restored to the singular benefit of Christian soules CHAP. XVIII Of the seventh pretended Innovation in the Rule of Faith What matters of Religion are submitted to the Bishops decision The Doctrine of our Articles The properties of the Bishops decisions Master Burtons clamors against the Bishops in this particular odious and shamefull Of that speech which he ascribeth to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury concerning the Catholick Church What is justly attributed to the Church and how we ordinarily come to know the Scriptures to be Scriptures THe seventh Innovation he makes to be in pag. 151. the rule of Faith for whereas the perfect and compleat rule of faith is the holy Scripture as 2 Tim. 3. Our new Doctors cry up the dictates of the Church to wit of the Prelates to bee our only guides in Divinity as in Reeves Communion booke Catechisme expounded pag. 20. 206. where as he saith that authour affirmes all Ministers must submit to the judgement of the Prelates in all matters pertaining to Religion and all Prelates must submit to the judgement of the Arch-prelate And then addes his owne glosse as having a Papall infallibility of spirit whereby as by a Divine Oracle all questions in Religion are finally determined My Answer to this shall bee very briefe for that the same crimination is by Master B. objected in his Lawlesse Pamphlet intituled An Answer to a late Treatise of the Sabbath day and since by the Reverend Author of that Treatise that venerable masse of solid learning the L. Bishop of Ely so profoundly answered that my poore endeavours In his Treatise intituled An Examination vid p. 17 18 19 20 c. seeme to me altogether needles it being abundantly sufficient to referre my Readers thither for satisfaction Yet somewhat I will say for their sakes that have not that Booke at hand First it is confest that the holy Scripture is the sole and compleat Rule of Faith This is the constant and subscribed Doctrine of our Church Artic. 6. And therefore it were strange that they who themselves have so often subscribed and who exact subscription from others should goe against so confessed a truth and certainly if hee had had but the least graine of ingenuity in interpreting the writings of other men or rather if malice had not wholly filled him with ignorance and confidence hee would never have dream't of any contradiction to this Doctrine in the words by him alledged or to have stretched matters of Religion subjected to the Bishops determination to the substantiall points of Faith which no Protestant ever affirmed But somewhat sure there is in it that is in matters of Religion submitted to the Bishops judgement True and so it ever was in the Church of God But this extends not to matters of Faith or manners to be believed and done of necessitie to salvation so as to coine new articles in either kinde The power which by them is challenged and by all understanding Christians in all ages of the Church ascribed to them is no other but that which is given them by the tenth Article of our Religion whose words are That the Church hath power to decree rites and ceremonies and authoritie in Controversies See Preface to the Booke of Common-Prayer referring parties doubting of any thing that is conteined in that Booke to the Bishop and the Bishop doubting to the Arch-Bishop of Religion Where by the Church whoever Master B. understands is meant the heads and Governors in the Church to whom the right of direction and government doth peculiarly belong and therefore they are called Bishops or Overseers and Rulers or Guides and Leaders as being by their Office to judge of things needfull and to direct those that are under their charge Now this power of theirs hath these properties 1. It is not supreme but ministeriall not ruling but ruled by the Scriptures by which rule they are to square their determinations in all matters of Religion being altogether unlawfull for them to define any thing contrary thereunto 2. The things wherein they have power to decree ordaine alter and change any thing touching Religion in the Church is onely in matter of Ceremonie which are in comparison of the points of Faith onely circumstantiall as concerning time place gesture order and the like to bee observed in the service of God 3. In these things which they thus order and ordaine they must keepe them to those generall Rules 1. That things be dâ—â—e decently and in order 2. That nothing bee ordained contrary to the Scripture 3. That things beside the Scripture ordained be not inforced to be believed of necessitie to salvation as our Article speakes 4. Their decisions in matters of Religion are not infallible neither did they ever challenge nor any that ever I heard of among us ascribe unto them no not to the Arch-prelate any Papall insallibilitie of Spirit Neither did they arrogate any other abilitie of right and true judgement in things than is attained by ordinary meanes nor any immediatly Divine Inspiration or Assistance annexed to their Chaire all which the Pope doth Lastly the submission that is required by those that are under them Ministers and people is not absolute and such as no inferiour Priest or Christian can without sinne dissent from their judgements but in regard of externall order and for the avoiding of confusion and sects in the Church as it is not left free for every man to appoint or judge of matters of Religion or to have them after their owne way so it cannot but be a great disorder and consequently a sinne for any man out of his private humour openly to reclaime or to disobey those who are invested with the power of Judicature This being the power that is given or challenged by the Bishops it cannot but be a wonder to thinke that any man should bee so past all shame as so odiously to clamour upon this ground against the Bishops and Fathers of the Church and to deride and scorne the most Reverend Arch-Bishop of Cant. calling him the Oracle and one that hath a Papall infallibilitie of Spirit and the like But for a Priest to doe it puts it beyond all wonder and astonishment especially if wee consider these two things First which is also observed by the Reverend Bishop of Ely that See the Booke of Ordination at his Ordination he promised yea swore that hee would reverently obey the Bishops and with a glad minde and will follow their godly admonitions and submit to their godly judgements 2. That every Priest hath a power of directing those that are under his charge in matters of Religion and that the people ought to inquire the Law at their Mouthes and to submit to their judgements which to take away from them were to robbe them of a maine part of the Priestly function and yet I suppose neither challengeth any Papall infallibilitie of Spirit nor requireth any blind obedience and therefore how he can
or any order for the time or manner of preaching prescribed but presently they cry out that the Word of God the Gospel ordinary means of salvation are taken away or hindered The truth is we have no Word of God but the Scripture Apostolike Sermons were unto such as heard them his Word even as properly as unto us their writings are Howbeit not so our owne Sermons the expositions which our discourse of wit doth gather and minister out of the Word of God And much lesse every fond opinion which passion or misguided zeale shall utter out of the Pulpit To dignifie these with the name of Gods Word is both a grosse taking of Gods Name in vaine and a dangerous delusion of Gods People And yet so farre are some transported and carried away with this mis-perswasion that they attribute more to mens expositions than to the pure and infallible Word of God it selfe For they deny that any power to save soules though read or otherwise published in a knowne tongue and so plainely expressed that it cannot transcend the capacity of a meane understanding as indeed it is and we confidently and upon sure and infallible grounds mantaine it to be so against our adversaries of Rome in those things that are absolutely necessary to salvation Which opinion of theirs if ever any were is most senselesse and contrary to all reason For wee read that the Scriptures are able to make men wise unto salvation That the Word of God received 2 Tim. 3. 15. Iam. 1. 21 with meeknes ingrafted is able to save our soules and that they thus commended the Scriptures as availeable to this end for certaine had no secret conceit which they never opened to any a conceit that no man in the world should be that way the better for any sentence in it till such time as the same might chance to bee preached upon or alledged at the least in a Sermon There is no such coherence between Sermons and faith that ordinarily a Christian mans beleefe should naturally grow from thence and not possibly from any other kinde of notification of the Word of God The Apostle indeed faith that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. But is not the Word as well heard when it is read as when it is preached upon in Master Burtons precise acception of the word The begetting of faith in mens hearts commeth from the concurrence of two things First the Word of God which is the object of faith Secondly the notification of this object to the understanding by such meanes as it may bee able to apprehend it and this notification or conveighing of the word of God to the understanding is that which the Apostle calls hearing and comprehends in it both reading of it by a man's selfe hearing it read by others or any other way whereby it may come to be understood and assented unto as preaching in that sense to which it is by these men restrained by way of Sermons and yet we must give preaching even in that sense it 's due and farre be it from any yea and I dare confidently say it is farre from any of those whom Master B. taxeth to deny it it 's just honor onely let it not be lifted up to an unjust competition with the Scriptures and immediately inspired Word of God it selfe and much lesse preferred before it in power and efficacie or to have the word of God to borrow and fetch its power and saving vertue from it neither let it not bee opposed to or bring in contempt that which it ought chiefely to labour to promote the publicke prayers of the Church which is the true and proper worship of God With these Cautions whatsoever honour men shall give not to every vaine babling venting of fables newes corantoes out of the Pulpit but to preaching rightly so called that is the sober and solid explication application of any portion of the word of God will never offend the Prelates of these times nor any other piously affected Christian Let them dignifie this if they please in a secundary sense with the title of Gods word Let them call the Ministers of it even in respect of this as the Apostle hath done in regard of their whole office co-workers or joynt-labourers with God than which what greater dignity can be imagined yet they shall not be gaine said by any Prelate or feare the censure of the High-commission for it Men doe not we know bring the saving knowledge of God into the world with them it must be instilled by some meanes and among the rest it is Gods ordinance That the Priests lips which should Mal. 2. 7. Deut. 32. 2. preserve knowledge should in this way let their doctrine drop as the raine and their speech distill as the dew and that the people who have not the like opportunity or ability of knowledge might seeke the law at their mouthes who even in this are the messengers of the Lord of Hosts Yea if this bee not enough let them preferre this above all other meanes and it will easily be granted in regard they are more apt to make impression upon the hearers more powerfull incentives of good affections than other wayes of teaching are But all this notwithstanding though there be so much of God in this work yet there is somewhat of man still in the best of them and that where ever it be is not priviledged from error imperfection and vanity and hence it comes to passe that many Jer. 23. 31 32. times men with those in the prophet use their tongues and say The Lord saith when God sent them not nor commanded them but they prophesie false dreames and cause the people to erre by their lightnesse Yea too often as these sermons here before us men make the Pulpit but a stage to act their passionate distempers and spleene to ransack the affaires of state and to pick out thence such things as may claw the peoples itch who ever are content to heare those above them taxed or if men doe not shew themselves to bee men in so grosse a manner yet it cannot bee expected but that discretion will bee sometimes wanting to know what meate is fittest for the strength of their auditory and when and how to administer that which is sufficient for their due nourishment without the over laying of their stomackes to the ingendring of spirituall crudities and corrupt humours It is a misconceit that some have who because the Apostle bids his scholer Timothy to preach in season and out of season there can be no 2. Tim. 4. 2. time or measure unseasonable and so no bounds without injury set to preachers or preaching When wee know the nature of the duty it selfe the end of it the necessity of other duties to succeede and all shew that there is an out of season and an out of measure too which the Apostle never intended to urge his
charge these things upon the Bishops for clayming the same power over the inferiour Clergie and people which himselfe as a Priest hath over the people committed to him is more than wonderfull Well but for all that here is a strange piece of Poperie which hee addes uttered by the Chiefest Prelate of England in the High Commission p. 152. viz. That in matters of Divinitie wee are not tyed to the Scriptures but to the Vniversall Catholicke Church in all ages for how said hee so Master Burton affirmes shall wee know the Scriptures but by the Church But that this man hath set his faith to sale for popular breath so that his testimony is of no value I should here runne aground and miscarry in my undertakings How not tyed in matters of Divinity to the Scriptures surely His Grace did much forget himselfe and what himselfe hath both subscribed and publickly maintayned against the Romanists Or rather Master Burtons zeale hath farre over-reached in imputing so grosse an error so insulsly expressed to so learned and every way accomplisht a Divine Yet somewhat perhaps there was said which might minister occasion to malevolence thus to traduce him Perhaps if occasion were offered Hee might make the consentient testimonie of the Catholicke Church in all ages the best interpreter the best rule to follow for the setling of the understanding in the true meaning of holy Scripture Yea he might perhaps say in all matters in Divinity taking it to include Doctor Field of the Church l. 4. c. 20. matters of ceremony and other things in which consist not the substance of faith or manners necessarily required to salvation we are not tyed Perkins refor Cath. to the Scriptures It is no innovation to admit traditions which was ever granted in our Church and never denyed by any learned Protestant We baptise infants Chemnit exam Concil Trid Sess 1. 4. receive the Apostles Creed acknowledge the number names and authors of the Bookes of Canonicall Scripture that I mention not for feare of displeasing Master B. the observation of the Lords day all which besides a number of rites ceremonies and observations whereof we have neither irrefragable precept nor example in the Scriptures onely wee doe not admit any traditions contrary to the Scriptures nor doe wee as the Councell of Trent receive them with the same reverence and pious affection or advance them to an equality of authority with Scriptures but as subservient unto them Further though Master B. startle at it it is no innovation neither to make the Churches testimonie to bee the meanes of our knowledge the Scripture to bee the Scripture which is no more than our Articles allow calling Artic. 20. the Church a witnesse and a keeper of holy writ I wish Master B. would have given us his answer to the question and have told us how hee came to know the Scriptures seeing he will not seeme to bee beholding to the Church for that peece of learning surely hee had it by revelation or received that booke as Saint Iohn did from the hand of some Angel for I will not bee perswaded hee brought that knowledge into the world with him Revel 10. 9. But whatsoever hee shall perswade himselfe and others it is an undoubted truth that we come to know the Scriptures by the Testimony of the Church and that secluding that wee cannot ordinarily bee perswaded that they are the word of God But withall we must know that it is one thing to suspend the authority of the Scriptures upon the Church and to make the Churches testimonie the foundation of our beliefe of those things which are conteyned in the Scripture and another to make the Churches proposall and testimony a necessary meanes and condition without which ordinarily men cannot know them to be those divine oracles whereon our faith is to be builded And because Master B. may thinke the better of this tenet if it be delivered by others he shall heare the same from the late learned Deane of Glocester whom I know he will not count any D. Field Appendix l. 2. sect 8 Popish Innovator who answering a Popish Treatisor that would needs fasten a Popish absurd doctrine upon this assertion writes thus If Protestants receive the number names of the Authors and integrity of the parts of bookes divine and Canonicall as delivered by Tradition as I say they doe and if without tradition we cannot know such divine bookes he The Popish Treatisor thinketh it consequent that tradition is the ground of our faith But indeed there is no such consequence as he imagineth For it is one thing to require the Tradition of the Church as a necessary meanes whereby the Scriptures may be delivered unto us and made knowne and another to make the same Tradition the ground of our faith c. Thus that judicious Doctor with much more to that purpose evidently proveth his assertion Briefely the authority of the holy Scriptures depends onely upon the author God himselfe the Church receiving them as delivered by God and so approving publishing preaching interpreting and discerning them from other writings doth not adde any thing to the authority of them which by her meanes beeing made knowne of themselves they are able to perswade and to yeeld sufficient satisfaction to all men of their divine truth And this authority thus made knowne is that into which as into their highest and utmost cause and end our faith and obedience is resolved And this may serve for answere to this false and groundlesse crimination CHAP. XIX Of the jurisdiction of Bishops how farre of Divine right given by Christ to his Apostles and from them derived by succession The power given to the Apostles divided into severall orders What power Ecclesiasticall belongs to the King and the intent of the Statutes which annex all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to the Crowne Of Master Burtons Quotation of the Iesuites Direction to be observed by N. N. Master B. and the Iesuite confederates in detraction and ignorance BVt there are two things here which I am unwilling to passe over The first is that here he saith that the words which he ascribes to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury were by him spoken at the censure of Doctor Bastwick for oppugning the jurisdiction of Bishops Iure Divino as being no where found in the Scripture c. This is one thing which though here brought in upon the by I cannot passe because I finde him else where much harping upon the same string Hee will not have the Bishops derive their succession from the Apostles cryes out upon Dr. Pocklington for delivering pag. 41. Ips Newes pag. 4. Appeal p. 7. 1. that doctrine affirmes their authority and jurisdiction to be onely from the King that not to derive it thence is against the law of the Land and I know not what danger besides and that Doctor Bastwick is imprisoned for defending his Majesties Ips N. p. vult See pag. 67
Iacksons bookes beene licensed it passeth Mr. Burtons learning yea though Mr. Prinne should bee of his counsell to find any thing in them which is not consonant to the doctrine of the Church of England Dr. Cosens private devot Mr. Brownes sermons I have not seene conteyned in the 39. articles and the booke of Common prayer Nor which is contrary to this Declaration of his Majesty Onely here I except my Lo of Chichester his Appeale which was published some yeares before the making of the Declaration And what blemish can it bee to Authority or to the Prelates if the booke of Franciscus a S. Clara. Also that book of Fr. à S. Clara. had beene printed 23. times and in London too so long as it is not cum Privilegio And what if he were so bold as to dedicate it to his Majesty I have knowne others and Mr. Burton by name p. 117. more bold in that kind than either was fitting or as I beleeve well pleasing to his Majesty But they say it was presented to the King by a Prelate And how if his highly-esteemed author They say do mis-informe him and there were no such matter Yet granting it to be true what hurt can be in it Blessed be God his Majesty is of yeares and wisdome abundantly sufficient to be able to discerne truth from falsehood be it never so cunningly masked or disguised Lastly what if a Romanist acting his owne part like himselfe indeavour to pinne such a sense upon our Articles as may make them almost Romish Who can hinder such mens tongues and pens Much applauded by our Innovators But doe any of our Innovators approve or applaud his wresting of our Articles to serve his owne turne I thinke Mr. B. cannot name any of them that doth And yet I cannot see what harme can follow if any shall so farre approve him as to like his moderate straine his lessening the number and quality of the differences between us which most of his owne party like M. Burton study to multiply and increase and so his desire of peace and reconciliation which if salvâ veritate it might once be wrought were a most blessed and happy accomplishment Neither is that though M. Burton so terme it true Christian p. 121. zeale but a distempered heat of a contentious spirit that shall come between and make an interruption And if as hee confesseth Puritans and Calvinists be such men no matter if they had no place either in Synode or Church of England As for those who because they know better are not willing as Mr Burton and others of his straine use to call all opinions and practices Popish which are beyond their learning and crosse the principles of their Catechismes and are therefore by him in scorne termed peaceable and indifferent men and well affected to Rome as Ely and Chichester and the Arch-Prelates they by their wisdome and moderation doe more good and acceptable service to God and his Church than ten thousand such fiery spirited Zelotes who understanding nothing but that the Romish Church are not of their opinion make it their ambition and highest point of Religion to condemne whatsoever is held or practiced in that Church not because evill or erroneous but because theirs What warrant they can have from the God of peace for their courses I cannot imagine One thing I am sure of that the Apostle S. Paul doth sufficiently warrant the contrary when he commands us If it be possible and as much as in us is to live peaceably Rom. 12. 18. with all men and according to his wont makes good his precept by his owne practice and that having to doe with men Jews and Gentiles opposite not to the faith onely but even to the very name of Christianity which yet they of Rome though bad enough are not For to the 1 Cor. 9. 20 21. Iewes he became as a Iew that he might gaine the Iewes To them that were under the law as under the law that he might gaine them under the law c. Yea as he there saith he was made all things to all men that he might by all meanes save some Not that thereby he did betray the truth or joyn with either Iew or Gentile in their errors from which he laboured by all means to with-draw them but because commiserating their condition he did condescend to their weaknesse and yeelded to them in what he might that thereby hee might winne them to yeeld to him in the maine As S. Augustine expounds the place And thus to August Ep. 19. deale with them of the Church of Rome at this day not that I intend to parallel them with either how any man can without wrapping up the blessed Apostle within the same sentence justly condemne I must confesse I am altogether ignorant For whereas such are bruited abroad to comply with Papists in their errors that is meere clamour without ground or shew of truth saving that they joyne not with these hot-spurres in rayling and raging and so exasperating them but leave that part to them as most delighting and exercised in that way and lacking compassionate affections to seek to gain and reduce those that wander into the way of truth Yet here we must take heed of going too far and that we doe not while we pitty and seeke to gain the adversary become injurious to the truth and lose it as it seemes if M. Burton may be beleeved some Factionists and Factors for Rome among us so he is pleased to style the Reverend Prelates and those that oppose his crotchets have done for he saith it is a common cry among them that we and they of Rome differ not in fundamentals This is I confesse to goe farre yea and a great deale too farre if we measure Fundamentalls by M. Burtons last who under that name will comprise all matters of faith as is evident by his quotation of these words out of our 19. Art in the margent The Church of Rome hath erred in matters of faith And this is usuall with others of his party who more truly may be termed Factionists than those whō he so calls for I once lighted upon a small book set forth by one of them which bare this title Fundamentall truths and nothing but Fundamentalls in which were contained all Catecheticall Doctrines the high points of Predestination the ten Commandements of the Law yea and though some more sublimated among them will admit none ten Commandements of the Gospell But M. Burton hath beene told sufficiently if prejudice would let him see that by Fundamentalls See B. of Exon advertisement Cholmely Butterf treatises are meant those points of faith which are absolutely necessary to salvation which whosoever beleeves not cannot be saved and to admit that in the Church of Rome these points are yet to be found and believed among them is no more than not absolutely to deny salvation to all that live in communion with that
but to assert the Doctrine of St. Paul commanding Phil. 2. 12. us to Work out our salvation with feare and trembling and of St. Peter who tells us 2 Pet. 1. 11. That thus an entrance shall bee ministred into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ And I beleeve for I have not the Booke at hand if Mr. Shelfords justification by charity be well examined it will proove to bee no other than this at least no other than in St. Iames Iam. 2. 24. sense when he saith Yee see how that by works a man is justified and not by faith onely And I would demand of any reasonable man whether the expresse words of that Apostle may not without aspersion of Popery be even openly and publikely maintained if there be no sense obtruded upon them which may crosse St. Pauls doctrine which Mr. Burton can never prove that they did whom hee chargeth with that assertion But the the truth is such is the humour that possesses many men of Mr. Burtons straine that they cannot endure any glosse upon that place of St. Iames but such as shall both make the Text like themselves full of non-sence and to turne the seeming and verball into a reall and direct contradiction of St. Paul To the third That the Pope is not Antichrist I answere that though many of the learned in our Church especially at the beginning of the ReformatioÌ„ when the greatest heat was strickeÌ„ between us and Rome have affirmed the Pope to be Antichrist and his whole religion Antichristian and that some exceeding the bounds of moderation in this point have passed abroad that with the license of authority wherein yet they are to be excused in that they have beene so intolerably provoked by the odious criminations of the adversary yet to them that calmely and seriously consider it it may not without good reason bee disputed as doubtfull whether the Pope or any of them in his person or the Papall Hierarchy bee that great Antichrist which is so much spoken of And which way soever it be determined it makes not the religion any whit the better nor frees the practises of the Popes and Court of Rome from being justly accounted and stiled Antichristian For Mr. Shelfords second Book I have not seene it and therefore will say nothing but onely that if hee seeme to set as they thinke too light by preaching and pulpits hee doth at the worst but pay them in their owne coine who have magnified it to the vilifying and contempt of publick Prayer the most sacred and excellent part of Gods worship Neither have I seene that other Booke called the Female glory nor will I spend words by way either of censure or defence of it upon sight onely of those fragments which here hee presents us with as well knowing his art and at what rate to value his credit in quotations Yet in all those panegyrick straines of Rhetorick for such for the most part they seeme rather than positiue assertions he hath not deviated so much to the one extreme as Mr. Burtons marginall hath to the other in scoffingly calling her the New great Goddesse Diana And if it bee true that hee hath not digressed in any particular Lo here the new great goddesse Diana whom the whole Pontifician world worshippeth H. B. p. 125. from the Bishop of Chichester as Mr. Burton makes him affirme I dare boldly say Mr. Burton will never bee able to finde the least point of Popery in it For it is well known that Bishop whom he as if hee had bid adieu to all civility yea and shame too termes a tried Champion of Rome and so a devout votary to the Queene of heaven hath approved himselfe such a Champion against Rome that they that have tried his strength durst never yet come to a second encounter Beside we have elsewhere other points of Pag. 67. Popish Doctrine which he saith are preached and printed of late As Auricular Confession Prayer for the dead and praying to Saints Which because I finde onely mentioned by him without any proofe to evidence the truth of his assertion I might with one word reject till hee produced the Authors which have so Preached and Printed and what it was that they have delivered touching those points But because there are many that by reason of their ignorance of the truth in these points are apt to beleeve what he affirmes and to entertaine a sinister opinion of the Churches Doctrine in them I will briefly adde some of them in this place First for Confession It cannot bee denied Of Confession but that the Church of England did ever allow the private confession of sinnes to the Priest for Booke of Common Prayer Exhortation before the Communion the quieting of mens consciences burdened with sinne and that they may receive ghostly counsell advice and comfort and the benefit of absolution This is the publike Order prescribed in our Church And it were very strange if our Church ordaining Priests and giving them power of absolution and prescribing the forme to bee used Forme of absolution in the Visitation of the sick for the exercise of that power upon confession should not also allow of such private confession To advise then and urge the use and profit of private confession to the Priest is no Popish Innovation but agreeable to the constant and resolved Doctrine of this Church and that which is requisite for the due execution of that ancient power of the Keyes which Christ bestowed upon his Church And if any shall call it auricular because it is done in private and in the eare of the Priest I know not why hee should therefore bee condemned of Popery But if Mr. Burton by Auricular Confession meane that Sacramentall Confession which the Councell of Trent hath defined to bee of absolute necessity by Divine ordinance and that which exacts that many times impossible particular enumeration of every sinne and the speciall circumstances of every sinne This wee justly reject as neither required by God nor so practised by the ancient See Bishop Ushers answer to Iesuites â—chall Church And if Mr. Burton knowes any that hath Preached or Printed ought in defence of this new pick-lock and tyrannicall sacramentall Confession hee may if he please with the Churches good leave terme them in that point Popish Innovators For the second point Simply to condemne Of prayer for the dead all prayer for the Dead is to runne counter to the constant practise of the ancient Church of Christ Prayer for the dead it cannot bee denied it is ancient saith the late learned Bishop of Winchester That the ancient Church had Commemorations Oblations and prayers for the dead the testimonies of the Fathers Ecclesiasticall Histories and ancient Liturgies in which the formes of Prayers used for that purpose are Cannon 55. found doe put out of all question and they that are acquainted with the Canons and Liturgy
then Bishop of London demanded and the signe given for that purpose Prinne as if hee had watcht his time to baffle them and put a dorre upon them which might be notorious and make them ridiculous and jeer'd by the faction steps out and in an unmannerly fashion and without any reverence produces his Prohibition with which sawcy behaviour of his my Lord of London justly moved said to this effect That if any man hereafter should in that manner N. B. bring a Prohibition thither hee would set him by the heeles or lay him fast This was the effect of his speech the words I remember not so well and this was the truth of the story to which there are many and those of untainted credit and reputation that if need were will be sworne who were present and as neare as Master B. when the words were spoken among whom occasionally I made one Now I appeale to any that is not in the same gall of bitternesse whether this were any out-daring of the Kings just Government of his subjects any infringing of the subjects rights and just liberties any crossing of his Majesties gracious signing of the Petition of Right any trampling or setting a proud foot upon the Kings Lawes or any audacious and presumptuous speech of one that in the flames of his passion hath sacrificed his best reason and loyaltie All which Master B. is pleased to brand it with Doth the Kings just government and good Lawes permit the subjects to affront any of his owne Courts Is it the just liberty of the subject to use the benefit of Law to the casting of contempt and scorne upon his Superiours May not a Prohibition as this did receive its due respect and be obeyed and yet the malepert behaviour of the bringer be justly reproved and severely censured I am verely perswaded that the reverend Iudges who ever they were that granted the Prohibition never intended to give a Protection for any irreverence and petulancie and had they knowne their authority to have beene so abused they would have as sharply reprooved and censured it What then hath Master B. here sacrificed in the flames of distemperedzeale in thus indeavouring for he can doe no more to blast the honour and reputation of so great and reverend a Father of the Church let others judge while I onely wonder at the strange progresse that hee hath made since he hath leapt over the bounds of modesty and leave him to glory in his shame and to worke his own confusion by seeking to obscure the glory of him who is out of danger of wounding by his detracting tongue and whose eminent integrity and irreprehensible deportment in that height hath so really confuted such slanders that it makes all verball apologies unseasonable and superfluous Qui fidens conscientiae suae negligit famam suam crudelis est maxime in loco isto positus de quo dicit Apostolus scribens ad discipulum suum Circaomnes teipsum bonorum operum prebe exemplum Tit. 2. 7. Et paulò antè Propter nos conscientia nostra sufficit nobis propter vos fama nostra non pollâ—i sed pollere debet in vobis S. August de Diversis Sermo 49. Yet because as Saint Augustine saith It is a cruelty for a man so to rely upon his owne good conscience as to neglect his credit and fame abroad especially for him that is set in that place of which the Apostle to his Scholler saith In all things shew thy self a pattern of good works And although his Grace may justly say as that holy Father once did of himselfe That for himselfe his owne conscience is sufficient yet I am perswaded he approves also that which followes That for others it is requisite his fame bee kept unstayned and retaine it's authority and vertue And therefore I presume upon his Graces pardon that I have notwithstanding the consciousnesse of my own weaknesse and unworthinesse adventured to oppose somewhat to the base calumnies of a malignant spirit which hath endeavoured to obscure the lustre of his eminent vertues And though it bee not needfull to wipe off every smutch or answer every railing word yet having begun I will also heere adde somewhat of two other remarkable criminations which he casts upon his Grace The one is as like that of Prinnes as is the person pag. â—â— whom it concerned which was Master B. himselfe who as he saith was convented before his Grace then Bishop of London for Preaching upon Rom. 8. 29 30. c. well what then It was saith he objected to me that therein I did contrary to the Kings Declaration And what of that marry the margine will tell you that it was A dangerous and false charge layed upon the King A dangerous I will easily beleeve it to be if false for I cannot thinke it either good or safe for any man to wrest the edicts of his Soveraigne beyond their true intendment much lesse for any that is intrusted with the execution of them to presse them in a wrested sense to the unjust censure and oppression of His Majesties Subjects But if it appeare to be true then no question but all the danger is over and that may easily be proved for what ever Vpon the golden Chaine of Salvation Master B. golden termes he is pleased to use the plaine English of the businesse is as if need were could be justified by many witnesses that were his hearers that hee was convented for preaching upon the high points of Predestination not in that sober way in which our Church Articles run shutting up all in Gods promises as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture to which way his Majesty by his declaration had wisely justly restrained all preaching writings disputations but in a controverted way with disputes and clamorous invectives against those which dissented from him in opinion And if this be not to doe contrary to the Kings Declaration nothing is And therefore this was no dangerous or false charge but by his answer hee hath laid such a one upon the King That he is an instrument of suppressing Gods truth which certainly he can be no more justly charged w th than S. Paul for willing men to be wise unto sobriety not to be wise above that which is writen This was all that was intended by His Sacred Majestie Rom. 12. 3. 1. Cor. 4. 6. this is not to suppresse Gods truth but curiosity to command sobriety which as it is every Nihil omittens de ijs quae non oportet ignorari nihil contrectans de ijs quae non licet scire De vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 5. S. Ambros Prospero adscript where commendable so it is most in those things wherein men cannot bee curious or over-daring without impiety And therefore I may say of our gracious Soveraigns wise pious intentioÌ„s in this as a holy Father once did of S. Paul handling this argument He
same Answer may serve to Mr. B. second reason which is drawn from their writings positions and doctrines which Second and third reasons they the Romanists professe and teach concerning the Popes usurped power and Soveraigntie over all Kings and Kingdomes of the earth And likewise to the third for both of them conclude no more than this That some Popish Authours exalt the Popes power over the Kings in deposing and exposing their Persons to the danger of Rebels and Traytors and that Popes of late have usurped that power which our Protestant Writers and by name these which Mr. B. citeth Dr. Iohn White and Dr. Crackenthorp and our Church-Homilies doe clearely prove and justly condemne as Anti-christian For all that can be rightly hence inferred will not reach the Religion or Faith it selfe which admit that these were parts of it is of farre larger extent and different nature than to receive it's Denomination from these few principles or some men's or Pope's practises To make this cleare by an instance wherein I am sure Mr. B. would be loath to admit this reasoning for true Logick Some Genevians and some of ours that learn'd it from See Chr. Goodman's treatise of obedience printed at Geneva p. 206. c Dangerous positions and proceedings for disciplne them allow the Deposition of Tyrannicall and Idolatrous Princes and Rulers and the Peoples rising against them commend Traytors for good men and their Treasons for godly enterprizes approve of private mens killing them as set on by God and in a word goe as farre in this kinde l. 1. c 5. Bucanan de jure Regni p 57. Alsted Syst Polit 2. cap. 3. Si tamen administratores of ficium suum facere no in t si impia iniqua mandent si contra dilectionem Dei proximi agant populus propriae salutis curam arripiet imperium male utentibus abrogabit in locum eorum alios substituet pag. 141. as the boldest and bloudiest among the Iesuites and are in this worse than they in that the Iesuites alledge their obedience therein and zeale to an higher authority pretended to bee in the Pope But these hold the right of Soveraigntie to be in the People and allow them to bee their owne carvers of their liberty If any man should be reupon conclude that the Genevian Religion were Rebellion and Faith faction I suppose Master B. would and for my part though I detest and abhorre these principles as most wicked and unchristian I should thinke they said more than they proved and so I thinke Master B. hath here done against the Papists The last book he mentions is the last Fast-book which with hideous out-cries he here and often in other places complaines that they have gelded as hee termes it and made a mock-fast of it c. and that contrary to the Kings expresse proclamation which ordereth the booke for the former fast to be reprinted and published There be two things that he quarrels against them in this First the alterations Secondly the restraint of preaching in places infected For the first he saith they have altered the booke in such wise as he being a man very tender in that kind and not willing to waive authority or to do things without warrant from it doth not see how any man may read it as being contrary to the proclamation But I would demand whether the proclamation were expresly for the having the former booke reprinted without any alteration if not as it is most evident that there was no such thing expressed then can it not bee said to bee contrary to it for contraries must both have a being and then onely could it have been said to bee contrary if another and not that had beene printed which this might still bee said to bee though in some things altered which is a common speech in matter of bookes and other things where the bulk remaining there are made as great and many times greater alterations than here were any But what were these alterations First in the first Collect this remarkable pious sentence was pag. 142. left out Thou hast delivered us from superstition and Idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and hast brought us into the most cleere and comfortable light of thy blessed Word by the which we are taught how to serve and honour thee and how to live orderly with our neighbours in truth and verity But what of that Loe here saith he these men the Bishops would not have Popery to bee called Superstition and Idolatry nor would they have the Word of God commended as that cleare and comfortable light which teacheth us all duties to God and man But the man is farre and wide from truth in this fond conjecture I dare boldly say there was no such thing thought on It is out of question for ought I know with Protestants that in Popery there are many grosse superstitions and Idolatries and that the Word of God is that cleare and comfortable light which teacheth us all things necessary to salvation But men may be good Protestants and yet not damne all their fore-fathers who lived before the reformation as he must doe that saith of them that they were wholly drowned in Idolatry and without the light of Gods Word to teach them to serve God and live orderly with their neighbours which though Master B. perhaps will not some men may thinke to be reason sufficient for the leaving out of that sentence But secondly they have left out a whole Collect true and perhaps it was thought fit so to be not for any thing conteined in it but only to abridge the length of the service which I know some of Master Burton's humour did as much grumble at when that first booke was appointed and tooke more liberty of shortening it than that comes to His conceit that they did it because in it preaching was commended is groundlesse and the dreame onely of a distemper'd fancy and shall receive from me the answer it deserves silence And that is the best answer also that I can give to that which followes about the clause left out in the last page in the order for the Fast which he would have the people beleeve was done because they esteemed fasting a meritorious worke but so without all shew of ground or reason that it were a vanity second to none but his to spend time and words about it And what hath Master B. or any other to doe with the leaving out of the Lady Elizabeth and her children which hee might well beleeve was done either not without his Majesties consent or at least that would soone come to His knowledge who Himselfe had the same prayers read in his Royall Chappell Nay I le tell thee more it was exactly done according to the last edition of the Common prayer-booke and His Majesties speciall direction in this particular as Master B. and I have beene often told by our betters Surely it was a great oversight that when Master
scholer to preach in Yea and our Saviour himselfe whom Saint Paul would not contradict told his Disciples of such an out of season that he thought not fit to preach to his Disciples the things which they should afterwards be taught when he saith I have yet many Ioh. 16. 12. things to say unto you but ye cannot beare them now It must needes therefore behoove the governors of the Church the Bishops who are the grand Pastors and Ministers of their whole Dioces if they will not bee wanting to the Cure of soules committed to their charge to see that those whom they admit to partake in their cure and charge doe rightly divide the word of truth to see 2. Tim. 2. 15. that it be not onely the word of truth but rightly divided rightly 1. in regard of the quality of it that it may be suited to the condition and capacity of those to whom it is divided putting a difference 1. Cor. 3. 1. betweene those that are carnall and those that are spirituall betweene babes and strong men in Christ between those who are unskilfull in Heb. 5. 13. the word of righteousnesse and those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discerne both good and evill 2. It must be rightly also for the time maner and measure of it 1. There is a time for all things a time to preach and a time to pray Eccle. 3. and a time for worke a time also for recreation and it is a point of wisedome to fit every worke to its best time and season and the fitnesse of the season is a great furtherance to the worke which many times by unseasonablenes becomes unprofitable and gaines contempt It is without question then best received when mens minds are freest from distraction of worldly cares or pleasures and therefore the Sundayes and Holidayes are the fittest times for Preaching and not upon Market-dayes when men must be dilemm'd betweene the word of God and their worldly affaires and when some willingly others sometimes are necessitated to preferre their body and the world before their soules and Heaven and much lesse as if a sermon were of kin to a fiddle or a bagpipe to have preaching upon every merry meeting or feasting or at a Beare-baiting at which I once heard of a sermon made which cannot be but a prophanation of Gods Name and derogation from the honour of his ordinance Secondly For the manner of it it must bee done gravely with religious reverence for the edifying of men in their holy faith and godlines not vainely or with intermixture of Fables newes or passionate declamations for such prophane and vaine bablings will encrease unto 2 Tim. 2. 16. more ungodlinesse and their words will eat as doth a Gangrene edifying to nothing but sedition and the subversion of the Church Thirdly For the measure That cannot bee rightly done that is over-done and there may be a too-much even in the best things and spirituall food as well as corporall must bee taken with respect to the digestive faculty of the eaters The too-often and over-much taking of the best and daintiest fare begets loathing and contempt whereas the moderate use procures appetite helps digestion and mantaines their due esteeme and certainly there is nothing more advantagious to piety than to uphold the Majesties of the Priestly or ministeriall offices and among the rest of Preaching which cannot but bee impaired if it be either too often or out of due measure obtruded upon men for familiarity we know breeds contempt but retirednesse is the preserver of Majesties and rarity commends pleasures and makes them more delightfull and with moderation must needs make preaching pretious and become more acceptable which if it be not it cannot profit Besides Sermons must be ordered for their measure and length that they leave roome sufficient for solemne Prayers and other Divine Offices these must not bee curtall'd to lengthen them nor vilified by meanes of any new-devised formes of praier either ushering or following them And therefore when the Bishops to whom the care and charge of these things belong shall in their wisdomes thinke fit to use their just power to order and regulate Preachers and Sermons according to these rules they doe no wrong but right to the Word of God and what in duty they are bound to doe If Lectures be unseasonable or not in places fitting if they be upheld with faction abused and made nourishers of sedition male-contented thoughts or cast contempt upon the Pastorall charge and setled ministery To suppresse such Lectures and suspend such Preachers is but just and fit and others than such as have beene guilty in these or the like kindes have not received any such censure If Sermons upon the Lords day bee produced to that length that they justle out the Prayers of the Church or be become of that esteeme as that men shrinke up all religion into hearing or that they be of that straine that the ignorant may be ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth it is but reason that they both cut them shorter and provide for the due esteem of other religious duties and for the instruction of the ignorant by turning Sermons into catechising and if that be abused too and that men in stead of laying the foundation and teaching the first principles of the Oracles of God which is the true catechizing shall soare aloft and adventure upon the most high and abstruse points in Divinity and notwithstanding his Majesties Declaration to the contrary shall deliver the doctrines of Election and Reprobation and that in such wise as to make God the author of sinne and obduration in sinne which is blasphemy in the highest degree if men use to catechise after this manner as some of late have done is it not high time to reduce men to the prescribed platforme of the Church Catechisme which even in the bare questions and answers as it is there set forth cannot bee denied without extreame ignorance or impudent malice to containe the principles of Christian Religion and whatsoever is necessary to be known of those for whom it was intended for the fitting of them for the receiving of the Lords Supper Lastly if Sermon-prayers shall bee used as libels as some have used them or be exalted above the prayers of the Church as with too many they are it cannot but bee much better to tie men to the forme prescribed in the Canon which was the old use of these prayers in this Church and to shut up all in the Lords Prayer which is without all contradiction the most absolute patterne of prayer and the summe of all rightly-conceived petitions My conclusion then is that the Reverend Bishops doing these things upon these grounds and no otherwise and upon other grounds they have done nothing in this kinde are unjustly charged to take away the key of knowledge whose right use by these meanes is preserved and
them too but I spare them yet surely I have knowne strange effects of this doctrine and what consequences naturally doe flow from it I leave to the judicious and indifferent consideration of any understanding man Thirdly it produces a strange kind of justification whereby at once all their sinnes past present Ames p. 121. Calvin Inst. l. 3. c. 4. §. 3. and to come are remitted and they without more adoe as sure of heaven as if they were in it already and that without any repentance which with them is no cause of the remission of sinnes neither indeed can bee as comming too late and when that worke is done already by faith or rather before all faith which apprehends the free and full remission of their sinnes ready sealed before all repentance which as they teach ever comes after faith though to say the truth it seldome either precedes or followes after as it ought and indeed I wonder how it should when they hold that neither it nor good workes are of any efficacie in procuring mans salvation Yea so farre have some gone in opposition to repentance and good workes that they blush not to teach that impenitencie it selfe doth not exclude from grace or salvation for they say that impenitencie is but a sinne and the impenitent but a sinner and so the proper object of justification and salvation inasmuch as the Apostle saith This is 1 Tim. 1. 15. a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners so ignorantly and against the maine grounds of Christian faith and piety doe they wrest that most sweet and comfortable place to serve their owne fancies So for good workes though all agree to exclude them from being any meanes of not only of justification but of salvation yet some do admit them as it were spectators and witnesses of the worke done and in that respect require their presence as necessary though they contribute nothing to the worke But others are of a more sublime straine and they think them no way necessary but rather hinderers of salvation and whereas vulgar Christians and the under-forme or ranke of Professors doe make use of them as signes and evidences of their faith and justification these teach as the most new and more refined way that men should try their workes by their faith and that this is the onely way to have constant and untottering comfort which the commission of no sinne can ecclypse or diminish for they beleeving that God loves hath accepted their persons and that once for all must beleeve also that hee will take them altogether with all faults that they are or shall bee gulty of and being his favorits they may be assured that he will give them more liberty and winke at more and grocer faults in them than in unbeleevers and reprobates who may haply be condemned to hell fire for but looking upon a woman to lust after her when these scape with actuall adultery and many other grosse and grievous sins lived dyed in without repentance those being but infirmities in them which in others are scandalous and crying sinnes In which regard they enjoy two notable priviledges First that whereas to others death to them life is the wages of sinne for they so farre extend that of the Apostle Saint Paul Rom. 8. 28. to include sinne and all which together with all things else workes together for their good and salvation Secondly they are by this means exempted from all punishment as well in this world as in the next that all the afflictions which befall them and death it selfe are not punishments for their sins or signes of his displeasure against them whom hee once and ever loved so dearely but onely fatherly corrections and exercises of their graces As their faith is new so are many acts of Gods worship new too I le begin with the principall of them all their Prayers which are farre different from the Prayers of the Church of England for first our Church appointeth publick Prayers after a set and solemne forme Prayers received from the ancient Church of Christ and venerable for their antiquity Prayers wherein the meanest in the Congregation by reason of the continuall use may joyne in and helpe to set upon God with an armie of Prayers Prayers composed with that gravity with such pious and soule-ravishing straines with those full and powerfull expressions of heavenly affection that I suppose the world setting them aside hath not the like volumne of holy Orisons But these are by them slighted and vilified in whose mouthes the short and pithy prayers of the Church are but shreads and pieces and not worthy the name of Prayers and the Letany accounted conjuring And in stead of these regular devotions they have brought in a long prayer freshly-conceived and brought forth by the Minister and that God knowes many times in bald and homely language such as wise men would bee ashamed to tell a tale in even to their equals with many gasping and unseemely pauses and multitudes of irksome Tautologies and which is none of the least defects of it in which none of the Congregation is able to joyne with him or to follow him as not knowing no nor the speaker himselfe sometimes what he is about to say Againe the Church of England hath consecrated certaine places to be houses of publick prayer which places so consecrated and appropriated to that holy Service they judge fit that publick prayer be there made as in the places where God is in a more speciall manner present but these places are by them contemned and every place a parlour barne or play-house accounted as holy and fit as they for publick prayer or any other act of Gods worship Thirdly prayers in the Church of England have ever been conceived not only as duties to bee performed but as meanes also sanctified by God for the obtayning of his blessings whereby he is moved to grant our desires but with them they are accounted only duties which must bee done in doing whereof men do not so much move God or dispose him to grant their desires as themselves to receive them Fourthly when we according as our Saviour hath taught us in that holy pattern of prayer which he left with his Disciples do pray that God would forgive us our trespasses wee meane simply and unfeignedly to obtayn fogivenesse and that by this meanes but they praying for forgivenesse of sinnes intend only continuation of that grace of remission of sinnes which they have already received which grace being immutable prayer for that purpose is by them judged altogether superfluous the mayne end therefore that they ayme at in their prayers is that they may grow more and more in sense and assurance of the remission of their sinnes If we passe from prayer to the Sacraments which as our Church teaches are morall instruments to conveigh those graces unto the receivers which the outward signes visibly represent and