our spirituall ioy we reade those comfortable and selected portions of Scripture called Epistles and Gospels Now for the holie Communion it is so religiously penned and so reuerently performed in our Church as is most apt to kindle deuotion to inflame faith to raise vp the minde from earthly cogitations and to rauish the spirit with heauenly ioy for it is replenished with most zealous exhortations lowly confessions piercing praiers celestiall comforts angelicall lauding and praising of God and not presuming to come to the Lords table trusting in our owne righteousnesse but in his manifold and great mercies we beseech him to grant that we may so eate the flesh of his deare sonne and drinke his bloud that our bodies being clensed and our soules washed wee may euer dwell in him and he in vs. And though we are not woorthie of our selues so much as to gather vp the crums vnder his table yet after the reheatsall of Christs holy institution such is the mercy of God in the merits of Christ we are made partakers of this heauenly banquet euen of the precious bodie and bloud of Christ for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and all other benefits of his passion So againe powring out praiers and rendring thanks and glorie to God on high we conclude the celebration of these reuerend mysteries pronouncing a blessing to the people departing Thus we repent and pray wee reioice and praie we thanke God and praie we confesse our faith and praie wee reade and praie we heare and praie we preach and praie we receiue the Sacraments and praie This is the order of our Church which may well be called the house of Praier Iacob when he awaked from the dreame of the ladder he said How reuerend is this place it is none other then the house of God and the gate of heauen So I say vnto you oh how reuerend is this Church of England where God is thus serued surely it is the house of God and this gracious seruing of him is the gate of heauen And thus much of the declaration and now I come to the confutation 28 As Iacob loued Ioseph aboue the rest of his children and in token thereof made him a partie coloured coat so God hath loued the Church of England aboue manie other Churches he hath decked and adorned her with sundrie gifts and graces so that she is like to a kings daughter in a beautifull garment of changeable colours Of Ioseph it is said that The archers shot at him and those archers were his brethren so of the Church of England it may bee saide that the archers shot at her and some of them were her owne children O mercifull God who would imagine that men borne and bred in so holy a Church should shoote so many venemous arrowes at their owne mother Some in their firie zeale haue called our Church musicke meretricious our reading of the Psalmes the tossing of tennis bals our briefe and piercing praiers cuts shreds our choice of the Epistles and Gospels the cutting and mangling of the Scripture the reading of Seruice and Homilies woorse then a stage plaie yea our vsing of the Letanie the Nicene Creed the Hymne of glorie the Creed of Athanasius the Euangelicall Hymnes and the Lords praier it selfe hath not escaped their censure What a world are wee growne vnto when thankesgiuing after childe-birth kneeling at the Communion reading the holy Scripture and funerall Sermons are made matters of reproch yea the whole Communion Booke some are said to call an idoll a Portuis a peece of Swines flesh yea the very Temples of God they are said to tearme temples of Baal idoll synagogues abominable sties But I hope my brethren of the Ministerie for whose loue I haue vndertaken this labour are for the most part more iudicious and of a milder temper yet because diuers of them stand as yet vnresolued imagining that we come neerer to the chuch of Rome then in dutie we should and therefore in the tendernesse of their conscience make scruple whether they may safely ioine with vs or no therefore I will bend my selfe to answer those arguments which in mine opinion doe most commonly intangle them that is certaine generall exceptions which are vniuersally opposed against the orders ceremonies of our Church These firie darts flie farre and wide the people men and women haue learned disdainfully to dash them in our faces these I hold it my dutie to quench or at least to doe mine endeuour I will therefore bring my bucket of water and commit the euent to the gracious goodnesse of Almightie God And for breuities sake I will reduce all these arguments into one the branches whereof shall bee handled in order Those orders and ceremonies which were neither commanded of God in holie Scripture nor practised in the Apostles times but are hereticall popish and antichristian being scandalous where they remaine and therfore cast out of other reformed Churches are in no wise to be imbraced or assented vnto by subscription but such say they are sundry of the orders and ceremonies of the Church of England therefore not to be imbraced nor yeelded vnto by Subscription 29 And first they require that nothing should be placed in Gods Church but those things onely which the Lord himselfe in his word commandeth Now it is supposed that we haue many rites which are not commanded as for example where is the Surplesse commanded where is the Ring in marriage commanded where is the Crosse in baptisme commanded where is kneeling at the Communion commanded These and a number of other things are vsed in our Church which as it is obiected God in his holie Word hath no where commanded To which obiection I answer First that if vnder this word commanded they comprehend things commanded in generall then these and the like orders of our Church are commanded If they demand where I answer in euery place where God commands vs to obey our Prince For the meaning of Gods cōmandement is that we should obey the Prince in all things lawfull but things indifferent are things lawfull therefore God commands vs to obey our Prince in things indifferent But all these things are indifferent therfore in all these God commands vs to obey our Prince yea euen in this my text it is commanded when it is said Let all things be done honestly and by order Secondly if by commanded they vnderstand a particular command then I grant that these things are not so commanded but neither are their owne rites they so much desire any where thus commanded A white Surplesse I confesse is no where commanded neither is a blacke gowne or cloake any where commanded Kneeling at the Communion is no where commanded but neither is sitting or any other gesture which they allow any where commanded If our orders may not be receiued because they are not commanded then neither can
THE AVTHORITIE OF THE CHVRCH in making Canons and Constitutions concerning things indifferent And the obedience thereto required with particular application to the present estate of the Church of England Deliuered in a Sermon preached in the Greene yard NORWICH the third Sunday after Trinitie 1605. By FRAN. MASON Bacheler of Diuinitie and sometime fellovv of Merton College in Oxford And now in sundrie points by him enlarged EPH. 4. 3. Endeuour to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace LONDON Printed for IOHN NORTON 1607. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER in God RICHARD Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace Primate and Metropolitane of all England and one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuie Councell c. THe loue and dutie which I owe to this Church of England most reuerend Father haue put into my hand this Oliue branch that is an exhortation to holy obedience and peaceable resolutions which alwaies haue beene the crowne and glorie of a Christian For when I pondered with my selfe how some of the Ministerie stand vnresolued and that as I take it because they doe not duly consider the nature of things indifferent and the dutie of a subiect to his Soueraigne I must confesse that my bowels of compassion were mooued and the fire of affection was kindled within me And therefore although many learned and iudicious men haue richly and plentifully handled this argument yet in commiseration of those my brethren I also haue aduentured to cast my poore mite into the treasurie hoping that as they walke amongst the fruitfull trees they will not disdaine to pull a little berrie from the lowest shrub The principall marke I shoote at is to doe my endeuour to settle the tender and trembling consciences of those which are not wedded to their owne conceits but haue bene carried away rather of weaknesse then of wilfulnesse that such of them as it shall please the Lord may be reduced to the Tabernacles of peace and follow the trueth in loue For alas who can but lament to see so many spend their short and precious time in such scandalous prosecution of ciuill contentions and some of them not altogether vnlike to Platoes Euthyphro who in his inconsiderate course went in all haste to accuse his own father But this Church God be thanked neuer wanted a Socrates to encounter and conuince them and make manifest to the world that they erred by misconstruction and vnaduised zeale O how much better had it beene to haue continued their labours in the Lords vineyard and by bending their vnited forces against Babylon to haue fought the Lords battails to the comfort of the godly who then might haue celebrated their triumph erected their trophae and decked their victorious heads with lawreall garlands O what a griefe ought this to be to their soules so to oppose themselues against such a learned and religious Church and so vnreuerently to traduce that holie Booke of Common Prayer a worke of so great and admirable excellencie concerning which I may truly affirme that it hath beene cut vp like an anatomie euery vaine of it hath beene opened euerie corner searched euery rubricke ransacked not a word but hath beene weighed in the ballance not a syllable but hath bene sifted to the vttermost and yet for all this like to the bridge of Caesar the more it is oppugned the stronger it stands The ceremonies wherof may aptly be resembled to the altar erected by the tribe of Reuben Gad and the halfe tribe of Manasses vpon the passages of Iordan at which the rest of the tribes were grieuously offended imagining that it had beene for sacrifice But when they were truely informed that it was onely for a memoriall that they had a part in the God of Israel they were well content they blessed God and Phinehas said This day we perceiue the Lord is among vs because you haue not done this trespasse In like maner some of our brethren haue beene offended at our ceremonies vpon an erroneous imagination of Poperie and superstition but the Church of England hath often manifested her innocencie and cleared herselfe of those imputations And therefore we hope that one day their eies being opened and their soules satisfied they will with the Princes of Israel blesse God and say with Phinehas This day we perceiue that the Lord is among vs because you haue not done this trespasse For the furtherance whereof I doe in all humilitie present this Oliue branch vnto your Grace whose eminent wisedome and godly care in suppressing innouations and preseruing the well setled state of this flourishing Church is most apparent And therefore as God hath directed the heart of our religious Souereigne to establish you the chiefe Pastor and Father of our Church so I beseech the Almightie to vouchsafe this fruit to your labours that your Grace may see the weake resolued the wilfull relented the wandring reduced and all of them returned to the bosome of the Church like the Doue to the Arke with leaues of Oliue in their mouths in token that all gall and bitternesse being laid aside the swelling flouds of discord are asswaged Your Graces in all humble dutie FRANCIS MASON THE AVTHORITY of the Church in making Canons and Constitutions concerning things indifferent and the obedience thereto required c. 1. Corinth 14. 40. Let all things be done honestly and by order 1 MY heartie desire and praier is to Almightie God the Father of mercy that he would so blesse the Ministerie of the Church of England that we all being linked in loue as it were with chaines of adamant might with one heart and one hand religiously build the Temple of the Lord reuerently performe holy obedience to God and the Prince carefully keepe our selues vnspotted and vnstained of this present world and faithfully feed the flocke of Iesus Christ that depends vpon vs. The comfortable accomplishment wherof whosoeuer shall maliciously hinder let him take heed lest a fearefull curse from the God of Iacob come like water into his bowels and like oile into his bones but whosoeuer shall praie for the peace of Ierusalem peace be vpon him and mercy and vpon the Israell of God The furtherance of which blessings to the glory of Christ and the good of the Church men and brethren beloued in the Lord is the marke I aime at and the scope I intend that we all like obedient children may keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace 2 Now this present Sermon by Gods gracious assistance shall be diuided into two generall parts The first an explication The second an application a briefe application of the text and a more ample application of the text to the present estate of the Church of England of which two points in order beseeching the God of all grace and peace to grant vs a blessing 3 And first who spake these words It is plaine that the holy Apostle S. Paul And seeing the holy
so binde the conscience that the not obseruing of them be a sinne whereto it may bee answered that to speake properly God onely raigneth in the consciences of men and sinne is the transgression of the law that is of law Diuine Notwithstanding when Gods law is so intwined with mans law that mans law cannot be broken without the violation of Gods law then the breach of mans law is not without sinne Therefore if an Ecclesiasticall Canon be made of a matter lawfull in a lawfull maner to a lawfull end by lawfull authoritie according to the generall rules of Scripture containing in it nothing repugnant to Scripture nothing contrarie to faith or good maners then that law is approoued in the sight of the Almightie and seemeth to Caluin and other learned Diuines not meerely humane but in some sort Diuine And in the iudgement of Beza doth so farre binde the conscience that no man can wilfully transgresse it without sinne And although the things we speake of be indifferent yet being lawfully commanded the obseruation of them is not a thing indifferent but necessarie because the Lord hath saide Let euery soule be subiect to the higher power And though the omission of a ceremonie bee in it selfe a small matter yet to doe it with resistance of authoritie is no small matter for Whosoeuer resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues condemnation and therefore we must be subiect for conscience sake But heere peraduenture it will be demanded how this doth stand with Christian libertie for answer whereof may it please them to know that Christian libertie consisteth not in breaking of wholsome lawes God forbid that were fantasticall and Anabaptisticall But to touch it so farre as concernes our present purpose in these branches following First we are not tied to this or that paterne but being within our selues a Church not depending vpon any other our Church gouernors haue libertie to establish whatsoeuer being in it selfe indifferent shall to their wisedome seeme most expedient alwaies prouided that all things bee done honestly and in order Secondly this is our libertie that things indifferent being established we retaine them not as a part of diuine worship not as meritorious or satisfactorie not as necessarie to iustification or saluation but onely for discipline and orders sake Thirdly if there shal happen any contempt or irreuerence they may be altred and changed by lawfull authoritie which may likewise ordaine and publish such further ceremonies or rites as may bee most for the aduancement of Gods glory and therefore they are not established as perpetuall but so long as in the eie of publike iudgement they shal seeme conuenient profitable for the Church of Christ. But some peraduenture will replie and saie If things indifferent be such as God hath not commanded why then should the Church presume to impose them vpon vs and so abridge our libertie which God hath not abridged I answer that it is no presumption at all but the lawfull vse of lawfull authority For things are either commanded of the Lord or forbidden or left indifferent That which God hath certainely commanded man may not forbid that which God hath certainely forbidden man may not command or impose by any law For that in the iudgement of S. Austin deserueth not the name of a law which inioines things vnlawfull Againe if authoritie command the same thing which God commandeth or forbid that which he hath forbidden this is not the enacting of a new law but a dutifull declaration and due execution of Gods law But those things which God hath neither commanded nor forbidden he hath left to be disposed by the law of man In which case the Soueraigne may command his subiect and the Church her children and it is the dutie of the inferiour therein to be obedient He that denieth this taketh away the Sunne out of the world dissolueth vniuersally the fabricke of gouernment ouerthroweth families corporations Churches and kingdoms and wrappeth all things in the dismall darknesse of Anarchie and confusion And though this be in some sort the abridging of thy libertie yet it is for the common good and according to the rules of equitie and the Prince or Church in so commanding thee doth no further abridge thy libertie then God doth allow them to abridge it 10 Lastly when it is said vnto the Churches Let all things be done it is plaine that this dutie is laid vpon the Church to prouide that these things bee effectually done and consequently that God which gaue her this charge hath armed her with authoritie She may censure disobedient children God hath giuen to his Church in all ages not onely a rule for direction but a rodde of correction this is the iudgement of all learned men as appeeres by the practise of the whole Christian world And thus much of the explication and so I come to the application 11 Hitherto you haue seene the ballance of the Sanctuary Now it remaineth that the Canons and Constitutions of our own Church be weighed examined in this ballance Wherein although I acknowledge that lawes solemnly established doe rather require obedience then disputation yet because the lawes vnder which wee liue are such God be thanked as need not to shunne the light and forasmuch as many otherwise vertuous and well disposed mindes and some of them very learned and laborious in the Church of Christ while they haue trauelled in waightier matters haue mistaken somethings of lesser moment Therefore giue me leaue in the spirit of meeknesse to instruct them that are contrarie minded which I doe not to call the present lawes in question I haue no such meaning but to quiet and settle the vnresolued conscience that that we may all performe cheerefull obedience to God and the Prince And if any man thinke that this discourse were more seasonable in an assemblie of Ministers let them consider First that this famous auditorie is furnished with a great number of the Ministerie Secondly that this is the place of iurisdiction Thirdly that the handling of these points is very profitable for the people for the true knowledge of the authoritie of the Prince in things indifferent is the very foundation of Christian obedience And though I know that the handling of these points is very subiect to censure yet for my brethrens sake of the Ministrie my hart is turned within me and my bowels of compassion are rowled together and therefore I am resolued to wade through honour and dishonor good report and bad report for the workes sake which I couet to performe Now this application by Gods grace shall bee diuided into three generall parts First a declaration that in the Church of England the principall points for the time will not suffer mee to speake of all are established honestly and in order Secondly a confutation of certaine generall exceptions to the contrarie Thirdly an exhortation
part of a Preacher Should there haue beene a generall dissolution of parishes and fiue reduced to one Alas that had beene a wofull and lamentable reformation What then remaineth but onely that which the Church of England approoueth that is to be sparing in the former points and to admit some into the Ministery of meaner though tolerable sufficiencie till it please God that our famous Vniuersities which haue already furnished many may by Gods grace send out their crystall streames to water the rest of the land And surely it were to bee wished that some greater incouragement were giuen to learned men by encreasing their maintenance For alas it is notoriously knowne that manie Church liuings haue beene so pared to the quicke that now they are hardly able to yeeld vitall nourishment so sharpely haue they beene launced and lost their best bloud But God bee blessed who hath put into the heart of his Maiestie a holie endeuour to cure the Church of this consumption the father of mercy giue a blessing vnto it and the Lord grant that the Nobilitie and Gentrie of this land may follow his roiall example and that euerie one in his degree may set his heart and hand to the further building of the Lords Temple In the meane time I must needs say that there are not a few in the Vniuersities graue learned and vertuous which might be imploied abroad but onely that sundrie Patrons preferre a golden purse before a golden wit Wherein I would to God that such as are indued with right of presenting to spirituall promotions would consider what an honourable office is committed vnto them and what excellent seruice they may performe to the Church of God and let them withall call to minde what a fearefull account such shall one day make as cease not to preferre their priuate gaine before the publike good but suffer soules to perish through their negligent default or symoniacall sinne Two reasons may bee rendred for Patronages building the Church and mainteining the Minister in regard whereof this honour was granted to the lord of the soile in ancient time that hee alone should present the Clerke because he alone prouided for him In remembrance whereof the honour discended to posteritie and therefore you which enioy this right from your Noble progenitours as you succeed them in honour so succeed them in vertue and as they haue beene honourable founders so discharge you a good conscience and bee faithfull disposers And you which possesse the same dignitie though not by lineall discent yet by other lawfull interest it is your part to be good stewards and warily to discharge this Christian dutie according to that trust which the Church of Christ hath reposed in you So learning shall be nourished vertue aduanced religion flourish and out two famous Vniuersities shall be exalted like the cedars in Libanus and as the Cypres trees vpon the mountaines of Hermon They shall be faire as the Oliue tree and sweete as the Rose They shall bee fruitfull as the Vine and like the Terebinth shall stretch foorth their branches to the glory of God and consolation of his children But to returne to the present state of our Church it cannot bee denied but that God hath blessed this land with a great number of learned men aboue other nations yet seeing the number of parishes is exceeding great wee are constrained to tolerate some of meaner sufficiencie And yet the law requireth that euerie one to be admitted into the Ministerie should vnderstand the articles of religion not onely as they bee compendiously set downe in the Creed but as they are at large in our Booke of Articles neither vnderstand them onely but be able to prooue them sufficiently out of the Scripture And that not in English onely but in Latin also If it be obiected that there haue beene sundrie consecrated which are not thus qualified I confesse it may be true and it is a iust cause of lamentation but yet beloued this is not the fault of the law but of such as transgresse the law Now I speake in defence of the Lawes vnder which I liue If any whosoeuer shall transgresse the lawes let him answer for himselfe or beare his owne burthen that which is of God I would willingly defend but I am no patron of any mans iniquitie I will conclude this point with the charge S. Paul giueth to Timothy and in him to all other Bishops I testifie before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou obserue these things without hastinesse of iudgement and doe nothing after partialitie Lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes 17 And heere let mee aduise those Ministers which are no Preachers that they spend not their time idlely but endeuour by all meanes to grow in wisdome and grace lest they be a disgrace to that holy calling For there is no doubt but being at their entrance qualified as the law requireth if they shall marke what they reade publikely if they shall delight to reade the Bible priuately if they shall ioine some short and easie Commentarie if they shall informe their iudgements by introductions and institutions of Christian religion if they shal be willing to learne of such as can teach them and to teach such as ought to learne of them if they shall be diligent in Catechising if they shall delight in conference and meditate vpon the law of God day and night and withall bee deuout and feruent in praier there is no doubt I say but that God may so blesse their graine of mustard seed that it may grow into a goodly tree their sparkle that it may become a flame their drop that it may rise into a riuer and ouerflow like Nilus with her siluer streames Blesse O Lord these gracious beginnings and holy endeuours let them not be like the morning dew that drieth away but let them grow in grace and flourish more and more like the tree that is planted by the riuer side 18 After the examination is tendered Subscription and surely to the end that they which should teach other men obedience may be good subiects themselues it is expedient that they subscribe to the first article that is to the Princes Supremacie The second article consisteth of two branches the booke of Common Praier and the booke of Consecration Concerning the first though the admonition to the Parliament did formerly fancie a voluntarie and extemporall forme of Praier as the spirit should mooue a man yet the defender of the admonition agreeth with vs that there should be a prescript and vniforme order the obseruation of which vniformitie both in praier and ceremonie was long ago commended by Caluin to the Duke of Sommerset and therefore we are agreed vpon this generalitie But to come to particulars there was set out a booke of Common Praier in the beginning of King Edwards raigne which Alexander Alesius a learned man of Scotland
translated into Latin as a singular comfort for the whole Christian world in those dangerous daies and this seemeth to be the same vpon which Martin Bucer gaue his learned censure In the fift and sixt yeere of K. Edward the former booke was reformed and brought to such singular perfection that Archbishop Cranmer offered in Q. Maries time so he might be assisted by a few moe learned men to defend it against all commers And profound Ridley affirmed that the whole Diuine seruice was formed and fashioned to the true veine of Scripture D. Tailour auouched that there was set out by K. Edward the whole Church seruice with great deliberation and aduice of the best learned of the Realme authorized by the whole Parliament fully perfected according to the rules of Christian Religion in euery behalfe that no Christian conscience can be any way offended with any thing therein conteined Yea Caluin himselfe though he misliked some things in our Liturgie yet tearmed them tolerable but I perswade my selfe that Caluin would not call any thing tolerable which he iudged impious therefore I suppose that in hi◠iudgement there was no impietie at all yet some in our Church haue refused subscription euen in regard of those things which Caluin thought tolerable But to come to the forme of Common praier as it was established by Q. Elizabeth ô what blessings hath the Lord vouchsafed the people of this land by meanes of that booke how many millions of soules haue receiued comfort by it how many thousands of learned men haue commended and defended it you shall heare one for all euen that iudicious Iewel in whose opinion it containeth nothing either disagreeing from holy Scripture or misbeseeming sober men And yet it hath pleased our gracious souerainge that some things should be explaned that the publike forme of praier might be free not onely from blame but from suspition wherefore our venerable Conuocation considering how this booke hath beene allowed by such a world of witnesses and published by the Soueraigne authoritie of most learned religious princes and being perswaded that it containeth nothing but that which may bee tolerated with a good conscience and pondering how this Church hath beene troubled with turbulent spirits and withall hoping that Subscription might be a means to preserue the peace of the Church how could they doe lesse than commend the vse of this booke and binde all that heereafter shall bee admitted either to the ministerie or to any Ecclesiasticall promotion by their seuerall Subscriptions to approoue the same Moreouer because it were intolerable that they which haue desired consecration and obtained it at the hands of our reuerend Bishops and that as we are constantly perswaded in such forme as is agreeable to the blessed word of God should speake against their owne orders or against that hand wherewith they were consecrated therefore it is requisite that they should subscribe to the second branch that is the booke of Consecration And to the end that they which publikely instruct others should be seasoned themselues with true religion and no gappe left open to false or curious doctrines it is most fit that they subscribe to the third and last that is the booke of the articles of religion and this also though in more seuere maner was Caluins aduice to the duke of Sommerset In al these points the Church of England requireth subscription and is therfore sharply censured by her owne children But they which are such admirers of forraine Churches abroad let them a little in this very point compare the Church of England with that famous Church of Geneua First the Church of England requireth subscription of the Ministers and not of the common people but the Church of Geneua vrgeth not the Ministers onely but the people also Secondlie the Church of England requireth this approbation that her rites are not contrarie to the word of God but the Church of Geneua will haue her discipline receiued in a more high and glorious maner Thirdly the Church of England contenteth her-selfe onely with subscription but the Church of Geneua is more peremptorie requiring a solemne oth 19 After Subscription followeth Consecration or Imposition of hands which in the Church of England is performed with such words of wisdome and in such maner as flesh and bloud should not take vpon them to controle 20 And as our Church is carefull to make good Ministers so she hath a singular regard in placing them And because many Patrons in placing their Clerks haue golden gifts in more precious account then gifts of grace therefore the Chuch of England hath prouidently appointed an oth against Symonie And heere I beseech all my brethren of the Ministerie in the bowels of Christ Iesus to make a conscience of this oth when they enter their liuings For how can they expect that God will blesse their proceedings if they shall make their beginnings with Symonie and colour it ouer with periurie 21 And as our Church is desirous that men may enter their liuings with a good conscience so she is graciouslie prouident that they may discharge their dutie when they are entred Wherefore the law prouideth for their personall residence and in case of absence for a learned supply 21 And forasmuch as the Church of God in all ages hath had some which after good and plausible beginnings haue notwithstanding proued firebrands of schism sounded the trumpet of sedition therefore the oth of canonicall obedience is a touchstone to trie their present affections a bridle to curbe their future passions and a gracious meanes to preserue the precious peace and vnitie of the Church 23 Moreouer the messengers of peace should not onely be peaceable but also painfull in feeding the flocke of Christ and yet Sermons heeretofore in some places haue beene verie rare and daintie insomuch that father Latymer in his time compared them to strawberies which came but once a yeere Wherefore that in stead of strawberie Sermons there might bee a more plentifull prouision in the house of God our Church hath decreed that if the Ministers residing vpon their benefices be Preachers not lawfully hindered they shall preach euery Sabbath and if they be no Preachers they shall procure monthly Sermons 24 Furthermore because such is our selfe pleasing vanitie we thinke our selues fit to flie before our feathers be growne and sundrie to auoid the odious brand of dumbe dogges and idoll shepheards are readie to stretch and straine themselues aboue their strength being forward to speake when silence would better become them therefore it is wisely enacted that none shall preach but such as are allowed by the Bishop of the Diocesse In the meane time they must read Homilies that is holie and learned Sermons publikely set out by authoritie Surely dearely beloued quirking braines may haue their conceits and wanton wits may be more merrie then wise but when these things are iudiciously weighed
goe out of her my people that you be not partakers in her sinnes and that yee taste not of her plagues haue vpon your former premises gathered a practicall conclusion and made an actuall separation and rent from the Church of England And surely my brethren as they had their original from your positions so now they are strengthened by your practises for they may well thinke that such learned and vertuous men so famous and renowmed Preachers knowing a Wee pronounced against them if they preach not the Gospell would neuer suffer themselues to be silenced for matters which they iudged indifferent and therefore they will take it as granted that the things you sticke at are in your opinion simplie vnlawfull Vpon this dangerous position they will builde an other for if the Liturgie of the Church of England as it is inioined at this day to be performed be such as a Minister cannot execute his function with a good conscience then they conclude that neither may the people heare it with a good conscience because their presence were an approbation of it thus the vnquiet wit of man will still be working euen till it runne it selfe vpon the rocke of his owne destruction Wherefore my deare brethren I beseech you as you tender the good of the Church to lay aside all contentious humors Let there not bee found in you a spirit of contradiction and singularitie but follow those things which concerne peace and wherewith one may edifie an other Let vs consider one an other to prouoke one an other to loue and good works Bend your selues to settle the quiet of the Church and keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Which is rather to be expected at your hands because the points in question are the publike constitutions of the venerable conuocation which is the Church of England representatiue in whose voice your owne voice is included Some peraduenture will replie that if this reason be sound then the reuerend Martyrs in Queene Maries time should haue subscribed to poperie because it was then decreed by the Conuocation But I answer that there is not the like reason For against their popish conclusions the blessed Martyrs had euident and necessary demonstration of holy Scripture to which all decâ—â—es of man must vndoubtedly giue place but against the orders of our Church no such demonstrations can be produced Againe the matters they stood vpon were substantiall points of religion whereas our controuersies are of a lower nature And surely as probable inducements must yeeld to necessarie so amongst probable of which sort are all reasons deduced from the authoritie of man the priuate must giue place to the publike Will you haue the iudgement of master Caluin in this point also Then attend and heare a notable place which was touched before but deserueth to bee pondered againe and againe his words are these Quamuis enim quod obtruditur scandalum afferat malam caudam trahat quia tamen per se Dei verbo non repugnat concedi potest maximè vbi maior numerus peruincit quando ei qui membrum est tantum illius corports nulla ratio suppetit vlterius pergendi Let it therfore be imagined that our orders bring scandall and draw after them a long and foule traine of inconueniences yet seeing that in themselues considered they are not repugnant to Gods word for this still wee must presume till the contrarie bee prooued and are agreed vpon by the greater part yea by the sacred Synod which is the Church of England representatiue and that with the royall assent of our Soueraigne surely in the iudgement of Caluin they may bee yeelded vnto by such as are members of the same Church neither in this case can they proceed any further Wherefore my brethren I cast my selfe downe at your feete and with tender teares beseech you euen in the bowels of Christ Iesus that you will seeke peace and follow after it and bee not like to them of whom it is saide The way of peace they haue not knowne 46 Fourthly looke vpon those reuerend Fathers and Bishops of our Church by whose hands and voices that blessing was powred vpon you which made you ministers of holie things Haue you not at your ordination made a promise and at your institution taken a reuerent oth of canonicall obedience Wherefore let mee exhort you which haue taken this oth and being admonished by your Bishop oppose your selues notwithstanding against the laudable discipline of our Church to enter into your owne soules and vprightly to consider whether while you pretend conscience you doe not that which is vncomely for conscieence And for our Bishops ò what an anguish will it bee to their soules if those voices which ordained you be constrained to depriue you And what a comfort would it be both to them and to all your brethren of the Ministerie if we might ioine together against the common enemie and bee linked in euerlasting chaines of loue one with another And heere most reuerend Fathers though in your wisedome you finde it fit that authorized lawes be put in execution yet remember that the offenders are your owne children in the Lord and by Gods mercie your assistants in dispensing the precious trueth of Iesus Christ and many of them very learned and laborious in the Church of God adorned with manifold vertues and graces of the spirit and therefore let all your proceedings towards them be with a tender heart and a tender hand Consider the multitude of papists and the insulting of vaine-glorious Iesuits behold how sinne and iniquitie euerie where abound and what need the Church hath of their learned labours and therefore in the name of God trie all meanes in Fatherly maner to reduce them endeuour according to your godly wisedome to giue them full satisfaction of their doubts and to make the equitie of the required subscription plaine and manifest vnto them that their consciences being resolued they may proceed as before in the worke of the Lord for this will tend much to the glorie of God the good of the Church your owne comfort and the sauing of many thousand soules This in all dutie I haue aduentured call to your remembrance most reuerend Fathers in behalfe of my brethren wherein if I seeme too bold that loue which caused me must excuseme 47 Finally beloued call to mind the flocke of Christ that depends vpon you their profiting in religion was the comfort of your hearts your ioy and your crowne the seale of your Ministerie they heard you as the Angels of God yea as Iesus Christ and could haue beene content to haue plucked out their owne eies and haue giuen them to you And therefore if there be any loue any bowels of compassion forsake not the lambes of Iesus Christ whereof the holie Ghost hath made you ouerseers For let me tell you that your loue to the flocke ought rather like a golden chaine to draw you then the