it is Popery It is a Popish Errour we say to believe that Pennance or other penal Works of Fasting Almsdeeds or corporal Austerities can avail and help for the Remission of our Sins and satisfying Gods Justice No we say Penal Works serve for nothing all is done by Repentance that 's to say by sorrow of Heart for having offended God. This is the Doctrine of Daneus Willet Junius and Calvin who say Francis Dominick Bernard Anthony and the rest of the Popish Monks and Fryars are in Hell for their Austerities and Penal Works for all that you may very well believe and it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that Pennance and Penal Works do avail for the Remission of our sin and are very profitable to the Soul for our Common-Prayer-Book in the Commination against sinners says thus In the Primitive Church there was a Godly Discipline that at the beginning of Lent such as were notorious sinners were put to open Pennance and punish'd in this World that their Souls may be saved in the day of the Lord. And our Common-Prayer Books wishes that this Discipline were restored again and surely it does not wish that Popery were restored therefore it is no Popery to say that Pennance or Penal Works do satisfie for our sins in this World and avail to save us in the other I know many much mislike our Common-Prayer Book for these Popish-Tenets but what do you say of the grand Errours of Popery can a man be a true Child of the Reformation and yet believe the Popes Supremacy deny the Kings Supremacy believe Transubstantiation and Communion is one kind are these Tenets the Doctrine of the Reformation or consistent with its principles The Kings Supremacy is undoubtedly the Doctrine of the Reformation because it is judged by the Church of England to be of Scripture yet only the Quakers Presbyterians Anabaptists and other Congregations judge it is not of Scripture but as Erroneous a Tenet as that of the Popes Supremacy Calvin 6. Amos says They were unadvised people and Blasphemers who raised King Henry the VIII so far as to call him the head of the Church but also that no Civil Magistrate can be the head of any particular Church the Doctrine of the Centurists cent sept pag. 11. of Cartwright Viret Kemnitus and many others who doubts then but that in the principles and Doctrine of the Reformation you may deny the Kings Supremacy though the Church of England believes it The Popes Supremacy is the Doctrine of Popery who doubts it but it is also the Doctrine of the Reformation for many of our eminent Doctors have judged it to be the Doctrine of Scripture as Whitgift a In Defens c. pag. 373. 70. 395. who cites Calvin and Musculus for this opinion but it is needful we relate some of their express words I do not deny says Luther b In Respons tredecem but the Bishop of Rome is has been and ought to be first of all I believe he is above all other Bishops it is not lawful to deny his Supremacy premacy Melancthon c In Epist ad Card. Bellay Episc Parsiens says no less that the Bishop of Rome is above all the Church that it is his Office to govern Propos to judge in controversies to watch over the Priests to keep all Nations in conformity and unity of Doctrine Somaize d In Tract Euchar ad p. Sarmunm The Pope of Rome has been without controversie the first Metropolitan in Italy and not only in Italy nor only in the West but in all the World the other Metropolitans have been chief in their respective districts but the Pope of Rome has been Metropolitan and Primate not only of some particular Diocess but of all Grotius has expresly the same Doctrin and proves this Supremacy belongs to the Pope Jure Divino I pray consider if these Doctors be not Men of sound judgement and eminent learning and credit in our Reformation and if our Doctrine be Scripture as such men understand it As for Transubstantiation it contrins two difficulties first if the Body of Christ be really in the Sacrament e In Annot. super Novum Testam cap. 10. Matth. saepe alibi and this Real Presence the Lutherans defend to be the Doctrine of Scripture as well as the Papists why then should it be called Popish more than Reformed Doctrine The second is if the substance of Bread be in the Sacrament together with Christ's Body Lutherans say it is Papists say it is not but that there is a Transsubstantiation or change of the whole substance of Bread into the Body of Christ but hear what Luther f To Edit Jonah l. de cap. Babyl says of this that we call Popish Doctrine I give all Persons liberty to believe in this point what they please without hazard of their Salvation either that the Bread is in the Sacrament of the Altar or that it is not would Luther have given this Liberty if Transubstantiation had not been the Doctrine of Reformation as well as any other Communion in one kind is the Doctrine of the Reformation no less than Communion in both for besides that Luther says g Lib. de cap. Babyl c. de Euchar. They sin not against Christ who use one kind only seeing Christ has not commanded to use both and again h Epist ad Bahemos in declarat Euch. in serm de Euch. though it were an excellent thing to use both kinds in the Sacrament and Christ has commanded nothing in this as necessary yet it were better to follow peace and unity than to contest about the kinds but also Melancthon i in Concil Theol. ad March. Elect. de usu utriusque speciei pag. 141. who in the opinion of Luther surpasses all the Fathers of the Church expresly teaches the same Doctrine and the Church of England Statute 1. Edward VI. commands That the Sacrament be commonly administred in both kinds if necessity does not require otherwise mark he says but commonly and that for some necessity it may be received in one lastly the sufficiency of one kind in the Sacrament is plainly set down by our Reformed Church of France in her Ecclesiastical Discipline Printed at Saumur Chap. 12. Art. 7. The Minister must give the Bread in the Supper to them who cannot drink the Cup provided it be not for contempt And the reason is because there are many who cannot endure to tast the Wine wherefore it often happens among them that some persons do take the Bread alone Now you may admire the injustice of the Papists in condemning our Reformed Doctrine and Doctors as Hereticks whereas those Tenets are believed by many of us as well as them and the groundless severity of our Congregations in exclaming against that Doctrin it being the Doctrin of the Reformation whereas so many eminent men of our own judge it to be of Scripture For to know certainly if a
culled out of them Aid this year was sent to assist the Rebels in Scotland against their Lawful Queen The Presbyterians seeing Episcopal Government settled begin to play their Game The Bishops being thus settled begin the next year to make Laws and to compose Articles of Religion and to exact a Conformity to them Upon which they find great opposition from the Presbyterians In her fourth year she was solicited by Pope Pius to send her Orators to the Council of Trent which she refus'd to do The Emperour also writ to her to desist from these Alterations of Religion and to return to the Antient Catholick Faith of her Predecessors In her fifth year the Articles of Religion were agreed on in the Convocation In her sixth year she would have Married the Earl of Leicester to the Queen of Scots Calvin dies this year and Cartwright the great promoter of Presbytery retires out of England upon a discontent to Geneva In her seventh year the Calvinists began first to be called Puritans Dr. Heylyn In her eighth year the Government of the Church by Archbishops and Bishops was Confirm'd And for this we are beholding to Boner the late Bishop of London Who being call'd up to take the Oath of Supremacy by Horn of Winton refus'd to take the Oath upon this account because Horn's Consecration was not good and valid by the Laws of the Land. Which the insisted upon because the Ordinal Establish'd in the Reign of King Edward the VI. by which both Horn and all the rest of Queen Elizabeths Bishops received Consecration had been Repealed by Queen Mary and not restor'd by any Act of Parliament in the present Reign which being first declar'd by Parliament in the Eighth of this Queen to be Casus Omissus or rather that the Ordinal was look'd upon as a part of the Liturgy confirm'd in the First year of this Queen They next Enacted and Ordain'd That all such Bishops as were Consecrated by it in time to come should be reputed to be lawfully Consecrated Baker In her Eleventh year there arose a Sect openly condemning the receiv'd Discipline of the Church of England together with the Church Liturgy and the very Calling of Bishops This Sect so mightily encreas'd that in the Sixteenth year of her Reign the Queen and Kingdom was extreamly troubled with them In the same Sixteenth year were taken at Mass in their several Houses the Lord Morley's Lady and her Children the Lady Gilford and the Lady Brown Who being thereof Endicted and Convicted suffer'd the Penalties of the Laws In her Twentieth year the severe Laws against Roman Catholicks were Enacted In her Twenty third year a Proclamation was set forth That whosoever had any Children beyond Sea should by a certain day call them home and that no Person should harbour any Seminary Priest or Jesuit At this time also there arose up in Holland a certain Sect naming themselves The Family of Love. In a Parliament held the 26th year of her Reign the Puritan Party labour'd to have Laws made in order to the destroying of the Church of England and the setting up of their own Sect. In her Twenty eighth year the Queen gave a special Charge to Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury to settle an Uniformity in the Ecclesiastical Discipline which lay now almost a gasping And at this time the Sect of Brownists deriv'd from one Robert Brown did much oppose the Church of England In her One and Thirtieth year the Puritan-Flames broke forth again In her Thirty sixth year the Severity of the Laws were Executed upon Henry Barrow and the Sectaries for condemning the Church of England as no Christian Church Thus Sir Rich. Baker Here is an End of this Work. Wherein I hope there is full satisfaction given concerning the Alterations of Religion which have been made by Publick Authority in the Reigns of these Kings and Queens With a sufficient discovery of the Actings of the Presbyterians in this Nation and the ground of multiplying other Sects Here ends of Historical Collections Gentlemen of the Reformation this following Discourse I assure you is not intended to make any Reflection upon your Tenets but meerly out of zeal to your good and desiring the Almighty to give you his Grace not to be deluded by the Principles of the first promoters of the Reformation For it may well be that every one of you does not know the Principles of those first Authors of the Reformation therefore out of Charity and zeal to you and the good of your Souls I declare them here The Preface to the Children of the Reformation BE not concern'd to know whose Hand it is which holds the Link but follow the Light it gives directing you to a view of the Principles upon which the Reformation supports it self asserting a Holy Liberty to each Person and to act as he pleases with a safe Conscience according to the Principles of our Reformation to grant any humane Power can oblige our Consciences against our Judgements in matters of Religion is but an imaginary Remedy for a real Evil. Our common Reformation is cemented and was first rais'd upon this Holy Liberty that every one should read Scripture Interpret it for himself and believe what he though was the true Sense of it without any compulsion or constraint and not to believe either Church State Vniversity or Doctors if he did not judge by Scripture his Doctrine was true Considering the Infancy of the Reformation our blessed Reformers taking to themselves and giving to others this Holy Liberty for to Teach and Believe whatever they judg'd to be the Doctrine and true Sense of Scripture though it should be against the received Opinion of the Councils Church Vniversities and Doctors Look into the Reign of Edward the VI. then did our Reformation flourish in England and was miraculously propogated by the Liberty of Martin Bucer Cranmer Ochinus Peter Martyr and others in teaching Calvinism Lutheranism Zuinglianism by Scripture as every one understood it Descend to the Reign of Queen Mary then the light of the Gospel was ecclipsed in the sense of the Reformers because the flock was again Popishly compell'd to believe not what every one judg'd by Scripture to be true but what the Church judg'd was such Come down a step lower to Queen Elizabeth's time then the flock recovering their holy Liberty to believe what each one though was the Doctrine of Scripture the Reformation gain'd ground and our Protestancy was establish'd the Religion of the Land which others were not totally suppress'd Step down a degree lower to King James his time the Reformation held its course because their Consciences were not oppress'd Look down a step lower to King Charles the I's Reign His Majesty carried with a Godly Zeal of restraining the diversity of Opinions would by new Laws and Ordinances force the flock to an Uniformity of Doctrine then those of the Reformation pleaded for the Evangelical Liberty to believe nothing nor use any Rites or Ceremonies but
Interpreted by Luther Calvin Willet and several others that it 's impossible to any man assisted with what Grace soever to keep the Commandments None has ever yet says our great Calvin and God has decreed none shall ever keep the Commandments Again u Harm Evang. in Luc. c. 10. verse 26. the Law and Commandments were given us to no other end but that we should be damn'd by them t Lib. 2. Instit c. 7.5 inasmuch that it is impossible for Us to do what they Command The same Doctrine is taught by Luther in several places of his Works by Willet x In Synop. Papismi pag. 564. and by our Brethren the Gomarists of Holland and many of our French Synods Believe which you please both Doctrines are of the Reformation It is also the Doctrine of Luther and Calvin that God does not cast Men into Hell because their sins deserve it nor save Men because they merit it but meerly because he will have it so He crowns those who have not deserved it says Luther y Lib. de Servo Arbit cont Erasm 2. Lib. 3. Inst c. 21. sect 5. 7. c. 22. sect 11. cap. 13.1 and he punishes those who have not deserved it 't is Gods Wrath and Severity to damn the one 't is Gods Grace and Mercy to save the other Calvin also z Men are damn'd for no other cause but because God will have it so he is the cause and Author of their Damnation their Damnation is decreed by God when they are in their Mothers Womb because he will have it so this is also the belief of our Gomarists in Holland of many French Churches and of several learned Calvinists though the Church of England denies this Doctrine none will dare say it is not the Doctrine of the Reformation because it is Scripture as Interpreted by such eminent men of our Church The Church of England understands by Scripture that God is not the Author nor cause of sin that does not force us to sin who doubts but that this is therefore the Doctrine of the Reformation But Calvin Brentius Beza and several others understand by Scripture that God is the cause and Author which forces our Will to Sin That Man and the Devil are but Gods Instruments to commit it That Murthers Incests Blasphemies c. are the Works of God that he makes us commit them And who doubts but this also is the Doctrine of the Reformation being Scripture as Interpreted by such eminent and sound judgement God says Calvin a Lib. 2. Inst c. 4. sect 3. lib. 1. c. 18. sect 2. lib. c. 23. sect 4. Lo. 1. de deprovid c. 6. in Synops pag. 563. In manifest stratag Papist directs moves inclines and forces the Will of man to sin insomuch that the power and efficacy of Working is wholly in him Man nay and Satan when he impells us being only Gods Instruments which he uses to make us sin Zuinglius Willet Beza teach the same The Church of England has Scripture for her Rule of Faith and gives us the liberty to Interpret Understand and Believe some Text of it as each one thinks best and so permits Presbyterians to deny Episcopacy Lutherans to deny Figurative Presence c. and confesses they are all her Brethren of the Reformation but she will give no liberty at all to Interpret other Texts but all must understand them as she does or all must be Hereticks and damn'd Men No that Text My Father and I are one must be Interpreted to signifie the Unity and Nature of the Father and Son as the Church of England believes none must interpret it otherwise So that the difference betwixt the Popish Church and that of England is the first gives us no Liberty at all the second gives us some Liberty the first robs us of all the second but of one half The Rule of Faith in Popery is Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Councils the Rule of Faith in the Church of England as to some Articles is Scripture as Interpreted by the Church of England and as to other Articles Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it and thus Protestants are but half Papists and half Reformed Let any unbyass'd and impartial man judge if the Church of England proceeds justly in this For if our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each person of sound judgement understands it and if as the whole Reformation believes we are not to be constrained to believe any Church Council or mans sense of Scripture if we do not judge by the Word of God it 's true by what Authority Rule or Reason can the Church of England give me Liberty to understand and believe some Texts as I please and deny me Liberty to understand and believe others as I judge by Scripture they ought to be understood I pray observe well this Discourse here are Luther Calvin Beza Zuinglius and our other first Reformers they Interpret some Texts against the Doctrine of the Church of England They are praised for the first and esteemed Apostolical Reformers because without any regard of what the Church of Rome said they freely taught and believed what they judged by Scripture to be true why must not they be praised and esteemed true Reformers also for not regarding what the Church of England or any other says but teach the impossibility of Gods Commandments the sufficiency of Faith alone and all those other Tenets which you much mislike since they judge by Scripture such to be true Doctrine Are they bound to submit their judgements to the Church of England more than to that of Rome The Veneration and use of the Sign of the Cross is flat Popery in the judgement of all our Congregations yet any Reformed Child may laudably and piously use it inasmuch as our Common Prayer in the Administration of Baptism Commands the Minister to use it saying We sign him with the sign of the Cross in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the Faith of Chrst Crucified and manfully to fight under his Banner against Sin the World and the Devil And in our Kalender printed since his Majesties Restauration it is called the Holy Cross Our Congregations generally believe it is Popery to keep Holy-days except the Sabbath-day and Saints-day to Fast Lent Vigils commanded Ember-days and Fridays and yet all this is recommended to us in our Common-Prayer-Book and the Minister is commanded in the Administration of the Lords Supper to publish the Holy-days of the Week and exhort us to Fast and surely he is not commanded to teach or exhort us to any thing but the Doctrine of the Reformation It is true the Students of our Colledges of Oxford and Cambridge are much troubled with scruples in this point these Pauperes de Lugduno are compelled to fast all Fridays throughout the year and it is not hunger that makes them complain but tenderness of Conscience because they fear
Doctrine be of the Reformation you must try it by our Test or Rule of Faith which is the written Word of God and whatever any man of sound judgement of a sincere and humble Heart judges to be contained in Scripture or an indubitable consequence out of it that Man may believe that Doctrine let all others judge of it as they list and by so believing will be a true Child of the Reformation wherefore since that the Church of France that of England in Edward the VI ' s. time Luther Melancthon Grotius and other Authors do judge Transubstantiation Popes Supremacy and Communion in one kind to be the Doctrine of Scripture we must call it the Doctrine of the Reformation and if you judge as they did you may believe the Doctrin and be still of the Reformation as well as they Can you shew me any other Tenet of Popery which you can call the Doctrine of the Reformation You can hardly shew me any Tenet of Popery but what is it's Doctrine what Doctrine more Popish than that of Confession and Absolution from Sins yet it is as truly the Doctrine of the Reformation as Figurative Presence for not only k In Disput Theol. pag. 301. Lobechius l In Cocilliat loc Scrip. loce 191. Altamerus m In locis Commun To. 1 de potest Eccl. Saecerius and n In Apol. Confes Aug. art 13. lib. pag. 234. Melancthen says it 's a Sacrament but the Church of England in our Common Prayer Book declares that Priests have not only the power of declaring their Sins to be forgiven to their Penitents but also the power of forgiving them and sets down the form of Absolution which the Minister is to use Our Lord Jesus Christ who left power to the Church to Absolve all Sinners which truly Repent of his Mercy forgive thee and thine offences and I by his Authority committed unto me do Abosolve thee from all thy Sins The Ministers of the Diocess of Lincoln in their Survey of the Book of Common Prayers checkt this Doctrine as Popery and petitioned to have it blotted out but could not prevail whereby we are given to understand it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation It is Popery we say to call extream Unction Confirmation and Holy Order of Priesthood Sacraments and who can justly deny all this to be the Doctrine of the Reformation for o In. p. 5. Epist Jac. v. 4. Calvin says I confess the Disciples of Christ did use Extream Unction as a Sacrament I am not says he of the opinion of those who judge it was only a Medicine for corporal diseases Calvin p Lib. 4. Inst. c. 14. Inst c. 14. sect 5. also and with him our Common Prayer Book and all our Divines say a Sacrament is nothing else but a Visible Sign of the invisible Grace we receive by it and they say with q In modest Examin Couel r In Eccl. Polit. c. 5. sect 66. Hooker and others that this definition fits exactly Confirmation wherefore the Ministers of the Diocess of Lincoln checkt the Common-Prayer Book for giving the Definition of a Sacrament to Confirmation Å¿ In locis Commun tit de Numero Sacram Melancthon t In perpet Regem pag. 109. Bilson u In Eccl polit lib. 5. sect 77. Hooker and x lib. 4. Inst c. 20. Calvin expresly teach that the Order of Priesthood is a Sacrament And when Men of so eminent Judgement of our Reformation teach this to be the Doctrine of Scripture who doubts but that it is of the Reformation By this you destroy the Doctrine of the Reformation of two Sacraments only Destroy it God forbid Because the Church of England says there are but two Sacraments I say it is the Doctrine of the Reformation there are but two and because so many eminent Men judge by Scripture there are more I say it is the Doctrine of the Reformation there are more that 's to say six Baptism Confirmation Euchrist Pennance Extream Vnction and Holy Order and very likely our Bishops and Ministers for their Wives sake will not stick to grant that Matrimony also is a Sacrament But can you say that Prayers to Saints and Images Prayer for the Dead and Purgatory are not meer Popery and in no wise the Doctrine of Reformation Without doubt these Tenets are Popery but all the World knows the Lutherans use Images in their Churches and pray before them and the holy Synod of Charenton has declared that the Lutherans have nothing of Superstition or Idolatry in their manner of Divine Worship this is also the Doctrine y Epit Colloq Montisbel of Jacobus Andreas z In Centaur Exercit. Theol pag. 270. Brachmanus a Kemnitiut Luther and Brentius quoted by Beza a Exampâ—… 4. b In responâ— ad acta Colloq Montisbel par 2. in Prefas c In locis Commun c. 18. 19. and why should not a Doctrine judged by such eminent Men to be of Scripture be called the Doctrine of the Reformation Prayers for the Dead and Purgatory is Popery confessedly but alas it is taught expresly by Vrbanius Regius d Inscrip Angl. pag. 450. Bucer c To. 1. in Eupian Art. 90. Art. 60. Zuinglius f In Apolog. Confess Aug. Melancthon g To. 1. Wittem in resol de Luther h Indul. concl 15. the common-Prayer Book in King Edward's time Printed 154.9 and many others of our Learned Doctors and what can you call more properly the Doctrine of the Reformation than what such Men teach to be the Doctrine of Scripture And though our Brethren Quakers Anabaptist Presbyterians and Protestants judge Prayers to Angels and Saints to be nothing else but Popery yet our Common Prayer Book has the same Collect or Prayer to Angels in St. Michael's day that the Popish Mass-Book has and desires that the Angels may succour and defend us on Earth and Prayers to and Intercession of Saints is taught by Luther i Epist ad Spalâ—t Bilney and Latimer quoted by Fox k Acts Mon. pag. 462 312. and consequently it is the Doctrine of the Reformation Listen to our Apostolical and Divine Luther l To. Germ. fol. 214. If a General Council says he did permit Priests to Marry it would be a a singular mark of Piety and sign of Godliness in that case to take Concubines rather than to Marry in conformity to the Decree of the Council I would in that case command Priests not to Marry under pain of Damnation And again he says m De formula Missa To. 3. Germ. If the Council decree Communion in both kinds in contempt of the Council I would take one only or none See these words of Luther quoted by our learned Hospinian n and Jewel o and see it is not only my Doctrine but of great Luther k In Histor Sa. part 2. fol. 13. that in case the Pope and Councils