but the men Shall we say this is too much malice or too little wit and conscience Euen in the Lord Protectors daies that holy man reports that after the Scriptures restored and Masses abolished greater thinges followed these softer beginnings in the reformation of the Churches Learned and godly Diuines were called for from forraine parts a separation was made though not so much willing as wilfull of open and manifest aduersaries from Professors whether true or dissembled Commissioners were appointed to visite euery seuerall Diocesse Euery Bench of them had seuerall godly and learned Preachers to instruct the people in the truth and to disswade them from Idolatry and Superstition The Popes Supremacy not thrust but taught downe All wil-worshippe whatsoeuer oppugned by publique Sermons Images destroyed Pilgrimages forbidden the Sacraments inioyned to be reuerently and holily ministred Ecclesiastical persons reformed in life in doctrine Processions laide downe Presence and attendance vpon Gods word commanded the holy expending of Sabboth dayes appointed due preparation to Gods table called for set times of teaching inioyened to Bishoppes and other Ministers all shrâ—nes and Monuments of Idolatry required to be vtterly taken from publique and priuate houses All this before his Parliament By that all bloody lawes against Gods trueth were repealed zealous Preachers encouraged so as saith that worthy Historian God was much glorified and the people in many places greatly edified What neede I goe further then this first yeare Heare this and be ashamed and assure your selues that no man can euer read those holy Monuments of the Church but must needes spit at your separation After that sweete and hopefull Prince what his renowmed sister Queene Elizabeth did the present times doe speake and the future shall speake when all these Murmurers shall sleepe in the dust The publique disputations zealous Preachings restaurations of banished religion and men extirpations of Idolatry Christian lawes wise and holy proceedings and renewed couenants with God are still fresh in the memories of some and in the eares of all so as all the world wil iustly say you haue lost shame with truth in denying it Yea to fetch the matter yet further If the Reader shall looke backe to the daies of their Puissant Father King Henry the eight he cannot but acknowledge especially during the time of Queene Anne and before those sixe bloody Articles a true face of a Church though ouer-spreade with some morphue of corruptions and some commendable forwardnesse of Reformation for both the Popes Supremacy was abrogated the true doctrine of Iustification commonly taught confidence in Saints vntaught the vanity of Pardons declared worshippe of Images and Pilgrimages forbidden learned and godly Ministers required their absences and mis-demeaners inhibited the Scriptures translated publickly and priuately inioyned to be read and receiued the word of God commaunded to be sincerely and carefully preached and to all this holy Master Foxe addeth for my conclusion such a vigilant care was then in the King and his Councell how by all wayes and meanes to redresse Religion to reforme errours to correct corrupt customes to helpe ignorance and to reduce the mis-leadings of Christs Flocke drowned in blinde Popery superstitious customes and Idolatry to some better forme of Reformation whereunto he prouided not onely these Articles Precepts Iniunctions aboue specified to inform the rude people but also procured the Bishops to helpe forward the same cause of decayed doctrine with their diligent preaching and teaching of the people Goe now say that suddenly in one day by Queen Elizabeths trumpet or by the sound of a Bell in the name of Antichrist all were called to the Church Goe say with your Patriarch that wee erect Religions by Proclamations and Parliaments Vpon these premises I dare conclude and doubt not to maintaine against all Separatists in the world that England to goe no higher had in the daies of King Henry the eight a true visible Church of God and so by consequent their succeeding seede was by true Baptisme iustly admitted into the bosome therof and therefore that euen of them without any further profession Gods Church was truly constituted If you shall say that the following Idolatrie of some of them in Queene Maries daies excluded them Consider how hard it will be to prooue that Gods couenant with any people is presently disanulled by the sinnes of the most whether of ignorance or weakenesse and if they had herein renounced GOD yet that GOD also mutually renounced them To shut vppe your Constitution then There is no remedy Eyther you must goe forward to Anabaptisme or come backe to vs All your Rabbines caâ—not aunswere that charge of your rebaptized brother If wee bee a true Church you must returne If wee bee not as a false Church is no Church of GOD you must rebaptise If our Baptisme be good then is our constitution good Thus your owne Principles teach The outward parte of the true visible Church is a Vowe Promise Oathe or Couenant betwixt GOD and the Saints Now I aske Is this made by vs in Baptisme or noe If it be then we haue by your Confession for so much as is outwardly required a true visible Church so your separation is vniust If it be not then you must rebaptise for the first Baptisme is a nullity and if ours be not you were neuer thereby as yet entred into any visible Church SECTION XII The Aunswerers title AS for the title of Ring-leader wherewith I stiled this pamphleter if I haue giuen him too much honour in his Sect I am sory Perhappes I should haue put him pardon an homely but in this sense not vnusall word in the taile of this Traine Perhaps I should haue endorsed my Letter to Master Smith and his shadow So I perceiue he was Whatsoeuer whither he lead or follow God meetes with him If hee lead Behold I will come against them that prophesie false dreames saith the Lorde and doe tell them and cause my people to erre by their lies If he come behinde Thou shalt not follow a multitude in euill saith God If either or both or neither If he will goe alone Woe vnto the foolish Prophets saith the Lord which follow their owne spirits and haue seene nothing Howsoeuer your euill shall bee reproued by the light of Gods word Your coniâ—â—ction I cannot promise your reproofe I dare If therupon you shall finde grace to see and heale your errours we should with all brotherly humblenesse attend on foote vpon your returne on Horse-backe but if the sway of your mis-resolued conscience bee heady and vnresistable and your retyring hopelesse these not solide reasons these pretty pamphlets these formall flourishes shall one day be fearefull and materiall euidences against you before that awefull Iudge which hath already sayd That iudgements are prepared for the scorners and stripes for the backe of fooles SECTION XIII The Apostacie of the Church of England I professed
whether of doctrine or manners and disclaime all fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse whither in himselfe or others So S. Paul charges vs to holde that which is good and abstaine from all appearance of euill so Ieremie is charged to separate the pretious doctrine or practise from the vile From sinners not onely practised by God himselfe to omit his eternall and secret Decree whereby the elect are separated from the Reprobate both in his gratious vocation sequestring them from nature and sinne as also in his execution of iudgment whether particular as of the Israelites from the Tabernacles of Corah or Vniuersall and finall of the Sheepe from the Goates But also inioyned from God to men in respect either of our affection or of our yoake and familiar society whereof Saint Paul Be not vnequally yoaked with Infidels Come out from among them and seperate your selues In all this we agree In the latitude of this last onely we differ I finde you call for a double separation A first separation in the gathering of the Church A second in the managing of it The first at our entrance into the Church the second in our continuance the first of the Church from Pagans Worldlings by an initiatory profession The second of leud men from the Church by iust censures You speake confusedly of your own separation one while of both another while of either single For the first either confesse it done by our Baptisme or else you shall be forced to hold we must rebaptise But of this Constituâ—ine separation anone For the second of sinners whether in iudgement or life some are more grosse haynous incorrigible others lesse notorious and more tractable those other must be separated by iust censures not these Which censures if they be neglected the Church is foule and in your Pastors word faultie and therefore calles for our teares not for our flight Now of Churches faulty and corrupted some race the foundation others on the true foundation build Timber hay Stubble FroÌ„ those we must separate from these we may not Peters is eternall Whither shall we goe from thee thou hast the wordes of eternall life where these wordes are found wo be to vs if we be not found Amongst many good separations then yours cannot be separated from euill for that we should so farre separate from the euill that therefore wee should separate from Gods children in the communion of the holy thinges of God that for some after your worst done not fundamentall corruptions wee should separate from that Church in whose wombe we were conceiued and from betwixt whose knees wee fell to God in a word as one of yours once said to separate not only from visible euill but from visible good as all Antichristian who but yours can thinke lesse then absurd and impious Grant we should be cleane separated from the world yet if we be not must you be separated from vs Doe but stay till God haue separated vs from himselfe will the wise husbandman cast away his Corne-heape for the chaffe and dust Shall the Fisher cast away a good draught because his drag-net hath weedes Doth God separate from the faithfull soule because it hath some corruptions her Inmates though not her commaunders Certainely if you could throughly separate the world from you you would neuer thus separate your selues from vs Beginne at home separate all selfe-loue and selfe-will and vncharitablenesse from your heart and you cannot but ioyne with that Church from which you haue separated Your Doctor would perswade vs you separate from nothing but our corruptions you are honester and graunt it from our Church it were happie for you if he lied not who in the next page confutes himselfe shewing that you separate from vs as Christ from the Samaritans namely from the Church not the corruptions only and not as hee did from the Iewes namely from their corruptions not from their Church His memory saues our labour and marres his Discourse SECTION V. The antiquity and examples of separation YEt if not equity it were well you could pleade age This your separation in the nature and causes of it you say is no lesse auncient then the first institution of enmity betwixt the two seedes you might haue gone a little higher and haue said then our first parents running from God in the Garden or their separation from GOD by their sinne But wee take your time and easily beleeue that this your late separation was founded vpon that auncient enmity of the seede of the serpent with the womans That subtile Diuell when he saw the Church breath from the persecutions of Tyrants vexed her no lesse with her owne diuisions seeking that by fraude which by violence he could not effect Hence all the fearefull Schismes of the Church whereof yours is part This enmâ—ty hath not onely beene successiuely contiuued but also too visibly manifested by the actuall but wilfull separation of heretickes and Sectaries from the Chuch in all ages But I mistake you yours is as auncient as the Gospel What that Euangelium aeternum of the Friers whose name they accursedly borrowed from Reuel 14. 6. Or that Euangelium regni of the Familists Or that Euangelium aliud whereof Saint Paul taxeth his Galatians None of all these you say but as that Gospell of Peace of Truth of Glory so auncient and neuer knowne till Bolton Barrow and Browne Could it escape all the holy Prophets Apostles Doctors of the old middle and later world and light onely vpon these your three Patriarchs Perhaps Nouatus or Donatus those Saints with their Schooles had some little glimpse of it but this perfection of knowledge is but late and new So many rich mines haue lien long vnknown and great parts of the world haue been discouered by late Venturers If this course haue come late to your knowledge and obedience not so to others For loe it was practised successiuely in the constitution and collection of all tâ—ue Churches through al times before the law vnder the law after it Wee haue acknowledged many separations but as soone shall you finde the time past in the present as your late separation in the auncient and approued You quote Scriptures though to your praise more dainty indeed then your fellowes Who cannot doe so Who hath not Euen Sathan himselfe cytes the word against him which was the word of his Father Let vs not number but weigh your texts The rather for that I finde these as your Master-proofes set as Challengers in euery of your defences In Gen. 4. 13. Caine a bloody Fratricide is excommunicated In Gen. 6. 1. 2. The sonnes of God married the daughters of men In Gen. 7. 1. 7. Noah is approued as righteous and enters the Arke In 1. Pet. 3. 20 21. The rest in Noahs time were disobedient and perished What of all this Alas what mockage is this of the Reader and
what spirite you are Nowe you flye to constitution as if notorious euils were more to tollerable in the continuance then in the collection of assembles Sar di had but a few names that had not defiled their garments God praises these biddes them not separate from the rest Thyatirâ— suffers a false Prophetesse the rest that haue not this learning yet are bidden but to hold their owne not to separate from the Angell which hath not separated Iezebel from the Church SECTION VII What separation the Church of England hath made YOur charge is no lesse iniurious that the Church of England hath made no separation Concerning which you haue learned of your Martyr and Ouerseers so to speake as if before her late disclamation of Popery in Queene Elizabeths time she had not beene Her Monuments could haue taught you better and haue ledde you to her auncient Pedigree not much below the Apostolike daies and in many discents haue shew'd you not a few worthy witnesses and Patrons of Truth all which with their holy and constant of-spring it might haue pleased you to haue separated from this imputation of not separating Will you know therefore how the Church of England hath separated In her first conuersion she separated her selfe from Pagans in her continuance she separated her selfe from grosse heretiques and sealed her separation with blood in her reformation she separated her selfe from wilfull Papists by her publique profession of Truth and proclaimed hatred of errour and she daily doth separate the notoriously euil by suspensions by excommunications though not so many as yours Besides the particular separations of many from the acknowledged corruptions in iudgement profession practise All these will be auowed in spight of all contradiction with what forehead then can you say the whole Church of England hath not at all separated After all your shifts and idle tales of constitution you haue separated from this Church against the Lord not with the Lord from it If there be Christ with vs if the spirit of God in vs if Assemblies if calling by the word whatsoeuer is or is not else in the Constitution there is whatsoeuer is required to the essence of a Church no corruption eyther in gathering or continuance can destroy the truth of being but the grace of being well If Christ haue taken away his word and spirit you haue iustly subduced els you haue gone from him in vs. And when you haue al done the Separatists Idol visible Constitution will proue but an appendance of an externall forme no part of the essence of a true Church and therefore your separation no lesse vain then the ground then the Authours Lastly if our bounty should which it cannot grant that our collection was at first deepely faulty cannot the Raâ—ihabition as the Lawyers speake bee drawne backe In contracts your owne similitude a following consent iustifies an act done before consent and why not in the contract betwixt GOD and his visible Church Loe he hath confirm'd it by his gratious benedictions and as much as may bee in silence giuen vs abundant proofes of his acceptation That after-act which makes your baptisme lawfull why can it not make our Church SECTION VIII Constitution of a Church BBut for as much as Constitution is the very state of Brownisme Let vs I beseech you inquire a little into the Complexion of your Constitution Whether Physicke or Lawe or Architecture haue lent you it sure I am it is in this vse Apocryphall Neuer man vsed it thus scrupulously till your times Though what neede you the helpe of Fathers or Schooles new words must expresse new Paradoxes It is no treason to coyne tearmes What then is Constitution Your Doctor can best tell vs As the Constitution of a Common-wealth or of a City is a gathering or vniting of people together into a ciuill policy So saith he the Constitution of the Common-wealth of Israel and of the City of God the new Ierusalem is a gathering and vniting of people into a Diuine Politie The forme of which Polity is Order which Order is requisite in all actions and Administrations of the Church as the Apostle sheweth and specially in the Constitution thereof So that next vnto faith in God it is to be esteemed most necessary for all holy societies Hence Paul reioyced in the Colossians order and faith To this Constitution therefore belong a people as the matter secondly a calling or gathering together as the form wherof the Church consisteth The Constitution of the Church of England is false in both VVhy so Haâ—â— we not a people Are not those people called together To preuent this you say our Constitution is false not none VVhy false Because those people haue neither faith nor order For faith first VVho are you that dare thus boldy breake into the Closets of God the hearts of men and condemne them to want that which cannot be seene by any but Diuine eies how dare you intrude thus into the throne of your Maker Consider and conferre seriously VVhat faith is it that is thus necessarily required to each member in this Constitution Your owne Doctor shall define it Faith required to the receiuing in of members is the knowledge of the doctrine of saluation by Christ 1. Cor. 12. 9. Gal. 3. 2. Now I beseech you in the feare of God lay by a while all vnchristian preiudice and peremptory verdicts of those soules which cost Christ as much blood as your owne and tell mee ingenuously whether you dare say that not onely your Christian brethren with whom you lately conuersed but euen your forefathers which liued vnder Queene Elizabeths first confused reformation knew not the doctrine of saluation by Christ if you say they did not your 〈◊〉 iudgement shal be punished fearefully by him whose office you vsurpe As you looke to answere before him that would not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoaking Flaxe presume not thus aboue men and Angels If they did then had they sufficient clayme both to true Constitution and Church But this faith must be testified by obedience so it was If you thinke not so yours is not testified by loue Both were weake both were true Weakenes in any grace or worke takes not away truth Their sinnes of ignorance could no more 〈◊〉 Gods couenant with them them multiplicity of wiues with the Patriarches SECTION IX Secondly Order VVHat wanted they then Nothing but Order and not all Order but yours Order a thing requisite and excellent but let the world indge whether essentiall Consider now I beseech you in the bowels of Christ Iesus whither this be a matter for which heauen and earth should be mixed whether for want of your Order all the world must be put out of all Order and the Church out of life and being Nothing say we can be more disorderly then the confusion of your Democracy or popular state if not Anarchyâ—
necessarie sequell ordered by God these are aboue humane power VVhat haue men to doe if not with things indifferent All necessary thinges are determined by God indifferent by men from God which are as so many particulars extracts from the generals of God These things saith learned Caluin are indifferent and in the power of the Church Either you must allow the Church this or nothing But these decrees are absolute what lawes can be without a commaund The law that ties not is no law No more then that saith Austen which tyes vs to euill But for all men and all times How for all For none I hope but our owne And why not for them but without exception and limitation Do not thus wrong our Church Our late Archbishopp if it were not piacular for you to reade ought of his could haue taught you in his publique writings these fiue limitations of inioyned ceremonies First that they be not against the word of God Secondly that iustification or remission of sinnes be not attributed to them Thirdly That the Church bee not troubled with their multitude Fourthly that they be not decreede as necessary and not to be changed And lastly that men be not so tyed to them but that by occasion they may be omitted so it be without offence and contempt you see our limits but your feare is in this last contrary to his He stands vpon offence in omitting you in vsing As if it were a iust offence to displease a beholder no offence to displease and violate authority VVhat law could euer be made to offend none Wise Cato might haue taught you this in Liuie that no lawe can bee commodious to all Those lippes which preserue knowledge must impart so much of it to their hearers as to preuent their offence Neither must Law-giuers euer fore-see what constructions will bee of their laws but what ought to be Those thinâ—â— which your consistory imposes may you keepe them if you list Is not the willing neglect of your owne Parlor-decrees punished with excommunication And now what is all this to infallibilitie The sacred Synod determines these indifferent rites for decency and comlinesse to be vsed of those whom it concernes therefore it arrogates to it selfe infallibilitie A conclusion fit for a separatist You stumble at the title of sacred euery straw lies in your way your Calepine could haue taught you â—hat houses Castles religious businesses olde age it selfe haue this stile giuen them And Virgill vittasque resoluit sacrati capitis no Epithete is more ordinary to Councelles and Synods The reason whereof may be fetched from that inscription of the Elibertine Synode of those nineteene Bishops is said VVhen the holy and religious Bishops were set How fewe Councels haue not had this Title To omit the late The holy Synod of Carthage vnder Anastasius The holy and peaceable Synode at Antioch The holy Synode of God and Apostolicall at Rome vnder Iulius The holy and great Sinode at Nice And not to be endlesse The holy Synod of Laodicea though but prouinciall VVhat doe these Idle exceptions argue but want of greater SECTION XXXIII Sinnes sold in our Courts SOme great men when they haue done ill outface their shame with enacting Lawes to make their sinnes lawfull While you thus charge our practise you bewray your owne Who hauing seperated from Gods Church deuise slaunders to colour your sinne Wee must bee shamefull that you may bee innocent You load our Ecclesiasticall consistories with a shameles reproach Farre bee it from vs to iustifie any mans personall sinnes yet it is safer sinning to the better part Fie on these odious comparisons sinnes as saleable as at Rome who knowes not that to be the Mart of all the world Periuries murders treasons are there bought sold when euer in ours The Popes Cofers can easily confute you alone What tell you vs of these let me tell you Mony is as fit an aduocate in a consistory as fauour or malice These some of yours haue complained of as bitterly as you of ours As if we liked the abuses in Courts as if corrupt executions of wholesome lawes must be imputed to the Church whose wrongs they are No lesse haynous nor more true is that which followeth True Elders not yours should bee indeede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This we call for as vehemently not so tumultuously as your selues That they should feede their flockes with word and doctrine we require more then you That Patrons present Bishoppes institute Arch-deacons induct some which are vnable we graunt and bewaile But that our Church-lawes iustifie them wee denie and you slaunder For our law if you know not requires that euery one to be admitted to the Ministery should vnderstand the Articles of Religion not onely as they are compendiously set downe in the Creede but as they are at large in our booke of Articles neither vnderstand them onely but be able to proue them sufficiently out of the scripture and that not in English onely but in Latine also This competency would proue him for knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If this be not performed blame the persons cleare the law Profound Master Hooker telles you that both arguments from light of nature lawes and statutes of Scripture the Canons that are taken out of ancient Synodes the Decrees and constitutions of sincerest times the sentences of all Antiquity and in a word euery mans full consent and conscience is against ignorance in them that haue charge and cure of soules And in the same booke Did any thing more aggrauate the crime of Ieroboams Apostasie then that hee chose to haue his Clergie the scumme and refuse of his whole land Let no man spare to teâ—l it them they are not faithfull towards God that burden wilfully his Church with such swarmes of vnworthie creatures Neither is it long since a zealous and learned Sermon dedicated to our present Lord Arch-bishoppe by his owne Chaplaine hath no lesse taxed this abuse whether of insufficiency or negligence though with more discretion then can be expected from your malicious penne Learne henceforth not to diffuse crimes to the innocent For the rest your Baal in our dispensations for pluralities would thus pleade for himselfe First hee would bidde you learne of your Doctor to distinguish of sinnes sinnes saith he are either controuertible or manifest if controuertible or doubtfull men ought to bear one with anothers different iudgment if they doe not c. they sinne such is this if some be resolued others doubt and in whole volumes plead whether conuenience or necessity how could your charity compare these with sinnes euicted Secondly he would tell you that these dispensations are intended and directed not against the offence of God but the danger of humane lawes not securing from sinne but from losse But for both these points of Non-residence and insufficiency if you
worshipped if you were not Yet would you not seeme a superfluous creature speake in your selfe Might not God be intirely worshipped with pure and holy worship though there were no other bookes in the world but the Scripture If yea as who can denie it that knowes what the worshippe of God meaneth VVhat then doe the Fathers and Doctors and learned Interpreters To the fire with all those curious artes and volumes as your Predecessors called them Yea let me put you in minde that God was purely and perfectly worshipped by the Apostolicke Church before euer 〈…〉 Testament was written See therefore the idlenesse of your proofes God may be serued without a prescription of prayer but if all Reformed Churches in Christendome erre not better with it The word of God is perfect and admits no addition Cursed were we if we should add ought to it Cursed were that which should be added But cursed be they that take ought from it and dare say ye shall not pray thus OVR FATHER c. Doe we offer to make our prayers Canonicall do we obtrude them as parts of Gods word VVhy cauill you thus VVhy doth the same prayer written adde to the worde which spoken addeth not Because conceiued prayer is commanded not the other But first not your particular prayer Secondly without mention either of conception or memorie God commaunds vs to pray in spirit and with the heart These circumstances onely as they are deduced from his Generals so are ours But whence soeuer it please you to fetch our Booke of publique Prayer from Rome or Hell or to what Image soeuer you please to resemble it Let moderate spirits heare what the pretious Iewell of England saith of it VVee haue come as neere as we could to the Church of the Apostles c. neither onely haue we framed our doctrine but also our Sacraments and the forme of publique prayers according to their Rites and Institutions Let no Iewe now obiect Swines-flesh to vs Hee is no iudicious man that I may omit the mention of Cranmer Bucâ—r Ridley Taylor c. some of whose handes were in it all whose voices were for it with whome one Iewell will not ouer-weigh tenne thousand Separatists SECTION XXXVIII Marriage not made a Sacrament by the Church of England HOw did confirmation escape this number how did Ordination it was your ouer-sight I feare not your charity some things seeme and are not such is this your number of our Sacraments you wil needes haue vs take in marriage into this ranke why so wee doe not you confesse call it a Sacrament as the vulgar mis-interpreting Pauls Mysterium Ep. 5. why should we not if we so esteemed it wherefore serue names but to denotate the nature of things If we were not ashamed of the opinion wee could not be ashamed of the worde No more say you did Christ and his Apostles call Baptisme and the Supper Sacraments but we doe and you with vs See now whether this clause doe not confute your last where hath Christ euer said There are two Sacraments Yet you dare say so what is this but in your sense an addition to the word yea we say flatly there are but two yet we doe you say in truth create it a Sacrament how oft and how resolutely hath our Church maintained against Rome that none but Christ immediatly can create Sacraments If they had this aduantage against vs how could wee stand How wrongfull is this force to fasten an opinion vpon our Church which shee hath condemned But wherein stands this our creation It is true the partyes to bee married and their marriage represent Christ and his Church and their spirituall vnion Beware least you strike God through our sides what hath Gods spirit said either lesse or other then this Ephe. 5. 25. 26. 27. 32. Doth he not make Christ the husband the Church his spouse Doth he not from that sweet coniunction and the effects of it argue the deere respects that should bee in marriage Or what doth the Apostle allude elesewhere vnto when he saies as Moses of Eue we are flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bone And how famous amongst the ancient is that resemblance of Eue taken out of Adams side sleeping to the Church taken out of Christs side sleeping on the Crosse Since marriage therefore so clearely represents this mistery and this vse is holy and sacred what error is it to say that mariage is consecrated to this mistery But what is the Element the Ring These things agree not you had before made the two parties to be the matter of this Sacrament What is the matter of the Sacrament but the Element If they be the matter they are the Element and so not the Ring both cannot be if you will make the two parties to bee but the receiuers how doth all the mistery lie in their representation Or if the Ring bee the Element then all the mistery must be in the Ring not in the parties Labour to bee more perfect ere you make any more newe Sacraments but this Ring is laide vpon the seruice-booke why not For readinesse not for holinesse Nay but it is hallowed you say by the booke If it be a Sacramentall Element it rather hallowes the booke then the booke it you are not mindful enough for this trade But what exorcismes are vsed in this hallowing Or who euer held it any other then a ciuill pledge of fidelitie Then follow the wordes of consecration I pray you what difference is there betwixt hallowing and consecration The Ring was hallowed before by the booke now it must be consecrated How idlely by what wordes In the name of the Father c. These words you know are spoken after the Ring is put on was it euer heard of that a Sacramentall Element was consecrated after it was applyed see how ill your slaunders are digested by you The place is the Church the time the Lords day the minister is the actor and is it not thus in all other reformed Churches aswell as ours Behod we are not alone al Churches in the world if this wil do it are guilty of three Sacraments Tell me would you not haue marriage solemnized publiquely You cannot mislike though your founder seemes to require nothing here but notice giuen to witnesses and then to bed Well if publique you account it withall a graue and weighty businesse therefore such as must be sanctified by publike prayer What place is fitter for publicke prayer then the Church Who is fitter to offer vp the publike prayer then the Minister who should rather ioyne the parties in marriage then the publique deputie of that God who solemnly ioyned the first couple who rather then he which in the name of God may best blesse them The prayers which accompany this solemnity are parts of Gods worshippe not the contract it selfe This is a mixt action therefore compounded of Ecclesiasticall and ciuill imposed on the Minister not vpon