any estate and most preiudiciall to the royall prerogatiues yea the very Crowne and dignity as they most ignorantly slanderously if not indeede blasphemously haue obiected of Christian Princes making it the greatest meanes for Antichrist his clyming so high and the very stirrop to the Pope his mounting into his saddle To all which albeit I haue aunswered somewhat in a larger treatise which I purposed should haue beene the elder brother but that this like rough Esau hath for iust and good cause I hope hastned formost and preuented the other which was euen ready to come foorth first and like vnto Iacob may holde this elder by the heele yet must I briefly adioyne somewhat to that which hath beene a little before aunswered in this behalfe that may more directly quench if not kill the heate and venome of these poysonfull proiectes and problematicall diuelish obiections First therefore they might as well except against the ministery of the word and Sacraments the Ordination or degrading of ministers consecrating of Churches and such like many more which as yet none of these exceptors nor any other durst diuorce from that holy order and power of Priesthood as without any true offence it may bee called or to make them any way common to any Prince and ciuil power whatsoeuer Secondly the heart may as well bee arraigned of treason against the head and whole body as this power of the keyes and any particular administration thereof may bee iudged preiudiciall to the supremacy of Princes and safety of the whole body standing quietly of Ecclesiasticall and Ciuil power and executions sweetely ioyned and combyned together vnder any kinde of soueraignty or Ciuil Magistracy which is euermore the head of them both And lastly their Lawe and Logicke together very much deceiue them not onely in making that the cause which is not the cause and things accidentally and by circumstance somtimes euil to bee so euermore and in their owne nature which are the vsuall sallations practised by these Sophisters deceiuing themselues and others thereby but also which argueth their greatest ignorance or forgetfulnesse at the least in this point pleading from that which is cleane contrary to argue this encumbring and encountring of Princes iust titles and royall dignities as the proper effect of the same For indeed this Excommunication especially as it was vsed by those masters of the Romish Church was one of the greatest engins meanes to batter downe the walls and strong holdes of Antichristian prelacy and power when Princes and all the world once perceiued that those many Bulls roared for nothing els but to get preies for the filling of their owne bellies and feeding the ambitious humours of those vsurping and presumptuous Prelates And for the thing it selfe in it owne nature there is no one thing belonging to Ecclesiasticall power or which might possibly be inuented in the world which might sooner distast Princes or any part of the ciuill body and more likely to withdrawe them from protecting all or any of the Church rightes then the due execution of this censure In regard whereof together with these confused and troubled times wherewith the Church hath beene and is for the most part still annoyed and incumbred the due and constant vse of this Excommunication eyther hath beene obserued to haue been seldome practised in any Church or els haue the wisest gouernours of the same not thought it fit or conuenient many times to drawe out this spirituall sword and censure so often as otherwise the necessity and safety of their seueral Churches might require And for the abuses which proceeded from the persons to whome this censure hath beene at any time committed and not from the thing it selfe whereas for want of skill happely and good wisedome how and when this speciall physicke was to be applyed as Erastus himselfe obserueth who had more learning and iudgement euen in this physicke also and true diuinity then hundreds of these late pleaders and from whome this last dramme of mischiefe was drawne into the Pennes and pleas of these pettifoggers and promooters they doe no more argue the vnlawfulnesse of this power or disable the true wise and round vse thereof then if a senselesse although a golden sword appointed euermore for the highest Iustice should be misliked and most senselesly indicted and condemned for that murder which a foole and mad man had committed by it To all which kinds of reasoning and such like obiections and framers of them I could wish better skill to construe their Lawe or choppe our Logicke as we say then for want of this latter which with due reuerence alwayes to that graue profession any may obserue to bee much wanting in those Scribes especially when they are out of that their Element and put a little from their owne pace to misse very much in their right vse and application of the former and other their riche naturalls and further accomplishments wherewith for the most part they are well qualified and endowed for many Lawyers as I may say truely with reuerence and respect as abouesayd of most of them would dispute as well as any if they knew how and for the last pleader of all Author of the Assertions for Church Discipline who hath beene a great and long practiser in that bad and blacke Court by cunning libelling against all our Ecclesiasticall power and proceedings and not long since hath drawne all his Lawe and Logicke which I thinke may be put in a little bagge or at the least weighed in a small ballance together with the slime and froth of his hote and malitious wit to the fortifying of a rotten mud wall reared by another pleader almost as bad as himselfe I cannot but in holy zeale I hope to this good cause and most holy censure of Christs Church Nichols Countermure and iust indignation against all such vnskilfull reformers of Ecclesiasticall abuses and wilfull deformers indeede of all good order crie out with Peter to Simon Magus and all such enuious spirits and despitefull lookers vpon any that haue greater guifts and authority then themselues Thou thy Law and thy Logicke perish together for they haue no part I am sure nor portion in these businesses and lesse authority or calling to speake or write against any thing possible amisse therein and I feare I may too too truely adde the other that theyr hearts are not vpright in them but that vnder colour of calling vppon the vrging and mayntaining of many good Lawes and constitutions amongst vs and vnder pretence of tendring Princes supremacy which if any should presume to breathe or blowe against I wish them from my heart breathlesse to establish an yron and Macedonian throne for themselues vnder which they would soone bondage and bring both Medes and Persians and the golden head it selfe of any kind of gouernment as al know their intendmēts who are any way acquainted with their positions resolutions and practises about their new discipline which they
word And had not God himselfe made this order and difference in all publique and politique proceedings as by the places aboue named and many other of the old and newe Testament which we haue elsewhere vsed for the differences and dignities of Ministers in generall may appeare yet common experience reason and necessity would haue inforced the same as we may see in all pollitique bodies Ecclesiasticall and Ciuil which haue euer beene in the world which otherwise through a generall confusion none ruling nor any obeying would fall downe of themselues as Saint Paul saith if euery member were a head where were the hand the feete the smelling c euen all without order and difference a monstrous confusion And therefore these men themselues in their exercising and awarding this high censure or any part of their new deuised pollicy and discipline reduce all such proceedings to Consistorial throne and iurisdiction and that in far greater soueraignty and peremptory vnreuerseable power then wheresoeuer vnder Christian Magistracy any lawfull Ecclesiasticall body doth execute their iurisdictions and power And herein it differeth not whether the immediate mannagers and Actuaries in this Excommunication be good or bad as the Donatists and Anabaptists sometimes excepted against Baptisme it selfe and some of our homebred Schismatickes haue often reuiued those quarrells or els Laickes sometimes and in some cases as the next question will better inquire so long as they haue this externall order and power by lawfull authority vnder Christian Magistrates put vpon them because therein they doe not their owne worke or actions as Augustine hath abundantly aunswered against the Donatists but the speciall functions of the Church by which they are moued and in euery particular directed and no way carried so farre foorth as they performe any Ecclesiasticall seruices by their owne priuate motions and spirit as appeareth also in baptisme ordination of ministers and many other things appertaining to Ecclesiasticall power and censures And indeede the summe of this obiection is none other then the demand of Corah and his confederates challenging equall power and holinesse in this kinde to all the Leuites and ministers in common Num. 16. v. 34. which God had made then for the order and gouernment of that Church proper to the Priests which is all one with the matter and question we haue in hand For the conclusion whereof I desire all to reade that with iudgement and to translate the Latine of it into good true English diuinity or Christian and godly pollicy if they will which that graue learned and true Christian politician wrote sometimes by way of councell and Theologicall determination to certayne like minded with these Questionists Obiectors Melancthon in Consiliis theologicis Et Consistoria ideo coÌ„stituta sunt ne indocti pastores aut malidaÌ„nent homines sine legittima cognitione sicut manifestum est iracundos pastores saepe hoc modo iniuste turbasse ecclesias notum est plurimos pastores nescire ordinem cognitionum satis est pastors quod ad ministerium iurisdictionem suam attinet quando crimen est notorium admonere reum si non obtemperet arcere cum a communione c. Which speciall power also is by the wisedome and appointment of our Church thorough some delegate power left many times in the hands of euery the meanest minister who also for the most part alwayes hath his ministery and vse in the inflicting this censure and absoluing any persons from it To which the same author addeth the practise and iudgement of other learned men and Churches at that time more directly to this question Anâ—â— Annum in ditione Naumbergensi magna contentio fuit inter quosdam an singuli pastores armandi essent hac potestate Nominatim sine cognitione Consistorii excommunicandi aliquos responderunt autem Dr. Sneppius Casper Aquila idem quod nos nunc scribimus Now for the third and last question and obiection vsually made against the meanes and manner of executing this censure Quaest 3. namely that oftentimes meere Laicks or such at the least as were neuer fully admitted into holy orders doe not onely intermeddle therewith but haue for the most part the greatest stroke therein Plea of the Innocent pag. 49. 50. To which I first answer that which some of these exceptors and pleaders make contrary vse of alledging as the truth is and the order thereof by our Canons and common practise of our Church that the mayne sentence of Excommunication is euermore reserued to bee denounced by the Bishop or some other minister as from whose care and power this whole proceeding doth originally descend by whome and by what means soeuer it be managed Which secondly if it were not so I answer that whatsoeuer is performed herein by any such persons either for the better more safe preparation to the finall sentence it selfe or els practised in the very denouncing of the same are to be accompted for no other then the actions of the sacred ministery it selfe or if you will rather speake with Cyprian and Ierome of the Church and whole power any where established for so they speake plainly albeit very impertinently Nichols in his plea pag. 59. and as ignorantly cited by one of these grand exceptors against many things in our Church gouernment and this one we haue in hand amongst the rest Clauium potestas non vnised vnitati conceditur And so indeede the intermedlers herein are not merely Laikes or wholy Ecclesiasticall in that behalfe and their assistance herein or pronouncing this sentence at any time is no otherwise then as the Clerke of the peace at any commoÌ„ Sessions doth reade denounce or any way assist the Iudges thereof to whome properly and principally the whole commission is directed Thirdly many things incident and especially belonging to this greate censure of Excommunication as it is now for the most part exercised by any Church being externall and primarily respecting the bodies and outward estates of the offendors as also the common peace and externall pollicy of both Church and common wealth together as we aboue shewed they are by all reasonable consideration to be mannaged and discussed by their proper professors and best experienced therein Neither lastly were it meet as the whole councell of the Apostles conclude in the like case that the ministers of the word and Sacraments should attend vpon tables or taking knowledge of all criminall causes in this kind and nature In respect whereof our new masters of their Church policy haue found it very necessary to appoint diuers sorts of lay persons as Elders Deacons Widdowes and such like making them essentiall parts of all welordered Church policy Acts. 6. v. 2. according to Christ his word rules and kingdome as they say who yet notwithstanding in the trueth of those termes being according to the vse thereof in the first Churches and Paul his mentioning of such kind of helpers 1. Cor. 12. v. 26. vnder the
baptisme as it is amongst vs is not against any speciall commandement of God by which all our actions and particulars in vse are to be examined iustified or condemned Secondly because it is very agreeable to comely order both generally and more speciall for the matter of baptisme and so consequently very fit and profitable and in some cases also necessary for the edification of the Church Lastly because the vse of it hath beene very ancient and constant euen in the matter of religion in that sense we vnderstand it and expound it throughout the Church of God and thereupon also adiudged and commanded the rather to be retained of our Church and many best reformed Churches in the world For the first because for the answering of the obiections which is the second part of this treatise it will better appeare I will be the briefer in it and only shew that it is neither against the first second or third commandements but especially the second which this Crosse so much crosseth if these mens iudgements might goe for authenticall expositions of that commandement And indeed that which wise Socrates who diued as far as natures light and strength could giue him into the manifold depths of those two generall differences bonum and malum perceiued to be the hardest taske for all those Doctors to distinguish of good and euill may more truely be auerred of our Diuinity Masters who for want of looking right into this perfect Lawe of liberty which with the Euangelicall harmony are the hardest taskes of our profession put very often euill for good and good for euill and so are so farre to seeke in the right assoyling so many weake ones in cases of conscience as that they not only wound themselues and many others Prou. cap. 17. vers 15. through their peremptory assertions and determinations in cases very doubtfull and difficult but contrary to Salomons rule iustifie the wicked and condemne the innocent which both together are abhominable Insomuch as some worthy Diuines hold yet opinion that all errors schismes and heresies in the world haue still proceeded from the ignorance and misconceiuing and construing of the nature properties of God and sinne discouered in this law Now of those three commandements the first concerneth the hauing and worshipping of the true God and none other the second all meanes to conceiue of him and serue him by and the third the manner how to vse these meanes and to haue and serue this God aright thereby If therefore the vse of the Crosse do neither incounter nor incumber any of these three the aduersaries will surely grant that it is simply and in it selfe neyther against these nor any other commandement of God For the first our doctrine neuer teacheth nor alloweth any of the least part of worship any way to belong to the best creature much lesse to any image of this Crosse which is but a bare signe and of no good thing in it selfe but of a forme and signe made for such a tormenting engine which yet by accident became through Gods permission a meanes of the best things and all good vnto vs howsoeuer it be taken in wood stone or mettall much lesse conceited in the mind or imagined by any fancy by meanes of any transient and aërious signe as ours is Neither must the vse of a thing much lesse any part of the Church of God thereupon in their doctrine or practise be condemned for any particular or accidentall abuse of this Ctosse or any other ceremony so long as the nature of the thing remayneth indifferent and the receiued and maintained doctrine of that Church is against them For so do we teach and so ought all both ministers and people to beleeue detesting all doctrine and abuses to the contrary that this our Crosse either mental aiërous or expressed in any visible forme is so far from hauing any Diuine power in it naturally which is the highest idolatry or transfused from Christ and the Crosse which he hanged vpon and so into all other Crosses accordingly which is a peeuish conceit of the Papists amongst the rest or els infused by any especial promise or grace of God either into the thing it selfe or vpon the best vse of it according to the solemne orders of any Church to that end whereby it hath any power to procure good or turne away euill which many hereticks and idolaters haue giuen vnto it Irenaeus lib. 10. cap 24. de Gnosticis Carpocratianis and doe yet at this day but only hold it to be a bare ceremony inuented by man for other good vses in the Church And for the second commandement we teache and hold in like manner that this Crosse which we vse in any kind or difference is no meanes either to expresse or comprehend God or any person of the Trinity in or vnder it as thereby the better to serue them which is the first thing prouided against in this commandement nay yet to be any meanes at all of Gods worship which ought only to be appointed by himselfe and therefore giueth commandement thereunto and to the obseruers thereof who thereby doe homage vnto God and procure blessings and good things to themselues which is the second thing enioyned by the same and the very summe of cautions giuen touching Gods worship in this second commandement onely our Church retayneth it as an indifferent ceremony as Master Fulke also in the like case answereth to Marshalls reply against Master Calfield about this matter for the vse of this Crosse in the primitiué Church In his answer to the first Article pag. 173. For the third none of the reformed Churches where this Crosse is vsed make it any part of the forme outward or inward or els any meanes of the least part of Gods worship as if without it holy baptisme were not rightly administred or with it were in any respect of God or any power or vse of the Sacrament the better thereby administred all which might incurre some breach of the third commandement but as our Canons explaine themselues the whole matter of the Sacrament for the whole substance matter Second reason forme and manner thereof is perfected and ended before any vse thereof bee once admitted or named For the second reason prouing the lawfulnesse of this ceremony it appeareth from hence because it is very fit and agreeable to the three generall rules prescribed by Saint Paul for all ceremonies to be vsed in the Church namely edification comlinesse and order As for the latter two to be comely and orderly the iudgement commandement and common vse thereof by any Church doe sufficiently argue the same in respect that this signe of the Crosse as aboue shewed is as comely and indeed more fit for the ceremonies of Baptisme then any other And is not only generally commanded and that aboue other ceremonies as being of most auncient vse in most of the Churches in the world so iudged more befitting this
alicubi extent In quibus etiam tam magnis quod facilè largientur credo omnes subarduis voluisle tentasse aliquid satis erit praesertim mihi haec primò adniteÌ„ti aliis bene multis iam diu occupato nimium praepedito dum haec ab initio mediarer tantuÌ„ non obsesso penitus oppresso Quae si quod voluimus effectum minùs dederint quod medicantibus in hoc potissimùm genere perrarò obtingit qui vt Galenus curare multos sed sanare paucos solent illud tamen hinc commodi euenturum autumo bene spero quod vt tertium illud Crucis verè iam Contradictionis Signum nuperos quod audio multum gratulor nactum esse patronos bene multos verè Aesculapios sic alios nostra haec forsitan excitabunt qui depositis illis penè desperatis de Excommunicatione Subscriptione curis medelis extremam quod aiunt manum quamprimum addant imponant Quae denique quoniam tibi in Excelsissimo Episcopalis dignitatis culmine magno tuo merito virtute prudentia constituto quae exhibeantur minora esse longè indignissima satis intelligaÌ„ meipsum si placet cum aliis pro strenaruÌ„ more indole postmodum insequuturis vnà offero adiungo adeoque se totum ditioni tuae dicat consecrat hisce demum pauculis consignat in perpetuum Honoratissimae Amplitudinis tuae obseruantissimus IOHANNES TICHBORNVS The Epistle to the Reader IT was well saide of that Italian Merchant Machiauel de repub for all refined pollicies of this last age That the world must be sicke and purged also before it die Wherein what the great Physition hath from time to time practised vpon that vaste bodie somtime by fire sometime by water generally by many great coÌ„mon destructions euery generation and story are perpetuall witnesses and Saint Hierome most passionately doth expresse and bewaile writing thus against Iouinian Libro primo contra Iouin Succrescit silua vt succidatur Howbeit a better Prophet prognosticated of some more speciall diseases which should befall and possesse the wayward crasie most disteÌ„pered old age of the world auouching by the spirit 2. Tim. 3. v. 1. that in the last dayes men should bee full of selfe loue couetousnesse pride wantonnesse and such like which the learned haue obserued and found to be the root and causes of all heresies as also disobedient and breakers of oath and promises from whence haue proceeded the manifold Sects Schismes and personall separations disturbing alwaies the outward peace quiet gouernment of the Church of God For the mitigating and repressing whereof because they can neuer wholly be cured or taken away 1. Cor. 11. Math. 13. for there must be heresies and Coccle tares and darnell will be sowed and must grow amongst the best corne and croppe vntill the end it hath pleased Christ the soules sole Physition and great protector of his Church to substitute the Ministery and Magistracy whereby as Chirurgians and his owne hands in those his ordinances to apply sundry kinds of remedies to so many and diuers maladies both which working diuersly yet to one and the same end partly by the word and spirit and partly by the ciuill sword doe hold vp as well the generall frame and compage of the whole body as the estates of all particular Churches and Common wealths vntill the day of perfect recuring and restoring all things come Now the physicke and Cure committed to the hand of the Church which is the subiect matter of my treatise ensuing may for our better discerning and handling the same for this present not vnfitly bee matched with the termes and parts made and giuen by the learned to that happy art whereby the life and health of the lesser world mans body is procured and maintained Which being by the vsuall account three in number namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may for breuity order sake be reduced to the three special heads to which I haue referred this my so termed threefold Antidote and desired to apply the same to our present state in England being now by God his blessing if all had eies or grace to see it as was sometimes said of Rome and Athens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen a little world or a briefe and Epitome of all God his mercies elsewhere bestowed vpon all the Churches and Common-wealths in the world Vnderstanding by the first thereof Excommunication which comprizeth vnder it as a part for the whole exhortations admonitions reprehensions threatnings confession absolution and such like all these meanes which the ministery and power of the keies may by the word and spirit prescribe at any time for the purging and healing so many soules sicknesses which the whole Church for this life and euery member thereof is continually subiect vnto And by the second termed Subscription answering to that second general part of physicke called Hygeine in respect of the nature end and manifold vse therof we meane all wholsome decrees Councils priuate or publique and constitutions of the Church by which the trueth of doctrine amidst the manifold differences and contrarily minded people in the world may be preserued and maintained the inward peace of each conscience more fully and safely secured and the outward order of euery particular Church better established and defended against al manner of oppositions by turbulent spirits in that behalfe and the iust temper of the whole body of Christ by all good meanes wise foresight cont nued throughout the world And lastly by the Crosse which I haue made the noble Hierogâ—yphicon of all other decent ceremonies to bee vsed at any time in the Church of God I vnderstand all comely ornaments whereby as well Christ his Ministers according to their differences degrees dignittes as all other things belonging to the least performance and holy administration in God his seruice may and ought to be beautified decked and adorned all scarres and defects naturally or by euill euent incident to any Church healed and supplyed and the most naturall sweet colour vigour and beautie of Christ his Spouse be made resplendent and apparant to the whole world with all other properties and effects which that decoratiue art and last part of Physicke is knowne and celebrated to bring to passe in mans body all which as in those last dangerous dayes they haue been much incombred by the hands and meanes of Schismatikes Atheists Churchrobbers and such like of the prophane cursed crue of so many heathenish people that haue rushed into Gods inheritance as Psal 80. v. 1. and no lesse tortured and afflicted now a long time with all kind of spirituall diseases and enormities and euen brought as they say to the last casâ— so stand they now in need if euer to be releeued with all the best antidotes and electuaries which from both hands of Ministery and Magistracy the Lord is willing
put out as Bellarmine p. 78. l. 2. for facts r. fasts p. 81. l. 35. for Antichrist r. Antichrists p 84. l. 35. for conscience of some r. conscience of sinne p. 85. l. 18. put out not in the title of the Chap. p. 96. l. 34. for tollerent reade tolerent A TRIPLE ANTIDOTE AGAINST CERtaine very common Scandalles of this time which like infectious and epidemicall diseases haue generally annoyed most sorts of people amongst vs poisoned also not a fewe and diuers wayes plagued and afflicted the whole State CHAP. I. Containing the names natures and manifold kinds and differences of Excommunication EXcommunication beeing the highest censure of all Ecclesiasticall power from which the other two of Subscription and the Crosse with all such decent and profitable ceremonies doe naturally arise and the lawfulnes and necessity of these latter depending for the most part vpon the former I haue placed the same in the forefront as it were of those many battels and encounters which by all kind of people almost in this complayning and murmuring age haue beene made against them all but especially against the trueth power and vse of excommunication Which according to the name and nature thereof I haue first of all endeuoured to define after this manner Namely as the word expoundeth it selfe Excommunication in the most generall sense and acception thereof is nothing els but a separation from some common benefite of which any formerly haue beene Excommunicatio a communi bono separatio or otherwise might haue been partakers which is the common receiued definition by the Schooles and Canons Which being somewhat too generall for our purpose after certaine diuisions of these larger termes wee hope at the length to comprise the full summe and substance thereof in as short a compasse as so great a matter may be These common benefites and priuiledges therefore enioyed in this life being either Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill this terme of Excommunication hath beene alwaies by all sufficient writers restrained to those speciall graces and fauours which belong properly to the Church and so this censure is to be defined accordingly to be a debarring and separation from the Church which also being either visible or inuisible the trueth and nature of this excommunication must be in like manner examined and distinguished to be a separation from the visible or inuisible Church Of which distinction sundry reasons may be giuen which briefly may be comprised in these two positions from which many more particulars may easily be collected first that the knowledge order and proceeding in either of these kindes are very much differing both in respect of the persons censuring accusing or offending as also of the defaults and punishments thereunto belonging the one being alwaies certaine after one manner because God as Augustine well obserueth who is the high Iudge in that priuy Court doth see all things euermore as they are and iudgeth accordingly by his present mercy and present iustice taking all actions and persons as he findeth them and so his word and ministry thereof with all other meanes belonging to this Excommunication proceed by the same order and degree the other very variable from the visible Church and vncertaine Primo secundum praescientiam 2. Causam 3. Operationem 4. retributionem sol 2047. taking knowledge and giuing order for personall causes according to particular allegations and proofes as they say which Hugo de sanct in his booke de Sacramentis legis naturalis scriptae doeth more largely expresse making foure kindes of iudgements Secondly because one and the selfe same person may be admitted and allowed for a communicant in the one which happily hath no interest nor fellowship in the other and so contrarily the same persons may by course and order of lawes and proceeding in some cases be remoued from some part of the visible Church which keepe their place firme and sure in the inuisible as 1. Timothy Chap. 5. verse 24. and 2. Samuel Chap. 16. verse 7. is plainely auouched that God seeth not as man seeth and that some mens sinnes goe before vnto iudgement and some follow after Now this Excommunication from the inuisible Church is onely infallibly known and exercised by God who alone knoweth who are his 2. Tim. chap. 2. vers 19. And how at all times euery one standeth or falleth to himselfe the great master of all Rom. 14. vers 4. yet hath hee appointed certaine persons to whome a speciall commission is directed to proceede in this inward and high Court of conscience and by which speciall meanes as by certaine signes and best coniectures the knowledge of euery one his estate and freeholde as it were in the inuisible Church and true fellowship with God and his Saints may be discerned which meanes the learned haue called voluntatem signi being indeed signa voluntatis subordinate to that infallible prescience and predestination of God by which together with these signes and meanes which for that end are prepared and appointed by God all are deliuered from their miserable estate and fellowship with the diuell and Church malignant and receiued into this inuisible Church and company whosoeuer they are that are at any time so receiued as Saint Augustine in many places learnedly sheweth which signes and meanes specified in the word of God and commonly called and vnderstood by those generall graces of faith and repentance being found in any or testified by any outward signes to those Commissaries of God as I may so terme them aboue named so farre as they can or ought to iudge according to their rites of commission and proceeding to be in any or otherwise to be wanting so are they iudged and allowed for meete partakers and communicantes with that heauenly society being qualified thereunto by the former graces or els to be wholly vnworthy and out of the same and so being admitted or excluded by these stewards Gods ministers whome God hath appointed and none other as shall be shewed hereafter to deale in that high Court of his or pronounced priuately or more openly so to be whatsoeuer they shall doe in that behalfe according to the tenour of their commission and order of their court roules which is the truth and scope of holy scriptures shall be ratified and confirmed in heauen both for the pardon of sinne which is the kingdom of grace in this life Ioh. 20. vers 23. and the full state of glory for euer in heauen Mat. 16. vers 19. In regard whereof this excommunication from the inuisible Church so farre foorth as it may be awarded or any way iudicially proceeded in by man Definitio excommunicationis ab inuisibili ecclesia may thus be described to bee that part of the power of the keyes whereby vpon the signes and euidences of infidelity heresie irrepentance or such like euery true minister doth pronounce any to be in the state of Gods wrath and out of the fellowship and communion of Saints Which power albeit Saint Augustine
giueth sometimes to priuate mens admonishments and exhortations saying thereupon cohortatoriè as Luther obserueth him and the other learned fathers to speake many times Ligasti aut soluisti fratrem yet is this no whit of this nature and kind whereof we intreat this being an exhortation or counsell and a common worke of charity belonging to all Christians the other a iudgement or a solemne and peculiar iudiciall proceeding performed alwayes by Gods ministers onely and lieutenants in this behalfe wherein God deales by them as a King doth by his Iudges and other immediate officers for any state occasion wherein although many haue skill and can giue counsell and aducie yet are no charters quoadius as wee say pardons or iudgements whatsoeuer of validity and force to carry or confirme any thing for or against any except they be pronounced or otherwise sealed and warranted by those who are called and designed to represent and supply the Kings place and person in any of the same And thus much briefly of this first kinde of excommunication which respecteth indifferently all kindes of people that haue soules to be saued and may yea ought to be exercised in all places where any true minister is found albeit there be no order or power established according to the nature of a visible Church or other ordered gouernment whatsoeuer For so is the nature of the other excommunication which wee made to be from the visible Church wherein alwayes is required some company liuing vnder forme of outward gouernment by which lawes may be made and enacted for this or at the least some other kinde of separation from the same for so Saint Paul speaketh of a company to be gathered together as from which that incestuous person was to be remoued by his owne censure which also may appeare by all other such separations which euer haue beene read of or are as yet practised in the world wherein by some kind of power established amongst some company liuing vnder gouernement be it of one kind or other certaine persons haue beene excluded oftentimes according to the discretion of the gouernours thereof from the face and fellowship of some visible Church Which also according to the causes and diuers kinds of operation and proceeding by or against any this kinde of excommunication must againe be diuided into that which by violence without cause and against all order and reason is oftentimes denounced and that which vpon iust cause or by some kinde of order at the least is commenced and executed for the separation of any from the visible Church the first whereof may be called excommunicatio violentiae such as were exercised by Tyrants against many a true member both of the visible and inuisible Church the other not vnfitl termed excommunicatio ordinis in which by some orderly proceeding and vnder some course of Lawe and constitutions iust or vniust any are remoued from any such company and priuiledges belonging thereunto which also being as all iudgements are as the Schooles distinguish them vsurped or defiled and tainted with some in iustice and wrong or els direct and regulated according to trueth and equity so likewise is this excommunicatio ordinis whereby good Ieremie and our Sauiour Christ himselfe Iohn 7. were by such orders as those times did afford Abstentes as the word in Ieremie importeth and debarred at the least from many priuiledges of that Church and time as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may by Erastus his own acception or any others signifie as well as that incestuous person most iustlie by Paul from the company and priuiledges of the Church of Corinth But to tye our selues to that excommunication which by good order and vpon iust and necessary cause is alwayes awarded resting in the hands power of euery true Church and company gathered together in the name of Christ to professe his name and seruice that also hath it differences and distinctions for so by the Schooles and Kanons many such haue beene inuented whereof that of excommunicatio maior minor the greater and the lesse may very well fit our purpose According to the vse of this greate censure by all Christian Churches in the world Which vpon the assistance at the last of Christian magistracy and by their owne speciall decrees and constitutions thereabout haue extended the power of this censure to the debarring of those that are separated thereby from many common priuiledges whereof the ciuill estate maketh them otherwise partakers as appeareth by many ciuil constitutions and statute Lawes in force at this present amongst vs de excommunicato capiendo and such like to that purpose For which cause this excommunication by order as we haue termed it for the better setting downe the true nature of it must once againe be diuided into that which is meerly ecclesiasticall as proceeding onely and wholly from that power of the keyes which are giuen to the Church for the ruling and sauing of soules or els into that which is ciuill abusiuely so called and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we say or lastly partly ecclesiastical and partly ciuill according to which are most proceedings therein for the outward gouernement of any Church at this day That which is called ecclesiasticall is so wholly estated in the persons of Church gouernours as that if there were no ciuill Magistrate in the world yet would and ought they to claime and shew their authority and power if according to the true ends and vses thereof hereafter more particularly to be set downe the Church shall iudge it fit or necessary so to be awarded Author of late assertions for Church Discipline And no ciuill power hath any more to doe with it then as the latest exceptor and pleader himselfe against many things therein confesseth and proueth by the authority of Bishop Horne and Doctor Bilson both reuerend fathers of one Sea in our Church it hath to doe with making ministers consecrating Churches immediate making of Church Canons for doctrine cases of cōscience administration of the word and Sacraments and such like In the prefaces to certaine Iniunctions made in Henry 8. and Elizabeth their raignes which some princes of this kingdome and all other wisely possessed with the trueth of these matters haue euermore disclaimed Howbeit for the other which concerne first the bodies and outward estates and condition whatsoeuer of any and secondarily and consequently the soule and inward man and so also respect for the most part the outward peace of the common state both ecclesiasticall and ciuill they all must haue their consideration determination and proper place accordingly as proceeding first from ciuill power may be intended or remitted continued suspended or changed and sometimes exercised or inhibited by ciuill magistrates soueraigne or subordinate Of which sort I make all temporall punishments commutation of pennance outward shame and all other bodily afflictions whereof notwithstanding that of being giuen ouer to Satan some haue made one Erastus out of some
of the fathers albeit belonging to the Church power alwayes in such cases and that in the highest degree wherein through the affliction of the flesh in any kinde meanes may better be procured and applied for the sauing of the soule in the day of the Lord Iesus 1. ad Corin. Cap. 5. v. 5. The difference and true distinction whereof may appeare by these speciall notes first that Ecclesiasticall excommunication and all things concurring thereunto so farre foorth as they are meerly ecclesiasticall concerne the soule and the meanes to recouer any secure or desperate sinner and withall to preserue any other or the whole Church from any further annoyance spirituall infection or any kind of preiudice thereby but the other respect first the body and outward man and afterward happily are made profitable and appliable to the soules of any Secondly that which we call for better order and instruction sake ciuill haue their ground and originall whatsoeuer they are from the other power which is called ciuill magistracy as the other touching the soule the inward and spirituall seruice of God the peace of conscience and such like belonging vnto this censure proceede from the rites and investitures of that other order called priesthood power of keyes ecclesiasticall magistracy or what els besides it be called swaruing not from the trueth of the matter it selfe which for it part must alwayes doe that which belongeth thereunto in this and all other offices although there were no Christian Magistrate in the world and doth also exercise the same according as they see it most fit and correspondent to the ends aboue named in all places where the foote of violence from any part of the secular power incombreth not but rather as they ought to kisse the Sunne in that one sense and behalfe protest and maintaine the rights power and priuiledges of the same Thirdly those proceedings herein which are meerly ciuil or mixt sometimes of both according to their seuerall ends authors and originals doe principally and for the most part respect the common policy of the whole State and that which is Ciuil as well and more particulary many times as that which is Ecclesiasticall albeit they ought to agree in all things together as Hippocrates his Twinnes All which might be shewed in the manifold particulars which in the vse of this censure haue been added partly by the ciuill Magistrate and further inuented by the immediate Gouernours vnder the allowance of the chiefe magistrate of seuerall Churches for the better strengthning and more orderly and profitable executing this or any other censure which any iudicious reader may referre euery one as they are not vnknown by reason of their common practise in the world to their proper place and one of those three heads of this our last diuision To which I desire this one thing to be adioyned before I come to the more particular definition of this Excommunication namely that albeit this censure doth properly and euermore of right belong to the power of the Church and immediate gouernment of soules yet can no such power exercise any part of outward gouernment or more publique administration whatsoeuer within the territories and dominions of any ciuill magistracy without the speciall good allowance or indulgence at the least of the chiefe magistrate there which in all places of setled and well ordered gouernment appertaineth to the ciuill power which God in the example and type of Iudah among the tribes hath made the onely lawe-giuer Insomuch as no due execution of any other their owne most proper proceedings can bee well performed without their helpe and assistance which caused the due vse of this censure to be so rarely and indeed weakly exercised in the primitiue Church and many other Churches of later times before ciuil magistrates were christned or this ciuill power did vndertake the protection of the Church or at least gaue way and liberty for the full execution of all Ecclesiasticall power which hath beene very much curbed and scanted by most Christian Princes in the world Much lesse doe we arrogate any secular power and command to be originally and properly in the persons or states meerly ecclesiasticall albeit one and the selfe same man or state may very lawfully and ought sometimes necessarily to be armed and furnished with them both as Luther himselfe learnedly sheweth In Epistola responsiua ad Melancthonem Et in postilla ad Epiphaniam de Magis and elsewhere we haue examined that as the ciuill magistrate sometimes hath been a priest so contrarily may Gods minister be a king or of any other electiue dignity the same man but not the same person which are distinguished euermore but may concur both in one subiect but that the enacting of lawes Bodin de repub in Methodâ— historiarum creating of magistrates citations Iudiciall proceedings and punishments accordingly haue their first beginning and warrant also from the ciuill sword yea the very outward forme of gouernment by which that part of the Church which is committed to any ciuill Magistrate who is truely termed of our later Deuines the keeper and maintainer of both tables commonly called Church discipline is to be administred and vnder which be it one or other any of these Church affayres are to be established procured and executed dependeth wholly vpon the will and authority of the chiefe magistrate in any estate as himselfe may iudge fittest for the due ordering of the same most agreeable to the ciuill body and conuenient and profitable for the whole state Alwayes prouided that the essentiall and mayne points expressed in the word or the necessary consequents belonging to any person cause or calling in these Ecclesiasticall administrations be in no part abolished interrupted or diminished which is all that we challenge in this Excommunication or any other such power priuiledge or censure from any ciuill magistrate in the world The summe and definition whereof according to the premises I meane this Excommunication from the visible Church by order of wholsome Lawes ecclesiasticall or ciuil according to the true nature thereof commaunded and expressed in the word of God may for our better proceeding to the points that follow Definitio Excommunicationis a visibili ecclesia be thus set downe Namely to be that censure of the Church which proceeding from the power of the keyes is awarded against notorious offenders vnder any forme or meanes by those persons onely whome any Church shall thinke best to depute and assigne to take knowledge of all causes deseruing the same and to giue sentence according to the nature thereof against any persons offending therein Which although in regard of the extent thereof and quality of the crimes and persons offending and incurring this censure it hath beene diuided or rather distinguished by some such circumstantiall differences of time longer or lesser while places of and in the Church or Churchyards or such like yet for summe and substance I hold them all one as by
the true ends scope of all those kinds afore named or at any time vsed by the Iewes themselues or any other in their Church gouernments shall more specially be shewed in the next Chapter CHAP. II. Comprising the true end and scope of all the kindes and differences of Excommunication aboue named with some little infusion of guomicall Diuinity touching one speciall point for proceeding thereby against some kind of persons after their confessions and often absolutions thereupon THE ends therefore of all those kinds of Excommunication which haue beene recited in the former Chapter as appertayning any way to the Church power and authority concerne either the common good or auoiding any euill and imminent daunger in any particular Church which by suffering any notorious offender vncensured or scandalously to rest among them might by euill example or further infection be much annoyed and suddenly subuerted or els the priuate duty and care the Church sa a louing mother the ministers thereof their spirituall Fathers ought to haue for the regaining and recouering any from their irrepentance and more speciall soule sinnes as also by true confession of some occasions and occurrents thereunto vpon their receiuing againe into the Church to preserue them from further daungers and to prescribe them remedies and directions for afterward And indeede more good is like to be done toward the most part of sinners vpon their confessions and absolutions after these censures then we see come to passe or likely to be effected by our ordinary and generall preaching The common ground of all which may be obserued especially in the latter inuentions for bodily and more sensible punishments to haue proceeded from the strange corruption and fleshly mindes of all mankind for the most part with whome all other meanes of exhortations admonitions reprehensions promises or threatnings for the time to come and such like will little preuaile except some present sensible temporall afflictions inward or outward be adioyned thereunto and therefore not onely meanes of griefe feare and shame but other also more neere and outward punishments vpon their goods bodies and good names for euer haue beene deuised and appointed to driue them to confesse and leaue their sinnes and by the affliction of the flesh as saint Paul teacheth in what kind soeuer to recouer and saue the soule in the day of Christ Iesus his iudgement wherein the Church dealeth as God himselfe is wont with hard hearted and irrepentant sinners whome when all other meanes faile he afflicteth for no other end but their owne saluation with many inward and outward plagues and iudgements In all which temporall and outward afflictions this one thing ought euermore to be regarded by those that haue the awarding of them that such particular meanes in this kind may euer bee applied as whereby the offenders might more sensibly be touched and not to punish the richer ones by the purse which they little regard and the poorer with shame and bodily chastisements which they are wel hardned to indure but rather contrariwise that so at the least they may be brought into order of outward gouernment if not to the inward reforming of themselues and so by true and vnfained confession to God and man to be restored againe to the inuisible Church which all the parts and kinds of these latter excommunications aime at and serue vnto For so indeed this confession and absolution thereupon is one of the chiefe and true ends of this the greatest censure of excommunication and all the meanes and parts thereof as might appeare by those hard places in the 6. and 10. to the Hebrewes and the 18. of Matthew if they be throughly looked into and well compared together as also by the practises of the Iewes themselues to the which some of those places at the least are referred and by the same as the practises of those times for the most part to be expounded who were not only armed for their Ecclesiasticall estate with great authority but had further power to inflict corporall punishments which the Romanes themselues would not altogether abrogate nor much alter According to whose practise and proportion of trueth touching this argument contained in the former places one speciall point touching confession and absolution thereupon but especially the exercising of this highest censure in some cases Quod gnomicum esse volo and against some persons I thinke fit and necessary to be vnfolded for the Iewes themselues had not only their Consistory wherein this Church power was exercised which Math. 18. 2. Thessal 3. cap. vers 14. is termed by the name of the Church and Saint Paul would haue disordered noted persons carried thither by which nothing els can be meant but this Church power we now speak of resting in the hāds executiō of them to whom any particular Church shal commit the same for the time In his Dictionary called Thisbites De politia Iudana but also as Elias Leuita reporteth might easily be gathered out of the old Testament but that others haue eased me of that labour of late and out of Berteram also and Sigonias they proceeded diuersly by outward and temporall punishments according to the nature and quality of their saults Which against some persons and in some cases was so farre extended as that they were neuer receiued into the outward fellowship of the Church againe or at the least had not the sentence of absolution publickly and quoad forum externum as we say affoorded vnto them as by the three words vsed by the Iewes to expresse three kinds of Excommunication may plainly be gathered Nidni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the first whereof they remoued more grieuous and obstinate sinners from the rest of that Church Cherom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the second they inflicted and awarded some more grieuous punishment which might stick by them as we say and euen pierce them to the heart and bones as themselues expound the word Shamatha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the third did Anathemize them to a perpetuall separation wherein they should remain vnto their death Which last I take it was only meant of these outward meanes in Church gouernment and no way respecting forum internum or any ones interest at the least for euer in the inuisible Church but that therein any priuate minister or member of that Church besides might yea ought to deale by all good meanes for their confirmation againe and recouery and so that place in Saint Paul 1. Cor. 16. vers 22. concerning Anathema Maranatha vntill the Lord come is to bee vnderstood of all those that should as Hebr. 10. vers 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their wilfull and more then voluntary rebellion as I may so speake and returning vnto their olde sinnes make but a sport and scorne of this Excommunication and absolution and euen tread vnder their feete the bloud of the Lord Iesus then the which nothing could be more despightfull
to the spirit of grace which by this special meanes and ministry of the Church offereth such reconciliation for whome the Apostle there witnesseth that there remaineth no more such sacrifice for that their sinne as vnto whome Hebrewes 6. vers 4 it were not conuenient as some expound the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that this kind of repentance or penance a part for the whole Caietanus in tertiam partem Summae Nazianzen ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieroon in Epist Aug. lib. 20. contra Iulianum Pelagianum Confession our daily Baptisme or the consequeÌ„t for all which the Schools and some of the fathers call second Baptisme or absolution should be any more offered by which they might be renewed that is receiued any more into the visible Church which places to be vnderstood and expounded of that inward gift and grace of true repentance which ioyneth alwayes certainly and inseparably to God and the inuisible Church were against the whole course tenour and purport of holy Scriptures which promise reconciliation at all times and admittance againe to euery truly repentant sinner into the inuisible Church whereof God onely and no mortall man can iudge or discerne Howsoeuer in the cases before named they whom such matters do concerne the Gouernours in any part of the visible Church are taught and enioyned by the places before cited to keepe this order and decorum because otherwise there would be no order or distinction at all but the bloud of Christ together with this censure and all other holy administrations would infinitely be prophaned of all desperate sinners who would make no more of this matter but to sinne and be absolued againe which were not onely troublesome to the ministers but much more preiudiciall to the peace and safety of any Church and therefore God himselfe is said Heb. 12. vers 17. in the matter of Esau his refusall and putting off from his birthright that he found at Gods hands nor his fathers then Gods immediate minister in this behalfe any place for repentance that i for the recouery of that outward fauour which yet was a further pledge and Sacrament as it were of better things for â—f his speciall saluation as no man can iudge so this place hath no meaning And more especially for Cain his marke about which the learned write and differ so much and driuing from Gods face as neuer to be admitted againe into the visible Church howsoeuer for procreations sake God the only Iudge then Ecclesiasticall Ciuil spared his life And indeed so farre is this place or any of the other before alledged or any where to be found in the old or newe Testament from giuing any signes or directions to any particular persons or Church in generall to take knowledge or giue iudgement of any to haue committed the sinne against the holy Ghost as that I thinke no humane censure hath euer had any warrant or permission from any part of Gods word so much as to inquire or to take any knowledge thereof being only known to God himselfe as abouesaid who alone knoweth who they be that will continue in finall impenitency vnto the end Howbeit for that other exposition besides these former examples of the Iewes and God himself in the cases of Cain and Esau it may be obserued to be the practise of all politique proceedings such as this practise particular in Excommunication is in which it is most solemne and generall not to suffer their fauours pardons and indulgences too often to be abused for so we see that notorious offenders formerly branded for their often outrages are not permitted by our Lawes to claime the benefit of common pardons So in the second booke of the Institutions for the Canon law Cap. de remission poenitentijs Solemnis poenitentià ve dilescat Ecclesiae authoritas iterari non debet and Saint Paul himselfe commaunded Titus cap. 3. vers 10. to giue ouer as the Greeke word importeth reasoning or dealing in this kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with any foule heretick after certaine admonitions and censures vsed for his recouery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the same place aboue named And so much for the true and proper ends of Excommunication with the speciall kinds and degrees thereof Now follow certaine questions in the next Chapter to be considered of which happely may better explane some things in these former chapters which yet haue beene purposely set downe for the more easie discerning and full discussing of the same CHAP. III. Containing answers to certaine questions and obiections made by diuers of these times against some particulars in the managing and executing this great censure of Excommunication THE questions vsually made and obiected diuersly by the manifold exceptors against the trueth and power of this Excommunication may be reduced to these speciall heads as they follow in order to be handled First how farre this censure as it is Ecclesiasticall may extend it selfe being as some merry gentlemen and quaint Lawyers of latter time haue in reproche thereof cast foorth a bottomlesse gulfe which they nor any other could euer sound nay yet the originall and ground from whence both it and all Episcopall power do proceed especially as they are exercised now adayes in most places of the world To which I answer first that if they could be as wel contented to giue vnto Christ that which is his by the power of the spirituall sword which should cause this acknowledgement as they are enforced by temporal Lawes and power to giue vnto Caesar that which is due vnto him they would neuer occupy their heads and tongues with such questions sauoring strongly of disdain and enuie if not palpable ignorance in this cleere light of the the Gospell for in a word this power of theirs is as well from aboue as any other subordinate power vnder Christ who being the great Bishop of soules hath appointed his holy ministery and annoynted them with speciall grace and power for the gouernement of soules by all those outward meanes of dispensing the word in any kind or manner giuing the sacraments admitting into the Church vpon confession and acknowledgement of the true faith and shutting out for the renouncing the same absoluing and receiuing them againe vpon repentance professed and such like in any of the parts of this Excommunication besides which God hath made proper to this function as hath beene aboue declared And so not only that speciall power and commission to deale with the conscience and inward man in all matters appertayning to the visible Church is appropriated to this ministery and euery particular annointed with the least part of that holy oile but also a kind of externall power and iurisdiction properly also Ecclesiastical respecting all the meanes abouesayde and all other things which directly and immediatly concerne the soule and the meanes for the peace safety and well ordering the same in the kingdome of grace and preparing
and fitting them for the kingdome of glory Instance and euident proofe whereof is affoorded in this one practise for many others of the primitiue Church in which these Church gouernors only tooke knowledge and care of all those that gaue their names vnto Christ and were thereupon after confession of the faith admitted into the ranke and order of their Catecumeni and so afterward were reckoned in the number of the visible Church as Saint Augustine confesseth of himself who also afterwards falling from that faith or not liuing worthy of the same after all good meanes vsed as is specified more particularly by our Sauiour Christ Mat. 18. v. 17. and was alwayes in force in the primitiue Church as by Heb. 10. other places may be gathered and yet persisting in that their vnworthinesse of such a fellowship were returned backe againe by the same power of the Church vnto their former estate and were no otherwise accounted of then as if they were Publicans or Heathen Mat. 18. v. 17. that is such as had nothing to doe with that speciall Church of the Iewes which was the onely Church visible at that time The like may be sayd of all decrees and constitutions made by the immediate gouernours of any particular Church for the determining of all controuersies and expounding of Scriptures according to the rules of faith and manners and their speciall prescribing meanes and directions to penitents and such like as Physitians are wont to their patients and giuing orders for the safe keeping of the doctrine of faith and manners and the preuenting of all things contrary to the same commonly procured by hereticks and schismaticks Wherein also that their power for the vrging of Subscription proceeding from this of Excommunication to all things set downe by them not contrary to the generall rules of faith and manners consisteth and appeareth as is further declared in the next treatise In which respect Saint Paul gaue such charge in so many places vnto Timothie for the carefull keeping of that depositum and forme of wholsome wordes 1. Tim. 6. v. 20. And Reuel 2. ver 14. and 15. God requireth it of the Angell and none other who by all mens confession representeth the Church power in that place that the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicholaitans and the heretickes themselues were not repressed by him and that Ecclesiasticall power whereof that Angell was head and superintendent by such meanes of admonition confutation conuiction and so consequently if neede required Excommunication which are euermore proper to the Church care and power Albeit in that infancy of the Church in all places there was a great mixing of both powers as appeareth by the Apostles themselues who called Councels in their owne name for the better strengthning that their weake state and beginnings strooke some with temporal punishments and with death also in some cases which also vntill Christian Magistrates did protect and maintayne this power rights and authority of the Church was practised in many places after the Apostles time wheresoeuer the violence of persecuting tyrantes did not restrayne the Church liberty in this behalfe which is wont and so iustly may yea ought indeede as well as any other incoporation left vnto it selfe to make Lawes ordayne Magistrates punish offenders and such like whereby that their state may bee better ordered and preserued Howbeit which in the second place I answer and is euermore to bee remembred according as wee haue also obserued before no power whatsoeuer properlie belonging to the Church or els annexed by any meanes thereunto can be exercised in any part of the world vnder ciuill Magistracy without the authority or good leaue at the least of the commaunders therein nor any Lawes made or ratified without assent and leaue of the ciuill power as vnder which and from which all other Externall power hath all his outward motion as the most principall members of any naturall body vnder their proper head as all Christian Churches doe acknowledge the ciuill magistrate in all causes supreme head and gouernour howsoeuer that word Head without any such iust cause I thinke hath beene of late misliked of some euen as many good Popes also Beda lib. 1 cap. 23. de Gregorie Mag ad Mauricium lib. 2. cap. 18. Honorius ad Horaolium before that chayre of pestilence was fully seated amongst them did call the Emperors of their times their gracious Lords And yet notwithstanding as the other principall parts of the body the Liuer for example hath immediate motion and operation from it selfe as wel as that other from the head and as the inferiour orbes of the Stars and circles of heauen are moued as well by theyr owne naturall courses as by that generall motion which is obserued to carry all other with it and vnder it so is it in this entercourse of politique administrations Ecclesiasticall and ciuil both interchaungeably compared and considered together neither may the proper orders and proceedings of the one be truely sayde to be any more preiudiciall or contrary to the other then the Liuer in his proper operations to the heart or head from which it hath his continuall life and motion wheras the God of nature hath in his wisedome and prouidence diuersly disposed of them in that general communion their properties and functions euermore reserued to themselues as that stoute and wise high Priest tolde Vzziah how it appertained not vnto him to meddle in any part of the Priest his office 2. Chro. 26. vers 18 howsoeuer in other things they were subiect vnto them euen vnto their placing and displacing and indeede here is no more in effect then as housholders rule in the house and martiall men for their orders of warre 1. Reg. 2. v. 35. which yet I hope no way withstād that other which we call the chiefe power To which purpose also is that other straine and further extent of this cauil that any such power should be warranted by God and so allowed to bee in force vnder any wel ordered gouernment wherein the ciuill and chiefe Magistrate hath nothing to doe for the discerning and awarding thereof much lesse to haue power and authority to repeale or reuerse the same and so to restore any person censured thereby of this kingdome to forrain Ecclesiastical power of law as it is thought Insomuch as one of the daintiest practisers of these dayes in a sad and sober conference had with some of our grauest did cast it out I cannot tell how that he could neuer found the depth and mysteries of Episcopall Iurisdiction in generall and of these proceedings for Excommunication in speciall pag. 77 78. Late assertions for Church discipline And more plainly and grosly our late pleaders as well for their innocents as they terme them and as I may truely call the other very sinfull assertions for their new discipline haue made both the power it selfe and much more the due practise and exercise thereof very dangerous for
forsooth call Christ his lore and yoke vnto which all Christ his true members must submit themselues Which indeed is no other especially as they meane it for this poynt and argument which wee haue in hand but the new fangled deuices of their owne discontented and ambitious spirits as in the examination of the second part of this first obiection which now followeth shall better and more fully I hope appeare For vnder that more large question touching the original and due bounds of Excommunication commeth another more speciall and subordinate very much vrged and delighted in by many how far Princes themselues are subiect to this censure or any other person or persons or whole states somtimes of like condition quality and consideration the which being diuersly propounded and intended by these two late pleaders the one exempting Princes altogether from all and euery part as it seemeth of this Excommunication as may bee gathered by his owne words the other vrging especially herein the abuse of it in his conceipt by some Nichols in his plea for innocents pag. 51. 52. to whome which he so much misliketh that is impropriated which in his iudgement should be common to all Ministers of the Gospel and that so far foorth as was obserued by a graue counsellor of our state by that which was put vp in petition sometimes by those innocents his clyents that by their rules the pastor of Greenewitch might excommunicate Queene Elizabeth so worthily famous throughout the world in those dayes And indeed being neuer agreed vpon by those new Doctors themselues nor scarse any other of later times it may be allowed very worthy our paines to enquire further into it Author of the Assertion for true and Christian Chruch-policy pag. 327 albeit we come short of any full conclusion or final determination of the same the rather for that our Lawyer like exceptor ouer carried with malice and desire to charge our Bishoppes with some foule and greate imputation thereupon seemeth to haue forgotten the first principles of their cōmon profession herein or at the least forsakē the graue iudgement of their renowned masters and founders of theyr new Discipline crying out very lowdly and challenging all confidently in this manner Who and where they are of their opinion and faction which hold that princes may be excommunicated Whereas besides the generall opinion of them all displayed in the petition abouesayde and discerned by that honourable counseller and elsewhere expressed in their disciplinarian assertions apologeticall writings and conclusions Sir Walter Mieldman that their Oracle may speake as the mouth of them all what their iudgement and desire is for this question Master Cartwright part 2. reply pag. 65. Bishop Whitguift who little regarding the troublesomnesse of those times wherin that worthy prelate sate at the sterne of our Ecclesiasticall gouernement and lesse discerning as it may seeme the mysteries of any such politique administration and particulars belonging to so weighty a censure proceeding especially against such persons as Princes are c was not ashamed to terme the Lord Archbishop of Caunterbury then being Pag. 92. vbi supra as the bawd to Princes other greate Magistrates sins in case they were not excommunicated as his wisedome with the Senate of his associates did iudge oftentimes meete and necessary Demonstration of Discipline pag. 75. And another ads further in this point that Princes must not be flattered in their sinnes and therfore this censure must be inflicted vpon them as well as vpon any other But leauing them to themselues I thus answer to the particulars of this obiection as they glance and glide on both sides of this Excommunication and are directed by the former exceptors and many other against the truth and nature of the same First that as for that Excommunication from the inuisible Church whereby any Minister pronounceth according to the rules of Gods word of any to be in the state of grace or otherwise it and all the parts and degrees of it agree as well to the Prince and any other such like person or state as to any other that hath a soule to saue and so standeth in neede of faith repentance confession and absolution necessary requisite and tending thereunto because in Christ Iesus and matters of soules gouernment Christian liberty and such like there is neither bond nor free as Coll. 3. v. 11. Secondly for that which we call from the visible Church so far footth as it is meerely Ecclesiasticall euery Prince and Potentate is as wel lyeable vnto it as any other because the care and charge of their soules is no lesse vpon the gouernors of the Church but rather much more then for any other and also their sinnes and examples are commonly more infectious and dangerous then other mens And lastly it were not onely a great profanation of all those holy things dayly offered to such polluted and vncleane soules but a greate cruelty also and carelesnesse at the least in those that should be soule-sauers and physitians to suffer any vnder their diet ordering and cure to surfet themselues and surcharge their soules with new sinnes of taking by this meanes Gods name in vaine polluting his sanctuary eating and drinking their owne damnation and such like before by confession and true repentance outwardly testified at the least which is as much as any man can require and discerne they haue discharged themselues of their ould sinnes as noxious humors in a foule stomacke which eftsoones otherwise would break out into many aguish hote and cold fits as Augustine calleth them of other sinnes and dayly symptoms of Gods iudgements Howbeit in this second kind of Excommunication there are certaine cases reserued Casus reseruati and speciall rules euermore to be obserued for the execution of it which may fit vs in some better and further answer to this point As first that because the safety of many and the common peace of the whole Church is alwayes to be respected and preferred before any meanes for the saluation of a few or of the Prince himselfe in such times as by the Excommunicating of some Prince or others of great power or els some whole faction which might breed commotion in the Church or whole state commonly noted and called by turbidis temporibus this censure may very well yea ought to be forborne as in all other of that nature which may preiudice rather then helpe and further the peaceable gouernement of the Church and sauing of soules in generall For which ends this censure was first inuented by God or man and all things appertaining thereunto and wholly are and ought to be referred Secondly where the forbearing of this censure or at the least some higher degree thereof may bee perceiued by the wisedome of the Church to make most for the regaining of any who might otherwise haply bee hardned and discouraged if not in some tender minded people swallowed vp with sorrow thereby as
Saint Iude seemeth to imploy vers 22. 23 commaunding to put this wise difference taking pitty of some and pulling othersome out of the fire according also to that generall rule which may be the ground of both these answers 2. Cor. 13. v. 10 God hath giuen this power to saue and not to destroy and so vpon Mat. 13. v. 29. the learned haue obserued three bad kinds of Excommunication comparatiuely to those eradications there spoken of Festinata Suspitiosa Damnosa which they thus expound namely damnosa Excommunicatio quando multitudo est in causa vel princeps nisi fuerit causa manifesta redundans in iniuriam ecclesiae as Saint Augustine obserueth the same quod aliquandò sunt tolerandi mali pro pace ecclesiae quando timetur de schisenate adding aliud est quod docemus aliud quod sustinemus For so may this Excommunication be well and fitly likened vnto a sword or physick which are neuer to be vsed but vpon great occasion and when those that haue skill how to vse them see it fit and needfull especially for this strongest kind of potion as I may so terme it which onely is to be vsed in desperate diseases And therefore the gouernours of the Church immediate ministers and awarders of this censure respecting with a wise eye and foresight when this physicke and last remedy may be profitable behouefull obserue many times that milder meanes of more graue and temperate admonitions and increpations to serue turne towards some persons to whome being wise as the prouerb is a word may be sufficient and many times better then this great blowe of Excōmunication Which further no immediate minister thereof vnder Christ priuately or more publickly in any state-administration is bound continually and without respect or difference to denounce and put in vse and execution but as they shall find and iudge it most profitable for that whole Church wherein they are Iudges and Commissioners or that speciall person or persons who may incur and deserue the same which being once discerned and vpon sufficient and mature deliberation resolued vpon it ought to passe against all that liue in the Church princes or potentates as well as others without respect of persons except onely which is the last reseruation in this case with strong hand they be openly withstood or iustly feared so to be which in another kinde was Dauid his case sometimes when in his wise foresight and most iust griefe and godly indignation withall he cryeth out 2. Sam. 3. cap. vers 39. The sonnes of Zeruiah are too strong for me Lastly I answer to the second part of this grand obiection that in respect of the last kind of Excommunication which we called for distinction sake Ciuil so far soorth as this censure hath beene at any time strengthned immediatly by ciuill Lawes and authority or the gouernours of any Church themselues haue had any delegate power committed vnto them for that purpose no chiefe Magistrate howsoeuer he be termed in monarchicall or any other state is any further subiect to it then as himselfe who is the fountaine of all externall power and such kind of proceedings shall thinke good for any iust cause and respect eyther of his owne good or peace or well ordering of his state to submit himselfe thereunto as the manner of our Kings of England is and euer hath beene in matters of common iustice to yeeld themselues to the order of Lawes as well as other their subiects and so are many times impleaded in their owne courts which if they should refuse no humane power by Gods word hath any authority to bring them into order either of any of those Ciuill courts or those other which for the constitutions and processe therein we haue called Ecclesiasticall Quest 2 The second question and obiection is framed by the selfesame Authors and sundry others peruerted rather then instructed by these masters why this censure of Excommunication and the key of all Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in generall is not common to euery minister but made proper and peculiar to Bishops their Chancellors and Officialls or any other to whom more improperly in their iudgements it doth appertaine To which I answer that so far foorth as this Excommunication seperateth any from the inuisible Church it equally still belongeth to euery minister of what degree and guift soeuer as well as the administration of the word and Sacraments which are outward meanes in like manner to testifie vnto any their communion or separation from the true Catholike Church which is onely seene of God but for the other two later kinds of Excommunication which are properly politique and exercised euermore by some company liuing vnder forme and order of Lawes as all other of that nature they may no more properly or conueniently belong vnto euery minister then that euery Citizen should be Ruler and Magistrates at the least in free Citties or that euery Counsellor or Lawyer should bee Iustice of peace or that euery one should be the master father or first borne and so beare all kind of rule in euery familie Whence it is that Christ himselfe Math. 18. referreth matters criminall and of politique consideration such as no priuate meanes could reforme first of all to the Church Discipline by which as we haue aboue noted nothing els can be meant then that power in whose hand soeuer for orders sake and better execution by the designment and appointment of any particular Church it may rest by which any person or persons shall in the name of the same Churches proceede in this censure or any other of the like nature as we reade of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 5. v. 4. and 2. Thess 3. v. 14. writing to a certaine company to bee gathered together amongst the rest of the Corinthians for this end and purpose to take knowledge of such criminall and other kindes of causes which might require any such Ecclesiasticall censure and more speciall to the Thessalonians willing disordered persons to be noted by some letter or Epistle as worthy to be deferred to some further knowledge and iudgement as without which such noting and all other Ecclesiasticall obseruing were to smal or no purpose Wherefore the same Apostle 1. Cor. cap. 12. v. 28. speaking of all Church affayres and publique administrations maketh some to be Gouernours as well as others to be pastors and teachers of Gods people Sic 1. Tim. 5. v. 17. verè ruling Elders sensu vero genuine And herein neuer as yet did any iudicious Diuine stand much vpon it whether these Church Magistrates be termed Bishops Elders Chauncellors or by any other such like name or degree which the Church and chiefe Magistrate shall put in trust and commission for these administrations so long as the things themselues and the substantiall poynts for all Ecclesiasticall proceedings be allowed and maintained by euery chiefe Magistrate as they are proper and euen essentiall to any well ordered Church and necessarily required by Gods
names of Commissaries Officials and Churchwardens reteyned still amongst vs will by no meanes allowe of such kind of assistance in these speciall causes which no other can so conueniently consider or determine of And to end this point because I haue partly handled it in another treatise also I desire all indifferent readers to peruse that of Vrsinus generally allowed for a very sound and iudicious Diuine In Catechisme de potestate Clauium as most of later time where he writeth thus In Ecclesiastico Iudicio gratiae irae Dei non sit denunciatio ab vno aliquo priuato qui hoc munus plerunque obire solet sed a tota ecclesia vel nomine totius ecclesiae idque ab ijs qui ad hoc electi sunt communi omnium consensu ad certas personas In functione sacerdotis Which Tollet setteth downe more particularly allowing and appointing amongst the persons executing this censure the Churchwardens sometimes or other such like Lay persons but especially I refer all Iudicious readers for their further informatiō in this point to Panormitanus that great Clerk for his Councels and exact skill for all Iudiciall proceedings vpon the decretalls vnder the title de Iudicijs Fol. 9. and in cap. Decernimus and many times in his larger treatises Ad literam Laicus and title of Excommunication where he sheweth both the equity and necessity of that we now maintaine CHAP. I. Shewing that Subscription is not such a heauy and hainous matter as many would make the world beleeue thereby to drawe enuie and obloquie vpon the thing it selfe and vppon the vrgers of the same AFter Excommunication discoursed of in the former treatise and some questions and difficulties thereabout discussed In the next place commeth Subscription not vnfitly to be considered of which indeed could neuer haue bin called into such question and such standing out against it would neuer haue beene shewed if the true power nature and vse of Excommunication and Church power from which it proceedeth had been throughly knowne and maintained or at the least accordingly exercised and enforced amongst vs. And therefore as we haue intreated more largely of the one so must we also by our order prescribed not vnfitting I hope the same speake now of this other the rather because it is one of the maine whites and markes which those bad Archers with whome my greatest encounter hath beene in a more large field chiefly ayme and shot at but with no better successe I hope then as good Iacob complaineth of those against Ioseph Gen. 49. for the order of which treatise it shall be this First to set downe the true nature and chiefe ends of subscription secondly the long auntient and constant vse of it in the Church of God thirdly and lastly the great necessity and equity for the vrging thereof at all times with some speciall reasons thereupon why it is or ought to be so strictly vrged and required from certaine liuing vnder this present estate of our Church by the wise and carefull gouernours of the same and why also those standers out may safely submit and yeelde themselues thereunto For the first we must shew in the first place what it is not because vpon the misunderstanding and misprision of that which indeed it is not most haue beene driuen from their due reuerence and obedience to those things which by the same are required wherefore all offended from the vrging thereof at any time must know that the meaning of this subscription is not that euery one so vrged should peremptorily and de scientia as we say auerre and auow by word writing seale or marke euery particular thing contayned in the booke of common prayer and the other particular excepted against much lesse in all our Homilies Canons and constitutions made or to be enacted hereafter as some haue obiected of late to be absolutely perfect according to the exact rule and rigor of the Law and word of God in generall as some would haue those haynous words so offensiuely and tenderly taken nothing contrary to Gods word to meane and import For so we are nothing of humane vse or inuention in the world much lesse is the nature of it such as vpon the premisses would fall out whereby mens consciences should be set dayly vpon the racke and sundry persons vrged thereby to approue vntruths and diuers things which cannot possibly be knowne and iustified or els to be driuen thereby to speake at the same time yea and nay yea to maintayne many vngodly practises with all Nicholls in his Plea pag. 102. and 103. as is most ignorantly if not maliciously suggested by one graund late exceptor for proofe whereof who seeth not if that should be the meaning how contrary to the old rule against which no state proceeding of all other ought to offend nemo tenetur ad impossibile many impossibilities would appeare at once for not only the best inuentions of men haue their manifold imperfections and so are against the word in that sense but euen the best prayers conceiued or formes thereof prescribed by man are full of much weaknes yea although they be taken out of the holy Scriptures themselues being but once vsed by vs require a prayer for pardon therein wherefore it is that at the end of our Letany our most solemne prayers to God we pray for the forgiuenesse of our ignorances and negligences which especially escape vs in Gods seruice yea in the Lords prayer it selfe we are taught by our best Master one petition which Saint Augustine calleth our dayly Baptisme as touching our dayly trespasses Contra Iulianum Pelagia num lib. 2. amongst all other to call for the forgiuenesse of those wherewith euen in repeating much more no doubt in our best translating that holy prayer we defile our selues as indeed for the translating hereof to speake nothing of infinite other neuer any Papist or Protestant or any other whatsoeuer durst chalenge any such absolutenesse of perfection no not in the very Canon of the Scripture it selfe as we or any other Church now haue them being only perfect and absolute as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Bellarmine and Whitakers de Scriptura and our best masters for these matters cānot deny in their originalls of Hebrew and Greeke wheresoeuer also they be much lesse for the number of their Canons and euery particular story sentence therein as Ierome sheweth manifestly in his preface vpon Iob and Daniel whereat notwithstanding so many scruples are made to hinder this subscription by the chiefe captaines of those that impugne the same In their late schedules and obiections against subscription and lastly for the translation therof as I haue also elsewhere shewed no company will euer be able perfectly to vnderstand many hard textes which in this life especially in any one age can neuer be attained which is but the first point herein as Ierom sheweth vpon Daniel and no paynes nor tongue much lesse
purchase fauour from an vniust and wicked Iudge there being no other man or meanes allowed by authority for that end and purpose and yet poore men for this point also as well as for all other of doctrine or practise generall or particular in some cases of conscience they allow of a sorry cōpany in their Presbiters to order ministers and determine all other matters as the sentēce vnreuersable in in al things In regard wherof many such like generals particulars which might easily be added a man would think it high time thrice necessarie to haue this Subscriptiō with the greatest strictnes religiō to be vrged Now these being the two maine reasons of this subscription respecting the state in generall we will consider of some others which concerne the reuerent fathers of the Church and their speciall requiring the same at the hands of any and then to answere to some few things obiected to the contrary First therefore the common reasons for subscription being such as we haue aboue shewed it may easily appeare to any equally minded that the Bishops being put in trust by God and man with the gouernement of the Church and all state occasions depending thereupon they do no more herein whatsoeuer any doe lesse then that which the common lawes of the kingdome and the chiefe gouernours of our whole state do enioyne them and require at their hands and none other So that in case it should at any time fall out which God forbid that by reason of negligence or want of due care in looking to these things so committed vnto them any such as Dauids men were or worse should come so neere the Lords annointed or any part of that caue or compasse whereby they might haue opportunity to cut off the lappe of his coat 1. Sam. cap. 26. v. 15.16 or take the pot of water from his head I meane to violate any the least part of that generall order of things established by him much more to preiudice or endammage any of his royall prerogatiues all Dauids and others might iustly cry alowde to these our Abners that they were very worthy of the greatest blame Secondly did not these grand Captaines and commanders abouesayd for all state proceedings looke for this care and seruice at the Bishops hands yet being the Immediate gouernours of the Church both their power and authority and godly wisedome and foresight could doe no lesse except they should become desperately carelesse in their speciall charges Iud. 18. vers 7. like vnto those gouernours in Iudges which had neither gates nor barres to their townes and Cities And so not only that turbulent Tribe but the very runnagates of Ephraim and tayles of Israell as in Hosea they are called might not only traiterously pierce our best and strongest Church forces as they dayly now doe but also enter vpon and surprise which also they haue beene very ready and busie to do euen their best Holds within yea the Masters and gouernors themselues who more especially sitting at the sterne should not only without that former care and meanes of preuention be infinitely molested in their owne persons and all their proceedings but to their greate hearts griefe often see the whole ship of their gouernment tossed vp and downe with contrary windes and waues of diuers and contrary doctrines and as many differences in ceremoniall and all outward obseruances if not to be wracked vpon the manifold dangerous Syrtes and rocks of this later Church-hating enuying and robbing age Thirdly not only the care of the present state in generall and more especiall that of the Church committed vnto them but charity it selfe and due compassion of so many poore people committed vnto them easily seduced and most inclinable to this variety in doctrine and profession doe bind these reuerend Fathers of the Church to a more strict vrging of this subscription or any other meanes for the maintaining of vniformity in the one and conformity in the other To which purpose that speeche of Cyprian albeit extended and detorted against all reason by our aduersaries for the establishing that their vniuersality serueth very well being vnderstood and applyed aright Vnde aliter natae haereses c nisi quia non obtemperent omnes vni voci in Ecclesia Noting thereby the chiefe causes of all heresies and disorders in the Church because where this subscription is not to one voice as it were in the Church euery one imbraceth for his iudgement and profession whatsoeuer seemeth good in his owne eyes as if there were no King in Israel as Iudges 18.12 Iudg. 18. To which accordeth that grand resolue of that wise obseruer Melancton who managed many state occasions for his time both for Church and Common wealth pag. 123. Vt sit igitur discordiarum finis conuenire debent ecclesiae doctores curare vt extet vna Doctrinae vox in quaque ecclesia For as for that which the Papists dreame of herein to haue this one voice to proceede from one mans mouth throughout the whole world is no whit like to that which we require to be performed in euery speciall prouince and Corporation of Church or commonweale as most necessary for the common peace and well ordering therof as in another kind of Treatise I haue laboured to demonstrate and peoples safeties liuing vnder the same the other not to bee affected or expected in this world but must be perfourmed at that day when there shall bee but one sheepheard and one sheepfolde and none but Christ his sheepe shall be there which euermore heare his voice But for the reason it selfe we now insist in it is euident to the eies of all our English who without partiality and preiudice doe behold the state of our times where a man may see for want of exacting this meanes of security and preuention against the same not onely diuersities of opinions broached and scattered in euery place but infinite distractions thereupon of all sorts of people and looke almost how many men so many minds so many factions and oppositions betwixt sometimes Bishop and Minister Minister and people and if it may be more vnkindly and vnsauory contentions amongst vs. Insomuch as some amongst vs haue beene noted as men of another Church although they were in the compasse of one Deanry yea two of the next parishes yea the same parish houshold many times the one allowing and vsing the Crosse kneeling at the Communion and such like the other cleane contrary euen condemning all other that are not of their owne opinion Yea too too commonly and by no meanes to be reformed but onely by this we now speake of in many essentiall poynts of wholsome doctrine and the holy faith professed amongst vs as of predestination sauing grace renewing againe by repentance praying for Apostates and such like were they particularly recited exceeding many wherein the poore people are infinitely offended and many so stumble that they fall downe right vpon occasion of this
our diuersity euen to no religion at all but grow Libertines Atheists and the fall of the best is to the Papists because it is likely as they say themselues they see no such variety amongst them And I would to God in this matter of our gouernment we were but halfe as wise in our generation as they are Lastly to end this reason drawne from the offence of the poore people which is very eagerly and earnestly vrged by these refusers to subscribe in another case against many indifferent ceremonies of our Church I doe not see in respect of this matter of offence and publique peace for politick proceeding but that we may as well admit diuersities of religions as they are now diuersly distinguished in the world I meane euermore Christian religion as such diuersities in opinions about many particulars in any kind of religion and proceeding for the profession and expressing the same to God and the world especially towards the simple multitude in the ordering whereof standeth the greatest skill Exod. 32. v. 2. Make vs God to goe before vs. and the best Art and all meanes are little enough for the madnesse of the people as Psal 48 whereof the most part are carried by sense as Exod. 32 and Luther in his treatise of ceremonies plainely sheweth and stand or fall more vpon the vniformity or irregularity in such proceedings then vpon a hundreth doctrines yea kinds of religion also being not able to examine them to be true or false Fourthly without this all the gifts and employments of our chiefe captains and inferior souldiers would doe little good as God wot little commeth of all our preaching c. yea the meanest that keepeth his ranke and order appointed by any leader in this or any other array would doe more good then a whole band of vnmarshalled disordered albeit the most expert and valiant souldiers in the world And in the second place what enemy to our state Papist Brownist factious schismatick or most seditious and poysonfull heretick might not plant himselfe in some great place of aduantage for the disturbing the common peace and infecting the whole Church with sundry kinds of false doctrine were not this barre of subscription layd in the way as a common Lawe and countermure as Philo saith whereby to hedge in and preserue the vineyard of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and keepe these Bores and Foxes out which notwithstanding all the care and circumspection which the most vigilant can vse we see too too commonly come to passe and euery where to swarme in all Churches CHAP. V. Yeelding reasons why they may and ought to yeelde to subscription with some answers also to their ignorant obiections to the contrarie THe obiections which are vsually made against this vrging of subscription albeit most of them arise from that common fallation of not vnderstanding the true nature of any thing and so consequently of this subscription and therefore were answered in laying open the first poynt which we handled hereabout shewing what it was not and what it was indeed Yet because I find many other things obiected against it or at the least this practise and seuere vrging and vrgers of it which are taken from certaine accidentall things as the persons vrging and vnto whome this Subscription is vrged the present time Lawes inforce and such like I must needs apply my answers accordingly First therefore it is obiected that no Law of the kingdome doth require such a subscription but only to the supremacy prouided for by the 13. of Elizabeth which seemeth to be an Aiax his shield to these men for their standing out being fitted long since to their hands by that old abstracter and furbushed ouer againe by our late publique and priuate pleaders To which I answer that both by the Lawe of God and man and the whole body and soule as I may so speake of all temporall Lawes in this kingdome they are bound to yeeld themselues to any imposition and demand whereby any priuate good which by no other meanes could be procured much more the publique peace and good of a whole state may be continued and confirmed as in the 1. Peter cap. 2. v. 13. and 13. Heb. v. 17. Obey all set ouer you c. such as we haue shewed from the nature 1. Peter cap. 2. v. 17. Euery ordinance of man or by man is not against God Can. primo Feare God c. Heb. 13. v. 17. where Bishops and Church gouernors are directly meant and named vse and necessity thereof subscription to be And who seeth not that the whole state by Parliament and common agreement giue power strength and authority to Ecclesiasticall Lawes as whereby they would haue all vnder their gouernement bound to obey the same neither doth that speciall Antidote in the statute aboue named prouided for the heart I meane the Prince in his supremacy any way hinder or preiudice the application of any other soueraigne remedy for the safeguard and preseruation of other principall parts and the wholy body in generall such as subscription is to the other Articles if any other inuented and appointed in our Church Secondly it is obiected why now more then in former time and by these Bishops more then their predecessors and to some men more then other and why there may not be a toleration or forbearing of it as well now as in the Bishop Grindals time and some speciall relentings by that wise and worthy gouernor Bishop Whitegift For answere whereunto as all authority is likned by Plato to a sword so ought the vse of any part thereof to be like the wearing and handling of a sword which is not vsuall fit nor necessarie at all times but onely when there is iust occasion thereof as namely when they espy or feare any dangerous persons vpon the way or in the verge of their iurisdiction and authority as now of late many times heretofore many dangerous and suspitious persons haue been descried that liuing amongst vs are of one or more of those three wicked bands of people before named which haue giuen this iust occasion if not to draw out any sword yet at the least to vse this meanes of fortification against them And why others haue not dealt in like manner there beeing doubtlesse neede enough at all times I rest perswaded of their most iust causes secret and knowne to them selues to deale so in those times and forbeare to inquire into their particular motiues and inducements thereunto and will onely remēber one peece of a story out of Guicciardine which may descipher in some maner the nature and state of these things where for the mistaking only Lib. 3. Page 104. of his history and not so much for not vnderstanding the same one word Darier and in a small gouernement of a fewe outcasts beeing the Odds the whole array was broken and their whole enterprise which was in a maner atchieued frustrated
comlinesse but for order sake and auoiding confusion and many other scandals by name of ceremonies which disordered persons of all sorts would daily bring into the Church is particularly retained and the constant and continuall vse thereof so precisely vrged and required amongst vs by the gouernors of our Church So that in respect of these two comelinesse and order we do not deny but that any other such like ceremonies were euery way as lawfull in case they were as particularly commanded and as generally vsed in the Church of God in the which vse and constitution giue as it were both matter and forme to all such ceremonies But for the first of these three wherein we auouche that this Crosse may serue for edification it haply containeth more difficulty and I am sure most of those enemies to this Crosse of Christ doe with both hands and heeles fight and spurne against it Which yet I presume may as easily be prooued as the other as first of all because it representeth and calleth to our minds that speciall meanes of Christ his abasement and sufferings as by which more specially aboue all other it pleased God and our Lord and Sauiour Christ to haue our peace procured and all curses to be taken away from vs through that one cursed kind of death Insomuch as the holy Ghost by the Prophets in the old Testament and by the Apostles in the new especially Saint Paul that Euangelicall trumpet as Chrisostome often calleth him seemeth very greatly to delight in the word both by vsing it sinecdochically for the whole matter and meanes of our redemption as also giuing it a prerogatiue and power respectiuely to the thing signified by it and not to the Crosse it selfe much lesse this the least kind of signe of it to worke and import all graces by it and comfortable reioycing in vs Galath 6. Fulke Perkins obserue as Bellarmine in respect whereof also it seemeth that the Church from time to time hath made such choise of it and vse also in most of their holy administrations Secondly because it helpeth our manifold weaknesses and infirmities as well for meanes of knowledge as also helpes of memory and therefore Master Perkins and Zanchius also before him allow the very image and picture of Christ himselfe for the better learning and remembring the history of his person and passions especially and yet both of them I knowe not how especially master Zanchius in his posthume writings in which some Ghost oftentimes may be discerned to speak rather then himselfe are much opposite to the vse of this Crosse in Baptisme Howbeit it is cleere from that one commandement of Saint Paul if there were none other besides the generall equity of all Gods commandements especially the second 1. Cor. 14. together with the precedents and practises of all Churches euen vnder the Lawe and before but specially since the time of greater liberty vnder the Gospell that the gouernors of euery Church not only may but ought also to inuent and appoint sundry decent and conuenient ceremonies as may best serue for the edification of their seuerall Churches committed vntn them and that as well for the outward as inward senses for the stirring and mouing of affection by musique or such like helping the phantasie knowledge iudgement conscience or memory of man in any thing wherein they haue to deale with God and so any Church Master of Family or priuate Christian may very lawfully ordaine any kinde of meanes naturall or artificiall wherein their owne manifold infirmities which are euermore greatest and so appeare in dealing with God may the better be helped and supplied that so far and no farther which alwayes I desire to be remembred by way of exposition to the second commaundement as such inuentions of men are referred to themselues only and haue no respect primarily or directly to God and his seruice as wherewith God may any way the rather be pleased or his seruice in respect of it selfe or any speciall and proper meanes thereof be thereby any one iot the better performed Neither can I nor any other I thinke see any reason at all why by art and humane inuention those many defects of ours may not as well be supplied and releeued as by the meanes of naturall things created by God or falling out diuersly by his prouidence Which none of these Crossers of our Church ceremonies doe mislike but rather teache and command from the obseruation of the new yeare new Moon washing of the hands and such like to be put in mind of the washing of our hearts and newnes of life which is the summe of all Christian life and doctrine Yea and that which is more in the very vse of baptisme which elsewhere also is remembred and cannot sufficiently be vrged against these exceptors man may inuent and appoint a significant name by their doctrine importing all the duties of Christian profession as Feare God Repent and such like which are now in vse and proper names of some liuing and yet the whole Church should not haue power to ordaine ceremonies to put vs in minde of these holy things and duties Neither secondly why the Church vnder the Lawe wherein she had least libertie for any such inuentions being vnder the Pedagogy and seuere discipline of that ceremoniall Lawe might and did very lawfully inuent ceremonies the better to helpe them in the practise of repentance by putting dust and ashes vpō their heads in token of their great humiliation and that they deserued to be vnder the earth in their speciall facts also and feasts of Purim Dedication or rather Restauration of the Temple c. And that now when not only the greatest liberty is purchased to the Church since Christ his death and that for these proceedings especially in all matters of ceremony but also the selfe same power in good proportion of quality albeit not wholly equall is now in the Church which before the ceremoniall Lawe it selfe did beare and carry with it this liberty of the Church should be so much incumbred and restrained by these new and hard masters as namely for that which Scalliger reporteth of a famous ceremony inuented and vsed by the Iewes in the celebrating their Passeouer In emendatione temporis in which the Master of the family tooke a piece of bread wrapt it in a napkin and after dipped it in vineger or some other liquor to the end that all might aske and further vnderstand the mystery of those matters with this long speech and exhortation together This is the bread of affliction which our Fathers did eat in the wildernesse all that are willing let them come and eate of the Passeouer all which were famous ceremonies of their owne inuention and most significant meanes of those great mysteries and yet I hope as none yet euer durst these condemners of all humane inuentions in any part of Gods seruice will not mislike any of them Neither yet lastly doe I see
whatsoeuer els we do being matters as free for particulars in choyce and variety and indifferent as these ceremonies doe them all to the glory of GOD 1. Cor. 14.27 and 40. vers and that other no lesse generall in respects of men and the whole Church of God 1. Cor. 14. Let all things be done to edifying comlinesse and order Insomuch as we are so far from doubting whether these things done in this manner and to these ends especially inioyned and commanded by lawfull authority be pleasing vnto God according to Rom. 14.23 so far foorth as things indifferent and of that nature are said to please God as that being omitted either by the magistrate in not appointing them or by the subiect of any place by not obseruing them they are to be censured for manifest breaches of Gods commandement Secondly to allow a ceremony and not to be significant were to imagine a shadow without a substance all of them being outward signes and so necessarily significant of some inward disposition of the will affecting shewing or expecting any thing as Fulke against Sanders on the missals and books that way written very many especially by Durandus in his Rationali diuinorum albeit some haue called it and that not without reason for some things therein conteined an vnreasonable booke may euidently appeare And that the Church of God hath in all ages lawfully and without any contradiction of God or man inuented and appointed such ceremonies the better to testifie their repentance and humiliation for cause of ioy and thanksgiuing which conteine in a manner the whole summe of mans duties to God all the ceremonies vsed at fasts or feastes doe demonstrate to all the world whereof that one is very memorable not only in the feast of Purim it selfe which was an inuention and appointment of the Church at that time as well as many other which we haue aboue remembred but one speciall ceremony which the Iewes retaine vnto this day which is that whensoeuer the name of Haman is repeated in the Scripture to be read on that Festiuall all stand vp and beate the formes and seates with their hands and feete for their generall better remembraunce of that great benefit of their deliuerance from that cruell Haman and signifying their detestation of that intendment of his for euer Antonius Margarita Iudaeus baptizatus de caeremoniis Iudaeorum Tertullian de Corona militis And Tertullian more neere to our purpose vpon occasion of that souldiers refusal speaketh thus in generall of the habites of Christians sutable to the bloud and passions of Christ hath these words Rubricati incedimus amentes perhibemur Whereunto also that of significant names giuen at Baptisme and so vpon conscience of sinne enioyned by their Masters who are by many accounted most iudicious amongst themselues may fitly be adioyned which doe not only put those children and the speciall congregation present at their baptizing to thankfulnesse and obedience which are the summe of all Christian duties but also are of all other ceremonies inuented by man most significant and that of the greatest matters of our faith and profession in this life and future hope and expectation for the life to come as namely Repent as some haue beene called which is the summe of all those significant ceremonies of dipping and rising againe out of the water importing the death and resurrection of Christ and so consequently our regeneration as Rom. 8 and one other dust vsed also by them signifying our mortality and lastly that common and very significāt ceremony which many Diuines doe teache it in their praiers preaching also to be for our continuall vse and practise when as by lying downe in our beds and rising vp againe is signified vnto vs our lying downe in our graue and the resurrection of our flesh againe which is a matter of our highest faith and expectation from Christ Iesus his flesh and spirit from which all our spirituall hope and comforts are deriued All which so long as they conteyne no error or superstition in them nay yet through singularity violate any wholsome constitution made to the contrary nor lastly through nouelty and weaknesse of iudgement giue occasion not onely of vnnecessary scandall and too too truly giuen but also at sometimes of scoffing and scorning to some profane spirits at such holy mysteries in which the least action and gesture ought to carry a due reuerence port and Maiesty I thinke no man of vnderstanding can iustly mislike them Thirdly these men forget what a broad difference there is betweene sundry kinds of ceremonies which all notwithstanding are significant and can no otherwise be For which end I could wish them to peruse that which Chemnisius that most learned Lutheran and graue Diuine hath in his answer examination of the Councell of Trent In his examination of the Councell of Trent Aquinas tertia parte Summae quaest 60. Art 3. about this very matter of the Crosse and Images so grosly abused by the Papists where making out of the Schooles some Signes prognosticall some Collatitiall some memoratiue some Demonstratiue c. neither he nor any iudicious Diuine in the world doth or euer did condemne all memoratiue Signes of which kind and nature we haue euer holden and maintained the Crosse but no way of power or the least hability to confer and conuey any grace or good vnto the Church or any creature as the old heretickes by Irenaeus his story gaue vnto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I expound power to remoue dispell euill Irenaeus lib. 10. cap. 24. and to confirme and establish any good which for many particulars and the worst vse of all many foolish superstitious and idolatrous Papists haue taken vp and taught in the world Howbeit for being memoratiue signes and instructions for things present or to come which may be helpes vnto any our manifold weaknesses as abouesaide we cannot yet see any sufficient reason against them and I would be beholding to any that should make any full sound and good demonstration to the contrary And so I conclude this Chapter and mine answer to the first kind of Obiections with two excellent sentences of Georgius Cassander in the place before cited Quamuis verbum Dei sacris literis consignatum sacramenta nobis ab ipso relicta plenam institutionem contineant tamen non inanis est opera illorum qui verbi intelligentiam sacramentorum significantiam pluribus verbis signis modo diuino verbo non aduersentur explicandam in hominum animis defigendam putarunt And anon after Qui non iuuantur ombris caeremoniarum eo quod norint veritatem tollerent eas vbi opus est propter Charitatem And one other grand decree and kind of Anathema vsed by the Iewes and euery way as fitly to be applied to our ceremonies Hospinian de festis Iudaeorum caeremoniis paschatis cap. 5. pa. 19. and to be