vnfitly applyed euen by orators to the best things The next is these words In Baptisme God doth bestow presently remission of sins and the Holy-ghost binding also himselfe to ad in processe of time what grace soeuer shall be further necessasary for the attainment of euerlasting life Heere you aske of Maister Hooker what warrant he hath of present grace in the very work wrought of baptisme where by the way you cūningly with a truth of his mingle an error of your owne for who euer doubted but that baptisme doth bestow the remission of sins and yet not this as we haue often told you for the very work wrought of baptisme The next in these wordes The signe of the Crosse as we vse it is in some sort a meane to work our preseruation from reproch and Christs marke It seemes that this speech hath made you to forget that ciuill respect which had bin fit to one whome worthily you ought to esteeme as reuerend for very rudely you say when where or how did Christ tell thee that the signe of the Crosse as we vse it is the marke of Christ and preserueth frō reproch Be not caried more violently then the cause requireth for Maister Hooker doth not affirme but saith shall I say and addeth surely the minde which as yet hath not hardned it selfe in sinne is seldome prouoked thereunto in any grosse and greeuous manner but natures secret suggestiō obiecteth against it ignominy as a bar which conceit being entred into that pallace of mans fancy the gates wherof haue imprinted in thē that holy signe which bringeth forthwith to mind whatsoeuer Christ hath wrought and we vowed against sinne it commeth hereby to passe that Christian men neuer want a most effectuall though a silent teacher to auoid whatsoeuer may deseruedly procure shame Let vs not thinke it superfluous that Christ hath his marke applied vnto that part where bashfulnes appeareth in token that they which are Christians should at no time be ashamed of his ignominie The last words misliked by you in this article are these Assuredly whosoeuer doth wel obserue how much al inferiour things depend vpon the orderly courses and motions of these greater orbs wil hardly iudge it meet or good that the Angels assisting them should be driuen to betake themselues vnto other stations although by nature they were not tyed where now they are but had change also else where as long as their absence from beneath might but tollerably be supplyed and by descending their roomes aboue should become vacant Heere wholy mistaking Maister Hooker you run into a strange discourse of Angels of their attendance vpon the elect and aske where it is reuealed that they attend vpon celestiall orbs and whether it be not sinne to leaue their naturall charge and here you aske whether he meane not the Angels that fel These and such like are those collections which your iudgement thath gathered wholy mistaking the scope of this excellent speech For he sheweth here that there may be iust reasons of non-residence in Vniuersities in Bishops houses and last of all for their imployment in the families of noble men or in princes courts For assuredly whosoeuer doth well obserue how much all inferiour things depend vpon the orderly courses and motions of those greater orbs will hardly iudge it either meete or good that the Angels assisting them should be driuen to betake themselues vnto other stations although by nature they were not tyed where now they are but had charge also else where as long as their absence from beneath might but tolerably be supplied and by descending the roumes aboue should become vacant Who vnderstandeth not now that by orbes are ment those great persons which by their motion do carrye inferiours with them And by Angels assisting them are ment those graue diuines which are by their wisdome holinesse and direction to moderate their motion Why then being but a parable or an allegorie run you to examination of orbes of Angels of motion and yet these are things so well knowne in the Philosophers schooles as that Maister Hooker had no reason to feare to take a similitude from them without being called to examination of the truth of the thing it selfe And this may suffice for a moderate answere to those things which in this article are tearmed by you speculatiue doctrine Only I must ad this which Maister Hooker noteth in a troublesome aduersary with whom he had to deale that in this article as often in this letter besides there are two faults predominant which would tyre out any which should answeare to euery poynt seuerally first vnapt speaking of schoole controuersies secondly a very vntoward reciting of M. Hookers words that as he which should promise to draw a mans countenance and did indeed expresse the parts at least the most of them truly but peruersely place them could not represent a more offensiue visage then a mans owne would be to himselfe so haue you dealt with M. Hooker where your misplacing of those words which he hath vttered hath framed a picture which as you direct men to looke at it little differeth from the shape of an vgly monster for answeare whereunto this labour is sufficient wherein I haue set downe both his words and meaning in such sort that where your accusation doth depraue the one or that either you misinterpret or without iust cause mislike the other it will appeare so plainly that to the indifferent reader I shall not neede to ad any further answeare for any man may see that you haue iudged his words as they doe colours which looke vpon them with greene spectacles and thinke that which they see is greene when indeede that is greene whereby they see The best remedy will be to vse charity where iudgment wanteth ARTICLE XIX Of Caluin and the reformed Churches WHere the persons of particular men is the subiect of our discourse we cannot well either be too short or too charitable for of the best if we speake much something will be wrested to a hard construction if vncharitablie we shal seeme to follow the practise of those which haue no other skill to ouerthrow a generall cause but by wounding of some particular men And howsoeuer that cause must needs be weake which either hath his beginning or his greatest strength from one priuate man yet doubtles in common reason it is no small policie to blemish a truth by detracting frō the sincerity and religion of such as are the principal defenders of it How much this part of the world hath cause to esteeme of Luther and Caluin there is no man of any learning that can be ignorāt in which respect notwithstāding by some mē a threefold wrong is don vnto our Church First to make thē authors of that religion amongst vs which by many hūdreth yeers was far more ancient then they both were Secondly to lay the infirmities that were in thē as being mē it were too great ignorance
that naked faith c. In these assertions which in my opinion are repugnant to our Church and in the best construction make but a harsh sound what do you else but discouer y e error which they of the Church of Rome by a mistaking haue thought vs to hold as though it were our doctrine that wee could be iustified by a faith that were meerely naked Luther striuing to shew how litle our works did in the merit of mans saluation speaketh somewhat harshly when he saith Faith without before we haue charitie doth iustifie And in another place both which are not vniustly called in question by those of the Church of Rome he saith Faith vnles it be without euen the least good works doth not iustify nay it is no faith But M. Calum speaketh in this better then either Luther or you Faith alone iustifieth but not that faith which is alone For if our Church held a naked faith which none that were wise euer did might not all the world iustly accuse vs as enemies to good works The most of the learned in Germany held a necessitie of good works not a necessitie of effecting but a necessitie of presence for we are saued doubtlesse by grace but hauing yeers we cannot ordinarily be saued vnles we haue good works For faith which we teach to iustifie is not void of good works as Doctor Fulke answereth to the Rhemes obiection And therfore in another place he saith the elect are alwayes fruitfull of good works From hence seeing faith hath no assurance for itselfe either to God or to maÌ„ we exhort in our sermons to good works we perswade to humiliation by fasting weeping which are if they be truly penitent meanes to blot out sin thorough Gods vnspeakable and vndeserued mercie For as Saint Paul saith Godly sorrow causeth repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of And therefore saith Saint Hierom fasting and sackcloth are the armor of repentaÌ„ce And y e men please God by fasting saith D Fulk as Anna Tobie Iudith Hester we doubt nothing at all while we vse it to the right end allowed of God that is huÌ„bling of our selues chastising of our bodies that it might bee more obedient to the Spirit and feruent in prayer Nay our solemne fasts are as M. Hooker saith the splendor and outward glorie of our religion forcible witnesses of ancient truth prouocations to the exercise of all piâ—tie shadowes of our endlesse felicitie in heauen and euerlasting records and memorials vpon earth which it is great pitie it is so much neglected because euen therein they which cannot be drawne to harken vnto what we teach might onely by looking vpon that we do in a maner reade whatsoeuer we beleeue Now that he saith the attainement vnto anie gratious benefit of Gods vnspeakable and vndeserued mercie the phrase of antiquitie hath called by the name of Merit this is that wherein you desire to be resolued And surely he hath read little who is ignorant that the heathen Masters of the Latine tongue and the Fathers for antiquitie nearest vnto those times haue vsed the word Merit far in another sence then that whereunto the violence of some coÌ„structions haue wrested it at this day And Aquinas himselfe vnderstandeth by the name of â—urit not a worke not due which should deserue a reward but a worke which mercifully and by the goodnes of God a reward followeth The phrase of the Latine doth properly make one to merit of another and as it were to bind him to him who doth any thing which pleaseth and delighteth him for whom it is done Thus that place in the epistle to the Hebrues To do good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is well pleased Where they of Rhemes following the Latine promeretur say promerited shewing that they meant nothing els in ancient time by merit but that delight allowance and contentment which God taketh in those good things we do and so rewardeth them And Doctor Fulke confesseth that Primasius who was Saint Austins scholler vsed the same word promeretur as it was taken amongst the vulgar at that day farre differing from the sense wherein it is nowe vsed Thus much briefly may serue for answer in this point that faith is not alone though alone it iustifie that though a man sinne if he repent his faith may saue him that there are vses nay excellent vses of good works though they do not saue vs and last of all if posteritie had not corrupted the word merit that we would not be afraid to speake in the phrase of antiquitie and call our vertuous attainment by mercie of grace by the name of merit ARTICLE VII The vertue of works AS goodnesse so truth being but one whatsoeuer is opposite be it neuer so carefully obserued in the course of a long streame at the last foldeth it selfe in a contradiction For falshood hath no more strength to proue a truth then truth hath weaknesse to beget a lie Then the ground of all true assertions concurring immoueably in that one first truth of which all other inferior are but branches whatsoeuer goeth about to disproue that must of necessitie in his owne parts bee diuers and imply a contrarietie seeing it laboureth to infring the certainty of that which eternally and vnchangeably is but one Hence commeth it that vnskilfull men the grounds of whose opinions are but the vncertainties of their owne ignorance are thought to want memorie whilest they contradict themselues when indeed the defect is in iudgment which caÌ„not make truth the ground of their knowledge from which if they swarue neuer so little they doe not sooner oppugne others then crosse themselues truth admitting no coherence of contrarieties seeing it selfe is but onely one From this hath proceeded that ouersight of a great number who speaking first against a truth vttered by others come at length to speake euen directly against themselues Thus you that in the former Article disputed of faith naked and destitute of all good works make your next step to those good works that do accompany faith Where I vnderstand not but perhaps you do why you call them good if they arise not naturally out of faith or why you call that faith naked which is accompanied with these good works But doubtlesse there being a morall goodnes euen where there is want of supernatural light and the most certaine token of that goodnes being if the general perswasion of all men do so account it it can not chuse but seeme strange that the approbation of these should in your opinion be applied to those works that are done out of faith after man is iustified seeing there is a good as M. Hooker saith that doth follow vnto all things by obseruing the course of their nature yet naturall agents cannot obtaine either reward or punishment for amongst creatures in this world only mans obseruation of the law of his nature because he
the end of all we doe This is confessed euen by our aduersaries themselues with whom seeing we doe agree there can be no suspition that we should dissent from that which our Church holdeth and this may serue rather to tell you what in these points is the iudgement of our Church then to defend him whose words you haue wrested to a far different sense ARTICLE VIII Works of supererogation THe neerenes oftentimes to euill is warrant enough for suspition to accuse of euill and because all errors are not equally distant from truth some men in their true assertions are supposed by weake iudgements not to differ at all from error From hence commeth it that those men who haue no other iudgement but zeale which is the best excuse I can make for your accusation in this article haue run so far with a desire of safety from those opinions that were thought dangerous that they haue come at length vnto those that were much more daungerous in truth Which practise though it argue a good care yet it proceedeth from a timorous nature wanting the ability to put a difference in the causes of true feare so that this circumspection is but cowardlinesse as he that were loth to be taken amongst his enimies trenches would get himselfe so far distant that he would outrun euen the vtmost limits of his owne armie Thus haue you dealt in this article fearing to approue any thing that might tend to supererogation you haue misliked euen the allowance of those works which are good and yet not commanded for say you to hold as Master Hooker doth that God approueth more then he commandeth what is it else but to scatter euen the graines of Popery and to lead men to those arrogant works of supererogation Herein your feare if it would haue giuen you leaue to haue looked behinde you it may be peraduenture you would not haue run away in such haste especially in cases of no great daunger And therfore giue me leaue to tell you that there is no treachery no danger no cause of flying from this opinion All the vnforced actions of men are voluntarie and all voluntarie actions tending to their end haue choice and all choice presupposeth the knowledge of some cause wherefore we make it and therfore it is no absurditie to thinke that all actions of men indued with the vse of reason are generally either good or euill And although whatsoeuer is good the same is also approued of God yet according to the sundry degrees of goodnes the kinds of diuine approbation are in like sort multiplied for some things are good yet in so meane a degree of goodnes that men are only not disproued nor disallowed of God for them as that no man hateth his owne flesh it is a matter of approbation and allowance but of no great or singular acceptation So saith our Sauiour if you do good vnto them that do so to you the verie Publicans themselues do as much Wherein to come short of them as it were a great vice so not to exceed thē is no great vertue Some things in such sort are allowable that they be also required as necessary to saluation by way of direct immediate and proper necessitie finall so that without performance of such wee cannot by ordinarie course be saued nor yet by any meanes be excluded from life if we obserue those As nature gaue light vnto the former so the Scripture is a guide to teach these wherein because all faile it is the obedience and merit onely of one that must make all righteous that must be saued Some things there are although not so required of necessitie that to leaue them vndone excludeth from saluation yet notwithstanding are of so great dignitie and acceptation with God that most ample reward in heauen is laid vp for them Of these we haue no commandement in nature or Scripture that doth exact them in particular at our hands yet those motiues there are in both which may serue to draw our minds most effectually to the performance of them In this kind there is not the least action but it doth somwhat make to the accessorie augmentation of our blisse which men haue as much reason to desire as to desire that they may be blessed no measure of blessednesse hauing power to content sauing onely where the blessed wanteth capacitie to receiue greater Vpon this dependeth whatsoeuer difference there is betweene the states of Saints in glorie Hereunto we referre whatsoeuer belongeth vnto the highest perfection for all perfection in this life is not equall of man by way of seruice toward God hereunto that feruor and first loue of Christians did bend it selfe causing them to sell their possessions and lay down the price at the blessed Apostles feete hereunto Saint Paul vndoubtedly did aime in so far abridging his owne libertie and exceeding that which the bond of necessarie and enioyned dutie tied him vnto to ease those Churches to whom he preached with his handie labour knowing that although it were not a duty which hee was commaunded yet it was an aduantage to his preaching and acceptable to God who doubtlesse approueth much more then he doth commaund Thus when a man may liue in the state of matrimonie seeking that good thereby which nature principally desireth to make rather choice of a contrarie life in regard of Saint Paules iudgmēt he doth that which is manifestly allowed and yet not commanded in Gods word because without anie breach he might doe otherwise Thus when a man who might lawfully possesse his riches yet willingly doth bestow them to religious vses vertuously imbracing that pouertie which he esteemeth as an aduantage to eternall riches doth that which argueth a greater perfection and for which he hath warrant though no precept at all because that which is a great vertue in him is not a fault simply in those that do not the like Precepts and counsels hauing this difference that the one is of absolute necessitie the other left vnto our free election where both tending to the same end yet in this differ that both tend not after the same maner both looking at the meanes but the one after a more exquisite and excelling perfection For euery man being placed in this life betwixt the things of this world and spirituall good things the more hee cleaueth to these the more perfect and excellent he is and yet to cast them away wholy is no precept of necessitie but an aduise of greater perfection He that obeyeth not a precept is guiltie of deserued punishment but he that faileth of these counsels onely wanteth without sinne that measure of perfection For it is not a fault not to vow but to vow and to performe it is a praise Hee that performeth the one shall haue greater glorie but he that faileth in the other without repentance shall haue certaine punishment Neither is it said saith Saint Austine as thou shalt not commit adulterie
IN this Article the thing which you mislike is not any matter of his iudgement but that he seemeth to cōfesse either out of lesse learning then you haue or more humilitie then you shew that the coeternitie of the Sonne of God with his Father and the proceeding of the Spirit from the Father and the Sonne are in Scripture no where to be found by expresse literall mention And yet you cannot be ignorant but that vndoubtedly he beleeued both Therfore in my opinion it is strange why out of the second fift Article holdē by our church you alleage that the Sonne is the word of the Father from euerlasting begotten of the Father and the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son as though you dealt with an aduersarie that denied either You could not be ignorant hauing perused his writings with that diligence to reprehend but in this great mysterie of the Trinitie both concerning the equalitie of the Sonne with the Father and the Deitie of the holie Ghost who proceedeth from both see plainly that he held directly and soundly that doctrine which is most true and euerie way agreeable with the iudgements and expositions of the Reuerend Fathers of our Church Neither doe I know whether in this point anie of them haue left behinde them a more sound learned and vertuous Confession then he hath done For saith he The Lord our God is but one God In which indiuisible vnitie notwithstanding we adore the Father as being altogether of himselfe we glorifie that Consubstantiall Word which is the Sonne wee blesse and magnifie that coessentiall Spirit eternally proceeding from both which is the holy Ghost what confession can there be in this point of greater iudegment learning and truth and wherein there is lesse difference with that which our Church holdeth both hauing their ground as you may see by the places alleaged by M. Hooker in the Margent from the infallible euidence of Gods word This troubleth you that hee saith that these points are in scripture no where to be found by expresse literall mention which you out of your learned obseruation haue prooued as you thinke to be farre otherwise by those places of Scripture which his carelesse reading and weake iudgement was no way able to obserue Where first to proue the coeternitie of the Sonne you alleage The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way I was before his works of old And againe In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God And againe Glorifie me thou Father with thine owne selfe with the glorie which I had with thee before the world was These places I confesse by way of collection may serue trulie to confirme in this Article that which our Church holdeth and yet they are not the plainest places that might be alleaged for this purpose But in all these where is there to be found expresse literall mention of the Coeternitie of the Sonne with the Father Nay for any thing that euer I could reade I do not thinke you are able to find the word Coeternall or Coequall in the whole Scripture in this sence For after the Arrians had long in this point troubled the Church the holy Fathers expresse what they held by the word Homousion which word Saint Augustine affirmeth not to be found in all the Scripture What then hath Maister Hooker said which Saint Augustine said not long since neither of them disprouing the thing but both denying the expresse literall mention of the word which I persuade my self your selues are neuer able to find Now for the proceeding of the holy Ghost you alleage as you say expresse words When the Comforter shall come whom I will send vnto you from the Father euen the Spirit of truth which proceedeth of the Father Out of this place as you thinke you haue sufficiently proued the expresse literal mention of this point we contēd not with you nor with any whether the truth of this point may directly be warranted by holy scripture but whether there be as you say expresse literal mention First then we call that expresse literal mention which is set down in plaine tearmes not inferred by way of consequence that it is so in this point we haue some reasō to doubt vntil out of your great obseruation you confirme it by more plaine and apparant Scripture For against this place which is but one which you haue alleaged we take this twofold exception as thereby accounting it insufficient to proue as you would haue it that there is expresse literall mention of the proceeding of the Spirit from the Father and the Son For first in that place alleaged out of Saint Iohn there is no mention at all of proceeding from the Sonne Secondly as Maister Beza whose authority you will not denie doth expound the place Christ speaketh not of the essence of the holy Ghost in himselfe but of the vertue and power of the holy Ghost in vs neither doth his interpretation which wee will not examine at this time any way preiudice the foundation of that truth which our Church doth hold For the Deitie of the holie Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne though not by any expresse literall mention yet may easily be proued by infinite places of Scripture and other infallible demonstrations besides this In the dayes of Liberius the Pope and of Constantius the Emperour certaine fantasticall spirits held that the holy Ghost was not God but onely the ministeriall instrument of diuine working This began vnder Arrius and increased by Eunomius a leprous heretike but a subtill Logitian whom the Church hath strongly confuted with arguments impossible to be answered As first that the holy Ghost is euerie where to giue all things to know and search all things that we are commanded to baptise in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost besides the greatnesse of the sinne against the holy Ghost So Ananias that lyed as Peter said to the holy Ghost lyed not to man but to God These and many such places warranted those ancient Councels to conclude the Deitie of the holy Ghost equall to the Father and the Sonne and equally proceeding from both As first the Councell of Constantinople consisting of an hundreth and fiftie Bishops vnder Theodosius the elder and Damasus the Pope which condemned the heresie of the Macedonians The same faith was confirmed by the Councell of Ephesus the Councell of Chalcedon the Councell of Lateran vnder Innocentius the third and diuers others And Athanasius himselfe maketh it most plaine that the Father is of none either made created or begotten the Sonne is of the Father alone not made nor created but begotten the holy Ghost is from the Father and the Sonne not made nor created nor begotten but proceeding In this nothing being first or last greater or lesse but all the three persons coeternall and coequall The
of mans hart yet in his mercy he hath not left him altogether destitute of a better guide The first seruing to teach him that there is a God the latter what that God is and how he will bee worshipped by man This light wee call the scripture which God hath not vouchsafed to all but to those only whome he gathereth more neerely and familiarly to him selfe and vouchsafeth that honor to be called his Church that as men through infirmity seeing weakely prouide vnto themselues the helpe of a better sight so what man cannot reade by the dimnes of his seeing out of the creatures he may more apparantly reade them in the holy scriptures For as there is no saluation without religion no religion without faith so there is no faith without a promise nor promise without a word for God desirous to make an vnion betwixt vs and himselfe hath so linked his word and his Church that neither can stand where both are not The Church for her part in her choice allowance testifying as well that it is the scripture as the scripture from an absolute authority doth assure vs that it is the Church For as those who are conuerted haue no reason to beleeue that to be the Church where there is no scripture so those who are not conuerted haue no great reason to admit that for scripture for which they haue not the Churches warrant So that in my opinion the contention is vnnaturall and vnfit to make a variance by comparison betwixt those two who are in reason and nature to support each other It was a memorable attonement that Abraham made with Lotte let there be no strife I pray thee betweene thee and me neither betweene thy heardsmen and my heardsmen for we be brethren so vndoubtedly may the Church and the scripture say it is then to be feared that those who treacherously make this contentious comparison betwixt both are in very deede true friends to neither For though we dislike of them by whome too much heeretofore hath bin attributed to the Church yet we are loth to grow to an error on the contrary hand and to derogate too much from the Church of God by which remoouall of one extremity with another the worlde seeking to procure a remedy hath purchased a meere exchang of the euill which before was felt We and our aduersaries confesse that the scriptures in themselues haue great authority inward witnes from that spirit which is the author of all truth and outward arguments strong motiues of beleefe which cleaueth firmely to the word it selfe For what doctrine was euer deliuered with greater maiesty What stile euer had such simplicity purity diuinity What history or memoriall of learning is of like antiquity what oracles foretold haue bin effected with such certainty What miracles more powerfull to confirme the truth What enemies euer preuailed lesse or laboured more violently to roote it out To conclude what witnesses haue dyed with more innocency or lesse feare then those that haue sealed the holinesse of this truth This the scripture is in it selfe but men who are of lesse learning then these reformers are do not vnworthily make question how that which ought thus highly to be esteemed for it selfe commeth to be accounted of thus honorably by vs for the weakenes of mans iudgement doth not euer value things by that worth which they doe deserue For vndoubtedly out of that error hath proceeded your suspition of him whose inward worthines must now be content to receiue testimony from a witnes by many thousand degrees inferiour to himselfe To them of Samaria the woman gaue testimony of our sauiour Christ not that she was better but better knowne for witnesses of lesse credit then those of whome they beare witnesse but of some more knowledge then those to whome they beare witnes haue euer bin reputed to giue a kind of warrant and authority vnto that they proue Seeing then the Church which consisteth of many doth outwardly testifie what euery man inwardly should be to swarue vnnecessarilie from the iudgement of the whole Church experience as yet hath neuer found it safe For that which by her ecclesiasticall authority she shal probably thinke define to be true or good must in congruity of reason ouerrule all other inferiour Iudgements whatsoeuer And to them that out of a singularity of their owne aske vs why we thus hang ou◠iudgements on the Churches sleeue wee answere with Salomon Two are better then one for euen in matters of lesse moment it was neuer thought safe to neglect the iudgement of many and rashly to follow the fancy and opinion of some few If the Fathers of our Church had had no greater reasō to auouch their forsaking of the Antichristian Synagogue as you call it then this point wee might iustly haue wished to haue bin recōciled to the fellowship society of their church For this point as it seemeth rightly vnderstood affordeth little difference betwixt them and vs and therfore there was no mention of it in the last councell their Church had And Bellarmine himselfe doth apparantly complaine that we wrong them in this point for doubtles it is a tolerable opinion of the Church of Rome if they go no further as some of them do not to affirme that the scriptures are holy and diuine in themselues but so esteemed by vs for the authority of the Church for there is no man doubteth but that it belongeth to the Church if we vnderstand as we ought those truely who are the Church to approue the scriptures to acknowledg to receiue to publish to commend vnto hir Children And this witnes ought to be receiued of all as true yet wee doe not beleeue the scriptures for this only for there is the testimony of the Holy-ghost without which the commendation of the Church were of little value That the scriptures are true to vs wee haue it from the Church but that wee beleeue them as true we haue it from the Holy-ghost We confesse it is an excellent office of the Church to beare witnes to the scriptures but we say not that otherwise we would not beleeue them We graunt that the scriptures rightly vsed are the iudge of controuersies that they are the triall of the Church that they are in themselues a sufficient witnes for what they are but yet for all this wee are not afraid with Master Hooker to confesse that it is not the word of God which doth or possibly can assure vs that we do well to thinke it is the word of God For by experience we all know that the first outward motion leading men so to esteeme of the scripture is the authority of Gods Church which teacheth vs to receiue Markes Gospell who was not an Apostle and refuse the Gospell of Thomas who was an Apostle to retain S. Lukes gospel who saw not Christ and to reiect the Gospell of Nicodemus that sawe him For though in themselues
of the Iewes although it was not in regard of the high Priests and chiefe Doctors in all respects the true visible church yet in some sort it was because the remainders of religion were left the worship instituted of God himselfe was not wholy taken away so with the Papists we would not be affraid to communicate in our liturgie if it were not in respect of their superstitious order some prayers which are idolatrous for which we haue some reasons as yet to doubt that they haue no warrant We must all of vs be ioined to the true church else we cannot be saued that is to the catholicke not the visible for doubtles a man may bee saued that liueth not in any particular Church or that is excommunicated from all yet we say thus much That we must ioyne ourselues to some particular Church if wee will be saued with this twofold caution If such a Church be knowne vnto vs or if it be possible to ioyne vnto it Wherein because euerie particular may erre yet none absolutely exclude from saluation all men haue reason to ioyne with that that is most sound This then were the fittest point to bee discust with moderation and learning That seeing all Churches haue some vnsound parts in them which Church is to be reputed at this day the soundest of all the rest Doubtlesse the Church of Rome was once a light to all the Churches of the world but through the corruptions of some those diseases haue somwhat infected the Church which now to the sorrow of Christendome like a canker or leprosie haue inlarged themselues As there is a contention when Adam fell so histories varie when this defection beganne Some make fiue or sixe hundred yeares to be the continuance of her sound estate some three hundreth some to erre euen from the Apostles time Doubtlesse in the Apostles time there were heretikes in the Church the Nicholaitans Simon Magus Cerinthus others Eusebius reporteth out of Egesippus that although as long as the Apostles liued the Church did remaine a pure virgin yet after those times immediately errours crept into the Church Clemens Alexandrinus to confirme that there was corruption of doctrine presently after the Apostles time alleageth the prouerbe There are few sons like their Fathers Socrates saith of the Church of Rome and Alexandria the most famous Churches in the Apostles time that about the yeare 430. the Roman and Alexandrian Bishops leauing their sacred function were degenerate to a secular rule or dominion Yet we say not that all before Gregorie were sound nor all after corrupt yet their errours grew on by little and little euen from those men whose reuerend names gaue warrant to what they held they thinking nothing â—esse then by those meanes to haue corrupted the Church But shee may when it pleaseth God recouer her former soundnesse againe if we had but so much care of them as they seeme to haue of vs or that all sides peaceably with indifferencie would admit the true vse of a generall Councell But let their errours be as they are we leaue them to bee reproued by those whom that businesse doth concerne and to bee iudged by the searcher of all hearts yet for all that we affirme them to be parts of the Church of Christ and that those that liue and die in that Church may notwithstanding bee saued Of those who are of a contrarie opinion in a good meaning I say with Lactantius With howe good a meaning these poore soules do euill To conclude least you should thinke Maister Hooker to bee arrogant and presumptuous to make himselfe as you say the onely Rabbi know that hee hath saide nothing which that honourable Frenchman of worthie memorie hath not said before with great wisdome moderation and learning But if you cannot bee resolued without a miracle as you scoffingly seeme to desire wee can but in our prayers recommend your weakenesse to the God of all power and the fountaine of all light ARTICLE XII Of Preaching HOw hard it is for those who are in loue with themselues to carâ—e a well tempered indifferencie betwixt that which they out of ignorance performe and others out of iudgement auoid this Article alone may serue as euidence sufficient to perswade all For euen in the matter of greatest vse vnto Gods church the dispensation of the word of life a vehement dislike of those things which they cannot attaine hath wrought too violeÌ„t an opposition for the ouerthrow of that course which learning and truth haue held not to be the weakest meanes to support the same Hence commeth it to passe that whilest al grant the word to be powerful and effectual some thinke this is only true of the word preached which otherwise hath smal vertue except it be in sermoÌ„s those sermoÌ„s only to haue this power which are of their own making Causing the holy ghost whose streÌ„gth is perfected in weakenes to be necessarily tied to a defect of al outward ornaments as though that almighty power vpon whom euer excellency depeÌ„ds eueÌ„ in the weakest meanes were of lesse authority or lesse power wheÌ„ the meanes which he vseth were more excellent thus depriuing the church of variety of guifts who out of obedience and humility hath learned how to profit by all But as to tie the power of conuerting sinners to that which is eloquently strong in humaine wisdome were a thing not safe iniurious to the church so to bee too earnest against al outward ornaments through an affectation of pure simplicity is an error no lesse dangerous then the former was For seeing those that teach are not all either capeable or furnisht with the same guifts and that continually there is no lesse variety in those that heare it is the wisdome and discretion of the church for a better attainmeÌ„t of a more perfect estate to learne with thankfulnes and reuerence how to profit by all For as it is impossible that anie one forme of teaching should please or perswade all men a prerogatiue which was not graunted to the first and best sermons whose excellencie was that they conuerted many but not all so the rest who yet are not but must be conuerted are to expect though not with curiosity to affect a variety for the manner euen of that which in substance and end is but meerely one For the mysticall body as it is ful of variety and diuersity in his parts yet in it selfe but one so the working is manifold different though the beginning and the end Gods power and his glory be in truth to and for all men but one For sometimes the word by being read proposeth and preacheth it selfe to the hearer sometimes they deliuer it whom priuately zeale and piety moueth to be instructors of others by conference sometimes of them it is taught whom the church hath called to the publick either reading thereof or interpreting by them after a most diuers manner but
all tending to one ende for which God hath made his visible church to be that congregation of faithfull people wherein the pure word of God is preached so that in this respect we refuse not to make the preaching of the word taking the word preaching for all manner of teaching to be an essentiall note of the church For doubtles in that parable of the sower by you alledged we mislike not much the interpretation of that Reuerend Bishop which you bring forth as opposite to Maister Hooker saying God is the husbandman the Preachers of the word are the seed sowers the seede is the word of God the ground is the harts of men and yet Saint Austin differeth a little from this exposition where he saith the sower is God and I because he soweth what am I but the seedmans basket Which euen the meanest Christian no doubt is though neuer called to the office of preaching if he can by priuate conference exhort and instruct out of holy Scripture which as it is an acte of lesse honor and profit then the preaching of those that are worthily called to that office so euen in their sermons that are called there is no man but must acknowledge a manifold and apparant difference For seeing speech as Maister Hooker saith which you mislike is the very image whereby the mind and soule of the speaker conueyeth itselfe into the bosome of him that heareth we cannot chuse but see great reason wherfore the word that proceedeth from God who is in him selfe very truth and life should be as the Apostle to the Hebrues noteth liuely and mighty in operation sharper then any two edged sword Now to make our sermons that strong forcible word is to impart the most peculiar glory of the word of God vnto that which is not his word For touching our sermons that which giueth them their very being is the will of man and therefore they oftentimes accordingly tast too much of that ouer-corrupt fountaine from which they come For euen the best of our Sermons and in Sermons there is an infinite difference howsoeuer they oftentimes haue a singular blessing and that the scripture the pure word of God is the text and the ground of the speech yet the rest of the discourse which is sometimes two or three houres long a time too long for most preachers to speake pertinently is but the paraphrasticall inlarging of the same text together with those fit exhortations and applications which the learning of the preacher is able to furnish himselfe withall and his discretion shall thinke fit for that auditory to which he speaketh And therfore as to equalize euery declamation or oration in schooles to them is to wrong sermons so to make euen the best sermons equall to the scripture must be in apparant reason a great wrong to that which is immediately Gods own word wherunto though the best preach agreeably yet the sermons of none since the Apostles time are or ought to be esteemed of equall authority with the holy scripture and yet we are not afraide to ascribe vnto them that blessing from aboue to conuert reforme and strengthen which no eloquence Wisedome Learning Policie and Power of the world is able to match Neither is there contrariety in this that we that are the Preachers are sent as the Apostles were in respect of our calling from God and yet that the learning and wit of man giueth the very beeing vnto that wee teach Vnlesse which some ouerboldly doe you thinke it vnlawfull to vse either learning or wit in making of sermons As though all other helpes purchased with great cost and infinite labour together with a naturall ability all perfected in those excellent fountaines of all learning the Vniuersities were to be reiected as wholy vnprofitable in this busines Neither doth Master Hooker or any other of iudgement say which you seeme to infer that a man by natural witte without a supernaturall light from the scripture is able to vtter those mysteries as he ought which doubtlesse being a great fault is rather the error of those who preach most and yet vse least helps of learning or wit for that they vtter Wherein it must needs seeme strange that they euer vnderstanding by the word the worde preached whereunto they ascribe vitall operation yet they performe this with such negligence that they come rashly vnfurnished to so great a businesse and scarce attentiuely weigh the dangerous sequell of this construction Doubtlesse our sermons euen the best either for sound knowledge or pure zeale are not Gods word in the same manner that the sermoÌ„s of the Prophets were no they are but ambiguously tearmed his word because his word is commonly the subiect wherof they treate and must be the rule whereby they are framed Yet sermons haue sundrie peculiar and proper vertues such as no other way of teaching besides hath aptnesse to follow particular occasions presently growing to put life into words by countenance voice and gesture to preuaile mightily in the sodaine affections of men these and such like are those excellent prerogatiues which some few may challeÌ„g who worthily deserue the name to be called preachers We reiect not as of no vse at all in the Church euen the vertuous labours of meaner men who come far short of the perfection of these few but earnestly wish the gouernours of our Church for fitte imployment and maintenance to respect both And they laying aside all comparisons equally to labour to further that worke which by a blessing from aboue knoweth how to profit by the labours of all It seemeth by that which you allege that only such sermons haue their beeing from the wit of man which curiously bring into the pulpit Poets Philosophers Rhetoricians Phisitions Schoolemen and other humaine learning which the reuerend Fathers say you and more staid diuines are warâ—e to auoid In this speech of yours in my opinion there are two faults The first a particular vniust censure of the Fathers whether you meane the holy Fathers of the Church as Saint Austine Saint Ambrose Saint Gregorie Saint Bernard and the rest or those reuerend Fathers which doe liue at this day all which whilest you seeke to commend directly you dispraise accounting them to auoid all humane learning and that their sermons haue not their being from the wit of man which doubtlesse is false seeing they excell by infinite degrees the sermons of manie others which are framed by neither The second fault is a generall taxation of all those who anie way furnish their sermons with humane learning You may peraduenture be able to giue good direction in other points but surely in framing of a Preacher or making of a sermon you are much deceiued for I can neuer perswade my selfe that the exactest industrie that man can vse is vnlawfull or vnnecessarie in this worke for sometimes we are to deale with those whose opinions are not easily confuted without humane learning nor their
of the SacrameÌ„ts the effect of the thing ordeined by Christ is not taken away or the grace of Gods guift diminished as touching them which receiue by faith and orderly the things offered vnto them which for the institutioÌ„ of Christ and his promise are effectuall although they be administred by euill men But to inferre heereupon that the same actions howsoeuer don scoffingly and in iest contrary or besides the holy institution of the Church are truly Sacraments It is a conclusion too violent and not warranted by any truth For howsoeuer the grace of Sacraments dependeth not vpon the Minister who maie faile of these vertues that are fitte to bee required in him yet it is necessarie that there should bee an intention to administer a true Sacrament least we put no difference betwixt that which either derision imitatioÌ„ chance or the Church doth For if the conuersion of Lucius first Christian king of this land were to be acted vpon a stage and that two persons were to represent â—ugatius and Damianus sent by Eleutherius the Pope to baptize Lucius could any man in reason thinke how orderly soeuer performed that this were true baptisme were not this to make the bare action all and the intention a circumstance not belonging to it But we must know as M. Hooker saith that SacrameÌ„ts are actions mysticall and religious for no man can truly define them otherwise which nature they haue not vnlesse they proceede from a serious meaning yet what euery mans priuate minde is as we cannot know so neither are we bound to examine for in these cases the knowne intent of the Church doth generally suffice and where the contrary is not manifest as circumstances will serue easily to discouer we must presume that he which outwardly doth the worke hath inwardly the purpose of the Church of God Now this beeing a discreet rule wisely to put a difference betwixt Sacraments holie actions and the like irreligiousâ—â—e and prophanely performed is that whereat your zealous wisdome doth take offence and which you pursue with that bitternesse of speech calling it meere Popery a humane inuention and inducemeÌ„t to fides implicita as though the dangers were neither few nor small which came vnto y e Church by this opinion Let me intreat your patience a little vouchsafe to be but aduised by him who in all humilitie wil be readie to follow y e sound directions of the meanest in Gods church and I doubt not to make it apparant that Maister Hooker hath deliuered that truth the contrary wherof is no way fit to be admitted or allowed by vs. Some are of opinion that no intention at all is required in the Ministers of the Sacraments but that if the thing and the words be present though either in â—est or otherwise performed yet notwithstanding it is a Sacrament The first Author of this as Bellarmine saith was Luther whose words I must needes say are violeÌ„tly wrested to make him speake that which he neuer ment It is like that heout of whom by misunderstanding you haue collected this opinion was Maister Caluin who rightly deriuing the vertue of Sacraments from the Minister to God himselfe the author of the first institution saith thus I refer so much to the holy institution of Christ that if an Epicure inwardely deriding the whole action should administer the supper by the commandement of Christ marke the words and according to the rule by him giuen which no man could that wanted the intention of the Church I would account them saith he the true pledges of the body and the blood of Christ Where we are willing to confesse with him and with truth it selfe that Sacraments for their vertue depeÌ„d not vpon the intention of the Minister though without the intention of the Church they are not Sacraments Where by intention we meane not a particular purpose of all that the Sacraments require a thing peraduenture aboue the capacity of many lawfull Ministers but a generall intention of performing that sacred action according to the meaning of the Church Where by church we mean not any one particular but the true Church or as M. Caluin saith Christs rule or that intention which Christians in that action haue and yet if one in this should follow the intention of a particular Church that did erre it were not a reason sufficient to make the Sacrament to be none at all for euen his intention in following that particular Church though erring were an intentioÌ„ of following the true Church that doth not erre Neither is it required as the scholemen say that this intention necessarily be actual nor it sufficeth not to be habituall which may be in men either drunke or asleepe but vertuall that is in the power of that intention which howsoeuer now distracted before was actuall Neither doe we meane that the Minister should necessarily haue the same intent of the end which the Church hath but of the action the end being perhaps without the compasse of his knowledg but the action cannot vnlesse we suppose him to be a Minister weaker then any church hath For it is one thing to intend what the Church intendeth and another thing to intend what the Church doth For those that intend by baptisme an vtter acquittance from originall sinne and those that doe not there is a diuersitie in the end but the action is all one and therefore not reiterated though the end be diuers Now to do the externall action and yet in iest is no more to doe what the Church intendeth to doe then their speech and action Haile King of the Iewes was any honor or true reuerence to our Sauiour Christ. The necessity of this intention not for grace but to make it a Sacramentall action will more euidently appeare if wee consider what kinde of instrument the Minister is Man may be the instrument of another agent many waies First in respect only of his bodily members his hand his backe or such like without any vse of the will Secondly in respect of his outward parts with the vse of sense as to reade to watch to tell what he seeth and to this also the will is no further required but to the outward action Thirdly in respect of the bodily members together with sense and reason as in Iudges appointed by Princes to determine causes wherein wisdome and the will are to be instruments Now the Ministers of the Sacrament must be of this third kinde And therefore saith Hugo if a father should take his sonne to a bathe and should say Sonne I wash thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost and so dip him in the water it were ridiculous to thinke that hee were thus baptized Where although such prophaners are without excuse for vnreuerend imitation of holy things yet these actions without the intention of the Church can no wayes bee tearmed sacraments For if those who hold a sermon read to be
ought not curiously to enquire howe the hem of his garment had such vertue but faithfully to beleeue that it was able to affoord health so neither in this need the church to be inquisitiue after what maner Christ presenteth himselfe but truely to beleeue that he is there present Which because some irreligious men at the first doubted men haue beene driuen to find out these reasonable satisfactions or rather satisfactions to humane reason from his omnipotencie Transubstantiation Consubstantiation or such like whereas indeed we know that in many mysteries of our faith it is sufficient to beleeue the thing though wee cannot comprehend the meanes how Of this kind saith Bellarmine is the Trinitie of persons in the vnitie of essence Christ to bee both God and man the same bodies in number to rise againe Christ really to be in the Eucharist and such like which by reason of our shallow vnderstanding mans weaknesse is not able to comprehend For if ignorance bee in these things that are below then how much more in those things that are aboue And if Mephibosheth whē he came vnto Dauids table accounted himselfe in all humility so farre vnworthie what ought our contemplation to be but of his mercie and our want of desert when we shall come to bee partakers of so inestimable fauours For if the Bethsamites were punished for looking into the Arke what can we expect to be the recompence of our vndiscreete follie Is it not then an aduise needfull which Maister Hooker giueth and you mislike rather to seek how to receiue it worthily then to desire to know how it is present with vs For the one importeth a duty that is necessary and the other bewrayeth a desire that is superfluous in the one we performe what God hath commanded and in the other affect what he hath forbiddē Neither is this to make Transubstantiation for deniall whereof so many as you say haue died any light matter but rather to shew the great depth of the mystery and the small profit that is reaped by the searching of it for seeing it is on all sides plainely confest first that this Sacrament is a true and reall participation of Christ who thereby imparteth himselfe euen his whole entire person as a mysticall head vnto euery soule that receiueth him and that euery such receiuer doth thereby incorporate or vnite himselfe vnto Christ as a mysticall member of him yea of them also whom he acknowledgeth to be his owne Secondly that to whom the person of Christ is thus communicated to them he giueth by the same Sacrament his holy Spirit to sanctify them as it sanctifieth him which is their head Thirdly that what merit force or vertue soeuer there is in this sacrificed body and bloud we freely fully and wholy haue it by this sacrament Fourthly that the effect thereof in vs is a reall transmutation of our soules and bodies from sinne to righteousnesse from death and corruption to immortalitie and life Fiftly that because the Sacrament being of it selfe but a corruptible and earthlie creature must needes be thought an vnlikely instrument to worke so admirable effects in man we are therfore to rest our selues altogether vpon the strength of his glorious power who is able and will bring to passe that the bread and cup which he giueth vs shal be truly the thing he promiseth Now seeing there are but three differing opinions for the manner of it Sacramentaries Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation al do pleade Gods omnipotencie the first to that alteration which the rest coufesse he accomplisheth the patrons of transubstantiation ouer and besides that to the chang of one substance into another the followers of cōsubstantiation to the kneading vp of both substances as it were in one lumpe and that in this variety the mind which loueth truth seeketh comfort out of holy mysteries hath not perhaps the leasure perhaps not the wit nor capacity to tread out so endlesse mazes as the intricate disputes of this cause haue led men into how should a vertuously disposed minde better resolue with it selfe then thus Variety of iudgements and opinions argueth obscurity in those things where about they differ but that which all parts receiue for certaine that which euery one hauing sifted is by no one denyed or doubted of must needes be matter of infallible truth whereas therefore there are but three expositions made of This is my body the first this is in it selfe before participation really and truly the natural substance of my body by reason of the coexistence which my omnipotent body hath with the sanctified element of breade which is the Lutherans interpretation The second this is in it selfe and before participation the very true natural substance of my body by force of that deity which by the words of consecration abolisheth the substance of bread and substituteth in the place thereof my body which is the construction of the Church of Rome The last this hallowed food through concurrence of diuine power is in verity and truth vnto faithfull receiuers instrumentally a cause of that mysticall participation whereby as I make my selfe wholy theirs so I giue them in hand an actuall possession of all such sauing grace as my sacrificed body can yeeld and all their soules do presently need this is to them and in them my bodie Of these three rehearsed interpretations the last hath in it nothing but what the rest do all approue and acknowledg to be most true nothing but that which the words of Christ are on all sides confest to inforce nothing but that which the Church of God hath alwayes thought necessarie nothing but that which alone is sufficient for euerie Christian man to beleeue concerning the vse and force of this Sacrament finally nothing but that wherewith the writings of all antiquity are consonant and all Christian confessions agreeable And as truth in what kinde soeuer is by no kind of truth gainsaid so the mind which resteth it selfe on this is neuer troubled with those perplexities which the other doe both finde by meanes of so great contradiction betweene their opinions the true principles of reason grounded vpon experience nature and sense What moueth vs to argue how life should be bread our duty being but to take what is offred and most assuredly to rest perswaded of this that if we can but eate we are safe Such as loue piety will as much as in them lyeth know all things that God commandeth but especially the duties of seruice which they owe vnto him as for his darke and hidden workes they preferre as becommeth them in such cases simplicity of faith before that knowledge which curiously sifting what it should adore and disputing too boldly of that which the wit of man can not search chilleth for the most parte all warmth of zeale and bringeth soundnes of beleefe many times into great hazard Let it therefore be sufficient for me presenting my selfe at the Lords table to know