge as Bishops and Arch-bishops haue in their dioceses prouinces And most certaine it is that no Arch-bishop in England hath that authoritie in his prouince which the Consul had in Rome Maister Beza confesseth that antiquitie vsed the names of Bishops and Arch-bishops and willingly admitteth of them as holy names These are his expresse wordes Nam quod pastores temporis progressu distincti sunt in metropolitas episcopos quos nunc vocant curatos id est singulis paraecijs prafectos id minime factum est respectu ministerij verbi sed potum habita ecclesiasticae iurisdictionis ac disciplinae ratione Itaque quod attinet ad verbi praedicandi munus sacramentorum administrationeÌ„ nullum est inter archiepiscopos episcopos curatos discrimen Omnes n. tenentur suos greges eodeÌ„â—ibo pascere ideâ—que communi nomine postores episcopi in scripturis passim vocantur Quae verò istorum impudentia est sacra nomina vsurpare propter ea apostolorum verorum opiscoporum successionem iactare For that in processe of time pastors were distinguished into Metropolitans or Arch-bishops Bishops and Curates it was not done in respect of the Ministerie of the word but in regard of ecclesiasticall iurisdictition and discipline Therefore touching the office of Preaching and Ministration of the sacraments there is no difference betwixt Arch-bishops Bishops and Curates For they all are bound to feede their flockes with the same meate and therfore are they called in the Scriptures by the common name of Pastors and Bishops But how impudent are these men which vnder colour of these holy names glory in the succession of the Apostles and true Bishops thus writeth master Beza iumping as euery childe may see with that doctrine which I now defend Yea the same Beza affirmeth these degrees and names to haue beene appointed by the auncient Church vpon a very good zeale These are his wordes in an other place Neque verò nos ignoramus quammulia sint a veteribuâ— constituta de episcoporum metropolitaruÌ„ Patriarcharum sedibus idque optimo zelo definitis cuinsique limitibus certaque attributa authoritate Neither are wee ignorant how many coÌ„stitutions the old fathers haue made concerning the seates of Bishops Metropolitans and Patris arches and that vpon a very godly zeale assigning to euery one his boundes and authoritie Thus the Reader seeeth how Caluin Beza Bucer Zanchius and Hemingius doe hold the same opinion which I now defend The Reply The Bishops Arch-bishops Patriarches and such like of which Beza Caluin the Councell of Nice and other councels make mention were not such as our Bishops in England Prelates of the Garter high Commissioners Iustices of Peace and Quorum The Answere I answere First that the same superioritie of one minister ouer an other was then in the olde Arch-bishops Patriarches and such like which is this day in ours here in this land yea greater by one degree at the least because England neuer had a Patriarch in it Secondly that Arch-bishops Primates and Metropolitans which are all one in effect had then the same iurisdiction in other countries which our bishops haue this day in England That is to say a superiour charge and sollicitude of all Churches within their prouinces Which thing though it be alreadie prooued sufficiently to all well affected Readers may
Churches of Asia So Titus choose Ministers in Creta and Timotheus choose pastorall Elders at Ephesus And these persons haue authoritie so to doe because the whole church hath chosen them there vnto which by Gods word hath power and commission to choose the ministers of the Church Thus writeth this famous Doctor Out of these wordes I obserue these golden Lessons First that the authoritie to choose and elect the ministers of the church pertaineth vnto the whole church Secondly that the church hath this libertie and power granted to her either to choose them her self by general voices of all or else to appoint some special persons for that ende and purpose Thirdly that the manner of electing church-ministers may be chaunged as the circumstances of times persons or places shall require Fourthly that this varietie of election is grounded vpon Gods word Fiftly that Paul Bernabas Titus and Timotheus did of themselues choose the ministers of the church and consequently that the manner of electing church-ministers this day vsed in the church of England is agreeable to the word of God and also to the Apostolique practise of the Primitiue church For our Bishops doe not exercise any authoritie at all saue that onely which the whole church assembled in Parliament did by vniforme assent committed vnto them The first Obiection S. Cyprian telleth vs that the people haue interest in the Election of Ministers which was giuen them by diuine authoritie Ergo it is not in mans power to take away that freedome from them The Answere I answere First that S. Cyprian meaneth nothing else by diuine authoritie but divine examples not any divine precept commanding it so to be done Uiz. that there are examples in the Scripture by which wee may learne that the common people were present at the election of the Ministers to giue testimonie to the church of their life and conuersation as witnesses of their honest behauiour not as Iudges of the Election This my answere is grounded vpon S. Cyprians owne words which I proue sundry wayes First because he proueth his assertion onely by examples viz. For that Eleazar Matthias the 7. Deacons were chosen in the sight presence of the people Now we know that examples onely shew what may be done but they are not a law which doe or can commaund a thing of necessitie to bee done Christ ministred the holy Eucharist after Supper but wee doe it before dinner The Apostles receiued it sitting but wee take it kneeling Christ ministred it in vnleauened bread but wee in bread that is leauened So we see a great disparitie betwixt examples and precepts The former doe instruct vs but not compell vs the latter doe not onely teach vs but they also commaund vs. Againe because S. Cyprian hath these words Quod ipsum videmus de divina authoritate descendere vt sacerdos plebe praesente sub omnium oculis deligatur dignus atque idoneus publico indicio ac testimonio comprobetur Which thing wee see descends from diuine authoritie that the Priest may bee chosen when the people are present in the eyes of them all that he may be proued worthy by publique iudgement and testimonie And a little after he sheweth more plainly the cause why the people are present at elections Et Episcopus deligatur plebe praesente quae singulorum vitam plenissimè novit And that the Bishop may bee chosen in the presence of the people who know best what euery mans life hath beene Thirdly because S. Cyprian confesseth in that very place that some Prouinces had an other custome whom hee reproueth not I answere secondly that if the Antecedent bee admitted and wee also graunt the peoples interest to be De iure divino yet can nothing be inferred therevpon against the practise of the Church of England The reason is euident because nothing is done in our Churches of England to which the people haue not yeelded their assent as is alreadie proued The 2. Obiection The example of the Apostles saith M. Calvin is to vs Uice praecepti Ergo wee may not chaunge or depart from their practise in any wise The Answere I answere first that I haue proued the contrary both out of Maister Calvin and M. Beza yea M Calvin himselfe granteth freely that Christes owne practise may bee chaunged and that in a matter of greatest moment euen in the blessed Eucharist These are his owne words Nihil a Christs consilio ac voluntate alienuÌ„ facere videri qui non contemptu neque temeritate sed ipsa necessitate adacti provino aliua in ijs regionibus vsitatae potionis genus usurparent Hoc domini Calvini responsum vt optima ratione nixum Christi consilio consentaneum noster catus adeo comprobavit vt eos superstitiosè sacere censuerimus qui a vini symbolo vsque adeo penderent vt alter aÌ„ caenae partem omittere mallent quaÌ„ Analogon aliud symbolum ita cogente necessitate vsurpare M. Calvin saith M. Beza answered to his brethren in America which haue no wine that they should not doe contrary to Christes will and meaning who not vpon contempt but constrained with necessitie would vse insteede of wine some other kinde of drinke vsuall in that countery Which counsell of M. Calvin our congregation did so well like as grounded vppon good reason and agreeable to Christes counsell that we iudged them to be superstitious which did so depend vpon the Symbole of wine that they had rather omit the one part of the Supper then to vse vpon necessitie an other Symbole proportionable vnto wine This was M. Calvins opinion in this important and most weightie affaire M. Beza likewise deliuereth his iudgement in another subiect of like moment These are his expresse words Secundi generis sunt ipsa signorum materia nonnullorum râ—uum a domino institutorum forma vt exempti gratia panis vinum sunt caenae signa ex Domini institutione Ubi igitur panis aut vini vel nullus est vsus vel nulla certo tempore copia num caenae Domini nulla celebrabitur Imò ritè celebrabitur si quod panis aut vini vicem vel ex vsu communi vel pro temporis ratione supplet panis aut vini loco adhibeatur Haec n. mens fuit Christi quum panem ac vinum ad haec mysteria deligeret vt propositis earum rerum signis quibus corpus nostrum alitur veram alimoniam spiritualem velut ob oculos representaret Itaque a Christi sententi a nihil aberrat qui nullo prorsus novandi studio pro pane vino substituat quae etsi non parem similem tamen alimonia analogiam habeant Desie etiam aqua tamen baptismus alicuius differri cum adificatione non possit nec debeat ego certè quovis alio liquore non minus ritè quam aqua baptizarim Of the second kinde are the matter of the signes and the forme of
him Loe S. Luke speaketh not in the preterperfect tense or preterplusperfect tense who hath or had bene one of the seaueÌ„ Deacons but he saith in the present tense who is euen now one of the seauen For so the Originall Greeke word ontos must needs be expressed seing it is a participle of the present time or time euen now beeing And the holy Fathers together with the practise of the church haue euer so vnderstood this text of Scripture Saint Epiphanius deliuereth his minde in these plaine tearmes Omnes verò praeter ipsum susceperunt magnorum A. postolorum praesentians per impositionem manuum ipsorum acceperunt Spiritum sanctum Nam quum Philippus Diaconus esset non habebat potestatem imponendi manus vt per hoc daret Spiritum sanctum They all hee onely excepted receyued the presence of the mightie Apostles and by imposition of their hands they enioyed the holy Ghost For Philip being a Deacon onelie had not power to impose hands thereby to giue the holy Ghost S. Austen hath these expresse words Iterum multum distare inter Diaconum sacerdotem liber approbat queÌ„ dicimus actus Apostolorum Cumn ex Samaria credidissent Philippo praedicanti Diacono ab Apostolis ordinato miserunt inquit ad eos Petrum Ioannem vt venirent his qui crederâ—t darent spiritum sanctum per manus impositionem Again the booke which wee call the Acts of the Apostles prooueth that a Deacon differeth much from a Priest For when they of Samaria had beleeued the preaching of Philip the Deacon ordeined of th' Apostles they sent saith the booke Peter and Iohn vnto them that they might giue the holy Ghost by imposition of hands to those that did beleeue Thus wee see the iudgement of S. Epiphanius and S. Austen who both iointly affirme Philip to haue bene but a Deacon and yet to haue baptized and preached Yea Maister Gualter Maister Aretius and the Magaeburgenses doe all constanthe and vniformely contest the same truth with the auncient Fathers and continuall custome of the Church in all ages They write plainely that although Deacons were chieflie occupied about the dispensation of the churches goods yet did they employe their labours so far forth as they might in the other ministeries of the church The fourth member of Deacons promoted to Priesthood The Church of England is charged to doe against the word of God while shee vseth to make one and the same person first a Deacon and afterward a Priest To which calumnie I answere in briefe in this manner First that it is not against the word of God but very consonant and altogether agreable to the same For no Scripture can bee alleadged to prooue that a Deacon maye not become a Priest Maister Caluin affirmeth constantly that Philippe was first a Deacon and afterward an Euangelist Priest or pastorall elder Secondly that the church of England vsing the Deaconshippe as a steppe or degree vnto Priesthood doth nothing against the iudgement of the auncient Fathers but followeth the vsuall practise of the church in all ages The reason hereof is and euer was this viz. that there might be some time of try all of their behauiour in the Deaconshippe before they were or could bee admitted to the order of Priesthood No Councell no Father no hystorie Ecclesiasticall no time no place no person since the Apostolike age can be named to the contrary To the continuall practise of the Church from age to age th' Apostles words may sitly be applied when he saith the deacons that haue ministred well get themselues a good degree For sun 〈…〉 writer of high esteem in the church do 〈…〉 the word Degree a steppe vnto the 〈…〉 or Priesthood This notwithstanding it is not of necessitie that euery Deacon become a Priest by any canon or constitution of the church For his behauiour in the Deaconship may be such that the church will deeme him vnmeete to be preferred vnto Priesthood And therefore I conclude with these words of S. Hierome Et si scripturae authoritas non subesset totius orbis in hanc parteÌ„ consensus instar praecepti obtineret NaÌ„ multa alia quae per traditioneÌ„ in Ecclesijs obseruantur authoritateÌ„ sibi scriptae legis vsurpauerunt Although they were no authoritie in Holy Scripture yet should the consent of all the Christian worlde haue the force and strength of a law in this behalfe For many other things which the church obserueth by tradition are become equiualent to the written law Loe S. Hierome affirmeth boldly constantly as do also S. Augustine M. Caluin and others as I haue already prooued that the custome tradition of the church must bee in steede of a lawe vnto Christians Which euer is to be vnderstood in things not repugnant to the word of God or as M. Caluin speaketh which are neyther partes of doctrine nor necessarie to saluation The fyfth member of the generall confession made by priuate persons in the Church The Patrons of the expected Eldership or Presbyterie exclame against the booke of common prayer because it giueth libertie to the Laycall communicants to make a generall confession of their sinnes before the congregation then present as if therby the Laicall communicants should presently become publique ministers of the church To these men I answere in this manner first that they seeme to theÌ„selues to be the onely wise men in the worlde to condemne all the rest of follie For otherwise they would not so roundly peremptorily take vpon themselues and that without either Scripture Councell or Father nay without all time or reason to controll condemne the book of publique praier which I verily think to haue bene composed by the assistance of the Holy Ghost consequently to condemne all the ancient Byshops those glorious martyrs of our Lord Iesus the most famous Byshop of Sarisburie the Iewell of England in his time the Byshops that now liue who are both wise vertuous learned all the residue of the learned Cleargie of this our English Church Secondly that by their grosse assertion ioyned with a most vnchristian reprehension the lowly Publican highly commended in the Gospell should bee made a Minister of the Church or haue intruded him himself into the function of publique Ministerie when hee knocked vppon his breast said O God be mercifull to me a sinner Thirdly that by the same reason the notorious sinners which were put to open penance in the primitiue Church and confessed their faults before the congregation should bee in the same predicament Fourthlie that publique penitents this daye who are for all that approoued of the Patrons of the Presbyterie should be caught in the same nette Fyftlie that the same may bee saide of Women singing Psalmes in the Church and that with more probabilitie who for all that are approoued in so doing not onely in this Church of England but
THE Regiment of the Church AS IT IS AGREABLE WITH Scriptures all Antiquities of the Fathers and moderne Writers from the Apostles themselues vnto this present age I. Cor. 14. v. 40. v. 26. Let all things be done decently and in order Let all things be done to edification I. Cor. II. v. 16. If any man iust to be contentions we haue no such customes nor the Churches of God TC LONDON Imprinted by T. C. for William Welby and are to be sold at his Shop in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the Grayhound 1606. TO THE MOST REVEREND FA ther my very good Lord Richard by Gods holy ordinance the Lord Arch-bishop of England grace and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. AS many things most reuerend father are both comely and profitable so neither is there neither can there be anything more necessarie in any well managed church or christian common weale then godly vniformitie and christian vnitie in pure Religion the proper and peculiar worship of the euerliuing God Which vnitie and vniforme conformitie for all that not onely the cruell and blood-thristie Papists in former times but the Brownists also and the Martinists cursed broodes untimely hatched detested of God and irkesome to the world haue of late daies endeuoured with might maine to disturbe extinguish it to take it quite out of the way For the speedie conuersion or else for the vtter confusion of which professed enemies of the godly vnitie and true christian peace of Gods Sion I deeme them right happie who can in any small measure concur by way of redresse and put to their helping hand Against the former sect I haue published many books challenging all English Iesuites Seminaries Iesuited Papists yea prouoking and adiuring them all ioyntly and seuerally to frame some answere either to all or to some one of the saide bookes But wil ye haue the truth their harts faile them their own consciēces accuse them they are at their wits end know not in the world what to say or write They will not answere and why I pray you because forsooth they cannot but to their owne shame and confusion euerlasting For if they could they would vndoubtedlie answere mee so to saue their owne credite and the life of their late harched Romish Religion About three yeeres agoe a railing Iesuit an odde swaggering Diuine terming himselfe E. O. in his detection against Maister D. Sutcliffe and Maister Willet taketh notice of the bookes which I haue published against them and telleth his Readers if they may beleeue him that the confutation of my workes is vndertaken But what followeth and the said confutation must be published if it shall be thought expedient By which words with the circumstances annexed thervnto wee may easily vnderstand three memorable points First that the Papists are mightilie troubled about the answearing of my bookes Secondly that they can not tell in the worlde how and in what sort to answere them Thirdly that they would haue all their Popish Vassalls to think that they haue alreadie answered them and that they are not published because it is not thought a thing expedient to bee done But I pray thee gentle Reader who will beleeue these Iesuits what wise man will euer thinke that the Iesuits haue for the space of eyght or nine yeares considered howe to answere my bookes and after the answere is vndertaken cannot tell if it bee expedient to publishe the same for as the Philosopher can tell them Vltimum in executione debet primum esse in intentione That which is the last in execution must bee the first in intention Yea the very light of Nature and daylie experience teacheth vs that in all our actions wee must chieflie and principallie respect the end for the which wee intende to doe them They dare not fight the combat valiantly neyther with the long sworde nor yet with the shorte They dare not encounter mee and cast mee their Gauntlet No no Negry quidem can bee extorted from their pennes Against the latter sect because they whollie dissent from the Papists and agree with our English Churche in the chiefest fundamentall points of Doctrine an other manner of methode and a different kinde of proceeding must bee vsed against them They exclaime with open mouthes and crie out against our English Church flying from our companies and detesting vs as prophane polluted and forlorne people They vse Conventicles Whisperings and meetings in Woodes Fieldes and odde corners They beare the simple people in hand that our Temples are prophaned our Doctrine corrupt our Sacraments impure our Byshops Antichristian and our kind of Church-gouernment repugnant to that sacred forme and order which our LORD IESVS prescribed in his holie worde They say of themselues but Laus propriioris sordescit that they are inspired of the holy Spirit that they are sent from Heauen to reforme our Church and to direct it into all Truth With which faire speeches and sugred words alas for pittie they seduce the rude vulgar sorte steale away their hearts and make them disobedient to higher powers And while these good fellowes the Brownists and Martinists seeke to bee reputed the onely wisemen vpon Earth they neither knowe what they say nor yet whereof they affirme but doe open a large window to all disloyaltie and sedition euery where and giue the Papists some comforte and hope once to enioye theyr long expected daye In regarde hereof most Reuerend Father and worthie Prelate my selfe though the meanest of manie thousands in this our English Churche haue thought it operaepretium to vse my Penne in my plaine and simple manner for the vnitie and true peace of our English Sion and for the manifestation of the lawfull gouernmēt thereof I haue in this present discourse most honourable constant wise and christian Patron of the Churches libertie power freedome auncient prerogatiue which the Brownists and foolish Martinists would turne vpside downe made euident demonstration of the lawfull gouernment of our Church And that is done in such compendious manner as neither the Reading can be thought tedious nor the price of the book chargeable with such perspicuitie as the most simple euen very babes and children may with al facility understād the same with such sufficiēcie as no Brownist or Martinist or other malitious aduersarie of our churches godly setled gouernment whosoeuer shall euer be able while the world indures either with Scriptures Councels Fathers or Ecclesiastical Histories to gain say or with stand the same I haue succinctly and euidently set down before the eyes of the indifferent Reader that the monarchical gouernāce of our English church is both the best and the most laudable of all others That there is euer hath beene in all former ages of the church superioritie of one church-minister aboue and ouer another and that one may this day lawfully haue iurisdiction ouer another That Bishops Arch-bishops Primates Metropolitains Patriarches haue euer beene in
Touching naturall propension which must needes bee referred to God the author of Nature it appeareth by it that a Monarchie or rule of one is most agreeable to nature it selfe For first in euery house the Father of the familie doth gouerne all the rest the wife the children and the seruants Againe the greatest part of the whole worlde a gouerned by kings Thirdly Monarchies and Kingdomes are farre more auncient then either Aristocraties or Democraties For proofe hereof the onely testimonie of she excellent Historiographer Iustinus may suffice These are his words Principio rerum gentium nationumque impeâ—ium penes reges erant quos ad fastigium huius maiestat is non ambitio popularis sed spectata inter bonos moderatio proueheâ—at In the beginning of the world the gouernment of people and nations was vnder Kings whome vertue not popular ambition aduaunced to that high seate of Maiestie Fourthly the creatures which are without reason and haue onely sense seeme naturally to desire the gouernment of one The holy Fathers doe so testifie of them and experience it selfe doth shew it to be so S Hierome hath these words Nulla ars absque magistro discitur Etiam muta animalia ferarum greges ductores sequuntur snos In apibus principes sunt Grues vnum sequuntur ordine literato Imperator vnus Iudex vnus prouinciae Roma vt condita est duos fratres simul habere reges non potuit parricidio dedicatur No Art is learned without a maister Yea euen the dumbe cattell and slockes of wilde beastes doe all follow their leaders The Bees haue their gouernours the very Cranes follow on in order in forme of a letter There is one Emperour There is one iudge of a prouince Rome was no sooner built then it abhorred to haue two kings at once to rule ouer it so as without cruell murder the dedication thereof was not accomplished But what neede is thereof further proofe in this dispute seeing it is euident to al that hold the Christian faith aright that God omnipotent is the supreme Monarch in heauen and earth and gouerneth by that kind of regiment which is neither Democraticall nor yet Aristocratical but monarchicall and consequently a monarchy must needes be the best kind of gouernment And whosoeuer can and list to read that holy auncient and learned father S. Ciprian shall finde this discourse so apparant as he can neuer stand long in doubt thereof I therfore conclude that whosoeuer shall denie a simple monarchie to be the best kind of gouernment must perforce fall vnawares into the error of the Marcionistes of the Manichies and of the Ethnickes For if it be true as it is most true as all Christians must confesse that the world is ruled in the best maner and best kind of gouernment by God that made it it must follow of necessitie that neither a Democratie nor yet an Aristocratâ—e is the best forme of Regiment For otherwise doubâ—lesse there must be many makers of this world and many Gods CHAP. III. Of the kind of gouernment of the Church and common weale of England NOw seeing it is true as is alreadie proued that a Monarchie is the best kind of gouernment and that the Church and common-weale of England is gouerned by a most wise most learned most vigilant and most religious Monarch Gods saithfull seruant and our gratious and most happie Soueraigne it followeth by a necessarie consequence that the kind of gouernment vsed in the Church and common-weale of England is the best and most laudable of all other For as our gratious soueraigne writeth most learnedly paritie is an enemy to vnitie and the mother of confusion The selfe same saith S. Chrysostome when he auoucheth degrees and superioritie to haue therefore bene appointed because equalitie engendreth strife and contention The same sai h S. Cyprian when he affirmeth boldly that heresie or Schisme did not rise of any other occasion but onely vpon this that there was not one Priest and one Iudge for the time appointed in the Church in the stead of Christ to whom the whole brotherhood should yeelde obedience The same saith S. Hierome when he auoucheth one to haue beene chosen among the Bishops to rule ouer the rest least euery one according to his own fansie should teare in peeces the church of Christ. Yea a Monarchicall gouernment is so necessarie euery where and in all sorts of creatures that S. Chrysostome acknowledgeth it amongst the bruite beasts in the Bees Cranes slockes of sheepe and Fishes of the Sea And therfore after a long discourse he concludeth in these wordes Libertas â— illa dissoluâ—a ac moderamine carens vbique mala confusionisque causa est For dissolute libertie without gouernment is euery where euill and the cause of confusion But because the excellencie of English gouernment shall be proued by degrees throughout this whole discourse thus much shall suffice for this place because I endeuour to auoide tautologie and not to bee tedious to the Reader CHAP. IIII. Of the supreame government of the ciuil magistrate ouer all persons and all causes within his Realmes territories and dominions OF this theame I haue written more largely in other treatises and therefore I purpose now to speake no more therof then I deeme conuenient for the matter I haue in hand For which purpose it were enough to well effected Readers to call to minde that the godly Kings as well in time of the law of Moses as in the time of the new testament and lawe of grace did manage all matters both of Church and Common-weale and therefore the ciuill magistrate was commanded to reade the booke of the whole lawe as well of the first as of the second table and to studie the same night and day Therefore was the ciuil magistrate commaunded to goe out and in before the people and to leade them out and in that the congregation of the Lord bee not as sheepe which haue no shepheard Therefore was the booke of the Lawe deliuered into the Kings hands at such time as hee receiued the crowne and was annointed Musculus a great learned man and famous writer affirmeth resolutely that the care of reforming and maintaning religion doth more appertaine to the ciuill magistrate then to the Ministers of the Church His expresse wordes are these Moses Primus catholicus Israelis magistratus personam gerens non sacerdotis quae Aaroni imposita fuit sed superioris potestatis similem regiae omnem in populo dei religioneÌ„ constituit ipsique Aaroni levitarum ordini facienda vitanda praescripsit In quo manifestè videmus disponendae religionis curam magis ad superiorem magistratum quà m ad sacerdotum ordinem pertinere Sequitur post mortem Mosis cura religionis vâ—â cum magistratis devolutae est non ad Eleazarum sacerdotem sed ad Iehosuah filium Nun de triba non Levi sed Ephraim Huic mandabat
Patriarches together with the Synodes from whom there could be no appeale but onely vnto a Generall Councell This kinde of gouernment some called a Hierarchie a name improper and not vsed in the Scriptures as I thinke For the holy Ghost would not haue vs to dreame of any dominion or rule when question is made of Church gouernment But omitting the name if we consider the thing it selfe we shall find that these old Bishops would not frame any other kind of gouernment in the Church then that which God prescribed in his word Thus writeth Maister Caluin of the antiquitie of degrees and superioritie amongst the Ministers of the Church Which whosoeuer shall ponder seriously all partialitie set apart together with the constitutions testimonie and approbation of the most sacred and renowned generall Councel of Nice which Councel was euer to this day highly reuerenced throughout the Christian world that man doubtlesse cannot but approoue and allowe our Bishops and Arch-bishops with their names and authorities this day established in the godly setled gouernment of the Church of England For first Maister Caluin graunteth willingly the truth it self plainly leading him thereunto that in the time of the famous Councell of Nice there were both Arch-bishops and Patriarches Secondly that that patriarches were in order dignitie aboue the Arch-bishops and consequently that there was euen then viz. aboue one thousand two hundred and fortie yeares agoe superioritie Episcopall Archiepiscopall and Patriarchall among the ministers of the Church one minister hauing iurisdiction ouer and vpon an other More then which doubtlesse our Bishops and Arch-bishops doe not this day challenge in our Church of noble England Thirdly that this superioritie and dignitie among Ministers was ordained for the preseruation of discipline in the Church and consequently that as it was then godly conuenient and necessarie for the Church so is it this day in our Church of England Fourthly that the kinde of gouernment by Arch-bishops and Patriarches was agreeable to that forme of gouernment which God prescribed in his word This is a point of great moment which may not bee forgotten To which I also adde which the Reader must obserue seriously with mee that the Councell of Nice telleth vs plainely that this superioritie of one Minister aboue and ouer an other which the Brownists cannot endure was not then first appointed but had beene time out of minde by an auncient custome of the church which the Councell confirmed and established by her decree But how doe I proue it doubtlesse by the expresse wordes of the Councell For the Councell in the sixt Cannon hath these wordes Mos antiquus perduret Let the olde custome continue And in the seuenth cannon it hath these wordes Quoniam mos antiquus obtinuit vetusta traditio Because an olde custome and auncient tradition hath preuailed c. Which olde custome had beene in the Church euen from Saint Marke the Euangelist and from Saint Timothy and Saint Titus as is already prooued And if any one will yet bee obstinate and denie that this olde custome whereof the holy and auncient Councell speaketh beganne in the Apostles time let that man or those persons which so shall say or affirme name the time before the Nicene Councell when Archbishops and Patriarches first beganne And if any man can this performe I promise to bee of his opinion If otherwise both reason and true humilitie would aduise that man and those persons who shall so say or thinke to yeelde all due obedience to their superiours and willingly to subscribe vnto the truth Which doubtlesse they will doe that heretofore haue refused to embrace the ceremonies of our English Church if this Text of the Gospell bee not truly verified in them for they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God But howe is this possible I will vnfold the case Gentle Reader protesting that I doe it of charitie and for edification sake The truth I will plainly and sincerely set downe concealing the parties name because I loue the man and haue regard vnto his credite Talking with a Preacher of mine acquaintance a man otherwise both godly learned and of singular gifts concerning the cannons of Anno. 1604. and the kinde of gouernment of this our English Church when hee seemed to mee to haue nothing of moment to say against the same hee answered mee thus that hee would neither loose his liuing nor weare the surplesse nor yet make the signe of the crosse in the childs forhead And when I demaunded how that could bee hee answered that hee would keepe one to doe it but not doe it himselfe When I replied that hee might as lawfully doe it himselfe as procure an other to doe it hee vttered these wordes How can I doe that against which I haue so often preached I proceeded and told him as a friend that his refusall seemed to tast of the spirit of the proude Pharise and not of the humble Publican c. Well I hope the partie wil be obedieÌ„t But certes I thought afore that all their proceedings had been of meere conscience which now I perceiue to be of pride in a great many of them through which manner of dealing I wil not say hypocrisie the simple sort become disobedient and are deepely drowned in errour and our Church pitifully turmoyled with schismes dissention The godly learned and zealous Patron of pure religion maister Bucer deriueth the superioritie of Arch-bishops euen from the Apostles themselues These are his expresse words I am ex perpetua ecclesiarum observations abipsis apostolis videmus visum hoc esse spiritu sancto vt inter presbyteros quibus ecclesiarum procuratio potissimùm est commissa vnus ecclesiarum totius sacriministerij curam gerat singulareÌ„ eaque cura solicitudine cunctis praeerat alijâ— Qua de causa episcopi nomen huiusmodi summis ecclesiarum cur atoribus est peculiaritèr attributum Now we see by the perpetuall obseruation of churches euen from the Apostles themselues that it pleased the holy Ghost that among the ministers to whom especially the gouernment of the church is committed one should haue the chiefe care both of the churches and the whole sacred ministery that he in that care and sollicitued should be aboue al the rest for which cause the name of Bishop is peculiarly giuen to such chiefe gouernours of churches Thus writeth maister Bucer Out of whose words I note first that the superioritie of Arch-bishops and bishops proceedeth from the holy Ghost Secondly that this superioritie was euer in the church eueÌ„ from the Apostles The same author hath in that same Chap. much more matter to the same effect The famous doctor zealous christian Hieronymie Zanchis us in the coÌ„fessioÌ„ of his faith granteth freely that there were Arch-bishops Metropolitans and Patriarches before the Nicene Councel These are his words Cum hanc coÌ„sâ—riberem fidei confessioneÌ„ omnia ex bona
to the Arch-bishop of Canterburie ouer the other Bishops and Ministers in England Now for aunswere to the other part of the obiection touching high Commissioners Iustices of Peace and Quorum I haue referued the next Chapter CHAP. VI. Of civill offices in Ecclesiasticall persons THe authoritie in ciuill matters committed to the ministers of the Church is not made a thing intrinsically incideÌ„t to the ministerie or as a part thereof but it is coÌ„mitted to them by the Prince whom his subiects are not to limit what persons he shall vse in counsell or to whom hee shall commit the execution of his lawes and it is added to their ministerie as profitable and necessarie for the present state and good of the Church Which good to bee procured by that meanes rather then by any other imployment besides it may appeare both by experience and practise By experience for that wee see those Kingdomes Princes and people most blessed of God where learned and godly Bishops haue beene receiued into the Princes Counsell By practise because I haue both heard and read that maister Caluin and maister Beza were admitted to be Counsellours of the seate at Geneua being thought sit men for that place Who doubtlesse would neuer haue yeelded thereunto if they had thought it a thing either vnlawfull in it selfe or incompatible to their function No no it is neither vngodly nor yet vnseemely for a Minister to come from the Pulpit to the correction of vice sinne and wickednesse But contrariwise it is so godly so comely and so necessarie that it euer hath beene vsuall both in the Lawe of nature in the Lawe of Moses and in the Lawe of grace for First in the lawe of nature Melchisedech was both King and Priest So reporteth holy Moses in his booke of Genèsis and Saint Paul to the Hebrewes And Saint Hierome telleth vs that all the eldest sonnes of the holy Patriarches were both Kings and Priests Aiunt hunc esse Sem filium Noe supputantes annos vitae ipsius ostendunt eum ad Isaac vsque vixisse omnesque primogenitos Noe donec sacerdotio fungeretur Aaron fuisse pontifices The Hebrewes saith Saint Hierome affirme this Melchisadech to bee Sem the sonne of Noah and reckoning the yeeres of his life they shewe vs that he liued vntill Isaac and that all the first begotten of Noah vntill Aarons Priest-hood began were Bishops Yea whosoeuer will denie that Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob and others did rule ouer those who were committed to their charge as wel in ecclesiasticall as ciuill causes they may truly be said to knowe nothing in the scriptures Secondly in the Lawe of Moses Moses himselfe was both the ciuill Magistrate and a Priest For Moses iudged the people from morning vnto euen Hee put the Malefactors to death who had committed Idolatry Hee consecrated Aaron and his sonnes and burnt sweet incense on the golden Altar Heli was both the high Priest and iudge of the people for the space of 40 yeares together Samuel likewise was both a Priest and iudge ouer the people for the space of 30. yeares together The good king Iosaphat made the Priests iudges both in ecclesiastical and ciuil causes And after the captiuitie of the Iewes the Machabees were rulers aswel in ciuil as in ecclesiastical causes Read the books of the Machabees Iosephus Egesippus and this truth will soone appeare But what neede many words in a case so cleere and euident God himselfe made a general law that the priests the ciuil magistrate shuld iontly determine iudge and decide all controuersies These are the expresse wordes of the Law if there rise a matter too hard for thee in iudgement betweene boold and blood betweene plea and plea betweene plague and plague in the matters of controuersie within thy gates then shalt thou arise and goe vnto the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse And thou shalt come to the Priestes of the Levites to the iudge that shall be in those dayes and aske and they shall shewe thee the sentence of iudgement These wordes are so plaine as all interpretation may be thought needlesse Thirdly in the Gospell and newe Testament wee haue a pluralitie of examples in this behalfe S. Paul when he made his abode at Corinthus with Aquila and Prescilla whom Claudius the Emperour had driuen from Rome he wrought with his hands being of the same craft with them and made tents as they did S. Augustine thought it a thing so lawfull for a Bishop to be iudge in causes Ecclesiasticall that I wonder how any man hearing or reading his owne words can any longer stand in doubt thereof Thus doth he write Quis plantat vineam de fructu eius non edit Quis pascit gregem de lacte gregis non percipit Tamen Dominum Iesum in cuius nomine securus haec dico testem invoco super animam meam quoniam quantum attinet ad meum coÌ„modum multo mallem per singulos dies certis horis quantum in bene moderatis monasterijs constitutum est aliquid manibus operari caeteras horas babere ad legenduÌ„ orandum aut aliquid de divinis litteris agendum liberas quam tumultuosissimas perplexitates causar uÌ„alienarum patide negotijs secularibus vel iudicando dirimendis vel interveniendo praecidendis quibus nos molestijs idem affixit Apostolus non vtique suo sed eius qui in eo loquâ—batur arbitrio quam tamen ipsum perpessum fuisse non legimus Aliter n. se habebat apostolatus eius discursus Sequitur quem tamen laborem non sine consolatione domini suscipimus prospe vitae aeternae vt fructum seramus cum tolerantia Servi n sumus cius Ecclesiae maxime infirmioribus membris quanta libet in eodem corpore membra sumus Omitto alias innumerabiles ecclesiasticas curas quat for tasse nemo credit nisi qui expertus est Non ergo alligamui onera gravia humeris vestris imponimus quae nos digito non attingimus quandoquidem si officil nostri sarva ratione possemus videt ille qui probat corda nostra mallemus haee agere quae vt agatis hortamur quà m ea quae non agere cogimur Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof who seedeth a flocke and receiueth not of the milke of the flocke Yet I call the Lord Iesus to witnesse vpon my soule in whose name I boldly vtter these words that touching mine owne commoditie I had much rather euery day to worke some thing with mine hands as it is appointed in well gouerned Monasteries and to haue the houres free to read and to pray and to doe some exercise in the holy Scriptures then to suffer the tumultuous perplexities of other mens causes touching secular affaires either in determining theÌ„ by iudging or in cutting theÌ„ off by intreating to which molestations the Apostle hath tyed vs not by
committed the managing of his house Which point is likewise proued aboundantly in the Chapters aforegoing The 4. Aphorisme of ceremonies vsed id Wed. locke or marriage IN the solemnization of Matrimonie two things are much reproued viz the Ring and the simbolicall signification To the former I answere that seeing Wed-locke is a vassible ciuill contract there is great reason that it should be assured with some ciuill permanent and externall signe Hereupon the Church which hath authoritie to ordaine ceremonies as is alreadie proued doth appoint a round Ring as a ceremonie best beseeming such a contract For the Ring being round and without end in it selfe is very fit and meete to signifie to the married couple that they ought to be ioyned in the perpetual band of loue the one to the other To the latter I answere semblahly that S. Paul may as iustly be reproued therein as the Church of England For after he hath discoursed at large of the high misterie of matrimonie assuming the husband and the wife to be one flesh hee foorthwith addeth that hee speaketh of the great misterie betweene Christ and his Church Which symbolicall signification â—s approued by Saint Austin S. Chysostome S. Ambrose S. Hierome and many others It shall suffice in this so cleere a case to alleage S. Ambrose his words for all the rest Thus doth bee write Mysterij Sacramentum grande in vnitate viri ac foeminae esse signifiâ—at sed aliam causam quae non discordet a memorato mysterio flagitat quam scit ad prosectum humani generis pertinere hoc est ecclesiae salvatoris vt sicut relictis parentibus home vxori suae adhaerdt it a relicto omni errore ecclesia adhaereat subijciatur capiti suo quod est Christus He signifieth that there is a great mysterie in the vnitie of the wife and her husband Neither doth hee reveale this onely but he also requireth an other cause which differeth not from the said mysterie which hee knoweth to appertaine to the profit of mankinde that is of the Church and of our Saviour That as man forsaking his parents adhaereth to his wife so the Church leauing all errour must adhaere and be subiect to her head which is Christ. M Bucer approveth and highly commendeth euery ceremonie which our church vseth coÌ„cerning holy wedlock Hieronimus Zanchius a most zealous and learned writer singeth the same song with Saint Ambrose These are his words Talis fuit eductio Evae ex latere Adae dormientis Item coniunctio Evae cum Adamo in matrimonium Res in se fuit visibilis sub sensum cadens sed aliam occultam representabat eductionem creationem ecclesiae ex latere Christi in cruco mortui vnionem ecclesiae cum Christo. Such was the eduction of Eve out of the side of Adam when he was a sleepe So also was the coniunction of Eve with Adam in the matrimoniall contract the thing in it selfe was visible and subiect to our sence but it did represent another secret thing euen the eduction and creation of the Church out of Christes side being dead vppon the Crosse and the vnion of the Church with Christ. The fift Aphorisme of the Symbolicall signe vsed in the confirmation of Children IT is greatly disliked and highly reprooued that our Bishops doe lay their hands vpon children to certifie them by this signe of Gods fauour towards them To which I answere that the fact and vsage of our Bishops in confirming children is according to the practise of the church in al former ages and therefore ought it not either to bee so lightly reiected or so rashly condemned S. Cornelius writing to his brother Fabius sheweth evidently how one Novatus being baptitized in his bed regarded not after his recoverie the rest of the ceremonies whereof he should haue bene partaker according to the rule of the Church no not so much as to be sealed or confirmed by the Bishop for that cause did he not receive the holy ghost Now this Cornelius liued above 1100. yeeres agoe at what time the church was free from all herisies errours superstition And yet did the church even then vse to confirme children in the selfe same maner now vsed in our English Church S. Augustin deliuereth the custome of the Church in his time in such golden excellent words as I verely thinke he is able to satisfie every one that shall with a single eye and vpright iudgement all parcialitie set apart duely ponder the same These are his words Numquid modo quibus impenitur manus vt accipiant spiritum sanctum hoc expectatur vt linguis loquaÌ„tur aut quando imposuimus manus istis infantibus attendit vnusquisque vestrum vtruÌ„ linguis loquerentur cùm videreâ— cos linguis non loqui ita perversocorde aliquis vestruÌ„ fuit vt diceret non acceperunt isti spiritum sanctum naÌ„si accepissenâ— linguis loquerentur quâ—aamodum tunc factum est si ergo per haec miracula non fiat modo testimonium praesentiae spiritus sancti vnde fit vnde cognoscit quisque se accepisse spiritum sanctum interroget cor suum si deligit fratrem spiritus Deimanet in illo Is it this day expected that they speake with tongues vpon whoÌ„ the Bishop hath laid his hands that they should receiue the holy Ghost or when we imposed hands vpon Infants did euery one of you marke if they spake with tongues and when he sawe they spake not with tongues was then any of you so way wardly affected as to say they haue not receiued the holy Ghost for if they had they would speake with tongues as it came then to passe If therefore we haue not the testimonie of the presence of the holy Ghost by miracles how knoweth euery one that hee hath receiued the holy Ghost Let him dispute the matter with his owne heart and if he loue his brother the spirit of God abideth in him Thus write these holy Fathers shewing plainly vnto vs the practise of the Church in their dayes and that the holy Ghost is giuen in confirmation as also that the imposition of hands is a signe thereof in Gods children though not giuen in such miraculous manner as in the Apostles-time Saint Hieromie teacheth the selfe same doctrine which Cornelius and Saint Austin haue deliuered These are his words Quod si hoc loco quaeris quare in ecclesia baptizatus nisi per manus episcopi non accipiat spiritum sanctum quem nos asserimus in vero baptismate tribui disce hanc observationem ex ea authoritate descendere quod post ascensum domini spiritus sanctus ad Apostolos descendit Et multis in locis idem factitatum reperimus ad honorem potiùs sacerdotij quà m ad legis necessitatem If thou heere demaund why hee that is baptized in the Church receiueth not the holy Ghost but by the hands of the Bishop which
certaine Rites which our Lord ordained as for examples sake bread and wine are the signes of the Supper by our Lords owne institution Where therefore there is either no vse at all of bread and wine or else great want for a time shall we celebrate no Supper of the Lord Yea it shall bee celebrated aright if that bee taken in the place of bread and wine which either by common vse or in regard of the time is vsed in the stead of bread or wine For this Christ intended when he chose bread and wine for these mysteries that by proposing before our eyes the signes of those things with which our bodies is nourished he might represent the true foode of our soules Therefore he swarueth not at all from Christes meaning who hauing no desire of innovation vseth in stead of bread and wine those things which though they haue not equall yet haue they like proportion of nourishment with bread and wine There wants also water and yet Baptisme neither ought nor can be differed with edification my selfe doubtlesse would baptize in any other liquor no lesse lawfully then I would in water This is maister Bezaes iudgement euen in the essentiall parts of the Sacraments Out of this doctrine thus deliuered by these two learned Doctors M. Calvin and M. Beza I observe these most important documents First that the authoritie of the church is so great that it can alter the matter of the Sacraments both of Baptisme and the Lordes supper if credit may be giuen to these great Doctors doctrine Secondly that the vse of the Lords Supper and of Baptisme is of such necessitie that this chaunge may and ought to be admitted rather then wee bee defrauded of the benefite thereof Thirdly that neither the practise of the Apostles nor the examples of Christ nor yet Christes owne institution No not in the matter of Sacraments is of such force and moment but that the church vpon good and necessarie cause may alter and chaunge the same And consequently it must needes be graunted neither can it with any colour of reason bee denied that the Church may chaunge the maner of choosing her ministers as necessarie circumstances of times places and persons shall require Especially seeing there is neither example commandement or institution of Christ to the contrarie CHAP. X. Of the ordeining of Ministers and the Ceremonies thereto apperteining THat Bishops haue and euer had authoritie to make order and admit Ministers of the Church it is so cleere and evident by the Scriptures Councels Fathers and continuall practise of the Church that I cannot but admire their audatious temeritie that doe oppugne the same Marke well the answers to all the Obiections in this Chapter Saint Paul chargeth Bishop Timothie not to lay his hands rashly on any man And the same Saint Paul telleth vs that he left Bishop Titus at Creta that he might order and make ministers in euery towne Now that Timothie and Titus ordained Ministers it is cleere by the Text it selfe But two doubts remaine The one whether Timothie and Titus had more authoritie then other common Ministers or not The other whether they alone ordained Ministers or with the ioynt-authoritie of others Touching the former I haue prooued alreadie by many testimonies that both Titus and Timotheus were Arch-bishops and had superioritie ouer many other Bishops I will heare adioyne the testimonie of Hemingius whose wordes are these Attamen Paulus gradu digns tatis ordine Timotheo Tito erat superior Timotheus gradu ordine excelluit reliquos Ephesmae vrbis presbyteros Et Titus Cretensihus praecrat Sequitur inter hos ministros agnoscit etiam ecclesia nostra gradus dignitatis ordines pro diversitate donorum laborum magnitudine ac vâ—cationum dignitate ac iudicat barbaricum esse de ecclesia hunc ordinem tollere velle Iudicat caeteros Ministros suis episcopis oportere obtemperare in omnibus quod ad adificationem ecclesiae faciunt iuxta verbum dei ac vtilem ecclesiae oeconomium Iudicat episcoposius habere in caeteros ministros ecclesiae non despoticum sed patrium But Paul in deegree and order of dignitie was superiour to Timothie and Titus Timothie in degree and order excelled all other Presbyters or Priestes of Ephesus and Titus was gouernour ouer the Cretions Among these Ministers our Church also acknowledgeth degrees of dignitie orders according to the diuersitie of giftes labours and calling and deemeth him to bee a plain rudes be that once hath but a minde to take this order out of the Church Our Church also iudgeth that all other Ministers must obey their Bishops in all things which pertaine to edification according to the word of God and the profitable dispensation of the Church Shee iudgeth that the Bishops haue a soueraigntie ouer all other Ministers of the Church yet not despoticall but paternall Touching the latter the scripture is plaine that none but Bishops did ordaine Church-ministers at any time And these Fathers of the Church affirme coÌ„stantly that this was a speciall knowne prerogative of Bishops that they and none but they could order and make Ministers of the Church S. Hierome hath these evident expresse words Quid enim facit excepta ordinatione Episcopus quod presbyter non faciat For what doth a Bishop which a Priest doth not the ordering of Ministers excepted Loe in this one thing doth a Bishop differ from Priests and inferiour Ministers because no other Minister saue onely a Bishop can ordaine and make Ministers of the Church Saint Epiphanius who liued aboue one thousand and two hundred yeares agoe affirmeth plainly that Bishops onely make Priests that is begetteth fathers to the Church and both he and Saint Austin enrolled the contrarie opinion among flat heresies censuring all them for Heretiques that held or defended such absurdities Saint Irenaeus who liued next to the Apostles and so could not bee ignorant what was the Church practise in their dayes maketh this my doctrine without question and beyond all exception that Bishops euen in the Apostolique time were different in degree from Priests and did create and make Priests but neuer were created of Priests No no if Priests could make Priests or if it were not an Apostolicall tradition that that charge doth appertaine onely to Bishops as it is this day laubably obserued in the Church of England then doubtlesse Aerius could neuer haue beene censured for an Heretique Adde hereunto that which I haue alreadie deliuered in the fist Chapter in the first and second Paragraph and thou shalt finde this Doctrine to be agreeable to the practise of Christs church in all former ages See Zanchius and note well his wordes Note well also the Answere to the second Obiection The first Obiection It appeareth by Saint Hierome in his Epistle to Evagrius that one minister was made superiour to an other onely by the ordinance of men The Answere I answere First that
duo volumina legit ad aedificatitonem plebis non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandum As therefore the Church readeth the books of Iudith and of Tobye and of the Machabees but receyueth them not amongst the Canonicall Scriptures so doth it also reade these two volumes for edification of the people but not to confirme any Ecclesiasticall doctrine Saint Augustine is of the same opinion and deliuereth the matter in these expresse words Hanc Scripturam quae appellatur Machabaeorum non habent Iudaei sicut Legem Prophetas Psalmos quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet tanquam testibus suis dicens oportebat impâ—eri omnia quae scripta sunt in Lege Prophetis in Psalmis de me Sed recepta est ab Ecclesia non invtiliter si sobrit legatur vel audiatur maxime propter illos Machabaeos qui pro Dei Lege sicut veri Martyres a persecutoribus tam indigna atque horrenda perpessi sunt The Scripture which is of the Machabees the Iewes repute not as they doe the Lawe and the Prophets and the Psalmes to which the Lord gaue testimonie as to his witnesses saying It behooued all things to be fulfilled which are written in the Lawe and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes of mee but the Church hath receiued it not without profite if it bee read or heard soberly especially for those Machabees who for the Lawe of God as true Martyrs suffred of their persecutors so vnworthy and horrible torments Saint Cyprian Saint Ambrose and other Fathers teache the same Doctrine and the continuall practise of the Churche in all ages doth yeelde a constant testimonie therevnto Nowe seeing the Churche of God hath thought it meete and profitable to haue the Apocryphall books read in the Church and seeing withall that Saint Austen Saint Hierome and other holy Fathers do commend the same I see no reason why a few young heads without gray beards whose authoritie is no waye comparable with the practise of the Church neither their reading experience and iudgement to bee equalized with the auncient holy Fathers should take vppon them so rashly to controll the Churche of England and to condemne her for following the practise of the Church in all ages Let these men weigh well with themselues what the holy most reuerend and learned Father Saint Austen saith to this and the like questions These are his expresse words In his n. rebus de quibus nihil certi statuit Scriptura Diuina mos populi Dei vel instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda sunt For in those things touching which the holie Scritpure hath left no certaine rule the custome of Gods people and the ordinances of our ancestours must be holden for a lawe Behold here gentle Reader a most excellent rule indeed giuen vs by this holie Father and great learned Doctor Which if they who this day impugne the governement of our English Church the Prownists and their â—â—herents I euer meane would duely ponder and regarde they would doubtlesse surceasse to vexe and distourbe the peace of our Church and receyue the ordinances of their auncestours with all reuerence and humilitie For the Church of England doth make a flat separation in which it doth in plain and expresse tearms seuer deuide the Canonicall books from the Apocryphall so as no simple Reader can but perceyue and vnderstand the same And it is not to the purpose to obiect as some haue done that the Rubricke in the booke of common prayer calleth the Apocryphall bookes holy Scripture For first when the Rubrick saith the rest of the holie Scripture it may be vnderstood fitlie of the bookes Canonicall following especially seeing it nameth not the Apocryphal expressely but quoteth some of them afterwards Secondly the Apocrypha may truely and lawfully beecalled holie Scripture Analogicè though not Univocè that is to say the wrytings of holy men or bookes conteyning holie and good matter And in this sense speaketh the Rubrick as I iudge and sundry of the holie Fathers I am well assured doe so tearme the bookes Apocryphall Howsoeuer the Rubricke be expounded or wrested two things are apparant Th' one that the Rubricke doth not call them Canonicall scripture Th' other that the Church meaneth not to equalize them with the Canonicall books of holy writ I prooue it because shee hath plainely distinguished the one from the other and preferred the authoritie of the Canonicall Neyther will it serue their turne to say as some haue done viz. That nothing may be read in the Church but onely the Canonicall scriptures For first no text of holy writ doth so affirme and consequently the Church hath power to determine thereof as is alreadie prooued Secondlie the ancient councell of Uasco which was holden aboue one thousand and one hundreth yeares agoe decreed plainlie in their publique assembly that the Deacons should read the Homelies made by the holy Fathers These are the expresse words of the Councell Hoc etiam pro aedificatione omnium Ecclesiarum pro vtilitate totius populi nobis placuit vt non solum in Ciuitatibus sedetiam in omnibus parochijs verbum faciendi daremus Presbyteris Potestatem ua vt si presbyter aliqua infirmitate prohibente per seipsum non potuerit praedicare Sanctorum Patrum Homiliae a Diaconis recitentur Wee haue also decreed for the edification of all Churches and for the good of all the people that the Priests should bee licenced to preache and not in Cities onely but also in euery Parish Churche so that the Deacons may read the Homilies of the holy Fathers if the Priest cannot preache himselfe by reason of some infirmitie Thirdly it is voyde of all reason and farre from all Christianitie to affirme it vnlawfull to read testimonialls made to signifie the distresse of our honest Neighbours that thereby wee may bee styrred vppe to releeue them more bountifullie Yea if it be true that some haue written it is a lawe amongst them of the Presbyterie to haue their orders for gouerning the Church reade publicklie once euery quarter And I knowe Expropria scientia that some of them haue done more Well now-adayes euery vpstart yongling that can rawely pronounce some Texts of the holie Byble though hee but meanely conceyue the true sense will roundly take vpon him I warrant you to reuile our most Reuerend Fathers the Archbyshops Byshoppes and to controll the gouernement of our Churche as if hee had a Commission from Heauen to doe it If I should disclose what my selfe haue heard herein and how I haue beene saluted sometimes for speaking my minde in the defence of the Reuerend Fathers and of the Godly setled Lawes of this Church of England time would sooner faile mee then matter whereof to speake CHAP. XIIII Of certaine extrauagants very offensino to the Patrons of the Presbyterie The first member of Christs Baptisme and the circumstances thereof IT is sharply reprooued that
Saint Chrysostome in these golden wordes Neque ideo solum sed vt tu disceres quontam super te quoque cum Sacro Fonte dilueris Sanctus Spiritus veniat iam vero non visibils specie qua vtique non egemus cum nobis pro cunctis sola fides sufficiat Nam signa non credentibus sed incredulis dantur Neither did the Doue appeare onely for that end but that thou also mayst learne that the Holy Ghost commeth vpon thee when thou art washed in the holie Font bu that appearance is not nowe adayes in any visible shape whereof wee haue no neede seeing sole faith sufficeth for all For signes are not giuen to the faithfull but to the incredulous persons These things well pondered the obiection against the booke of Common prayer will bee to no purpose vnlesse perhaps it will bee a caueat for the Author which I heartilie wish to write and speake more circumspectly in time to come For I verily am perswaded that all things contayned in the booke of Common prayer are agreable to the holy Scriptures the practise of the Church in the purest times and composed with such Iudgement Pietie Learning and Religion that all the wisedome in the worlde is not able iustlie to controll the same In so much that I wonder and greatly admire the audacious temeritie of manie who being of small reading and learning and of no iudgment and experience if they bee compared to those auncient graue Godly wise and learned fathers that compiled the booke of common prayer dare presume to condemne the same with theyr bitter invectiues vntimely censures and vnchristianlike Anathematizations True it is that Saint Hierome saith Nec sibi blandiantur si de Scripturarum capitulis videntur sibi affirmare quod dicunt cum Diabolus de Scripturis aliqua sit locutus Scripturae non in legendo sed in intelligendo consistunt Neyther must they slatter themselues if they seeme in their owne conceits to prooue so much as they say seeing the Deuill himselfe alleadged Scripture against our Lord Iesus and the Scriptures doe not consist in bare reading but in true Sense and meaning Would God this graue aduise giuen by this holy auncient and learned Father might be a president and constant rule in this doleful age to all nouices superficiall diuines and young students in Diuinitie who more rashly then Clerklie take vpon them to controll not onelie our most Reuerend Fathers the graue wise and learned Byshops but euen the whole Synode assembled in the Conuocation house yea and the King himselfe to walke circumspectlie to liue obedientlie to think modestlie of their own gifts not to esteeme better of themselues and their iudgements then there is cause but to thinke that a learned Synode can see as farre as they and would as gladly goe to Heauen as they and consequently to ponder with themselues seriouslie that it is a too too malepeart saucinesse for young heads and superficiall Diuines of slender Iudgement and lesse reading of the holy Fathers auncient Councells and Ecclsiasticall hystories to censure and controll not onely the Godlie setled Lawes of our Christian Kingdome but euen of the continuall practise of the Churche in all ages I my selfe am about three score yeares of age I haue endeuoured by Prayer and painefull Studie to attayne good literature euer since I was fiue yeares of age I haue liued conuersed studied disputed in manie famous Vniuersities aswell in England as in forraine Countries I haue employed my whole care industry and diligence now for the space of thirty yeares and odde to vnderstand Gods word aright to know what hath bene the practize of Christes church in all former ages and for that ende and purpose I haue for the space of thirtie yeares and odde prouided all the auncient Fathers Councells Hystories Ecclesiasticall and Chronographycall so far forth as my abilitie was able to extend and reach and that nothing should be wanting in this behalf I haue borrowed bookes where I could and haue also had recourse to the best Libraryes both in the Vniuersities els where to the end I might gather notes out of such bookes as I was not able to buye and prouide In which behalfe not my selfe onely but all such as reape anie commoditie by my painfull labours are more then a little beholden to these most Reuerend Fathers Iohn the late Arch-byshoppe of Canterburie Richard now the L Arch-byshoppe of Canterburie and Tobye the L Bysh. of Durham who haue for themselues the good of others most excellent costly and goodly Libraries to which I haue found free accesse at all times when I desired All this beeing performed I haue verie seriouslie weighed pondered and considered what the Papists Arrians Macedonians Eutichians Nestorians Donatists Carpocratians Ebionites Tatians Manichees Brownists and other Sectaries doe and can say for their opinions and this notwithstanding I finde the Doctrine and the Godlie setled Lawes of this Church of England amongst which I place the late Canons of Anno. 1604. to bee consonant to Gods word to the vsuall practise of the Church in all former ages These things I vtter in these tearms because I heartilie wishe to perswade all such as are carefull of their saluation to yeeld obedience to higher Powers and not to bee carryed awaye with the Sugred words of superficiall Diuines but to learne that obedience is better then Sacrifice I am now likelie euen by the course of Nature shortly to forsake this worlde and therfore I doe not seeke any preferment for my paines which I neuer to this daye hunted after and much lesse doe I seek to draw men into errrours and so to make shipwracke of mine owne Soule No no my purpose God is my witnesse is farre otherwise as who am perswaded so fullie of the Doctrine which I deliuer that I am not affrayde to ende my life in the same The second member of certaine Rites and Ceremonies vsed in Baptisme New-fangled oddely conceited persons do scornfullie inueigh against interrogatories ministred at Baptisme against Godfathers Godmothers Fonts and otherlike Ceremonies as things vnknowen in the time of the Apostles To whome I answere in this manner First that manie things are this day lawfully done in the Church which were not in vse in the Apostles time This is already prooued Secondly that the custome of the Church in things indifferent is to be esteemed among Christians for a Law This is likewise prooued And let him that holdeth the contrarie opinion tell mee by what lawe hee can iustifie that formall coniunction of men and wemen in holy wedlock which is vsed not onely in our Church of England but also in purest reformed Churches euerie where Hee shall neuer bee able to alleadge any ground in that behalfe but the vnwritten traditions of the Church Of which traditions th' Apostle spoke as learned interpreters tell vs when he said he would set other things in
order at his comming Yea M. Caluin vpon that Text admitteth vnwrytten Traditions in things not necessarie to Saluation Thirdlie that Saint Austen Saint Ambrose and other auncient Fathers who liued in the pure ages of the Church make mention of Godfathers and Godmothers and of the interrogatories which our Church vseth in the Baptisme of infants Saint Austen beeing demaunded howe they that being an infant to baptisme are bolde to answere that hee beleeueth and so to all other demaundes seeing they dare promise nothing of his behauiour when hee commeth to mans state answereth in these expresse wordes Si. n. Sacramenta quandam similitudinem earumrerum quarum Sacramenta sunt non haberent omnino sacramenta non essent Ex hac autem similitudine plerunque etiam ipsarum rerum nomina 〈◊〉 Sicut ergo secundum quendam modum sacramentum corporâ—s Christi corpus Christi est Sacramentum sangumis Christi sanguis Christi est ita sacramentum Fidei Fides 〈…〉 aliud credere quam fidem habere Ac 〈…〉 credere qui fidei nondum habet 〈…〉 habere propter fidei Sacramenâ—â—◠〈…〉 propter conuersionis sacramentâ—◠〈…〉 Celebrationem pertinet Sacra 〈…〉 nondum fides illa quae 〈…〉 tamen ipsius fidei Sacra 〈…〉 facit Nam siâ—ut credere respondetur ita etiam 〈…〉 non 〈◊〉 annuâ—ndo sed ipsuâ— rei 〈…〉 For if Sacraments had not a certaine similitude of those things whereof they bee Sacraments they were no Sacraments at all And by reason of this similitude they are often called by the names of the things themselues As therefore after a certaine manner of speaking the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ and the Sacrament of the bloud of Christ are the bodie and bloud of Christ so the Sacrament of faith is faith Neyther is it any other thing to Beleeue then to haue Faith And therefore when answere is made that the infant beleeueth which as yet hath not faith in deed it is answered that hee beleeueth for the Sacrament of faith and that he doth conuert himselfe to God for the sacrament of conuersion because the answere it selfe perteyneth to the Celebration of the Sacrament Therefore although that faith which consisteth in the will of the beleeuers doth not make the childe faithfull yet doth the Sacrament of that Faith make him faithfull For euen as it is answered that hee doth beleeue so is hee also called faithfull not by signifying or graunting the thing it selfe in his minde but by receyuing the sacrament of the thing Thus writeth S. Austen that auncient learned Father out of whose words I obserue against rash heads young Diuines these most excellent instructions for the humble and Godly readers First that this holy learned father whose vertue and learning all the Christian world hath hitherto honored and admyred relyeth stayeth himself vpon the practise of the Church which nowe adayes euery proude Brownist and vnlearned Martinist contemneth at his pleasure Secondly that it was the custome of the Church in S. Aust. time which custome he reuerenced euen as it is this day in our Church of England to propound interrogatories to the suerties or Godfathers Godmothers in the behalfe of the childe as also they did lawfully and truely answere and promise as the manner is nowe in our Churche and that their answeres were to bee iustified by vertue of the Sacrament The first Obiection The suerties which you call Godfathers and Godmothers cannot performe that which they promise in the name of the child ergo it is a vaine and rediculous exercise The Answere I answere that the suerties are well able to performe all that they promise as who promise nothing absolutely but with a condition vsually vnderstood in all such kinde of promises viz if we liue if Gods will be so to the vtmost of our power and so forth And so much may be gathered out of the expresse words in the booke of common prayer The second Obiection Not the infants but the Godfathers and Godmothers are baptized and so rebaptization is admitted For not the child but they say I renounce the diuell that is my desire The Answere I answere first with the auncient father Areopagita in these words Non. n. hoc ait ego pro puero abrenuncio aut promitto sed puer abrenuntiat profitetur id est profiteor me huic puero suasurum cum intelligere sacra per aetatem poterit diuinis meis institutionibus vt nuntium remittat adversarijs atque ab eis deficiat profiteatur exolvatque diuina promissa Neither doth hee say this I renounce or promise for the child but the childe renounceth and professeth that is to say I promise so to instruct the child when he commeth to yeares of discretion with my godly instructions and exhortations he shall renounce all things aduerse professe and performe those heauenly promises which he maketh Secondly mwith Saint Austen in these words Miror sanè quod ita volueris vt de his quae varie per diversa loca observantur tibi aliqua conscriberem cum non sit necessarium vna in his saluberrima regula retinenda sit vt quae non sunt contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's habent aliquid ad exhortationem vitae melioris vbicunque institui videmus velinstituta cognoscimus non solum non improbemus sed etiam laudando imitando sectemur si aliquorum infirmit as non ita impedit vt amplius detrimentum sit I maruell why you would haue me write to you touching those things which are diuersely obserued in diuers places seeing that it is not necessarie that in these things we must hold this for a constant and sound rule that what things soeuer are neither against faith nor against good manners and are some helpe to the furtherance of honest life whersoeuer we see such things to be ordained we must be so far from reprouing them that wee must praise imitate the same vnlesse some weaklings bee so scandalized that hurt commeth thereupon Thirdly with the zealous and learned Writer maister Zuinglius in these expresse words Hic vero singulis videre liâ— cet quaenam sit contentiosi istius Satanae caliiditas qui huiusmodi rixis propter externa quaedam institutis papatui amplissimas fenestras denuò aperire voluit In huiusmodi vtique rebus Pauli Apostoli regula nobis obseruaÌ„da est 1. cor 14. sequitur quoruÌ„ vsum administrationem in nostro arbitrio potestate sitam esse ait sic tamen ne quid cum dei instituto pugnans committamus ne pacem publicam cuius nobis praecipua cura esse debet propter externa haec interturbare libeat licet ergo vel hodie quoque paedobaptismun etiamsi hactenus in ecclesia vsurpatus non esset de novo instituere si aliquod inde commodum pacis concordiaeque frustus inde promanaret Here euery man may
see what subtiltie and craftie dealing contentious Satan vseth who goeth about by these dissentions in external matters to make againe a most ready way and passage for Poperie to enter into our gates But in such matters doubtlesse the Apostles rule must be obserued Whose vse and administration he saith is in our arbitrement and power yet so that we doe nothing against Gods ordinance neither haue any desire to trouble the publique peace whereof we must haue an especial care for these externall matters It is therefore this day lawfull for vs also to institute and ordaine a newe the baptisme of infants although it had not hither to bin vsed in the church if any commoditie or good successe of peace and concord might insue thereupon Out of these learned discourses of these graue and learned Writers I obserue these memorable rules for the benefit of the gentle Reader First that the ceremonies this day of our English Church are the same that were vsed in the church in the purest times 2 that in things which are neither against faith nor against manners the custome of the church must be a rule for vs to follow This is a most worthy lesson a most excellent rule and a most necessarie obseruation Thirdly that the dissentions and schismes stirred vp about externall rites and ceremonies proceede from the crastie and deceitful dealing of the diuel Fourthly that the Church hath power to make and constitute any lawes which are not repugnant and contrarie to the word of God Fiftly that our Church hath this day power to haue instituted the Baptisme of Infants although it had not beene vsed in former ages And consequently that it hath power a fortiori to set downe orders and lawes for the apparell of Ministers for surplesles square Caps interrogatories in baptisme and bowing of the knee at the name of Iesus for kneeling at the holy Communion for giuing thanks of women for their deliuerance from the perill of child-birth for prohibiting to Preach without licence for Reading of Homilies and the like Which rules and obseruations if they were wel remembred and duly obserued all schismes dissention whisperings and mutinies would wholy surâ—â—ase in this Church of England The third member of Deacons and their office in the Church In the booke of orders there is an office called the Deacon whose description is not to be found in Gods booke namely consisting in helping the Priest in diuine seruice especially when he ministreth the holy Communion in reading holy Scriptures Homilies in the congregation instructing the youth in the Catechisme in Baptizing and Preaching if he be admitted thereunto by the Bishoppe Thus Write the patrons of the Eldership and earnestly wished Presbiterie to whom I answere in this manner First that if it were true which they say as it is not indeed yet would it not followe that the office of a Deacon this day vsuall in the Church should be a thing vnlawfull to be vsed The reason is euident because as I haue already proued the Church hath authoritie to constitute make and ordaine any lawes ceremonies canons ordinances and orders which are for the good of the Church and not against the word of God for the better confirmation whereof let vs heare the verdict of maister Zanchius that most famous Writer These are his expresse words interea tamen non improbamus patres quod iuxta variaÌ„tuÌ„ verbi dispensandi tum regendae Ecclesiae rationem varios quoque ordines ministroruÌ„ multiplicarint quando id eis liberum fint sicut nobis quando constat id ab illis fuisse factum honestis de causis ad ordineÌ„ ad decoruÌ„ ad aedificationeÌ„ ecclesiae pro eo tempore pertinentibus Neuerthelesse we doe not discommend or reproue the fathers because they did multiply and increase the orders of the ministers according to the various manner of dispensing the word and of gouerning the Church Seeing that was in their libertie and power as it is also in ours And seeing also it is euident that they did that for honest causes for order comlinesse and edification of the Church as that time did require Out of these golden wordes I obserue first that the holy fathers in former ages did institute diuers orders of Ministers which orders though they be not found expressely in Gods booke yet this great learned man dareth not disalowe or reproue the same But our young maisters who for learning are vnworthy to carrie his bookes after him dare condemne them roundly and make hauocke of the Lawes of the ancient Church Secondly that the Church both then and now had and still hath full power and authoritie to constitute diuers orders of Ministers in the Church Let this obseruation bee well marked for it is of great importance and no small moment Thirdly that such orders and constitutions doe pertaine to the order comelinesse and edification of the Church Fourthly that these things may be changed at the discretion of the Church as the circumstances of the times places and persons doe require I answere secondly that the office of Deacons is no otherwise this day in our English Churches then it was of old in all Churches throughout the Christian world I proue it for that both ancient councells of Nice Carthage and others and also the holy fathers doe testifie the same so copiously as none but younglings of no reading can be ignorant thereof Thirdly that Deacons in the Apostolique time and primitiue Church did not onely serue the table and minister to the poore but also baptize and preach the Gospell I prooue it first because there were Deacons at Ephesus at Philippi and in Crete as may euidently be gathered of the Epistles which were written to Timothie Titus and the Philippians And for al that there was in those places at that time such paucitie of Christians as there could bee either small neede or none at all for Deacons to attend vpon the tables Secondly because the solemnitie of imposition of hands vsed in the ordering and consecration of Deacons doth argue a further and more excellent function then the bare and sole ministerie of the table This was well obserued by the great learned Doctor Illyricus whose wordes are these Hinc autem apparet eos non tantum ad dispensationem elemosynarum alimentorumque sed etiam ad institutionem auditorum fuisse adhibitos sicut illi Act. 6. etiam simul docuerunt non tantum aeconomiam administrarunt sed nimirum munus illorum fuit tantum rudiores instituere seu catechismum tradere dum presbyteri omnibus sufficere laboribus nequeunt Hence it is apparant that the Deacons were ordained not onely to distribute almes and reliefe to the poore but also to instruct and teach their auditors as they also of whom mention is made in the acts were occupied in teaching and not onely in houshold-businesse For their office was to instruct the ignorant and to Catechise
also in all other reformed churches wheresoeuer I therefore conclude this member with this Golden sentence of S. Austen if any thing be obserued vniuersallie of the whole church then not to obserue that or to call it into question is meere madnesse and desperate follie The sixt member of praying to be deliuered from Lightning Plague and sodaine death It is scornefully obiected against the prayers of the church that when wee pray to bee deliuered from plague famine and from other aduersitie wee pray without faith because wee haue no promise to receiue the things we pray for To whom I answere First that our Sauiour Christ taught vs so to pray when hee deliuered to his Church the forme of that prayer which we should daily vse Being the most exact and most perfect prayer that euer was or can be made Where the Notes of the Geneua Byble expound it to be deliuered from all aduersitie And consequently that we pray with saith seeing Holy writ is our warrant for that we pray Secondly that wee haue promise to receiue that wee pray for so far forth as standeth with Gods glorie and our soules health For Christ himselfe willeth vs to aske and wee shall receiue to seeke and wee shall finde to knocke and it shall be opened vnto vs. Yea he standeth knocking at the doore of our hearts and if wee will open the doâ—e to him hee will enter into the house of our hearts and dwell with vs and giue vs all things necessarie both for our bodies and for our soules And to assure vs thereof Christ willeth vs to beleeue that wee shall haue our request it shall bee done vnto vs. And if any will replie that many aske many things in prayer and yet doe not attaine the same to such I answere with Saint Iames in these words yee aske and receyue not because yee aske amisse that ye may lay the same out on your pleasures Thirdly that when our church prayeth to bee deliuered from all aduersitie she hath both the example and aduise of most holy men The holy Patriarch Iacob fearing to receyue some bodily harme and aduersitie of his brother prayed to God in this manner O God I pray thee deliuer mee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau for I feare him least hee will come and sinite mee the mother vpon the children King Dauid fearing to receyue bodilie harme of his sonne Absalon fled away from him and prayed God to turne the counsell of Achitophel who conspired with Absalon into foolishnes The whole congregation prayed to God to prosper their King when hee went forth to battell against the Ammonites And I deeme them no good subiects to our most gracious Soueraigne King Iames who will not pray to God vnfaynedlie to defende him from all aduersitie Neyther yet those persons who refuse to pray with our church for all happinesse aswell corporall temporarie as spirituall Eternall to our most vertuous Queene Anne the noble Prince Henry all the rest of that most Royall progenie Yea Christ himselfe forewarning his disciples of externall future aduersity willeth them to pray to bee defended from the same Praye saith Christ that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabboth day And besides the sixt petition of the Lords prayer which teacheth vs to pray to be defended from all aduersitie as S. Cyprian Ursinus and Illyricus with manie other learned wryters expound it and besides the fourth petition also which teacheth vs to pray for all things needfull for this life as the same wryters tell vs many examples of the new Testament doe make it cleere and euident that Christ was well pleased with their prayers who prayed for things to this life appertaining The Ruler prayed for the life of his Daughter Christ performed his desire Bartimaeus the sonne of Tymans desired to receiue his sight obtained his request Two blind men followed Christ and requested to receiue their sight hee yeelded to their petitions A woman a Canaanite desired Christ to helpe her Daughter who was miserablie vexed with a Deuill Christ cured her daughter presently Many other like exaÌ„ples I might alledge but in steed therof this onelie goldeÌ„ sentence of S. Augustine shall suffice Cum dicimus libera nos a malo nos admonemus cogitare nondum nos esse in eo bono vbi nullum patiemur malum Et hoc quidem vltimum quod in Dominica oratione positum est tam late tamque enidenter manifestè patet vt homo Christianus in qualibet tribulatione constitutus in hoc gemitus edat in hoc lachrymas fundat hinc exordiatur in hoc immoretur ad hoc terminet orationem When wee say Deliuer vs from euill wee admonish ourselues to consider with our selues that we are not as yet in that good estate where wee shall suffer no euill And this which is last placed in the Lords Prayer is extended so farre and so plainly that a Christian man moued with any kind of tribulatioÌ„ may in this petition sigh in this shed his teares begin herein continue herein and end his prayer herein Thus writeth this holy father And now where it is wont to be obiected against the custome of our Church that we know not that God wil deliuer vs from all such aduersitie as from lightning thunder fire water sodaine death and such like I answere that we are not to command God or to appoint him an houre but to expect his good time and to referre euery part and parcell of our petitions to his holy will and pleasure euer implied in all our prayers And againe that if we must pray for nothing but that onely which wee knowe God will grant we shall seldome or neuer pray for any thing at all No wee must not say to our neighbour ryding towards London God speede you well nor to the sicke persons GOD helpe you nor for the preseruation of his Maiestie GOD saue the King How absurde these things are euery childe can discerne and yet the patrons of the Presbyterie condemne our Church for Preaching to be defended from all aduersitie vpon such sillie fansies and slender groundes The seventh member of the oath ex officio It is thought a very haynous offence that the Church doth sometime require an oath whereby certaine persons are constrained to accuse themselues Which oath because some doe offer it by vertue of their place and charge committed to them is by some male-contents ironically termed the oath ex officio But I answere first that it is as vsually ministred in the Ciuill affaires of the common-weale as in the Ecclesiasticall causes of the Church whereof none can bee ignorant that haue any notice of the ordinarie practise of his Maiesties honourable Counsell in the North of England Which vsage though of great antiquitie hath for all that euer beene approued and deemed lawfull as well by the wisest
and best learned of the church as also of the common-weale of England vntill these last and worst dayes in which some fewe young Doctors of small reading haue audaciously taken vpon them to censure both our church and Kingdome in that behalfe 2. that it is noe small sinne for the inferiour to disobey the Lawe of his superiour in indifferent things of which sort and order is euery oath clad with circumstances to this case appertaining as it may euidently be prooued by the testimonie of the best both olde and moderne Writers It were enough for tryall hereof to call to minde what is alreadie Written But for better satisfaction of the friendly Reader I am content to alledge their testimonies whose iudgements the male-contents themselues will easily admit Maister Beza hath these expresse wordes Res alioqui per se mediae mutant quodammodo naturam quum aliquo legitimo mandato vel praecipiuntur vel prohibentur quia neque contra iustum praeceptum omitti possunt si praecipiantur neque contra interdictum fieri si prohibeantur Sequitur si n. conscientias propriè solus deus ligat tamen quatenus vel magistratus qui dei minister est iudicat interesse reip vt quippiam alio qui per se licitum non fiat vel ecclesia ordinis decori adeoque aedificationis rationem habens leges aliquas de rebus medijs ritè condit eiusmodi leges pijs omnino sunt observandae eatenus conscientias ligaÌ„t vt nemo sciens prudens rebellandi animo possit absque pece cato velfacere qua it a prohibentur vel omittere quae praecipiuntur Things otherwise of themselues indifferent doe after a sort change their nature so soone as by any lawfull precept they are either commaunded or prohibited because they neither can be omitted against a iust mandate if they be commaunded neither yet be done against an interdict when they are forbidden For albeit God alone doth properly bind the conscience yet for all that when the Magistrate being Gods minister iudgeth it expedient for the publique weale that a thing otherwise of it selfe lawfull be not done or the Church hauing respect to order and comlinesse and consequently to edification ordaineth lawes touching things indifferent then such Lawes must be altogether obserued of the godly and they so farre bind the consciences that no man can wittingly and willingly with a rebellious minde either doe the things so forbidden or omit the things so coÌ„manded but he shall thereby become guiltie of sinne Maister Martyr hath these wordes Quare hand nos latere oportet c. Wherefore we must not be ignorant that in the church there be three vertues of traditions Some of them are euidently deduced and gathered out of the Scriptures And touching this kinde all the faithful are bound to communicate together Other some are wholy repugnant to the word of God they must be reiected by what authoritie so euer they be obtruded And there be a third sort of traditions which we may call neutrall or indifferent because they are neither contrary to Gods word nor yet necessarily ioyned thereunto In which last kind we must obey the church three cautions being obserued First that they be not obtruded as a part of Gods worship or peculiar holinesse but as pertaining to order the ciuill commoditie of the church to comlinesse in diuine actions for all things are contained sufficiently in the holy Scriptures which pertaine to Gods worship and holinesse Secondly that they be not reputed so necessarie but that they may be changed if time so require Let the church keepe her interest in these indifferent things to appoint what shall bee thought most necessarie and meete to edifie the faithfull Last of all let not Gods people be burdened with too great a multitude of them Thus writeth this learned man The Churches in Heluetia in their confession of their faith after a long discourse of rites and things indiffeâ—â—nt added these wordes Semper vero ecclesiae in huiusmodiritibus sicut medijs vsae sunt libertate id quod nos quoque facimus The Churches in such rites as in things indifferent haue euer vsed their libertie which libertie our selues also challenge The Churches in Svevia in their confession haue these wordes Tales multas sanè ecclesia hodie iure obseruat pro occasione quoque condit novas quas qui reiecerit is non hominum sed dei cuius traditio est quaecunqus vtilis est auctoritatem contemnit Many such traditions the Church this day obserueth aright and as occasion requireth she appointeth and maketh new ones which new orders whosoeuer shal reiect he contemneth the authoritie not of men but of God Out of these testimonies of these famous godly zealous and most learned writers I obserue these golden lessons First that things of their own nature indifferent doe after a sort change their nature so soone as they be coÌ„manded to be done or left undone by the setled lawes of the Church Secondly that they bind the consciences of all persons subiect to the Churches iurisdiction so far and in such sort that they caÌ„not at any time or in any place transgresse the same without great sinne if such transgression be ioyned and annexed either to scandall or contempt Thirdly that whosoeuer reiecteth such lawes and ordinances of the Church contemneth the authoritie of God not of men Fourthly that he sinneth grieuously who either doth the things which the Church prohibiteth or omitteth the things which she commandeth to be done so long as her commandements remaine within the limits of things indifferent which she appointeth for order decencie and the common good of the Church I answere thirdly that the Church hath authoritie to impose euery lawfull ordinance and constitution which she deemeth profitable for the Church vpon euery person subiect to her iurisdiction This point is sufficiently proued alreadie both in this present Chapter and in many others throughout this discourse So that henceforth one onely thing remaineth for me to proue viz. That to minister the oath ex officio whereby one is bound to accuse himselfe is either a thing lawfull of it selfe or else Adiaphoron and a thing indifferent of it owne nature I attempt the proofe Euery thing is either good of it selfe as God the author and giuer of all goodnesse or euill of it selfe as the blaspheming of God or indifferent of it owne nature as golde money oyle wine and such like Now if the oath ex officio be good in it selfe then doubtlesse the Church may minister it to her subiects with out offence None that hath sence or reason will or can for shame denie the same Againe if it be Adiaphoron a thing of it owne nature indifferent then it is likewise in the power and libertie of the Church to impose the same vppon euery member within her iurisdiction This is so sufficiently proued as no deniall can bee made thereof It