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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	apostle_n	church_n	law_n	2,624	5	4.8536	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19459	A briefe ansvver vnto certaine reasons by way of an apologie deliuered to the Right Reuerend Father in God, the L. Bishop of Lincolne, by Mr. Iohn Burges wherin he laboureth to prooue, that hauing heretofore subscribed foure times, and now refusing (as a thing vnlawfull) that he hath notwithstanding done lawfully in both. Written by VVilliam Couell, Doctor in Diuinitie.	Covell, William, d. 1614?	1606 (1606)	STC 5880; ESTC S108879	108,616	174

make the action to be without fault Now in thinges which naturally are indifferent as these are the Precept of the superiour doth binde more then the Conscience of the inferiour can for the subiect hath the Commaundement of his lawfull superiour whether King or Bishoppe for his warrant and in things of this nature his duetie is not to examine but onely to performe what hee seeth commaunded Wherein wee doubt not but the Consideration is and will be greate of those who are in authoritie what they doe commaund The conscience that doth erre though it bynd vntill it be reformed ought notwithstanding to be reformed because either Ignorance necligence pryde Inordinat affection fayntnes perplexitie or self loue are the corrupt and originall causes of the errors of it so that if none of these haue ouerruled you as I dare not condemne another mans seruant but that knowledge with due consideration hath directed you in that ye did there is great reason to hearken to your excuse and to regard you and others with much attention whilst with reuerence and humility you alledge your Conscience In the meane time for remedy against these errours let them not disdaine the Counsell which wisemen haue found to be most safe If it bee of ignorance to say with IEHOSOPHAT Wee knowe not what to doe but our eyes are toward thee If of negligence to come without partiality or preiudice as NICHODEMVS to CHRIST to those that for knowledge are fit to teach vs. If of Pride to submit our selues one to another and especially to those that haue more learning and doe rule ouer vs. For hee that praiseth himselfe is not allowed but hee whome the Lord praiseth A singularity in this kinde hath beene the originall of most heresies in all ages and not the least occasion of the troubles of these times if from Inordinate affection making that lawfull which wee haue a minde to doe wee must hearken to Iudgement and refuse our affections in this ●ase for iudgement turned into affection doth all perish If from faintnesse then onely to bee scrupulous and fearefull when wee haue cause least wee thinke it lawfull because wee straine a g●at to swallow a Camell If of perplexitie when a man is closed as it were betwixt two sinnes where he is not able though willing to auoid both that which will not make eyther to be lawfull will make one of them directly a lesse sinne If of humilitie an errour sure of least danger wee wish them onely to take heed of too much feare for those external lets as that men cast vs out of their conscience for vsing these things supposing we are as ready whē time serueth to say Masse we esteeme not the vanity of such mens coniectures whose proper guiltines is the strongest motiue to thinke and to speake euill Neyther do wee desire a place in their conscience who cannot make a difference betwixt vsing of these and saying of Masse which things though eyther they cannot or list not to distinguish yet we do last of all that boyes and girles laugh at those for the vsing of these things whom before they looked on with feare It ought no more to be any motiue to a religious and graue man then when Michol saw Dauid daunsing before the Arke and dispised him in her heart saying in derision O how glorious was the King of Israell this day which was vncouered to day in the eyes of the maydens of his seruants as a foole vncouereth himselfe But rather confidently let vs answer to Atheists prophane and irreligious persons children and ignorant people as he did It was before the Lord which chose me rather then thy father and all his house and commaunded me to be ruler ouer the people of the Lord euen ouer Israell and therefore will I play before the Lord and will yet be more vile then thus and will bee low in my owne sight and of the verie same mayd seruants which thou hast spoken off shall I bee had in honour So I doubt not but euen those who by reason of the discontinued vse of these things eyther sport themselues at vs or thinke vs ready to intertaine popery in the highest measure shall learne by these ornaments to be more religious and in short time euen of them the ministers shall be had in farre greater honour APOLOGY LEt the Kings Maiestie please to remember how pardonably good men ●●ffer in lighter things and that our opinion is neither new nor vncountenanced from as learned men as this age hath knowne nor so concluded vp in the ministers breasts as that the quenching of them and the cause will prooue one worke And i● your Maiestie measure our desires and spirits by the scantling which you tooke of some in Scotland God and time will surely cleare vs and it will appeare that we affect not any popularity or parity in the Church of God nor stand vpon factions and partakings and that a little of Abrahams indulgence to his inferiour would haue drawne a peace more speedie safe then can be inforced Your excellent Maiestie is perswaded first to draw all into conformitie and then set vpon popery with a compleat armie ANSWER IF the long and eager contentions of this Church had all proceeded from a pardonable difference in lighter things the church of England might easelye haue hoped for a peace but had little cause to haue cōmended their Zeale who were willing so vehemētly to dissent vpon small occasions there is litle hope that wee should possesse any great portion of inheritance in Gods church who haue not learned in patience to possesse our owne soules Saint Chrisostome maketh certain steps of this vertue a vertue that none want which possesse charitye for charitye is patient it suffereth long it is not puffed vp it suffereth all things It beleueth all things it hopeth all things it indureth all things the first steppe is not to offer wrong the second not to reuenge it vpon our equals the third not to returne the like but to bee quiet the fourth to ascribe the desert of what we suffer to our selues the fift to yeeld our selues to him that doth euill the sixt not to hate him the seauenth to loue him the eight to doe good to him the last to pray for him Thus whatsoeuer wee suffer shall bee a medicine not a punishment But haue you delt thus nay haue you not complained of persecution whilst men in authoritie haue with griefe of heart but executed those lawes which were made for the Churches peace haue you not sought boastingly to countenance your opinions by as learned men in your iudgement as this age hath knowne Let it not be a blemish to the Honorable memory of M. Caluin M. Beza Pet. Martyr or any other of that time place that they fauored the discipline that you hold who doubtles if they had liued in this Kingdom in these times would haue thought otherwise

lawfull first to disobey and then to forsake your calling and liue a priuate life it were lamentable that the state of our Church were such as that men to auoid the seuerity of her superstitious laws had no other safetie for their conscience but to forsake their functions we know better of her and we will hope better things of you then you should thinke or write thus CERTAINE REASONS BY VVAY OF AN Apology deliuered to the Right Reuerend Father in God the Lord Bishoppe of LINCOLNE by IOHN BVRGES Wherein hee laboureth to proue that hauing heretofore subscribed foure tymes and now refusing to subscribe as a thing vnlawfull that he hath notwithstanding done lawfully in both ¶ The Preface of the APOLOGY RIGHT Reuerend Father in God according to my promise made vnto your Lordshippe at our conuention before you on the third of October and since by Letters I now present vnto you my determinate answere and therein my refusall of such subscription as your Lordshippe and the late Canons doe require And because it will seeme strange that I should now stick at subscription who haue already foure times subscribed I craue leaue to performe vnto your Lordshipe a true and sincere report of what I haue yeelded vnto as of what I now refuse and the reasons of both And because there goe many rumors and some copies and both perhaps false of my late subscriptions I pray leaue to set downe those very words which acquired as from the King I sent by maister Deane of the Ch●ppell vnto his excellent Maiestie and the report of that which I afterward performed before my Lord of London ANSVVER THere is little hope in the sequell of this Apology to find that submission and humility which were requisite in the Ministers of Christ when one of inferiour place dare aduenture to make a determinate answere of refusal to subscribe hauing notwithstanding before subscribed and yet maintaineth that he is lawfully warranted to do both doubtlesse if it had but beene the obedience to a priuate bishoppe in his own Dyoces ought we not rather to haue yeelded thē either to haue incurred the suspicion of cōtempt or to haue hazarded by suspension the vse of our ministery But when by your confession it was that Subscription which his Lordship and the Canons did both require you giue a singuler testimonie of his Lordshippes Episcopall vigelancie and withall runne into suspition of singuler contempt vnlesse your reasons being examined do prooue good for except the inferiour Clergy be obedient to the Bishoppe and the Bishoppes to the Metropolitane there would bee saith S. Hierome as many Scismes as Priests And one of the most modest and most learned that seemeth to fauour the cause of discipline maketh it a principall poynt of the ecclesiasticall gouerment that the Inferior clergye in things honest be obedient to the Bishop and the Bishoppe to the metropolitan so that you not onlye refusing obedience in this vnto the Bishopp but violating those canons wherevnto in ther intendiment you gaue consent which doubtles being so lawfully authorised was the whole church of England by representation you had need to afford good reasons of this refusall or else to account this refusal a great sin which the rather I doubt not but your wisdome will be carefull to avoyde as being not onlye to render an account of your owne obedience but to do it being required by so humble so learned so vertuous a King who in the midst of the greatest affaires of his realme vouchsafeth in his vsuall and extraordinarye loue to his cleargie to respect you and to require your answere by their message who if they had spoken in their own names deserued verye much to haue bene reuerenced by yow APOLOGY MY Answere to his Maiesties demaunds touching the discipline Ceremonies and Subscription I doe thinke and beleeue touching the gouernment of the Church by Bishops as with vs in Englād or by ruling Elders as in other Churches of God that neither of them was prescribed by the Apostles of Christ neither of them is repugnant to the word of God but may well and profitably bee vsed if more fault bee not in the persons then in the callings themselues 2 Secondly I doe hold and am perswaded of the Crosse and Surplesse that as our Church vseth them they bee not vnlawfull though in some men and places so inexpedient as that I thinke no mans ministery likely to do so much good as some mens sodaine vse of them might doe hurt 3 Thirdly for the subscription to the Articles of 62. as the Lawe requireth it and to his Maiesties Supremacie I approue it without any exception or qualification And touching the third Article about the booke of Common Prayer and booke of Ordination doe holde that howsoeuer they haue some things in them which cannot simply bee allowed as false translations c. Yet considered in the purpose and intention of the Church of England and reduced to the propositions it publickly professeth they containe nothing contrarie to the word of God and in witnesse that this is my vnfained Iudgement in the premises I haue set to my name this second of Iuly 1604. and will be alwaies ready to professe at his Maiesties command ANSVVER I doubt not but you haue well examined what you haue here set downe and wise men in cases of this moment deale not like vnwise builders but cast their account before hand Wee heare your opinion which it pleaseth you to call your vnfained Iudgment concerning Discipline Ceremonies and Subscription matters oftentimes handled before as be also the most things set downe by you wherein we must craue pardon if we alledge our owne words euen in that which we haue been occasioned to answere in another Treatise for wisdome telleth vs that it is necessarie to sowe againe after an euill haruest seeing oftentimes that which perisheth by the barrennes of some badground is abundantly restored in the fertility of some one year that followeth In your first concerning the gouernment of the Church which you call discipline neither is it vndetermined what was prescribed by the Apostles of Christ nor what succession of Bishops was continued in all Churches euen from their time so that it must needes seeme strange that the gouernment by Elders or by Bishoppes should in your opinion be a thing so indifferent as that neither beeing prescribed by the Apostles of Christ neither of them repugnant to the word of God may wel profitably be both vsed It seemeth strāge to my vnderstanding that after so many sharpe conflictes for the discipline of the Churh after such bitter inuectiues against the authority of Bishops After so confident commendation of the gouernment by Elders maintained as onely warrantable and inioyned out of Gods word fancies wherwith ye haue filled the Church for this fifty yeares that you should now confesse neither to be cōmaunded neither to bee repugnant to Gods word What meant

maximè potuimus ad Ecclesiam Apostolorum veterum Catholicorum Episcoporum patrum quam scimus adhuc suisse integram atque vt Tertullianus ait incorruptam vi●ginem nulla dum idolclatria nec errore graui ac publico contaminatam nec tantùm doctrinam nostram sed etiam sacramenta praecumque publicarum formam ad illorum ritus instituta direximus In al which doubtlesse there is nothing wanting which is requisite in a religious reformed Church sauing the charitable construction of our brethren who will needs eyther out of singularitie or feare bee our aduersaries in this cause And when nothing can bee said against the forme of that Lyturgy which wee vse they blame the orders of our Church which inioyne the whole Lyturgy to be read at the vsuall houres And vnder pretence of long prayers to banish preaching out of the Church I meruaile that any man will obiect it now seing it was an vntrue imputation long since by Master Cartwright layd vpon this church but as one telleth him neither aduisedly nor truly spoken wee will not compare two things of that nearenes and vse together but if some mens discretion could haue tempered their Zeale so farr that their owne paynes which they call Sermons might haue beene shorter and the orderly prayers of the church wholly read I doubt not but the religion of the people would haue beene much greater the worship of God more sound and the vnseasonable contentions of the Church farr lesse and if they continew but as some before them haue done to allow an houre half according to the pattern of reformed Churches for the whole Lyturgy or seruice wee are perswaded it will both bee time sufficient for performing the intention of the Canon which forbiddeth all diminshing in regard of preaching yet no man shal haue iust cause if he be willing to preach to complaine that hee wants time or that the length of prayers hath deuoured the Church for by this means hauing time which the wisdom of authority thinketh sufficient for both all extemporall inuention of vnsounde prayer shall bee vtterly banished out of christes Church and in Preaching the shortnesse of time shall necessarily cut off all impertinent discourses whilest they are sorced to comprize abundance of matter in few words But if any man thinke the Communion booke at first to be ordayned in part to supply the want of a Learned ministry which being obtayned may beomitted either in part or in whole as men please It is an error greatly mistaking the first vse and ouermuch differing from the modesty and humility of auncient tymes Wherein the Apostles came into the Sinagogue of the Iewes at Antioch and sat downe and after the Lecture of the law the prophetts which I take was their ordinary seruice the rulers of the Sinagogues sent vnto them saying ye men and brethren if ye haue any word of exhortation for the people say on read the ordinary marginall note vpon this place and it will seeme that the Sermon expected the finishing of ordinary diuine seruice as neither all waies necessarily following when this was nor at any time presuming to be vpon the Sabbath when this was not nor if the vnhallowed boldnesse of some in our time hath aduentured to thrust the graue religious discreete deliberate and iudicious prayers established by authoritie out of our Churches and forced them against all reason to giue place to an vnlearned vnorderly and bould exhortation without wisedome or sobrietie onely somewhat glorying in the show of a hote zeale was it not a petition necessary and seasonable humbly at the conference to intreat of his Maiestie for a praying ministery From the contempt whereof haue directly proceeded the prophannesse the Atheisme and all the want of Religion in this land yet let no man thinke that eyther the Canons or any of the Reuerend Fathers desire that preaching may be lesse but rather that with all modesty God being honoured in our praiers as we ought wee maye the better be able to profit by those lessons that sermons doe giue vnto vs. And therefore it is ouer greate boldnes of our aduersaryes in this to accuse any man in authoritye in the church as an aduersarie to preaching seing the whole scope of sundry of these late Canons prouideth better for more and more learned Sermons then any lawes heretofore concluded in this Kingdome so that wee banish not preaching for prayers as you would make the world beleeue but saye as our Sauiour doth in another case this ought ye to haue done but not to haue left the other vndone For doubtles the children of God fynd continually an excellent vse of both by prayer saith Isiodore wee are clensed by reading and hearing wee are instructed If both may be had they are both good If both cannot be had it is better to pray So then to say lesse then their vncharitable accusation deserueth in this cause wee affirme that they surmise vs to seeke to haue preaching neglected but wee know too wel that praiers are contemned by their meanes from which at the last without great care the neglecting of preaching must needs follow and therefore the restraynt of the one with discretion to giue way to the other is neither to delay or delude the Kings purpose against an vnlearned and scandalous ministery or like the shadowe of the moone at the battell of Cremona or an abuse to his Maiestie a sinn to bishops aplague to the Church or to the offenders Intollerable Insolencye in stead of deserued shame but rather to speake truly and as this wisdome deserueth in the vpright sinceritye of a good conscience an execution of the Kings vertuous and religious care an honour to his Princelye Maiestye a holye discretion in the reuerend Bishops a happines to the Church a brydle strayt enough to such as deserue shame for now all may learne to be longer in prayers and shortter in Sermons because speeches ouer much inlarged want vnderstanding saith Saint Austen And you may be aduised heareafter to blame your selfe and to pardon others APOLOGY ANd thus from the generall I descend to some particular exceptions as first those about the Scriptures to be read which are three 1. The omission of the Canon 2. The appointing of some corrupt Apocripha 3. The translations It is manifest that 160. Chapters of the Canon and therein some whole bookes as the Chronicles Canticles and most of the Apocalipse are omitted in the Rubrick as least to edifying This I excused in my owne heart thus that because most of these chapters omitted were either obscure or obnoxius to euill hearts if read without interpretation the Church in good discretion making a choyce of Scriptures which the learned allow did omit them in the direction of the Kalender but made no doubt but any able Minister might read them ouer and aboue the appointed Lessons with some exposition of