Bishops the Copie bearing this inscription A letter sent to the Bishops from Doct. Laur. Humphrey president of Magdalen College in Oxford and Reader of Divinity lecture there YOur Lordships letters directed unto us by our vice-Chancelour although written in generall words yet hath so hearted our adversaryes that wee are now no more coÌ„pted brethren friends but enimies syth the old masse attyres be so straightly commanded the masse is selfe is shortly looked for A sword now is put into the enemyes hands of these that under Q. Mary have drawn it for Popery under preteÌ„ce of good order are ready without cause to bewreck their popish anger upon us who in this wil use extremitye in other laws of more importance partialiâ—y I would have wished My Lords rather privy admonition then opeÌ„ expulsion yea I had rather have received wounds of my brother then kisses of myne enymye if wee had privily in a CoÌ„venient day resigned then neyther should the punisher have ben noted of cruelty neyther the offender of temerity neyther should the pap have accused in their seditious book protestants of contention Religion requireth naked Christ to bee peached professed Glorifyed that Graviora legis by the faithfull ministrye of feedinge pastours should bee furthered after that orders tending to edification not to destruction advanced finally the spouses friends should by all meanes be cherished favourd defended not by counterfite false intruders condemned overborne defaced But alas a man qualified with inward gifts for lack of outwarde shews is punished a maÌ„ onely outwardly confornable inwardly cleane unfurnished is let alone yea exalted the painfull preacher for his labour is beaten the unpreaching Prelate offending in the greater is shot free the learned man without out his cappe is afflicted the capped man without learning is not touched Is not this directly to breake Gods laws Is not this the Pharises vae It not this to wash the outside of the Cup and leave the inner part uncleansed Is not this to praeferre mint and anis to faith and Iudgement and Mercie Mans tradition before the ordinance of God Is not this in the schoole of Christ and in the Methode of the Gospel aplayn disorder hath not this praeposterous order a woe That the Catechisme should be reade is the word of God it is the order of the Church to preach is a necessary point of a Priest to make quarterly sermons is law to see poore men of the poore mens box relieved vagabonds punished Parishes Communicate Roode lofts pulddowne monuments of superstition defaced service done and heard is scripture is statute that the oath to the Q. Majesty should bee offered and taken is required as wel by ordinance of God as of man These are plaine matters necessary Christian and profitable To weare a Surplys a Coape or a cornerd cappe is as you take it an accidentall thing a devise onely of man and as wee say a doubt or question in Divinitie Syth now these substantiall points are inall places of this realme almost neglected the offendes either nothing or little rebuked and syth the transgessors have no colour of conscience it is sinne and shame to proceede against us first having also reasonable defeÌ„ce of our doings Charity My Lo. would first have taught us equitie would first have spared us brotherlinesse would have warned us pitty would have pardoned us if we had beÌ„ found trespassers God is my witnesse who is the beholder of all faith I thinke of your Lordsh. honourably esteeming you as brethren reverencing you as Lords and Masters of the congregation alas why have not you som good opinion of us why doo you trust knowne adversaries and misttrust your bretkren wee confesse one faith of Iesus we preach one doctrine we acknowledg one ruler upon earth in all things saving in this we are of your judgement shall we bee used thus for a surplus shall Brethren persecute BrethreÌ„ for a forked Cappe devised singularly of him that is our enemy Now shall we fight for the Popish Coate his head and body being banished shall the controversy so fall out in conclusion that for lacke of this necessary furniture as it is esteemed labourers shall lacke wages Churches preaching shall we not teach shall we not exercise our talents as God hath commanded us Because we will not wante that which our enemies have desired and that by the appointement of friends Oh that ever I saw this day that our adversaries should laugh to see bethren fall together to the eares Oh that Ephraim should thus eat up Manasses Manasses Ephraim My Lords before this take place consider the cause of the Church the Crests and triumphs of Anti Christ. The laugher of Satan the sorrow and sighs of a number the mysery and sequel of the tragedie I write with zeale without proofe of my matter at this time present but not without knowledge of it nor without greife of minde God move your spirit at this praesent to fight against Carnem Circumcisionem imo Concisionem against literam et legem which principally is now regarded rewarded Speake I humbly beseech you to the Queenes Majesty to the Chancelour and to Mr. Secretary and the rest that these proceedings may sleepe that England may understande your zealous minde toward the worshippe of God your love toward the poore welwillers your hate towarde the professed enimies your unity in true conformity the other neither be needfull now neither exacted in any good age So shall the little flock be bounde to you so shall the great sheepherd be good to you By this we may judge of some others whome he onely nameth 3. That all allowed some â—ignificant Ceremonies is manyfestly proved false in the former allegations 4. We glory no more of synceritie in refusing the Ceremonies then the Rejoynder doeth in using of them 5. It is no abusing of the world to allege generall sentences of men condemning that which they seeme to allow in their practise If it were I can name one protestant writer who hath more abused the world in this kinde then any or all of us and that is no other then our Def. D. Morton For he hath written many bookes of good use against the Papists the cheif grace wherof is that having a good Librarie and using it with deligence and discretion he hath alleged many thousands of their owne testimonies for the disproving of those errors and superstitions which the same Authors in other places or at least in their practise doe apparently eyther allow or admitte of This is the wordy answer which the Rejoynder giveth unto the testimonies alleged in the Abr. pag. 33.34 for to praevent our bragging now let us trie if the Argument naked of testimonies will not stand 3. The Argument is this If those Ceremonies which God himself ordeyned to teache his Churche by their signification may not be used muche lesse may those which man hath devized The Def. his first answer
for stiffe opposition to Ecclesiasticall lavves vvhich they despitefully speake vvrite agaynst for contempt of these statute lavves by vvhich the book of common prayer is established For that they dravv as fast as they can into a body of themselves ingrossing a forehand the name of brethren The Godly the Church the good Christians as though vve had lost our Christ they had found him quite avvay 222 pag 13. The tearming of our Cerem Popish is done out of faction to make the imposers Observers of them hatefull vvith the people of God vvhich I beleeue no Church vvould suffer I am sure it should not pag 238. 14. This man forceth his vvitt I feare his conscience also doth not beleeue himselfe vvhen he sayth that these Cerem are imposed as parts ofGods vvorship but only for faction opposition vvould fayne haue it thought so that their opposition might be justifyed before men 243. p. 15. For a vvrangling spirit yea an ill conscience is so playnly to be observed vvhile he studies to persvvade vvhat himself beleeues not 243. 16. But vvhat should I presse these men vvith the authority of men vvho have themselues in estimation for soundnes of judgement before all men p. 370. 17. But the Repl. seing no interpretation vvill help agaynst the cleare Testimonies of the Learned by us alleadged confesseth they vvere men as if he his partners vvere more then men that ther is a little variety So vvilling are men rather to cast dirt in the faces of others then to confesse any mistaking in themselues Is this any thing but the spirit of pride thus masterly to judge the Lords vvorthyes 387. p. 18. This ansvver you think good to give because you are resolved to sinke the reputation of all men auncient or latter hovv learned zealous soever they vvere ratherthen to confesse your ovvne mistaking Open Revilings of the Persons of Non-conformitants or secret inducements to bring them into distast In 52. pag of the Praeface some Noncōformists are brought in sayd to be of that temper that vvhen the remove all of Cerem only vvas mentioned Their ansvver vvas They must not have a hoof-behinde them And the note in the Margent tells us 1. This S r. Fran VValsingham told M r. Knevvstubs of vvhom I had it 2. It is a ridiculous supposition it s a malitious surmise all this scurrilous bundle is of no use unlesse it be to ingraft himselfe into the affections vvhich he calleth the consciences and applause of his ovvne partie p. 633. Preface 3. These tvvo notes note you to be an egregious vvrangler p. 6. 4. Did ever sober-man reason thus p. 61. 5. I should be sory to fynde so much vvayvvardnes falshood in any man of our Religion but cannot but vvonder at it in a man pretending more then ordinary sincerity p. 15. 6. Hovv ever these men vvho in effect say to all other men stand backe I am more holy then thou c. 7. VVhat a shame is it for men to glory of sincerity for refusing Cerem And use no sincerity in alleadging authors 284. 8. But that use vvhich the learned divines call Historicall these men call Religious that they might by a false eare-mark bring us into suspicion abroad into hatred vviht our Religious people at home and yet they vvould be counted sincere men 303. Certaine Quaeres by vvhich these passages may be weighed in the balance ofserious consideration Of all in generall the quaeres are these 1. If the Replier did any where give sentence of conformists consciences 2. If he uttered any one bitter speache against all Conformists 3. The former being negatiuely true if the Rejoyner in his over under-lashings was not overcome of his owne evill rather then the Repliers Quaere 1. 1. If a man upon probability affirme such a poynt or out of ignorance mistake conclude it certaine so relate it as by him conceaved doth he hereby necessarily manifest a spirit of contradiction or the weaknes of his owne apprehension 2. If charity hopes the best that can be conceaved in reason to iudge mens spirits by grounds weake feeble out of which nothing can be concluded Quaere whether it be not uncharitable censuring 3. Do all those who contradict the like conceites of the Rej as false manifest a sinful spirit in lusting after contradiction Quaere 2. Whether may not a man mistake a thing plaine be of no contentious spirit Whether in such a mistake is it certaine God smites with giddines Whether is not this to iudge mens consciences beyond warrant of any word of God or the nature of the work wil beare But is not this not only unreasonable but intollerable if the thing be true Quaere 3. 1. Whether these words come from a calme loving merciful spirit 2. Whether God may not abate a man for his fals in executing iudgments here or may lay many punishments on him beside open shame 3. Whether these definitive determinations of iudgments upon men for some light differences those not so cleare be not to jussle God out of the place of iustice to cast thunderbolts where he doth not But if the replier make his expression good by his defense as he hath is not this a strange censure upon so smal a thing so strange a mistake Quaere 4. Whether this charge issues not out of a principle desirous to make the Persons of non conformists odious to all proclayming them as such whose intollerable pride scornes contemnes all men in regard of themselves Whether the Rej. his passion did not transport him beyond himself in this accusation when it makes him contradict his owne confession preface p. 5. Ther be some moderate learned Godly loving c. VVhether his spleen is not great that would spare none but even destroy the Nation of Nonconformists in the esteeme of men As Haman the Iues For of all he speakes They Them Quaere 5. VVhether he be not more charitable to Fryars then Nonconformists since he knowes what they haue printed Quaere 6. VVhether if this Repl. was faulty was it reasonable to fly in the face of all Nonconformists These men VVhether the Rej. his conscience in cold blood dare say that their is not amongst the NonConformists the truth of worthines but only the names VVhen in his preface he thus writes p. 3. some peacable very VVorthy Ministers were cast out Quaere 7. Whether they that cannot entertaine truth crosse to their opinion seeke honor one from another can have any truth of grace our saviour seemes to gainsay it 5. Iohn And therfore Whether there be any colour of argument for the Rej. to condemne al Nonconformists as such whom this charge condemnes Quaere 8. Whether doth the vilefying of a relique which one conceaves superstitions argues a spirit of rancor How came the Rej to be sure that God will judge them for these VVhether may they not repent
then God wil pardon them not judge them How if the reliques be base deserve to be scorned Quaere 9. How knowes the Râ—j but they might do it out of ignorance an error of ignorance may stand with a good conscience How knowes the Rej that it was a hauty desire no other passion But if all this be maynteined is not the Rej extreamely harsh in his censures when no roome wil serue him unlesse he situpon mens consciences Pilat-like condemne the innocent Quaere 10. If one call a non-conformitant a good Christian doth he expresse a strong savor of seperation He that names a Non-conformitant a good Christian doth he conclude that the adversaryes to the Bish. are the only Christians Quaere whether reason or passion agaynst all colour of reason make these consequences And whether the Rej. would suffer us to make the like out of his words when he calleth Conformists the faithfull servants of Christ as he doth pag 628. Quaere 11. VVould not the Rej. make Nonconformitants monsters of men who shal commit so capital a sinne as condemnation of meÌ„ to Hell being voyd of law calling reason conscience in so-doing Where doth this Repl condemne all that are not his party or all conformed ministers â—ay if neither he nor any Non-conformitant ever writt spake printed nay thought so unreasonablely quaere whence such an accusatioÌ„ comes what ground it argues which exceeds the bounds of truth or reason yea common sense Quaere 12.13 Whether these hundreds of ministers silenced at the beginning of K. I. were despitefull speakers agaynst the cerem or conscionable forbearers of their use Whether these who desire to subscribe according to law be despisers of the law or those who deny them the benefit of it Where is that body into which the Non-conformitants gather them selves How appeares it that they ever ingrossed such Titles to them selves so as to deny them to all others or more then the Rej. ingrosseth the title of the faithfull servants of Christ unto conformists pag 628. Whether this imputation be not to bring them into hatred distast of the state Whether ever prophane drunkards riotous adulterers scoffing Atheists or the bitterest of the Iesuits geered more tauntingly agaynst many faythfull And is it not loathsome to lick up their vomits For the worst of men have not worse language agaynst the Nonconformists Quaere 14.15 VVhether the Rej. can judge of a mans heart any other way theÌ„ by his expressions outward Since the Repl proffessions expressions are playne one way by what warrant can the Rej. conclude his conscience is other Neither word nor reason nor loue nor Religion learnes or allowes such inferences what is the principle whence these proceed 16. Quaere VVhether any man truly humble gracious can preferr him self before all men VVhether the Rej. accountes all Nonconformists voyd of all truth of grace when he layeth this to their charge 17. Quaere VVhether he that sayes the Auncients were men doth therby inferr that he himselfe is more then a man VVhether to affirme the Fathers to be men is masterly to judge them or argues a Spirit of pride when they them selves so judge speake of themselves VVhether to affirme the Auncients to be men argues a man resolved to sinke all mens reputation how holy zealous soever they be rather then to confesse his owne mistake Quaere 18. VVhether ther can be a heavier charge layd agaynst a man then rotten hearted unfit to live in the society of men And yet what lighter ground more insufficient can be pretended to beare it up Quaere 19. VVhat if no man should have knowne what Mr. Knewstubbs told D r. B in private conceaving him of the same judgement ergo Quaere VVhether it be safe for fellow brethren to betrust their secrets to the Rej. his keeping 2. VVhether the Rej. did not rake up all the blind corners of his memory to fetch out what might be to bring Nonconformers into distast Quaere 20. VVhether this be not downe-right rayling Quaere 5.6.7.8 VVhether the Pharisies in their Ceremonies did not praetend more holinesse then other men And whether Conformists be not therin more like the Pharisies then Non-conformists VVhether this be not to leaue the Persons to gibe at sincerity it self VVhether doe the professed enemyes agaynst the power of godlines use any otherlanguage when they would jeare at the sincerity of Gods servants Is not some historicall use Religious what want of synceritie then is it to distinguish that historicall use of images which is to stirr up devotion from other civill use by the terme Religious Nay what synceritie is ther in branding such a declaration with a false affected ear-mark His tart jests taunts are not as graines of salt but so frequent that they seeme as Pickle in vvhich the passages of his book are layd to steep therfore I vvill but poynt at some number of places to ease the reader my self PAg. 71. lyn Praeface pa. 14. ly 29. pa. 19. pa. 33. ly 22. pa. 15. ly 1.2.11 pa. 37. ly 24.25 And he not only takes but seeks an occasion yea is content to goe some miles about to reache men a blovv vvho vvere of Godlines vvorth by some slighting taunt to disparage their persons or vvorks That judicious paynfull laborer faithfull servant of Christ he slights pa. 4. Praeâ—ace on this manner M â— Parkars Gaudye passionate treatise of the crosse A vvorke in truth of that strength beauty that it bleares dazells the eyes of envy it self And therfore men out of hope either to imitate it or ansvver it vvould beare the vvorld in hand it vvas not vvorth the vvhyle to spend labor in it But the Rej. vvisheth some vvould reduce it to Logicall arguments then he doubts not but it vvould soone be ansvvered pa. 75. praeface VVhich is such a meer put-of so unbeseeming the skill of a Logicall disputer much more the champion-like confidence of Doctor Burgesse that had not his heart secretly misgiven him in this seeming bravado such an expression vvould never haue falne from his penn For let any rationall man be judge in this case Are not Logicall arguments playnly expressed in a continued discourse by a Logician easily collected vvhat needs a reducing to a forme then Beside M r. Parkars discourse is eyther empty voyd of sinevves of sound reason then the vveakenes of it is soone discovered may be confuted yea disgraced vvith more ease or else ther be arguments of that solidity strength vvhich eyther the Rej. cannot reduce or else is not able or not vvilling to ansvvere To say he cannot reduce theÌ„ to forme is a thing too meane to imagine nor vvill the Rej. graunt nor vvill I or do I thinke To say he is not vvilling to ansvver is to gaynsay his ovvne course the profession of his care to traverse this cause his
his saying our Ceremonies are not forbidden by consequence onely therfor they are not by particular word forbidden The former is no reason the later neyther is consequence nor toucheth any quaestion The Def. his second answer was that wee may blush to speak of Tertullian because he professeth traditions in the same book It was answered that then all may blush which allege the Fathers for that which they in other places gainesay The Rejoynder graunting that those neede not blush because the Fathers sometime are deafe and hear not themselves speak and in some particulars left their sound generall principles yet will needs have us blush if it be not unpossible as his Rejoyning charitie suspecteth it is because they never held that which wee allege them for But how doeth this appear because they allowed of sundrie Ceremonies not praescribed in the word Now except he could prove they were not as deafe on this the ceremoniall ear or side as they were on the other or that they did not leave their sound generalls in the particulars of Ceremonies as well or ill as in other this occasion especially with his affected exaggerations if it be not impossible And that the Rejoynder cannot prove this D. Morton sheweth in his appeal pag. 324. They that erred in points of doctrine could not be altogether free from some sprinklings and spots of Ceremoniall corruptions Moreover how the best of those ancient writers allowed of sundrie humane Ceremonies then in use Augustine sheweâ—h epist. 119. Multa husuâ—modi propter nonnullarum vel sanctarum vel turbulentarum personaâ—um scandala dâ—vitanda liberius imâ—â—obare non audeo Many such things I dare not so freely gainsay to avoâ—de the offense partly of some holy minds and partly of some turbulent Spirits Which is the very case of the best English Divines that doe so sparingly speak against our Ceremonies and yet sufficiently insinuat that they would speake more if they durst for the times How also our Divines doe not blush to alledge their testimonies against humane Ceremon though they know that in other places they speak for them this may be seen in D. Whitaker tom 1. pag. 116. Augustinuâ— nâ—s illis paucissim Ceremonijs contentâ—s esse vulâ— quae in Canonicis Scripturis continentur Si quid usquam scripserit quod cum hac sententia minus conveniat in conciliandit ejus singulus dictis non magnam operam insumam Augustine will have us be content with those very few Ceremonies which are conteyned in the Canonical Scriptures If elswhere he have written ought that may lesse agree with this sentence for my paâ—t I will not much troâ—ble my selfe to reconcile all his speeches D. Fulke Rejoynder to Martial ar 1. sayth plainely The gates of hell in idle Ceremonies did assault the Churche The fathers in them declined from the simplicitie of the Gospel and art 3. Every idle Ceremonie that praevayled had the Praelates of the Churche eyther for authors or for approvers But Christ committed his Churche to them to be fed with his word and not with dumbe signes and dead images which things he hath forbidden SECT 15. Concerning Protestants arguing negatively from Scripture 1. THe first quotation by the Def. chosen to answer is out of D. Mortons Apologie of which it is sayd by the Replier that the Def. his answer is he meant not matters mearly Ceremoniall but doctrinall and so he affirmeth the meaning of our argument to bee if by mere Ceremonies he mean mere order and decencie as he interpreteth himself in the ende of this section Heerupon the Rejoynder asketh if we call this a Replie I answer yea because it sheweth all that is opposed though it be granted as true nothing at all to crosse or contradict our argument in the right meaning of it Now marke what he hath to say why it should not be called a Replie 1. The Def. telleth not onely what he meant but where his meaning doeth appear and the Replie sheweth not that he hath not meant as he sayd As if eyther the place where a thing is spoken did adde any weight unto the speache or all that mean as they say doe speak to the purpose 2. It is partialitie to take up the word mere in this place and not sect 3. But this doeth rather shew that though the Replier took no knowlege of this meâ—e shift when he first met with it yet afterward seeing it often repeated marked some emphasis to be placed in it and so did not spare it before upon partialitie to one section more then another which seemeth a strange conceit Howsoever this doeth neyther prove the replie none nor yet non-sufficient 3. He pronounceth it untrue that the question here is not of mere Ceremonies and rites which charge he groundeth upon the word specially in the service of God But that word doeth shew the specialitie of our question to be about the matters of Gods service or worship suche as significant Ceremonies are and mere order is not 4. Hee is styled a deceyved man that thinketh signification put upon a Ceremonie doeth necessarily make it more then a mere Ceremonie To which I answer that if he that thinketh so is a deceyved man then the Rejoynder doeth deceyve when in his Manuduction pag. 33. and 39. he teacheth that speciall instituted signification doeth make a Ceremonie double or treble more then mere single rites of order 2. The second quotation is out of D. Mortons Appeal l. 2. c. 4. sect 4. where is confessed he speaketh of Ceremonies but of Doctrinall onely suche as sopping in of bread into the cup etc. Wherupon question was made why this Ceremonie should be accounted more doctrinall or more unlawfull then the Crosse in Baptisme To the former part of this quaere the Rejoynder answereth that the Def. hee himself all suche in this question meane by Doctrinall a thing taught in the word and that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is taught in the word As if it had been asked why the Sacrament is more doctrinall then the Crosse and not if Sopping be so But here it is diligently to be observed how wee are deluded in this wholle argument and other also with the shadow of a wordly distinction betwixt Doctrinall and Rituall Ceremonies Wee say God hath appointed all Ceremonies properly religious which are to be used They answer that this is true of all doctrinall Ceremonies but not of rituall that is to say as here we are taught God hath appointed all Ceremonies that he hath appointed but not all that he hath not appointed Wee say it is not lawfull for man to adde unto Gods institutions in religious worship They answer this is true of Doctrinall but not of Rituall additions that is by this interpretation Man may not adde unto Gods institutions any of Gods institutions but mans onely Let this be borne in minde for all answers that hange on the hinges of this distinction To the other part of the question
which was against Popish Recusancie of our Communion-booke and not against refusall of some few ceremonies contained therein I speake now of the Statute Law not of lawlesse canoÌ„s Or what if wee should stand upon that interpretation which fetcheth the obligation from the weight of the matter imposed which in our ceremonies is very little Some of these I am â—ure the Bishops must flye if they will defend their disuse of the Crosiers slaffe which they are bound by our lawes as well to use as the Ministers are surplusses But all this is needlesse because there can be no contempt in a conscionable forbearance of unlawfull impositions such as the ceremonies are sufficiently proved to be SECT XII HEre certaine Divines are brought in witnessing 1. that superstitions doe depâ—ive men of Christian liberty which we deny not but take their testimonies as making against our ceremonies because as I haue formerly shewed some of these superstitious opinions are inseparable from the imposing and using of them 2. That Christian liberty doth not consist in the use or disuse of things indifferent which we also willingly grant But I would haue the Defendant remember that all freedome is not in the minde conscience For where the minde is free the body may be bound else Christians should not taste so much of this worlds misery as they doe Now Christ hath left unto us not onely an inward liberty of minde and conscience but also an outward freedom of our bodies and outward man from such bodily rites in his worship as have not his stampe upon them and his Spirit and blessing promised unto them Of this the Defendant saith nothing at all Sect. XIII XIIII COncerning the profession of our Church so often brought in enough hath beene said before now it sufficeth to answer that no profession whatsoever can make humaine significant Ceremonies in Gods worship agree with Christian liberty As for superstition which the Defendant doth now the second time most ridiculously object I have answered in the beginning of this Confutation Now onely I note 1. how loosely he describeth that superstition which he calleth affirmative as if no man could use any thing superstitiously except he did hold that without it the faith of Christianity or the true worship of God could not possible consist Never was there such a description given by any man that considered what he said 2. How manfully he concludeth our negative superstition upon this ground that Christ hath left these ceremonies free which is the maine quaestion betwixt him and us 3. How he mis-reporteth our opinion in saying absolutely that wee hold a Surplice to have unholinesse and polluâ—ion in it whereas we hold that it is onely made more unfitt for Gods service then it was before through idolatrous abuse but yet unto other uses it may be applyed 4. That in stead of Scripture he bringeth forth the universall practise of men in the Church which yet hath beene formerly also refuted 5. That he can finde no Divine that calleth opposing of Ceremonies superstition but onely M. Calvin in one place speaking rhetorically as he useth to doe and not intending any definition or distributioÌ„ of that vice 6. How he corrupteth P. Martyrs words to have some colour for a new accusation P. Martyr taking there upon him the person of an adversarie unto Hoopers opinion with whom notwithstanding afterward he consented and recalled the counsell which then he gave as appeareth pag. 1125. saith that if we should refuse all things that the Papists used we should bring the church into servitude which assertion is most true because the Papists abused many necessary things even Christs own Ordinances the observing of which is liberty Now the Def. would have that precisely understood and that in the rigour of every word concerning the Surplice I have here subjoyned apart an Epistle of Zanchius who otherwaies was somewhat favourable to Bishops wherein the Reader may see his judgement concerning superstitious garments To the most renowmed Queene ELYZABETH Defendresse of the Christian Religion and most mighty Queene of England France and Ireland H. Zanchius sendeth greeting MOST gracious most Christian Queene we have not without great griefe understood that the fire of contention about certaine garments which we thought had beene quenched long agone is now againe to the incredible offence of the godly as it were raised from hell and kindled a fresh in your Majesties Kingdome and that the occasion of this fire is because your most gracious Majesty being perswaded by some otherwise great men and carried with a zeal but certainly not according to knowledge to retaine unity in religion hath now more then ever before resolved and decreed yea doth will and command that all †Zanchius it is like was misinformed for Bishops have bin the chief devisers and advisers Bishops and Ministers of the Churches shall in divine service putt on the white and linnen garments which the Popish Priests use now in Poperie yea that it is to be feared least this fire be so kindled and cast its flame so farre and wide that all the Churches of that most large and mighty kingdome to the perpetuall disgrace of your most renowned Majesty be sett on a flaming fire seeing the most part of the Bishops men greatly renowmed for all kinde of learning and godlines had rather leave their office and place in the Church then against their owne conscience admit of such garments or at the least signes of Idolatry and Popish superstition and so defile themselves wiâ—h them and give offence to the weak by their example Now what other thing will this be then by retaining of these garments to destroy the whole body of the Church For without doubt that is Satans intent by casting a seed of dissentions amongst the Bishops And that hee aimed at the infancie of the Church by stirring up discord betweene the East and West Churches about the Passover and other Ceremonies of that kind Therfore Irenaeus Bishop of Lions had just cause in his Epistle sent out of France to Rome sharply to reprove Victor the Pope of Rome because he out of a kind of zeale but not according to knowledge was minded to excommunicate all the Churches of Asia because they celebrated not the Passeover just at the same time as they at Rome did For this was nothing but by an unseasonable desire to retaine the same Ceremonies in all Churches to rent and teare a peeces the unity of the Churches I therefore so soone as I heard that so great a ruine hanged over the Church of Christ in that kingdome presently in respect of that dutie which I owe to the Church of Christ to your gracious Majesty and to that whole kingdom intended to write thither and to try by my uttermost endevor whether so great a mischiefe might possibly be withstood some that feare Christ and wish well to your Majesty exhorting me to the performance of this duty But when I had scarcely
As if forsooth the Papists though we for peace sake admitted of all those things would ever amend their Doctrine and banish out of their churches or at any hand lay down their false and godlesse decrees manifest and abhominable superstitions and idolatries and there will be some who will answer such bookes once dispersed So of this English fire there will rise a a new burning flame in Germanie and France on which hot coles the Papists as so many Smiths a forging will sprinkle cold water to make the flame the more vehement And is not this a goodly benefite Who therefore doth not see that this counsell tends to the troubling of all Churches To conclude that golden saying of a certaine learned man is very true and certaine and approved by long experience that indifferent things that is the question about indifferent things is that golden apple of contention So much shall suffice to have spokeÌ„ of the troubling of publick peace what should I say of the consciences of private beleevers It is manifest that they are greatly troubled with this commandement to put on these linnen garments For they doe so greatly complain that their lamenting voyces and grones doe reach unto and are heard in Germany Now how grievous and distastfull an offence it is to trouble the consciences of the godly the holy Scripture sheweth partly when it commandeth that we make not the holy Spirit sad neither offend the weak ones partly when it threatneth griveous punishments against those who feare not to do these things partly also when it propoundeth the examples of the Saints and specially of Paul who speakes thus If meat offend my brother I le eat no flesh while the world standeth that I may not offend my brother For in those words he giveth a generall rule by his example taken out of the doctrine of Christ to wit that no indifferent thing is to be admitted and yeelded unto much lesse to be urged upon others and least of all to be commended by decree if in the admitting urging and commanding of it the minds of good men and consciences of the faithfull be offended for a tender conscience which feareth God is a thing most pretious and acceptable to God How therefore can that counsell be approved which would have a law established and proclaimed by the Princes command for the use of garments to be used by Ministers in the ministery For to speak many things in few words if such garments be to be propounded to the faithfull they are to be propounded either as indifferent or as necessary if the later wee doe ungodlily because we make those things necessary which Christ would have to be free If the former then are they to be left free to the Churches But by commanding and compelling we make things that be free and indifferent to be necessary and so fall into the same trespasse Moreover either they be ordained of God by Moses or they be delivered by Christ God manifested in the flesh or they be ordained by the holy Ghost working and speaking in the Apostles or they are of men either godly or wicked Those Ceremonies Leviticall garments which were ordained of God by Moses ought all of them to have an end after the death of Christ as the Scriptures shew plainly especially the Epistles of Paul to the Coloss. and Hebr. therfore they cannot be revoked and called back without the transgression of Gods will It cannot be sayd that Christ taught them because there is no word extant to that end but rather he taught plainly oftentimes that all Moses his Ceremonies were ended And the same I affirme concerning the Apostles It remaines therefore that they be sayd to be of men If they be from godly men then were they ordained of them either to edification or for order and comelines But they availe not to edification that is to further comelines but rather tend to the overthrow of it as we saw before neither for any good order but rather they tend to disorder for there is a confusion of godly wicked Bishops wheras it is meet and equall that one of them be discerned from another even by their garments also Neither doe they make Christs spouse comely as we shewed a little before Therfore we ought not to yeeld unto them And such things as have beene invented by men voyd of Gods Spirit doe nothing appertaine to us Lastly the Apostles used not these garments For we have no authenticke testimony Now the church is to be fashioned after the rule of that Apostolicall Church in Ceremonies and garments as well as in Doctrine What doe wee then with these garments in the Church By whose authority can they be approved What profit or wholsome use can the Christian people have by them But on the contrary we have shewed that godlinesse is weakened by them the pure worship of God is violated Popish superstiâ—ion is by little and little called back the godly be offended the wicked be confirmed and hardened in their ungodlinesses the weak in faith are brought into hazard of their salvation there are occasions of many evills given Monkes and other Popish preachers are hereby helped to confirme their followers in their superstition the wrath of God is provoked against us those things which God would have to be destroyed are hereby builded againe by us the whole face of the Church is defiled and disgraced there is a foule sinne committed against honest and good lawes forbidding the putting on of strange outlandish garments and so the whole Church is dishonoured Besides the publicke peace of the Church yea of many churches is troubled one Bishop is set against another the consciences of the godly are troubled and the minds of good men are offended Gods spirit is made sad in them and this apple of contention is cast as it were upon the table of the Gods Now seeing the matter stands thus most gracious Queene not onely I but all my fellow-ministers and all the godly prostrate before you intreat your Majesty and for Iesus Christs sake whom we are perswaded you love from your heart we humbly beseech your Majesty not to embrace that counsell aforesayd neither to give eare to such counsellors For these counsells most godly Queene are not for the good of that your church and kingdome nor for the honor of your Majesty seing they neither serve to the increase of godlinesse nor to the retaining of the honesty of the Church neither to the preservation of publick peace but rather very greatly weaken all these good things In making 3 sorts oâ— officers afterwards Bishops Seniors or Elders and Deacons hee mâ—st take the word Biâ—hop in the scriâ—tuâ—◠〈◊〉 as 〈…〉 which your Princely Majesty ought chiefly to stand for Let your Majesty rather bend all your thoughts authority and power hereunto that first and above all you may have Bishops who be truly godly and well exercised in the holy Scriptures as by the blessing of God