the whole Church but onely such prayers as he his owne selfe eyther hath before hande made and conned by roate or such as without any premeditation or committing to memorie he doth in his head conceaue euen as he vttereth them with his mouth and so at that instant make them this we vtterly deny And not to suspect here wtout good cause that our Breth vnderstand this terme of making publike prayers in this sense not only their wordes here following do plainely expounde their meaning when they saye It apperteyneth to the Pastor to conceaue publike prayers and it is a common phrase among our Brethren that such and such a one is an excellent conceauer meaning that he can make godly prayers but also that they can not away with formall reading as in contempt they call it and a prescribed forme of prayer But to confute this and to proue that a prescribed forme of the diuine seruice for the publike prayers besides the reading of the scriptures in appointed courses and orders is a thing lawefull and profitable First the Iewes had the same before and in and after Christes time not onely as perteyning to the ceremoniall but to the morall lawe for the obedience of the first table perteyning to the worshippe of God Numb 6.22 c. The Lorde spake to Moses saying speake vnto Aaron and to his sonnes saying thus shall ye blesse the children of Israell and say vnto them the Lorde blesse thee and keepe thee the Lorde make his face to shine vpon thee and be mercifull vnto thee the Lorde lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace c. And although they had many of their publike prayers beeing mixt with hymnes thankesgiuings not onely sayde but song also yet were they such not only as their selues made or conceaued were they neuer so learned men but such as either Moses or Samuell or Dauid or Esdras or some other Prophete especially appointed thereunto by God had drawen out and prescribed vnto them As may appeare 1. Chron. 9. where after he had shewed ver 22. c. how Dauid and Samuell the feer had established the porters and other officers ver 33. he sayth And these are the singers the chiefe fathers in the Leuites which dâ—elt in the chambers and had none other charge For they had to doe in that businesse day and night And speaking of Dauid who made the most paâ—t of the Psalmes in the 16. Chapter ver 4. And he appointed certaine of the leuites to minister before the Arke of the Lorde and rehearse and thank and praise the Lorde God of Israell And vers 7. Then at that time Dauid did appoint at the beginning to giue thankes to the Lorde By the hande of Asaph and his brethren Whereon sayth the Geneua note Dauid gaue them this psalm to prayse the Lorde signifying that in all our enterprises the name of God ought to bee praysed and called vpon psalme 105. Thus doe our brethren apply these doinges of Dauid vnto our estate And in the 25 chapter ver 2. He mencioneth those that were vnder the hande of Asaph which sang prophesies by the commission of the king Thus did Asaph then set foorth the publike prayers endited prescribed by Dauid Although he as diuers think conceiued made many psalms and Prayers and prescribed then to others Likewise 2. chron 29. verse 27. And Ezekiah commaunded to offer the burnt offering vpon the Alter and when the burnt offering began the song of the Lorde beganne with the trumpets and the instruments of Dauid king of Israell and all the congregation worshipped singing a song c. All which orders and formes of publique prayer at the Diuine seruice though the Iewes afterward corrupted Esdras after the captiuitie recollected set againe in order Which though they were eftsoones corrupted and intermingled especially with the Pharisees traditions yet til and in the time of Christe they had at the diuine seruice the ordinary courses of reading the Lawe and Prophets as appeareth by S. Luke 4. vers 16.17 c. Where the booke of the Prophet Esay was deliuered to Christ. And by that saying in the person of Abraham to the rich glutton they haue Moses and the prophets let theÌ„ hear them Luke 16.29 Which Paule testifieth in his sermon to the Antiochians Acts. 13.27 For the inhabitants of Ierusalem and their rulers because they knewe him not nor yet the wordes of the prophets which are read euery saboth day c. And that this was the auntient order Iames the byshop of Ierusalem in the determination of that famous assembly holden by the Apostles Act. 15. ver 20. sayth For Moses of olde time hath in euery city them that preach him sithe that hee is reade in the synagogues euery sabboth day And heere also is the publique reading called a preaching With which exercises they especially adioyned the reading also of the Psalmes and other solemn publique prayers of the Scripture For which principal cause Christ saith of the Temple Math. 21.13 It is written mine house shall bee called the house of prayer c. And Act. 3. Peter and Iohn went vp together into the Temple at the ninth hower of prayer Which orders were of Christe so little improoued that not onelie as Luke declareth cap. 11.1 that one of the Disciples sayde vnto him Maister teach vs to pray as Iohn also taught his disciples desiring that they might haue some prescribed form of praier set downe vnto them but that also Iohn baptist had taught some forme to his Disciples Which request Christe did so little mislike that he himselfe also taught his Disciples among other preceptes a prescribed forme of prayer which the Euangelists wrotte and all Christians doe vse as the Lordes prescription Which is a strong warrant vnto vs that so long as all formes of prayers are according to that platforme of prayer they may most safely be prescribed For it serueth not only for priuate but for publike prayer Nowe although besides this onely forme of prayer prescribed by Christ we finde no form set out that the apostles or the primitiue church immediately after them did vse or prescribe to be vsed because they hauing that full measure of the spirite of God namely the Apostles Euangelistes Prophets Bishops Pastors and Elders yea the moste of all the faythfull people in these dayes so that they might well make conceiue their publique prayers before the Congregation euen as the spirite of God suggested in their heart gaue them vtterance in their mouths yet because that in the publike assemblies the Apostles prescribed the writteÌ„ scriptures to be read as Col. 4. ver 16. And wâ—en this epistle is read of you cause that it be read in the church of the Laodiceans also that ye likewise read the Epistle writâ—en from Laodicea and as they vsed that so no doubt did they vse to read in their publike assemblies the
receaued c. And afterward comming to the Ministers he saith the Ministers of excommunication were the Priestes and the churche approuing it Deut. 27. the Leuites shall pronounce and say vnto all the men of Israel with a high voyce accursed is the man that maketh a graâ—en and â— moultâ—n Image the abhomination of the Lorde the worke of the artificers and setteth it in a secrete place And all the people shall aunswere Amen In the seconde booke of Esdras chap. 13. Eliasis the preest separateth the straungers from Israell And likewise for the other Key of losing The key absoluing is a power ordeyned of God and committed to the Preestes and Prophetes of pronouncing to sinners beeing penitent the remission of sinnes for the Womans and Abrahams seede and the sonne of Dauid that is for the Messias c. The author and the Ministers are these Eyther God him-selfe immediatly hath denounced the forgiuenesse of sinnes as Genesis 3. When hee setteth foorthe the promise of the VVomans seede hee doth nothing else buâ— thaâ—â—ee mought absolue Adam and Eue from their sinne c. Or else by the Patriarkes So Genesis 30. God sayth â—o Abimelech of Abraham c. Or else by the Prophetes The seconde of Kings 12. Nathan said to Dauid the Lord hath translated thy sinne c. or else by the Preesâ—â— which offering sacrificeâ— expiatory for the people for their sinns afterward blessed them which what was it â—â—so 〈◊〉 a denunciation of the forgiuenes of their sinnes Leui. 4.5.6 9. Leuit. 19. And the Priest shall pray for him and for his sinne and it shall bee forgiuen him and his sinne remitted and Num. 6. Speake to Aaron to his sonnes thus shall ye blesse the children of Israel say vnto themâ— the Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord shew his face vnto thee and haue mercie vpon thee This waâ— the state of Excommunication and absolution in the old Testament denounced by the â—outh of the Minister of the worde For to whom the Absoluing belonged the Excommunicating belonged also The steps whereof sayth Aretius are in the newe Testament Ioh. 9.12 16. For although that Discipline was administred then of wicked men notwithstanding it is for an argument of the antiquitie And in the olde time the Institution was honest and profitable This corruption Christe corrected when he drewe backe this Discipline to his Church Math. 16.18 Ioh. 20. The Apostles also vsed it laudably as it is 1. Cor. 5.1 Tim. 5. Whereby also it appeareth that 〈◊〉 the wicked Iewes vsed it in Christes time Christe reducing into his church the olde Instituâ—ion of God for Excommunicating and absoluing he committed this spirituall censure to such onely as were spirituall Ministers of the Worde Howsoeuer the other that were not Ministers did allowe and approoue the same And this sentence Math. 18. Being ouer ruled by the other before Math. 16. 〈◊〉 Iohn 20. comming after and put in practise by these examples 1. Cor. 5. And 1 Tim. 5. â—here S. Paul being a Minister of the Worde pronounceth the sentence and the Iudgement If the vse of the other Apostles bee to be leueled by these examples it is cleare that in the Apostles times though the Church 〈◊〉 thereunto the action was 〈◊〉 by such onely as were Ministers of the Worde of God What the practise was of Excommunication in the Primitiue church succéeding the Apostles partly appeareth by that we hâ—â—e cited out of Tertullian saying There are also exhortations chasticementes and the Diuine censure For iudgement is there giuen with great wâ—ight as among those which are certayne that God beholdeth them And it is the cheefe fore-iudgement of the iudgment to come if any shall so offend If any be banished from the communicating of prayer and of the meeting together and of all the holy partaking euery of the approoued Elders haue the Gouernment Here is Excommunication mentioned and the Gouernment to appertayne to euery of the approoued Elders But in adding withall the publique prayers and Exhortations that he â—nneâ—eth to the gouernmeÌ„t of these Elders it is apparant that he meant none other but such as were Ministers of the Worde Which we haue also shewed yet more playâ—â— in his booke De Coronae militis where after he hath spoken of Baptisme receiued Sub antistitis vnder the Bishops and Prelates speaking of the Lordes supper he sayth Nec de aliorum manu quam Praesidentium sumimus Neyther receiue we it at the handes of any other than of the gouernors So that he maketh these Seniors and Gouernours to bee all one with the prelates and Ministers of the Worde and sacraments Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 24. telleth howe Victor Bishop of Rome Excommunicated the Churches of the East For keeping their manner of celebrating Easter day Wherein although he greatly abused this power of binding yet if he had rightly with discretion vsed it within his boundes Irenaeus nor any other did reprooue him but only for his rash ouer-reaching himselfe in the same For sayth Eusebius Irenaeus also writing with the other Bishops of Fraunce ouer whome hee had the gouernment for he was Archbishop of Lions Anno Domini 169. doth in-deede confirme it that the Mystery of the Lordes resurrection shoulde bee celebrated on the sunday Notwithstanding hee reprooueth Victor that hee did not well to cut off from the Vnity of the body so many and so great Churches of God that kept the custome deliuered to them of the auncient time And to shew this better that when he vsed this power better he was not misliked for the vse thereof Eusebius sayth afterward in the last chap. of the fift booke But howe can they lay a slaunder vnto Victor concerning this sith they knewe that Victor expelled from the communion of the Church Theodorus the tanner which was the prince Father of this their impiety which durst first at Rome auouche that Christ was but onely a man For if Victor as they say did so beleeue how did he cast out of the Church Theodorus the inuentor of this blasphemy So that Eusebius approueth this doing of Victor for his Excommunication of this heretike I heere passe ouer all the Canons and decrees mentioned in the councelles in the names of the Apostles and of diuers auncient Bishops because their credite may be called in question though diuers of them mentioning the Excommunications made onelie by Bishops and sacerdotall preestes be no doubt of great antiquity Onely I note that which Eusebius recordeth of the Emperor Philip. Of this man saith he It is reported vnto vs that he was a Christian. And on Easter day to wit euen in the Vigilles when he woulde haue beene present amongest them and communicated in the mysteries hee was of the Bishop of the place not suffered before he had confessed his sinnes and stoode among the penitent persons Neither by any meanes coulde hee haue leaue to receiue the mysteries
his wrath from vs. Now my sonnes be not deceaued for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him to serue him and to be his ministers and to burne incense Then the Leuites arose Mahath c. and they gathered their brethren and sanctified themselues and came according to the commandement of the King and by the wordes of the Lord for to clense the house of the Lord and the priests went into the inner partes of the house of the Lorde to clense it c. Here indéede the King refuseth not the Leuites but calleth them vnto him and maketh vnto them this memorable oration and those that otherwise in their offices were his fathers hée calleth his sons in respect of his supreame authoritie ouer them himselfe being but a young man and they againe speake verse 18. And they went in to Ezechiah the king and sayd we haue clensed all the house of the Lord c. but here is nothing wherein they appoint or charge the King but all still of the Kinges commaundementes vnto them Verse 20. And Hezechias the king rose earlie and gathered the Princes of the citie and went vp to the house of the Lord and they brought seauen bullocks c. And he commanded the Preests the sonnes of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord c. Then they brought the hee Goates for the sinne offering before the King c. For the king had commanded for all Israel the burnt offering and the sinne offering And he appointed also the Leuites in the house of the Lord with Cymbals with Violes with Harpes according to the commandement of Dauid and Gad the kings seer c. And Hezechiah commanded to offer the burnt offering vpon the altar c. verse 30. And Hezechias the king and the princes commanded the Leuites to praise the Lord with the words of Dauid and Asaph the seer so they prayed with ioye and they bowed themselues and worshipped And Hezechias spake and said Now yee haue consecrated your selues to the Lord come neere and bring the sacrifices and offerings of praise into the house of the Lord and the congregation brought sacrifices c. Héere the King still commandeth both the Priests and Leuites and the people and they all obeyed But the Leuites are commended vers 34. To be more vpright in hart to sanctifie themselues then were the Priests As for the 30 chapter which our brethren cite after the foresaid first verse wherein the King writeth to all Israel and Iudah It followeth in the second c. And the king and his princes and all the congregation had taken councell in Ierusalem to keepe the passeouer in the second moneth For they could not keepe it at this time bicause there were not priests enough sanctified neither was the people gathered to Ierusalem And the thing pleased the King and all the congregation and they decreed to make proclamation through-out all Israell c. So the Posts went out with letters by commission from the King and his Princes throughoâ—t all Israel with the commandement of the King saying Yee children of Israel turne againe vnto the Lord God of Abraham Isaac c. And at this sacrifice the King praied for the people saying verse 18 c. The good Lord be mercifull towards him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God the God of his fathers though he be not clensed according to thepurification of the sanctuarie and the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people And verse 22. Hezechiah spakâ— comfortablie to the Leuites that had good knowledge to sing vnto the Lord c. And in the chapter following verse 2. Hezechiah appointed the courses of the Priests and Leuites for the burnt offerings and peace offerings to minister and giue thankes and to praise in the gates of the tentes of the Lord And verse 4. He commanded the people that dwelt in Ierusalem to giue part to the Priests and Leuites that they might be incouraged in the lawe of the Lord. And when the commandement was spred the children of Israell brought aboundance of fruites c. And when Hezekiah and the Princes came and sawe the heapes they blessed the Lord and his people Israel And Hezechiah questioned with the Preists concerning the heapes And Azariah the cheefe preest of the house of Sadoch answered him and said Since the people began to bring offerings we haue eaten and haue beene satisfied and there is left aboundance For the Lord hath blest his people and the aboundance that is left And Hezechiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord c. And Iehiel c. were ouerseers by the appointment of Cononiâ—h and Shimer his brother and by the commandement of Hezechiah the king and of Azariah the cheefe of the house of God c. And thus did Hezechiah through-out all Iuda and did well and vprightlie and truelie before the Lord his God Thus haue we séene both in the chapter quoted by our brethren and the chapter going before and the chapter following how the King directed all those Ecclesiasticall matters commanded ordered and gouerned both the Leuites and the Priests But what is anye thing héere to our brethrens purpose Did the Leuites debate anye controuersies with the King and Princes or with the high Priest before the King And the king the princes or the high preest yeeld therein vnto the Leuites Or not rather they yeeld vnto the king and to the princes and to the high preest in those matters If now this be so memorable an example why doo not our brethren if they will be like the Leuites yeeld to hir Maiestie her counsell and hir Bishops Except they will be rather héerein like the king his princes and the high priest then like these Leuites As for the elders in the assemblie and conference Act. 15. They also yeelded vnto the Apostles not the Apostles vnto them Although the Apostles refused not the elders no more doe our Bishops refuse our brethren or anye other ecclesiasticall persons that are lawfullie appointed and called to the conuocations or to anie other ecclesiasticall assemblie or conference Neither do they denie the accepting euen of the people in some manner to be heard to speake But whereto doe our brethren mention héere the people in this debating This is againe cleane contrârie to their ownâ— rules as we shall sée in this learned discourse Would they haue the people also to be debaters or to be Iudges of these controuersies And to ouer-rule the Bishops and cleargie in the determination of them But they haue yet one example more At least saye they let â—â—eir owne opinion that in interpreting the scriptures and deliuerie of doctrine we are equall with them persuade them And héereto they quote this marginall note and Whitegifts booke pag. 389. If the Archbishop that now is dooth graunt this it is the greater signe of his reuerent modestie Neither do anâ—e of our Bishops or any of vs
Church For some of these and such like meanes it hath pleased God alreadie to graunt that they may and doe take place and woulde take more place were it not for their importune hindering as I sayd before not so much of the open aduersaries of the Gospell as of our owne Brethren that fauour and professe it and yet preposterouslie doe stop the course thereof As for some of these meanes heere deuised it hath pleased God in his greate wisedome not to graunt them And therefore when we sée the will and graunt of God alreadie it were fitter we applied our wâ—lls to his than to wish hiâ— contrarie to his ordinance to become appliable vnto our wils And wheâ—e our Brethren would haue God graunt these their petitâ—ons to take place by the high authoritie of our dreade Soueraigne the Queenes Maiestie sith we manifestlie sée that by her Maiesties high authoritie GOD hath graunted such good successe to his Gospell and repaired his Church by such lawfull means of discipline as God hath both allowed and blessed which withall is by her Maiesties high authoritie established and confirmed amongst vs what a tentation is this to God not to bee content but to craue that he would graunt other new meanes And what obedience is this to her Maiesties high authoritie If her Maiestie herein haue any authoritie at all why do not we obey it If her Maiesties authoritie héere be high why doe we abase and bring it lowe If shee bee our dread Soueraigne why dreade we not thus to ouerthwart al her lawes and ordinances and without all dreade to contemne them and to cast forth such contumelious and slanderous spéeches on all the state of the Church to be most corrupt If her Maiestie be the Soueraigne that is the Supreame gouernor under Christ of this portion of the Church How doth not this defamatioÌ„ more blemish her Maiesties gouernment thaÌ„ al these faire spéeches can suffer to salue it And how call they her Maiestie Soueraigne and not acknowledge her soueraigntie or supremacie And if we inioy this coÌ„fortable peace vnder her most gracious gouernmeÌ„t why do not we coÌ„tinue it and be thankfull to God and to her Maiestie for it Why disturbe wée it and make it vncomfortable To conclude if it be a most gracious gouernment how is the state of the Church being gouerned vnder her Maiestie most corrupted Can most gracious and most corrupt agrée together What fellowship hath righteousnesse saith Saint Paule 2. Cor. 6.14 with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath â—ight with darknesse what concord hath Christ with Belial Or hath her Maiestie no gouernment at all ouer the Church but onelie ouer the Realme and ciuile pollicie Are these tearmes then giuen her as a méere ciuile Prince or is her Maiestie acknowledged indeede the supreame gouernour in all Ecclesiasticall causes in the Church of England If she be how doth shee looke vnto her gouernment in the Church of England the state of the Church standing most corrupt These things hang together like Germaines lippes Who seeth not that they speak cleane contradictions in this stammering While they woulde thus plaie on both handes and giue onelie these fayre titles to her Maiestie for fashion sake and to auoide suspition or to winne fauour but if in verie déede they meant as they saie they woulde neuer thus impugne the established gouernment orders lawes and proceedings of her Maiestie They confesse that vnder her most gracious gouernment the time hath alreadie prosperouslie passed and yet they inferre vnder hand that it hath passed so vnprosperouslie that in lesse than halfe the time they dare ieopard their liues if they might haue their deuises broght to passe that the necessitie of learned Preachers shall bee so well supplied as wee shall haue no great cause to complaine for lacke of them And yet withall they saie her Maiesties raigne is most honourable and glorious Which if it be then haue they no cause to complain But they complaine of these things with great outcries and saie they haue great cause to complaine as though her Maiesties raigne were so dishonourable and ignominious that it nothing tended the honour and glorie of God which they saie they onelie seeke in this their Ecclesiasticall regiment So that in commending her Maiesties most honourable and glorious raigne what meane they but of such an externall honour and glorie of the world as little or nought respecteth the honour and glorie of the Lorde This is not well done of our Brethren thus to slander her Maiesties gouernment and the whole state of the Church of England vnder these faire and coulourable spéeches least our Breth might séeme in anie shew to come néere to those dissembling hypocrites whome Dauid so grieuouslie complaineth on Psal. 54. saying If mine enimie had defamed me I could haue borne it and if mine aduersarie had exalted himself against me I would haue hidden me from him But it was thou O man euen my companion my guide and my familiar which diddest eate sweete meate together with mâ— yea wâ— walled together in the house of God as companions And shall it be sayde of those that not onelie liue in one Realme and are or should be gouerned by one lawe vnder one most gracious Soueraigne yea her Maiestie and wee and all vnder one Iesus Christ in profession of our religion and of one Church of God that we deale thus one against another and that as Dauid there saich verse 21. The wordes of his mouth were softer than butter and yet warre in his heart his wordes â—ere more gentle than oyle and yet they were swoordes Now as these things beséeme not the â—hildren of God so is not this commendable in our Brethren that to set the better face of zeale vppon these foresayde spéeches thus tempered with no lesse gall than honie they offer thus freshlie to ieopard their liues that this which they promise and imagine shal be done in lesse than halfe the time that is alreadie passed Well may our Brethren blemish the time that is alreadie passed as not verie prosperouslie passed though for a shewe they saie so but to determine De futurâ— contingenti for that which may happe to come to passe hereafter and to prescribe it a time saue that they presume of her Maiesties clemencie not to take the aduantage of the forfaiture they might peraduenture hazarde too farre theyr best ioyntes if theyr happe were not better in this bargaynes euent than eyther theyr learning or their wisedome in the bargens making But what good lucke so euer would betide them to haue their desires graunted or their hope and promise come to passe yet their words sauour so suspitiouslie that for all this they would not holde themselues fullie satisfied For when they saie The necessitie of learned Pastors shall be so well supplied as we shall haue no no great cause to complaine for lacke of them they séeme in these words
our Brethren héere set downe and all their platforme in this their Learned Discourse of Ecclesiastical gouernment to be the increasing of the glorious kingdome of our sauiour Christ and wilâ—uâ—lie and wittinglie contemne it or neglect it I hope none of vs doth so and if we could sée anie substantiall grounded reasons of our Breth to moue vs therevnto we praie God and hope God woulde heare our praiers that wee might forsake all worldlie liuings yea life and all rather than we should not ioyne with theÌ„ And brotherlie charitie moueth me to thinke so of them likewise that they doe not striue against their consciences or haue no conscience in that they shouâ—d but that they make conscience of that which they shuld not rather mistake than of purpose they would wittinglie misleade themselues or others Howbeit heerein they are in the greater fault that take on them to controll and teach the teachers and all and doe misteach vs and tell vs Gods word teacheth that which it doth not teach and terrifie vs with the expection of the heauie vengeance of God for this manifest contempt of his expresse commandement yet for these deuises and Learned Discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment and discipline which they so much pretend and vrge they haue not hetherto nor hâ—ere doe nor I beleeue euer can shew and proue in expresse wordes anie expresse commandement of our sauiour Christ or anie necessarie consequence to infer it which if we might once see and then should make a manifest contempt or anie contempt at all thereof then should we haue right good cause to tremble and quake to mourne and expect the heauie vengeance of God except God in the infinite treasurie of his mercies surmounting all his workes al our sinnes did giue vs his comfort and forgiue vs our sinnes through our Lord onelie sauiour Iesus Christ. But vntill this expresse commandement or anie other necessarilie inferred for this Ecclesiasticall gouernment that our breth in this Learned Discourse prescribe be shewed and made manifest I hope that in the testimonie of a good conscience being iustified by faith wee may haue peace with God by our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue aceesse by faith into this grace or fauour â—herin we stand and glorie in the hope of the glory of the sonnes of God Rom 5. And as this is the anker of our hope so good Breth once againe in the feare of God I exhort you to take heed how ye pretenâ— Christs expresse commandement so peremptorilie and cannot shew it to consider with what boldnesse ye may take vpon you that sentence of S. Paule saying In the meane time we may boldlie saie with the Apostle Act. 20. VVe testifie vnto you this day that we are clâ—aâ—e froÌ„ the bloud of you al for we haue not failed to shew you the whole counsell of God concerning the regiment of his Church And dare ye indeede this boldlie vsurpe vpon you these wordes of the Apostle and adde withall vnto them as a distinct part of the sentence that in the same seuerall Charecter as the verie expresse words of the Apostle which were neither his wordes nor yet his meaning for anie thing that can be necessarilie gathered on those wordes of the Apostle these words of your owne more superfluous addition concerning the regiment of the Church But see how affection many times may carry wise learned men awaie But if this platforme be either councell or commandement either expressed or of necessitie implied Shew it as Saint Paule saith that he shewed all the councell of God and straight we yeeld Or else giue vs leaue in the name and peace of God and in the freedome of the Gospell with a safe conscience to dessent from it The Argument of the 7. booke THE 7. Booke concerneth the ministration of the Sacraments first whether they may he ministred by a Minister that is no Preacher and without a Sermon at the ministration of them Whether this be alwaies in Baptisme any necessarie part contained in the institution of it Whether the Apostles or other Preachers were alwaies their selues the baptizers of such as they conuerted How neere our Breth assertions heerein drawen to the positions of the Anabaptists Whether the Lords supper may not be truly administred though by no preacher or if by a preacher yet not preaching at the ministration thereof Whether Christ preached at the ministration of it Whether preaching were alwaies necessary in Circumcision and the Pascall lambe What the word shewing foorth the Lords death inferreth and that all the communicants are such preachers Whether the Homilies exhortations in the booke prescribed set not fully forth the Lords death What was the practise for this point in the Apostles times and in the Primitiue Church Whether the worde that is ioyned to the element to make a Sacrament is to be necessarilie vnderstod of preaching Whether our formes praescribed in the Sacraments ioyne the word and the element sufficientlie or no. Whether the Papists though they wanted the true Supper of the Lord had not true Baptisme for all their corruption of the same How many kindes of preaching Caluine maketh and what kinde is necessarie in the Lordes Supper What words by Caluine Musculus Beza Olleuian Hellopaeus c. make a true perfect Cosecration Whether in the reformed Churches of Heluetia c they are preachers onelie that minister the Sacraments How the seale and writing are to be ioyned alwaies together and we so haue them Whether our Breth prohibite none to preach whom they prohibite not to minister the Sacraments Whether we inferre womens Baptisme whether Baptisme on occasion of necessitie may be ministred in priuate places and whether there be anie necessitie at all of Baptisme and of the dangerous positions contradictions inconueniences absurdities of our Breth in these matters especiallie of this their Canon where there is no minister of the word there ought to bee no minister of the Sacraments What is principall what necessarie in the Sacraments of the affinitie coniunction separation of preaching and administring the Sacraments HEtherto saie our Brethren we haue somewhat at large set forth the principall parte of a Pastors office which is to preach the worde of God and to instruct the people committed to his charge in the same Heere followeth now in the second part of his duti which confisteth in right administration of the SacrameÌ„ts of God For seeing it hath pleased God to adde such outward signes to be helps of our infirmitie as seales for confirmation of his promises vttered by his word Rom. 4.11 Hee hath appointed Ministers of the same to deliuer them vnto his people Matth. 28.19 Luke 22.19 For no man may take vppon him anie office in the Church but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 3 4. Seeing therefore that God hath giuen some to be Pastors in the Church Ephes
himself to preach nor there be any other preacher present yet the verie forme which the CoÌ„munion booke prescribeth vnto him is so plainly and pithily set downe to expresse all the institution the vse the fruites and the endes thereof with the dutie of the worthy receauers with the danger to the vnworthie so dreadfully terrifying these and so comfortably animating the other and in all pointes so liuely shewing foorth the death and passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ that no man can iustly say but that as Christ biddeth Do this in remembrance of me we doe the same thing in remembrance of him and as S. Paule expoundeth this remembrance to be the shewing forth of the Lordes death so the Lordes death is shewed foorth both by the action of the minister and with all by the action of the faithfull people And so well shewed foorth that if the onely forme of our Communion booke be of the minister duly obserued and of the participantes religiously considered they shall no doubt though there be no other sermon preached both truly and worthily participate the holy communicating of the Lordes body and his bloud And yet commonly at the receauing of these blessed mysteries if there be no sermon preached there are other both godly and learned homilies appointed to be reade which are sermons also and serue especially for that purpose if the people be negligent in communicating or criminous in life or vnskilful in the vnderstanding of the necessary points belonging to these mysteries to encourage to perswade and to enstructe them Neither yet haue we these as so content herewith but that wee thinke it also very expedient if it may be had that at this action beside the forme prescribed a godly learned preacher were also the shewer foorth of the Lordes death and of the other mysteries conteyned in this sacrament But this so strict necessitie of our Brethren we sée is euidently here confuted and namely that they say by these testimonies it is euident that the administration of the sacramentes ought to be committed to none but vnto such as are preachers of the worde that are able to teach them that they baptize that are able to preach the mysteries of Christes death to them to whome they doe deliuer the outwarde signe thereof But by the way what meane they by these words able to teach speaking of Baptisme and able to preach speaking of the Lorde supper Is the former habilitie to teach an habilitie of the Doctors Who they say cannot exhort nor apply c. which are especiall pointes requisite in a preacher If it be then here is ministring of the sacrament without preaching Except they will say the Doctors can not minister the sacramentes But then againe must they reuoke these wordes on the other side of the leafe pag. 59. It is euident that whom God hath instituted to be minister of the worde him also hee hath made to be minister of the sacramentes These euidencies agrée not well together Especially this other for the preacher expounding this shewing foorth the Lordes death for preaching For by this construction of our Brethren as we haue alreadie séene all the people should be Preachers Where before they saide and that more truely pag. 58. no man may take vpon him any office in the Church but he that is called of God as was Aaron Hebr. 3.4 If they say they meane not here preaching in his proper sense and as it is a function peculiar to the minister of the worde and sacramentes why then doe they bring it in Or for what preaching all this while doe they pleade and alleage these testimonies For such as all the people may doe and must doe as well as they But because in all these spéeches they driue it still to this that he should be able what meane they hereby One that can preach if néede so require but neuerthelesse he alwayes doth not For it followeth not à posse ad esse If they meane so then may the sacrament be administred as with a Sermon so without a Sermon Neither is the preaching a sermon any part of the sacramentes substance nor any accident thereunto of mere necessitie though of the more conueniencie but the remembrance shewing foorth the Lords death is one of the chiefest and the most substantiall parte of this sacrament therefore the remembrance and shewing foorth of the Lordes death and the preaching of a sermon are not all one Yea to come to the abuses that Saint Paule reprehendeth in the Corinthians to whom he wrote these wordes by our Brethren cited For as we haue heard out of Musculus that in these wordes he spake as though hee desired these thinges in them because they did not shewe forth the Lordes death in this mysticall and memoriall supper Nowe although it followe not they had no preaching vnderstanding preaching in his proper sense at the administration of the Lordes supper therefore they had no remembrance or shewing forth of the Lordes death because non sequitur à specie ad genus negatiuè yet this followeth necessarily à genere ad species they had no remembrance nor shewing foorth of the Lordes death at the administration of the Lordes supper therefore they had no preaching thereat And yet had they preaching often at other comminges together whereof Saint Paule treateth afterwarde chap. 12. and 14. But Saint Paule reproouing their abuses and héere reckoning them vppe particulerly that they had dissensions and were not in charitie when thy came together to this action ver 18. that they tooke their own suppers before ver 21. that one came hungry another came dronken ver 21. that they shewed not forth the Lordes death ver 26. that they examined not themselues ver 28. that they discerned not the Lordes body ver 29. that vpon the examination of themselues they iudged not themselues ver 31. that they tarried not one for another ver 33. to conclude and that which summarily he put first of al ver 20. that when they came together into one place they made such a super of it as whereof the Apostle sayth this is not to eaâ—e the Lords supper S. Paule now reckoning vp all these faultes among them at the administration of thâ—s sacrament and this being as our Breth say so necessarie a matter is there any probabilitie but that hee also particularly would haue reproued them for this that they had no sermon preached among them at this action Which in all these corruptions had béene very néedefull and might haue refrayned them from these abuses if their preachers had not also béene corrupted as it likely that they were which suffered among them such foule abuses But if preaching had béene so necessarie at that instant no doubt he would haue touched the neglect of that also especially mentioning the shewing foorth of the Lordes death to be principally required at their eating and drinking in the Lordes supper But the faultes of their
thereby and be counted or called beggerly elementes Is it lawfull for Caluine to say of the Iewes ceremonies that though without or against Christ they were weake and beggerly elements yet hauing the promise adioyned and referred to Christe they were to the fathers not onely healthfull exercises helpes of godlines but also effectuall instruments of grace And are ours being done according to Christs institution with Christ for Christ of lesse force now than theirs then For as for theirs neither circuÌ„cision nor the. Pascall Lambe had alwaies a sermoÌ„ preached at the ministration of theÌ„ And shall we then say that if ours want a sermon at the ministration of them ours are lesse effectual than were their sacraments Indéede we dare burden the Papists with the terme of sacrilege by Gelasius their owne Popes mouth for subtracting the L. cup and burtheÌ„ theÌ„ again so far as all these termes amount vnto for their so transforming of the L. supper that they made no supper of the L. at al therâ—of nor any sacrameÌ„t but a méere sacrilege an Idolatrous sacrifice of their owne making Both wresting the word into an absurd monstrous sense yea into a sense clene contrary to any sacramentall sense taking cleane away the element And so as we haue heard out of Augustine they ouerthrewe the nature of a sacrament For as he sayth adde the worde to the element it is made a sacrament so take the element froÌ„ the word it is made no sacrament But can our Breth say as much of vs that as the Papistes take the element froÌ„ the word when they bring in transubstantiation so we take the worde from the element when we euer haue the word the elemeÌ„t ioyned together though in their sense it be not alwaies preached And yet it is alwayes so at large expounded that I sée not what a learned preacher can say more concerning the matter substance of the sacrament or any thing necessary for the worthy receiuers saue either to their further exhortation vpon some especiall occasion or to their further resolution if any doubt arise about the true vnderstanding of it And to these purposes sermons we graunt are very profitable or some homilies read to the same purpose But to say as our Breth do that except the sacraments be administred by one that is is able to prech at the same time do preach a sermon besides all these things aforesaid or else the element is but worldly dead beggerly is separated from the word no better than sacrilege these are very presumptuous daungerous and erroneous spéeches indéede not tollerable being such as necessarily implie that the most part of vs and peraduenture of themselues also are not as yet any whit more baptized than in the Popish time we celebrated the Lords supper that is to say in plaine English not at all Which howe néere it would drawe to any true baptisme let the reader and their selues consider Our Brethrens argument is this To separate the elements in the ministration of the sacrâ—mentes from the promise and worde of God which is the life and riches to animate and enrich the sacrament is but to giue vs worldly dead and beggerly elements and is nothing else but sacrilege But to separate the ministration of preaching of the word from the sacrameÌ„ts is to separate the element in the ministratioÌ„ of the sacrameÌ„ts from the promise word of God which is the life riches to animate and enrich the sacrament therfore it is but to giue dead beggerly elements and nothing else but sacrilege to separate the preaching of the word from the sacraments The minor of this argument as we haue séene vnderstanding preaching as they vnderstand it is apparant false for although it be true in the supper of the L. where the participants haue discretion vnderstanding preaching so the the worde and promise of God be taught and set foorth in anie such sort as the congregation may be edified in the vnderstanding and beléeuing of these mysteries Neuerthelesse wée can not graunt therto so absolutely for baptisme Which it may be fully receaued for the truth and substance thereof by the infants that want discretion to vnderstand the mystery of it in what language soeuer it be spoken So that either our BrethreÌ„ must both deny theÌ„selues to be as yet baptized and yéelde to the anabaptistes in repelling infantes or deny this argument Albeit restrayning the argumeÌ„t to the other sacrament we gladly yéelde and subscribe to that part of the argument as hauing alwayes both the word and ministration of preaching of the worde when soeuer the sacramentes are with vs administred And so farre foorth we conster and allowe of that order which Caluine himselfe prescribeth in his institutions concerning the Lords supper cap. 18. sect 34. saying Hetherto we haue haue reasoned howe it serueth to our faith towardes God But when the Lorde in this sacrament reuoketh into our memorie so great a bountie of his goodnesse as we haue declared and stirreth vs vp to acknowledge the same he warneth vs with all that we should not be vnthankefull to his liberalitie so plentifully powred forth but that rather we should with prayses wherewith it is meete preach the same and celebrate it with thankesgiuing Therfore when he deliuered the institution of this sacrament to his Apostles he taught them that they should do it in memory of him which Paule interpreteth to shewe foorth the Lords death here againe is that interpretation whereof our Breth spake before but that publikely and all of them together with one voice openly to confesse that all our trust of life and saluation is placed in the death of the Lorde that we should glorifie him with our confession should exhort others by our example to giue him glorie Here again appeareth whether the scope of the sacrament aymeth to wite that it might exercise vs in the memorie of the death of Christ. For that we be bidden to shewe forth the death of the Lord vntill his comming to iudege is no other thing but that we should preach with the coÌ„fession of the mouth that which in the sacrament our faith acknowledgeth that is to wit the death of Christe to be our life This is the seconde vse of the sacrament which appertayneth to externall confession Here is in one sense as we haue also shewed before that out of Caluin a generall preaching at the ministration of this Sacrament And this preaching our brethren can not deny but we haue Now for the other kindes also of preaching more peculier to the Minister Caluine proceedes Thirdlie and that in the steede of an exhortation vnto vs the Lord him selfe woulde bee Than the which exhortation none coulde more vehemently animate and enflambe vs both vnto purity and holinesse of life and also to charity peace and consent For the Lorde doth so communicate there his body
preach The preaching of a sermon no necessary part of the sacrament The abuses of the Lords supper that S. Paule reproued in the Corinth No probability that S. paul thought preaching at the communion to be so absolutely necessary as our Breth vrge it The vse and practise of the Apostles in the communion Act. 2.42 The Geneua note Caluinus in Act. 2. 1. doctrine 2. the communion or brotherly loue 3. the sacrament 4. prayer Marloratus in Act. 2. Act. 20 â— c 7. 11. The primitiue church The practise of the primitiue Church Iustinus Martyr in defens pro Christ. ad Antoninum Pium. Iustinus Martyr The ministration of the L. supper without a sermon The supper of the Lord ministred with a sermon Iustines words maintaine neither transubstantiation nor consubstantiation Iustinus in dialogo cum Triphone Iudeo impress paris 1565. fol. 42. The occasioÌ„ of mingling water with the wine in the sacram Aretius in probl â—om 2. tit de fract panis The Heluetian order Aretius description of ministring the Lordes supper in the reformed Churches of Heluetia Kneeling at the communion not offensiue The learned disc pag. 60. 61. Bridges Abilitie of expounding Abilitie to expouÌ„d the mysterys of the sacram Vnable ministers not allowed The learned disc pag. 61. Bridges How the elements are dead beggerly Caluinus in Coll. 2. Caluinus in Gal. 4. A generall preaching Aug. tractat in Ioh. 80. The ioining of the word to the elemens Rom. 10. Act. 15. â— Pet. 3. The word preâ—ching at the face comprehendeth the action of all the people The worde abused The wordes that Christ spake in that action were not preaching Oleuianus in Rom. 10.8 * In visua The Papists magicall abuse of the word The worde rightly vsed The sacrameÌ„tall signes hauing the word so vttered by the ministers as it may be vnderstood are not beggerly elementes The life of the sacr liâ—th not in the manner of preching the word Our forms of sacram Baptisme may be ministred with out a sermoÌ„ How clearely the word is set foorth in our form of baptisme How fully the worde all the mystâ—rie of Châ—ists deth and our vnion with him is set foorth in our form of the communion Sacrilege Our Breth intemperate speeches against our formes of minisâ—ting the sacram Caluinus in Epist. 265. No necessitie of preaching at baptisme Caluinus in Gal. 4. â— How the Papistes committed sâ—crilege in the L. supper How sermons are very profitable at the sacrament Caluin in instit cap. 18. sect 34. Four kinds of preaching The diuerse kindes of preaching in the Lords supper The papistes mute actioÌ„s in the Lords supper What is the preaching of the words of Christe Caluines order in the Lordes supper The sacrament ministred according to our forme hath a true consecration The forme that Caluin prescribeth with a fourth kind of preaching Musc. for the M. of the Sacrment that are not preachers The reformed Churches wherin the Minist that are not preachers do minister the sacraments Many can minister the Sacrament that cannot preache Musculus for the pointes requisite in the sacrament VVhat kind of preaching Musculus requireth in the L. Supper The seale the writing ioyned The effect of Musculus argument Ministers forbidden to preach The learned Dis. Pag. 61. Bridges We haue both the seale and the writing ioined in our form of sacrament The learned disc Pag. 61. Bridges What ministers herein wee defend defend not Our brethr accusation lighteth on their own selues Baptizme by Women The force of the sacrament substance therof dependeth not vpoÌ„ the ministers not preaching The learned disc pag. 61. 62. 1. Cor. 13 34 1. Tim. 2.11 Bridges Baptising by women Baptisme in priuate places Womens speaking in the Congregation The Eunuches baptisme Acts. 8. Cornelius Baptisme Acts. 10. The cleare light of the Gospell debarreth not al perticuler necessities of occasion nor diuersityes of circumstances preiudicate the substaÌ„ce or vertue of the sacrament Necessity of baptisme Nâ—cessity of â—â—rcuâ—ncisioÌ„ Necessity of baptism Gellius Snecanus in methodâ— baptis parte 6. The forme baptizing sâ—t down by Snecanus Hellopaeus de sacrameÌ„tis cap. de bapt pag. 120. Cap. 8. pag. 155. Howe farre womens extraordinarie bapâ—â—sme De post facto iâ— iâ—proued CircumstaÌ„ces in baptisme Cap. 8.171 The form of baptizing allowed by Heâ—lopeus Baptism effectuall and formall ynough with out a sermoÌ„ The custom of answering in the childes name The words of consecration What is the word added to the element to make the sacrament in the L. Supper Tâ—e onely words of the Institution doe make consecration Which are woâ—des of the institution Beza for the forme effect of Bapt. Bezaes opinion of holding the infant vnder the water Baptisme true Baptisme witâ—out a â—ermâ—oÌ„ The truth of Bapt. for al the abuses How true lawfull we may better thinke our Bapâ—isme is Bezaes saying confutes our Learned discoursers Our Brethr. more allow of the Papistes ministration of the sacraments than of the Protestants that are not precherâ— Necessitie of Bapt. Baptisme hath more neede to be receaued lesse neede of a sermon to the receiuer of it Whatnecessitie we denie or grant in the sacrament Christes in situation Whâ—t is and is not necessarily conteyned in Christes institution of the sacr The daungerous sequele of our Breth assertion The Popish corruptions Beza in confess Christ. cap. 4. 〈◊〉 35. Our Breth vse the sacr without the pub assemb and times prescribed of the Church Bezaes modestie Bezaes modestie Our Brethr. contradiction Our Breth dangerous positions Our Brethr. absurdities in this assertion The learned Dis. Pag. 62. 63. 1. Cor. 1.17 Bridges Our Brethr. most daungerous conclusion Baptisme banished throughout the most part of Christendome No preacher no sacrament What a state our Breth vnder pretence of making it better would bring vs vnto The duty of a good Curate that is no preacher The inconuenience of our Brethr. rule No preacher no sacrament Our Brethr. extraordinary order till all places caÌ„ be furnished with preachers The daungers flowing from this rule Principall and accessorie Preaching is not the principall thing but accessory to the sacram What is the principall thing in the sacrament Beza in confess cap. 4. art 35. The coÌ„mendation of the sacram Calminus in 1. Cor. 1.17 The separation of the sacr and preaching How the administratioÌ„ of the sacr preaching may be ioyned and separated How our Breth owne positions ouerthâ—owe themselues Act. 16.16 The learned Dis. Pag. 63. 64. Act. 6.4 1. Tim. â— â— 1 Cor. 14.16 1. Cor. 14.40 1. Cor. 14.16 Bridges The Iewes publike prayers A pâ—escribed forme of prayers diuine seruice among the Iewes before Christes coÌ„ming Numb 6.22 c. 1. Chron. 9.33 1. Chron. 16.4 7. The Geneua note 1. Chr. 21.2 The Iewes order in the Apostles time The publike prayers in the Apostles times The Christians order in the Apostles time Col. 4.16 Ephes. 5.19 1. Cor. 14.26 The