great disturbance of the Church there f The copy of the letter is extant in Dr Cowcls brief answer to Mr Burges Reasons p. 69. he wrote back unto him in this milde yet passionate manner Alas that our brother Knox cannot bear with our Book of Common-Prayer in matters against which although I grant a man of wit and learning may finde to make some colourable exceptions yet I suppose he cannot soundly by the Word of God disprove any thing in it Bishop Iewell in his Apology for the Church of England professeth g â—â—el Apol. pro ceeâ—â—sia Angl. Accessimus quantum maxime potuimus ad ceelesiam Aposâ—lâ—rum vâ—tevum Catholicorum Episcoporum Patrum nec tanâ—um doctrinam nostram sed etiam Sacramenta precumque publicarum formam ad corum râ—us instituta diâ—eximus That in our Doctrine Discipline and Service we come as neer as we could possibly to the Apostolicall Church and ancient Catholike Bishops M. Dering in a book of his called A spare restraint makes this challenge to Mr. Harding look saith h Derings answer of Hardings Epist tâ—â—uell fol. 5. he if any line be blameable in our Service and take hold of your advantage our Service is good and godly every tittle grounded upon holy Scripture and with what face dare you call it darknesse Lastly Dr. Taylor was so in love with the Service-Book that he i Acts and Monâ—fol 1385. I might adde to these that at Franckford when some exiles disliked our Service Book and some of our Church ceremonies other most reverend persons stood strongly for them as Thomas Leaver Iohn Mullins Iohn Parkhurst Lausence Humfrey Iames Pilkington Alexander Nowell Iames Haddon Edwin Sands Edâ—â—â—â—d Grindall c. who being exiles at Franckford wrote to the like exiles at Zurick perswading them to stand to the death for defence of our Church service and ceremonies and Master Fox was one of them that subscribed to the letter Discourse of the troubles at Franckford Fol. 16 17 22 23. c. used it to his comfort all the time of his imprisonment and at his Martyrdom commended it as the last token of his love to his dear wife And these men were in that age the Diamonds of the Churches ring and many of them sealed the truth they held not onely with danger and exile but with their blood Yet now he is but a mean silly man in repute that cannot spy much superstition much Popish trash and idolatry in that godly book which the holy Martyrs and best learned men of our Church k And not onely of our Church but sâ—me also of forregin Churches as Alexander Alesius a worthy Scotsman of great account and note who much commends our Book of Common prayer and the ordering of our Church according thereunto calling it praeclarissimum divinum factum and he complaineth that any contentious mindes should move any to mislike it and saith that the contention of brethren about this Book comes from the divel who failing one way seeks another way to do mischief to the Church Proem before his translation of the Common-prayer Book in Script Anglican Bucer fol. 373 375. then living did highly commend and approve to be in all things agreeable to the Word of God and to the most ancient and best reformed Liturgyes in all ages Polycarps speech shall end this point O Deus in quae tempora reservastinos Oh God for what times hast thou reserved us wherein that Service of thine which hath heretofore had the high approbation applause and commendation of many learned Divines and glorious Martyrs is now in every Parish almost thorowout the Kingdome neglected vilified contemned as popish and superstitious by persons of mean quality meaner knowledge I beseech those who have power in their hand to redresse things amisse both in the Church and State that they would not suffer this sacred Form of Gods Service to be exposed any longer to the carelesse neglect to the proud contempt and scorn of newfangled and misaffected persons whose particular exceptions against it or any passage in it have received full particular abundant satisfaction by the learned pens of l Many things our non-conformists say are â—â—â—ssâ— many instances they give of things in our Common-prayer not agreeable as they pretend with the Word of God It hath in their eye too great affinitie with the forme of the Church of Rome it differeth too much from that which Churches elsewhere reformed allow and observe it is not or derly read nor gestured as beseemeth attire disgraceth it it requireth nothing to be done which a childe may not lawfully do it hath a number of short cuts or shreddings which may be better called wishes then prayers it intermingleth prayings and readings c. it is too long and by that means abridgeth preaching it appointeth the people to say after the Minister it spendeth time in singing and in reading the Psalms by course from side to side it useth the Lords-prayer too oft the Song of Magnif Beaedictus and Nâ—nc dimittis it might very well spare it hath the Letany Creed of Athanasius and Gloria Patri which are supersluous it craveth earthly things too much some things it asketh unseasonably as deliverance from thunder and tempest when no danger is high Some in too diffident manner as that God would give us that which we for our unworthynesse dare not aske Some which ought not to be desired as deliverance from sudden death riddance from all adversity and the extent of â—aving mercy towards all men all which exceptions Hooker answereth punctually and fully and so as may give any intelligent and indicious Reader abundant satisâ—action Lib 5. p 241 242 c. Hooker Cowell Hutton Fisher c. II Now secondly for the Ceremonies as they are used in our Church howsoever some do take offence at them yet they can give no just offence for we put no merit no matter of salvation no worship of God in them we use them not for exercises of piety but onely for m These ceremonies are retained for a discipline and order which upon iust causes may be altered and changed and therefore are not to be esteemed equall with Gods Law in the Preface before the Book of Common-prayer Vain then and ignorant is there doubt that think our ceremonies are imposed as parts of Gods proper worship order and decency according to that generall Church Canon of the Apostles wherein he prescribes that all things in the Church be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 which Apostolicall Canon being a Canon of Canons by which all Ecclesiasticall Canons are to be n Râ—gnla est ad quam omnia quae ad exâ—ernam politiam spectant exigere conveait Calv. in Loc. regulated and squared cals for comelinesse and order in the Church and requires that all outward duties of Gods publike worship and service be performed in the face of the Church after a decent comely and
orderly manner Comelinesse becomes all actions but more especially religious actions and is duely to be observed in all places but chiefly in the Church which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the School of comelynesse as Clemens Romanus calls it lib. 8. cap. 31. For the Church is Gods House the place of his speciall presence and if men be carefull in the presence chamber of an earthly King to do nothing uncomely or unbeseeming the respect which they owe to so great a Majesty much more ought we to be carefull in the House of God which is the presence Chamber of the King of Kings to do nothing uncomely or unbeseeming so great and sacred a Majesty And as all things in the Church are to be done decently or in a comely fashion so are they to be done orderly for where disorder is there is tumult and confusion but where order is there is discipline and peace t is S. Ambrose glosse upon the forecited Canon of the Apostle by vertue of which Canon the Apostle gives power and authority to all Christian Churches to make orders to ordain rites and ceremonies for the more decent and orderly performance of Gods publike service and wills all who live under the Government of such particular Churches obediently to conform themselves to the orders of the Church wherein they live First the former Rule or Canon prescribed by the Apostle is saith Pareus of very great importance Et universaliter ad ecclesiam pertinens and doth universally concern all Christian Churches thoroughout the world decorum enim ordinem eorum arbitrio relinquit for it leaves all matters of outward order and decency in the Church to the free disposall of Church Governours When the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all things be done ritus externos in libertate nostra ideo reliquit ne putaremus culeum dei illis inclusum he leaves the ordering of all externall or ceremonious rites in every particular Church to their free power and determination least we should deeme them essentiall parts of Gods worship and of absolute necessity to salvation saith Calvin in the judgement then both of Calvin and Pareus every Christian Church hath warrant from the forecited Apostolicall Canon to ordain o These things the Lord left to the liberty of every Church pattly because they are not of the substance of his worshâ—p but adiuncts onely partly because one form therof cannot fit every Country but must be varyed and applyed to severall nations and times as shall be found most convenient thus teacheth S Hâ—erome Eâ—ist 28. concluding with this saying unaquaeque pâ—ovincia abundet in sensu suo thus S. August Epist 86.118.119 and thus Zanchius the great reformed Schooleman Tom. 8. loc 16. de tradit ecclesiast pag 821 c. externall rites and ceremonies and to make ecclesiasticall Lawes and Canons for the more decent and orderly performance of all religious duties in their publike assemblyes That their is such a power left to each Church and to Church Governours it is evident for if every man might do what he list and serve God at what time in what place after what manner he pleased or according to his own humour and fancy what other can be the issue and sequell of such licentious and unrestrained liberty but infinite distraction and disorderly confusion in the Church For the preventing of which we must of necessity grant if we will be reasonable that each Christian Church hath power to make lawes and to ordain rites for decency and orders sake and to command and force her children obediently to observe them And their is not any reformed Church but is of this minde they all with one consent hold this opinion that it is not necessary ecclesiasticall rites and ceremonies should be in all places alike but that they may be divers in divers Countries and Churches so that nothing be ordained against Gods Word that this is the judgement of our Church is plain from the 34. Article that all reformed Churches are of the same judgement with ours M. Rogers in his explication of that Article makes it manifest by particular instances And reflect your eyes back to the primitive times and you shall finde that even in those dayes every particular Church was allowed to have those orders and ceremonies which she in her wisedome thought most fitting and convenient So we read that some Churches used to receive the Sacrament thrice others twice a week others onely upon the Lords day some Churches gave the Eucharist in the morning some at even Aug. Epist 118. ad Ian. some Churches did dip the infant baptized thrice in the water others but once onely as Tertullian witnesseth de Coron milit cap. 3. all which Churches notwithstanding the diversity of these or the like ceremonies were the true Churches of God and held Union and Communion one with another Dissonantia in his non sustulit consonantiam fidei they knew that although the Kings daughter were all glorious within yet her cloathing was wrought about with needle work of divers colours by which needle work of divers colours q Sit una si les universae quae â—â—iqu dilatatul ecclesiae tanquam intus in memmis etiam si ipsa sidei unitas quibusdâ—m divâ—rsis obsâ—rvatio 〈◊〉 celebratur quiâ—us â—udo modo quod in side vorum est impeditur Omnis enim puâ—â—â—â—â—udo filiae Regis intrinsecus illae autem observatioâ—es quae variae celebrantur in eius veste intelliguntur unde dicitur in fimbâ—iis auâ—eis circumaâ—â—icta vâ—rictaâ—â— sâ—dea quoque vestis ita diversis celebratiombus varietur ut non adversis contentionâ—bus dâ—ssipetur Aug. Epist 86. ad casul S. Augustine understands the diverfity of ceremonies in particular Churches and if the judgement of one or two Churches must be hearkened unto and may not be despised or contradicted rashly much more ought the judgement of all reformed Churches to be regarded Certainly for a few persons to call in question that which hath been held for a truth at all times in the true Churches of God argues such singular persons to be singularly proud and possessed with a spirit of contradiction I will conclude this point with the q This is not the doctrine of Calvin onely but it is the constant doctrine of all Oâ—thodoxe Divines and Churches both ancient and modern that God hath sufficiently and perspicuously delâ—vered the whole substance of his own proper worship and all things necessary to mans salvatiâ—n in the holy Scrâ—ptures and that these things must evermore be unalterably the same in all Churches but the cirâ—â—mstances and ceremonies of his publike worship as of place time ornaments gestuâ—e c he hath left to the wisedome of every nationall Church to determine and make choice of so that all things be done according to the Canon of Canons delivered by S. Paul 1 Cor. 14.40 judgement and resolution of judicious Calvin who in the fourth of his institutions Cap.
ceremonies as they are rightly styled by the reverend and learned Bishop of Duresme it is an offence taken not given and he that taketh offence where none is given must answer for it both as the giver and as the taker all that we can do is to be sorry for it that they should be offended without just cause but we may not redeem the offence of private persons by our disobedience to publike Governous for the rule is certain that where lawfull authority determineth our liberty their the respect of private scandall ceaseth and that restraint which proceedeth from speciall duety is Superiour to that which proceedeth but from common charity the duties which we owe to our Governours by way of justice are more strictly obligatory then those which we owe to private persons onely by way of charity as I could prove by many convincing arguments were it needfull For a close and up shot of this point I wish from my heart that men now a dayes had more of the Spirit of conformity and obedience to a In his Book of the three Innocent Coremonies the constitutions and commands of lawfull authority and that they would respectively observe the prescribed orders and ceremonies of the Church according to the Churches prescription which they may do without prejudice to their Christian liberty without danger of idolatry superstition or giving any the least just occasion of scandall and which they cannot refuse to do but they must become guilty of disobedience irregularity and of non-conformity to the b Our ceremonies make the very outward face of our Church as like as may be to the most ancient and purest Churches which yeelded so many thousand Martyrs for the testimony of the truth in their times Iud. Aâ—ol ancient Church in the primitive and purer times who used all or most of these ceremonies which we use in the same manner that we use them and shall we defert and condemn Antiquity to please a few novelists ill affected to the discipline of our Church who under a pretence of hating Idols perswade men to commit sacrilege to rob God of his due service and the Church c Malach 38. Will a man â—ob God yet ye have robâ—ed me but ye say wherein have we robbed thee in tithes and offerings of her patrimony which cannot safely be alienated or applyed to any other use then that for which it was principally intended as I undertook to shew in the third place III. It is well known and confessed that the state of the Clergy in every good Common-wealth hath had its lot and portion not onely spirituall in the Lord but also temporall in the Common-wealth being a state of men as of the best desert if they do their duties so not to be fed by the Aire as the Cameleons are but by the fruits and increase which proceed from the earth and other tithes and offerings and therefore they have had allotted them by the law of nature as Melchisedech had Gen. 14.20 by the law of Moses as the Priests had Levit. 27.32 Numb 18.21 Deut. 26.12 13. by the allowance of our Saviour Christ haec oportet fieri you ought to give tithes even of the hearbs that grow in Gardens Matth. 23.23 and by civill and provinciall lawes in Christianity have they had allotted them not onely the tithes of the fruit of the earth because they have bellies to be fed and backs to be cloathed and families to be maintained but they had there Cities and there Lands belonging to them amongst the Jewes and also their parts in the sacrifices and offerings and amongst Christians there demaines temporalties and speciall priviledges yea they had their speciall priviledges amongst the heathen for when Ioseph bought all the land of the Subjects in Egypt the Priests land was not sold Gen. 47.28 that became not Pharaohs And were not men deeply infected with a spice of d Plato saith that the Sacriligious hold one of these three things either that Godis not oâ— that he regardâ—th not the â—â—ings alone by mâ—n or that he will be easily reconciled to them that sacrilegiously â—ob him Lâ—b 10. de legibus infidelity they would not touch or meddle with that portion which is allotted to God and his Ministers they would not turn that to private uses which belongeth to the Church or Churchmen they would not desire to reap that which they never sowed nor take away that which they never gave they would not make the Monuments of their forefathers liberalities the eternall testimonies of their sacrilegious robberies it is a lesson set down in the rules of the law quod semel deo dicatum non est ad usus humanos ulterius transferendum that which hath been once dedicated unto God is not any more to be transferred to the uses of men quae recte data sunt eripi non licet and that things well given must not be taken back or be employed to civill or prophane uses Calvin in an Epistle of his to that most Reverend Father Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury complaineth Quod praedae expositi sunt ecclesiae reditus that the Church revenews were made a prey and he calls it malum sane intollerabile an evill or mischief intollerable no way to be endured Bentius in an Epistle prefixed before his Homilies on the Acts saith that not onely Antichrist by his impiety and the Turk by his cruelty threaten the destruction of the Church but those also saith he seek the utter subversion thereof qui occupationibus direptionibus facultatum ecclesiasticarum adolescentes à studio sacrarum literarum deterrent who by invading and spoiling the Churches possessions do deterre young Students from the study of Divinity for although saith he the Church of Christ being built upon a rock doth not absolutely need the aide of externall riches tamen hiqui facultates ecclesiasticas deripiunt in privatum suum usum transferunt depraedationibus suis id efficiunt quo pauciores sacris literis operam dent ad obeunda publica munera erudiantur profecto ecclesiam dei quantum in ipsis est evertunt devastant yet forasmuch as they who spoil the Church of her possessions and put them to their private use do by there spoil and robbery bring matters so to passe that fewer will addict themselves to the study of Divinity or be trained up to the publick functions thereof as much as in them lye they overthrow and lay waste the Church of Christ and this he stiles non ferendam barbariem a Barbarism not to be suffered Gualter on the 21. of S. Lukes Gospel speaking of the poor Widdows two mites cast into the Treasury and our Saviours preferring them before the greater gifts of the richer sort Forasmuch saith he as Christ is wont to behold such things we must remember that he also seeth them qui opes ecclesiasticas sacrilega manu ad se rapiunt who with sacrilegious hands take the Church goods unto