of our owne Church cannot but say this Doctrine hath beene ever taught and maintained among us That is Wee praise God for all those that are departed this life in the faith of Christ and pray that they may have their perfect consummation and blisse both in body and soule c. And thus farre Prayer for the dead is no Innovation and much lesse Popish For wee maintaine no Suffrages for the reliefe of soules in the fooles-fire of Purgatory which prayers and Artic. 22. place wee condemne as fond things vainly invented and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God So our Church-article speakes and in the same condemnation joines that other point of Mr. Burtons charge Invocation of Saints which Doctrine Of praying to Saints taken at the best and as the learned Papists defend it deserves that censure and as it is commonly practised by the vulgar sort among them is not foolish onely but flatly Idolatrous And therefore justly exploded and condemned by all Protestants and I dare boldly say Mr. Burton cannot produce any one of those whom hee endeavours to blemish that holds or teaches that doctrine CHAP. VIII Of the Doctrine of obedience to Superiours How taught and maintained by the Bishops Wherein it must be blind and how quick-sighted VVEE have two changes in Doctrine yet remaining First in the doctrine of obedience to Superiours Secondly in the doctrine of the Sabbath or Lords Day pag. 126. By the first hee saith Man is so set in Gods throne as all obedience to man must be absolute without regard to God and conscience I verely beleeve there is none of those he meanes that have raised obedience so high but that Mr. B. would bring it downe to as low a pegge and haply considering how prone such as he are to debase it it might not be thought ill policy to exact somewhat more than of strict right it can callenge But where or by whom is this doctrine taught Of that he saith nothing here but tells us he hath spoken of it sufficiently before And indeed wee find more than enough by him spoken about this point for speaking of the connexion of the feare of the a pag. 84. Lord and of the King and from thence rightly observing that these two ought not to be separated But that God must be so honoured as wee doe also in the second place honour our Superiours And our Superiours so honoured as that in the first place we honour God Hee b pag. 8â— comes to reproove those that separate these two the second sort of whom he makes Those that separate c pag 87 the feare of the King from the feare of the Lord by attributing to Kings such an unlimited power as if he were God Almighty himselfe So as hereby they would seeme to ascribe that omnipotency to the King which the Pope assumes and his Parasites ascribe to his Holiness And this he saith these parasites and paramours of the Kings Courts do c. All this is easily granted The doctrine there is no good Christian but will subscribe to yea and the use too and thinke those not onely worthy of reproofe but unworthy the name of Christians and to bee accounted none of Gods good subjects that shall goe about by flattery or otherwise to advance the power of the King to the prejudice of Gods supereminent soveraigntie or which when the commands of the one and the other come in opposition shall not as the Apostles choose rather to obey God than Act. 4. 12. man and as those ancient Christian Souldiers under Iulian the Apostate who as S. Augustine In Ps 124. Distinguebant dominum aeternuÌ„ a â—omino temporali tum subditi erant propter dominum aeternum notes were so subject to their temporall Lord for their eternall Lords sake as they still distinguished their eternall from their temporall Lord And though they would obey that wicked Emperor when he sent them to fight against his enemies yet when hee would have them to worship Idols or to burne Incense to them they preferred God before him and denyed their obedience And if any man shall presume to teach that which shall be contrary to this so sure and well grounded a truth hee shall thereby make himselfe the author of a doctrine impious against God and novell in the Church as by those places out of the Fathers which Mr. B. alledgeth and infinite more to the same purpose may be easily demonstrated Yet it seemes by him some have dared so much and that beside the Iesuits whom he calls the Masters of this mystery in their blinde p. 77. obedience there are gotten too many Doctors to be their Disciples and broachers of this new doctrine and againe Many false prophets are now pag. 82. abroad being possessed with the spirit of the Beast which so magnifieth the power of man and his authority in commanding that ipso facto all must yeeld obedience thereunto without further adoe And in the place formerly mentioned he makes the Bishops to be those Parasites and Court Paramors which ascribe such an unlimited power to the King But in a matter of this high nature to accuse onely is not sufficient If he can prove it as substantially as he hath boldly affirmed it let them goe for Iesuiticall Novell Doctors and Parasites and spare not Hic labor hoc opus est Here as it is wont the water sticks with him Proofes I can finde none but instead of proofes I finde conjectures and surmises of some ends which the Bishops may have to induce them to hold and teach this Doctrine Their ends he saith are 1. To keepe the K. from Parliament lest they might be brought Coram 2. By their flattery to endeare the K. unto them as the onely supporters of his Prerogative Royall thereby to protect themselves having incurred the hatred of the whole land 3. That they may borrow this abused regall Power to execute a lawless tyranny over the Kings good subjects 4. Lastly that they may trample the lawes and liberties of the subjects and in fine bring the whole State King and all under their girdle as being true to their principle That a Bishop ought not to Episcopus non debet subesse Principibus sed prae esse Decret de maj et obed Tit. 33. Innocent 3. be subject to Princes but rule over them These hee brings instead of reasons to make good this accusation and these he knowes to be sufficient to make thoses Judges I meane the people before whom he hath brought them to be tryed to passe sentence against them and pronounce them guilty Yet God be thanked the Bishops do not stand or fall by their sentence And prudent Judges if they find no greater proofes will rather judge the accuser guilty of Scandalum magnatum than upon such weake evidence to condemne the accused For all this notwithstanding it appeares not otherwise than by Mr.
Bs. words either that the Bishops have these ends or that for these ends they do teach this doctrine But it is enough There is no Parliament and that they wish hoping if some such spirits as Mr. Burtons disciples get voyces in it and can prevaile they may do somewhat for their cause and ruine the Hierarchy and that there is none it must needs be the Bishops doings who as hee perswades credulous auditors will not bee able to purge themselves to a committee of the Lower-house for Religion and then if this be granted it cannot be thought a thing unlikely for them to broach such doctrine as this which cannot but be very usefull for their purpose But M. Burton will have much adoe to prove and words must not carry it that the Bishops are not Parliament-proofe and as much that they therefore are the meanes to hinder the King from having a Parliament I would to God that men of his straine and humour and poysoned with such principles of Popularity as hee labours to instill into the people had beene no greater meanes to cause heart-burning between the King and his subjects and so to keep them from meeting in Parliament than the Bishops are It is not the Bishops but the disobedient and seditious carriage of those ill-affected persons of the house of Commons in the last Parliament who raised so much heat and distemper upon causelesse jealousies That His Procla before the Declar. for the dissolut of the Parliament Majesty to use his owne words His Regall authority and commandement were so highly contemned as his Kingly office could not beare nor any former age parallel This is the meanes that severed King and people being met and this humor still fomented by turbulent and malevolent spirits such as Mr. Burton is the true and sole cause that yet hinders their re-assembling in Parliament And if thereupon any damage have or doe ensue the blame must light upon those entrenchers not upon those whom hee falsely makes the over-enlargers of the Royall prerogative Yet necessity may make them doe much and feare of danger may make them willing by any meanes whatsoever to make the King sure that they may have shelter and though God be praised they have not justly no not incurred the hatred of the whole land yet perhaps he knowes some intended mischiefe towards them or hopes well that his Sermons and the Ipswich Libell will worke so with some bloudy Assassines that they may be brought as his brother Leighton speaks Sions plea pag. 166. to strike that Hazael the Bishops in the fift rib to strike that Basilike vein as the onely cure for the plurisie of this State However it were but a poor device for their security to flatter the King into a conceit of his boundlesse authority which beside that it would be a vaine attempt upon so wise and just a Prince and such as cannot without derogation from his Majesties wisdome and gracious disposition be once imagined as faisible would but increase the subjects hatred and in the end cause his Majesty to forsake them and justly to expose them to the fury of their malice Their best security and that which they onely rely upon is their integrity and just proceedings wherein they assure themselves the just God and King whom they serve will never forsake them or deny them protection Neither doe they need to borrow a lawlesse and abused Regall power nor can it be accounted tyranny to punish those that deny obedience to his Majesties commands which whatsoever he untruely and seditiously suggests shall be proved both to be his Majesties and beseeming his Royall justice and goodnesse As for their ayming by this meanes to bring the State and King under their girdle and to make Princes subject to the Bishops If malice had not made him as blind as Impudent he would have wanted a forehead to have vented for if they meant any such thing their way had beene to advance their owne and not the Kings power and prerogative which if they make boundlesse will be sure to hold themselves as well as others under the yoke of subjection To conclude this point then The Bishops teach no other doctrine of obedience to Superiours than hath beene ever taught in the Church of God They give the King that onely prerogative which we see hath been given alwaies to all godly Artic. of Relig. p. 37. Princes in holy Scriptures by God himselfe that is that they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiasticall or Temporall and restraine with the civill sword the stubborn and evill doers This is the doctrine of our Church To this they have ex animo subscribed and to this they exact subscription of all that are under their severall Jurisdictions And this is not to give him any unlimited power they give to God and Caesar both their dues They make God the first the King the second and onely lesse than God as Tertullian speaks They make no Idol of their King nor Ad Scapulam Hominem à Deo secundum solo Deo minorem place his throne above but immediately under Gods That 's all Under God they grant acknowledging his power to be from God and that hee ought to use his power for God and not against him and our obedience to the King not sufficient to warrant disobedience to God yet immediately and above all others in his Dominions So as They beleeve and teach that his actions are not liable to the scanning much lesse to the controule no not of his greatest subjects This The King to speak with all humble reverence cannot give c. p. 72. They doe not know They dare not practice Neither will or dare They no not with humble reverence premised tell the people that the King hath not and therefore cannot give power to others to do those things which crosse their fancies as namely to punish those that refuse to conforme to his commands and the orders of the Church which he miscalls the altering of the state of Religion and to suppresse the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel this They judge no humble reverence but outragious and desperate impudency and boldnesse Yea and that it savours of unchristian disloyalty to insinuate to the people that the King is carelesse of his reiterated solemne protestations and oathes That he is forgetfull of the law of God and regardles of the laws of the Land That he useth his power or suffers it to be used to alter the state of Religion to oppresse and suppresse the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell against both law and conscience All pag 56. pag. 73. which Mr. Burton hath done ad nauseam usque even to his readers surfet and loathing Neither will his usuall scheme help him off or excuse him to say he doth not nor will not beleeve such actions as hee is pleased so deeply and desperately to censure to be the Kings
is too heavy 2. Without warrant For 1 will no less censure serve the turne then suspension excommunication deprivation and the like I answer No especially for those that after admonition instruction and long forbearance remaine not onely refractary but adde thereto many intollerable affronts to Authority by publick invectives private whisperings and false suggestions buzzing into the people I know not what dangerous issues meere fictions of a pettish fancy to follow for these men these censures are milde enough And I dare appeale to that conscience which Mr. B. hath yet left him whether if hee did erect his new discipline and godly government pag. 110. hee would not exercise as harsh censures upon them that not onely wilfully but thus turbulently oppose the commands of those in authority and wee may easily guesse what hee would doe if hee had once the upper ground when being on the lower hee can so severely censure those that are above him with deprivation not of living but of life and turne suspension Ips News p. 6. into plaine English hanging And that the Churches where that purer discipline is in place for matters of lesse moment hath inflicted as heavy censures is better knowne than to need rehearsing But not the example of others like dealings but the proceedings themselves are the best justification For with how slow a pace did justice march to these punishments that have beene three yeeres space in the execution and yet of delinquents in that kinde how few are they that have suffered And what admonitions were spent upon them what paines in information what patience in expectation of their conformity is sufficiently knowne and remaines upon record and will justifie themselves before any indifferent Judges So that I may truely say of these proceedings as S. Austine of the Churches in his time against the Donatists that it was a most mercifull discipline that was used upon Misericordissima disciplina them And what other censures hath the Church to inflict but these except it be an admonition and if they would onely have that used and rather to bee misused upon them to no purpose they might then have just ground for their usuall practise in contemning the whole power of the Church 2 But what warrant have they There is no Canon Statute Law or precept extant that requires Div. Trag. p. ult it I grant it if he meane particularly requiring it for since at least the last setting forth of the booke there have beene no Canons or Statutes made But it were very hard if the Kings Majesty should not have power to command men to declare his pleasure in any thing and to punish such as refuse without the assistance of new Canons and Statutes for every new occasion God be thanked his owne Royall right and the Lawes and Canons already made do abundantly enable him to doe farre more than this Well perhaps hee doth not deny the Kings right or power but what power have the Bishops for their proceedings If saith he they alledge the Kings p. 57. authority as they do where shew they this authority Where do they shew it Marry where they are by duty bound to doe it to those that have authority to demand it to whom they are ready to give a just account of their proceedings but not to Mr. Burton For what authority hath hee to demand a sight of their Authority Or who made him Inquisitor generall over the Bishops to examine their actions and so imperiously to require their warrant as here he doth and in like maner in another place hath dealt with my Lord Bishop of Norwich for his proceeding in his owne Diocesse And all this hee presumes to doe meerely of himselfe without and against all Law and Canon yea and reason too hee not having the least occasion offered him as not having been so much as questioned for the things nor touched by the authority whereof hee complaines If hee had beene suspended excommunicated and deprived for not reading the Booke or for not conforming to the new Ceremonies as he calls them he could have done no more nor indeed could hee justly have done so much It belongs not to any man that is questioned for any crime or cause before any subordinate Magistrate Civill or Ecclesiastick in such manner to question their Authority if haply they think them to have no warrant for what they doe they who are questioned have the benefit of Appeale Ad praesidium innocentiae est Apellationis remedium institutum Lancellot Perusin instit jur Can. l 3. tit 17. which was instituted for the reliefe of innocency as the Canonists speake and by this meanes the Iudge à Quo shall bee compelled to transmit both his proceedings in the cause and his authority by which he so proceeded to bee scanned by the Iudge ad Quem But for the parties questioned to doe it is an unsufferable insolency and affront to Iustice And if Mr. Burton 1 Pet. 4. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alienas Curas agens S. Cypr. ad Quirin Curiosus nemo est qui non sit malevolus Plau◠now suffer for this hee cannot bee said to suffer as a Christian but as a busie body or Bishop in anothers Diocesse And certainly every man that is such is an evill member in the Common-wealth and ill-affected to the Government under which he lives for as the Comick once said well No man is a busie-body which is not malevolent But beside this the Book expresly commanding the Bishops to take order for the publication of the Book doth whatsoever Mr. Burton saith to the The book orders no such severe and wicked censures to be inflicted upon any in that behalfe No nor yet gives the Bishops any expresse order or power at all to punish any Ministers in this case p. 56. contrary sufficiently warrant them to punish such as refuse otherwise they doe but poorely discharge the trust committed to them To send it to the severall Churches and there to leave it to be read or not at the pleasure of the Minister is not to take order for the publication of it but to permit the publication of it to the discretion of every Minister which if his Majesty had onely intended hee would have imployed some inferiour persons but intending to have it done to purpose His Majesty committed it to the Bishops whose power he knew to bee sufficient to take order in that case without any new warrant or express order in the booke for the punishment of offenders against his Royall pleasure And thus much of that Book and of the first kind of supposed Innovations viz. in Doctrine CHAP. XIII Of the Innovation pretended to bee in Discipline The Courts Ecclesiasticall have continued their wanted course of Iustice St. Austines Apology for the Church against the Donatists fitly serves ours The cunning used by delinquents to make themselves pitied and justice taxed Their practises to palliate and cover their faults Mr.
same Answer may serve to Mr. B. second reason which is drawn from their writings positions and doctrines which Second and third reasons they the Romanists professe and teach concerning the Popes usurped power and Soveraigntie over all Kings and Kingdomes of the earth And likewise to the third for both of them conclude no more than this That some Popish Authours exalt the Popes power over the Kings in deposing and exposing their Persons to the danger of Rebels and Traytors and that Popes of late have usurped that power which our Protestant Writers and by name these which Mr. B. citeth Dr. Iohn White and Dr. Crackenthorp and our Church-Homilies doe clearely prove and justly condemne as Anti-christian For all that can be rightly hence inferred will not reach the Religion or Faith it selfe which admit that these were parts of it is of farre larger extent and different nature than to receive it's Denomination from these few principles or some men's or Pope's practises To make this cleare by an instance wherein I am sure Mr. B. would be loath to admit this reasoning for true Logick Some Genevians and some of ours that learn'd it from See Chr. Goodman's treatise of obedience printed at Geneva p. 206. c Dangerous positions and proceedings for disciplne them allow the Deposition of Tyrannicall and Idolatrous Princes and Rulers and the Peoples rising against them commend Traytors for good men and their Treasons for godly enterprizes approve of private mens killing them as set on by God and in a word goe as farre in this kinde l. 1. c 5. Bucanan de jure Regni p 57. Alsted Syst Polit 2. cap. 3. Si tamen administratores of ficium suum facere no in t si impia iniqua mandent si contra dilectionem Dei proximi agant populus propriae salutis curam arripiet imperium male utentibus abrogabit in locum eorum alios substituet pag. 141. as the boldest and bloudiest among the Iesuites and are in this worse than they in that the Iesuites alledge their obedience therein and zeale to an higher authority pretended to bee in the Pope But these hold the right of Soveraigntie to be in the People and allow them to bee their owne carvers of their liberty If any man should be reupon conclude that the Genevian Religion were Rebellion and Faith faction I suppose Master B. would and for my part though I detest and abhorre these principles as most wicked and unchristian I should thinke they said more than they proved and so I thinke Master B. hath here done against the Papists The last book he mentions is the last Fast-book which with hideous out-cries he here and often in other places complaines that they have gelded as hee termes it and made a mock-fast of it c. and that contrary to the Kings expresse proclamation which ordereth the booke for the former fast to be reprinted and published There be two things that he quarrels against them in this First the alterations Secondly the restraint of preaching in places infected For the first he saith they have altered the booke in such wise as he being a man very tender in that kind and not willing to waive authority or to do things without warrant from it doth not see how any man may read it as being contrary to the proclamation But I would demand whether the proclamation were expresly for the having the former booke reprinted without any alteration if not as it is most evident that there was no such thing expressed then can it not bee said to bee contrary to it for contraries must both have a being and then onely could it have been said to bee contrary if another and not that had beene printed which this might still bee said to bee though in some things altered which is a common speech in matter of bookes and other things where the bulk remaining there are made as great and many times greater alterations than here were any But what were these alterations First in the first Collect this remarkable pious sentence was pag. 142. left out Thou hast delivered us from superstition and Idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and hast brought us into the most cleere and comfortable light of thy blessed Word by the which we are taught how to serve and honour thee and how to live orderly with our neighbours in truth and verity But what of that Loe here saith he these men the Bishops would not have Popery to bee called Superstition and Idolatry nor would they have the Word of God commended as that cleare and comfortable light which teacheth us all duties to God and man But the man is farre and wide from truth in this fond conjecture I dare boldly say there was no such thing thought on It is out of question for ought I know with Protestants that in Popery there are many grosse superstitions and Idolatries and that the Word of God is that cleare and comfortable light which teacheth us all things necessary to salvation But men may be good Protestants and yet not damne all their fore-fathers who lived before the reformation as he must doe that saith of them that they were wholly drowned in Idolatry and without the light of Gods Word to teach them to serve God and live orderly with their neighbours which though Master B. perhaps will not some men may thinke to be reason sufficient for the leaving out of that sentence But secondly they have left out a whole Collect true and perhaps it was thought fit so to be not for any thing conteined in it but only to abridge the length of the service which I know some of Master Burton's humour did as much grumble at when that first booke was appointed and tooke more liberty of shortening it than that comes to His conceit that they did it because in it preaching was commended is groundlesse and the dreame onely of a distemper'd fancy and shall receive from me the answer it deserves silence And that is the best answer also that I can give to that which followes about the clause left out in the last page in the order for the Fast which he would have the people beleeve was done because they esteemed fasting a meritorious worke but so without all shew of ground or reason that it were a vanity second to none but his to spend time and words about it And what hath Master B. or any other to doe with the leaving out of the Lady Elizabeth and her children which hee might well beleeve was done either not without his Majesties consent or at least that would soone come to His knowledge who Himselfe had the same prayers read in his Royall Chappell Nay I le tell thee more it was exactly done according to the last edition of the Common prayer-booke and His Majesties speciall direction in this particular as Master B. and I have beene often told by our betters Surely it was a great oversight that when Master
a true Church and yet I beleeve hee would bee loath to agree with them in all opinions which they maintaine especially if hee knew for I have heard that in place where not many yeeres agoe he bewrayed his ignorance and was faine to be informed by a brother Minister then in presence that they held all those Tenets about Predestination Freewill and falling from grace which hee so much condemnes in those whom hee termes Arminians Neither can it be imagined that King Iames when hee acknowledged Calvin and therein did him but right to bee a most judicious expositour of Scripture ever intended to exempt him from errour when it is most manifest that hee did utterly condemne many opinions of his and that though he had been bred and brought up among those who received their doctrine and discipline from Calvin yet as himselfe professed in the Conference at Hampton-Court from the time that he was tenne yeeres old hee ever disliked their Confer p. 20. opinions and that though he lived among them he was not of them And therefore might without crossing his owne judgement enjoyne young students rather to looke into the Fathers and acquaint themselves with the judgement of the Ancient Church than to take up opinions upon trust of those moderne Authors who though as he after addes they were not without their Naevi or spots yet no man without betraying insufferable pride and ignorance will account their workes a dunghill or heape of mud where haply with much raking and prying a man may chance to light upon a Pearle so as they that reade them must Margaritas è caeno legere gather pearles out of the mud as Mr. Burton is pleased to speake I am sure other men as sound and judicious as himselfe every whit have held it a point of wisedome to draw water as neere as they can from the well-head rather than from lakes and cisternes And the truth is that King Iames of famous memory whether by the procurement of the Bishops or not it matters not for neither the Author nor the procurers need blush for it having taken some just distaste at some novell points delivered by some young Divines which trenched upon his Regall power and dignity and knowing from what pits that water was drawne and that those moderne Authors mentioned were ill affected to Monarchicall Government and injurious to the just right of Kings going hand in hand with the Iesuites in the principles of popularity Did in his Princely wisedome for the preventing of so great a danger as might ensue if such principles were drunk in at the first by young and injudicious Novices give charge to the Heads of the University of Cambridge I am sure and whether of Oxford too I know not that they should take order that young students should bee well seasoned at the beginning and well grounded in the principles of Our owne Catechisme and the Articles and Doctrine of our Church and that they should not ground their studies upon those men where they might with their first milke in Divinity sucke in such unsound opinions and dangerous to the State But rather that they would search into Antiquity and study the writings of the Fathers whose consentient Doctrine is without doubt the best and soundest Divinity And if Mr. Burton had taken this course in his studies hee had learned better obedience to his Superiours and beene lesse troublesome to himselfe and others This then is but a fetch and brought in onely to increase the heape of odium upon the Bishops with those Pag. 114. who judge of things not by weight or worth but by noise and number For there is no colour for that which he suggests that it should be done the more easily to make way for the accomplishing of their the Prelats plot so long a hammering for the reinducing of Popery seeing neither that which was done nor the end for which it was done have the least affinity with Popery but was intended for the opposing and preventing of that point of Popery or Jesuitisme which animates and armes the people against their Princes But further To this purpose saith he they procure Pag. 114. another order in King James his name for the inhibiting of young Ministers to preach of the Doctrines of Election and Predestination and that none but Bishops and Deanes shall handle those points And is it not great reason that those high points should bee handled with great wisedome and sobriety And who are then fitter so to handle them than the Bishops and Deanes who how contemptible soever Mr. Burton esteemes of them are presumed in reason and in the judgement of the King from whom they receive their dignities to bee the most discreet and judicious Divines Hitherto wee have no Innovation in Doctrine and much lesse any Popery For the Doctrine may bee and is still the same that it ever was from what Authors soever it is fetched and by what persons soever it be delivered So that Mr. Burton is beside the matter and hath not yet come home to the point by him proposed which was Innovations in Doctrine CHAP. VI. Of his Majesties Declaration prefixed to the Articles of Religion Mr. Burtons cunning trick to colour his rayling against his Majesties actions and the danger that may come of it All truths not necessary to be knowne or taught The Doctrine of predestination in Mr. Burtons sense best unknowne The Gospell not overthrowne but furthered by the want of it An uncomfortable Doctrine BUt leaving King Iames hee comes to our gracious Soveraigne that now is and saith After that there is set forth a Declaration before the Articles of Religion in King Charles his name And why in King Charles his name and not by him The title calls it His Majesties Declaration and the whole tenor of it runs in His Majesties style How then shall we know it was not his This is but a cunning quirk to teach the people to decline obedience to His Majesties commands If they can be perswaded that His Majesties Declarations and Proclamations which are sent out if they concerne things that crosse their fancies be none of his acts Then to what passe things in short time will grow it is easie for any man that is but halfe witted to conjecture If men may at their liberty Father the Kings acts upon the Prelates or any other whom they favour not and then rayle at them at their pleasure and reject them as none of his His Majesty will ere long be faine to stand to his subjects courtesie for obedience to his royall commands Or if men may say of such things as come out in the Kings name that they tend to the publick dishonour of God and his word to the violation and annihilation of his commandements the alteration of the Doctrine of the Church of England the destruction of the peoples soules and that they are contrary to his solemne royall protestations as Mr. B. speakes about the declaration
when all the world knows both that they are the Kings and that he cannot be ignorant that they are so But of this before They hold and teach that it is more agreeable to Christian piety to be blinde rather than thus quick-sighted in our obedience and approve that of S. Gregory True obedience doth not discusse Vera obedientia nec Praepositorum intentionem discutit nec praecepta dece nit nescit enim judicare quisquis perfectè didicerit obedire D. Greg. l. 2. c. 4. in 1 Reg. the intention of superiours nor make difference of precepts He that hath learned perfectly to obey knowes not how to judge To be blind so as not to see the imperfections and failings of Superiours nor to be lesse ready for these to performe their commands and to looke onely at Him whose place they hold To be blind so as not to search the reason or to look at the causes why but to thinke it enough to know the things to be commanded and by them that are in place and power Lastly They would have obedience to be better sighted and not so blind as M. Burton hath shewed himselfe They would have obedience to have eyes to see what God commands as well as what the King and to discerne God to be the greater of the two and to be obeyed in the first place but they would not have men mistake their owne dreames and fancies for Gods commands And not this onely but to see what is commanded by their superiours and who it is that commands and to know them to be Gods Deputies to whom obedience is due as unto God himselfe And they have learned of Solomon that where the word of a King is there is power and who may Eccles 8. 2. say unto him what dost thou This is no novell Iesuiticall doctrine but sound Divinity and that which this Church ever taught and the Law of the Land ever approved if it be good Law which was long agoe delivered by Bracton with which Bract. de leg consuet Ang. c. 8. Ipse sc Rex sub nullo nisi tantum sub Deo Si ab eo peccatur c. I will shut up this point The King saith hee is under none but onely God And a little after If he do amisse because no writ goes out against him there is place for supplication that he would correct and amend his deed which if he doe not it is enough punishment for him that the Lord will punish it For no man must presume to enquire or discusse his actions much lesse to goe against them CHAP. IX Of the Doctrine of the Sabbath and Lords-day falsely accused of Novelty The summe of what is held or denyed in this point by those whom Mr B. opposeth The Churches power and the obligation of her precepts The maintainers of this doctrine have not strained their braines or conscience THe last innovation in doctrine that he mentions pag. 126 is concerning the doctrine of the Sabbath or Lords-day wherein he saith our novell Doctors have gone about to remove the institution of it from the foundation of Divine authority and so to settle it upon the Ecclesiasticall or humane power Thus he But in this as in the rest he betrayes most grosse and palpable ignorance and malice 1. In that he accuseth that doctrine of novelty which was ever as hath beene sufficiently demonstrated the doctrine of the Ancient Church and of the Church of England and of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas and the principall of the learned among them as Calvin Beza c. 2. In accusing those that teach this doctrine with removing the institution of the Lords day from the foundation of divine Authority See B. of Ely p. 271. c. edit 1. which taken together and as he delivers it is most false For They acknowledge the appointing of set times and dayes to the publick and solemn worship and service of God to be not onely divine but morall and perpetuall and that the common and naturall equity of the fourth Commandement B. of Ely p. 120 obligeth all man-kinde to the end of the world Secondly They affirme that the institution of the Lords day and other set and definite dayes 2 De dispens c. c. 12. Quid enim interest utrū per se an per suos ministros sive homines sive Angelos hominibus innotescat suum placitum Deus and times of Gods worship is also of divine authority though not immediately but by the Church which received her power from the holy Ghost and that Christian people are to observe the dayes so ordained in obedience to the equity of the fourth Commandement to which those dayes are subordinate and their observation to be reduced Thirdly they grant that the resting from labour on the Lords day and Christian holy 3 B. of Ely p. 121 dayes in respect of the generall is both grounded upon the law of nature and the perpetuall equity of the fourth Commandement Fourthly they grant a speciall sense of that 4 Commandement of perpetuall obligation So that they have not absolutely removed the institution of the Lords day from the foundation of divine Authority Nor is the fourth Commandement wholly abolished as he falsely and unjustly clamours That which they deny in this doctrine and concerning the fourth Commandement may be reduced under these heads They deny the fourth Commandement to be wholly morall so doth M. Burton Particularly they deny the morality and perpetuall obligation of that Commandement as it concernes the seventh day from the creation which is our Saturday And this is the Apostles Col. 2. 17. doctrine who calls it a shadow which M. Burton also granteth They deny that the peculiar manner of the sanctification of the Iewish or seventh-day Sabbath in the observation of a strict and totall rest and surcease from ordinary labours can by vertue of that commādement be extended to the Lords day or Christian holy dayes but that it together with the day on which it was required is expired and antiquated And this also M. Burton must needs grant 1. Because there is the same reason of the day and the rest required upon it both being appointed for a memoriall of Gods rest from his worke of creation and other typicall respects 2. Because otherwise he will contradict his fellowes and those that side with him in this argument who generally allow some Perkins cases Amesius Med. Theol. l. 2. c. 15. n. 23. things to bee lawfully done on the Lords day which on the Jewish Sabbath were not permitted They deny that the fourth Commandement determins the set time of Gods publick worship either to one day in the revolution of seven or to any other seventh save onely that which is there mentioned and that therefore the Lords day cannot thence bee said to have its institution as being another day than that which the Commandement speaks of which to conceive to be there meant is to
68 69. royall prerogative and much more to the same purpose Here not to meddle with Doctor Bastwicks case against whom there are other crimes objected than that which hee here mentions I will onely lay downe some briefe conclusions and their consectaries declaring the truth in these points and referre those that desire further satisfaction to such as have purposely treated of this subject And my first conclusion shal be That the Kings Conclu 1 and Queens of this Realme neither have nor doe See the Queens Injunctions challenge in right of their Crownes any authority or power of the ministration of Divine Offices in the Church Wee give not to our Princes saith the thirtie seventh Article the ministring of Gods Word or of the Sacraments neither doe they claime the power of the Keyes for remitting or retaining of sins either privately or publickly From this I inferre these consectaries First Consect 1 That it is no derogation or intrenchment upon the Prerogative Royall to deny the Kings Majesty the power of administration of the Word and Sacraments of ordination excommunication or any other act belonging to the personal execution of the Episcopall or Priestly function And this is so evidently deduced froÌ„ the former that it being granted as it must be by those that will not deny the Articles of our Church this cannot be denied That no man can reasonably imagine that the Consect 2 Statutes which annexed Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to the Crowne intended to give the King any power of this nature which Queene Elizabeth in her injunctions and all other godly Kings and Princes ever disclaimed That it can bee no deniall of his Majesties just right nor violation of Statute nor danger of Consect 3 Praemunire for Bishops to exercise their jurisdictions thus farre in their owne names or to say they have them not from the King My second conclusion is This Ecclesiasticall Conclu 2 power was given by Christ to his Apostles both for preaching and administring the Sacraments Matth. 28. 29 30. and for the power and use of the Keyes Iohn 20. 21. Matth. 18. 18. Thirdly Our Saviour giving this power intended Conclu 3 that it should continue in the Church to the end of the world as it is most evident First in regard of the equall necessity and use of it in the Church aswell afterwards as in their times Secondly in regard of his promise of his assisting presence or being with them alwayes even to the Mat. 28. ult end of the world From which will follow First the necessity of the power of ordination for the transmitting this power by the Apostles to some others in whom the same power though not in the Apostolicall latitude should remaine when they who were not alway to continue should bee translated out of this world Secondly the necessity of an un-interrupted succession in the Church of those who shall bee lawfully invested with this power which can at no time bee wanting in the Church without the ruine of that building for the edification of which Ephes 4. 12. it was first given Our Saviour together with this power given Conclu 4 to his Apostles did give the grace to enable them to exercise that power and discharge that function which hee had imposed upon them This is manifest First because God never useth to call Vactio antiquitus olâ—o ficbat quod quia secundum naturalem efficientiam tum fragrantia reddebat corpora tum agilia accummodum erat duabas rebus supernaturalibus significandis quarum una est personae ad munus aliquod divinum obeundum sanctificatio consecratio altera adoptatio seu donorum ad illud necessariorum collatio Armin. Disp pub any to a charge without furnishing them with grace to discharge it and therefore in the Old Testament annointing with Oyle was used which because naturally it made mens bodies both fragrant and active was to signifie both the consecration and designation Gods worke and the fitting of those upon whom it was imposed with gifts necessary thereto required Secondly it is manifest from the plaine words of our Saviour in that giving them their Commission hee breathed on them and saith unto them Receive the Holy Ghost And from hence we may inferre That in the transmission of this power and function there is necessarily required a continuall supply of grace though not in the same measure as in the Apostles nor for all those operations which were usefull in the first foundation of the Christian Church yet in the same kinde and for the discharge of the function so farre as it should be necessary ever to continue in the Church and that therefore in the consecration and ordination of those who are called to this function and to whom this power is committed God doth ordinarily confer this grace as appeares by that of S. Paul putting Timothy whom he had consecrated Bishop at Ephesus in mind to stir up the grace that was given him by the laying on of his hands and that God doth in the same way still give the like grace is out of all question unlesse men shall thinke either that the grace is not now necessary or that God is wanting to his Church or that the Apostles did faile in prescribing the right way for the conferring of it So that of this Saint Ambrose truly said Man Homo imponit manus Deus largitur gratiam Sacerdos imponit supplicem dextram Deus benedicit potenti dextra Episcopus mitiat ordinem Deus tribuit dignitatem Ambros de dign Sacerd c. 5. layes on his hands God gives the grace the Priest layes on his right hand in supplication and God blesseth it by his powerfull right hand The Bishops mitiates into the Order and God bestowes the dignity Lastly the Apostles who from Christ received both the Priestly and Episcopall power in one did divide the same and made distinct orders and degrees of them in the Church in which they appointed Bishops Priests and Deacons all which wee finde mentioned by Saint Paul in his Epistles and in the Acts of the Apostles and in the most ancient Writers and records that are extant in the Church And these orders thus by them distinguished were subordinate in such sort as the whole remainder of the Apostolicall Office that is so much as the perpetuall necessity of the Church required was in the Bishops who besides that which they had in common with Priests as power to preach administer the Sacraments and of absolution had also power of jurisdiction and ordination and both Priests and Deacons were by them ordayned and subjected to their authority All which may be proved out of Saint Paul prescribing to Timothy Titus whom he had ordayned See Mason de Minesterio Eccles l. 1. c. 2. l. 4. c. 1. c. D. Field of the Church l. 5. c. 25. Bishops how to exercise their jurisdiction and to use the power of ordination or laying on of hands which he
no where doth to the Priests or Deacons but more clearely by the ancient Canons and writings of the Fathers in the primitive B. Andrewes Resp ad Epist Moâ—inaei 1. 3. Tortur Terti p. 151. Church That which results from all this is That to affirme the Episcopall order or authority as it is meerely spirituall to bee received not from the King but from God and Christ and derived by continuall succession from the Apostles is no false or arrogant assertion nor prejudicall to the Kings prerogative royall and so not dangerous to those that shall so affirme or that challenge and exercise their jurisdiction in that name For the further demonstration hereof I will also briefly set downe what power in causes Ecclesiasticall is due and challenged by the King and other Soveraigne Civill Magistrates what Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction is annexed to the Crowne of this Realme which the Bishops must acknowledg thence to be received and exercised in that right My first conclusion shall be in the words of Conclu 1 our thirty seventh Article where the power of Artic. 37. Kings in causes Ecclesiasticall is described to bee only That they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiasticall or Temporall and restraine with the Civill Sword the stubborne and evill doers other authority than this as Queene Elizabeth in her Injunctions His Majesty neither doth ne ever will Qu. Eliz. Injunct challenge nor indeed is due to the Imperiall Crowne either of this or any other Realme Where I observe two things wherein the Soveraigne authority of Princes in causes Ecclesiasticall doth consist First in ruling Ecclesiasticall persons under which are comprised 1 their power to command and provide that spirituall persons do rightly and duly execute the spirituall duties belonging to their functions 2 to make and ordaine Lawes to that end and for the advancement and establishing of piety and true Religion and the due and decent performance of Divine worship and for the hinderance and extirpation of all things contrary thereunto Secondly in punishing them as well as others when they offend with the Civill Sword Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall persons being offenders are not exempt from the coercive power of the King but that he may punish them as well as others but it is with the Gladium spiritualem stringere est Episcoporum non Regum quan quam hic licet Episcoporum manu piorum tamen Regum sancto monitu et evaginari in vaginam recondi solet Mason de Minist Ang. l. 4. c. 1. Civill Sword as that only which he beareth not with the Ecclesiasticall or by the sentence of Excommunication It belongs to Bishops and not to Kings to draw the Spirituall Sword yet that is also wont to be unsheathed and sheathed at the godly command and motion of religious Kings And they may as pious Princes use second yea and prevent the spirituall Sword and with the Civill as namely with bodily and pecuniary punishment compell his subjects as well Ecclesiasticall as Temporall to the performance of the duties of both Tables My second conclusion or as I may rather Conclu 2 terme it my inference upon the former is That the Bishops having any civill power annexed to their places and exercising the same either in judging any civill causes or inflicting temporall punishments whether bodily or pecuniary have and use that power wholly from the King and by his grace and favour in his right That the Episcopall jurisdiction even as it is Conclu 3 truly Episcopall and meerely spirituall though in it selfe it be received only from God yet in asmuch it is exercised in his Majesties Dominions and upon his subjects by his Majesties consent command and royall Protection according to the Canons and Statutes confirmed by his Authority nothing hinders but that thus-farre all Ecclesiasticall Authority and jurisdiction may bee truly said to be annexed to the Crowne and derived from thence And this onely is the intent of those Statutes which annex the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to the Crowne Which notwithstanding it may truly bee affirmed that the Bishops have their function and jurisdiction for the substance of it as it is meerely spirituall and so properly Ecclesiasticall by Divine right and only from Christ and that it is derived by a continuall and uninterrupted succession from the Apostles But if Master Burton conceive that the Bishops affirme that they have power to exercise this their spirituall jurisdiction within His Majesties Dominions and over His Subjects of themselves and without licence and authoritie from His Majestie Or that their temporalities their revenewes their Dignities to bee Barons of the Parliament c. or the authority that they have and use either to judge in Causes temporall or to inflict temporall punishments belong to them by Divine right or otherwise than by the favour of his Majesty and his predecessors hee makes them as absurdly ignorant and presumptuous as himselfe The other thing which I cannot let passe is that which he here cites out of the Iesuites pamphlet intituled A direction to be observed by N. N. c. wherein the Iesuit it seemes applauds the present state of our Church as comming on towards Vnion with Rome The temper and moderation of the Arch Bishop and some other learned prelates and the allowance of some things in these dayes which in former times were counted superstitious as the names of Priests and altars and the acknowledging the visible beeing of the Protestant Church for many ages to have beene in the Church of Rome c. My purpose is not here to enter the lists with the Iesuite who I doubt not ere long will bee more sufficiently answered than I have either leisure or ability to doe All that I shall say for the present is First that Master B. is willing it seemes to take dirt from any Dunghill to cast in the face of his Mother the Church of England and that though hee professe such mortall hate to Rome that the last affinity with her though many times but imaginary makes him breake forth into strange expressions of his abomination Yet hee can bee content to joyne hands with the worst of the Romanists the Iesuites and use their aide to slander and make odious the Church in which hee was bred But it is no Innovation this it hath beene a long practise of the Faction whereof he is now ambitious to become a captaine both to joyne with them in their principles and to make use of their weapons to fight against the Church wherein they live Secondly It is manifest from hence that the Iesuite and he are confederates in detraction and ignorance of the Doctrine of our Church which both of them judge of not by the authorised Doctrine publikely subscribed or the regular steps of those that have continued in the use of her ancient and laudable customes rites and ceremonies but by their owne humours and uncertaine reports of some