ignorant men which are not acquainted with Gods booke be kept and thrust out of the holy ministerie vnlesse they will be partakers of great sinnes and consequently of great plagues A sufficient teacher is a rare blessing for he setteth the Lords plough forward and is Gods hand to deliuer heauenly treasures If good care shall be had by our Prince our Bishops our Patrons to goe on in aduancing and making choise of such both gouernors and pastors Gods religion Church Vniuersities will flourish more notably and consequently Gods glory our gracious Prince shall be more soundly honoured the people of the land shall be singularly encouraged to serue God to fight for the religion for their Prince for their countrey against any either forraine or home enemie and Gods fauour and blessings shall be multiplied vpon our Queene vpon vs and vpon our posteritie Almightie God will accept this at our hands for great thankfulnes for his late mercy in preseruing the English both fleet and nation and amazing dispersing the popish fleet by his mighty hand This gracious and notable fauour of God hath danted Gods our enemies in al popish kingdomes and churches and hath put life into Gods seruants in all nations Churches that professe the religion The Lord for his Christes sake graunt that we may be reuerently mindfull of and humbly thankfull to his maiestie for this deliuerance And that as in the time of danger we vsed the 83. and 68. psalmes to entreate Gods fauour so we may euer sing the 124. and 46. psalmes to publish Gods mercie and to testifie our thankfulnes for this gracious conquest CHAP. 3. ALMIGHTIE GOD NEVER called any to Magistracie but hee furnished them accordingly THe Egyptians were harde masters to the Israelites They kept them very short in Egypt When almighty God would blesse the Israelites with freedom and gouernment he furnished Moses notably for that excellent seruice He gaue him singuler wisedome courage c. If he had not Moses had bene vtterly vnfit for such a famous match Moses complained vnto the Lorde that hee alone was not able to gouerne the Israelites Almightie God for the ease of Moses appointed 70. Elders of Israel to help in that gouernment That those Ancients might cary thēselues profitably in that charge the Lord did garnish them accordingly Num. 11. Moses before his death desired the Lorde to appoint one to succeede him in the gouernment that the Israelites might not be as sheepe without a shepheard Num. 27. Gods pleasure was that Iosua should be the man Deut. 34. He did so assist and furnish him with the feare of God with the spirit of wisedome courage c. that he became very famous in peace in warre at and after his dying day The Church common wealth of the Israelites decayed greatly were at a low ebbe in king Sauls time That both Church and cōmon wealth might be reuiued the Lord aduanced his seruant Dauid to the kingdome He did beautifie him with extraordinary graces as with precious Diamonds Dauid was very religious very wise very valiant very religious for hee brought home the Lordes Arke very wise for his royal throne was a seate of Iustice very valiant for he vanquished many enemies Salomō succeeded his father Dauid in the gouernment of the Israelites That he might cary himselfe accordingly in that great charge he desired and obtained at Gods hands a wise and vnderstanding heart 1. King 3. Shebna was a great officer in Ezechias Court His course was cunning and dangerous to the common wealth of Iuda Almightie God coulde not beare him therefore sent a notable vengeance vpon him In his steade Eliakim was appointed vnder the King of Iuda A man singularly furnished by the Lord for he was a father of the inhabitants of Ierusalem and of the house of Iuda Esay 22. Ioseph was aduanced in Egypt Nehemias in Persia Daniel in Chaldea They dealt excellently in their gouernment for almightie God did notable furnish them Gedeon was a very meane man he attended on the flaile In his time the Madianites were heauie to the Israelites 7. yeeres That the Lord might deliuer his people from the tyrannie of the Madianites he furnished Gedeon for that seruice in extraordinary sort Iudg. 6. and 7. chap. There were in Gedeon which ought to be in euery Captaine both by sea and land Scientia rei militaris virtus authoritas faelicitas Cic. pro lege Manil. That is skil in warlike affaires vertue authoritie felicitie They which are inwardly called to the Magistracie are such as are furnished by the Lord with good parts for that weighty function They are not brambles as Abimelech was nor sots as Maximinus was nor fooles as Candaules was They are vine figge oliue trees as Dauid Ezechias Iosaphat Constantinus were These are such Magistrates in whom God delighteth and which are best welcome to Gods people for they are rare ornaments both of Church and common wealth God increase the number of such in this lande that both Church and common wealth may shine continually as starres at home abroade c. to the glory of God the honour of the Prince the terrour of the enemie and the comfort of the English nation CHAP. 4. THE READING OF THE holy Scripture doth edifie MOses commaunded the Priests in this sort c. When all Israel shall come to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse thou shalt reade this lawe before all Israel that they may heare it Gather the people together men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and keepe and obserue all the wordes of this law And that their children which haue not knowen it may heare it and learne to feare the Lord your God c. Deut. 31. I gather my argument out of this place thus By reading of the lawe of God the Israelites did learne and feare God therefore they were edified If you reply that all the Israelites did not profite by this reading I answere no more did all profit by the preaching of the Prophets of Christ and the Apostles The fault was not in the seed but in the ground Vnlesse Gods spirit touch our hearts as the worde doeth pearce our eares Gods truth either read or preached is a shut booke and as a sealed letter vnto vs. When hee shall sit vpon the throne of his kingdome then shall he write him this lawe repeated in a booke by the Priests of the Leuites And it shall be with him and he shall reade therein all dayes of his life that hee may learne to feare the Lorde his God and to keepe all the woordes of this lawe and these ordinances for to doe them That his heart be not lifted vp aboue his brethren and that hee turne not from the commandement to the right hand or to the left but that he may prolong his dayes in his
A GODLY TREATISE containing and deciding certaine questions mooued of late in London and other places touching the Ministerie Sacraments and Church Whereunto one Proposition more is added After the ende of this Booke you shall finde a defence of such points as M. Penry hath dealt against And a confutation of many grosse errours broched in M. PENRIES last Treatise Written by Robert Some Doctor of Diuinitie Ephes 4. verse 15. Let vs follow the trueth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ c. Imprinted at London by G. B. Deputie to Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie 1588. ¶ To the Reader TWo sortes of Recusantes are in this land the one Popish the other Anabaptisticall They giue out that wee haue no ministery no Sacraments no visible Church These men labour of two diseases the one is great pride the other grosse ignorance Their pride appeares in their behauiour which is voide of humilitie their ignorance in their Arguments which hang together like a sicke mans dreame That her Maiestie may and ought to compell these Recusants to frequent our Church assemblies I make no question There is an other sorte which either deny or doubt whether vnpreaching ministers doe deliuer a Sacrament vpon better aduise some of them confesse that ignorant ministers doe administer a Sacrament but they adde this that such as receiue any Sacrament at their hands doe sinne grossely and pollute thēselues I will hope well of these men for they erre onely for want of iudgement The holy Sacrament is one thing the ministers ignorance is an other thing the Lordes Sacrament brings singuler comfort to the worthie receiuer the ministers ignorance can neither peruert the Sacrament nor pollute the receiuer The Donatistes taught otherwise in the former time and the Anabaptistes in our time but they are notably confuted by two famous men Augustine and Caluine What account I make of ignorant ministers appeareth in this treatise It pleased God to direct my heart and penne in this holy labour therefore I assure my selfe of his gracious blessing London Maij. 6. 1588. R. S. A Table of such points as are conteiin this Treatise 1 A Godly Prince may and ought to compell his subiects if any refuse to the externall Seruice of God 2 A godly Prince may not suffer any Religion but the true Religion either publiquely or priuately in his Dominions 3 Able teachers ought to be prouided so much as can be for the Churches 4 The teachers of religion must haue maintenance 5 Almightie God blesseth those kingdomes with peace which promote and embrace his Religion 6 The childe of God is not polluted though hee be present at and partaker of the publique Prayers Sacraments c. at such time as wicked men are present at and partakers of them 7 They which were baptized in the Popish Church by Popish Priestes receiued true Baptisme touching the substance of Baptisme 8 They are the Sacraments of Baptisme and the holy Supper which are deliuered in the Church of Englande by vnpreaching Ministers 9 The godly are not polluted which receiue the Sacrament at the handes of an vnpreaching Minister 10 The Church of England is the visible Church of Christ 1. A GODLY PRINCE may and ought to compell his Subiects if any refuse to the externall Seruice of God IT is the Princes duetie to prouide able men to teache the Lordes Religion in his dominions So did Iosaphat the king of Iuda 2. Chro. 17. and Artaxerxes the king of Persia Ezra 7. therefore it is the Princes duetie to prouide that his Subiects doe heare and learne the Lords religion Teachers and learners are relatiues Great outrages were committed against both the tables of the commandements as appeareth in the booke of Iudges for euery man did that whih was good in his owne eyes Iudg. 17. 19. cha The reason of these absurdities is set out liuely and often in these words There was no king in Israel Iudg. 17.18 19. Chap. by which words it is manifest that if a religious Prince had bene in place Idolatrie and wicked behauiour had bene suppressed and the Israelites pressed to serue the Lorde That Princes doe not passe their bounds in this it is cleare by that which Augustine reporteth of and commendeth in the King of Babylon Contra Cresc gram lib. 3. cap. 51. The Prince is bound to sanctifie the Sabboth so are his subiects the Lords commaundement is flat for this Remember the Sabboth day to keepe it holy Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy worke But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruant nor thy mayd nor thy beast nor thy stranger that is within thy gates c. Exo. 20. If none are exempted by almightie God none can be dispensed with by man for all are charged to present themselues in the holy assemblies And least any either prince or subiect should forget this duetie the Lord himselfe is their remembrancer in these wordes Remember that thou sanctifie the Sabboth c. that is the sanctification of my Sabboth is a matter very important it concerneth my honour but thy comfort therfore remember and forget it not If any refuse they may and ought to bee compelled for the breach of the Sabboth is a hainous sinne Iere. 17. Nehem. 13. Faith commeth by hearing of the word Rom. 10. therefore refusall to heare hinders both the beginning and growth of faith The Samaritanes heard Philippe in Samaria they beleeued Actes 8. Lydia heard Paul at Philippos she beleeued Act. 16. Augustine was a Manichee nine yeeres he heard Ambrose the Bishop of Mediolanum and was conuerted August confess lib. 4. cap. 1. and lib. 5. cap. 13. and 14. If any shal aske me why all that heare beleeue not I answere Arcana Deisunt adoranda non scrutanda That is Gods secrets are not to be searched but adored and that vnlesse Gods spirit touch the heart as the worde doeth pearce the eare Gods holy Trueth is a dead letter vnto vs. Asa Iosias were famous kings of Iuda Asa commāded Iuda to seeke the Lord God of their fathers and to do according to the law and cōmandement 2. Chron. 14. Iosias compelled his subiects to serue the Lord their God 2. Chron. 34. So did Manasses after his conuersion 2. Chron. 33. If it were lawfull for these Kings of Iuda to cōmaund and compell their subiects it is not vnlawfull for ours to do the like If it be not lawfull to compell recusants why are Asa Iosias Manasses commended by the holy Ghost for this excellent course Ezra was a learned Scribe he was authorized by the King of Persia to teache them beyonde the riuer Euphrates the Lavve of God vvhich did not knowe it and to punish such as refused to learne Artaxerxes vvarrant is set dovvne in this sort And thou Ezra after
the souldier or the merchāt aduenturer which in their places are a singular defence to their countrey by sea and land therefore it is a heinous sinne to robbe Churchmen which as Elias are the Chariots and horsemen of the common wealth The weapons of our warrefare saith the Apostle are not carnal but mighty through God to cast downe holdes casting downe the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captituitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ and hauing ready the vengeance against all disobedience c. 2. Cor. 10. The repairing of Churches is to bee performed carefully So was it in king Ioas time therefore much more prouision for the teachers the Priestes maintenance in Ioas time neither was nor might be abridged for repairing of the Churches the reason of it is conteined in these wordes The money of the trespasse offering and the money of the Sinne offring was not brought into the Lordes house for it was the Priests 2. Kings 12. Skilfull teachers doe plough the Lords field and are the Lords both mouth and hands to deliuer his blessings and treasure vnto vs therefore they ought to haue defence and maintenance and not to wander as Michas Priest did Iudg. 17. Students cannot liue of the ayre as the Chamelion doth Church pollers shut vp the kingdome of heauen before mē for they themselues goe not in neither suffer they them that would enter to come in therefore the woe denounced by Christ against the Scribes and Pharises seazeth vpon them Matth. 23. Ezechias the King of Iuda commanded that the Priests and Leuites should haue maintenance and that their wiues children and families should bee prouided for 2. Chron. 31. vers 4 18. Thus did Hezekiah throughout all Iudah and did well and vprightly and truely before the Lord his God And in all the works that he began for the seruice of the house of God both in the Law and in the Commandements to seeke his God he did it will all his heart and prospered 2. Chron. 31. vers 20 21. Diuers famous Princes haue had some Church-men to be of their honorable Councel Iehoiada was in King Ioas Court 2. Chron. 24. Zadok and Abiathar in Dauid and Salomons Court 2. Sam. 20. 1. King 4. Daniel in Darius Court Dan. 6. It is Queene Elizabeths pleasure that the worthiest men should bee aduaunced for the gouernement and seruice of the Church That very meane choise hath bene made of diuers Churchmen the land sees feeles and cries out of Question Whether such thinges as were giuen for the maintenance of idolatry may and ought to be conuerted to the seruice of God Answere They may and ought My reasons are If men should conuert them to their priuate vse it might be iustly thought that in abolishing superstition priuate gaine is the marke which is shot at and not the aduancing of Gods religion August epist. 154. When such things are conuerted not to priuate but common vses or to the honour of God that falleth out in them which in men themselues when of Church robbers and wicked men they are conuerted to true religion August epist 154. Eleazar the Priest tooke the brasen censers which they that were burnt had offered and made broad plates of them for a couering of the Altar Numb 16. The gold siluer the vessels of brasse and Iron in Iericho were brought into the Lordes treasury Ios 6. Gedeon did offer vnto the Lorde a bullocke which had bin fed for Baals seruice and did vse the wood of the groue a dioyning Iudg. 6. If such thinges as were giuen to the maintenance of Poperie may not be conuerted to the seruice of God then pull downe Churches and Vniuersities take away their landes c. And let Atheisme be in steade of Gods religion and Macciauell in the place of the new Testament 5. ALMIGHTIE GOD blesseth those kingdomes with peace which promote and embrace his religion THe holy host setteth out in liuely colours the cōsequents of teaching and embracing the Lordes religion They shall breake their swordes into mattockes and their speares into siethes they shall sit euery man vnder his vine and figge tree without feare of the enemie Mich. 4. The prophet Esay singeth the same song The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe The Leoparde shall lie with the kidde the Cowe and the Beare shall feede together Esay 11. That is wicked men which in cruell affections resemble the Wolfe the Leoparde the Beare shall cast off the chaine of pride and the garment of crueltie and shall goe hand in hand with the godlie who for their innocencie are compared to the Lambe the Cowe the Kidde The reason is For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lorde Esay 11. The Egyptians and Assyrians were deadly enemies they denied traffique one to an other and all passages were shut vp betweene Egypt and Assyria Esay describing a great alteration of minds in them of Egypt and Assyria sayth that There shall be apath from Egypt to Assur and Assur shall come into Egypt and Egypt into Assur The reason of their agreement is set downe in these words The Egyptians shall worship the Lord with Assur Esay 19. Where idolatrie is aduanced no peace can bee looked for They chose newe gods saith Deborah Then was warre in the gates Iudg. 5. The Israelites for a long time were without the true God without Priest to teach In that time saith the Prophet Azariah there was no peace for nation was destroyed of nation and citie of citie 2. Chron. 15. The Reubenites Gadites and halfe tribe of Manasseh transgressed against the God of their fathers and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the lande whome God had destroyed before them The God of Israel stirred vp the spirit of the kings of Assyria who caryed them away captiue c. 1. Chron. 5. Iehoram the king of Iuda did forsake the Lorde God of his fathers the consequents were Edom Libnah rebelled the Lorde stirred vp against Iehoram the spirit of the Philistines Arabians 2. Chron. 21. King Ahaz was a notable idolater He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus the Edomites and Philistines inuaded the cities of Iuda and preuailed Yea the king of Aslyria whose helpe Ahaz desired and accounted greatly of did trouble and not strengthen him 2. Chron. 28. Iehoiakim the king of Iuda did euill in the sight of the Lorde his God The king of Babel came vp against him and bound him with chaines to carie him to Babel 2. Chron. 36. They which dissent in religion cannot bee knit fast together The Samaritanes and Iewes differed in religion they contended about the Temple Ioh. 4. The stirre betweene them was very great Some in the Apostles times after Christ ascensiō vrged circumcision as necessary vnto saluation other condemned it as an absurd grosse error The stirre was great in the Churches of Antiochia and Galatia Arius erred blasphemously about the godhead
of Christ Alexander the bishop of Alexandria both misliked condemned his filthy heresie Socrat. lib. 1. ca. 6. There was hotte stirre in the church of Alexandria The Lordes arke and the Philistines Dagon the Ephesians Diana and Pauls preaching Poperie and the Gospell cannot stand together Asa was a religious Prince he suppressed idolatrie and planted Gods religion The kingdome was quiet before him and hee vanquished the Ethiopians 2. Chron. 14. 15. Chap. Iosaphat was a zealous promoter of the Lords religion Almightie God crowned him with this blessing The feare of the Lorde fell vpon all the kingdomes of the lande that were round about Iudah and they fought not against Iosaphat the Philistines brought to Iosaphat giftes and tribute siluer the Arabians brought him flocke both of rammes and goates 2. Chron. 17. Vzziah the King of Iuda prospered so long as hee sought the Lord. Almightie God helped him against the Philistines and Arabians the Ammonites gaue him tribute and his name was famous euen vnto Egypt 2. Chron. 26. Ezechias was a carefull aduancer of Gods religion The land had great quietnesse and was notably deliuered from the Assirians 2. Chron. 32. Queene Elizabeth hath planted the Lords religion Popes Gregory Pius Sixtus haue cursed her Maiestie the Popish enemies haue bene are maliciously bent against her this land as Sennacherib Rabsakeh against Ezechias and Ierusalem but God hath blessed and miraculously preserued her Highnes and Dominions as he did Ezechias Ierusalem the greatest enemies of the English natiō are the sinnes of the English nation but if we desire and obtaine pardon for our sinnes at Gods hands shal serue our God sanctifie his Sabboth more carefully then we haue done the Lord wil goe forth with our armies our captaines and souldiers shall amaze and vanquish our Popish enemies as Gedeon did the Madianites Iephthe the Ammonites and Dauid the Philistines and our gracious God will couer both Prince people with the shield of his Iustice and defend vs with the sworde of his Iudgement Obiection When the Gospell is preached stirres doe grow that appeared in Ierusalem Act. 7. in Iconium Act. 14. in Rome Act. 28. Answere I grant that stirres appeare sometimes when Gods trueth is deliuered the fault is not in the seede but in the ground It was not Elias that troubled Israel but Achab and his fathers house which forsooke the Lords commandements followed Baal 1. King 18. The holy preaching resembles medicine daylight and the heate of the sunne It is not the medicine but euil humors which distemper the body varietie of colours are not made but discerned by the day light The heate of the sunne is not the cause but the descrier of the stinke of a carrion 6. THE CHILDE OF GOD is not polluted though hee bee present at and partaker of the publique prayers Sacraments c. at such time as wicked men are present at and partakers of them IN the Prophets time there were many grosse corruptions at Ierusalem The magistrates Priests and people were greatly disordered The Lordes religion was partly contemned and partly defiled Did the holy Prophets seuer them selues from them of Ierusalem in Salomons temple Did they builde newe either Churches to assemble in or Altars to sacrifice vpon It is certaine they did not and yet they were not polluted Our Sauiour Christ was presented to the Lord in Ierusalem An oblation was giuen Luk. 2.22 Hee was afterwards partaker of the Sacrifices in Salomons temple with the Scribes Pharises vngratious people of Ierusalem My reasons are First Christ was subiect to the law Gal. 4.4 One branch of the Law was to be partaker of the Sacrifices in Salomons temple Secondly Christ in the dialogue with the woman of Samaria speaking of himselfe and the Iewes vseth these wordes We worship that which we knowe Ioh. 4.22 Vnder the worde worship are contained the sacrifices Calu. contra Anabapt The Churches of Corinth and Galatia had many and grosse sores in them Saint Paul I confesse deales very roundly with them yet hee doth not either license or cal vpon Gods seruants in Corinth and Galatia to seuer themselues from the assemblies If to be present in the assemblie had brought pollution the Apostle woulde not haue failed in this Christian dutie Let a man examine himselfe 1. Cor. 11.28 The Apostle doeth not say Let euery man examine the rest of the communicants which no doubt hee would haue giuen in charge if the lewdnesse of others did pollute Gods seruants He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe 1. Cor. 11.29 Saint Paul saith to himselfe not to others The Apostles receiued the Lords supper with Iudas Aug. contra Lit. Petil. lib. 2. cap. 11. 23. lib. 3. cap. 106. But they were not partakers of Iudas theft Aug. contra Cresc Gram. lib. 4. cap. 26. or Iudas treason Acceditur ad vitium corruptionis vitio consensionis Aug. contra Don. post Coll. lib. That is to consent to vice is to bee corrupted with vice That Iudas was a theefe Saint Iohn reporteth Ioh. 12. vers 6. That the Apostles did knowe before the partaking of the holy supper that Iudas should betray Christ appeareth manifestly in the Euangelist Matthewe Matt. 26. vers 21 23 25. The most famous men before and in our time are of my side Augustine in his writings against Petilian Parmeniā Cresconius the Donatists and Caluin in his treatise against the Anabaptistes are very peremptory in this Argument None can or wil mislike it vnlesse they be alreadie or meane to bee Donatistes or Anabaptistes Obiection The Apostle commaundes vs to withdrawe our selues from euery brother that walketh inordinately 2. Thess 3.6 Answere We must withdrawe our selues Quoad priuatam consuetudinem non quoad publicam communionem that is touching priuate conuersation not touching publike partaking of the worde and Sacraments Caluin is of this Iudgement in his treatise against the Anabaptistes If any shall gather of this I haue set downe that I am content to admit notorious sinners to the holy table he doth me great wrong and is refuted in my treatise of the Sacraments where I vse these wordes It is a great sinne for a knowen wicked man either to minister the Lordes supper or to present himselfe to the holy communion and such lewdnes must bee seuerelie punished by them in whose handes it is to redresse it But if this grosse sinne be practised and no medicine vsed to cure it the godly must content them selues with griefe for these enormities and remember that the Sacrament sealeth vp Gods sweete promises to them which the wicked sort at no hand are partakers of 7. THEY VVHICH VVERE baptized in the Popish Church by Popish Priestes receiued true Baptisme touching the substance of Baptisme THe Popish priestes doe retaine the essential forme of Christs baptisme that is they doe baptise in the name not of Pope or idoles but of the holy Trinitie therefore it
is not mans but Gods baptisme which is deliuered by them If it be Gods baptisme I am sure it is true baptisme Maister Caluin calleth them Catabaptistes which deny that wee are rightly baptized in the Popish Church Institut lib. 4. cap. 15. Sect. 16. Obiection The Popish priestes haue no lawfull calling therefore it is no true baptisme which is deliuered by them Answere The Argument followes not I confesse that the Popish priests haue no lawful calling yet they haue a calling though a faultie one They which are not lawfully called vnto the ministery and yet sit in the chaire of the ministerie are to bee accounted in an other place then they which haue no calling Caiphas was not in deede the lawfull high priest for he entred by money the priesthood in his time was rent in peeces yet because he sate in the high priests chaire he was accounted the high priest A faultie vocation may hurt him that vsurpes an office but it doth not defile those things which are done by that partie This is master Bezaes Iudgement in his 142. question If any shall gather of this that I allowe the Popish priesthood he deserues rather a Censor then Confuter for I confesse that Sacerdotium papisticum est sacrilegium that is that the Popish priesthood is Sacriledge 8. THEY ARE THE SAcraments of Baptisme and the holy Supper which are deliuered in the Church of England by vnpreaching ministers IF such as were baptized in the popish Church receiued true baptisme I trust they are rightly baptized in the Church of England which are baptized by vnpreaching ministers If such as were baptized by popish priests in the popish Church and by vnpreaching ministers in the Church of England receiued no sacrament many grosse absurdities would followe First very many are vnbaptized and if they bee vnbaptized they sinne grieuously in not presenting themselues to the holy Sacrament Secondly a great number haue sinned grossely in partaking the holy supper My reason is None vncircumcised might eate the Passeouer Ezodus 12. verse 48. therefore none vnbaptized may receiue the holy supper Thirdly many excellent men haue vsurped the preachers office My reason is It is vnlawfull for any man to bee a publique teacher in the visible Church which is not by baptisme graft into and so become a member of the visible Church Our Sauiour Christ was baptized of Iohn in Iordane before hee preached Matth. 3. and 4. Chap. The Apostle Paul was baptized of Ananias in Damascus before hee preached Act. 9. The vnpreaching Ministers doe adde the worde vnto the Element in the administration of Baptisme therefore it is the Sacramēt of Baptisme which is deliuered by them Accedit verbum ad elementum fit Sacramentum Aug. Tract 80. in Iohan. that is The worde is added to the Element and it becoms a Sacrament By worde in Baptisme is vnderstanded the word of Institution which is to Baptize in the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost c. Of this iudgement are Beza confess Cap. 4. Art 47. and Musculus de sig Sacram. Art 4. Obiection Christ sayde to his Apostles Goe and teach all nations baptizing c. Matth. 28. vers 19. therefore if the word preached be not added to the Element it is no Sacrament of Baptisme Answere The argument is very weake I confesse that Christ commanded his Apostles first to teach such as were of yeeres and alients from his religion and then to baptize them If the Gentiles had not bene first taught they would not haue offered thē selues nor the Apostles haue admitted them to the holy Sacrament of baptisme If any will conclude of this place in Saint Mathewe that none whatsoeuer may bee admitted to baptisme before they bee taught they shut our infants from the holy Sacrament and therefore are Catabaptists The vnpreaching ministers doe adde verbum adificans that is an edifying worde to the Elements in the administration of the holy supper therefore c. That there is verbum aedificans I proue it thus The summe of Christes sermon in the Institution administration of the holy supper by himselfe is the word of Institution in the administration of the holy Supper in the Church of England therefore vnlesse we wil denie the summe of Christs Sermon to be an edifying word which no learned mā wil deny we must confesse that we haue verbum aedificans in the administration of the holy supper with vs. If any will conclude of this that I mislike preaching before the administration of the Sacrament he doth me great wrong Obiection Vnpreching ministers are not apt to teach therefore they are no Sacraments which are deliuered by them Answere The argument followes not My reason is Many Iewish Priestes were both ignorant and dissolute in Esay and Christs time Esay 28. vers 7. Matth. 9. vers 36. But the Sacrifices offered and the Sacraments reached by them were both Sacrifices and Sacraments otherwise the Prophets which were at Ierusalem when the Iewish Church was full of corruption woulde not haue bene present at and partakers of the Sacrifices in Salomons Temple Calu. Institut lib. 4. cap. 1. sect 18 19. Obiection Ignorant ministers are not apt to teach therefore no ministers and consequently they are no Sacraments which are deliuered by them Answere The argument followes not I grant that it is of the substance of a lawful good minister of God to be apt to teach but it is not of the essence of a Minister simply for which it is sufficient to haue the Churches calling This appeareth clearely in the Magistrate The holy Ghost requireth that none shoulde bee chosen a Magistrate vnlesse he were a man of courage fearing God dealing truely and hating couetousnesse Exodus 18. verse 21. When such are aduanced as defile their handes either with filthie bribes as Felix did or with barbarous crueltie as Abimelech and Herode did shall we say that they are no Magistrates I confesse they are not singled out by the electors according to Almightie Gods direction in his holy Bible but they are Magistrates notwithstanding and we are commanded by the Lord to perfourme all duetie vnto them Saluo officio that is our duetie being reserued to the highest Magistrate which is God himselfe If any shall gather of this I haue set downe that I vndertake the defence of Ignorant ministers my answere is that my writings and sermons are not Aiax shielde to couer them but the Lords sworde to cutte them I confesse freely that I am very farre from opening either the Church doore to ignorant Ministers or the Pulpit doore to vnskilfull preachers which vnskilfull preachers giue Gods religion a greater blowe then the ignorant Ministers for in steade of deuiding the worde of trueth aright they speake at al aduentures yet very boldely and as vnskilfull Apothecaries deliuer quid pro quo chaffe for wheate and strange fancies for Gods holy trueth By such absurde fellowes many Churches and excellent men in this lande
kingdome hee and his sonnes in the middes of Israel Deut. 17. I frame my argument thus The king is commaunded to reade the lawe of God that hee may learne to feare God and decline pride therefore the reading of the law of God doth edifie In king Iosias time the booke of the lawe was found by Hilkiah the Priest This booke was read in the Lordes house The king was present so were all the men of Iuda the inhabitants of Ierusalem and the Priests and the Leuites and all the people from the greatest to the smallest c. 2. Chron. 34. I make my argument thus The booke of the lawe was not read in vaine in the Lordes house c. 2. Kings 22. therefore it did edifie All the wordes of my mouth are righteous there is no lewdnesse nor frowardnesse in them They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande and streight to them that would find knowledge Prou. 8. Therefore the holy Scriptures both read and preached doe edifie His salubriter praua corriguntur paruanutriuntur magna oblectantur ingenia Aug. Epist 3. The holy Scripture hath in it milke for babes and stronger meate for them that are of age Heb. 5. The holy Scripture is a shallowe water where in the lambe may wade and a great sea wherein the Elephant may swimme The Lawe and the Prophets were read in the Churches of Antiochia and Ierusalem Act. 13. and in Nazareth Luke 4. If the reading of the holy Scriptures doe not edifie why were the law and Prophets read in the Temple and Synagogues The Apostle writeth thus to the pastours and people of Colosse Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plenteously c. Coloss 3. Therefore Gods people are not to be barred from the reading of the holy Scripture If it doeth not edifie they were iustly barred by the Popish Cleargie Victorinus was an Oratour in Rome By reading the Scriptures he became a Christian Mirante Roma gaudente ecclesia that is Rome marueyled at Victorinus conuersion Gods Church was glad of it Aug. Confess lib. 8. cap. 2. Gods speach vnto vs I am sure doth edifie when the Scriptures are read God speaketh vnto vs. The holy Scriptures are Dei Epistola c. that is Gods Epistle vnto vs. By reading the Scriptures Gods people do more easily receiue Gods holy truth and espie Popish absurdities and Anabaptisticall fancies They which mislike the reading of the scriptures are Zwingfildians that is absurde heretikes What then is master Penry which writeth that the worde barely read and to no other purpose then to edifie by reading is not wholesome doctrine If any shall gather of this I haue set downe that I am an enemie to the preaching of the word hee deserueth no answere My iudgement is If the reading of the holy scriptures doeth edifie that sounde preaching doeth edifie much more By sound preaching I vnderstand the giuing of the true sense of the scripture and applying it to the profite of the auditours Thus did Ezra Christ the Apostles preach This course I am sure doeth highly please God and bringeth many sheepe into the Lordes folde The Lorde increase the number of such teachers that Gods religion may flourish as Aarons rod did and that Popish and Anabaptisticall errours may be deuoured as the roddes of the Egyptian sorcerers were Ille huic doctrinae inimicus est animus qui vel errando eam nescit esse saluberrimam vel odit aegrotando medicinam Agust Epist. 3. CHAP. 5. A DEFENCE OF THAT which hath bene written in the questions of the ignorant ministerie and the communicating with them By IOHN PENRY THere be two things M. D. SOME wherein you by oppugning that trueth which out of the worde of God I had set downe concerning the two former questions haue bene wanting both vnto your selfe and to the cause the defence whereof you vndertooke The former want of the two appeareth by your spare dealing in a matter of such great weight wherin you haue dealt with so illiberal a hand that what hath bene written by you might seeme to proceede rather from any then from a man whose gifts and learning seemed to promise the affording of greater and more weightie matters then any set downe in that treatise R. Some Your beginning is full of courage I do not wonder at it He that runneth alone is alwayes formost You accuse me to withstande Gods trueth A sore charge If true I must reuerse my iudgement if vntrue true you haue dealt iniuriously with me When Ioas was aduanced to the Imperiall Crowne of Iuda Athalia cried Treason Treason 2. Chron. 23. A hard speach against king Ioas Iehoiada c. But Athalia her selfe was the Traitour You shall apply this I haue dealt you say verie sparingly in a matter of great importance If I haue so your aduantage is greater If the seede sowen in my booke were like yours I might be iustly thought to bee verie prodigall My treatise I perceiue is not for your tooth it is simple in your eye Aquila non capit muscas It hath pleased many I thanke God of excellent learning and wisedome to like of it That is my comfort Instar mille Platonis calculus I make very meane account as yet of your iudgement You are not read you are to seeke in the principles of diuinitie you haue broched grosse errours you know not your ignorance For that knowledge which Almightie God hath giuen me I thanke his Maiestie verie humbly It is more I confesse then I am worthie of God giue me grace to vse it to his glorie I. Penry The number of my reasons were many you onely haue touched two of them the rest are not dealt with And therefore the cause as yet remaineth whole For be it you had answered these two as you haue not yet had you not satisfied the doubtfull conscience of those that know not in these points which way to turne them as long as any one of my reasons remayned vnanswered R. Some Your reasons I confesse haue number but they want weight I haue confuted three of them The first of the three is accompted by you a pillar of marble But I haue not you say dealt with the rest Content yourselfe I haue made no fault I answered such and so many as were deliuered to me by some of your faction When I had finished my treatise your booke was brought me before I knew not that you were the father of them You denie that I haue answered any of your reasons It is easie to say so and you might worst haue sayde it A partie is vnfit to be a Iudge Your reasons are all of one stampe therefore the ouerthrow of the principall is the ouerthrow of all Your followers vvhich knowe not which way to turne them may thanke both you and themselues you for sowing themselues for reaping such giddie fancies It is an easie thing to leade and fall into an Anabaptisticall maze They will not bee satisfied you say before
shall appeare so by Gods grace in this booke These particulars that of Caiphas priesthood and of the contentious ministers of Philippi shall be handled in their seuerall places I. Penry The dissimilitude is in the reasons drawen from the Leuiticall priesthood and the ciuill magistracie with whom if you compare the ministerie of the new couenant you shall finde first that you bring in a similitude to shewe that which is not proued and secondly that you make those to be twinnes which all men must needes graunt to be as vnlike as crooked and straight lines are vnmatchable R. Some My second fault is as you say in drawing an Argument from the Leuiticall priesthood to the ministerie of the newe Testament Is this a fault no no the fault is in your eye not in my pen but why may I not drawe an argument as I did from the Leuititical priesthood to the ministerie of the new Testament Your reason is the Leuiticall priesthood and the ministerie of the new Testament are not twins are vnmatchable they cānot stand together therefore a reason cannot be drawen from the one to the other You take this I am sure to be an inuincible argument but it is as strong as a rope of sand I denie your argument My reasons are first Aaron did not take the priesthood vpō him before he was called therefore none in our time may enter into the ministerie vnlesse he be called This argument is grounded vpon these words of the Apostle No man taketh this honour vnto himselfe but hee that is called of God as Aaron Heb. 5. Secondly the Leuiticall priests ought to be furnished with knowledge therefore the ministers of the new Testament c. The ground of this reason is set downe by the Prophet Malachi in this sort The priests lippes shal preserue knowledge and they shall seeke the Lawe at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hostes Mal. 2. You see nowe I hope that an argument may be framed from the Leuiticall priesthood to the ministerie of the newe Testament if you doe not you are starke blind if you do confesse your ignorance Thirdly the ministerie of death and condemnation and the ministerie of the spirite and righteousnesse that which should be abolished and that which remaineth are things very farre and greatly different yet an argument may be drawē from the one to the other in this sort The lawe which was the ministerie of death of condemnation and which should be abolished was glorious therefore the Gospel which is the ministerie of the spirite and righteousnes and which remaineth is more glorious This argument is as the Logicians call it à comparatis and is soundly gathered out of these wordes of the holy Apostle If the ministration of death was glorious how shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious If the ministerie of condemnation was glorious much more doth the ministration of righteousnes exceede in glory if that which should be abolished was glorious much more shall that which remaineth be glorious 2. Cor. 3. What say you nowe master Penry doe you not perceiue by this I haue set downe that an argument may be drawen very aptly from one thing to another wherein there is great dissimilitude which are not twinnes which are vnmatcheable if you doe be wiser hereafter in the name of God Whether an argument may be drawen from the ciuill magistracie shall appeare in an other place I. Penry And thus much I thought needefull generally to set downe concerning your maner of dealing not that I woulde any way disgrace you whom I reuerence for that is no part of mine intent the Lord is my witnesse Nay I would be loth to let that fillable escape mee that might giue you or any the least occasiō in the world to thinke that I cary any other heart towards you then I ought to beare towards a reuerent learned man fearing God And howsoeuer vnlesse you alter your iudgement I can neuer agree with you in these points because I am assured you swarue from the trueth Yet this disagreement shall be so farre from making a breach of that bond of loue wherewith in the Lord I am tyed vnto you that I doubt not but wee shall be at one in that day when all of vs shall be at vnitie in him that remaineth one and the selfe same for euer R. Some It is gently done of you when you haue broken my head you giue me a plaister but I refuse your surgerie You wil not you say disgrace me You reuerēce me Good words A foule hooke vnder a faire bait If you reuerēce your friends on this fashion what shal your enemies looke for Philippides cudgelled his owne father A mōstrous sonne Being asked why he did so his answer was he did it for loue strāge loue I will accompt somewhat better of your reuerence If I swarue from the trueth as you assure your selfe you haue great reason to dissent from me Gods trueth must be preferred It is more excellent then any creature but if I haue any learning you doe toto coelo errare You are strangely wide for you haue set downe absurd errours for cleare trueths and haue condemned sure points of diuinitie for grosse errours I see litle hope of agreement betweene you and me in these particulars I am resolute in my iudgement if you be so in yours I am sory for you God giue you an other minde CHAP. 6. Iohn Penry NOwe I am to come to your booke from the 20. page whereof vnto the 28. laying the foundation of the reasons you vse against me to proue the lawfulnesse of communicating with dumbe ministers you handle two needelesse points First that they which were baptized by popish priests haue receiued true baptisme as touching the substance Secondly that they are the Sacraments of baptisme and the holy Supper of the Lord which are deliuered in the Church of England by vnpreaching ministers In these two points M. Some you haue proued nothing that my writings haue denied but you haue quickened a dead controuersie not vnlikely to giue the wrangling spirits of this age cause to breede greater sturres in the Church I see no other effect which the handling of these questions can bring foorth but this And it is to be feared that the slendernes of the reasons vsed in your booke to proue that which you haue vndertaken to shew will giue occasion vnto many who of themselues are too too ready to iangle to doubt of that whereof before they made no question So that by seeking to stay the course of a needeful controuersie you haue both giuen it a larger passage and opened the doore vnto a question very fruitlesse in our time You knowe I deale in neither of these pointes If you cannot be stayed from entring into controuersies that are very odious and more impertinent vnto the matter in hande it were good that the Church were further and more soundly satisfied by you in
to deny them the comfort of baptisme which they cannot haue shoulde they denie to themselues the comfort of the Lordes Supper which they may haue Yea but no vncircumcised might eate the pascal lambe Exod. 12.48 True But what shall we say vnto those that were vncircumcised in the wildernesse fortie yeeres almost Ios 5.5 Did they neuer eate the passeouer all that time If they did the place of Exodus will be quickly answered It is plaine that the passeouer was celebrated in the wildernesse once at the least Nom. 9.1 If euery yeere why should the godly of the familie bee excluded from the action the cause why they were vncircumcised not being in them R. Some You answere very strangely Your wittes I thinke were a wooll gathering If they sinned in partaking the Lordes supper before they were baptized there is great reason they shoulde abstaine from the holy table vntill they bee baptized which Baptisme if the case so required might orderly and easily bee come by But they omitted baptisme you say of ignoraunce not of contempt therefore they sinned not which being vnbaptized did partake the holy Supper I denie your argument My reason is Ignorātia excusat non à toto sed à tanto that is Ignorance maketh the fault lesse it doth not make it none M. Penry at the length toucheth one part of my reason but by his leaue I will first set downe my whole reason and then his answere My reason is this None vncircumcised might eat the passeouer Exod. 12.48 therefore none vnbaptized may receiue the holy Supper M. Penryes answere is conteined in these wordes True But what shall we say vnto those that were vncircumcised in the wildernesse fortie yeeres almost Iosua 5.5 Did they neuer eate the Passeouer all that time If they did the place of Exodus will be quickely answered It is plaine that the Passeouer was celebrated in the wildernesse once at the least Nombers 9.1 If euery yeere why shoulde the godly of the familie bee excluded from the action the cause why they were vncircumcised not being in them Call you this answering There was neuer any such I am sure in Cambridge or Oxford It came I thinke out of Barbarie I hope you are ashamed of it by this time You aske mee whether they which were vncircumcised in the wildernesse almost fortie yeeres did all that time neuer eate the Passeouer My answere is that no such thing appeareth in the text and where the holy Ghost stayeth his penne it becommeth vs to stay our tongues Yea it is cleare in Iosue that the Israelites after they were circumcised did keepe the feast of the Passeouer Ios 5.8.10 You adde If the Israelites being vncircumcised did partake the Passeouer that the place in Exodus will be quickely answered You say true If the skie fall you shall catch Larkes When you proue this if of yours I wil accept your answere Till then you shal pardon me You proceed in this sort It is plaine you say that the Passeouer was celebrated in the wildernesse once at the least Numb 9. Will you conclude of this therefore they which were vncircumcised did eate the Passeouer If you doe I denie your argument My reason is If they had admitted any vncircumcised to the Passeouer they had prophaned the holy Sacrament The wordes in the text are manifest If a stranger dwell with thee and will obserue the Passeouer of the Lord let him circumcise all the males that belong vnto him and then let him come and obserue it and he shall bee as one that is borne in the lande for no vncircumcised person shall eate thereof One lawe shall bee to him that is borne in the land and to the stranger that dwelleth among you Exod. 12. An other reason of yours is the cause why the Israelites were vncircumcised was not in them therefore the godly vncircumcised of the family might not be barred from the Passeouer I answere your argument is naught and verie sawcie for you comptroll Almightie God by whome they were barred This is no pride M. Penry I might say to you as the Apostle in another case O man who art thou that pleadest against God hath not the potter power of the Clay c. Rom. 9. I confesse that the Israelites ceased from circumcision in the wildernes and yet were not faultie in omitting and deferring circumcision for they had Gods speciall dispensation to do so because they were in cōtinuall trauaile and people being newly circumcised could abide no labour For the surer proofe of this point vidz that none which are knowen to bee vnbaptized may either present themselues or be admitted to the holy Supper I offer these reasons to the godly Reader First Baptisme is an entrāce into the visible church the holy Supper is a confirmation of this entrance Secondly they which were of yeeres in the primitiue Church were first baptized and afterwarde receiued the holy Supper This is manifest in these wordes of S. Luke Then they that gladly receyued his worde were baptized and the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules And they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers c. Act. 2. By breaking of bread is vnderstanded the partaking of the Lords Supper Thirdly None may present themselues to the holy table before due examination of themselues 1. Cor. 11. This examination consisteth of faith and repentance which faith and repentance are not in them which either wittingly omit or wilfully contemne the holy Sacrament of baptisme which baptisme is the Sacrament of repentance Matth. 3. Calu. Inst. lib. 4. cap. 19. sect 17. Lastly all famous men and Churches are of my side If maister Penry dissent it is no great matter His writings are not as the lawes of the Medes and Persians c. R. Some If such as vvere baptized by popish Priests in the popish Church and by vnpreaching ministers in the Church of England receiued no Sacrament many excellent men haue vsurped the preachers office My reason is It is vnlawful for any man to be a publique teacher in the visible Church which is not by baptisme graft into and so become a member of the visible Church Our Sauiour Christ was baptized of Iohn in Iordane before he preached Mat. 3. and 4. Chap. The Apostle Paule was baptized of Ananias in Damascus before he preached Act. 9. I. Penry None vncircumcised might minister before the altar True but did none of the Leuites that were borne in the wildernes teach Iacob the law or offer the incense of his God in all those forty yeeres R. Some The truth I perceiue is mightie It maketh the enemie many times to confesse it so doth it you in this place Your wordes are cleare for me and flat against your selfe You grant that none vncircumcised might minister before the altar I thanke you for it Of this I conclude therefore none vnbaptized may be a publique teacher in the visible church Thus
reason from the outward calling of readers I referre to your next chapter where they are repeated thither nowe I am come where the contradictory of the question shal be set downe and proued briefely because the nullitie of the vnpreaching ministery may be in steade of a thousand reasons to proue the same R. Some My obiections are seuerall whatsoeuer you say Any one that hath but halfe an eye may easily see it by my seuerall answeres I haue set downe the obiections as they were deliuered to me The confutation of my answeres if it be any is foorth comming you say in an other place I haue sought for it but I cannot finde it It is shrunke I feare in the wetting R. Some If any shall gather of this I haue set downe that I vndertake the defence of ignorant ministers my answere is that my writings and Sermons are not Aiax shielde to couer them but the Lords sworde to cutte them I confesse freely that I am very farre from opening either the Church doore to ignorant ministers or the pulpit doore to vnskilfull preachers which vnskilfull preachers giue Gods religion a greater blowe then the ignorant ministers for in stead of diuiding the word of trueth aright they speake at all aduentures yet very boldely and as vnskilfull Apothecaries deliuer quid pro quo chaffe for wheate and strange fancies for Gods holy trueth By such absurde fellowes many Churches and excellent men in this land haue bene greatly disquieted and the good course of religiō hath bene greatly hindered The cause of this sore is intollerable pride and grosse ignorance in these bad companions and want of care in the Magistrates I. Penry I am as farre from accounting the vnskilfull preachers which speake hand ouer head they care not what against whome your complaint is very iust to be ministers as I am from acknowledging many of our absucde doctors to be apt to teach who can bring nothing into the Pulpit but that which other men haue written and that very often so fit to the purpose of edification as the reason from the corner to the staffe is soundly concluded In these three sortes of supposed ministers and there coulde be a fourth added vnto them confisteth the woe of our Church R. Some Is my complaint iust against vnskilful preachers Doe you M. Penry wipe them out of the rolle of ministers Will you shut the pulpit doore against them Take heede what you doe You bidde your selfe losse Your kingdome will then fall to the ground for vnskilfull preachers are your Bulwarks and Blockhouses to support your fancies The absurde Doctors you mention shall haue no defence of mee If they preach as you write for that duetie and loue I owe and beare to the Church and Vniuersities I woulde both they you were disgraded and they kept out of the Pulpit and your writings out of the Presse I hope some good will growe by your writings First that the Vniuersities will take better heed vpon vvhom they bestow their degrees Secondly that the Magistrates vvill looke better to the Printing houses By the fourth sort of supposed Ministers vvhich you vvrite of I knovve not vvhom you meane I could ghesse shrevvdly but I vvil not because I vvill not misconstrue you If they or any other be the murraine of our Church I vvoulde they vvere either reformed or remooued R. Some If any shall aske me what the true causes are why so many vnfit men are the Churches ministers I answere either great want of iudgement or great corruption in such which doe ordeine and preferre them The sinne of these men is very great for they dishonour Almightie God and doe grosly abuse the people of the land This disease will be healed when the Churches maintenance is not disposed of by them which haue the golden dropsie but is freely giuen to worthie and painefull students which will neither fish with the siluer hooke nor open the Church doore with a siluer key M. Penry sayeth nothing to this CHAP. 9. THE GODLY ARE NOT polluted which receiue the Sacrament at the hands of an vnpreaching Minister I. Penry BY pollution I doubt not you meane sinne R. Some I doe so R. Some The Sacraments are Gods ordinance the ministers ignorance can not peruert the nature of Gods ordinance I. Penry The Ministers ignorance say you page 28. cannot peruert Gods ordinance and againe page 29. the Sacraments are not the worse for the ignorance of the minister c. All this I graunt but bare readers are not ministers and the doubt is whether the action performed by them be the ordinance of God whether it bee a Sacrament These be the questions which you ought to haue proued and not haue taken them as principles though you doe this the third and fourth time R. Some Your writings are like the winde not long in one corner Before you denied it not to be a Sacrament which was deliuered by vnpreaching ministers here you doubt of it You erred either then or now Were he not a wise man that would followe your humour The rocke he should builde on should be nothing but sand his building should be as the wall in Ezechiel dawbed with vntempered morter If vnpreaching ministers haue administred a Sacrament in your iudgement I am sure you cannot deny them to haue a calling for you will not accompt it a Sacrament which is deliuered by priuate men But let vs see what you write in an other place of this argument I. Penry If vnpreaching ministers be no ministers and if I cannot be assured to receiue a Sacrament but onely at the hands of a minister then cannot I assure my selfe that an vnpreaching minister can deliuer a Sacrament vnto me and therefore it is vnlawfull for me or any Christian to goe vnto an vnpreaching minister for the Sacraments if vnlawfull then a sinne if a sinne then the godly are polluted which goe vnto them for the Sacraments R. Some If vnpreaching ministers were no ministers as you affirme and I denie then I would confesse that a Sacrament might as easily be had of them as water of a drie ditch But what if some did minister the Sacrament in the Apostles times which were not preachers very famous men are of that iudgement Caluine vpon these wordes of the Apostle Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel 1. Cor. 1.17 writeth thus There were fewe to whom the office of preaching was committed but the administration of Baptisme was committed to many Martyr writeth thus vpon the same place of the Apostle Munus tingendi c. that is the administration of Baptisme may bee committed to euery one in the Church but not the office of preaching Chrisostome vpon that place of S. Paul hath these vvordes Euangelizare perpaucorum est c. that is fewe are able to preach but euery one may baptize that hath a calling Of this iudgement are Ambrose Hemingius c. Augustine hath these wordes Perfectè baptizare minùs docti
there is a nullitie of a ministery before God eyther because the action proceedeth from a corrupt minister as Psalm 50.16 whome God woulde not haue to deale with his ordinances or from a corrupt and euill ministerie which is none of Gods ordinance The action of the former is substantiall in regard of vs of the latter wee knowe no substance it can haue Of the former there is a nullitie onely in the sight of God of the latter both in respect of the Lorde and also of vs. The nullitie of our readers ministerie is of this latter sort namely such as we ought in no wise to account a ministery Whereas therefore you grant that there is a nullitie of our readers ministery before God and yet affirme them to be ministers you swarue from the point and so your answere is nothing to the purpose but a desiring of the question after your vsuall manner As Caiphas then and the rest of the sleepy dogges against whome the prophet cryeth out were wicked men God would not haue such to bee his ministers hither referre Esay 1.13 But as they had the ministery which God allowed of they were ministers vnto the people This ministery our readers want therefore they can be no ministers neyther in respect of the Lorde nor of the Church Shemaiah was a wicked man and a false prophet so were the rest of his stampe The Lord detested both them and their ministerie Zephaniah and Caiphas high priests with their company were as wicked as any of the false prophets the Lorde abhorred the men but their ministery was his ordinance Hence M Some it followeth that neither the briberie of your Caiphas nor the blindnesse of your ignorant Leuites can make such a nullitie of their prietshood as they should bee no priestes vnto the people And therefore great reason why the parents of our sauiour and the rest of the godly wherof you speake Page 28. 29. should not leaue the seruice of God for the pollution of the priests Esay speaketh against blind watchmen Chap. 56.10 but chap. 42.19 20. it shall appeare that they sawe many things but kept them not I pray you conferre the places and it can neuer be prooued that any of them were so blinde as they could not declare by preaching the generall vse of the sacrifices and ceremonies Their wants might be many but not like the insufficiency of our readers Be it they were as insufficient yet their ministerie might be allowable Your answere consisteth of seuerall branches I will handle the chiefest of them so briefly as I can Your first branch is that the ministery of the ignorant Leuiticall priests is allowed of God but that the outward calling of our vnpreaching ministers is not allowed of God Of this you conclude that the Leuitical priests were ministers vnto the people and consequently that Ioseph and the virgine Mary were not polluted by their Sacrifices but that our vnpreaching ministers are not so to vs. If the action of ignorant ministers be as you write not substantiall in regard of vs then you must deny which before you did not that any Sacrament either was or is deliuered by them I would fayne know why the ministery of the ignorant Leuites should be allowed and not the ministerie of ignorant ministers I confesse freely that I take their cases to be like howsoeuer you mince shift the matter But Ismel your meaning Latet anguis in herba there is a padde in the strawe To proceede you stand very much vpon the outward calling of the ministers in our Church If you repell the vnpreaching minister for his ignorance you can not allowe the ignorant Leuiticall priests If you repell the vnpreaching minister because of his outward calling you may by the like reason discharge the worthiest ministers in this land of the holy ministerie for all haue one and the same externall calling in the Church of England If you be so affected the next newes we shall heare of you will be that you shake hands with our Anabaptisticall recusants Vno absurdo dato multa consequuntur that is Euery absurditie hath many attendantes The second branch of your answere is a comparing or rather preferring the ignorant Leuiticall priests before our ignorant ministers Nobile par neither barrell better herring I must a little while examine this second braunch of yours You tell vs that the wants of the Leuiticall priestes might bee many but not like the insufficiencie of our readers For proofe of this you quote two textes in the Prophet Esay The first is contained in these wordes Their watchmen are all blind they haue no knowledge they are all dumbe dogges they cannot barke they lie and sleepe and delight in sleeping Esa 56. Will you gather of these vvordes that the ignorant Leuiticall priests were more learned and better furnished then the ignorant ministers The prophet Esay saieth that these Leuitical priests had neither rem nor spem that is that they were woe begone If you woulde study seuen yeeres you could not deuise to speake worse of the most ignorant ministers in our Church The second place of the Prophet hath these words Who is blinde but my seruant or deafe as my messenger that I sent who is blinde as the perfit and blind as the Lords seruants Seeing many thinges but thou keepest them not opening the eares but hee heareth not Esay 42. Esay in these verses calleth the Leuiticall priests blinde and deafe not in body but in heart because they did see and heare Gods iudgements with their bodilie eyes and eares and did not obserue them with the eyes and eares of their hearts You can not conclude of this place that the ignorant Leuiticall priests were deeper clerkes then the ignorant ministers in the Church of England The thirde branch of your answere is that the ministery of Caiphas was the Lords ordinance I deny it and do dissent from you in this My reason is Caiphas had not the high prieshood alone therefore his high priesthood was not the Lords ordinance The Antecedent is manifest for Annas and Caiphas were high priests together Luk. 3. The argument followes for the Lords ordinance was that onely one should be the high priest Calu Luk. 3.2 You say nothing here of the contentious ministers of Philippi You take and leaue at your pleasure It pleaseth you to cal Caiphas my Caiphas and the blinde Leuites my ignorant Leuites I should bee spedde I perceiue if I would receiue al that you cast vpon me Before you did lade me with reuerence now you throwe Caiphas and the ignorant Leuites as cobble stones at me You are very liberall but I refuse your ghests I disclaime them and returne them to your selfe You are much fitter to entertaine them then I for you haue magnified Caiphas ministery are a hot pleader for the ignorant Leuiticall priests That appeareth in your wordes which follow CHAP. 11. I. Penry VNFITNES TO TEACH made not a nullitie of the Leuiticall Priests office
summe of my answere is conteyned in the writings of that French Gentleman Philip of Mornay Tract de eccle cap. 10. The name of Schismatike is much fitter for proud Penry and his fantastical disciples then for godly Magistrates and people who are most sawcily dealt with by the Anabaptisticall crew Question Whether all our ancestours which liued died in the Popish Church are damned Answere Philip of Morney doeth answere thus As our aduersaries make a difference betweene the Church and the people snatching the name of the Church onely to the Prelates which should bee common to all Christians so wee likewise doe well put a difference betweene the people cleauing to the Church of Rome and the faction of Antichrist betweene them who liue vnder the Popedome and the vpholders and mainteiners of the Pope betweene the inchaunters and those that are inchaunted betweene the Pharisees whom Christ calleth a generation of vipers and the poore sicke woman whom he called the very daughter of Abraham We say that among the poore people which was so long time deceiued vnder the darkenesse of Antichrist there was a part of the body of the visible Church But that the Pope and his mainteiners are the botch of the plague in it which stifleth choketh it as much as it can c. And a little after c. We knowe that the most part of the people were ignorant of those pestilent doctrines which the Schoolemen left in writing that is to say of the principall blasphemies of the Papacie also that the more part did neuer beleeue that they could merite euerlasting life by their owne workes whatsoeuer men preached thereof Againe albeit that through custome and ignorance they went to Saints and Images and frequented Masses and Pilgrimages yet notwithstanding in their conflicts of death they alwayes principally claue to the crosse of Iesus Christ We haue an example of S. Barnard himselfe and we haue seene many more in our time Saint Barnard in certaine places sauoureth of the contagion of his time as it was hard hee should doe otherwise But see his refuge when hee was tempted of the deuill in his last dayes I confesse saith he that I am not worthie of it I knowe that I can not by mine owne workes obteine the kingdome of heauen But my Lord hath obteyned it by a double right by inheritance from the father and by the merite of his passion Nowe he is contented with the one and giueth me the other And when I attribute it to my selfe by the gift which he hath made vnto me thereof I cannot be confounded And in another place My merite is the mercie of the Lord. And I am not poore in merites because hee is rich in his mercies I haue greatly sinned but I will comfort my selfe in the stripes of my Lord. Euen so likewise we assure our selues in the mercy of God that a great number helde the foūdation in Iesus Christ whereof the Apostle speaketh albeit Antichrist shooke it as it were endeuoured to ouerturne it in them all that he might Phil. Mor. Tract de Eccle. cap. 9. Of this iudgement is that famous man Peter Martyr in his Commentarie vpon the Epistle to the Corinthians cap. 15. vers 18. I rest in their iudgement CHAP. 18. THAT POPISH PRIESTS haue a calling though a faultie one IF popish priests haue no calling at all Baptisme was deliuered in the Popish Church by priuate men which is a grosse absurditie 2 Many Popish Priests after detestation of their popish errours were allowed ministers in the reformed Churches without imposition of hands c. therefore in the iudgement of the best Churches they had before a calling though a faultie one Those execellent fathers and Martyrs Cranmer Rydley Hooper Latymer c. which were sometimes Popish priests were allowed Ministers of the Gospel without imposition of hands c. Caluine writing of Popish priests hath these wordes Si verò quis istiusmodi c. and a litle after Si obijcitur Pauli Canon ille quo traditur eligendum Episcopum irreprehensibilem esse oportere respondeo non hîc agi meo quidem iudicio de simplici vel absoluta electione sed de approbatione vel restitutione ad certum munus propter interuenientem corruptionem And a litle after Duo sunt in illo statu summa vitia Vnum quod non recta ratione instituti sunt ad munus Eeclesiasticum c. The summe of M. Caluines words is that such Popish priests as detested popery and were fit to bee employed in the ministerie might be allowed or rather restored to the Ecclesiasticall function first because they were not before rightly instituted Secondly ad corrigendum praecedentem defectum that is to correct the former defect c. Calu. Epist 373. By which wordes it is manifest that Popish priests euen in the popish Church had and haue in M. Caluines iudgement a calling though a faultie one The same M. Caluine in an other place hath these vvordes Cogimur fateri penes illos esse ordinarium ministerium that is We are compelled to confesse that papists haue an ordinarie ministery Calu. Ezech cap. 13. v. 9. If M. Penry will take exception against M. Caluines writings the iudgement of all Gods Churches let him confute them very soundly If he can doe that he shal be accōpted the rarest man aliue If he can not which I am very sure of he shall not be Magnus Apollo that is goe for a Patriarch as his ignorant followers do accompt him but he shal be dubbed as he is in deede an other Neuius that is a loude and clamorous companion If either M. Penry or any of his fantasticall crewe shall thinke much of my speech I doe not passe I confesse freely that sharpe wordes are not sufficient plaisters for such proude sores I hope the Magistrates will consider further of him and such as he is Duro nodo durus cuneus c. that is A wedge of yron is fittest for knottie vvood CHAP. 19.20 THEY WHICH ARE ONCE baptized must not be baptized againe THe couenant of grace and peace which is made and sealed vp in baptisme is perpetuall for Almightie God remaineth euer faithfull in his couenant therefore c. 2 If Baptisme should be iterated Gods fidelity which cannot be made voyde by our infidelitie should be called into question which were a haynous sinne 3 Circumcision was neuer iterated therefore Baptisme may not Baptisme is to vs as circumcision was to the Israelites 4 As the carnall generation is one so the spirituall generation is one Semel nascimur semel renascimur 5 It appeareth not in Gods booke that any which receiued baptismum fluminis were rebaptized baptizmo fluminis 6 Agrippinus the Bishop of Carthage was author of iterating baptisme c. Vinc. Lir. Cap. 9. CHAP. 20. THERE IS TRVE BAPtisme in the Popish Church SVch as were and are baptized in the popish Church were and are engraffed by baptisme into a true Christ therefore