so farre foorth onely as they agree and consent 4 They alleadge the vngrounded opinions of some priuate fathers we their trueth so farreforth as they agree to Gods word and examples of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles 5 They insist vpon Fathers further from the Apostles from Apostolicall and Primitiue purity wee most of all insist on those who were most neere to the Apostles as being most pure and free from Antichristian contagion 6 They are only for the former Fathers we bring the consent of all our later worthy Fathers and teachers of the most reformed and purest Churches of the world Obiect This were to giue and to ascribe as much to man as to God to make them the grounds and iudges of our faith or practise yea it is so farre from being a sinne to sway from all iudgements that it is a sinne to iudge that all iudgements should bee the rule of our consciences Answ This obiection is both vnfit and vntrue It is vnfit because the argument concludeth not that they are or that we should make them the grounds and iudges of our faith and practise But that it is an errour and a sinne to condemne the whole Church of Christ for teaching errour and for practising and maintaining sinne Next it is an vntruth to call the whole company of Saints and spirituall persons Man opposed vnto God Which appeareth further by considering the aequiuocation of the word Man For man is taken either for meere man i a carnall man or to the poynt a company of carnall men prophane ignorant and erronious which cannot know nor perceiue the things of God because they are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2 14. and so it is true if the case were thus that wee should put the iudgement of this thing to a company of carnall persons for in this case it is sayde that all men are lyers Rom. 3. 4. But there is also the spirituall man which hath vnderstanding to iudge what other men do say 1. Cor. 10. 15. and discerneth all things euen the deepe things of God Psal 25. 14. 9. 1. Cor. 2. 15. 10. 12. Dan. 12. 10. Iohn 7. 17. 1. Iohn 2. 27. The consent in iudgement of which company is not to be termed a company of men opposed against God But such as being built one the foundation of the Prophets Apostles and Christ the corner stone Eph. 2. 20. are also called by holy the Ghost in this respect the pillar and ground of trueth 1. Tim. 3. 15. Obiect A priuate man may see a truth which a great many Godly men may not discerne Answ Though a priuate man may see more into some trueth and explicate or confirme it better than many other yet it were absurd to say that one man might see more then all the faithfull all godly learned Teachers all true Churches that euer were in the world for the rule is good which Lyrinensis giueth Nouè non noua The Papists take the Church for onely persons in office as Pope Cardinall Bishops and Abbots and other Doctors gathered in a Councill and it was well maintained by Gerson that a priuate man by the light of Gods word may see more then they all And the reeson is plaine First because those persons haue many wayes prooued themselues to be carnall and prophane and not able to discerne the things of God which are spiritually to be discerned And againe because they iudge not as it was inioined to the Priest in the law Secundum legem Deut. 17. 11. and so there can be no light in them Esa 8. 20. But the case in question is quite opposite to this in either part and therefore this obiection toucheth not the point Obiect The whole Church of God may erre in some circumstantiall matters All visible Churches may erre in matters not fundamentall The consent of Churches and of the faithfull teachers according to Gods word a rule of fundamental truths that is of al such truths as may quiet a mans conscience it is not so in matters of circumstance Answ 1 Wee hold rightly against the Papists that all particular Churches may erre whereupon wee assume and inferre But the Roman Church is a particular Church Therefore it may erre But that the Catholique Church taken in the sence that our part doe explicate it i for the company of the faithfull in all ages it was neuer holden by any sound diuine But the cleane contrary 2 Though the iudgement of all true Churches in matters fundamentall be infallible because without fundamentalls they could not be Churches and againe albeit all particular Churches may erre in matters circumstantiall and ceremoniall yet it is an hard speach to say that the generall or Catholique Churches or company of the faithfull in all ages haue generally consented in an error neither can there possibly on instance be shewed of such a point no not of a circumstantiall point 3 The depriued Ministers hold it a sinne in nature to practise the ceremonies prescribed in our Church or the like but sinne in nature is a thing substantiall in the practise whereof a mans conscience cannot bee quieted and therefore if the iudgements of all Churches bee brought against them either they must confesse their doctrine in this point to be an error or else that the whole general Church since Christ haue erred fundamentally which is not farre from haeresy and blasphemy and I earnestly do pray them to consider of this poynt Obiect Churches and fathers haue exceedingly differed among themselues in all times heere should wee make their iudgement and consent to bee a rule of our doctrine and practise Answ This is soone answered because I speake not of their differences or of the things wherein they are deuided but only of such things wherein they all consent and agree as namely they all agree that the Christian Sabbath must bee sanctified and that from the ground and in memoriall of Christ his resurrection for they agree that al the bookes of Scripture are the word of God and in the point in question they agree that Churches may vary in their ceremonies and discipline and yet retaine their peace one with another And that ceremonies as inconuenient as our ceremonies are supposed to be in some respect fit to be abolished yet may they be retained and ought to be practised to preuent the diuision of brethren disquiet of the Church hinderance of the Gospel and there are few points wherein they agree more constantly then in this Obiect We are commanded to call no man our teacher vpon earth because one is our Doctor and teacher euen Christ Mat. 23. 8. 10. there is one law giuer Iam. 4. 12. Answ This obiection is much vrged by Brownists as some of the others are But what will they conclude from hence surely if any such thing it must be this Therefore we may not make the iudgement of the Fathers or whatsoeuer men in earth a rule of our conscience And indeed I say
CASSANDER ANGLICANVS Shewing THE NECESSITY OF CONFORMITIE TO THE PRESCRIBED CEREMONIES OF OVR CHVRCH In Case of Depriuation By IOHN SPRINT Minister of Thornbury in Glocester-Shire sometimes of Christ Church in Oxon. MATTH 12. 7. I will haue mercie and not sacrifice LONDON Imprinted by IOHN BILL ANNO M. DC XVIII TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL Mr. DOCTOR GOODWIN Deane and to the Canons of the Colledge of CHRIST-CHVRCH in Oxon. FOr dedication of this booke to you R. w. I had direction frō the Riuers who Eccles 1. 7. empt themselues into the Seas from whence they came To you by whose Reuerend praedecessors I was in common consent chosen scholler into Christ-Church by whom that small modell of Learning which I haue if I haue any thing in mee which may be called Learning was deriued to me and by whom I was of free donation without bribe or sute first placed in my pastorall charge Then you I haue no greater patrones for you I haue no greater gift And this I offer to your view your censure your memoriall God euer graunt you so to blesse the Colledge of Christ-church by your free elections and elocations that the Church of Christ may euer blesse God for you and your selues may feele the comfort of your well-doing in this life and find the fruit thereof in the life to come London 27 of April M. DC XVIII Who am euer at your seruice in CHRIST IO. SPRINT TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Mr. SAMVEL BVRTON Archdeacon of the Diocesse of Gloucester SIR AS it pleased you to appoint mee a certaine time to giue answere of my purpose or refusal of Conformitie So I haue at last resolued to offer it vnto you in these my Letters Confessing ingenuously for some respects seeming weighty to my poore iudgement my vnwillingnesse thereto if by any meanes I might auoide it Howbeit seeing I see the sway of Authoritie ouer-ruling and inforcing thereunto partly in obedience to it and partly for other more important reasons swaying my Conscience I giue you to vnderstand that I am resolued to Conforme To the which resolution I confesse I was the rather drawen by the mixture of your discreete proceedings yet not so much driuen thereunto by your publike authoritie as drawen by your priuate lenitie and kindnesse and vndeserued respect vnto my meannesse I being well acquainted with the common condition of mans will which may be induced when it cannot be inforced And I trust with equall good conscience and successe to proceede and continue in seruice vnto God and to his Church in this my Conformitie as before I did in not Conforming And I heartily wish that in the like case all others did the like This I can say that my indeauours haue not beene wanting to perswade others wherein I haue preuailed with not a few And I am perswaded that if my reasons of this point might see the light authoritie giuing way thereunto it would more preuaile to induce men of contrarie iudgement then many other bookes penned to that purpose Not for any worth of Art or reading that is in them more then others my selfe being the meanest of many thousands for a matter of this nature But partly in respect of the qualitie of the penner which haue beene I confesse a Non-conformitan and partly because of the conclusion prooued which inforceth the imputation of a sinne vpon the sufferers of silencing for not conforming a matter which of all things the Ministers of this kinde will least indure And partly also for the sufficiency of the Truth presented in those reasons Now if any shall thinke the booke vnfit to bee published because it reacheth not home to prooue the conueniency or necessitie of the Ceremonies themselues they may bee pleased to consider that this position of mine being onely proposed by way of presupposall concludeth nothing to crosse that I haue endeauoured to prooue this others whose knowledge and dexteritie is greater haue libertie to prooue further if they please But this I may more then probably affirme that the very most of not conforming Ministers will hearken vnto this when I am assured they will not vnto that My reasons I offer to your Learned view and correction of authoritie If any thing bee found in them hindering the passage thereof I wish it bee censured with a Deleatur For that my intention is not rashly to thrust out any thing offensiue to authoritie but that which may bee to the profit of the Church Which I humbly desire of God in this and al other mine indeauours for his owne names sake To whose sauing grace in Christ I commend you with many thankes for your many vndeserued fauours This 21. of October 1617. Thornebury By yours humbly at command in Christ IO. SPRINT TO THE READER EVery part of Trueth is precious euen the least as the least graine of muske is sweete Because it is the Trueth Because Gods Truth and because small errors intertained against small Trueths haue often euill sometimes pernicious effects Which last appeareth in the controuersie of our Ceremonies the sparkles of which difference haue growen vnto great flames in this our Church Where the fault is as God knoweth so the day will try and God will one day iudge But difference of apprehensions hath brought foorth difference of iudgements and difference of iudgements hath brought forth difference of practise and disagreement in affection The difference of practise hath mooued Authority to silence and suppresse refusers of Conformitie The disagreement in affection hath mooued the Ministers depriued to speake euil of persons in authority and of Conformers Whereby in the euent the course of the Gospell is interrupted and of Popery enlarged the friends of Sion are grieued the enemies reioyced the Deuill gratified and God not pleased The Church is rent with Schisme the Trueth scandalized by dissention the Ministers vndone by losse of liuing and the vnitie of brethren liuing in the same house professing the same Faith and reioycing in the same Hope is pulled in pieces And this like to continue God knowes how long but all men know the longer the worse For which cause I haue vndertaken this seruice to Gods Church to vnfold the state of this question which as yet hath not been so directly and distinctly handled in my opinion as it might by any that I know The Ministers haue heretofore laboured to proue the Ceremonies euill to be vsed and fit to be abolished but they neuer went about to prooue whether in case of Depriuation they ought to haue conformed which is the question directly concerning their case This is performed in this tractate and resolued by reason drawen from God and man from Scripture and Authority of all sorts which thou good Reader mayest perceiue if thy desire allure thee or thy patience will giue thee leaue to reade The occasion of my penning it was this At The occasion of penning this Treatise first being of aduersary iudgement to the Ceremonies I laboured as men doe
that are sicke of preiudice to gather all I could against them and abstained from the practise of them as from things simply euill But after hauing been indicted at a quarter Sessions for refusing to conforme by some of my Parish for my fidelity in opposing their disordered life I was occasioned to looke more neerely into the state of this question whether I might vse them with my peace in any case or not namely of necessity Depriuation I asked of my selfe two things whether I would rather suffer death then vse them in a Church professing the foundation and vrging them as things indifferent not pressing them as binding Conscience in themselues or as needfull to saluation And whether the execution of my Ministery which was pressed on my Conscience with a woe if I neglected it should not be as deare vnto me as my life Which questions when they put mee to a stand and that I could not well resolue vnto my selfe for the ill conceit I had against the Ceremonies I beganne to search into the iudgement of our best latter writers and the practise of reformed Churches from whence I went vnto antiquitie of primitiue and purer times where with one consent and harmonie of iudgement I found them for the practise of farre more and more offensiue Ceremonies then ours may bee supposed and chiefely in this case This was a ground to stay my iudgement and build my resolution From which when once I found it in con-conscience I could not in modestie I durst not depart in haste For with what shew or conscience should any man turne his backe in dislike or his face in opposition to the iudgement and practise of all Churches of Christ since the Apostles And from all those worthy Lights those Spirituall persons the Teachers of the Churches the champions of the Trueth the Masters of Religion by whom and by whom onely God had in all ages propagated his Gospell conuerted soules confirmed Veritie confuted Heresies and Errors builded Christes Church discouered and ouerthrowne the Church of Antichrist Chiefly seeing it is the iudgement not of one or two nor of some against some other but euen of All not One excepted which is of note or classicall authority And none against this iudgement excepting conuicted and condemned Hereticks and Schismaticks such as Donatists Anabaptists and our latter Brownists From thence I looked into the reasons mouing them vnto this iudgement that practise which in this Tractate are set downe So that here is no nouelty broached or fancy of mine owne proposed to thy view Christian reader but Antiquity and Vniuersality not Papall but Euangelicall according to the Scripture not of Carnall but Spirituall persons which may bee to thy Conscience as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The causes of publishing are principally three respecting Causes of publishing the trueth the Ministers my brethren and my selfe The publication of this booke concerneth the trueth in two respects First because it is a questioned trueth which may not bee concealed without iniury to God and to his Church and it is a sin of no light nature to withhold the trueth in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. next it is a profitable trueth which may occasion some Ministers to enter which dare not for conformitie and others to returne which are depriued for not conforming to the Ceremonies both tending to the benefit and edification of Gods Church For what greater profit may there be then that which is opposed to the greatest mischiefe For as it pleaseth God to saue them that beleeue 1 Cor. 1. 21. prou 29. 18. by preaching so where no vision is the people perish Secondly it respecteth the ministers of two sorts First such as are depriued on whom these reasons doe inforce a sinne for not conforming in the case of depriuation and it is very scandalous for Ministers professing sinceritie of Christ his Gospel to haue begunne and to continue in a wrong course neither can they approoue their conscience before God or man to beginne and to remaine in error and not amend when they see a better way Then it concerneth the Ministers that haue conformed in this case both because it serueth to cleere the innocencie of sundry godly teachers that haue conformed to preuent their depriuation which are hardly thought of and traduced as backsliders and betrayers of Gods cause And if this trueth were knowen they would not haue condemned innocents As also because it is meete that the hearts of such as haue conformed of feare and are wounded with griefe should bee relieued this trueth seruing to quiet their afflicted conscience which must not bee neglected Lastly it respecteth my selfe and that two wayes First because by suppressing of this veritie I should wrap my selfe in the guilte of a two fold sin namely vnthankfulnesse to God vnrighteousnesse to man For why hath God opened my eyes to see this truth but to that end I should reueale it vnto others And it were vnrighteousnesse and hatred to my Leu. 19. 17. brethren to suffer them to sin and not to shew them of it to see them to wander and not to point vnto the right way Lastly it were iniquitie to my selfe to suffer my Ministerie to be euill spoken of for practising the trueth there being scandall taken farre and neere at the alteration of my iudgement and profession of my purpose to conforme rather then to suffer depriuation which I may lawfully and must also of some necessitie preuent To this I adde the respect I haue vnto our Schismatickes the Brownists whose errors are hereby discouered and their false conclusions ouerthrowne Obiections answered But it will bee said I am in error If so it shall the easier be confuted And when any man hath shewed it to be error hee may the more safely call it so And I shall bee the rather induced to confesse it so to be It will be well and more agreeing to the comfort of mens consciences and more fitted to the rekconing they must giue to bee aduised before they so conclude it Howbeit if I erre it is with such company with whom in some case I had rather erre as one speaketh then thinke or know the trueth with some other Neither can I bee perswaded neither will any man proue easily that all true Churches of Christ of all ages agreeing in a pointe haue agreed in an error But thus good men receaue disgrace that stand against the Ceremonies To this I say that no man can no good man will esteeme the trueth to bee his owne disgrace It is a grace by seeing error to acknowledge it It is an honour vnto God to disgrace our selues by gracing and embracing of his trueth Can any man preferre his credit to Gods dishonour and redeeme it with the shipwracke of the trueth O but I lay a sinne vnto the charge of all the Ministers depriued And to this I say they lay a sinne vpon their brethren not inferiour to themselues that haue
a lesser sinne for to performe a duety that is greater Answere First the doctrine of the proposition remaineth true notwithstanding this obiection For the case is proposed not of a sinne and a duetie but of two dueties being considered a part being both commanded of God and there is no such case wherein a greater duetie is to bee neglected for the performance of a lesser which also is in reason absurd Secondly to the instance of preaching in a naked manner I say that in this case there are two things to bee considered Necessitie and Decency if then he cannot preach naked but with the perill of his life he ought to refuse preaching it being a case of necessity and mercy is better then sacrifice But if his life will consist with his naked preaching hee ought to preach notwithstanding the scandall or indecencie if there bee no other meanes admitted for his preaching 1 Because a mans naked body being considered as it is naked it is the good creature of God and is not indecent to be looked on but to vncleane and vaine mindes it is decent enough to the pure 2 Because the gayning of soules and meanes of mans saluation is a duety of farre greater reason and waight then the auoyding of an inconuenient circumstance of scandall or of seeming indecencie arising only by accident not from the nature of the obiect and the like case is of the practise of our Ceremonies to redeeme the libertie of preaching to the place Rom. 3. 8. which sheweth that we may not doe the least euill to compasse the greatest good I say that to the present purpose wee may consider euill two manner of wayes For first euill is either that which is formally simply and in nature euill which no circumstance can amend As to redeeme preaching vpon condition of blaspheming God Inuocating the Deuill committing of idolatry periury idultery teaching of heresie or the like the which kind of euill is intended by the Apostle and may not bee done at any hand for the gayning of the greatest good 2 Againe euill may bee taken for that which is onely circumstantially ceremonially or accidentally euill which kind of euill may in some cases bee practised without sinne namely in case of superior reason at what time it is improperly called euill That this is so appeareth in the Priests who brake the Sabbath in Dauid who did that which was not lawfull for him to doe and yet were blamelesse and innocent Mat. 12. 4 5. 7. Also in the practise of Iewish inconuenient and many wayes euill Ceremonies which practise was so farre from being euill in that case that it was good and necessary Act. 15. 28. 29. touching this obiection see more at the end of the argument Obiect Mordecay refused to bow and performe the gesture of reuerence to Haman yea though hee were commanded by the King Hest 3. 1 2 3. by which refusall of obedience to a ceremoniall hee violated two greater dueties One was the Kings command and the other was the hazard of his life and destruction of the Church of the Iewes and thereby for performance of a lesser duetie hee did violate a greater Answ Either this gesture was Spirituall or Ciuill if the former hee ought to auoide spirituall adoration to a creature an heathen a wicked person an Amalekite and an enemy of the Church which is a sufficient and the true answere and thus doe all interpreters vnderstand this place thus the Hebrew glosse thus the Apocryphall prayer in the additions to Hester Lyra Vataplus Iunius Drusius Merlyne vpon these places If the latter either his action was euill or good if euill in disobeying the Magistrate in a thing indifferent it is impertinently alledged if well the reason is vnknowne and not expressed wee cannot iudge of the qualitie of the dueties compared if he did refuse this reuerence 1 Because hee was of the Amalekites which were especially cast out by God Exod. 11. 14. Deut. 25. 7. Num. 24. 7. 2 Because an open prophane person a malitious and professed aduersary of Gods Church 3 Because himselfe was a better man then Haman being the Queenes Vncle it may bee considerable whether hee did not well euen in this respect to refuse this reuerence Touching the hazard of his life and ruine of the Church it was vnknowne to Mordecai for Haman practised it because he did refuse it Obiect Daniel neglected a greater duety to performe a lesser for hee continued to pray three times a day kneeling vpon his knees his window being open towards Ierusalem notwithstanding that he knew that he should die for doing it so hee preferred the ceremonie and circumstance of prayer which was a smaller duetie before the safety of his life which was a greater Dan. 6. 10. Also the Iewes chose rather to die then to eate Swines flesh 2. Mac. 7. 1. and 6. 8. preferring obseruance of a ceremoniall duetie before their life Answ To these instances I first demaund whether these bee brought therefore to conclude that therefore Ministers should rather die then to vse the Ceremonies prescribed in our Church And let it bee considered seriously by euery person truely fearing God whether they thinke it fit for another or could resolue himselfe to loose this life by being at a stake for none other cause then for refusing the prescribed Ceremonies especially in a true Church of Christ wherein there are otherwise a true confession of faith and sufficient meanes of their saluation If it should fall out that they would not die in such a case I would know further how then they could loose their Ministery for not vsing them seeing it were better for a Minister to loose his life then to loose the comfort of his Ministerie Act. 20. 24. 1. Cor. 9. 15. If they would rather suffer death then vse the Ceremonies let them shew the ground and comfort they should haue before the Lord in this proceeding If they alleadge these instances I wil shew to how small purpose they serue therein therefore I say that their cases doe farre differ from the case in question First they were controuersies depending betweene the heathen and professed enemies of Gods Church and betweene the people of Gods couenant and members of the Church our controuersies are in the Church and betweene professed louers and beleeuers in Christ Secondly they were cases of confession wherein they were called to confesse the trueth and religion of God amongst Gods enemies as also the necessitie of inuocation of Gods name and of obedience to Gods precepts With vs the doctrine of Ceremonies is true and according to Gods word and the parts of our generall confession in the Booke of Articles is agreeable to the word of God Thirdly the dueties were of exceeding great moment for the performance whereof they should haue hazarded and lost many liues Daniel stood in obedience of a maine substantiall duetie not Ceremoniall or circumstantiall of the first commandement namely prayer to God and praysing of his name
do vnfit Ceremonies destroy the power efficacy thereof Seuenthly Because the dutie of preaching is simply necessary both in respect of Gods particular command and also in respect of the preacher who is attended with a woe if he neglect 1. Cor. 9. 16. Hos 4. 6. and in respect of the people who are ordinarily by this meanes gathered edified and saued Ephes 4. 11 12 1. Cor. 1. 21 and doe perish if they haue it not Prou. 29. 18 Hos 4. 6. But the vsing of conuenient Ceremonies is not simply necessarie onely secundum quid for the sake of preaching to further and vphold it in which respect scandelous and dangerous ceremonies may be necessary to be inioyned and practised Act. 15. 28. 29. And with inconuenient and hurtful Ceremonies a Church may be a true church as the Apostolical Church of Antioch was as the most part of primitiue churches were and of reformed Churches vsing far worse ceremonies then ours are pretended to be Also a Christian may haue the being of a true Christian may so remaine standing in the true practise of faith repentance loue patience c. and in the assurance of his election adoption iustification and in that state may finally be saued albeit hee liue and die in the practise of as euill ceremonies as ours are supposed who if he should continue without the meanes of preaching the Word might haue great cause to doubt of all Eightly Because of their subordination for Ceremonies as before is noted and the determination of them doe serue the ordinance of preaching the Word and are by the Church to be determined as may best serue for the furtherance thereof so they be not formally in their nature impious in which respects as before is said it may be expedient to admit of very inconuenient and accidentally hurtfull Ceremonies namely for the furtherance of the Gospel edification of the church Else the Apostles by direction of the holy Ghost sinned in their doctrine and practise But the ordinance of preaching doth at no time serue fit Ceremonies neither should giue place by laboring against vnfit Thus from the nature now from their effects it doth in like sort appeare that the duty of preaching tieth the conscience with a farre greater bond then the duty of refusing of the prescribed Ceremonies First on the better part The benefit of preaching the Word is incomparably greater then the benefit of auoyding these or the like inconuenient Ceremonies By the preaching of the Word the Church hath name and being yea though Ceremonies as is noted be very inconuenient and doe remaine in the Church as timber hay and stuble vpon Christ the foundation Ceremonies be they euer so well ordered without preaching are of no force to giue name or being to the Church Now farre greater is the Churches being the progresse and liberty of the Gospell the publike vse of the meanes of new birth faith and saluation and the visibility of Christ his kingdome vpon earth then the auoyding of offence and such other inconueniences accidentall not inherent neither purposed by Ceremonies in their nature not euill but meerely indifferent the one bringing a publike good to the whole Church the inconuenience of the other but priuate to a few who take offence and in this case by their owne default Besides experience sheweth how God hath prospered multitudes of latter times that haue entred by conformitie in euery place and such who standing in their places haue with a grounded conscience not by sinister respects conformed to preuent their depriuation or to redeeme it being lost The Lord hath done as much good by them as by any Minister depriued by the conuersion confirmation consolation reclamation excitation edification I say not refusing Ceremonies speaking against Bishops pleading for Church discipline but in the maine doctrines and duties of sauing grace and goodnesse Gods blessing hath beene on them as much as euer before the Papists and enemies of righteousnesse haue beene no lesse vexed and conuinced yea Saints no lesse comforted and confirmed the Church no lesse fortified and the truth of the Gospell no lesse propagated if not much more And the reason hereof is plaine because experience sheweth that the Church is not builded vp but destroied rather afflicted consciences nothing quieted but troubled rather doubtful mindes not setled but distracted rather zealous mindes not rectified but disordered rather Papists and Brownists not wonne or conuinced but rather driuen further backe by the doctrine practise endlesse disputations of discipline ceremonies constitution of Churches and the like but by the sound doctrine essentiall practise of repentance from dead works faith in Christ loue patience and good works which sauing points of the mistery of godlinesse are more taught and better practised by simple hearts when the stumbling blockes of these lesse pertinent questions as Mint and Cummin in respect of Mercy and Iudgement are remoued or more sparingly and peaceably debated Secondly on the worser part The mischiefe offence and inconuenience of the Ministers depriuation for not conforming to the Ceremonies seemeth in reason and hath appeared in experience to bee more by many degrees then the scandall and inconueniences arising of conforming to redeeming of their preaching which thing appeareth First because the Papistes doe more reioyce the Godly are much more grieued the Libertines doe much more triumph and so are like to doe as they haue all more cause to behold the Gospel interrupted the trueth obscured the Church weakened the Ministers of God throwne out the flocke of Christ scattered and the visible kingdome of Christ diuided and dessolued then they would be to behold some inconuenient Ceremonies these greater things of the law remaining entire whereby Antichrist and sinne is dayly discouered and wasted and by the which trueth and pietie doe more encrease and preuaile Admit that by inconuenient Ceremonies the Church should bee blemished and the consciences of many scandalized yet in depriuation of teachers without supply of as good the Church of God tendeth to dessolution and vtter ruine yea the soules of all the people are endangered to perish Prouerb 29. 18. Hos 4. 6. Math. 15. 14. For without the preaching of the worde there is no publique ordinary meanes of saluation left and so by consequence no ordinary meanes of the hope of saluation though all both Minister and people should abstaine from these inconuenient Ceremonies Wheras so long as the word and Gospel preached doeth remaine Christ the foundation doeth remaine both in sound and doctrine 1. Cor. 3. 11. Ephe. 2. 20. as also in assured presence Matth. 18. 20. and 28. 20. the infinite value of whose blood clenseth from all sin 1. Ioh. 1. 7. and 5 12 howsoeuer the stubble of corrupt doctrine Ceremonies do remaine withall and so the Church both Minister and people retaining and laying hold on the foundation may bee saued though as by fire 1. Cor. 3. 15. Secondly experience teacheth vs what a decay of
is contrary to the law of loue The first point is of it selfe cleere ynough without any further proofe howbeit it appeareth by these reasoÌ„s that namely it is coÌ„tray to Gods word to do any thing coÌ„trary to the law of loue First because if loue be the fulfilling of the law Ro. 13. 8. 12. theÌ„ the violatioÌ„ of this law is the violatioÌ„ of the law of God which is a sin 1. cor 16. 14. al our things must be done in loue Secondly because of the fulfilling of the law of loue according to the scrip by wel doing for the Apost saith If ye fulfil it ye do wel Iam. 2. 10. theÌ„ the violatioÌ„ of the law is euil doing which is sin Thirdly because the violation of the law of loue is a breach of the end of the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t 1. Tim. 1. 5. 6. which is a sin Fourthly because the violatioÌ„ of the law of loue is a breach of the law of loue to God Io. 3. 17. 4. 20. 21. 5. 1. therefore a sin Fiftly Because the violation hereof putteth out the infallible and true badge in vs of being ture christians * Ioh. â—3 35. 1. Ioh. 4. 7. 13. 10. 19. which is a sin Sixtly because the violatioÌ„ of this law putteth out the internall assurance of regeneratioÌ„ of being the childreÌ„ of God * that wee be translated from death to life which is a sinne The second point is also prooued thus namely That to incurre and suffer depriuation for refusing to conforme 2 Poynt is contrary to the royall law of loue The reasons are these Reason 1 First because this doctrine and practise is a greate enemy to mans saluation which is a breach of this law of loue in the highest degree Rom. 14. 15. This appeareth because it doeth by abstaining from a thing in nature indifferent such as our ceremonies are prooued to be needlesly depriue him of the ordinary meanes of his saluation which is the preaching ministry of the word of God and of the Sacraments For as things doe stand all such as doe not conforme vnto the ceremonies are to be depriued without exception Obiect A man may haue the ministry of others though some be depriued Answ Surely very hardly For where almost in any place many thousands of persons fearing God in this land enioy a preaching minister hauing lost their faithfull teachers by this doctrine of suffering depriuation for refusing conformity to our ceremonies which haue no teachers neerethem in a greate compasse and are tyed by necessitie of outward meanes that they cannot remooue their dwelling where they may enioy this ordinary meanes of their saluation Secondly this obiection is nothing to the point in hand for in that some preachers remaine for the comfort of Gods people is Gods extraordinary blessing and grace of whose mercy it is that wee are not consumed because his compassion fayles not Howbeit this is no thanke to this doctrine of suffering depriuation for indifferent ceremonies which if it might preuayle according to their minde would leaue noe preacher in England at this houre but sweepe them all away at once which I thus manifest First our Soueraigne King and the Ecclesiasticall gouernors vnder him with the whole state as appeareth by the Statutes yeat in force doe remaine resolued and vnremooued to maintaine the practise of ceremonies prescribed indifferent and that it is not a conuenient thing neither yet safe neither standing with the credit of the Church or common-wealth to remoue these things which they hold to haue bin at first with mature aduice established and this resolution of theirs experience in the losse of many woorthy preachers hath taught vs. Secondly the doctrine of suffering depriuation for inconuenient ceremonies if it bee truth as they suppose it be who haue beene for that cause depriued doth tie all Ministers alike so that if it tie the conscience of one it tieth also the conscience of another yea of a thousand besides not one excepted Wherefore no man if wee presuppose the state of things to remaine as they doe may by that doctrine without sinne conforme to redeeme his Ministery not onely at this time but not in any posteritie heereafter and so this doctrine doth vniuersally depriue all places of this Land at all times things standing as they doe of the ordinary meanes of their saluation which is the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments Obiect God blesseth the priuat meanes of priuat reading catechising instruction reproofe comfort exhortation and inuocation in the absence of the publike Answ True vnto such persons as are not cause of depriuing themselues needlesly of the publike meanes in which case I know God accepteth a man according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not But what is that to the Ministers that doe not on iust cause but needlesly suffer depriuation for refusing to conforme whereby it seemeth that they incurre the danger of two mischiefes One by needlesly suffering the light of Gods publike ordinance to be quenched they create to themselues iust feare that hee will not blesse their priuat meanes to them being guilty of the needlesse leauing of the publike The other that they may also feare least they haue done though in ignorance purpose of well doing as much as in them lay needlesly to destroy the flocke committed to their charge by denying further instruction to them and publike ordinary meanes of their saluation which they might haue with good conscience continued in to the comfort conuersion of many a soule Obiect Wee must so loue our neighbour as that wee must loue Christ aboue our deerest friends Matth. 10. 37. Luk. 14. 26. Secondly loue reioyceth in the truth not in iniquity 1. Cor. 13. 6. Thirdly wee must so loue our neighbour as that we offend not God by breaking his will Fourthly wee must so loue our neighbour as that we offend not God by violating a good conscience and breaking our peace Heb. 13. 18. Fifthly we must not doe euill that good may come thereof wherefore wee must not vse the ceremonies though wee suffer depriuation and by this practise wee breake not the law of loue but keepe it Answ First wee loue Christ when we keepe his Commaundements Ioh. 14. 21. 24. who hath commanded his Ministers to preach his Word to the worlds end Matt. 28. 19. 20. he breaketh not Christs commandement that doth practise indifferent ceremonies though in some respects accidentally inconuenient to redeeme the fulfilling of his greater duty of teaching the Gospel to the flocke which is a great argument of our loue to him Ioh. 21. 15. 16. 17. Secondly the truth is this wherein true loue reioyceth that for tender loue vnto the sheepe of Christ that Ministers must conforme and practise euen inconuenient ceremonies that the Gospell may haue a free passage which truth is proued Act. 16. 1. 3. 15. 28. 29. 21. 23. 24. 25. 26. Thirdly we breake the will of God if we neglect
vniuersall doctrine of all sound Teachers of all times and places as appeareth else where in the following arguments yea it condemneth the very inspired Apostles of Iesus Christ and the Churches of their planting which for performance of greater duties did conforme themselues perswade others to conforme and commanded the same to others as a duty good and necessary All which inconueniences by conformity euen vnto inconuenient Ceremonies in the case of depriuation would bee wholy auoyded which by not conforming are needlessely maintained strengthened and vpholden It followeth therefore that the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing Ceremonies though in some respect inconuenient is opposite vnto the law of loue and so by consequence and error and a sinne * Touching the doctrine of this point and application thereof vnto the practise of like Ceremonies to ours in a like case looke Gual in act 16. 3. hom 106. fol. 199. Pâ—sc in act 15. 28. Idem in act 21. 20. Idem in act 16. 3 Calu. in act 15. 28. fol. 265. Idem in act â—8 18. Aret. in act 15. 28. fol. 72. Idem in act 16. 3. fol. 75. Beza annot in act 15. 29. in act 16. 4. 21. 20. 18. 18. Reason 2 Thus much of the first maine reason prouing that the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to the prescribed Ceremonies is contrary to Gods word and therefore an error and a sinne Argu. 4 Now the second maine reason standeth in this because the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to the Ceremonies prescribed in the present Church of England or the like tendeth directly to condemne all true Churches of Christ Primitiue and latter and all sound teachers and sincere Christians of all times and places since the time of the Apostles which appeareth to bee an errour in doctrine and a sinne in practise For the further manifestation of this reason there must be proued these two points That to condemne all true Churches and sound Teachers of all times and places primitiue and latter for teaching error in any doctrine or maintaining or committing maintained sinne in practise is a sinne and error That this Doctrine and practise of suffring depriuation for refusing to conforme to the prescribed Ceremonies in our present Church of England or to the like doth condemne all true Churches and sincere Teachers of all times and places since the times of the Apostles Which points being prooued the conclusion will ineuitably follow that to suffer depriuation for refusing to conforme is a sinne and an error to be taught and practised Touching the former point That namely to condemne 1. Point all true Churches and sound teachers for teaching and maintaining false doctrine and sinne is both an error and a sinne First I say it is an error Because in condemning their doctrine for false doctrine euen in this point they condemned the inspired doctrine of the holy Apostles for false doctrine as before appeareth which must needes bee an error and a sinne of no light degree Because it condemneth their doctrine practise which are followers of the Apostles in their inspired doctrine and practise and which walke so as they haue them for an example which rule of doctrine and practise being commended as true and commanded as iust Phil. 3. 17. and 4. 9. the contrary thereto must needes be an error Because the true Catholike Church indefinitely taken for the company of the faithfull in all ages being as they are euer built on the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles and Christ the corner stone Eph. 2. 20. is the pillar and ground of trueth 1. Tim. 3. 15. but whatsoeuer is against the ground of trueth must needes be an error Because the true Church of all ages being defined truely ly to bee the congregation of the faithfull consisteth of a company of spirituall persons not of carnall blinde or prophaine persons or hereticall Idolatours and tiranious Popes or Prelates as the Papistes Now the spirituall man discerneth all things 1. Corinth 2. 15. euen the deepe things of God vers 10. by the spirit which God hath giuen him ver 12. how much more is the whole company of all the spirituall able to performe the same wherefore the contrary to their doctrine must needs be an error Because it condemneth the whole streame of the faithfull teachers and Churches of all ages of an hainous and damnable crime namely the breaking the lesser commandements of God and the teaching of men so to doe whereby they exclude them by necessary consequence out of heauen Matthew 5. 19. which must needes bee a grosse error and no small sinne Because no scripture is of priuate interpretation 2. Peter 1. 20. either of priuate spirits of carnall persons though they be many as the interpretations of the Romish Popes and Doctors or of other heretickes failing in the foundation or of a few Godly and well affected Persons against the Ocean and world of the faithfull but the iudgements of the English depriued Ministers being against the whole true Church of Christ is but as a litle streame vnto the Ocean or a small field vnto the world their opinion therefore against the whole Church is of priuate interpretation and an error Because it is against the rules of Gods word and meanes appointed of God for the finding out of the trueth euen in such like cases as this for a few Ministers and other persons be they otherwise neuer so faithfull to be opposite in iudgement to the whole Church 1 One meanes is for learners to obey their teachers Hebrew 13. 17. especially teaching secundum legem according to the law Deut. 18. 11. but the Fathers and Godly learned Doctors since them being the Ministers of the Church of Christ in all ages are the Teachers of all others specially if they teach secundum legem which must be hearkened vnto and obeyed and whosoeuer doth not hearken to them so teaching erreth 2 An other meanes and ordinance of God is this that two or three Prophets speaking the rest must iudge of that they speake and that the spirit of the Prophets must bee subiect to the Prophets 1. Cor. 14. 29. 32. When therefore a few English Ministers doe speake in the Church the will of God is this that the whole Church of all ages and places should iudge but for the whole Catholike Church of all ages and places to speake and a few Ministers of one only Prouince and of one time to iudge and censure them is the mother of confusion and an enemie to peace as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 14. 32. 33. and contrary to this rule and ordinance of God and therefore the way to error 3 An other meanes of Gods appointment euen in the like case with this that in matters of difference not onely about fundamentall points but also in matters of Ceremonies when the peace of the Church is broken about them the vnitie of brethren
deuided and the course of the Gospel hindred and interrupted to aske and seeke the iudgement of other true Churches and Teachers about the case in question As the Apostles did in Act. 15. 2 3 4 6. and the Primitiue ages following after their example also did imitate as their duty was Ph. 3. 17. and 4. 8 9. in which case if the iudgment of one two or twenty Churches be to be harkned to and not despised or contradicted rashly how much lesse the iudgement of all true Churches of all times and places Now for a few persons of one Prouince as of England and of one season to sway against all Churches to condemne their doctrine and practise of sinne and error is against this ordinance of God and the way to error Because the swaying against the iudgement and practise VIII of all Churches and Teachers is against the equity of many forcible and maine reasons For 1 Who are more likely to know the trueth euen in such a point as this then the whole company of such First who are indued with the most excellent gifts in the Church and greatest degrees of knowledge and vnderstanding of Gods word and with meanes tending thereunto doe not the best sights best iudge of colours Secondly who are and haue been endued with greatest degrees of euident sanctity Thirdly whose labours haue beene most of all blessed of God for the conuersion of soules for the ouerthrow of sinne and Antichrist and Heresies Fourthly who haue liued and died most comfortably in the Lord If a man should not rest in the iudgements of the whole company of such where should he rest or what peace or assurance shall hee haue to haue all these so many as all and so incomparable persons his aduersaries as in condemning such for sinners and false Teachers 2 No one point of error can be shewed which is established by this rule namely by the consent of iudgement and practise of all Churches primitiue and reformed latter For albeit some faithfull persons and some true Churches may differ from some other in sundry points and thereby there must needes bee error in one part or other yet it were hard for a few priuate persons to conuince them all of errour in a matter wherein they all agree if they were in errour is it not strange no age should bee able to discerne it 3 Such as haue wilfully and professedly differed from this rule haue beene found to haue beene New-fangles Heretickes Schismatickes and prophane persons such as Donatists Anabaptists Brownists Arians Famelists and the like and are of infinite varieties one from another and therefore all or the very most must needes bee an errour for there is but one trueth 4 By the reiecting of this rule euery Sect maketh a way open to their owne contempt For if the iudgement of so reuerend and so excellent lights and agreement of them all is to bee despised and reiected by any particular why should not others reiect and contemne them and their iudgement the matter being difficult and of disputable nature and themselues being so many thousand degrees behind the person whom they thus despise in their worth or number 5 It opens a doore to singularitie noueltie and of endlesse differences errors and contentions and leaues no rule of Peace or of ending dissentions in the Church of God For if one may vnder colour of trueth teach and practise what he list in his diuersitie why may not another do the like or what rule will there be to compose the dissention that doe and will arise in the Church which one part hauing the trueth may vrge vnto the other voyd of truth why should hee rather follow this part then that wherefore in this case wee are to note that no priuate person or persons may raise vp any new opinion and pretend Scripture for it and so propose it for a Doctrine and a truth in the Church though hee condemne the whole Church beside for an error and a sinne Because as the Scriptures are not of priuate interpretation so Gods Spirit is not priuate but generall to all the faithfull Thus wee see this doctrine of swaying against all true Churches and Teachers of all ages and places and condemning them of sinne and error is false doctrine Whereupon also it followeth secondly that it is a sinne which also appeareth further I Because Dauid doth iudge himselfe that he trespassed in that he being a priuate man condemned and censured all the generation of Gods children Psal 73. 13. 14. 15. Againe because God laieth a woe vpon the practise of taking away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Esa 5. 23. or of condemning the iust Pr. 17. 15. But that doctrine practise which laieth a sin vnto the charge of all Gods Church takes away their righteousnes and condemnes them in that point Therefore it is a sinne euen of bearing false witnesse against the whole congregation of neighbours 2 Because the censuring of all true Churches for a sin or of false Doctrine is contrary to the Commandements of God who would haue the Teachers obeyed and hearkened vnto which doe teach and define secundum legem as aboue I noted Heb. 13. 17. Deut. 17. 9 10 11 12. and would haue the rest to iudge of the words of a few which prophesie 1. Cor. 14. 29. 32. and of the commandement of walking in the wayes of good men Pro. 2. 20. Phil. 3. 17. and 4. 9. It is also contrary to the practise of the holy Apostles who determined one Churches differences by another Act. 15. 2. as before I noted 3 Because this Doctrine is the ground and mother of schisme For S. Paul noteth that they cause diuision and offences that teach and practise contrary to the doctrine which the whole Church hath receiued especially from the Apostles Rom. 16. 17. Therefore this doctrine is a sinne Obiect Against this point it is alleadged first that it is a Popish ground to make the Church the ground of our Faith It contradicteth the Doctrine of our Churches against the Papists Answ This point includeth no Popish ground nor doeth it contradict the Doctrine of our Churches against the Papists For the Churches desire nothing so much against the Papists then that they would grant the elect and faithfull to bee the onely Church and then that they would stand to the iudgement determination and practise of such as are faithfull in all ages But that this may the better appeare to bee no Popish ground Wee are to note 1 The Papists vnderstand the Church to consist onely of persons in office and those often hereticall sacrilegious and prophane persons such as their Popes Cardinalls carnall Bishops Wee the only faithfull in all times and places whether in office or not 2 They vrge Apocriphall and basterd Fathers for the patronage of their errors Wee the vndoubted writings of the approued Fathers 3 They vrge the Fathers errors and things wherein they differ we their truth
that it is wel concluded neither verely would I nor any other that I know of sound iudgement hold otherwise But that it may appeare how little to the purpose it is alleadged I say 1 If they will apply this to our Church in respect of our ceremonies prescribed then may they conclude against the Apostles for prescribing Iewish ceremonies notwithstanding the end and accomplishment of them all by the death and consummatum est of Christ 2 The Primitiue auncient and latter reformed Churches are all of them deficient this way either in disipline or ceremonies they are faulty and doe faile more or lesse yet they will not accuse them for denying Christ to be their teacher and Prophet 3. They onely deny Christ to be their Prophet and teacher who doe preach another Gospell to the Church Gal. 1. 6. 7. which teach any thing besides Gal. 1. 8. 9. Ro. 16. 17. otherwise 1. Tim. 6. 3. Contrary to the word of God Tit. 1. 9. diuers and strange doctrines Heb. 13. 9. Heresies Tit. 3. 10. which will not heare him in all things whatsoeuer hee shall say Act. 3. 22. Mat. 28. 20. Ioh. 3. 36. 10. 5. All which our Church with all other reformed Churches doe vtterly disclaime and are free from and namely in prescribing and vsing of these ceremonies or the like as appeareth by considering First the matter which is taught which is of two sorts some things are fundamentall and of greater moment some things circumstantiall and of lesser againe some things are specially commaunded others included vnder generall rules and are left free to euery Church to bee determined as shall best serue for the edification thereof sometimes after one manner and at other times after some other where we are to obserue that our Church as other reformed Churches doe teach nothing fundamentall which is not expresly taught in the Word neither doth it teach any thing contrary to that which is expresly commanded by Christ in his Word onely it varieth the circumstantialls or ceremonialls according to the liberty left vnto all Churches and practised by all Churches which the gouernours doe suppose best to further or edifie the substantialls Secondly consider we the manner of our Churches proposing of these things The fundamentall points and speciall precepts of Christ shee proposeth as binding the conscience vnder paine of condemnation to euery wilfull and impenitent transgressour The circumstantialls or ceremonialls determined by her out of the generall rules of the Word she proposeth and inioyneth as free not binding the conscience in themselues as variable not perpetuall as accidentall not as necessary In which case our Church cannot bee saide to deny Christ for her onely teacher and Prophet but rather to confesse him seeing shee teacheth nothing but that Christ hath commanded In which respect hee is with our Church by promise ad finem saeculi Matthew 28. 19. 20. and hee that heareth the teachers thereof thus teaching heareth Christ Luke 10. 16. Ioh. 13. 20. And thus the first point is confirmed The second followeth Point 2. to be spoken of which is this That the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to the prescribed Ceremonies doth tend to condemne all Churches and godly teachers Primitiue and latter of teaching false doctrine of practising a maintained sin Which point is thus made euident Because such Ministers as haue suffered depriuation for refusing to conforme or doe hazard their ministery for the same doe account and conclude it to bee a sin simply to conforme vnto the Ceremonies proposed in the present Church of England or the like and that all that doe conforme in any case vnto them shall therein commit a sinne against God and further that whosoeuer teacheth the contrary they stand out to confute them and conuince them of an errour But all true Churches of Christ and all true Orthodoxall Teachers both auncient and latter of all times and places without exception of any one haue vniformely and constantly taught this conclusion That it is a truth and no errour to teach a dutie and no sinne to practise the prescribed Ceremonies of the present Church of England or the like rather then to violate and breake the peace of the Church or that a Minister should suffer depriuation and so the preaching of the Gospell should bee interrupted or that a Minister or any other Christian should separate themselues or suffer themselues to bee separated from the publike worships of God in a true Church Wherefore it must needes follow that they who iustifie the former must needs condemne the latter Now that it may appeare that all Orthodoxall Churches and Teachers of all ages and places since the time of the Apostles of Christ are of this iudgement and practise and not of the other I will first begin with the Primitiue Churches before the Reuelation and raigne of Antichrist and next in order of the latter reformed Churches since the restauration of the Gospell and declination of Antichrist Concerning the Primitiue Churches and their teachers I will obserue two points First the state of the Churches of those times concerning Ceremonies and secondly the iudgement and practise of the Fathers and the faithfull in that estate Point 1 And touching the former point wee must not bee ignorant that euen in the dayes of the Apostles the mysterie of iniquitie did beginne to worke as themselues obserued 2. Thessalonians 2. 7. For euen then there were many Antichrists 1. Iohn 2. 18. And after the Apostles departure the seruants and workemen of Christ his fielde that is the Ministers of Christ his Church did fall a sleepe that is they were not vigilant and watchfull but grew carelesse and remisse in teaching and propagating the truth of Gods Word to confute errours and to resist and keepe out corruptions attempted to bee brought in by Heretickes and Sectaries and while they thus slept the Diuell sowed his tares Matthew 13. 25. a president whereof wee haue Apocalips 2. and 3. Where the Angels or Teachers of the Churches are reproued in this respect of which kinde of tares that the Diuell sowed the Ceremonies of the Church were not the fewest nor the least hurtfull And they farre exceeded our Ceremonies if wee should esteeme or proue them much worse then they are and namely in three respects First in respect of their multitude varietie and difference Secondly in regard of their nature kinde and qualitie Lastly in respect of their effects and abuse arising from them 1 Their multitude variety and difference did begin very high and neere the times of the Apostles For the difference of the celebration of Easter if the Ecclesiasticall Records bee true began before or about the time of Policarp Bishop of Smyrna and disciple of Saint Iohn and Anicetus Bishop of Rome Euzeb 5. 24. Socrat. 5. 22. and who readeth the antiquitie with any obseruation that shall not perceiue in the vndoubted writings of the most auncient Fathers both of the
which are diuersly obserued are as vpon her garment August Epist 86. That the difference and variety of fastings or of dayes obserued in diuers Churches or Ceremonies of like nature doth not interrupt or impaire but commend the vnity and consonance of faith so saith Irenaeus Euseb 5. 24. the like is in Distinct 12. cap. 3. scit Sancta That if their be any matter of this quality which is contrary to the grounded obseruation of Christ and his Apostles It must be reduced to the doctrine practise of Christ and his Apostles againe though their predecessours of simplicitie or ignorance had erred which by Gods mercy might be pardoned to them in which case men ought not to obserue what any man before them did thinke fit to be done but what Iesus Christ who is farre before all did performe himselfe Cypr. Epist 3. lib. 2. Legantur plura That Ceremonies and Traditions such as fasting on a certaine day as on the Lords day after that they haue beene vsurped and abused by detestable and damnable Heretikes as that was by the Maniches ought not to be obserued but disused for the scandall thereof Aug. Ep. 86. Casul That all such Ceremonies and Traditions which are not contained in the holy Scriptures neither established by general Councels neither vniuersally obserued in the Church but are varied innumerable waies in diuers Churches which either for number did ouerload the Church with a seruile burthen or for whose continuance there could not be giuen a sound reason albeit it doe not appeare that they be contra fidem yet vbi facultas tribuitur sine vlla dubitatione resecanda existimo They ought without staggaring to bee cut off when conueniently they may saith Augustine Epist 119. cap. 19. Ianuario That these cautions in establishing of Ceremonies being obserued such Ecclesiasticall Traditions as do no hurt vnto the faith are so to be obserued as they are deliuered of the auncients neither ought the opposite custome of some ouerthrow or preiudice the custome of other dist 12. cap. 4. Illud out of Hier. Epist 28. ad Lucinum In the which Epistle hee concludeth also thus Vnaquaeque prouincia abundet in sensu suo Touching Ceremonies let euery Countrey abound in their owne sence presupposing their former caution that therein they impaire not the faith That whatsoeuer is inioyned in any Church which is Neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's neyther opposite against faith neyther yet good manners is to beholden as indifferent and to be kept according to their custome with whom wee liue August Epist 118. cap. 2. Ianuar. That in matters whereof the Scripture hath determined no certainty the custome of Gods people is to be followed August Epist. 86. That there is no rule or discipline better or more fit for a graue and prudent Christian then to doe after that manner as he seeth to be performed in that church to the which it falleth out that he shal come Aug. Epist. 118. This is to be vnderstood of such Ceremonies as before he saith are not contrary to faith nor manners for of such hee expresly speaketh and then also he presupposeth a true Church That into whatsoeuer Church a man shal come he ought to obserue the customes or Ceremonies which hee findeth there to be in vse if he will not giue scandall to others neither receiue scandall from other This was the counsell of Ambrose to Augustine on the behalfe of his mother Monica Ego verò saith Augustine de hâc sententia etiam atque etiam cogitans ita semper habui tanquam eam caelesti oraculo susceperim Epist 118. cap. 3. That vpon occasion of refusall of these matters Cauendum est ne tempestate contentionis serenitas charitatis obnubiletur August Epist 86. The law of charity must moderate this controuersie That if disputation bee once admitted on the one side from the diuers custome of some Churches to condemne others in these Ceremonies there will arise interminata luctatio a boundlesse strugling or contention which with toile of ianling will produce no conclusions of any certaine truth Agust Epist 86. That if on the other side men do labour to ground their particular Ceremonies on the authoritie of the Apostles thence also commeth interminabilis contentio generans lites non finiens quaestiones an in determinable contention breeding strife without deciding of the question Idem ibid. That it was most euidently opposite to faith and to sound doctrine for Christians about the vsing or not vsing of these things to censure one another in respect of their standing in true grace by iudging one another to be vncleane August Epist 119. cap. 20. Thus of their doctrine Now of their practise ALthough the teachers of diuers Churches did vary very much in the iudgement practise of diuers Ceremonies as for example in the obseruation of fasting some fasting one day some two some more some fortie as Euseb 5. 24. as also in the celebration of the daies as of the daie of Easter some obseruing it on the Lords day as the Westerne Churches did some keeping it on the foureteenth of the moneth both sides deriuing their practise from the Apostles Socrat. 5. 22. yet for all this difference they were at vnitie one with another thus writeth Irenaeus to Victor Eusebius 5. 24. they were not at discord one with another neither fell they out Socrat. 5. 22. they varied not among themselues about these trifling matters Euseb 5. 24. they perswaded not one another vpon either side to practise other then they did Euseb 5. 24. they vsed not a word of discord about this matter ibid. they did not euer excommunicate one another for this difference Euseb 5. 24. they did communicate on with another for all this difference Socrat. 5. 22. they parted when they met one from another in peace Euseb 5. 24. they neuer deuided the Communion of the Church neither brake they asunder the bonds of amitie Socrat. 5. 22. nor depart from their mutuall Communion Sozom. 7. 19. but all of them in their variety held fast the bond of loue and vnitie Euseb 5. 24. and the reason is well added and expressed by Sozom. 7. 19. for they held it quoth he a friuolous thing and that deseruerdly for those to be mutually separated from the benefit of eithers Communion Qui in praecipuis religionis capitibus consentirent which agreed in the chiefe and fundamentall points of religion For neither saith he shall you finde the same traditions in all Churches alike in euery point albeit they agree among themselues and to proue this hee fetteth downe a multitude of differences of diuers Churches both of discipline and Ceremonies They sharpely reproued such Euseb 5. 24. and bitterly inueighed against them Socrat. 5. 22. as troubled the Church by attempting to compell other Churches from their owne auncient custome to their practise and for threatning them with excommunication for not obeying their admonition as before we noted They regarded not
much as is possible to Apostolicall simplicity ‖ Non damnamus veteres illos qui morem hunc seruârunt habuerunt enim graues pro ratione illorum temporum causas Chemnit Exam part 2. fol. 102. As neither doe I vtterly condemne their practise of these things as knowing that there may bee iust and many occasions for Churches to retaine inconuenient ceremonies and that by the examples of the very Apostles yet here wee may see how farre more iustifiable our Churches estate is which to speake the truth hath fewer and those more conuenient and decent ceremonies then many other reformed Churches whose ceremonies are more lyable to exception then ours whether we respect the number or the nature or the euill effect of the said ceremonies Now it followeth that we consider of the iudgement and practise of the most excellent teachers and classicall writers of our reformed Churches who excelling in the greatest measure of knowledge sanctification power blessing were made the marueilous and mighty instruments of God in this latter age to propagate the euerlasting Gospell to the Church and to reueale and ruinat the kingdome of Antichrist First of their iudgement touching ceremonies in generall appeareth to be this that followeth First touching the Fathers albeit they doe testifie their dislike of the want of heedfullnesse with abundance of curiosity aemulation and of Zeale with some Lacke of knowledge for their iniunction strict defending and multiplying of ceremonies in sundry of the Fathers as may further appeare Caluin Instit lib. 4. cap 10. sect 18. Beza confess de eccles cap. 5. § 20. fol. 129. Idem Epist. 8. fol. 71. 72. 73. P. Martyr Loc. class 2. cap. 5. § 20. Zanch. de redempt lib. 1. cap. 5. fol. 366. b c ‖ yet they all generally approue of the fore alleadged doctrine and practise of the Fathers concerning the ceremonies namely They iustify Irenaeus for reproouing Victor and condemne Victor for censuring other Churches for the difference in such trifles Also they commend the saying of Irenaeus That the difference of fasting doeth not dissolue the consent of faith Caluin inst 4. 7. 7. Idem Epistola 118. fol. 215. Zanch. confess cap. 24. § 10. fol. 207. Idem compend Loc. 16. fol. 654. Harm confess § 16. fol. 176. Heluet. Poster Beza Epist 8. fol. 71. calleth the message of Irenaeus to Victor insignis Epistola Looke also Polanus Symphonia Cathol cap. 47. fol. 1212. Zepper Polit Eccles lib. 1. cap. 11. fol. 74. Idem de Sacrament cap. 13. fol. 329. Paraeus in Rom. 14. Dub. 4. fol. 1203. They commend the iudgement and saying of Socrates That the Apostles left no ordinance of Ceremonies in writing That these things were left by them free for euery Church That no Religion doeth obserue the same Rites That they who agree in the faith doe differ in their Rites among themselues Harm confess § 16. Heluet. Poster fol. 176. ibid. Augustan fol. 187. 191 Where they alleadge the saying of Socrates out of Tripartit Hist 9. 38. Harm confess § 17. Heluet. Poster fol. 211. Zanch. Compend Loc. 16. fol. 654. Zepper Polit. Eccles lib. 1. cap. 11. fol. 74. They commend the practise of Polycarp with Anicetus Pius Higinnus Telesphorus and Xist who as Grinaeus noteth in his note on Eusebius 5. 23. Propter adiaphora non mouebant certamina They commend the doctrine of Ceremonies contained in Augustine and of Ambrose alleaged by him Epist 86. 118. 119. before alleadged Harm confess § 16. fol. 187. 189. August Caluin Instit 4. 10. § 13. 14. 19. Peter Martyr Loc. Class 2. cap. 4. § 39. fol. 203. and Class 4. c. 4. § 4. fol. 7. Sadeel de verbo Dei Scripto cap. 5. fol. 32. Regula 4. Ibid. fol. 34. Obi. 9. Aretius Problem cap. 83. de adiaph fol. 267. Paraeus in Rom. 14. Dub. 4. fol. 1203. Quibus de rebus in genere vehementer probamus atque amplectimur vtramque Epistolam Augustini ad Ianuar. saith Zanchius confess cap. 24. § 15. fol. 2â—1 and cap. 25. § 30. fol. 251. yea they doe specially commend the practise of that councill which was giuen by Ambrose to Aug. Namely that all men ought to fashion themselues for ceremonies according to the custome of the church wherof they are or whereto they come So as those ceremonies be not against faith or good manners Zanch de operibus redempt cap. 10. fol. 188. 6. cap. 19. fol. 696. item Danaeus Isag part 3. lib. 4 cap. 18. fol. 410. They allow of the doctrine of Hierom ad Lucin. Epist. That the constitutions of euery Church are to be kept and obserued which doe not hurt vnto the faith Sadeel de verbo Dei Script cap. 5. Regula 4. fol. 32. Zanch. comp end Loc. 16. fol. 655. Polanus Symphon Catholike cap. 49. Thess 4. fol. 1239. and of this saying also of his in place In his rebus abundet quaeuis in sensu suo P. Martyr Loc. Clas 4. cap. 4. § 4. fol. 711. They doe partly excuse and partly commend and allow the ceremonies vsed by the Fathers and mentioned in Tertullian Zanch. in Eph. 5. fol. 448. They giue a probable and a commendable reason of the Fathers Studious commending of traditions Ecclesiasticall rites vt vias omnes schismaticis obstruerent Sadeel de verbi Dei Script cap. 5. fol. 32. They commend the saying of Pope Leo 9. Nicholas the first that the rites and customes which are diuersified according to the circumstances of the place and time doe neither hurt the vnity of the Church neither the Saluation of beleeuers Harm confess § 16. fol. 191. August § 17. fol. 215. Bohem. taken out of Decret part 1. Dist. 12. cap. 3. scit sancta They perswade and enforce the doctrine of Augustine against the Donatists cont Parmen 2. 1. and 3. 1. 2. that if priuat persoÌ„s do perceiue the corruptions of the Church to be but slackly reformed they must not therefore presently depart from the church or if the pastors themselues cannot reforme all abuses and corruptions as they would themselues they must not therefore cast off their Ministery or inusitatâ asperitate with extraordinary harshnes and eagernes trouble the whole Church because the life of Church discipline stands in this to retaine the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and therefore out of Cyprian they doe exhort Miserecorditer igitur corripiat homo quod potest quod autem non potest patienter ferat cum dilectione gemat atque lugeat Caluin inst 4. 12. 11. Next let vs see their owne vniforme and intire doctrine and iudgement of those things thus they teach That all Churches should labor as much as possible may be to Apostolicall simplicitie and paucitie of Ceremonies which they iudge the safest purest and the best Pet. Martyr loc com inter Epist fol. 1086. Hoopero fol. 1125. amic in Angl. Beza confess de Eccle. cap. 5. § 20. fol. 129. Zanch. confess cap. 25. § 30. fol.
249. Caluin Epist 303. fol. 497. Bucer script Anglican fol. 705. Resp ad literas Iocun Hooperi de re vestiaria Zepper de Sacrament cap. 13. fol. 32. That Iesus Christ would not prescribe the particulars of externall discipline and ceremonies what we should follow for that hee foresawe that these things depended vpon the condition of the times neither did he iudge one forme to agree to all ages therfore in this case the Church must run vnto the generall rule of the Word namely of order decency and edification of the which rules determination charity must be the moderator in adding altering abrogating Caluin inst 4. 10. 30. Bucer vbi superius fol. 708. Hoopero That albeit the Apostolical doctrine be exactly perfect to the which we may neither derogate neither adde anything yet in rites and ceremonies of the Church it is otherwise for that the Apostles themselues could not set downe at the beginning what was expedient for the Church heerein and therefore did of necessitie proceed by little and little And that euen in their times the same rites or ceremonies were not vsed in all Churches and againe that many ceremonies in their times in vse were afterwards abolished Beza Epist 8. fol. 71. That there must needes bee some certaine forme of rites and orders in all Churches and those established by lawes else the Church must of necessitie bee weakened and dissolued and that it would proue the mother of contention and confusion to suffer euery man to doe as hee list himselfe Caluin inst 4. 10. 27. 31. That the same ceremonies rites and orders cannot possibly nor ought to be the same in all places or in all Christian assemblies Harm confess § 16. fol. 187. 191. Augustan 11. ibid. § 17. fol. 214. Heluet. poster Zepper de Sacram. cap. 13. fol. 328. That ceremonies are alterable and to be disposed according to the circumstances of places times and persons some externall rites are profitable to some places others more auailable for other places Zanch. de operibus Redempt cap. 19. fol. 695. Zepper de polit lib. 1. cap. 11. fol. 73. 74. That all true Churches haue libertie left vnto them of God to ordaine and establish and to command such ceremonies and traditions in their nature not euill but indifferent as they shall perceiue and iudge to bee fittest for the edification of the Church and furtherance of the Gospell which therefore are to bee left free to euery Church to Alexander Alesius in Prooem ad lib. ordinat Angl. Bucer fol. 374 375. Polanus Syntag. Theol lib. 9. cap. 29. fol. 4078. Canon 6. make their choice as they shall perceiue and iudge to be fittest To this end Bucer script Anglican Hoopero de re vestiaria Idem in Epist Ioan. Alasco Zanch. de redemp cap. 19. fol. 696. Polani Symphon cathol cap. 49. thes 4. fol. 1234 Whitaker controuer 3. de concil qu. 1. cap. 3. fol. 18. Zepper polit Eccle. l. 1. c. 11. fol. 73. That albeit in the manner of gouerning the Church churches must not turne aside in any point that Christ hath specially ordained yet this doth not hinder but that there may bee certaine instituta ordinances in euery particular place pront commodum visum fuerit as shal seeme most commodious Harm confess § 17. fol. 216. Gallic That B Bs. may ordaine with the consent of the Church canons or iniunctions of daies feasts reading Sermons for edification and instruction of the true faith in Christ Har. confess § 17. fol. 229. Witemberg That men must not immoderately contend that rites and ceremonies bee in euery Church the same and obserued euery whereafter the same manner But they should bee most carefull of this that these ceremonies bee not repugnant to Gods Word But that they may bee by our vttermost indeuors so ordered as that they may further order an edification in the Church P. Martyr loc class 2. cap. 4. § 34. fol. 203. Zanch. confess cap. 25. § 30. fol. 250. 251. That vnitie of ceremonies in all Churches albeit as much as may bee should bee laboured for yet it is not necessary but for the diuersitie of places and diuers respects and reason of the time it is profitable to haue diuers rites in diuers Churches Zanch. Confessio Scriptu 24. § 15. fol. 21. That diuersitie of Ceremonies in diuers Churches doth serue to testifie the Christian libertie and doth greatly conduce to teach and manifest the true doctrine and iudgement of ceremonies namely that all men may by this diuersitie vnderstand that those things which are not deliuered in the holy Scripture are not necessary to saluation but may bee altered according as the time and circumstance of edification doth require Harm confess § fol. 194. Witemberg P. Martyr loc clas 2. cap. 4. § 39. fol. 203. Zepper polit Eccles 1. 11. fol. 74. That the externall vse of things indifferent must be guided and moderated by the rule of charitie or loue which is the end of the law and bond of perfection Wherefore ceremonies must be squared to the edification vnity of the Church Caluin in act 15. 28. fol. 235. Idem Inst 4. 10. 30. Alesius vbi supra fol. 375. That the Lawe of Loue or of charitie teacheth men to obserue thinges in their nature indifferent though in their vse in sundrie respects inconuenient for the sake of weake brethren to preuent their scandall or hinderance of the Gospell and hurt of the Church Piscator in act 15. 20. obseruat in which respect the vse of such Ceremonies may be necessary not alway and euery where but necessary for the peace of the Church Piscat ibidem in scholijs act 15. 28. Caluin in act 15. 28. That one Church must not condemne another for the diuers obseruation of indifferent things as it came to passe in the Primitiue Church ingenti malo with incredible mischiefe about the obseruation of Easter and fasting Bucan loc 33. qu. 14. fol. 384. That the Church of God is euery congregation which worships God according to his Word albeit there bee great dissimilitude of Ceremonies The true Church of God is distinguished by doctrine and worship and not by Ceremonies hee citeth Ambrose and Augustine Hemming Syntag. in 4. Decal legem § 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. fol. 364. 365. That to the true vnitie of the Church it is sufficient to consent in the doctrine and administration of the Sacraments Neither is it necessarie that humane traditions or rites ordained of men should bee euerie where alike Harm confess 10. fol. 19. August Alesius vt sup That the vnitie of the Church it resteth not in externall rites and Ceremonies but rather in the truth and in the vnity of the Catholike faith the briefe of which Catholike faith is the Apostles Creed Hence among the ancients there was diuers varieties of rites but such as was free by which difference no man euer thought the Ecclesiasticall vnitie to bee dissolued Wherefore the true agreement of the Church
opposit therto if it be fauourably taken or construed on the better part For I confesse there want not some few matters which if they be not * candidè fairely taken may seeme not altogether to agree vnto the word of God Script Angl. fol. 456. Praefac ad censur Caluin In the English Leturgie or booke of Common prayer which you describe I perceiue sundry * tolerabiles ineptias Looke the discourse of the troubles at Frankford fol. 28. wherin is shewed that Knox Whitingham and others described the English Leturgie to which description this was the answer of Caluin as appeareth there fol. 34 35 tolerable vnfitnesses In which two words I expresse thus much that there was not that purity therein contained which were to be wished which blemishes at the first day of reformation could not be corrected Wherein seeing there is conteined no manifest impiety these things therfore ought to be borne with for a season Ep. 200. fol. 336. and a little after to the English exiles at Frankeford which desired reformation of the English Leturgie hee giueth this aduise Vos vltra modum rigidos esse nolim Epist. 200. fol. 336. Of the which aduice of his he thus speaketh in Epist. 228. fol. 374. in Anglorum controuersia moderationem tenui cuius me non poenitet in Epist 206. fol. 342. hee perswadeth one part to incline themselues to all possible moderation and is displeased with the other part that nothing by them was yeelded or mitigated Martyr loc com inter Epist fol. 1127. amico in Angliam For mine owne part I wish that all things may bee done simplicissimè most free from humane mixtures in the worship of God Yet when I thinke with my selfe that if peace betweene the Saxon Churches and ours might be obtained there would follow no separation for such matters as these Ceremonies Alexander Alesius a worthy Scot of great account and note in Proaem before his Translation of the Common prayer Booke in Script Anglican Buceri fol. 373. commendeth the performance of it by our Countrey-men exceedingly with their great diligence and care therein and calleth it Preclarissimum diuinum factum in constituting and ordering the Church of Christ according to that Booke further declareth that the vertue and pietie of English men in this matter would reioyce many mindes and bee an help to the endeuors of others in the like and that it was euident that the enemies of the trueth were very sorry of the good successe and progresse herein Also hee complaineth with Gregory of some Vt cōmotis studijs contentio semper irritet aliquorum indignationem vtque nimio ardore interdum admodum peccetur dum nemo minus videri altero ac potius solus sapere vult fit vt non necessarijs quaestionibus disputationibus necessariarum rerum cognitio negligatur further he sheweth this contention of brethren about this booke to come of the diuell who failing one way seeketh another to mischiefe the Church hee complaineth of some Aliquam diuisionis occasionem arripientibus non iam nulli vocabula penissyllabas expendendo verbis tantùm litigant reipsa si placidè exquiratur futuri concordes Of the common prayer booke it selfe he saith Hic liber per se vtilis futura lectio ipsius quà m plurimis hoc tempore diuinitus oblatus esse videatur ibid. fol. 375. Cranmer Martyr In his purgation of slanders against him If the Queenes highnesse will graunt thereunto I with Maister Peter Martyr and other foure or fiue which I shall chuse will by Gods grace take vpon vs to defend not onely the common prayers of the Church the ministration of the Sacraments and other rites and Ceremonies but also all the doctrine and religion set out by our said Soueraigne Lord King Edward the sixt to be more pure and according to Gods word then any other that hath beene in England these 1000. yeeres so that Gods word may bee iudge Acts mon. fol. 1465. Bishop Ridley When Bishop Grindall from beyound Sea wrote to him in prison being condemned to bee burned concerning Knox his peremptory and violent exceptions against our booke of Common prayer which was euen misliked by Caluin himselfe Epist fol. answered by writing thus Alas that brother Knox could not beare with our booke of Common prayer in matter against which although I grant a man as hee is of wit and learning may finde apparant reasons yet I suppose hee cannot soundly by the word of God to disproue any thing in it Act. mon. Doctor Taylor Martyr There was after that set forth by the most innocent King Edward for whom God be praised euerlastingly the whole Church seruice with great deliberation and by the aduise of the best learned men of the Realme and authorised by the whole Parliament and receaued and published gladly by the whole Realme which booke was neuer reformed but once and yet by that reformation it was so fully perfected according to the rules of our Christian religion in euery behalfe that no Christian conscience could bee offended with any thing therein contained I meane of that booke reformed Act. mon. fol. 1521. Exiles at Franckeford Among them was great diuision and dissention about the vsing of the Common prayer booke of England one part refusing it as Iohn Knox William Whittingham Christopher Goodman Dauid Whitehead Miles Couerdale Iohn Fox Anthonie Gilby c. The other part standing for it which also were reuerend persons as Thomas Leauer Iohn Iewell Iohn Mullins Iohn Parckhust Lawrence Humphry Iames Pilkington Alexander Nowell Iames Haddon Edwin Sands Edmund Grindall and others Looke the discourse of the troubles at Franckeford fol. 16. 23. 19. Which dissentions caused them to seeke the iudgements of other churches and their teachers as of Caluin Beza Bullinger fol. 25. 199. Also Robert Horne Thomas Leauer Io. Mullins Tho. Bentham W. Cole Io. Parckhust Lawrence Humphry c. were all fully determined to vse none other then the order last taken in the Church of England Discourse fol. 16. 223. The same order of seruice concerning religion which was in England last set forth by King Edward fol. 10. Also Iames Haddon Edwin Sands Edmund Grindall Christopher Goodman c. not doubting or distrusting their good conformitie and ready desires in reducing the English Church now begun there to it former perfection it had in England least by much altering the same wee should seeme to condemne the chiefe authours thereof whereas they now suffer so are they not ready to confirme that fact with the price of their bloud c. fol. 22. 23. They also at Franckford writing to them at Zurick exiled also dissenting from them about our Ceremonies Thought not that any godly men would stand to the death in defence of those Ceremonies which as the booke specified vpon iust occasions may be altered accounting it an argument that they are slenderly taught which for a Ceremony will refuse such a singular benefit
as to ioyne with the Church Master Fox was one of the seuenteene that subscribed to this Letter Also after all those stirres vpon the point of their returne into England after Queene Maries death Iames Pilkington Io. Mullins Henry Carow Alexander Nowell c. writing an answere to Io. Knox Christopher Goodman Miles Couerdale Anthony Gilby Willi. Whittingham W. Williams c. We purpose not as wee trust these shall be no cause to enter into contention with you For Ceremonies to contend where it shall lye neither in your hands or ours to appoint what they shall bee but in such mens wisedomes as shall be appointed to the diuising of the same and withall receiued by common consent of the Parliament it shall be to small purpose but wee trust that both true religion shall be restored and that we shall not be burthened with vnprofitable Ceremonies and therefore as we purpose to submit our selues to such orders as shal be established by authoritie being not of themselues wicked so wee would wish you willingly to doe the same For whereas all the reformed Churches differ among themselues in diuers Ceremonies and yet agree in the vnitie of doctrine we see no inconuenience if wee vse some Ceremonies diuers from them for that wee agree in the chiefe points of your Religion c. Discourse of troubles at Franck. fol. 189. B B. Iewell Wee are come as neere as possibly wee could to the Church of the Apostles and of the olde Catholike Bishops and Fathers which Church wee know was sound and perfect and as Tertullian termeth it a pure Virgin spotted with no Idolatry nor with any fundamentall or euident errour And besides that wee haue aymed not onely our doctrine but our Sacraments also and forme of our publike Prayers after the patterne of their rites and ordinances Apolog. fol. 170. Master Deering against Harding Our Seruice is good and godly euery title grounded on holy Scriptures and with what face doe you call it darkenesse sure with the same that the Prophecies of the holy Ghost were sometimes called dreames the doctrine of the Apostles Heresie and our Sauiour Christ a Samaritane As Elias saide to the Priests of Baal Let vs take either our Bullockes namely their Masse booke and our booke of Common Praier and lay the pieces on our Altars and on which God sendeth fire let that bee the light a little before O Master Harding turne to your writings examine your authorities consider your counsells apply your examples looke if any line bee blamable in your seruice Booke and take hold of your aduantage I thinke Master Iewell will accept it as an Article This was their iudgement of our Ceremonies in generall which how opposite it is vnto the doctrine of suffering depriuation for not conforming to them I neede not say no not to men of a contrary iudgement wee will discend vnto the iudgement of the particulars Touching the Surplesse MElancthon Benhagius in the territories of Marques Albertus the Prince and court required the Pastors to embrace and follow the whole booke of the Augustane confession refusall thereof was made pio consensu by the godly agreement of the Nobilitie or Gentry of the Citizens and Pastors The Court hereupon runneth on another deliberation proposing Articles which alter not the doctrine and the Leturgie but thrust vpon them more Ceremonies which yet howsoeuer may well enough bee borne adding withall a threatning that they who will not follow this prescription should depart albeit many Pastors had rather haue departed then yeld to such condition yet the Churches requested that they might not bee forsaken In such a strait what councell should bee giuen some more forward affirme that it were good the Court were frighted with some terrible writing with the feare of sedition and with this scarcrow to represse and hinder farther alteration There be many causes why wee would not giue any such aduice Neither would wee haue the Churches forsaken as it came to passe in Sweuia where in many Churches there remaineth either no Minister or a Wolfe which bring in againe impious doctrine and false worships That it may euidently appeare that we wilfully dissent not from the Papists our aduersaries wee contend about great matters in the which the euidence of trueth doeth conuince the more sound euen among the aduersaries that we iudge to be more profitable then to wrangle about a Surplesse or the like matter where wise men will exclaime against vs that wee withstand and disobey authoritie and nourish dissentions with a foolish frowardnesse Concil Melanth part 2. fol. 90. 91. Againe we perswade not that by the vse of these Ceremonies as the Surplesse the Churches should be troubled neither are wee which thus perswade in this case to conformitie in lesse griefe and perill then they who stand against it But where new burdens are imposed wee thinke fit that it bee iudged whether Churches bee to bee left to Woolues or solitude and vtter ouerthrow of them to bee admitted or else whether seruitude of vsing these prescribed Ceremonies bee to bee endured For neither would we haue any impious Ceremonies to bee receiued neither the Churches to bee forsaken without most weightie reasons as it is written Not forsaking the fellowship c. ibid. fol. 92. Againe Melancthon Surely I could haue wished in these great occasions that these Churches had by no alteration or imposition of these Ceremonies such as Surplesse c. bin troubled But I cofesse I perswaded the Franck. Church and other that they would not forsake the Churches for such seruitude which without impietie may bee sustained Miricus out cries that rather desolation should be made in the Church and that Princes are to bee frighted with the terror of insurrection For my part I will be author of no such sower aduice And for our part it is euident that wee endure farre more heauie and hard burdens in our places then is a linnen garment c. fol. 106. Againe Melancthon I perswaded that desolation should not be made in the Church for the refusing of a linnen garment or matters of the like nature ibid. fol. 108. Bucer I am perswaded that godly men may vse these garments godly In Script Anglican Censur fol. 458. Againe To the question mooued by Bishop Cranmer to him Whether the Ministers of the Church of England might vse the Surplesse prescribed by the Magistrate After he had put in this caueat that his answer cōcerned only such as were true and faithfull Preachers of Gods word answereth that hee iudged those Ministers who are such in the English Church might by the grace of God vse these garments if so withall they did preach the whole trueth and perfect detestation of the Antichrist of Rome and teach withall that their meaning is not hereby to establish any Antichristian corruption that the Ministers by them are nothing more holy then other men neither the more effectuall to please God neither that they thereby intend to reuolue
Chrisostome Homil. 83. in Mat. Hieron lib. 1. contra Pelag. doe make mention of a white garment which the Ministers in those dayes vsed without superstition in token and admonishment of leading an honest life De politia Eccles lib. 1. cap. 12. fol. 19. M. Cartwright Touching the point whether a Minister should weare it although it be inconuenient the trueth is that I dare not bee authour to any to forsake his Pastorall charge for the inconuenience thereof Considering that this charge being an absolute commaundement of the Lord ought not to bee layd aside for a simple inconuenience or vncomelinesse of a thing which in the owne nature is indifferent After if the Prince vpon the declaration of the inconuenience of such Ceremonies and humble sute for release of them will nothing loose of the cord of this seruitude for my part I see no better way then with admonition of the weake that they bee not offended and prayer vnto God to strengthen them thereunto to keepe on the course of feeding the flocke committed to them in the end of his second Replie fol. 262 263. Touching the signe of the Crosse BVcer This signe of the Crosse both in respect that it is of most ancient vse in the Church as also that it is admodum simplex praesentis admonitionis crucis Christi A Ceremonie Signe of the Crosse neither indecent nor vnprofitable of much simplicitie and of present admonition of the Crosse of Christ I doe hold it nec indecens nec inutile neither indeecnt nor vnprofitable With this condition that in the vse thereof it bee purely vnderstoode and Religiously receiued without the addition of any superstition or bondage of the element or common custome In Script Anglican Censur cap. 12. fol. 479. Beza Seeing these things the signe of the Crosse Not Idolatrous in it selfe other things are not perse Idololatrica Idolatrous in their owne nature we thinke of these things as wee did of the Ceremonies going before fol. 100. and what was that Not of that moment to suffer depriuation namely fol. 98. that it seemeth not a matter of that moment that for it Pastors should leaue rather their charge then vse this signe or that the Flockes should let alone the publike foode of their soules then heare their Pastors vsing this signe Againe Touching the Crosse what shall I say admit there was a time wherin there was some vse of this Signe in opposition to the cotemners of Christ crucified Admit also that it was willingly and of long time vsed by Christians for the externall profession of the true Religion After Yet I know that some renouncing the adoration of the Crosse retaine the vse of this Signe vtantur igitur ipsi sicuti par est sualibertate let them therefore vse their libertie as is meet wee in the French Churches for sundry necessary causes may not tolerate it Beza contra Baldwin Heming Some are offended with our Ceremonies in the Denmarke Churches and crie out that they are popish they say we haue Sacerdotes Priests Altars Surplesses Cādles Images Exorcismes signationes Crucis signings with the signe of the crosse plane Papistico more meerly after the Popish fashion To those men I answere the true Church is distinguished from the false by doctrine and worship and not by Ceremonies Quae per se adiaphora sunt which are Of it selfe indifferent in themselues indifferent Neither doe we iudge indifferent Ceremonies to be of that moment as that Schismes should bee mooued for them in the Church Let the sinceritie of doctrine bee retained let other matters ceremoniall and circumstantiall serue partly for the peace and quiet of the Church and partly to the infirmitie of men Syntag. ad 4. legem Decalogi § 33 34. fol. 365. Also in commentar super 1. cap. Ioan. hee sayth Minime improbo signum Crucis Zanch Other sort of Traditions there are not necessarily to be retained in the Church albeit very ancient and mentioned of the Primitiue Fathers As that a Christian ought to arme his forehead with the signe of the Crosse as also to fast on Fridayes and Saturndayes For albeit they may bee vsed si absque superstitione exerceantur if their vse It may be vsed bee without superstition yet they binde not the conscience Compend Relig. loc 16. De tradit Ecclesiast fol. 654. Againe If we diligently consider the things which are reported of the signe of the Crosse wee shall finde that many things were fabulous other matters fained of the Diuel other vses thereof true but not to the confirmation of superstions others also of that quality which in those Primitiue times indeede when as they were not as yet turned into superstition Tolerari potuerunt verò fuerunt laude In some case tolerable digna might bee tolerated nay they were worthy of commendation yet from which vses of this signe for the present wee must wholly abstaine for the danger of superstition Other vses in a word there were of this signe Quae tolerari etiam nunc possunt cum nihil in tali crucis vsu insit periculi which may be tolerated euen now in the Church seeing in such vse of the crosse there is no peril Deredempt l. 1. cap. 15. fol. 367. After he sheweth that the Primitiue had the signe of the Crosse in the forehead to testifie that they were not ashamed of the Crucifix which was causa praecipua eaque non improbanda The chiefe cause mouing them to vse it and that not to be disliked Ibid. Polanus The signe of the Crosse might haue beene vsed of the holy Fathers without sinne so farre forth as it was a free and open testimony of the confident confession of Christians concerning Christ crucified albeit he acknowledgeth that it was with good right abolished out of many reformed Churches because it was Idolatrously abused by the Papists and that all true worshippers might know that God is to bee serued by them in spirit and truth In Ezech cap. 9. v. 4. fol. 258. Zepperus acknowledgeth the practise of the signe of the Crosse to haue been an vsuall and ancient custome of Christians in the Primitiue Church and maketh apology and good construction of the holy Fathers vse thereof namely that they vsed it not superstitiously as the Papists do but to testifie their trust and confidence in the crosse that is in the passion and death of Christ as the Iewes in Egypt did which signed the doore post of their houses not as if the blood of the Lambe had any power to preserue them from the destroyer but because it was a type of the blood and Crosse of Christ though otherwise he dislike the vse thereof in Baptisme because not commanded of God but hath been abused by the Papists to Idolatry yet hereby he sheweth as also do the rest of our classicall Writers that the vse of this signe is not a thing simply and in nature euill de Sacrament cap. 16. fol.
357. 358. de politia Eccles l. 1. c. 10. fol. 57. 58. Gowlartius The ancient or Primitiue Christians did vse the figure of the Crosse without superstition because the doctrine of the merits of Christ preserued them from error which afterward crept in Annotat. in Cyprian lib. ad Demetr cap. 19. he calleth it a thing indifferent Annot. Cyprian Epist. 56. Master Perkins sheweth that the transient crosse that is the signe of the crosse made with the finger in the ayre was in common vse with the Primitiue and purer Church and was vsed as a simple rite as a signe of the externall profession of their faith and confidence in the Crosse that is the death of Christ and as a certaine monitory whereby they stirred vp their faith and that it was not adored or superstitiously vsed as among the Papists Problem tit signum crucis Sect. 1. 2. 3. fol. 83. 84. Touching kneeling in receiuing the Communion CHurches reformed Bohem Geneua The Bohemian confession touching the manner of their receiuing the Communion saith thus The faithfull members of our Church doe most vsually receiue this Sacrament in genua procumbentes kneeling on their knees with thankesgiuing ioyfulnesse and singing Psalmes Harm confess § 14. Bohem fol. 120. Low-country Churches In the administration of the Lords Supper let euery Church impose or vse such Ceremonies as they shall iudge to bee most expedient so they looke that the Ceremonies taken out of Gods word be not rashly changed and superstitions bee diminished Ex actis Synodalibus general inferior Germ. Middleburg anno 1581. Can. 45. apud Sculting Anachrys Hierarch lib. 9. Caluin being questioned of one whether hee might receiue the Supper of the Lord from the Lutheran teachers in whose Churches kneeling is vsed as appeareth before in the Bohem confes as also appeareth in admonitiō of T. C. fol. 84. In his answere to this question makes no difficulty in respect of kneeling but of their erroneous doctrine of consubstantiation and therefore insinuateth it vnlawfull to receiue nisi clara ingenua praecedat sanae doctrinae confessio In which case he alloweth the receiuing thereof notwithstanding their kneeling Epist 292. fol. 479. Bucer If you admit not this I doe not see how you can graunt any Church that it may celebrate the Lords Supper in the Morning and in an open Church consecrate to the Lord that the Sacraments may be distributed to men kneeling or standing yea to women as well as to men For we haue receiued of these things neither couenant of the Lord nor any example yea rather the Lord gaue a contrary example in these things in Epist ad Ioh. Alasco P. Martyr Neither doe I iudge that we ought immoderately to contend that rites and Ceremonies be the same and euery where obserued after the same manner But this must be looked vnto that they bee not repugnant to Gods word yea they ought to be squared vnto that as much as possible may be and to our vttermost indeuour edification and decent order should bee furthered which conditions if they be obserued it is nothing materiall whether we receiue the Lords Supper standing sitting or kneeleng so as the institution of Christ bee kept and occasion of superstition cut off Neither is it much to be respected while the Church receiueth the elements whether some place of holy Scripture be rehearsed openly or whether Psalmes and thankesgiuing be sung of the people Loc. com class 2. cap. 4. § 39. fol. 203. Againe concerning adoration how it may be vsed in receiuing the Sacraments I will say something namely in a cleere case For if ones minde bee applyed not to the elements but to the things signified adoration may lawfully bee interposed Therefore when the Sacraments are receiued the promises as perteining thereto if we adore the Lord by kneeling we doe not thereby testifie the reall and corporall presence of Christ in the Sacrament Idem in defen ad Gardiner de Eucharist part 1. ob 1. fol. 5. Beza Kneeling at Communion while the elements are receaued hath indeede a shew of Godly and Christian reuerence and therefore might heretofore be vsed cum fructu with some benefit yet because from this originall that same detestable bread worship did first arise and sticketh as yet in the mindes of many it seemeth worthily remoued in the Churches where they vse other gesture yet againe seeing this Ceremonie is not per se idololatrica idolatrous of it selfe wee iudge of it as wee did of the Surplesse and other foregoing Ceremonies Epist 12. fol. 100. namely that it is not of that moment as that for the refusall thereof the Ministers should leaue their Ministery or the people the Sacrament Ibid. fol. 98. in another place Epist 8. fol. 77. albeit hee hold it inconuenient yet he confesseth that it is not per se impium in it selfe impious Vrsinus To a question whether among them that defend Consubstantiation a man might lawfully receaue the Lords Supper he answereth thus seeing in those Churches the same foundation of saluation and the same Christ is taught as is in ours albeit some defects and blemishes doe sticke vpon their Sacraments and seeing the authoritie and vse of the Sacraments as also of the whole Ministrie dependeth not on the persons of the Ministers neither can their false opinions or sinnes hurt and preiudicate such as rightly doe vse Christs institution a man rightly informed may holily communicate with them on these conditions 1. If hee haue no more pure Ministrie in the place or about the place of his aboade or be driuen from the vse thereof against his will as now in these partes the communicating in the purer Churches is for bidden to the orthodoxe vnder paine of proscription 2. If he receaue not the Communion with them as a badge of approuing their error and disliking of the true doctrine as it is vsed saith he in the quarters of our neighbourhood 3. If before he come he make confession plainely and ingenuously without darkenesse and doubtfulnesse vnto the Ministers and know whether they will receiue him with this confession and acknowledge him as a member of the Church yeelding confession of the trueth to others also but professe it before all requiring of him a reason of his faith either in publike or in priuate If the Minister refuse him on these conditions let him abstaine if he admit him and there be obiected to him and layed before him his practise vitiosae Ceremoniae corrupt Cemonies false opinions scornings of the trueth by the aduersaries as if hee should be infected with some superstition thereby and that hee giueth scandall hereby to the weake which may suspect that he approueth their opinions and so may be confirmed also in these things It is answered thus that this is scandall taken not giuen if he who endureth this seruitude inioying in the meane while his Christian liberty doeth not omit the confession of the trueth vnto the Ministers and others and with all doe openly
we haue expounded namely of Ceremonies significatiue ordained by the Church not superstitiously but purely vsed This argument also hath Zanch. de redempt cap. 16. fol. 445. a. There is a great question saith hee in these our dayes about Ministeriall garments surely we read not that Christ and his Apostles did appoint any thing of this matter neither that they changed their garments either when they baptised or when they administerd the Lords Supper but neither did they forbid that men might not take other garments Wherefore it is liberum perse a matter free in it selfe to vse or not to vse other garments in the administration of the Sacraments Because if true Christians hauing the pure doctrine of Christ discipline in their Churches should enioine some speciall garment though abused by the Papists for the commendation of the Ministery to the simple people there is no Scripture forbidding a man to leaue such Christians to their iudgement But there are sundry Scriptures clearely teaching a man why he should leaue them to this their practise as Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. and 9. and many other places namely wheresoeuer we are taught of the libertie and good vse of the creatures not of meates onely but of all creatures else Hee giueth instance of a white garment vsed on the Baptized or Communicants of the Lords Supper Bucer Script Anglican fol. 708. Hoopero Because they which defend these things may pretend some honest and iust signification not strange from the Scriptures As touching the Surplesse the Ministers of the Church are Angels Mal. 3. 1. and the Angels alwayes for the most part appeared as apparelled in White garments Pet. Martyr loc fol. 1085. Hoopero Bucer will haue them signifie Caelestē puritatem candorē omniumque virtutū ornatū heauenly puritie and sinceritie and the ornament of all vertues Script Angl. fol. 682. so also fol. 707. 709. Againe What should let but that the Churches may vse this white Vesture or more Vestures to monish vs precisely of that diuine benefit of the light and dignitie of the heauenly doctrine which he giueth vs by the holy Ministery and by the which the Ministers themselues may bee the more mindful of their office c. Bucer in his Epistle to Io. Alasco at the end of the examination This reason also hath Zanch. Albeit a garment be a free thing saith he and numbred vp among matters indifferent yet for signification a linnen garment were more decent then a woollen for a Minister to vse in administring the Sacramēts for that it is the Impresse or type of innocencie and holinesse Hence in the Apocalyps white garments are giuen to the Saints Zanch. de redempt cap. 16. fol. 445. a. Because these Ceremonies are ancient and haue some good vse it was an old custome in the Church that such as administred the Sacraments should weare a white linen garment Zanch. ibid. ex Hieron cont Pelag. li. 1. The signe of the Crosse is vetustissima very ancient Beza Epi. 8. fol. 75. There was therfore some vse therof thogh since it hath bin horribly abused and there be small profit thereof Bez. Ep. 12. fol. 99. Kneeling at the Communiō hath a shew indeed of godly Christian reuerence and therefore might heretofore haue been vsed cum fructu with some profit ibid. fol. 100. Because if we proceed to disswade from these indifferent things as from pernicious and euill things we shall thereby condemne very many Churches not disagreeing from the Gospel and shall taxe too bitterly innumerable Churches which haue euer and are of old celebrated as most commendable and approued P. Mart. loc fol. 1086. Hoopero If agreemēt in doctrine might be procured between the Saxon or Lutheran Churches and ours there would be no separation made for Surplesses or Ceremonies of the like nature ib fol. 1127. Bucer hath also this reason If there be no liberty granted to the Churches of ordeining Ceremonies about the Lords Supper whereof they haue not the expresse commandement of Christ By this meanes will all Churches be condemned impiae audaciae of impious boldnesse For all Churches doe obserue in the Supper of the Lord such a time place and habit or site of body and besides doe admit womē to the Cōmunion of all which things they haue not onely no commandement of the Lord but they haue also his contrary example For our Lord did celebrate his Supper at night not in the morning in a priuate house not in a publike leaning with his Apostles and after the receiuing of the Pascall lambe notwithstanding Also hee admitted not the women among whom he had sundry his most holy Disciples Bucer Scrip. Anglic. fol. 807. 809. To this reason Pet. Martyr moueth an obiection The Church authority present or past ought not to be of that force that the truth of Gods Word be thereby wronged which albeit the world do fall about our eares in peeces ought to be kept inviolable It is true sed propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but for things indifrent I am resolute that by no meanes we may admit that either Churches should be condemned or that wee should lesse reuerently or honestly speake of them Ibid. fol. 1086. Because we must take heed lest these things which be of lesse importance through our contention may be the meanes or occasions that those things which should be esteemed of greater force and valew either cannot at all be brought vnto the Church or if they be once brought in they cannot be established with continuance Peter Martyr ibid. 1086. Because we must take heed of Satans accustomed sleights whereby he leadeth vs away from the care of necessary things to the immoderate carefulnesse of those things which may well be let passe and from searching out of the true doctrine of Christ to induce vs to those things wherein few can consent alike and finally by the which he kindleth in diuers men a zeale to purge those things which are without vs thereby to neglect our inward deformities Bucer Epist. ad Ioan. Alasco After at the ende of that Epistle This coulorable craft of Satan must be taken heed of by which often he effecteth this that wee reckon those things sinnes which are no sins and those that bee sinnes indeede wee seeme not to regard them in our selues or else against those sinnes which our consciences define to bee sinnes indeede we vse no such seuerity as we ought Because we should in this Realme take most godly heedfulnesse that wee further not vnawares the Diuels intents who throweth in among vs sundry questions and controuersies least wee should take in hand to handle the question of setting forward the doctrine of the Gospel and restoring of discipline and thereby to remoue all drones from Ecclesiasticall Ministeries Bucer in Ep. Io. Alascco Because things in themselues otherwise indifferent doe after a sort change or alter their nature when as by any command of lawfull authority they be either commanded or forbidden because they may not
Signe of the crosse in Baptisme kneeling at the Communion are not per se Idololatrica matters of themselues Idolatrous Ibid. Epist 12. fol. 99. 100. Heming It is adiaphorum natur â a matter indifferent in nature to performe holy things as Baptisme and the Lords Supper in a linnen garment Enchirid. tit de Adiaph class 3. cap. 10. fol. 375. Zanch It is liberum per se a free matter of it selfe to vse or not to vse a linnen garment De redempt lib. 1. cap. 16. fol. 445. Bucan Indifferēt things are said to be such actions which are neither precisely commanded in the Law or word of God neither yet expresly forbidden to be done as to eate flesh or this or that kinde of meate or not to eate it on this or that kinde of day to be clothed in this fashion or colour or not to be clothed Loc. 33. quaest 13. fol. 382. Cartwright The Surplesse is a thing in its owne nature indifferent In the rest of the 2. reply fol. 262. Polanus The vse of a linnen garment is a thing indifferent In Ezec. 44. fol. 807. Obiect Your common prayer Booke is framed like the Romish Masse booke This obiection was made by such as Alexander Alesius calleth optimi veritatus studiosissimi Answ Alesius To this obiection albeit they giue answere which framed the Common prayer Booke themselues in the Preface of ceremonies yet we also may say truely that it is best in all changes and alterations as little to digresse or differ much from those things which are in vse as possible may bee because sodaine and great alterations are euer very perillous And it is much more safe to follow the commendable consent of some few then casting all away to begin and ordaine another altogether new The errors and faults of the Masse bookes are not therefore approoued if something be defended which those errors haue defiled so the errors be remoued Neither doth the Phisitian flatter the disease if presently he cut not off and cast not away the member which laboureth with a recouerable euill This whether ye call it wisedome or moderation or timorousnesse or whatsoeuer I say it neither serueth neither gratifieth the impiety of any but doth performe a necessary duety warily and circumspectly and with the feare of God and serueth God and the Church in professing and defending and keeping the heauenly trueth and doeth glorifie the Sonne of God which will be worshipped by holinesse and righteousnesse before God and adored by the holy Ghost This moderation will not content him that is more hot of nature yet let such a one looke what hee doth and whither he goeth Let him looke that he be not ouer-wise more then he ought to be wise Let him not cauill at other mens godly and temperate reasons neither let him insolently condemne others lesse stout and confident For all must stand before the tribunall of God to giue an account of the things they haue done Let not therefore the high minded too curiously pry into all the sayings and doings of the more humble Let him beare with some things let him slaunder none Let him not hope by wrangling or brauling that it is possible to giue helpe to things out of order but rather to all agreement making to bring two necessary affections one of knowing the state another of pardoning the faults Iudgement is a great and high thing This by how much the businesse is greater is by so much the more diligently intended and opinion is lesse rashly to be giuen The cause ought to be euident not ambiguous and of great weight and by no meanes to be dissembled for the which one brother should accuse another much lesse that it hold a right affection to condemne him Let euery one therefore looke that hee be not swift to speake but rather attentiue to know and inclined to pardon wheresoeuer he may lawfully do but of this sufficient Inter. Script Anglic. Buceri fol. 374. Obiect Bishop Hooper Holy significatiue signes are vnlawfull Answ Bucer 1. When as God by his word hath sanctified all things by our prayers and hath made all things pure to the pure what cause can wee alleadge out of the word of God to deny that God will not blesse the vse of such signes whereof we speake that it should not be effectuall to that Church to some commendation of the Ministrie and thereof also to some edification of the faith For how can it be but that hee which promised to blesse the workes of our hands which we take in his name wil deny his blessing to these signes seeing he hath no where forbidden such an vse of them as we haue expounded and hath made vs Lords of the Sabbath and all other things in the world In Epist. Ioan. Alasco 2. Let vs consider what the Holy Ghost teacheth of the signification of a womans vaile and couering of the mans head 1. Cor. 10. wherefore doeth hee particularely mention the bright garments of the Angels The Holy Ghost doeth nothing rashly and doeth by all creatures preach the saluation of his which consisteth in the faith of the Gospel Script Anglican fol 709. Hoopero Petre Martyr The Ministers of the Church are the Angels and Messengers of the Church as Malachy witnesseth and the Angels all wayes for the most appeared as apparelled in white garments This hee calleth honesta iusta significatio a Scripturis non aliena an honest and fit signification of the Surplesse not disagreeing or strang from the Scripture How shall wee depriue the Church of this libertie that it may not signifie some thing by her actions and Ceremonies so as the people of Christ bee not burdened with Ceremonies and better things be not hindered ye will say let them declare themselues to be Angels indeed let them not signifieit But this might be replied as well on Saint Paul when hee appointed among the Corinthians that a woman should haue her head couered a man haue his head open 1. Cor. 11. 5. for he only presseth the reason of signification to confirme this Ceremonie Now any man of the Corinthian Church might here reply vpon him thus let the man declare himselfe indeed to be the head of the woman and let the woman shew her selfe subiect to her husband by their deeds and life let them not striue to declare it by signes But the Apostle saw that euen this might profitably be done not onely that wee liue rightly but also that by words and signes we be admonished of our duetie Loc. com fol. 1089. Epist Hoopero Zanchius Albeit a garment linnen or wollen for a Minister be numbred among indifferent things yet for the signification magis deceret vestis linea quà m lanea a linnen garment were more decent then a wollen for a Minister to weare in the administration of the Sacrament for that it is the Symbole or type of innocencie and holinesse Hence in the Apocalips white garments are giuen the Saints De redempt cap. 16.
good for the Commonwealth that some thing otherwise lawfull in it selfe be not done either the Church hauing respect of order and decencie and edification doeth establish some lawes orderly concerning things indifferent such lawes are altogether to bee obserued of the godly and so farre forth doe tye the conscience as that no man wittingly and willingly and deliberately with a purpose to disobey may without sinne either doe the things which are forbidden or omitte the things which are commanded Epist. 24. fol. 143. Zanchius Christians albeit they bee subiected to no lawes of men in respect of their conscience but are exempted from all power of men yet in respect of their outward man in respect of the flesh they are not exempted from all power of men but are rather subiect to Magistrates as well Ciuill as Ecclesiasticall and are tyed to obey them both for Gods commandement and the publike good and for keeping of order in the Church as Rom. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. Compend cap. 14. fol. 620. Hemingius That no man abuse this his Christian libertie both pietie to God and charitie to his neighbour perswade vs that we obserue the godly Rites and Ceremonies established for order and discipline sake so as the necessary worship of God opinion of righteousnesse merrit and necessity bee not placed in them Enchirid. clas 3. cap. 14. fol. 372. de libertate Christiana Sarauia Christian liberty doeth not exempt men from the obedience of those to whom God hath made vs subiect The pure doctrine of the Gospel doeth take away the abuse of things and restoreth the true vse of all things which infidelitie had polluted in as much as albeit the actions outwardly are very like yet they are diuerse aswell from the cause efficient from which they are done as the end for the which they are done Defens de gradibus Ministr cap. 25. fol. 582. And so much for the proofe of this argument In all which precedent allegations I thinke fit to obserue and note thus much that albeit I confesse there bee some difference among those worthy writers primitiue and latter about this matter circumstantiall and ceremoniall some looking more vpon the practise of the Primitiue Church and the substantials and maine worshippes of God and danger of their remouing by remouing of these Ceremonies were more inclined to the defence of ceremonies other looking into the inconueniēces many euill effects of the ceremonies wishing Apostolical simplicity in the iust detestation of Antichrist all his superstitions haue been more sterne against them yet all of them haue vniformely agreed in the substātials of Religion as also in this point for the which they are alleadged onely namely that such Ceremonies as are with vs prescribed suppose they were inconuenient and fit to bee abolished yet they are not of that moment for a man to lose his Ministery and to hazzard the ouerthrow of the Church for the refusing of them and this is worthy to bee noted for the confirmation of this argument that they are all and euery one among the Orthodoxe ancient and late classicall Fathers and Diuines of this very mind And againe there is not one I say not one of any sound iudgmēt or good report in the Church of God for the contrary opinion vnles Heretikes Schismatikes such as Donatists Anabaptists Separatists As for Illiricus and his few associats and defendants who onely is alleadged to bee of this minde albeit he well deserued for his labour in the Centuries and certaine other of his workes And something might besaid for his excuse and to shew the difference of his case from ours as that 1. The Ministers of Germanie were compelled to vse Illir clau Scriptur par 1. fol. 23. verbo adiaph such Ceremonies which were cast out by the Church before 2. That they were commaunded and enioyned them by the Romish Church Charles the fift by the aduice of Sleid. comment li. 20. ann 1548. fol. 330. a. fo 332. b. f. 349. a his Clergie imposed the Interim wherein were sundry Popish errors to bee receiued and approoued on the German Churches which was refused confuted by diuers Churches in which respect Illiricus and the rest refused the Ceremonies as in a case of confession and in which respect Hemingius himselfe an adiaphorist maketh an excuse for Heming Enchirid class 3. cap. 16. tit adiaph fol. 375. the Ministers refusall in that case because superstitionis gratia seruabatur whereas in another hee pleadeth for the vse of them as being things indifferent Yet for all this the condition of Illiricus is not vnknowen to the Church of God how furiously and turbulently he was addicted to the peremptory maintenance of vnsauoury and grosse errors diuers other wayes and vnsufferable disgrace of his betters for desert vnto the Church of God whereby wee may the more probably gesse of the truth of his opinions this way and supposing that his case were the self same case with our depriued Ministers yet what is one to vniuersality Illiricus to all the Church of God to broach a singular and new opinion of suffering depriuation for inconuenient Ceremonies not knowen nor heard of since the time of Christ yea accusing and condemning of all others besides himselfe of errors and false doctrines But if any be desirous to see further of Illiricus and of the iniquitie of his cause and proceedings let him looke Melancthon consil part 2. fol. 104 105 106. 107 108 109. and Beza in vita Caluini anno 1549. And it is worth the obseruation that a French Historian saith of him Mathias Flaccius homo vehemens quocunque loco pedem figeret acerrimus turbarum incentor Iac. Aug. Thuanus hist l. 38. fol. 806. b. anno 1567. Thus wee haue seene the iudgement of all true antiquitie and of all their pure posteritie to be opposite to the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for vsing inconuenient Ceremonies whereby his argument is proued And therefore the conclusion which followeth is that the doctrine of suffering depriuation for not vsing inconuenient Ceremonies cannot bee admitted with a good conscience and lastly to admit and practise it it is a sinne against God The whole foregoing argument is thus concluded in a Syllogisme Whatsoeuer doctrine or practise tendeth to condemne all true Churches and godly learned teachers which are knowen to haue declared their iudgements of these things since the time of the Apostles without exception of any one for teaching of false doctrine and for maintaining of a sin is contrary to Gods Word an errour in doctrine and a sinne in practise But Thus doth the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to the prescribed Ceremonies in the Church of England Ergo the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation is contrary to Gods Word an errour in doctrine and a sin in practise This whole argument I shut vp with the sayings of Lumbertus which he vsed on another occasion
In Ep. dedicat de Christo seruatore contra Socinum Nihil noui attuli sed antiquam receptam doctrinam quam hoc saeculo Martinus Chemnitius Iohannes Caluinus Petrus Martyr Zacharias Vrsinus multi alij Sancti Viri ex Dei verbo clarè solide docuerunt defendi tutatus sum Idem ibid. Subijcio hunc librum iudicio sanctae orthodoxae Ecclesiae quae Augustanam Helueticam Gallicam Brittanicam Belgicam confessiones sequitur Hanc enim esse veram Ecclesiam de his dogmatis quae in hoc libro tractantur rectè sentire credo cum hác me concordiam colere profiteor To these authorities there are some things excepted which heere I will setdowne And Obiect Frist that there is not that consent in these authorities no harmony nor agreement neither in iudgement nor in practise Not in iudgement for they disagree among themselues some commend the Ceremonies others discommend them esteeming them vnprofitable inexpedient hurtfull Not in practise for the first 200. yeeres their vniforme practise was answerable to the simplicity of the ordinance of Christ and his Apostles in the parts of Gods publike worships which will appeare if ye cite the vndoubted writings of the pure Fathers and not their Apocryphals or Bastard and supposed writings Answ 1 This obiection is quite besides the question and is nothing to the point in hand and therefore might haue well beene spared The question here is not whether the Churches and Writers agree or disagree in their iudgement practise of such Ceremonies as ours are but whether in a case of depriuation a man ought to conforme to Ceremonies as euill inconuenient as ours are pretended to be rather then suffer depriuation The answer by me is affirmatiue which conclusion all the forealleaged Authors as well one as other doe vniformely hold consent and agree vpon and of this there is an vndoubted harmony For their differences let them be vrged when question is concerning any point wherein they differ To giue instance hereof suppose a question betweene Timothy and Titus whether it were fit that the Apostles should visit the Church which they had by preaching conuerted to the faith and to finde out the truth heereof they will referre themselues to the iudgement of Paul and Barnabas who conuerted them vnto the truth Timothy saith that they should doe well to visit them and alleadgeth that Paul and Barnabas did consent in that iudgement and practise as appeareth Acts 15. 26. Titus denieth it and saith there was no consent nor agreement in their iudgement nor practise For Barnabas counselled to take Iohn called Marke with him but Paul thought it not meet Heere may Timothy reply that the question betweene vs is not about the taking a long of Marke wherein they disagreed but about the visiting of the Churches wherein they were both of one minde Touching their practise of 200. yeeres that it was answerable to the simplicity of the ordinance of Christ and his Apostles I grant that it was much more pure for that space then it was euer after for as the time ran on so purity vanished and superstition grew on as in a praecipitium and desperate downefall Howbeit the mystery of iniquity began to worke euen in the Apostles times The Diuell in those dayes began to sowe his tares as the watchmen began to sleepe both of false doctrine and corrupt Ceremonies the controuersie which troubled all the Christian world was within one hundred yeeres And Anacletus Euaristus Telesphorus Anicetus Victor as also Polycarp Irenaeus which note the controuersie about Easter and others were within the 200. yeeres So were the Hereticks Valentinus Montanus Chiliastae and others who brought innumerable ceremonies Clemens Alexandrinus and Tertullian within the 210. yeere did stirre in their writing Origen about the 216. yere Cyprian about the 240. yeere In whose vndoubted and not bastard writings may be seene and hath beene alleadged the diuersity and multitude of Ceremonies which were then in vse and much more might be said touching the confirmation of this point namely that such ceremonies as were then in vse as inconuenient in vse and nature as ours were practised by them and the doctrine of suffering Depriuation for refusing to conforme vnto such Ceremonies as ours was not by any of them taught but by all of them confuted partly by their doctrine and partly by their practise Obiect These Churches and writers were strangers to our cause nor so well acquainted with the state of our Church and therefore could not so well iudge of our case Answ The persons whose iudgements are alleadged were either strangers to our Church or acquainted with the state thereof The strangers thereto were the Fathers of the Primitiue Church and the Lutheran authors Both which because they were the practisers of more and worse Ceremonies then ours can bee imagined to bee it is nothing to the point whether they were ignorant of our Church or not For they that for the Churches peace did practise and perswade the practise of Ceremonies more in number and worse for quality would much more practise and perswade the lesser and the fewer in the same case as all men know For the rest which were acquainted with the state of our Church they were either forreiners or members of our Church The forreiners were some of them inform'd of our Churches estate by such as were not partiall in the relation thereof Such as Caluin who had our Leturgy translated and sent him to peruse Beza Bullinger Gualter Zanchius Vrsinus Polanus c. Others were such as dwelling in our Church were eye-witnesses themselues of the state thereof such as Bucer in Cambridge For whose censure the common praier Booke was translated into Latine P. Martyr in Oxon. The members of our Church were no lesse worthy then the Forreiners and could not be ignorant of the state of this Church such as the Martyrs Cranmer Ridley F. and Hooper who at last conformed Exiles as Foxe Iewell Nowell Parkhust Sanders Grindall Humphry c. And the latter teachers as Deering Fulke Perkins and especially Master Cartwright who with most exact diligence did sift euery thing to the vtmost of his power that might cary any shew of the warrant of an opposition Obiect These persons which had notice of our state considered not of our grounds of Scripture and of the arguments which we alleadge they professed that they saw but if they saw our reasons and so vrged as we vrge them they would doubtlesse haue bene of other iudgement Answ They considered of all the maine reasons which are now vrged as appeareth before in the Answeres of Master Bucer and P. Martyr to the seuerall obiections of B b. Hooper Besides the members of our Church were wel acquainted with the reasons vrged against them especially the later Obiect Some of the Authors which perswade to vse the Ceremonies doe giue such allegations as ouerthrow their owne grounds and thereby we are more confirmed
that so great lights bring so weake grounds For example The Fathers did with one consent teach a refusall of all Ceremonies which were contra fidem bonos more 's and therefore seeing our Ceremonies are contra fidem bonos more 's it followeth that the doctrine and practise of refusing our Ceremonies agreeth with the doctrine of the Fathers as for their practise if it were contrary to their doctrine in that part it was their ignorance we must leaue their practise and follow their doctrine Mat. 23. 2. Answ 1 Neither doeth this obiection touch the question which is whether all Churches and faithfull teachers doe vniformely teach conformitie to such Ceremonies as ours in case of depriuation yet I answere that these allegations of theirs must bee produced and better sifted before it will bee granted that they ouerthrow themselues with their owne grounds which when it is performed I will further answere if I can It is petitio principij or a begging of the question to conclude without any further proofe that our Ceremonies are contra fidem bonos more 's and I thinke verely that our brethren themselues which doe thus obiect will not say that they are fundamentall or ouerthrowing Christ which they should doe if they were contra fidem bonos more 's Let this be soundly proued and then I will yeeld the whole cause but then with all it must bee concluded that no Church can bee a Church which retaineth fundamentall errors No conformer to them without repentance can be saued the practise of the Ceremonies ouerthrow faith a good conscience and let it be considered how farre this will stretch euen to the Apostles and all Churches and faithfull teachers since the time of Christ Obiect Many of the things alleadged touch not our cause they might haue beene spared Answ Though some things concerne not the peculiar cause of the Ministers depriued yet all which I haue alleadged do touch the question proposed which euery intelligent disputant is to follow and intend neither is there any thing that I know proposed which may not serue as a true medius terminus or pregnant argument tending directly to proue this conclusion that all true Churches teachers since the Apostles did teach practise conformitie rather then they would suffer depriuation or seperation from the Church But if any among so many things as are alleadged bee impertinent let it bee shewed and put out with my good liking there is enough besides which is without all controuersie to the purpose Obiect The times are different there may bee a matter fundamentall now which was not then in respect of the most cleere manifestation of the trueth thereof now which was not then Therefore their iudgement though pure is no rule for vs to follow now It is no true arguing They thus iudged therefore we must thus iudge of these Ceremonies as for example It was a trueth that Christ should be borne at Bethleem and of the Virgin Mary this trueth being fundamentall now was not so before Christ was borne and manifested Cornelius was a faithfull man before hee belieued in Christ the sonne of the Virgin Mary yet hee had the faith of the Messias in generall sufficient to his saluation but after it was reuealed by the Apostles to him euen this was also fundamentall Answ This obiection containeth a trueth but it faileth in the application therof vnto the case in question For there must bee proued these two points that this obiection may bee firme First that the vse of these Ceremones is growne to be a matter fundamentall which sometimes it was not and the sound reasons thereof must be alleadged which as yet they are not it is not knowen as yet by any light that euer I preceaued or heard of how these Ceremonies here questioned should be rather fundamentall now then before when by the same reasons they were opposed as they are now Secondly that the refusall of the Ceremonies questioned bee a matter of that waight and nature with the instance brought of belieuing in Christ the sonne of the Virgin Mary betweene which I confesse there seemeth to me to be so great and so reall a difference as that I suppose it to be brought in quite besides the point When these two points bee solued I will answere as occasion is offered further Obiect You haue omitted some things in this your argument or reason whereunto wee must also conforme Besides conformitie is not sufficient wee shall be required to subscribe and further these our ceremonies are nowe farre more strictly enioyned and imposed then euer before Answ The question is of what in this case we may lawfully conforme vnto if there be any thing besides which may be proued simply vnlawful euen in this case of depriuatiō to conforme vnto let it be soundly discouered wisely and zealously eschewed and a reformation humbly laboured vnto by authoritie or prayed for to God In the meane time let vs consider whether in this case our consciences be not tied to conforme to redeeme the libertie of the Ministerie Touching the vrging or pressing of these Ceremonies it is true they haue been imposed with some vehemencie yet they are not imposed nor pretended so to bee vpon the conscience as the worships of God or needfull to saluation but they are taught as variable and free things and in their nature indifferent but as they are commanded by authoritie and so imposed Obiect The force of your argument lieth in this that rather then we should suffer depriuation we should receiue and vse Ceremonies as inconuenient hurtfull and scandalous as were the Iewish Ceremonies and those which the fathers imbraced but the Iewish Ceremonies were holden necessary to saluation Act. 15. 1 3. and the Ceremonies of the Fathers were holden operatiue your argument ergo concludeth a necessitie of receiuing Ceremonies though euen holden necessary and operatiue rather then to suffer depriuation for refusing such Thus may wee also dispute for all other Popish Ceremonies as for the shauen Crowne Exorcisme White garment in Baptisme Soot Spittle Creame holy Water Answ 1. My argument concludeth onely for conforming to the Ceremonies which are prescribed in the case of depriuation and for none other from an argument drawen from the consent of all true Churches and faithfull teachers of all ages and places which did rather conforme to more and worse then ours are pretended to bee argumento à maiori ad minus ducto which holdeth strongly for conforming to our Ceremonies which are farre more tolerable and lesse inconuenient and burdensome then theirs Neither can my argument bee farther drawen or racked then I vrge it 2. Touching the Iewish Ceremonies they were holden necessary to saluation by refractary Iewes not by the Apostles and the godly well grounded Christians So our Ceremonies are holden by the Papists but not by vs therefore that instance concerneth vs no more thē the Apostles and the faithfull of those times 3. Touching the Ceremonies
obiected by the ministers in the abridgement that iustly and materially against our ceremonies Yet doth not the maine forces of this third argument lye in that but in this rather that though they be but humane Ceremonies yet they that inioyne them doe esteeme and impose them as partes of the worshippe of God which puts a manifest difference betweene them and the Ceremonies that were vsed by the Apostles or any Church by their appointment 4 In the imposing and vsing of ours those rules that are prescribed in the Word for matters of direction in the Church concerning Ceremonies are not kept For they are no way needfull or profitable for the edification of the Church but are knowne to cause offence euery where and hinderance vnto edification and are obserued only for the will and pleasure of them that doe inioyne them Theirs though they were vsed and appointed by them who had more farre absolute authority and might lawfully haue commanded in the Church of God specially doing that they did by the inspiration of the holy Ghost yet were they also squared directed by the rules of the holy Scripture and were no way offensiue but tended greatly to the edification of Gods people And how often hath Master Spr. affirmed in the prosecuting of this argument that they were profitable and necessary and alleadged for proofe thereof Acts 15. 28. 29. though heere as forgetting himselfe hee doe deny it Yea this very Section heere wherein hee takes vpon him to prooue they were not needfull or profitable they serued rather to destroy then to edifie the Church he concludes with this clause Yet their vse and yeelding serued to edifie by making way to the Churches peace and furtherrnce of the Gospel And this vaine of contradicting himselfe he taketh such pleasure in as he continueth it to the end of his discourse wherein he laboreth to proue that the fourth argument against the Ceremonies in the abridgement maketh as strongly against the Apostles as against our Church They were not profitable for order saith he in the beginning of that Section and in the conclusion of it affirmes yet it was order to vse and practise them in that case And in the beginning of the next Section hauing said they were not profitable for decency for what was more vndecent then for a Christian to vse idle vnfruitfull needlesse and beggarly rudiments by and by he addes yet did this indecency vphold an higher decency Which last phrase of speech besides the contradiction is very hard to be vnderstood for how can indecency support decency or in what sense can the establishment of the faith and the dayly increase of the number of the Churches bee termed a higher decency or how could the indecency of these Ceremonies establish the faith and increase the Churches After this in going about to shew that they were offensiue many wayes in the fift Section hee saith that in the euent they did serue indeede as meanes to infringe the Christian liberty and immediately after yet the vse and practise of these things by the direction of the Apostles did procure the liberty of the Gospell So that if M. Spr. himselfe be to be beelieu'd euery indifferent and vnderstanding man will easily discerne that the 4. Argument which the Ministers haue vsed against our ceremonies in the abridgement doth not any way concerne those which the Apostles did vse And surely it would be altogether needlesse to insist longer vpō this part of this his Discourse but that there is one thing affirmed by him which may not be passed ouer For noting this to be the 4. way whereby those ceremonies were offensiue that the Apostles themselues were offended in imposing that they did hee addeth that they taught against the things which they inioyned that namely they ought not to be vsed by the Iewes or Gentiles It is strange any learned or Godly man should so farre forget himselfe as to charge the holy Apostles to haue inoyned the faithfull to vse those things which themselues did teach ought not to be vsed either by Iewes or Gentiles specially when the text expresly saith that what they inioyned they inioyned by the direction of the Holy Ghost The place he citeth to proue this that he saith viz. Act. 21. 21. doth not affirme that Paul had taught so indeed but that the Iewes had been so informed of him and by Iames his words vers 24. it appeares also that information was false And if this which he speaketh of the Apostles preaching this against that which they did so decree were to be belieued which God forbid what had hee gained by it surely that there could be no force in this example or decree to bind vs in conscience to vse those things which they in their doctrine did teach ought not to be vsed by any Christian And so this his first Argument wherein he hath laboured so much and with so great confidence is by himselfe vtterly ouerthrowen The third maine point in cōfirmation of the assumption of his first Argument is this That the Apostles by diuine inspiration and commandement from God required the Churches to vse so many Ceremonies and such as were as inconuenient and euill as ours are supposed to bee That whatsoeuer the Apostles did inioyne the Churches they did it by diuine inspiration commandement from God is so vndoubted a truth as he needed not at all to haue troubled himselfe in the confirmation of it it being so hard to find any scholler that would so much gainsay or call this in question as hee himselfe hath sometimes done in this Treatise All the question in this point is Whether euer the Apostles did inioyne vnto whole Churches so many Ceremonies as ours are and those also as inconuenient and euill as ours are This he goeth about to prooue after this manner They caused others to practise ceremonies for Paul circumcised Timothie Act. 16. 3. and tooke the men and was purified with them Act. 21. 26. They aduised one another to practise ceremonies for Iames and the Elders perswaded Paul thus to conforme Acts. 21. 23. 24. They inioyned or commanded the practise of Ceremonies for thus did the Councill at Ierusalem Act. 15. 28. 29. This constitution is called the decrees that were ordained by the Apostles and Elders Act. 16. 4. and the determination of the Apostles Act. 21. 25. and this commaundement they gaue to whole Churches of diuers and farre distant countreys and Nations namely to the Gentiles in Antiochia Siria and Cilicia Act. 15. 23. and afterwards he addes that the Ceremonies that they did thus cause others to practise aduise one another to practise inioyne whole Churches to practise were as inconuenient and euill as ours both for number nature and euill effects For answere vnto all this First it were sufficient to say That he hath not performed that which he hath vndertaken because hee prooues not that the Apostles inioyned so many Ceremonies as wee haue in our Church or that
contrary iudgement to that for which they alledge him and saith that it is recepta illius loci interpretatio vntill they come vnto the place which my Brethren say I put most confidence in which they finde to bee Acts 15. Which place it selfe vnlesse they had gone about directly to confute they could haue said nothing to the purpose For what is it to the point when I speake of inioyning and doe bring a place to proue it for them to insist vpon the number but according to the old saying Ego de allijs tu de caepis which might bee referred to the Dialogue of Erasmuus de absurdis As for the ensuing repetion of the things which before they alleadged in the same words almost that the things enioyned in Act. 15. were not Ceremonies that they were imposed not as ceremoniall but as morall dueties that Timothy his circumcision was not a Sacrament and the rest they are by me sufficiently replyed vnto before The fourth and last member of my assumption is of reasons of suffering depriuation where my Brethren in their answere beginne againe with misreporting of my wordes For my reason saith not that the Apostles and Churches were moued to inioyne and practise Ceremonies for reasons of no greater weight but for reasons partly equiuolent and partly inferiour to the auoiding of depriuation And I am sorry that in so little compasse of two or three sheets of paper my Brethren should so many times ouerslip themselues which if in this part of their answere they had not done it had beene to small purpose to bring in so large a proofe of that in the first Section heereof which no man denieth that the Apostles office is of greater dignitie or excellency then the office of an inferiour Minister For in that I said partly equiuolent I left roome enough for any man to vnderstand that the reasons were not altogether equiuolent and yet this very point being caeteris paribus vnderstood as the office of a Minister is the ordinance of God as well as the office of an Apostle so the one in these dayes is no lesse necessary for the saluation of the faithfull man now then the other then and a Minister in these dayes ought no lesse to bee carefull of the losse of his Ministery or interruption of the Gospell then the Apostles then and therefore I see not but the same reasons and practise they vsed then to that end we should also now vse for the profit of Gods Church Next in the second place there is one thing by the way that I cannot be perswaded of that my Brethren say that the very vsing of the Iewish ceremonies then would edifie whereas they should rather say that the effect of such vse did edifie onely For that the bare vse of them being in it selfe considered might in many respects be scandalous and did minister occasion to the corrupt Iewes of stumbling as I haue prooued But it is much that my Brethren should affirme that conformity to our Ceremonies to preuent Depriuation should not doe any good at all and further that a Minister should doe much more hurt by his conformity then good by his Ministry As if the liberty of preaching the word were so great good by the Apostles practise to the Church and with vs by Gods blessing on his owne ordinance it were no good at all Or as if the practise of the ceremonies would nullifie or confound the blessing of Gods ordinance of preaching and then how can the preaching of Conformitans bee blessed of God Or as if the vse of our Ceremonies would destroy more soules then preaching could conuert or establish in the faith Or last of all as if the vse of the ceremonies were more apt and forcible to peruert a man to his destruction then preaching to conuert him to saluation Which supposals as they are most vntrue and my Brethren I know will not denie so if they graunt them to be false a Minister conforming to redeeme the free passage of his preaching shall haue a better bargaine out of question by his practise then my Brethren heere doe vndertake to driue on his behalfe Now touching the last point if my Brethren will haue me grant that the Apostles were well assured in their consciences they did that which was not onely lawfull but needfull for them to doe Then still I must needs conclude that so long as we doe performe the like practise with them in the like case and on the like reasons as it doeth yet appeare wee may very well haue assurance sufficient for it in our hearts And so in degree according to our modell we may be said to haue an equiualent reason for the auoyding of our Depriuation As for that full assurance which my brethren say they enioy namely that they haue Gods expresse commandement to the contrary and that they should doe euill in the sight of the Lord to conforme vnto our Ceremonies euen to auoid de priuation It seemeth to me a speach neither Theologicall nor safe I say not Theologicall for that Theologie is assurance of matters fundamentall which in their nature are onely euident and vnquestionable among the faithfull which this is not And I say againe not safe because as wee are expressely charged not to call good euill so if our Ceremonies should in their nature proue indifferent wee should feare to call them simply and in nature euill both because it is vntrue and the consequences are pernicious which come from thence And if it bee good and needfull in a case of depriuation to conforme vnto our Ceremonies as all good iudgements and godly learned teachers and Churches haue taught till now our brethren are become assured otherwise Me thinks this plerophoricall confidence of my brethren should not bee so safe for them but rather to set a side all ancient preiudice to hearken carefully to that which is disputed and concluded by the chiefest lights and iudgements that euer the Church of Christ since the time of the Apostles obtained of God to iudge charitably of their differing brethren and modestly of themselues and to iudge nothing before the time till the Lord come who will lighten things that are hid in darkenesse And if they will not yeeld vnto this trueth yet to leaue it as a matter of disputall nature till the day doe try and the fire consume the stubble of the errors of Gods faithfull seruants FINIS AN ADMONITION TOVCHING THE FAVLTS escaped in Printing THOV maist vnderstand good Christian Reader that this treatise was put in presse before I had knowledge thereof and I had not perused the copy that was written Whereupon there is great neede of thy patience in respect of the many slippes escaped in Printing and other alterations thereof yet without the Printers fault or mine The chiefe whereof I haue heere corrected Let no man take offence at my consent for the publication thereof because I rest perswaded of the truth therein contained and I bring
not shew of words but waight of reason and besides it was needfull for me to publish those reasons which the hazard of my depriuation did heeretofore occasion mee to frame and enforced me of late to follow The Lord giue such blessing to the same as I heartely desire for the peace of the Church and for the quieting of the consciences of such as neede it Pag. Err. Correct 7 GAl. 5. 20. 21. 22. Gal. 5. 30. 10. 21. 22. 10 of Faith dayly in the Faith dayly 11 as ours are now as ours are not by our Church 13 mystically mutually 14 then sometimes they sometimes  or rather straw or rather tares  those many things those maine things 16 noted to King noted by King 18 as also all as also did 19 both by otah doctrine both by doctrine  Papists popishly Papists and Popishly 21 these dayes those dayes  Act. 25. 28. 29. Acts 15. 28. 29. 22 and 10. 13. and 10. 31.  of his iudgement of this iudgement 24 in one practise in our practise 25 reproued approued 27 2. King 23. 12. 2. Chron. 32. 12. 28 being both works because both workes 31 we cannot iudge and therefore we cannot iudge 31 by euery person by all persons 35 the performance the formes 38 yea saints the Saints  essentiall practise effectuall practise 39 sound doctrine sound doctrine 43 to conforme or the like to conforme vnto our ceremonies or the like 45 the Apostles in the Apostles case in 46 Contrariae contrarius 47 Exercit part inter thes Vrsin Excercit part 2. inter thes 126. 48 because all such because otherwise al such 49 or rather or other 50 kneeling high or low kneeling outward habite as this or that forme of apparell voice high or low 51 Consider that which also Consider secondly that as also 52 obedience to good obedience to God 54 proued a matter proued that a matter 54 preaching of the worke preaching of the word 55 practising of the word by preaching preaching of the word  no sinne of adultery no time of adultery 57 the praecepts these praecepts 59 The former as a circumstantiall duetie to which all ceremonies as a lesser work to a greater the former as a circumstantiall duty commanding fit ceremonies the other as a substantiall duty to which all ceremonies ceremoniall duties must serue as a lesser work to a greater 62 broken taken 63 of the fulfilling if the fulfilling  by well doing be well doing  violation of the Law violation of that Law 64 many thousands may thousands 72 as the Papist as the Papists wil haue it 74 as in condemning or in condemning  must needs be an error must needs be in error 78 the consent of Churches suppose then the consent of Churches 79 Catholique Church taken Catholike Church may erre being taken  Catholike Church haue Catholike Church hath  here should we make how should we make 80 For they agree so they agree 87 Decret caus 26. qu. 6. 7 8. 10. Decret Caus 26. qu. 6. can 9 ex Nicaeno Conc. item can 6. 7. 8 10. 88 Commended and commended as 90 onely fish and fowles onely fish some fish and foules 91 Valentius Valentinus 92 that in those dayes in cities in villages that a man in those dayes might find in cities and villages 97 afterwards the same afterwards the Sunne 98 wholesome wholesomely 102 Easterne Controu Easter Controu 103 praesumptuous praesumptions  pacificum pacificum filium 106 M. Middelburgi  Putaeus Paraeus  Witenberg Wirtenberg so Correct it pag. 108. 109. 115.  gaue giue 107 Epistle of Luther Postill of Luther the like pag. 109. 109 Harm Confess § fol. 176. Bohem. Harm confess § 16. fol. 179. Bohem.  4. Lex Decal § 11. fol. 43. albeit 4. Lex Decal § 33. so doe the Tigurines Har. conf § 11. fol. 43. albeit 110 First of their iudgement touching ceremonies in generall appeareth First of their iudgement touching ceremonies in generall as also of their practise after and then also of our cere  Iniunction Inuention 113 Iocun Ioan. 115 an aedification and aedification  Scriptu fol. 21. Cap. fol. 211. 118 for the Churches aedification Deleatur 125 penislyllabas Paenè syllabas 128 Benhagius Bugenhagius 130 Myricus Illyricus  reuolue reuoke 133 Came Comes 134 therefore first I answere albeit in our iudgement these ceremonies are not rightly commanded Deleatur 140 primitiue had the Primitiue Church vsed 144 yeelding Confession of the trueth yeelding to his request heerein 4. if he conceale not this confession of the trueth 151 lesser better 152 wherefore it is written whereof it is written 153 we are bound following wee are not bound following faires 157 Paraeum Duraeum  Commandeth commendeth 159 meane to rather 162 then to then so to 165 paritie purity 166 perils points 167 of mending of weeding out 168 admitted permitted 170 haue some notwithstanding haue had some not standing 171 to be kept inuiolable to be kept inuiolable And he answered it thus 175 No partes neither partes 191 hold a right affection should preiudice a right affection 197 admonition of them admonition of the weake that they be not offended praier vnto God to strengthen them 199 so respected so reserued 202 his argument this argument 203 Lumbertus Lubbertus 205 which note the controuerfie which were the controuertists  did stirre doe shew 288 though pure past 209 soote salt 213 so refusing for refusing 214 doctrine and practise of the Apostles doctrine and practise of the Apostles therefore it is a sinne 215 viz. that the Apostles doctrine and practise doeth not so warrant a minister viz. that it is both against the doctrine and practise of the Apostles for a minister  beginne begge  doctrine of the Scribes practise and doctrine of the Scribes 224 Apostles inioyned them Apostles vsed and enioyned them 225 when that himselfe then that himselfe 226 his first proposition his proposition  to be obserued to haue beene obserued 227 for matters of direction in the Church concerning ceremonies for the direction of the Church in matters of ceremonies 230 nature and euill nature vse and euill 235 this commandement his commandement 236 Answeres Answerers