of God then the word Church Somtimes it is taken for any assembly somtimes for a faithful religious assembly and theÌ„ it sometimes noteth out the whole bodie of the elect in all ages times places both in heauen earth and only them So it is in the article of our faith I beleeue the catholike church that is all those who are or shal be saued both Angels men so it is taken in that speech of our Sauior VpoÌ„ this rock will I build my church that is the whole catholike church Somtimes it is taken for that part only which is in heauen as when it is said that the church is without spot or wrinckle which can be verified of no part whatsoeuer the Anabaptists dreame but of that which triumpheth Sometimes it is taken for that part of the catholike church which is militant that thou maist knowe howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God which is the church of the liuing God the piller and ground of truth So feare came vpon all the church Sometimes it is taken for the pastors and gouernours onely of the church as when it is said Tell the church that is the heads and gouernours of the church Sometimes for the people Take heede therefore vnto yourselues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the church of God which he hath purchased with that his owne bloud Somtimes for particular churches professing the doctrine and religion of Christ as To the Angell of the church of Ephesus so we say the church of Rome the church of Corinth the church of England now from the mistaking of this worde Church doubtlesse much harme and needlesse contentions haue come vnto the church of Christ. For in the first great contention of what persons the Church consisteth in my opinion wee dispute of one Church namely the true Catholike all which must be saued they dispute of the visible wherein are hypocrites also So that the reasons that are brought on both sides are smally to the purpose seeing both sides directly mistake the question Thus in the iudgment of those of the Church of Rome persons excommunicate though vniustly are cut off froÌ„ the particular Church but not froÌ„ the catholike excommunication being only the censure of a particular Church Therfore saith our Sauior Christ many are called with an externall calling to the society of the â—isible Church but few are chosen that is to the Cathoâ—icke For though both be a folde yet of the visible Church saith Saint Austin In the Church there are many wolues and out of the Church there are many sheepe but in the Catholicke without any other mixture are sheepe only Now visible and inuisible maketh not two Churches but the diuers estate condition of one the same Church Hence coÌ„meth it to passe that in this question of the visibility of the Church there is the like mistaking as in the former for they of Rome say we haue made this distinction because our Church hath not bin alwaies visible but we say if our Church had bin as glorious and as famous as any Church in the world we would haue accounted the Catholicke Church inuisible Which no doubt of it they of Rome doe vnderstanding Catholick and visible as we meane For the Church of Christ which we properly tearme his mystical body can be but one neither can that one be sensibly discerned by any man in as much as the parts therof are some in heauen already with Christ and the rest that are on earth albeit their natural persons be visible yet we cannot discerne vnder this property wherby they are truly and infallibly of that body only our minds by internal conceit are able to apprehend that such a real body there is a body collectiue because it conteyneth a huge multitude a body mystical because the mystery of their coniunction is remoued altogether from sense Whatsoeuer we reade in scripture concerning the endles loue and the sauing mercy which God shewed towards his Church the only proper subiect therof is this Church They who are of this society haue such markes and notes of distinction from al others as are not subiect vnto our sense only vnto God who seeth their harts and vnderstandeth al their secret cogitations vnto him they are cleere and manifest In the eie of God they are against Christ that are not truly and sincerely with him in our eies they must be receiued as with Christ that are not to outward shew against him to him they seeme such as they are but of vs they must be taken for such as they seeme Al men knew Nathaniel to be an Israelite but our Sauiour pearsing deeper giâ—eth further testimony of him then men could haue done with such certainty as he did behold indeede an Israelite in whom is no guile Now as those euerlasting promises of loue mercy and blessednes belong to the mystical Church euen so on the other side when wee reade of any duty which the Church of God is bounde vnto the Church whom this doth concerne is a sensible knowne company and this visible Church in like sort is but one continued from the first beginning of the world to the last end which company beeing deuided into two parts the one before the other since the comming of Christ that part which since the comming partly hath imbraced and partly shal hereafter imbrace the Christian Religion we tearme as by a proper name the Church of Christ. For all make but one body the vnity of which visible body and the Church of Christ consisteth in that vniformity which al seueral persons thereunto belonging haue by reason of y e one Lord whose seruants they all professe theÌ„selues to be that one faith which they al acknowledge that one baptisme wherwith they are al receiued into the church As for those vertues y t belong vnto morall righteousnes honesty of life we do not speake of them because they are not proper vnto Christian meÌ„ as they are Christian but do concerne theÌ„ as they are men True it is the waâ—t of these vertues excludeth from saluation so doth much more the absence of inward beleefe of heart so doth despaire and lack of hope so emptinesse of Christian loue and charity but we speake now of the visible Church whose Children are signed with this marke One Lord one Faith one Baptisme In whomsoeuer these things are the Church doth acknowledge them for her children them only she holdeth for aliens and strangers in whom these things are not found For want of these it is that Saracens Iewes and infidels are excluded out of the bounds of the Church others we may not though you doe denie to be of the visible Church as long as these things are not wanting in them For apparant it is that al men are of necessity either Christians or not Christians if by externall
profession they be Christians then are they of the visible Church of Christ and Christians by externall profession they are all whose marke of recognisance hath in it those things which we haue mentioned Yea although they be impious Idolaters wicked hereticks persons excommunicable such as we deny not to be euen the lims of Satan as long as they continue such Is it then possible say you that the selfesame men should belong both to the Synagogue of Satan and to the Church of Christ Vnto that Church which is his mystical bodie not possible because that bodie consisteth of none but only true Israelits true sonnes of Abraham true seruants and Saints of God Howbeit of the visible body and Church of Christ those may be and oftentimes are in respect of the maine parts of their outward profession who in regard of their inward disposition of minde yea of externall conuersation yea euen of some parts of their very profession are most worthily both hatefull in the sight of God himselfe and in the eies of the sounder parts of the visible Church most execrable From hence haue proceeded those bitter speeches wherewith many of our reuerend Fathers haue censured the Church of Rome as also those violent courses and vnseemely which they haue hitherto vsed against vs. Therefore our Sauiour compareth the kingdome of heauen to a net whereunto al that commeth neither is nor seemeth fishe his Church he compareth to afield where tares manifestly knowne and seene by all men doe grow intermingled with good corne and so shall continue til the final consummation of the world God hath had euer and euer shall haue some Church visible vpon earth But for lack of diligent obseruing the difference first betwixt the church of God mystical and visible then betweene the visible sound and corrupted sometimes more sometimes lesse the ouersights are neither few nor light that haue bin committed This deceiueth them and nothing else who thinke that in the time of the first world the family of Noah did containe al that were of the visible church of God From hence it grew and from no other cause in the world that the Affrican Bishops in the councel of Carthage knowing how the administration of Baptisme belongeth only to the church of Christ and supposing that hereticks which were apparantly seuered from the sound beleeuing church could not possiblie be of the church of Iesus Christ thought it vtterly against reason that baptisme administred by men of corrupt beleefe should be accounted as a Sacrament Some of the Fathers were earnest especially Saint Cyprian in this point but I hope you haue not yet proceeded so farre This opinion was afterwards both coÌ„demned by a better aduised councel and also reuoked by the chiefest of the Authors therof themselues And therfore as it is straÌ„ge for any man to denie them of Rome to be of the church so I cannot but wonder that they will aske where our church was before the birth of Martin Luther as if any were of opinion that Luther did erect a new church of Christ. No the church of Christ which was from the beginning is and continueth in substance the same vnto the end of which al parts haue not bin alwaies equally sincere and sound In the daies of Abiha it plainly appeareth that Iuda was by many degrees more free from pollution then Israel In Saint Paules time the integrity of Rome was famous Corinth many waies reproued they of Galathia much more out of square in Iohns time Ephesus and Sâ—yrna in better state then Thiatyra and Pergamus were and yet all of them no doubt parts of the visible church so standeth the cause betwixt Rome and vs so farre as lawfully we may we haue held and do hold fellowship with them we acknowledge theÌ„ to be of the family of Iesus Christ and our heartie prayer vnto God Almightie is that being conioyned so farre forth with them they may at length if it be his will so yeeld to frame and reforme themselues that no distraction remaine in anie thing but that we all may with one heart and one mouth glorifie God the Father of our Lord and Sauiour whose church we are As there are which make the church of Rome no church at all vtterly so we haue them amongst vs who vnder pretence of imagined corruptions in our discipline do giue euen as hard a iudgement of the church of England it selfe But whatsoeuer either the one sort or the other teach we must acknowledge euen heretikes themselues to bee though a maimed part yet a part of the visible church For as to baptize is a proper action belonging vnto none but the church of Christ which is true in the church of Rome howsoeuer some Anabaptists account it but a mockerie so if an infidell should pursue to death an heretike professing christianitie onely for christian profession sake could the church denie him the honour of Martyrdome Yet this honour all men know to be proper vnto the church and therefore where the Fathers make opposition betwixt the visible church and hereticall companies as often times they doe they are to bee construed as separating heretikes not altogether from the companie of beleeuers but from the fellowship of sound beleeuers for where profest vnbeleefe is there can be no visible church of Christ there may be where sound beleefe wanteth Infidels being cleane without the church denie directly and vtterly reiect the very principles of Christianity which heretikes imbrace and erre onely in misconstruction And therefore it is strange that you dare affirme the Turke to hold any part of the christian faith or to bee in that respect comparable to the church of Rome For that which separateth vtterly that which cutteth off cleane from the visible church of Christ is as Maister Hooker saith plaine Apostasie direct deniall vtter reiection of the whole christian faith as farre as the same is professedly different from infidelitie Heretikes as touching those points of doctrine wherein they faile Schismatikes as touching the quarrels for which or the duties wherein they diuide themselues from their brethren loose licentious and wicked persons as touching their seuerall offences or crimes haue all forsaken the true church of God the church which is sound and sincere in the doctrine that they corrupt The church that keepeth the bond of vnitie which they violate the church that walketh in the lawes of righteousnesse which they transgresse This verie true church of Christ they haue left howbeit not altogether left nor forsaken simply the Church vpon the maine foundations whereof they continue built notwithstanding these breaches whereby they are rent at the top asunder But peraduenture you will say why then doe wee refuse to communicate with the church of Rome more then Zacharie Elizabeth Anna and others did with the high priests corruptions being in both and both remaining parts of the church of God I answer that in the time of our Sauiour Christ the synagogue
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
they haue an apparant great difference as there must needs be betwixt Scripture and no Scripture yet to those that are vnable to discerne so much the matter stands ouerruled only by the authoritie of the Church For though as Maister Hooker saith the Scriptures teach vs that sauing truth which God hath discouered to the world by reuelation yet it presumeth vs taught otherwise that it selfe is diuine and sacred And therefore the reading of the Scripture in our Churches is one of the plainest euidences we haue of the Churches assent and acknowledgement that it is the Scripture And yet without any contradiction at all who so assenteth to the words of eternall life doth it in regard of his authoritie whose words they are Those with whom the Church is to deale are often heretikes and these will much sooner beleeue the Church then the Scriptures Therefore saith Saint Austine in that knowne place I had not beleeued the Scriptures if I had not beene compelled by the authoritie of the Church And howsoeuer the Church may seeme now little to need her authoritie because the greatest haruest of heresies is past yet we must not contemne her for all that because euen the weedes of heresie being growne vnto a ripenesse doe euen in their verie cutting downe scatter oftentimes those seedes which for a whilely vnseene and buried in the earth but afterwards freshly spring vp againe no lesse pernicious then at the first Therfore the Church hath and must haue to the end of the world foure singular offices towards the Scripture First to be a witnesse and keeper of them as it were a faithfull Register whose fidelitie in that behalfe vnlesse we be bastard children we haue no reason at all â—o suspect witnesses of lesse truth and authoritie hauing oftentimes the credite to be beleeued Secondly to discerne and iudge betweene false and adulterate and that which is true and perfect in this respect it hath a propertie which other assemblies want to heare and discerne the voice of her husband neither can she be thought a chast spouse who hath not the abilitie to do that But as the Goldsmith either in his ballance or with his touchstone discerneth pure gold from other mettals of lesse value yet doth not make it so dealeth the Church who hath not authoritie to make scripture that which is not but maketh a true difference from that which did only seeme Neither in this respect is the Church aboue the Scriptures but acknowledgeth in humilitie that shee is left in trust to tell her children which is her husbands voice and to point our to the world as Iohn Baptist did Christ a truth of a farre more excellent perfection then her selfe is As if I doubted of a strange coine wherein I rest satisfied in the resolution of a skilfull man but yet valuing the coine for the matter and the stampe of the coine it selfe The third office of the Church is to publish and diuulge to proclaime as a cryer the true edict of our Lord himself not daring as Chrysostom saith to adde anie thing of her owne which shee no sooner doth but the true subiects yeeld obedience not for the voice of him that proclaimeth but for the authoritie of him whose ordinances are proclaimed The last is to be an Interpreter and in that following the safest rule to make an vndiuided vnitie of the truth vncapable of contradiction to be a most faithfull expositor of his owne meaning Thus whilest the Church for that trust reposed in her dealeth faithfully in these points we are not afraid to acknowledge that wee so esteeme of the Scriptures as rightly wee are led by the authoritie of Gods Church Those that are of that iudgement that they dare giue credit without witnesse though we follow not their example in ouermuch credulitie yet we blame not their iudgmeÌ„ts in that kind Touching therfore the authoritie of the Church the scriptures though we graunt as you say that the Church is truly distinguished by the scriptures that the scriptures which is a straÌ„ge phrase warraÌ„t y e trial of Gods word that it was euer beleeued for the words sake yet without feare of vnderpropping anie popish principle as you tearme it we say that we are taught to receiue it from the authoritie of the Church we see her iudgement we heare her voice and in humilitie subscribe vnto all this euer acknowledging the Scriptures to direct the Church and yet the Church to affoord as she is bound her true testimony to the Scripture For the verse of Menander Aratus or Epimenides was and had beene euer but the saying of Poets had not the Church assured vs that it was vttered since by an instrument of the holy Ghost ARTICLE V. Of Freewill IN searching out the nature of humane reason whilest wee reach into the depth of that excellencie which man had by creation we must needs confesse that by sinne he hath lost much who now is vnable to comprehend all that hee should but wee dare not affirme that hee hath lost all who euen in this blindnesse is able to see something and in this weakenesse strong enough without the light of supernaturall Iustifying grace to tread out those paths of moral vertues which haue not only great vse in humane society but are also not altogether of a nature oppositely different from mans saluation And therefore the naturall way to find out lawes by reason guideth as it were by a direct path the will vnto that which is good which naturally hauing a freedome in herselfe is apt to take or refuse any particular obiect whatsoeuer being presented vnto it Which though wee affirme yet we neither say that Reason can guide the will vnto all that is good for though euery good that concerneth vs hath euidence inough for it selfe yet reason is not diligent to search it out nor we say not that the will doth take or refuse any particular obiect but is apt rather noting the nature wherby it hath that power then shewing the ability wherby it hath that strength For though sinne hath giuen as the Schoolemen obserue foure wounds vnto our nature Ignorance Malice Concupisence and infirmity the first in the vnderstanding the second in the will the third in our desiring appetite the last in the Irascible yet the will is free from necessity and coaction though not from misery and infirmity For as Saint Bernard saith there is a threefold freedome from necessity from sinne from misery the first of nature the second of grace the third of glory In the first from the bondage of coaction the will is free in it owne nature and hath power ouer it selfe In the second the will is not free but freed from the bondage of sin And in the third it is freed from the seruitude of corruption Now that freedome by which the will of man is named free is the first only and therefore we dare
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
hath wil is righteousnes only mans transgression sin For euen to doe that which nature telleth vs we ought howsoeuer we know it must needs be acceptable in Gods sight How this vttered out of great iudgment to another purpose namely that good things are done and allowed whereof we haue other direction then Scripture is by you wrested against the articles of our Church either concerning the perfection of works which are with faith or the goodnes of works without faith to say plainly I cannot yet vnderstand Therfore as the dealing is vnequall to make him say what you list so the aduātage is too great to make him an aduersary to a cause of your own making when the whole scope of his speech is to another purpose For there is no indifferēt reader but had he considered what M. Hooker speaketh to what end in those places by you alleaged he must of necessity haue wondered at your sharpe and acute iudgements that would without blushing aduenture to alleage him to that end But an opiniō doubtlesse that these things wold neuer be examined gaue that cōfidence to your first motion which consideration would haue hindered if you had but once dreamed to haue bin called in question Wee should not therfore need in this much to defend him but briefly resolue you what our Church holdeth and fitly in this point The articles of our Church which ye thinke are oppugned are two first that the fruits of faith cannot abide the seuerity of Gods iustice that man out of faith doth good workes which though they make vs not iust yet are both acceptable and rewardable I doubt not but it is a truth wherof if yee had not bin perswaded this letter of yours profitable as you think to the Church and pleasing to God as all the rest of your writings in that kinde had lien buried vnborne in those rotten sepulchers from whēce into the world they did first come whilest we are by that intermediat iustice of Christ made righteous and haue obtained a free remission of our sins that we are tearmed iust there is with this mercy ioyned the Holy-ghost which dwelling in vs maketh vs fruitfull to good workes this reuiuing all parts from our naturall corruption reformeth vs to a pure and willing obedience vnto that reuealed will which is the rule of all that we ought to doe yet seeing we are clothed with corruption there are euen in our best actions those remainders of imperfection which serue to teach vs thankefulnes and humility both arising from the consideration of our own weakenes And I doubt not but euen in this poynt many of the Church of Rome whose humiliation in their penitēcy of heart seemeth far to exceed ours are of this opinion that euen the best action performed in their whole life as there are yet some few monumēts spared from the couetous hand if all points of it were considered with a streight view sifting euen the least circumstances which closely insinuate thēselues out of our corruptiōs into our actions they would I say confesse that there is something which tasteth of the flesh which corruption if either for want of a strict consideration we see not or through a selfeloue could pardon yet it is not able in the feeblenes of his owne nature to abide the exact triall seuerity of Gods iudgement That law the least transgression wherof is sin is sayd to be fulfilled three waies first in Christ and so all the faithfull are said to fulfill the lawe hauing his obedience imputed to them Secondly it is fulfilled by a diuine acceptatiō for God accepteth our obediēce begun as if it were perfect seeing what imperfections are in it are not imputed to vs. For it is al one not to be not to be imputed blessednes being the reward of both And we know that there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus Thirdly it is fulfilled by vs an error I thinke scarce any do hold sauing only the Anabaptists For that eternall wisdome which hath ledde man by the law vnto Christ hath set those bounds which all men haue broken the first commandement and the last to include all as guilty of the breach of the whole law For our knowledge being but in part it is not possible saith Saint Austen that our loue can be perfect And therfore we conclude the first point according to the article of our Church from which there is no sillable in Master Hooker that is different that our workes though they be good and so esteemed and rewarded yet they cannot abide the iustice of the lawe and the seuerity of Gods iudgement The second point is whether the workes which are done before the grace of Christ are not only not acceptable to God but also haue the nature of sinne In this we must vse some care for whilest men iustly disagreeing haue equally laboured to be differēt one from another both in the end haue bin equally distant frō the truth That there are excellent graces in the heathen no man doubteth and he must needs be far from reason and sense who maketh no difference betwixt the iustice moderation and equity of Titus and Traian and the fury violence and tyranny of Caligula Nero and Domitian betwixt the vncleane lusts of Tiberius and the continency in this respect of Vespasian in one word betwixt the obseruation and the breach of lawes For there is that difference betwixt iust and vniust that euen the frame of nature where sense wanteth acknowledge a well being by the obseruation of what it ought and therfore much more in those good works which because they missed of the right scope wee dare not call by the name of true perfect Christians vertues yet for their very action we are content so long as they swarue not from the righteousnesse of the lawe of nature to giue them leaue to be called by a better name then only sinnes and yet for all this no man taketh them to be much better in the true seuerity of a hard construction for those that are not regenerate although they sin in their best obseruation of the morall lawe yet it is much better to performe those offices then to performe them not seeing a part of that indeuour though it be not meere righteousnesse yet it is lesse sinne We must therefore remember that a worke is considerable either in respect of the substance or in regard of the manner of doing In respect of the worke all the actions of infidels are not sin seeing they performe those things which are commanded by the law of nature of nations of God nay they are so far in this respect from beeing sins that as Saint Austin saith God doth plenteously reward them But concerning the manner of working all their actions are sin as proceeding from a corrupt fountaine a hart that wanteth true faith and directed to an ende of lesse value then he is whose glory ought to be
a deepe point letting them vnderstand that yee are able not onely to aduise sobrietie to such rash presumers as in your opinions M. Hooker is but also to direct them in those points wherein in your iudgements they are much deceiued That there is no man how excellent soeuer but without humilitie may easily erre I can as willingly confesse it as I commend such whom I see carefull to giue aduise vnto those that haue gone astray The one being the punishment of pride to teach sobrietie the other the power of their learning to shew humility but that either he hath done the one or you the other in this Article it is more then as yet I see any iust inducements to beleeue And I am sorie that things of principall excellencie should bee thus bitten at by men whom it is like God hath indued with graces both of wit and learning to better vses For if all men had that indifferencie of mind that the greatest part of their forces were imployed for the inlarging of that kingdome whereof all of vs desire to bee subiects we should easily discerne that a curious searching into that will which is not reuealed serueth but to breed a contempt of that which is reuealed vnto vs. Man desireth rather to know then to doe nay to know euen those things which do not concerne him rather then to do that for the neglect whereof he must giue an account From hence commeth it to passe that what the Schooles haue curiously sought out concerning the nature of Gods wil the Pulpits nay the stalles of Artificers haue vndertaken to decide them all So that those things which once were but the deep amazemeÌ„t of some few are now become the vsuall doctrine and the vulgar consideration of many where that is not so much to be lameÌ„ted which we search cannot comprehend as that which we might comprehend but do not search Following euen that first euil exchange for eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill to depriue our selues of the tasting of the tree of life So that which nature once made a disease the continuance of that disease hath made it nature for euen that light which man whilest he wanteth liueth in perpetuall darkenesse is a light by our weakenesse not possible to bee attained vnto and those paths which in our blindnesse we grope after with so much desire they are wayes not possible by mans weaknesse to bee found out For there is a cloud and darkenesse which are round about him and thicke misâ—es to couer him for we are without proportion inferiour to that power that hath first made vs not equall not like This being the iust recompence of him that searcheth out that Maiestie in the end to be ouerwhelmed with the same glory Our greatest knowledge in this saith Saint Cyprian is to confesse our ignorance for those acts that are of this nature there is greater holinesse to beleeue them then to know them Truth lieth in the bottome as Democritus speaketh and as Pindarus saith about our minds there hang innumerable errours therefore the counsell of the son of Sirach is to be followed Seeke not out the things that are too hard for thee neither search the things rashly which are too mightie for thee but what God hath commanded thee thinke vpon that with reuerence and bee not curious in manie of his workes for it is not needfull for thee to see with thine eyes the things that are secret be not curious in superfluous things for many things are shewed vnto thee aboue the capacitie of men the medling with such hath beguiled maâ—ie and an euill opinion hath deceiued their iudgment thou canst not see without eyes Yet for all this to bee absolutely either ignorant or carelesse of those things that concerne vs are no warrants for humilitie but euidences of our slouth The world at this day hath two sorts of men whom though we need not to respect much yet we are willing euen to giue them a reason of what wee do which though peraduenture they challenge at our hands yet wee demaund not of them a reason of what they surmise The first sort are sensuall and carelesse neither respecting the will of God of vs or towards vs these for the most part vnderstand nothing but earthly things whom if you remoue to matters of a higher reach you onely arme them against yourselfe awake them to shew an vnsufferable contempt of all vertue For that which they thinke painefull to themselues being idolaters to the bellie that they suppose partly impossible to others and that which for their owne dulnesse they cannot easily learne that they imagine but falsly that others can as hardly teach The second sort wiser then these thinke that we ought to search what God will haue vs to do but what he will do with vs or what he hath decreed or determined of vs that they thinke ought wholy to be neglected by vs. In these two errours there is this difference that the dangers being equall the reasons are not equall that do moue both seeing man hath mo reasons to perswade him to know too little then to know too much Therefore the Church of England calleth Predestination vnto life the eternall purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were laid he constantly decreed by his counsel vnto vs vnknown to deliuer from the curse and destruction them whom he chose in Christ out of mankind and as vessels made vnto honour through Christ to bring them to eternall saluation whereupon they who are indowed with so excellent a benefit of God are called according to his purpose and that by his Spirit working in a fit time wherein if any thing in his generall wil be opposite to that which secretly he hath determined of vs it is neither a contrarietie in that essence which is but one neither anie warrant for vs to bee defectiue in our charitie which must imitate his general inclination to saue all And howsoeuer he graunt not those prayers which we make for those who are not predestinate because there is a more secret will that hath determined the contrarie yet notwithstanding euen these prayers conformable to his general inclination are in themselues without sin they are our duties acceptable to God For in God there is a wil reueiled which not to do is sin not reueiled which we may do yet sin And therfore it must needs seeme strange that it is made a question by any how God eternally predestinateth by a constant decree them whom hee calleth and saueth and yet hath a generall inclination to saue all A matter easily answered if we doe but remember a twofold will It is not then a foresight of any thing that occasioned his will otherwise It is not any generall election altered vpon a speciall cause It is nothing either in vs or in himselfe that maketh this decree either to be at all
or to be any other sauing only one We must know therfore that the will of God is secret which therfore in scripture is compared to a deepe or reueiled which must be the rule of those actions which we ought to doe we may indeuour to doe against the first and not sinne as Abraham in offring Isaac I say indeuour for no man can do against it as also fulfill the other and yet sin as Iudas This diuision of the will of God made by many others though in other tearmes serueth both to answer such doubts as vsually arise out of this darknes as also fully to satisfy those slender obiections which you haue framed in this point Damascene deuideth the will into antecedent and consequent Peter Lumbard into his good pleasure and the signe of it others into a will absolute or conditionall others into wil of vs or by vs to be done S. Austin into a most omnipotent and most powerfull wil and into a will not so powerfull that it euer commeth to pasâ—e all these diuisions concurring in one and the selfe same thing to teach vs that there be parts some reueiled some secret of that which in his owne nature can no more be diuers or many then it is possible for the essence of the Godhead to be more then one But how is it then say you that God willeth all men to be saued Is it a constant decree or only an inclination That he thus willeth there is no man doubteth and although some with the restraint of the word all vnderstand it of his eternall vnchangeable secret decree yet we affirmeâ— that with a conditionall will which euer implyeth faith and obedience with a will of the signe antecedent vneffectuall reueiled he willeth all men to be saued Who therfore that they are not it is not his decree but their own fault And although we say as Maister Hooker doth that God willeth many thinges conditionally yet if wee speake properly all things that God willeth hee willeth simply and therefore all things that God willeth must bee the condition being not in respect of the wil but the manifestation of it For it is no more possible that there should be a wil in God conditional then that his knowledge and his wisedome should not be eternall and yet in respect of vs who must be ruled by his law it is conditional God sometimes commandeth what hee will not haue done not that he is contrary in his wil but that his wil as yet is not wholy reueiled The matter of predestination was neuer fully handled before the time of Pelagius whose heresies gaue occasion to Saint Austin and others to confirme vs in this point wherein though I confesse I vnwillingly labour at this time yet I doubt not to affirme which may serue in steed of answere to content you that the predestination of God is eternall not conditional immutable not for works foreseen and that those which God hath determined though his predestination doe not take away second causes certainly must come to passe Neither is that any variablenes as you ouer boldly seeme to insinuate that he inclineth one way decreeth another for certainly saith S. Ambrose he willeth al men to be saued if they wil themselues for he that hath giuen a law to al doubtles hath excluded none Neither is here any acceptatioÌ„ of persons that he hath chosen some not others for that is acceptioÌ„ of persons saith S. Austin wheÌ„ things to equals equally due are not equally diuided but where those things are diuided y t are not due but only of meere liberality bestowed there this inequality is without iniustice or acceptation of persons It being in the power of a creditor that hath two debtors to exact his due of the one without iniustice and meerely of his bounty to forgiue the other If you goe further in this point to leade me into that depth that lamentably hath swallowed vp many thousands I say with S. Austin thou oh man dost thou expect an answer of me and I am a man also therfore let vs rather both heare him who saith oh man who art thou that doest answere God reason thou I wil maruaile dispute thou I wil beleeue and say oh how vnsearchable are his waies and his Iudgements past finding out ARTICLE XI The visible Church and the Church of Rome IN the vehement dissentions of factions that are opposite there is not a labour vsually that reapeth either lesse fruite or lesse thanks then a charitable perswasion to a reconcilement which peraduenure hath bin the principal cause why both parties looking with a iealous eie at the indifferent perswasions of a third haue continued both enimies in themselues and yet the third suspected as a friend to neither This whilest men haue done in kingdomes their conclusions of peace haue faintly languisht all sides earnestly wishing the thing but suspecting those who were agents to intreate a perswasion to it this in the Church some men haue done both in former times and of late with more charity then either learning or successe so that in the end both parties haue taken offence at the mentioÌ„ of a reconcilement That the Church is at variance in it selfe and so hath continued a long time I thinke there is no man doubteth and surely we are all perswaded that vnity and peace are not fitter for any society in the world then for that which is called by the name of Church how this might be effected it hath bin the care of very wisemen who though they haue found little apparance of successe by reason of those badde offices which vncharitable minds haue performed yet they haue not ceased to wishe in the behalfe of the Church as Dauid did for Ierusalem Oh that it were as a City built at vnity in it selfe Priuate contentions are then furthest from all hope of agreement when both parties equally standing vpon tearmes of superiority earnestly contend which is most excellent and that neither haue committed fault In what straits the Church is and hath bin in all times it may easily be gathered in that as yet men are not resolued to whom it belongs principally to procure her peace Some are of opinion that princes must and ought to prouide for the good and welfare of the common-wealth but as for religion they may lawfully permit to euery man what his fancy desireth so that the peace of their realmes be not thereby troubled This once was the error of the heathen who admitting all sects of Philosophers accounted it their honor that they refused none Wherupon saith Pope Leo this City speaking of Rome ignorant of the author of her aduancement whilest she hath ruled almost ouer al nations hath basely bin a seruant to the errors of them al and seemed to her selfe to haue intertained a great religion because she hath not refused the falshood of any This made Themistius the Philosopher as Socrates reporteth to
perswade Valens the Emperor that the variety of sects was a thing much pleasing to God seeing by that meanes he was worshipped after diuers manners This though Constantine the great did at the first whose fact we will not at this time examine yet afterward he commanded all the temples of the Idols to be shut vp and the Christian religion to be only vsed whose sonnes Constantius and Constantinus so far followed as Saint Austin saith the example of their Father that Constantine threatned banishment to al those who rested not in the determination of the Nicene councel The contrary was practised by the Emperors Iouinian Valens and Iulian who giuing a liberty to all heretickes sought nothing more then the ouerthrow of the vnity of the Church But wisemen haue euer seene that the peace and tranquilitie of the common wealth seldome or neuer ariseth but out of the concord and agreement of the Church it selfe The dissentions whereof as they serue to hinder religion so they kindle that flame wherewithall doubtlesse in the end the common wealth it selfe must needs perish But how farre all sides are from allowance of reconcilement both the times present can testifie too well and the ages to come must needs witnesse which shall possesse a Church as sonnes doe the inheritance of contentious parents the best part whereof is wasted in vnnecessarie sutes The sound knowledge of religion as well perishing in the middest of dissention as the true practise doth faile by the plentifull abundance of too much peace There haue beene in the world from the verie first foundation thereof but three religions Paganisme which liued in the blindnesse of corrupt and depraued nature Iudaisme embracing the law which reformed heathenish impietie and taught saluation to bee looked for through one whoÌ„ God in the last dayes would send exalt to be lord of al finally Christianisme which yeeldeth obedience to the Gospell of Iesus Christ and acknowledgeth him the Sauiour whom God did promise Now the question is whether the dissenting parties in this last religion be so farre not in opinion but in the obiect differing as that there is no hope of reconciliation and the one part only hath but the priuiledge to be tearmed the Church For the matter of reconcilement it is no businesse which lieth within the compasse of this labour and whether and how it may be done we are willing to referre it to the iudgements of men who haue better abilitie to decide the cause A booke in Latine was published in the first beginning of these bitter contentions without name bearing the title of the dutie of a godly man but since Bellarmine saith that the Author was one George Cassander this booke perswading that Princes ought to make an agreement betwixt the Catholikes the Lutherans and Caluinists as he tearmes them which whilest they cannot find out the meanes to performe they should permit to all men their seuerall religions so that they held both the Scripture and the Apostles Creed for all saith he are the true members of the Church howsoeuer in particular doctrines they seeme to differ This booke was first confuted by Caluin on the one side and then by one Iohn Hessels of Louaine on the other side that all the world might see how loth both sides were to be made friends This hath since beene esteemed by others a labour much like to those pacificants in the Emperour Zeno his time or the heresie of Apelles who held as Eusebius writeth that it was needlesse to discusse the particulars of our faith and sufficient only to beleeue in Christ crucified But least any man should thinke that our contentions were but in smaller points and the difference not great both sides haue charged the other with heresies if not infidelities nay euen such as quite ouerthrowe the principall foundation of our Christian faith How truly both haue dealt those that are learned can best iudge but I am sure that in the greatest differences there are great mistakings which if they were not it is like their dissentions had beene much lesse Now for the second whether both parts may bee called the Church this is that which concerneth the cause that wee haue in hand The Church of England confesseth that the Church of Christ is a company of faithfull people among whom the pure word of God is preached and the sacraments rightly administred according to Christs institution so that as our reuerend Fathers say without Christ there is no Church and those particular Churches are more perfect which in their religious worship haue lesse failed in both these now when enemies become iudges sentences are often partiall and each side with bitternesse of tearmes doth condemne other whilest neither part is willing to confesse their errour or amend themselues Wee haue not suffered the contemptible reuiâ—ings of the Church of Rome without telling her aloud that her faults are not so few as she imagineth that her chastitie and puritie are not so great that she need to boast and that if she will needes bee proud and confidently striue to be the chiefe and the onely Church wee must tell her in zeale that what she was she is not that pride and prosperitie haue corrupted her as other Churches This though we speake out of zeale seeing her faults and knowing her contempt of vs yet out of iudgement we say which Maister Hooker doth that with Rome we dare not communicate concerning sundrie her grosse grieuous abominations yet touching those maine parts of Christian truth wherein they constantly still persist wee gladly acknowledge them to bee of the familie of Iesus Christ therefore wee hope that to reforme our selues if at anie time wee haue done amisse is not to seuer our selues from the Church wee were before in the Church we were and we are so stil as also we say that they of Rome notwithstanding their manifold defects are to bee held and reputed a part of the house of God a limme of the visible Church of Christ. This is that whereat your hote spirits haue taken offence speaking out of the same ignorant zeale against our Church as ye wish our Church to speake against the Church of Rome accounting vs for perfection of a Church as farre short of you as Rome is of vs or your selues of the Angels that are in heauen and therefore you affirme that our statute congregations of England are no true christian churches Which error as you haue at last beene from an vnresistable wisedome taught how to recant so no doubt at length vpon better aduise you wil learne in iudgment how to censure of the Church of Rome And yet mistake me not to giue her her due is not to grant more then shee ought to challenge nor to account her a part of the Church is not to affirme that shee is absolutely perfect There is no one word that from the varietie of acceptation hath bred greater difference in the Church
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
Ecclesiasticall work is for the maner of performaÌ„ce ordered by diuers ecclesiastical lawes prouiding that as the sacrament it self is a gift of no mean worth so the ministerie thereof might in all circumstances appeare to bee a function of no small regarde The ministerie of the things diuine is a function which as God did himselfe institute so neither may men vndertake the same but by authority and power giuen them in lawfull manner That God which is no way deficient or wanting vnto man in necessaries and hath therfore giuen vs the light of his heauenly truth because without that inestimable benefit we must needes haue wandred in darknesse to our endles perdition and who hath in the like aboundance of mercies ordeined certaine to attend vpon the due execution of requisite parts and offices therein prescribed for the good of the whole world which men therunto assigned doe hold their authority from him whether they be such as himselfe immediately or else the Church in his name inuesteth it being neither possible for all nor for euery man without distinction conuenient to take vpon him a charge of so great importance and therfore very fitly the Church of England affirmeth that it is not lawfull for any one to take to himselfe the office of preaching publikely or administring the Sacraments in the Church except he be first lawfully called to doe thâ—se things For God who hath reserued euen from the first beginning of the world vntill the end therof a Church vnto himselfe vpon earth against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile hath likewise appointed a perpetuall ministery for the seruice therein which though for outward calling hath not bin euer the same yet continually it was limited in those bounds as a thing most vnmeet and vnlawfull for any man to vndertake that was not called For as it is Gods infinite mercie when he could either saue vs without the ministry of any or by the ministry of Angels yet then to honor man with this dignity to make him a coadiutor dispenser and cohelper in so great a worke so it is his wisdome to appoint both for the auoiding of confusion and vnfitnesse such persons as are truly allotted to so honorable an office which neither before vnder or after the law was euer lawfull without any calling to vndertake The enemies to this religious order of the Church haue bin certaine louers of confusion which vnder pretence of the calling of the spirit haue ouerboldly intruded themselues into those holy functions for which lawfully they had neuer warrant Such were the Enthusiasts Anabaptists Schwenkfeldians who being enemies to all order vnder pretence of a calling from the Holy-ghost which others wanted haue made a passage contrary to that restraint of the Apostle Let no man take vpon him that honor to himselfe but he that is called of God without expectation of lawfull warrant to those duties that in the Church are greatest for in the time before the law it was not permitted to take the office of priesthood vnlesse he either were or had the prerogatiue of the eldest brother This was for the sinne of Ruben deriued to the tribe of Louie first for their zeale in that great idolatry and was after confirmed vnto him in the sedition of Corah and yet not to all of that family either to serue in that tabernacle or to teach throughout all Israel Neither were all ages equally fit vnto this calling it being neither lawfull before fiue and twenty nor after fifty to be admitted to it As also those that were admitted had a speciall consecration for a personall difference from the rest of that family to let them vnderstand that although they and only they of that tribe were to be imployed in those functions yet it was not lawfull to vndertake it without a calling this afterward wheÌ„ better notes of eminencie gaue that allowance which before birth did was with greater reuerence to be expected and to be obserued with a greater care by those whom the Church had inuested with authority to call vnto that charge To these persons because God imparted power ouer his mysticall bodie which is the society of soules and ouer that naturall which is himselfe for the knitting of both in one a worke which antiquity doth call the making of Christs body the same power is in such not amisse both tearmed a kind of marke or Character and acknowledged to be indeleble For ministeriall power is a marke of separation because it seuereth them that haue it from other men and maketh them a speciall order consecrated vnto the seruice of the most high in things wherewith others may not meddle Their difference therfore from other men is in that they are a distinct order and I call it indeleble because they which haue once receiued this power as Maister Hooker saith may not thinke to put it off and on like a cloake as the weather serueth to take it reiect and resume it as oft as themselues liste of which prophane and impious contempt these latter times haue yeelded as of all other kinds of iniquity and apostasie strange examples But let them know which put their hands to this plough that once consecrated vnto God they are made his peculiar inheritance for euer Suspensions may stoppe and degradations vtterly cutte off the vse or exercise of power giuen but voluntarily it is not in the power of man to separate and pull asunder what God by his authority coupleth Neither neede there a reordinatioÌ„ for such as were consecrated by the Church in corrupter times for out of men indued with gifts of the spirit the Church chose her ministers vnto whom was giuen ecclesiasticall power by ordination which they could neither assume or reiect at their owne pleasure Of these without doubt the Apostolick Churches did acknowledge but three degrees at the first Apostles in stead whereof are now Bishops Presbyters and Deacons for there is an error as Maister Hooker saith which beguileth many who much entangle both themselues and others by not distinguishing seruices offices and orders Ecclesiasticall the first of which three and in part the second may be executed by the laity whereas none haue or can haue the third namely order but the clergie Catechists Exorcists Readers Singers and the rest of like sort if the nature only of their labour and paines be considered may in that respect seeme clergie men euen as the fathers for that cause tearme them vsually Clerks as also in regard of the end whereunto they were trained vp which was to enter into orders when yeeres and experience should make them able notwithstanding in as much as they no way differed from others of the laity longer then during that work of seruice which at any time they might giue ouer beeing thereunto but admitted not tyed by irreuocable ordination we finde them alwaies exactly seuered from that body whereof those three before rehearsed orders alone are naturall parts
that the age present is corrected when the age past is iustly rebuked for the same fault And there cannot be a better meanes to cure our disorder at home then by discouering the effects that it hath wrought abroade Now that which principally discouereth that you are not such as in the title of this letter you terme your selues is that you make not Caluin but Christ himselfe the author of this discipline who as you say raised vp diuers men in diuers places as Oecolampadius Swinglius Suychius Philip Bucer Capito and Miconius and â—aught them by the same spirit out of the same holy scripture the same doctrine and commandement of truth and righteousnes In this you bewray what you are and how truly you fauour our present state in giuing so honorable testimony of that Church gouernment which hath bin so much oppugned by the Fathers of our Church Nay so much misliked by the Queene her self as appeareth by her most eloqueÌ„t speech against those reformers And I must needes tell you that those who haue taken vpon them the defence thereof are only able to confirme it not by places of scripture but by poore and marueâ—lous sleight coniectures collected froÌ„ them I need not giue instance in any one sentence so alledged for that I thinke the instance of any alledged otherwise not easily to be giuen A very strange thing sure it were that such a discipline as you speake of should be taught by Christ and his Apostles in the word of God and no Church euer hath found it out nor receiued it till this present time contrariwise the gouerment against which you bend yourselues to be obserued euery where through all generations and ages of the Christian world no Church euer perceiuing the word of God to be against it Finde but one Church one is not much vpon the face of the whole earth that hath bin ordered by your discipline or hath not bin ordered by ours that is to say by Episcopall regiment sithence the time that the blessed Apostles were here conuersant But you complaine of it as an iniurie that men should be willed to seeke for examples and paterns of gouerment in any of those times that haue bin before It is to small purpose that some daughter Churches haue learned to speake their mothers dialect In one word to conclude this article such is naturally our affection that whom in great things we mightily admire in them wee are not perswaded willingly that any thing should be amisse The reason wherof is that as dead flies putrefie the ointment of the apothecary so a little folly him that is in estimation for wisdome This in euery profession hath too much authorised the iudgments of a few this with Germans hath caused Luther and with many other Churches Caluin to preuaile in all things But thou O Lord art only holy thou only art iust who permittest the worthiest vessels of thy glory to be in some things blemished with the staine of humane frailty euen for this cause least we should esteem of any man aboue that which behooueth ARTICLE XX. Of Schoolemen Philosophie and Popery PHilosophie telleth vs if it be lawfull for me to vse so much Philosophie that naturall motions in the end are swifter but violet are more slowe and therefore heauy things the lower they descend doe moue faster and by so much also they moue slower by how much they ascend higher It seemeth that the accusations in this letter were such as had their first motion rather from the violence of some affection then from any naturall inclination to vnderstand the truth For surely though I take not vpon me to censure any man being my selfe clothed with so many wants yet in my weake opinion those that would desire are solution of such things as ouerthrow the foundation of the Church amongst vs which in your leâ—ter you professe should hardly esteeme the right vse of Philosophers and schoole learning to be an accusation of that kind So that whereas at the first your obiections seemed to moue with a greater strength now in the end they growe weake like the stroke of a man that is halfe tyred But I haue final reason to complaine of this which is mine owne aduantage for without the armour of other learning only in the strength of reason I duâ—st incounter a stronger man then my selfe in this wherein you accuse Maister Hooker that the right vse of Schoolemen and Philosophers is no hindrance or disgrace to true diuinity And therefore whereas you charge him that in all his discourse for the most part Aristotle and the ingenious Schoolemen almost in all points haue some finger and that reason is highly set vp against holy Scripture and such like I verely perswade my selfe that herein he hath committed no vnlawfull thing For those schoole imployments are acknowledged by graue and wise men not vnprofitablie to haue bin inuented the most approued for learning and iudgment doe vse them without blame the vse of them hath bin well liked by those that haue written in this kind the quality of the readers of his bookes though not of the most yet of those whom the matter concerned most was such as he could not but thinke them of capacity very sufficient to conceiue harder learning then he hath vsed any the cause he had in hand did in my opinion necessarily require those schoolemen and philosophers that he hath vsed for where a cause is strangely mistaken for want of distinctions what other way was there for him but by distinctions to lay it open That so it might appeare vnto all men whether it were consonant to truth or no and although you and I peraduenture being vsed to a more familiar and easie learning thinke it vnmeete to admit approoue or frequent the schooles yet our opinions are no Canons for Maister Hooker And although you being troubled in minde doe thinke that his writings seeme like fetters and manacles yet no doubt he hath met both with readers and hearers more calmely affected which haue iudged otherwise But it is a strange presumption in my opinion for priuate men such as professe themselues to be but common Christians which your writings besides your owne confession doe make manifest to prescribe a forme either of writing or teaching so plaine and familiar or rather indeed so empty and shallow that no man may doubte how vnlearned soeuer to giue his censure Must all knowledge be humbled so low that it must stoope to the capacity of the meanest reader But the Fathers say you haue misliked it Indeed I confesse there is an ouermuch vse which is euill in all things where there is not an absolute necessity Besides things comparatiuely spoken in regard of true vnderstanding of the scriptures is no rule for warrant that they are to be misliked simply For Stapleton himselfe confesseth in his cautions of expounding the scripture that the Schoolemen haue not a certaine and infallible authority of
Salust others Caesar a third Seneca a fourth Tacitus in one word euery man according to his owne fancy This as it is in stiles so it is in the seuerall actions of men where they are no sooner borne into the world but Censure as a gossip names them A thing I confesse needfull and vnfit to be prohibited seeing we reape oftentimes more benefit by our enemies then our friends yet this sheweth that the world is vnhappy where the best offices are performed by our worst acquaintance If we come to Authours some dislike Plato as Athenaeus did calling him confused others say I only esteem Plato who doth so cunningly weaue knowledge and vertue together as if he said he were content to giue you knowledge vpon condition that you should be honest Some compared Aristotle to that fish whose humour is like inke Liuiâ— he likes not Trogus nor Tully Demosthenes Lenaeus a seruant of Pompeies mislikes Salust Asenius calleth him an affecter Quintilian calleth Seneca chalke without sand Galigula dispraised Liuie as ful of words and yet negligent in suppressing the triumphes of Romulus gotten by the victorie of the Tuscans Thus Varro without question a maÌ„ most learned euen in the opinion of S. Austin by one Quintus Rhemius Palâ—â—on was called a hog Surely emulation of learning and difference either of opinion or maners breedes a dislike in schollers This hath bin is and shall be that euill whereunto learned men must be subiect in the variety of other mens censures nay euen those bookes which wee translate because they are excellent others wish because they are excellent not to be translated Surely it is much easier saith Dio Cassius to reprehend others then to moderate our selues Some are of so feeble and weake stomackes that they loath bread nay some are of that inconstant humour that what they commeÌ„d now they dispraise the next day and what yesterday they dispraisd they commend to day For in the beginning of your Letter you cal it a sweet sound of M. Hookers melodious stile and in another place you confesse that his bookes are very excellently and learnedly penned and yet in this Article your last scruple is because his bookes are so long and tedious in a stile not vsuall and as you thinke the like hard to bee found Where it seemes you are desirous to reprehend if you could but resolue of the maner how I dare not take vpon mee to censure those whom you say he is vnlike Cranmer Ridley Latimer Iewel Whitgift Foxe Fulke but I perswade my selfe that whatsoeuer their other vertues were wherein peraduenture they were more eminent yet doubtlesse the best of them that now liueth will acknowledge M. Hookers stile to be very excellent And although it is vnmeet I should compare him with others whose labours haue beene profitable in another kind yet I hope I may say without offence that as profoundly to iudge with sound variety of al learning was coÌ„mon to him with diuers others so to expresse what he conceiued in the eloquence of a most pure stile was the felicitie almost of himself alone That honorable Knight S. Philip Sidney gaue a taste in an argument of recreation how well that stile would befit an argument of a grauer subiect which it may be is more vnpleasing in the taste of some because the maner is learned the subiect is not agreeing to their humour Doubtlesse the perfecting of a stile and especially of our English stile which in my opinion refuseth not the purest ornaments of any language hath many mo helps then those honorable places of learning the Vniuersities can affoord And therfore in those things which they conceiue and some of them conceiue much there are found in the Princes court diuers most purely eloquent whom euen the best in the Vniuersities may despaire to imitate And if I may speake without offence I am fully perswaded that M. Hookers stile if he had had lesse learning a strange fault for the weight of his learning made it too heauy had bin incomparably the best that euer was written in our Church If our English story had been borne to that happinesse euer to haue beene attired in such rich ornaments she might worthily haue beene entertained in the best courts that the world hath but all Countries know our actions haue beene better done then they haue beene â—old Of things affected we may giue a reason but to aske as you do a reason of M. Hooker for his stile it is all one as if you asked him why he knew so much For doubtlesse out of iudgement he made this choise in my weake opinion or strong fancie simply the best and without comparison imitable to few Therefore your comparison of the bramble was vnfit which by a shew deceiued you a farre off for there is much more by a narrow view to bee discerned in him then hee seemeth to promise at the first sight Three things you desire with all instancie First to shew what arguments he hath alleaged which are not to be found in the answer of that reuerend Father vnto M. Cartwright To satisfie you in this demaund if there were no difference yet the consent of their arguments were reason enough for you to allow M. Hooker seeing you haue giuen your approbatioÌ„ of the works of that most reuereÌ„d Father whose worthines no doubt can receiue litle honor from your praise yet you know that the whole subiect of M. Hookers first foure books is an argument as ful of learning so directly heretofore not handled by any that I know Secondly you desire that if he set forth his other books which are promised that he would be more plaine and sensible Concerning those three bookes of his which from his own mouth I am informed that they were finisâ—â— I know not in whose hands they are nor whether y e church shall euer be bettered by so excellent a worke for as the Church might haue been happie if he had liued to haue written more so she were not altogether so much harmed if she might but inioy what he hath written But for you to prescribe him a stile as it is an authority vnfit to assume vnto your selfe so it were a request if he liued vnpossible to obtaine For as once the greatest of place for iudgement of law in our land answeared a client of his in my hearing who was desirous to haue him take information of his cause from another lawyer that seemed more fully acquainted with it he wil speake saith he wel himselfe by his own direction but if I should speake by his information I should speake but like a foole so I am sure howsoeuer you your selfe may write following your owne stile yet Maister Hooker by your direction could hardly attaine the commendations that himselfe had already gaind Lastly you wish him to be carefull not to corrupt the English creed by philosophie or vaine deceiâ— of Schoolemens new borne diuinity giue me leâ—ue to