strifes and contentions many times and that about matters of no small importance yea her schisms factions and such other evils whereunto the body of the Church is subject sound and sick remaining both of the same body as long as both parts retain by outward profession that vital substance of Truth which maketh Christian Religion to differ from theirs which acknowledg not our Lord Jesus Christ the blessed Saviour of mankind give no credit to his glorious Gospel and have his Sacraments the seal of eternal life in derision Now the priviledg of the visible Church of God for of that we speak is to be herein like the Ark of Noah for any thing we know to the contrary all without are lost sheep Yet in this was the Ark of Noah priviledged above the Church that whereas none of them which were in the one could perish numbers in the other are cast away because to eternal life our profession is not enough Many things exclude from the Kingdom of God although from the Church they separate not In the Church there arise sundry grievous storms by means whereof whole Kingdoms and Nations professing Christ both have been heretofore and are at this present day divided about Christ During which division and contentions amongst men albeit each part do justifie it self yet the one of necessity must needs erre if there be any contradiction between them be it great or little And what side soever it be that hath the truth the same we must also acknowledg alone to hold with the true Church in that point and consequently reject the other as an enemy in that case fallen away from the true Church Wherefore of hypocrites and dissemblers whose profession at the first was but only from the teeth outward when they afterwards took occasion to oppugn certain principal Articles of Faith the Apostles which defended the truth against them pronounce them gone out from the fellowship of sound and sincere Believers when as yet the Christian religion they had not utterly cast off In like sense and meaning throughout all Ages Heretickâ— have been justly hated as branches cut off from the body of the true Vine yet only so far forth cut off as their Heresies have extended Both Heresie and many other crimes which wholly sever from God do sever from the Church of God in part only The mysterie of Piety saith the Apostle is without peradventure great GOD hath been manifested in the flesh hath been justified in the Spirit hath been seen of Angels hath been preached to Nations hath been believed on in the world hath been taken up into glory The Church a pillar and foundatiou of this truth which no where is known or profess'd but only within the Church and they all of the Church that profess it In the mean while it cannot be denied that many profess this who are not therfore cleered simply from all either faults or errors which maketh separation between us and the Wel-spring of our happiness Idolatry severed of old the Israelites Iniquity those Scribes and Pharisees from God who notwithstanding were a part of the seed of Abraham a part of that very seed which God did himself acknowledg to be his Church The Church of God may therefore contain both them which indeed are not his yet must be reputed his by us that know not their inward thoughts and them whose apparent wickedness testifieth even in the sight of the whole world that God abhorreth them For to this and no other purpose are meant those Parables which our Saviour in the Gospel hath concerning mixture of Vice with Vertue Light with Darkness Truth with Error as well an openly known and seen as a cunningly cloaked mixture That which therefore separateth utterly that which cutteth off clean from the visible Church of Christ is plain Apostacie direct denial utter rejection of the whole Christian faith as far as the same is professedly different from Infidelity Hereticks as touching those points of Doctrine wherein they fail Schismaticks as touching the quarrels for which or the duties wherein they divide themselves from their brethren Loose licentious and wicked persons as touching their several offences and crimes have all forsaken the true Church of God the Church which is sound and sincere in the doctrine that they corrupt the Church that keepeth the bond of unity which they violate the Church which walketh in the ways of righteousness which they transgress the very true Church of Christ they have left howbeit not altogether left nor forsaken simply the Church upon the main foundations whereof they continue built notwithstanding those breaches whereby they are rent from bottom to top asunder And having largely discoursed on the same argument in the beginning of his third Book he proceeds to reprove such as being then members of this Church would annihilate her being truly a Church and claim an independencie because of some corruptions they conceived in her As there are saith he fol. 86. which make the Church of Rome utterly no Church at all by reason of so many grievous errors in their Doctrine so we have them amongst us who under pretence of imagined corruptions in our Discipline do give even as hard a judgment of the Church of England it self And afterwards f. 88. coming to distinguish the visible Church into parts according to their several jurisdictions to the end that authority thereof might be made useful he farther saith For preservation of Christianity there is not any thing more needful then that such as are of the visible Church have mutual felowship and society one with another In which consideration as in the main body of the Sea being one yet within divers precincts hath divers names so the Catholick Church is in like sort divided into a number of distinct societies every of which is termed a Church within it self In this sense the Church is always a visible society of men not an Assembly but a society For although the name of the Church be given unto Christian assemblies although any multitude of Christian men congregated may be termed by the name of a Church yet Assemblies properly are rather things that belong to a Church Men are assembled for performance of publike actions which actions being ended the Assembly dissolveth it self and is no longer in being whereas the Church which was assembled doth no less continue afterwards then before Where but three are and they of the Laity also saith Tertullian yet there is a Church that is to say a Christian Assembly But a Church as now we are to understand it is a Society that is a number of men belonging unto some Christian fellowship the place and limits whereof are certain That wherein they have communion is the publike exercise of such duties as those mentioned in the Apostles Acts Instruction Breaking of bread Prayers As therefore they that are of the mystical body of Christ have those inward graces and vertues whereby they differ from all others which are not of
and of Soepter in the singular number we may well understand the King before mentioned And however the Pâ—ophetick designation of Monarchical government to succeed as under the notion of Kings as the adopted Father of each Country took not place until Moses but that those that were the natural Fathers of the Tribes and had right of Government by primogeniture continuâ—â— as Princes and Rulers yet their as he was the first that was so stiled being King in Jesâ—uâ—â—â—â— even as the succeeding Judges may be so well called for that in the inter-regnum it is said there was no King in Israâ—l so shall we â—ind Moses again as expresly foretelling that they should have a King as that they should possess the Land For the words to each Promise run absolute Dent. 17. 14. When tâ—â—u art come into the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee and shâ—lt possess it and shalt dwell therein and shalt say I will set a King over me like all the Nations that are round about me c. It is not said If thou shalt say no such conditional but an express duty or prophecie For the conjunction and here used and shalt possess it and dwell therein and shalt say makes all of them equally certain as certain in the blessing of Kingship as in that of the promised Land it self Of all which I have formerly at large discoursed and have briefly here premised to unprejudice such as are averse to Monarchy or the acknowledgment of the power of Kings in the Church and shall now treat of the Church it self and of its proper cognisance and power in which we shall have farther occasion to assert this Kingly superintendencie CHAP. II. Of the Church Catholick and of the power and jurisdiction of each particular Church and Head thereof THe word Ecclesia or ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we English Church doth originally import a Company called forth or men met together upon some special occasion But the Scripture treating of Religious matters applies that notion to Meetings made to that end And therefore that Assembly which Demetrius and his Craftsmen made is called by that name But then farther because to be called forth must presuppose some person or persons having power so to do and also to propound and regulate what shall be disputed of or determined in these Assemblies in that respect again we after find that those things which in the former unruly meeting could not be composed are by the Town-Clark promised to be determined in a more lawful Church or assembly to be called according to Authority All Religions agreeing in this truth that without observation of Government and Order both Church and State will quickly run into confusion After Christianity had a while been professed this name by way of excellence was appropriate to them and those of their communion Insomuch as in the beginning thereof and while the Land of Jewry did contain the whole number of Believers or that the Christians there or elswhere had not cast themselves into any proper or distinct forms of regiment all such as stood as well separated from the world as associated amongst themselves by their joint profession of the same faith stood only distinct from the rest of the world by the word Church or Church of Christ Catholickly applied without distinction thereof into parts in respect of any local application But when afterwards they came to be dispersed into several Cities so distant from one another in place and so different in jurisdictions as to require some form of Ecclesiastical discipline to be setled amongst themselves for their more orderly service in their Religion it came then to pass that as those that had begotten them in the faith and been their spiritual fathers and instructors had chief authority herein so were those their Churches and followers distinguished by topical additions as the Church or Saints at Rome at Corinth at Ephesus or the like By the use of the word at such a place and not saying the Church of Rome of Corinth of Ephesus or the like as now we do the Church of Rome England Geneva c we are to conceive that as the first Believers were in respect of this separation from the rest of the world in faith and some religious exercises called by the name of a Church so these in those several Cities wherein they lived were called Saints or Church at such a City and not of as betokening that they were aswel but a part of that City as to civil regiment as also a part of the whole Catholick Church now subordinate to some separate Authority in the exercise of their Religion But then we are to conceive that although this separation of theirs from others of the same City both in their meetings and holy exercises were done in order to their Religion yet was it not the quality of any Religion as such a Religion but difference in rites and form of Worship and in meeting thereabouts from that other Religion which was publikely authorised in that place which made it preserve this name of Church as taken in its proper sense And therefore as before said we shall usually find that the Addition of the Church of God or of Christ is put to distinguish as well as to dignifie it above other religious Congregations that were not such And upon this reason it is that we never read in the Scripture that the the word Church is applied to the Jews although they were a Nation separate from all the rest of the world both in their Religion it self and in the Ceremonies thereof even for that it was all one and the same with that which the publick Authority of that place did appoint and allow Whereas when Christianity first began amongst them the first Professors thereof being but subordinately divided were set down as a Church or Congregation of men in that respect separate saying The Church or Church of Christ which is at Jerusalem Which being considered we need not wonder why S. Paul should proceed to no higher punishment then that of Excommunication against a Blasphemer or an incestuous person or the like who by the very heinousness and nature of their sins might be presumed not greatly desirous of their Communion even for that it was at that time all the punishment he or other Heads of Churches could inflict wanting as before noted all coercive jurisdiction Upon which ground again we find not that the Jews did ever exercise this kind of punishment while they continued masters of their own soveraignty but comprising all offences under the same Law they punished transgressions of all sorts as breaches thereof when yet afterward in the time of our Saviour that the supreme power was in the hand of the Romans we find them both threatening and actually thrusting men out of their Synagogues But however such notorious sinners as those might in the infancie of Christianity set lightly of any Church-censure in that kind yet with the
more conscientious sort who in regard of those many promises by Christ made no his Church had been at first won to be of their fellowship and communion as the only means to their salvation it was taken as a punishment of the highest import And however that the then Church for want of Judiciary power as aforesaid could not punish otherwise yet since it became all that were named by the name of Christ to depart from iniquity and to have their conversation such as becomed Saints and to walk worthy that vocation wherewith they were called in which respect we shall find the name of Disciples Believers Saints Church and Christians indifferently used to signifie those that made profession of Christs name It therefore became them who were to be as lights on a hill and to see that others light did so shine before men that they seeing their good works might glorifie that God in whose obedience they did it to be very sensible and tender of permitting any thing scandalous in the eye of the world to be acted or countenanced by any of their profession In reference to which gracious promises of Salvation Illumination Assistance and the like made by Christ to his Church and of that degree of sanctity wherewith those of this profession stood eminent above the rest of the world or of that City or place where they lived it is no wonder if we find that this notion of Church was still used even after the time that the publick Authority of the Country came also to be of the same belief especially considering that it was more then three hundred years after Christs birth before any Emperor at all was of that profession from which they quickly again fell and that during the said time and a good while after the more considerable and perhaps the major part of the Empire it self besides what was done in other Countries more heathenish continued still Infidels Towards whose conversion and for the greater honor of their Master and his doctrine as they desired to become worthy Disciples by the example of their holy lives so dâ—d they withall still keep up as far as might be a communion with one another therein as well as a separation from others that were not of the same belief But yet we shall never find in Scripture or Author of antiquity that was not prejudiced by particular adherence to some party that these notions of Church or Saints were used to separate Christians from Christians so as to accompt others especially their fellow-subjects that publickly professed faith and obedience to Christ to be yet none of his Church until such time as the whole Church through the goodness of God being rid of the fear of much harm from such as for Christs sake were their common enemy some separate parts thereof began in a strange requital to seek out enemies amongst themselves Ambition pride interest and passion causing men to forget those prime precepts of humility meekness patience brotherly love and the like wherewith Christianity stood at first adorned and whereby they as out of a common principle of love to Christ and his honor as well as to one another according to the true intent of Religion were piously and unanimously guided and now to prosecute that course which should at once hazard the honor and good of both Christ and his whole Church through their strife to advance some particular Sect above the rest and themselves in it As if Christs Disciples and followers must not now be called such in regard of their faith in him as formerly was used but out of belief in and for following them rather in things circumstantial or by themselves called fundamental the more to countenance that breach of Charity which must thence ensue hereby shewing that we have not as the true elect of God and beloved put on bowels of mercies kindnesses humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering so as to forbear one another and forgive one another if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave us But have neglected to put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness and to let the peace of God rule in our hearts to the which we are also called into one body even this body and communion of a Church Col. 3. 12 c. It being indeed impossible for any but such elect as these to escape those deceits and snares which each particular Sect as in Christs name will be ready to lay before us saying Lo here is Christ and lo there is Christ on purpose to affright us from confidence in that Name whereby alone under heaven we can be saved as if salvation were not to be found in being a Member of the Catholick Church or any part of it as Christian but in that secret Chamber or that desert Assembly which is now separately named and owned by themselves 6. This is that great misery under which Christendom hath of late been so much troubled as well through that ambitious humor of universal rule and dominion whereby those of the Roman party out of opinion of Eminencie Succession or the like would advance their Head to be Head of the whole Church even where his jurisdiction reacheth not As of others also who in any particular Church are ready to make a separation of themselves as though in regard of any extraordinary degree of sincerity of worship or sanctity of life by them professed above others the antient notion of Church could now again be appropriate to them without notice of their Brethren of the same Religion and those in Authority and perhaps more in number also in like manner as formerly the notion of Church was understood in opposition to those that were meer Heathens 7. The truth is that Christian societies may well be distinguished from Professors of other Religions by this peculiar appellation their Religion being indeed the Religion even as their God is apparently the God For where they in discovery of their meer humane extraction or wors are in their precepts wholly regardful of their own outward glory pomp and estimation and that according to humane fancie and opinion when we are by voice from heaven taught that strict conjunction which is between Glory to God in the highest and Peace on earth and good will towards men Their Deities stand manifestly on their Sacrifices professing greatest love to such as are most zealous in them or such like kind of adoration Ours pronounce Charity the end of the Law and prefer Mercy before Sacrifice and to encourage men thereto our Saviour personateth the hungry blind naked imprisoned and promiseth even the reward of Heaven to such as should most express their love and duty to him that way 8. And thereupon again as true it is that particular Churches cannot seclude one another from being members of that Catholick body while they acknowledged the same Common head much less can such as live within the authority or are members of any Christian Church or society
claim any jurisdiction apart or make separation therefrom upon allegation of any extraordinary sanctity or neerer degree of imploiment in Religious affairs for this were to overthrow the main scope of the Church before set down And therefore since humane preservation and Peace is the end of Religious as well as Civil associations it will therefore follow that as each State hath its rule entire and absolute for the better preservation of concord and order so must each Christian State or Church much more have the like in as much as those precepts and directions leading thereunto are much more apparently within their Commission their duty and charge being to perfect and consummate that by a religious tie unto which natural perfection could not reach 9. And hereby it comes to pass that what was vertue or vice in a bare Philosophical accompt is now called righteousness or sin And so these Politick societies which upon the former light of natural reason took upon them the guidance of humane actions and were called Kingdoms and Commonwealths when they come to acknowledg subjection to this higher direction and rule are usually called Churches also And thereupon those that were formerly called Schismaticks in respect of separation or stubbornness to Ecclesiastick authority are now to be esteemed seditious and Rebels also if they do in any such thing disobey or oppose him that hath both these authorities conjoined For very hard it would seem if the same terms of separation should still be kept up against Christian Princes and Rulers as was formerly and they allowed no more honor and power being Christians then while they were Pagans But we will now proceed to shew what hath been the sense of the Church of England herein according to the doctrine of those that were eminent in it 10. As those of the Roman party had no doubt a design of stretching the Papal jurisdiction even in temporals by their engrossment of all spiritual power as Catholick head so hath it been always censured by ours as an unjust usurpation Therefore we shall find that the late Archbishop in his Answer to the Jesuite all along to disprove that claim of Universal head of the whole Church and sect 25. num 12. sheweth That after the conversion of the Emperors the Bishops of Rome themselves were still elected or confirmed by them without any title of Universal head until that John Patriarch of Constantinople having been countenanced in that title by Mauritius the Emperor who came afterward to be deposed and murthered by Phocas Phocas conferred on Boniface the third that very honor which two of his Predecessors had declaimed against as monstrous and blasphemous if not Antichristian And as he thus defends the power and jurisdiction of particular Churches and the chief Magistrate in them against the Pope so doth he defend the power and supremacie of this Magistrate over all that live within the same jurisdiction And therefore sect 26. num 9. doth set it down for a great and undoubted Rule given by Optatus That wheresoever there is a Church there the Church is in the Commonwealth not the Commonwealth in the Church and so also the Church was in the Roman Empire The truth is that at first and while some smaller parcels of the Roman Empire only were Christians then these being only of the Church might it be said to be in the Commonwealth first as being but a part and next but a subordinate part of the whole Empire or those that had jurisdictions therein But after that the Government it self became Christian then was there no question to be rightly made which was in which that is whether the Church in the Commonwealth or that in the Church For that both were one and both to be conceived included under that name of highest honor the name of Church importing as well our relation to God as to one another Whereupon also since for some Ages the authority of the Roman Empire did extend it self in a manner over all Nations that were Christian it might well come to pass that amongst the Writers of those times the Roman and Catholick Church might be taken as equivalent and alike which to use now is an absurd contradiction as implying a particular-universal for none other it is to call any man a Roman Catholick At the time the Emperor of Rome had the soveraignty or government of any Christian State then and there had the Pope or chief Bishop of Rome the like soveraignty in ordering of the affairs of that Church if the said Emperor so thought fit and to depart from that obedience or communion was then as I conceive not Schism alone but Sedition also But in case any that are neither within the Popes own territory nor jurisdiction but in the proper jurisdiction of some other Prince who yields only a voluntary conformity in doctrine and discipline to that Sea as Spain and France and other free Princes now do then are they that make alteration against the liking of that Prince or Power under whom they live not Schismaticks against the Pope of Rome but against him and if he approve of their doctrine they are neither Schismaticks nor Seditious As was the case of our Henry the Eight and those his Subjects of the Church of England which followed him and for ought I know was the case of Luther also in respect of his subjection to the Duke of Saxony 11 For it is to be considered that where the Jurisdiction doth divide and become independent there doth the notion of Church divide also as was to be seen in the Church of the Jews after they fell into two distinct Governments to wit that of Judah and that of Israel In which case although they had still but one divine Law and prescript form of Worship to live by yet the Government of each Kingdom being unsubordinate they were each of them reckoned as a Church apart and the good or ill Government of each of them attributed to none but the peculiar King thereof even as proceeding from his proper observance or breach of the Law And although the Primitive Churches in Saint Johns time had not yet any absolute Jurisdiction yet since what they had was independent we shall find that those Reproofs and Admonitions which were in the Apocalyps given to the seven Churches are directed to their several Angels or Heads apart without any hint or notice of subordination to any other Catholick Head or Curate save of CHRIST himself 12. I must confess that as the earnest desire and aim I have always had towards the silencing of disputes and civil commotions in Kingdoms hath made me the more earnest and studious in pressing the power and authority of each Prince so for common-peace sake again amongst Kings themselves and for taking off those irregularities and oppressions which each of them by this power might inflict on their Subjects I have many times entertained the thoughts of admittance of some such power like that claimed
by the Bishop of Rome But upon serious excogitation of the whole I was brought to resolve that in the plea and condition of power the Pope now standeth the interposition of his authority would many times rather increase then be effectual to prevent injustice or silence differences whether acted between a Prince and his own Subjects or by one Prince upon another As for example some person or order of Princes subjects misliking their usage appeal to Rome as against injustice and oppression He must then to make his authority known to be useful determine for one party or another as his judgment shall be engaged If for the King then is he but heightned and farther warranted to do the like If for Thomas a Becket or the Barons against him as sometimes in England then are Subjects encouraged towards sedition and civil war another time Again before he can be supposed rightly to interpose between Prince and Prince in the justice of their quarrels they must all of them be brought to be of the same religion and perswasion with himself or else equally averse that he may be impartial Suppose that might be done yet since he may have kindred and relations may he not in that case favor a Nephew a Casar Borgia or the like against him that hath no relation or may he not respect interest and application so as again to favor such an one as King John not only above his Barons but other Princes too upon resignation of his Crown to be held of him and his successors But that was not all for partiality and the like is but that which the Subjects of any Monarch might object against his absolute rule But the great difference and difficulty is that since the absolute Monarch was in all causes and over all persons in his dominions supreme Governor there was hereby a sure way for prevention of civil war and disturbance which being the chief political evil would recompence those sufferings of inferior nature which could but occasionally happen and never be so general Whereas he claiming but Ecclesiastical power only and it being not at all determined or agreed upon what is certainly so or not so for prevention of question thereabouts I saw no possible hope to attain peace by his umpirage if any should say he did exceed his Commission unless he could make himself Judg of that too and so by degrees and in ordine ad spiritualia draw in cognisance of all matters whatsoever When that is done as Constantines Throne will better become him then S. Peters Chair so truly if such an Universal Christian Monarch there were which is not likely to fall to be he there might much good arise by it as to the general increase of Christian peace and profession As for that other way found out by some of that side mentioned by the late Archbishop sect 26. num 11. for advance of his Supremacie namely by setting up again one Emperor over all Christendom to rule in secular matters while himself would rule him and them too in what he would call spiritual with as supereminent splendor as the Sun doth the Moon I apprehend it still ineffectual to peace till those powers be joyned in one person unless the Emperor could indeed be content as I said to change places with him and become so subordinate as not to shine in any act of Moon like power but by the light and leave of this his Sun Could this in any likelihood have been eâ—pected I might happily then have given some credit to those slender probabilities of S. Peters primacie and the Popes succession in the chair In the mean time the usurped exercise of this his Ecclesiastick power where he had no jurisdiction as a power standing insubordinate to the Prince hath begotten that great mistake That there might be a Church in a Church that is one Christian Common-wealth in another 13. But let us hear judicious Mr. Hooker more at large in this business of the Church and in answer to such as would appropriate the notion of Church to those of their own perswasion only lib. 5. fol. 367. Church is a word which Art hath devised thereby to sever and distinguish that society of men which professeth the true Religion from the rest which professeth it not There have been in the world from the very first foundation thereof but three Râ—ligions Paganism which lived in the blindness of corrupted and depraved nature Judaism embracing the Law which reformed Heathenish impiety and taught salvation to be looked for through one whom God in the last days would send and exalt to be Lord of all finally Christian belief which yieldeth obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and acknowledgeth him the Saviour whom God did promise Seeing then that the Church is a name which Art hath given to Professors of true Religion as they which will define a man are to pass by those qualities wherein one man doth excel another and to take only those essential properties whereby a man doth differ from creatures of other kinds So he that will teach what the Church is shall never rightly perform the work whereabout he goeth till in matter of Religion he touch that difference which severeth the Churches religion from theirs who are not of the Church Religion being therefore a matter partly of contemplation partly of action we must define the Church which is a religious society by such differences as do properly explain the essence of such things that is to say by the object or matter whereabout the contemplations and actions of the Church are properly conversant For so all Knowledges and all Vertues are defined Whereupon because the only object which separateth ours from other Religions is Jesus Christ in whom none but the Church doth believe and whom none but the Church doth worship we find that accordingly the Apostles do every where distinguish hereby the Church from Infidels and from Jews accounting them which call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to be his Church If we go lower we shall but add unto this certain casual and variable accidents which are not properly of the being but make only for the happier and better being of the Church of God either indeed or in mens opinions and conceits This is the error of all Popish definitions that hitherto have been brought They define not the Church by that which the Church essentially is but by that wherein they imagine their own more perfect then the rest are Touching parts of eminencie and perfection parts likewise of imperfection and defect in the Church of God they are infinite their degrees and differences no way possible to be drawn unto any certain account There is not the least contention and variance but it blemisheth somwhat the unity that ought to be in the Church of Christ which notwithstanding may have not only without loss of essence or breach of concord her manifold varieties in Rites and Ceremonies of Religion but also her
great deal wiselier they might conceal So that we may find that he is no ways countenancing those that think their Orders do exempt them from the common relation of subjection as if they had Church power apart But he is very precise and peremptory in reproof of such as in those times thought they might oppose the Ordinances of their then Church-Governors upon the score of their Function As if because they had as they said received their Commission and authority to preach to administer and the like from God that therefore in the manner order and other circumstances how they should be performed they should not be tied to the constitutions of men farther then they were agreeable to the Word of God even in such strict sense agreeable as to find express Texts for them if not their being agreeable to the general sense and scope thereof would not as they taught suffice to conform their obedience when as yet they could bring no Text in disproof of them No if they wanted this then they would as he said elswhere make their childish appeals to the usage of other Churches which had no authority over them at all And therefore I see not how any of that Order now can turn Non-conformists to our publick Communion when on the one hand they cannot so much as pretend there is any thing retained not agreeable to the Word of God and on the other they cannot alleadg the example of any one Church now in being whose practise is conformable to them in those things wherein they do dissent These I am sure may be justly accompted guilty of Apostacie from those Principles formerly maintained by the famous and Orthodox men of the Church of England rather then such as will not through private discontent and dislike of persons commanding and in power shew stubbornness to the command and power it self The which when it is by any done is so far from giving any reputation to them as men of Orders Learning or Gravity that it doth but discover to the world their own imbecility in respect of some peevish prejudice whereby they are swayed which a great deal wiselier they might conceal 20. And because in these cases again it is not to be supposed otherwise now then amongst Nonconformists formerly that is that some having their necessities and wants greater or being more fearful and conscientious in open opposition are ready outwardly to yield to compliance and yet do underhand deprave and discountenance the deed it self and that Authority which they do obey therein Of these he saith lib. 5. fol. 248. They do like one that should openly profess he putteth fire to his neighbours house but yet so halloweth it with his prayers that he hopeth it shall not burn It had therefore perhaps been safer and better for ours to have observed S. Basils advice both in this and all things of like nature let him which approveth not his Governours Ordinances either plainly but privately alwayes shew his dislike if he have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong and invincible reason against them according to the true will and meaning of Scripture Or else let him quietly with silence do that which is enjoyned obedience with profest unwillingnesse to obey is no better then manifest disobedience 21. And therefore in these cases men should not go about to disturbe the peace of the Church that pillar and ground of truth which for peace and order sake God hath appointed to be obeyed in establishing things of this nature upon every plausible argument which by means of their abilities and learning they are able to bring in disparagement of any thing established by her They must rest obedient in all such things as they cannot finde strong and invincible reason against according to the true will and meaning of Scripture whose drift is Peace and Order and not according to their will and meaning onely who it may be have contrary designes no he disclaims all such kinde of proofs as ineffectuall in this case For saith he lib. 5. fol. 201. Where the Word of God leaveth the Church to make choice of her own ordinances If against those things which have been received with great reason or against that which the Ancient practise of the Church hath continued time out of mind or against such Ordinances as the power and authority of that Church under which we live hath it selfe devised for the publique good or against the discretion of the Church in mitigating sometimes with favorable equity that rigour which otherwise the literal generality of Ecclesiastical Laws hath judged to be more convenient and meet it should be lawfull for men to reject at their own liberty what they see done and practised according to order set down If in so great variety of wayes as the will of man is easily able to find out towards any purpose and in so great liking as all men especially have on those inventions whereby some one shall seem to have been more inlightned from above then many thousands the Church did give every man license to follow what himself imagineth that Gods Spirit doth reveal unto him or what he supposeth that God is likely to have revealed to some other whose vertues deserve to be highly esteemed what other effect could hereupon ensue but the utter confusion of his Church under pretence of being taught led and guided by his Spirit The gifts and graces whereof do so naturally all tend unto common peace that where such singularity is they whose hearts it professeth ought to suspect it the more in as much as if it did come of God and should for that cause prevail with others the same God which revealeth it to them would also give them power of confirming it unto others either with miraculous operation or with strong and invincible remonstrance of sound reason such as whereby it might appear that God would indeed have all mens judgements give place unto it Whereas now the Errour and insufficiency of their Arguments doth make it on the contrary side against them a strong presumption that God hath not moved their hearts to think such things as he hath not enabled them to prove 22. In this last quotation he is very expresse concerning the power of that Church under which we live and that even in devising ordinances for the publike good thereof The which to oppose is so far from shewing it self a fruit of the Spirit that by that dissention and discord which it must necessarily produce it may be suspected to have proceeded from some other Master then the God of peace and some other principle then the Gospel of Peace even from the God of this World some powerfull temptation sent by the Prince of the air whereby he is wont to rule in the hearts of the children of disobedienâ—e If God do not therefore in this case furnish them with one of those sorts of invincible proofs by him set down that is either power of miracle or such strong and
marks And so the Act goes on prescribing still greater punishments for the second and third offences by way of mulct to the Queen and her Successors 34. But now what if her Successors come to enact against the use of it and be themselves Compellers and Threateners may we not then conclude that they may lawfully interrupt or at least the other be excused for being interrupted where before in a Subject it was unlawful to interrupt or let any Parson in the doing what was by the then Law established So that by this very Act as I conceive such as have a reverend esteem and willingness to use it are not only freed foro interno but by the Clause following enacting That no person shall be at any time hereafter impeached or molested of or for any of the offences above-mentioned hereafter to be committed or done contrary to this Act unless he or they so offending be thereof indicted at the next General Sessions to be holden before any such Justices of Oyer and Determiner or Justices of Assise next after any offence committed or done contrary to the tenor of this Act we may conlude he is freed foro externo also and may for ought I can find rest free from all danger while obedient to the Queens Successory she dying without an Heir 35. And if by reason of any Oath or Obligation received at Ordination or taking degrees some should think themselves farther bound They are also to consider that as neither any derived power can go beyond that which impowers it so are they also to presume that their intentions are alike even to maintain Peace and Order by Uniformity to what is enjoyned and not to raise disturbance by opposition And surely if Oaths Vows or the like were to be held of force in such a case I see not how any Jesuite or Priest could in reason no nor in Conscience be perswaded to recede in any thing from their obedience and conformity to the Papall Sea and Ceremony when as their Promises are not only more strict but confirmed by Laws more ancient and general and which are still in the same force 36. It is also farther to be considered that when after in the Preface to our Bibles it is set down That where heretofore there hath been great diversity in saying and singing in Churches within this Realm some following Salisbury use some Hereford use some the use of Bangor some of York and some of Lincoln now from henceforth all the whole Realm shall have but one use And when in the directions following that Preface it is set down That all Priests and Deacons should be bound daily to say the Morning and Evening Prayer either privately or openly except they be let by preaching studying of Divinity or some other urgent cause We are still to conceive that both Uniformity was aimed at and that the duty of Preaching was in the first place held necessary 37. And if we go to experience in their practise of this precept of reading of the Service Book then we shall find it apprehended as an injunction that did onely bind them ad semper velle but not ad semper agere as Mr. Hooker elsewhere speaks of Gods affirmative Precepts as Pray continually and the like and that thereupon few could give account of their daily use of it even when the hindrance of preaching studying or the like could not well be alledged as before noted And therefore if in a time when it was commanded the use of it might be forborn rather then preaching be omitted what may we think of them that in a time it is taken away will yet rather omit preaching then it to the great discouragement and scandall of many a man in his Christian obedience and Communion and to the great detriment of the nation in generall who in a time of scarcity are much wanting of that instruction which might be had from men of their abilities In which respect as I am my self a true lover of many of them for their learning and gifts in that kinde so hath the sence of mine own losse as well as that of others now made me thus large in this particular 38. But besides this and the want of satisfaction how they can in this condition uphold the Church of England in her former sentence against non conformity if upon the same score they shall slight her authority themselves They are next to consider what answer for their present Recusancy they can bring which on the other side shall not withall justifie the Recusants themselves in their separation from our Communion also For plain it is as I said before that as the drift of all the arguments brought formerly by the Papists against our Churches authority was in respect of usurpation in our Princes and want of succession lawfull ordination and the like in our Priests so was the sum of all their Doctrine that wrote in defence of what was done by us brought to this issue That these things were not essentiall to Salvation or to the being of a Church That each Christian Church having as heretofore set down a power within it self for ordering its own affairs had as well power to abbreviate or abrogate what was in former times or by other Churches instituted before as to institute that which was new so that the casting out from our Service Book and leaving out of our publike Forms of Worship all such Prayers Ceremonies and Observations as in the opinion of those that then had power in the Church had on the one side little or no footing in Scripture and which had on the other side greatest Superstition cast towards them was then held lawfull as by that Declaration annexed to our Bibles concerning Ceremonies why some be abolished and some retained may appear And if it was then held agreeable and the Church thought a fit Judge wherein Superstition was most to be feared and what was the best way of Reformation how can we now change our Principle unlesse we joyn with the adversary to dâ—â—â—de the fact as done by the Civil power and Magistrate and with them neither own England for a Church nor him for head thereof Let us hear a little what Father Not the Jesuite in his Book called Charity maintained doth to this purpose alledge in his answer to Doctor Potter after some dispute Chap. 6. about the truth of our Ministery for want of Succession visibly derived from the Pope and Church of Rome he saith at last Sect. 20. But grant their first Bishops had such Authority from the Church of Rome after the decease of those men who gave authority to their pretended Successors The Primate of England but from whom had he such authority And after his decease who shall confer authority upon his Successors The temporall Magistrate King Henry neither a Catholique nor a Protestant King Edward a child Queen Elizabeth a woman an Infant of one houres age is true King in case of his Predecessors decease
same respect and obedience which was by the Law of God due to their Governor in chief So that he that shall read their Stories and observe the legality of their entrance will not beleeve as I said that Bishop Andrews in what he said against such as Nimrod did ever intend that such like Usurpations as might by some be attributed to those should ever take from any that respect and subjection which did belong to the Lords annointed and Head of the Church 50. Afterwards the Bishop shews how Constantine and his Successors held those Trumpets for a Thousand years after Christ and then one of them saith he fol 113. by what means we all know was let go by them or gotten away and carried to Rome But that getting hath hitherto been holden a plain usurping and an usurping noâ— upon the Congregation but upon Princes and their Rights and that they in their own wrong suffered it to be wrung from them And why Because not to Aaron but to Moses it was said Et erunt tibi To draw to an end it was then gotten away and with some a do it was recovered not long since and what you may please to remember there was not long since a Clergy in place that was wholly ad oppositum and would never have yeelded ought Nothing they would do and in eye of Law without them nothing could then be done they had incroached the power of Assembling into their own hands How then how shall we do for an Assembly then Erunt tibi was a good Text it must needs be meant of the Prince He had this power and to him of right it belonged This was then good Divinity and what Writer is there extant of those times but it may may be turned to in him And was it good divinity then and is it now no longer so Was the King but licenced for a while to hold â—his power till another Clergy were in and must he then be deprived of it again Was it then usurped from Princes and are now Princes usurpers of it themselves And is this all the difference in matter of the Assemblies and calling of them that there must be onely a change and that instead of a Forreign they shall have a Domestical and instead of one many and no remedy now but one of these two they mnst needs admit of Is this now become good Divinity Nay I trust if Erunt tibi were once true it is so still and if Tibi were then Moses it is so still â—hat we will be better advised and not thus go against our selves and let truth be no longer truth then it will serve our turns And this calls to my mind the like dealing of a sort of men not long since here among us A while they plied Prince and Parliament with Admonitions Supplications Motions and Petitions And in them it was their duty their right to frame all things to their new invented plot And this so long as any hope blew out of that coast But when that way they saw it would not be then took they up a new Tenet â—traight They needed neither Magistrate nor Trumpet they The godly among the people might do it of themselves for confusion to the wise and mighty the poor and simple must take this work in hand and so by this means the Trumpet prove their right in the end and so come by devolution to Demetrius and the Crafts-men Now if not for the love of the truth yet for very shame of these shifting absurdities let these phantasies be abandoned and that which Gods own mouth hath here spoken let it be for once and for ever true That which once we truly held and maintained for truth let us do so still that we be not like evil Servants judged Ex ore propris out of their own mouthes Let me not overweary you let this rather suffice 1. We have done as our Saviour Christ willed us resorted to the Law and found what is written the Grant of this power to Moses to call the Congregation 2. We have followed Moses's advise enquired of the days before us even from one end of heaven to another and found the practise of this Grant in Moses's Successors and the Congregation so by them called It remaineth that as God by his Law hath taken this order and his people in former ages have kept this order that we do so too that we say as God saith Erunt tibi this Power pertaineth to Moses And that neither with Core we say Non veniemus nor with Demetrius run together of our selves and think to carry it away with crying Great is Diana But as we see the power is of God so truly to acknowledg it and dutifully to yield it that so they whose it is may quietly hold it and laudably use it to his glory that gave it and their good for whom it was given Which God Almighty grant c. I have the more largely made recital of this Sermon because all along it is so express in cleering of most of those objections which are now made Now as it was then in answer to the Recusants and Nonconformists of those times in which respect I fear that what is let down towards the end thereof touching stubbornness in conformity towards the chief Magistrate in matters of Reformation when it shall be by him thought necessary will but too neerly condemn some amongst us with apostacie and tergiversation from their first principles and that ex ore proprio as he saith because they do now deny him the exercise of that power which hitherto themselves and the most eminent of their party have maintained to be their due For he sheweth that since the Church hath her Wars to fight and her Laws to make as well as the Civil State that therefore it is as necessary there should be a continual power to call and preside in all Assemblies made to that purpose in the Church as well as in the State That these Trumpers are to be of one peece Vnus juris That this power is from God immediately derived unto one without first setling it into any body collective at all And therefore truly if a whole National Church can claim no Church power no one party or separate Order therein can although they should be as eminent as Aaron himself No both powers are delivered to Moses not for his time onely but as he had it as the chief Magistrate so to succeed to such as should be chief Magistrates amongst the people of God as a Jus Regale to him that should be Rex in Jeshrune although in strict propriety he be no more King then Moses was And then he censures such as would in regard of their separate order sain have had a separate power It may be saith he if we communicate with flesh and blood we may think it more convenient as some do that God had delivered Moses and Aaron either of them one But when we see Gods Will by Gods
Reader forborn quotations of many other famous men in our Church concurring in the same judgement and made most particular choice of Mr. Hooker and Bishop Andrews as men generally held most famous and Orthodox in their generations the one in the time of Queen Elizabeth and the other since even in the time of our late King They were then and are still for ought I know held to be the great Defenders of this Churches authority and that of the â—hief Magistrate therein against the then Recusants and Nonconformists and I hope their credit is not so lost but that their authority and yet arguments will remain of the same force still to keep us from all inclinations either to Schism or Sedition that we do not thereby give the world too just occasion to say we are indeed fallen from our Principles through some sinister prejudice or partial conceit of our own 54 To direct and encourage in this constancy let us revert to thse grounds and reasons before laid down let us consider that since the maintenance of love and charity and the preservation of mankind by peace have so necessary a dependence upon submision to the Authority of that Church where we live and since the Glory Service and Worship of God here on earth hath again so near a relation unto this preservation of mankind by peace that therefore in these and thingâ— of the like nature which are not of such express divine Precept as to be demonstrable out of the Word of God or are not fundamental to our salvation there should no opposition be made to the disturbance of the peace of â—he Church but to that very end all to submit to the determination of those that have chief power therein Let not the crafts or designs of other men lead us to dâ—quiet so as to think that in things of this nature and where controversies and differences do daily arise between Church and Church Christian and Christian our salvation should be endangered while we incline to that side that maintains Charity by submitting our selves to those that have the rule over us To this end I shall here record that remarkable speech of Dr. Vsher late Primate of Armagh That in these Propositions which without all controversie are universally received in the whole Christian World so much truth is contained as being joyned with holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man to everlasting salvation Neither have we cause to doubt but that as many as walk according to this rule neither overthrowing that which they builded by superinducing any damnable Heresies thereupon nor otherwise violating their holy Faith with a leud and wicked conversation peace shall be upon them and upon the Israel of God This as it was alleadged by Dr. Potter in his Treatise called Charity mistaken for that the Church of Rome did make all things fundamental which she held and thereupon excluded all from salvation that were not of her communion so is it by Mr. Chillingworth in his Reply fol 20. held for as great and good a truth and as necessary for these miserable times as can be uttered For if it should stand with men in the point of salvation according to that censure which each Church or sect therein doth put upon all that differ or descent from them then could no one Christian hope for Heaven insomuch as he must necessarily be a member of some Church or other which in matters of Doctrine or Discipline if not both is by some other Churches held so far Heretical or Schâ—smatical as to exclude all of that communion from hope of salvation which thing the Papists do hold concerning all Protestants in general and many of the Protestants hold of them again and do also pass their sentence as hardly of one another But our comfort is that we shall at the last day be judged by him who knows our hearts and whether we have not sought and followed his Truth according to the uâ—most of the ability he gave us and not left to the sentence of such as out of pride prejudice or other interest are so ready to put an over-value upon their own Tenets and become both Parties and Judges 55. Corcerning those aspersions of Heresie and Schism which are now so frequently thrown by one party upon another I have in the general observed that where the names and notions themselves are ofâ—nest repeated and most stood upon there the Arguments used for confutation are the less or less weighty It faring in some mens discourses and writings about controversies as with women in their scolding where she that can call Whore lowdest and oftenest is coâ—ceived to have got the better of it So usually there is nothing to be perceived but a design cast towards disparagement when the imputation of those Ecclesiastical railing terms are used towards any without any remonsâ—rance or proof wherein their ill consists or how their Opponents are justly to be charged with them 56. As â—or Heresie I do not see why any Christian mans case should be held desperate that in things not fundamental cannot bring his judgement to assent to that of anothers always provided that it proceed not from or be encreased through discontent pride or â—ffected singularity and that he hold it peaceably to himself not seeking to disturbe the peace of the Church by publication thereof to others for then it plainly shews that some of those other coâ—râ—pâ— Principles had a hand in the entertainment as well as in the divulging of iâ— And then iâ— will come to pass â—hat that which would as in it self and aâ—â—onsidered aâ— matter of speculation have been an error in judgement onely being now infused into others so as to induce action and separation will argue pravity in the will and turn into Schism which I do look upon as a sin not to be at any time or in any Persons otherwise excusable then when the foundation of Faith or good manners cannot be otherwise preserved And because in all dissenting parties that live under any Christian Authority the name of Schismatick is by either side cast on the other I do hold it for a maxime â—hat that party iâ— onely free that conforms to the Rule set down by him that iâ— Head of that place and all the rest Schiâ—maticks Even as in State differences all parties that hold not with the Sovereign Power are to be called this or that Faction whâ—n as the other is not to be called a Faction or Party but rather to be looked upon as the whole because united to the Head â—7 And therefore truly if men could be once brought to put a greater rate upon thingâ— fundamental and a less upon superstructures considering that the not holding to â—â—â— one bringâ— on the loss of Heaven and the too strict holding to the other brings on the loss of Charity and thereby shrewdly endanger the other also besides that quiet we should imutually reap in the exercise of Religion we should preserve
the State in quiet also and prevent all those mischiefs we now so much complain of through changes therein The which of latter times have from hence chiefly taken their rise when such as are seeking to make themselves more glorious or powerful do daily make use of mens too great zeal and credulity in this kind as the ordinary Stalking-horse hereunto The instances whereof are plain enough in Christendom especially since it became so divided into Sectâ— for the advance of any of which as Gods Truth we shall ever find the notion of Reformation cried up and alledged but alteration in the State and those that are in rule therein is really brought in If we do but reflect on some more remarkable passages among our selves we may from that smal difference which was in the six Articles themselves from the Roman Doctrine well conclude that the preservation of the Popes power as Head of the Church here was more aimed at then truth of Religion insomuch as a dispensation was ready to be granted for every thing save for taking the Oath of Supremacy When on the other side again both Henry the Eighth and his Successors looked upon this foreign acknowledgement as a sure testimony of ill affection to them and their Government Nay the Law it self came to be resolute in that point â—oo accounting Popery to consist in the alienating and withdrawing of Subjects from their obedience to their Prince to raise sedition and rebellion c. 58. And so now also we find that presumption of malignancy and disaffection to the present Government and Governor is most taken from that great affection which is cast to the use of this book because in so doing they manifestly decline those acts and alterations which are made by him and do submit to what was done by another I have not heard that any man hath been particularly forbidden to read this Book that did in the use of it pray for the present Sovereign power according to the foâ—m therein set down and as always hath been used to be done towards them onely that were in present Authority If that be not done doth it not too plainly argue that some affection and zeal beside that of the Book it self doth guide them in this choyce Doth not the Scripture look to the present when it enjoyn obedience to the Powers that are and commands to pray for Kings and all that are in authority Doth it any where in this case leave us to a choice by distinction saying such as should be in authority or the like And is it not a general rule that where the Scripture makes no distinction neither should we No in this case we may presume that the present higher Power and Kings were meant without such distinction both for that they were aâ— that time such as might that way have been excepted against and also for that the words following that under them we may lead quiet and peaceable lives c. must determine the prayer to be made for that present Auâ—hority which we do live under and are subject unto Nor do I find that ever any Orthodox pen but did confess prayer for that person under whose protection they lived to be a duty incumbent upon all Christians without referment of them to distinctions and qualifications Nay doth not the Book it self in that prayer for the whole state of Christs Church militant here on earth interpret this Doctrine of the holy Apostle to include all and accordingly appointed us to pray for all Christian Kings Princes and Governors and when it comes with an especially for that person who shall be at present our Governour â—â— iâ— said because he is the right Heir or hath best Title or the like no it hath still respect to the divine authority of the Apostles precept and therefore presently gives the same reason that under him we may be godlily and quietly governed In which respect I cannot by the way but highly commend that those frequent and full expressions which were made for those persons that were still in chief power amongst us as proceeding from good principles even the sence of honor and esteem which was owing to that God whose Authority he did represent amongst us when as now we may observe that those that have been possessed of the same party with the Protector do yet either wholly neglect to pray for him at all at least to mention him therein and then do it so coldly and fumblingly that partly by the falling of their voyce partly by the conditional qualifications they mention in their prayer for him they give but too just cause to suspect they are not so rightly principled and perswaded concerning that high duty and respect which is â—â—e to him in this his relation for as it becomes not them in publick especially to censure him so also not to insinuate any thing that might give occasion for others to do â—o for this will be â—o pray rather against then for him But to return to the consideration of the Service Book I say that to prevent those jealousies and dâ—ngers which might happen to some amongst us through too much forwardness to read or abuse and partialy in reading it the said Book I have made all the foregoing Discourse both â—o shew what is truly fundamental and necessary in our Christian Faith and what rule to follow in our Christian Obedience and to give satisfaction in that particular of taking away the Service Book the thing for ought I see now most insisted upon I have to that end striven to evince that continual power which is continually residing in the Head of this and each other Church to abrogate as well as impose in things of that natuâ—e Unto the confirmation whereof I shall now onely by way of conclusion add that Testimony of the Universiâ—y of Oxford printed in the year 164â— who in their reasons against the Discipline and Directory in place of the Service Book fol. 32. say We are not satisfied how we can submit to such Ordinances of the two Houses of Parliament not haveing the Royal assent as are contrary to the established Laws of this Realm contained in such Acts of Parliament as were made by the joynt consent of King Lords and Commons Nor so onely but also pretend by repeal to abrogate such Act or Acts for since ejusdem est potestatis destruere cujus est constituere it will not sink with us that a lessor Power can have a just right to cancel and annul the Act of a greaâ—er Especially the whole power of ordering all matters Ecclesiastical being by the Laws in express words for ever annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm And upon what head that Crown ought to stand none can be ignorant In this we see their plain concurrence in yeelding the power of abrogation of this Book to such as instituted iâ— even to him that should hold the Imperial Crown of this Realm And as for the words following which by