not loosely through silence permitted thinges to passe away as in a dreame there shall be for mens information extant thus much concerning the present state of the Church of God established amongst vs and their carefull endeuour which would haue vpheld the same At your hands beloued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for in him the loue which we beare vnto all that would but seeme to be borne of him it is not the sea of your gall and bitternes that shall euer drowne I haue no great cause to looke for other then the selfesame portion lot which your maner hath bene hitherto to lay on them that concur not in opinion and sentence with you But our hope is that the God of peace shal notwithstanding mans nature too impatient of contumelious maledictiō inable vs quietly and euē gladly to suffer al things for that worke sake which we couet to perform The wonderful zeale and feruour wherewith ye haue withstood the receiued orders of this Church was the first thing which caused me to enter into consideration whether as all your published bookes and writings peremptorily maintain euery Christian man fearing God stand bound to ioyne with you for the furtherance of that which ye tearme the Lords Discipline Wherin I must plainly confesse vnto you that before I examined your sundrie declarations in that behalfe it could not settle in my head to thinke but that vndoubtedly such nūbers of otherwise right wel affected most religiously enclined minds had some maruellous reasonable inducementes which led thē with so great earnestnes that way But when once as near as my slender abilitie would serue I had with trauell care performed that part of the Apostles aduise counsel in such cases whereby he willeth to try al things and was come at the length so far that there remained onely the other clause to be satisfied wherein he concludeth that what good is must bee held there was in my poore vnderstanding no remedie but to set downe this as my finall resolute perswasion Surely the present forme of Church gouernment which the lawes of this land haue established is such as no lawe of God nor reason of man hath hitherto bene alleaged of force sufficient to proue they do ill who to the vttermost of their power withstand the alteration thereof Contrariwise The other which instead of it we are required to accept is only by error misconceipt named the ordinance of Iesus Christ no one proofe as yet brought forth whereby it may clearely appeare to be so in very deede The explication of which two thinges I haue here thought good to offer into your owne hands hartily beseeching you euen by the meeknesse of Iesus Christ whome I trust ye loue that as ye tender the peace and quietnesse of this Church if there bee in you that gracious humilitie which hath euer bene the crowne and glory of a christianly disposed minde if your owne soules hearts and consciences the sound integritie whereof can but hardly stand with the refusall of truth in personall respects be as I doubt not but they are things most deare and precious vnto you Let not the faith which ye haue in our Lord Iesus Christ be blemished with partialities regard not who it is which speaketh but waigh onely what is spoken Thinke not that ye reade the wordes of one who bendeth himselfe as an aduersary against the truth which ye haue alreadie embraced but the words of one who desireth euen to embrace together with you the selfe same truth if it be the truth and for that cause for no other God hee knoweth hath vndertaken the burthensome labour of this painefull kinde of conference For the plainer accesse whereunto let it bee lawfull for mee to rip vp to the very bottome how and by whom your Discipline was planted at such time as this age wee liue in began to make first triall thereof 2. A founder it had whome for mine owne part I thinke incomparably the wisest man that euer the french Church did enioy since the houre it enioyed him His bringing vp was in the studie of the Ciuill Lawe Diuine knowledge he gathered not by hearing or reading so much as by teaching others For though thousands were debters to him as touching knowledge in that kinde yet he to none but onely to God the author of that most blessed fountaine the booke of life and of the admirable dexteritie of wit together with the helpes of other learning which were his guides till being occasioned to leaue Fraunce he fell at the length vpon Geneua Which Citie the Bishop and Cleargie thereof had a little before as some doe affirme forsaken being of likelihood frighted with the peoples sudden attempt for abolishment of popish religiō the euent of which enterprise they thought it not safe for themselues to wait for in that place At the comming of Caluin thither the forme of their ciuill regiment was popular as it continueth at this day neither King nor Duke nor Noble man of any authoritie or power ouer them but officers chosen by the people yearely out of themselues to order all things with publique consent For spirituall gouernment they had no lawes at all agreed vpon but did what the pastors of their soules by perswasion could win them vnto Caluin being admitted one of their Preachers a diuinitie Reader amongst them considered how dangerous it was that the whole estate of that Church should hang stil on so slender a thred as the liking of an ignorant multitude is if it haue power to change whatsoeuer it selfe listeth Wherefore taking vnto him two of the other ministers for more countenance of the action albeit the rest were all against it they moued and in the end perswaded with much adoe the people to bind themselues by solemne oath first neuer to admit the Papacie amongst them againe and secondly to liue in obedience vnto such orders concerning the exercise of their religion and the forme of their ecclesiasticall gouernment as those their true and faithfull Ministers of Gods word had agreeablie to Scripture set downe for that end and purpose When these thinges began to bee put in vre the people also what causes mouing them thereunto themselues best know began to repent them of that they had done and irefully to champe vpon the bit they had taken into their mouthes the rather for that they grew by meanes of this innouation into dislike with some Churches neare about them the benefite of whose good friendship their state could not well lacke It was the manner of those times whether through mens desire to enioy alone the glory of their owne enterprises or else because the quicknesse of their occasions required present dispatch so it was that euery particular Church did that within it selfe which some fewe of their owne thought good by whome the rest were all directed Such nūber of Churches thē being though free within themselues yet smal commō conference before hand
for vs so small is the ioy we take in these strifes to labour vnder the same yoke as men that looke for the same eternall reward of their labours to be ioyned with you in bands of indissoluble loue and amity to liue as if our persons being many our soules were but one rather then in such dismembred sort to spend our few and wretched daies in a tedious prosecuting of wearisome contentions the end whereof if they haue not some speedy ende will be heauie euen on both sides Brought alreadie we are euen to that estate which Gregorie Nazianzene mournefully describeth saying My minde leadeth mee sith there is no other remedie to flye and to conuey my selfe into some corner out of sight where I may scape from this cloudie tempest of malitiousnesse whereby all parts are entred into a deadly warre amongst themselues and that little remnant of loue which was is now consumed to nothing The onely godlines we glory in is to finde out somewhat whereby we may iudge others to be vngodly Each others faults we obserue as matter of exprobration and not of griefe By these meanes wee are growne hateful in the eyes of the Heathens themselues and which woundeth vs the moâ—e deeply able we are not to denie but that we haue deserued their hatred With the better sort of our owne our fame and credit is cleane lost The lesse wee are to maruell if they iudge vilely of vs who although we did well would hardly allow therof On our backs they also build that are lewd and what we obiect one against an other the same they vse to the vtter scorne and disgrace of vs all This we haue gained by our mutuall home-dissentions This we are worthily rewarded with which are more forward to striue then becommeth men of vertuous and mild disposition But our trust in the almightie is that with vs contentions are now at their highest floate and that the day will come for what cause of despaire is there when the passioÌ„s of former enmitie being allaied we shal with ten times redoubled tokens of our vnfainedly reconciled loue shewe our selues each towards other the same which Ioseph and the brethren of Ioseph were at the time of their enteruiew in Aegypt Our comfortable expectation and most thirstie desire whereof what man soeuer amongst you shall any way helpe to satisfie as we truly hope there is no one amongst you but some way or other will the blessings of the God of peace both in this world and in the world to come be vppon him moe then the starres of the firmament in number VVhat things are handled in the Bookes following THe first Booke concerning lawes in generall The second of the vse of diuine lawe conteined in scripture whether that be the onely lawe which ought to serue for our direction in all things without exception The third of lawes concerning Ecclesiasticall Politie whether the forme thereof be in scripture so set downe that no addition or change is lawfull The fourth of generall exceptions taken against the lawes of our politie as being popish and banished out of certaine reformed Churches The fift of our lawes that concerne the publike religious duties of the Church and the maner of bestowing that power of order which inableth men in sundrie degrees and callings to execute the same The sixt of the power of iurisdiction which the reformed platforme claymeth vnto lay-elders with others The seauenth of the power of iurisdiction and the honor which is annexed thereunto in Bishops The eighth of the power of ecclesiasticall dominion or supreme authoritie which with vs the highest gouernour or Prince hath as well in regard of domesticall iurisdictions as of that other forreinly claimed by the Bishop of Rome The first Booke Concerning Lawes and their seuerall kindes in generall The matter conteined in this first Booke 1 THe cause of writing this generall discourse concerning lawes 2 Of that lawe which God from before the beginning hath set for himselfe to doe all the things by 3 The law which natural agents obserue their necessary maner of keeping it 4 The lawe which the Angels of God obey 5 The lawe whereby man is in his actions directed to the imitation of God 6 Mens first beginning to vnderstand that lawe 7 Of mans will which is the first thing that lawes of action are made to guide 8 Of the naturall finding out of lawes by the light of reason to guide the will vnto that which is good 9 Of the benefit of keeping that lawe which reason teacheth 10 How reason doth lead men vnto the making of humane lawes whereby politique societies are gouerned and to agreement about lawes whereby the fellowship or communion of independent societies standeth 11 Wherefore God hath by scripture further made knowne such supernaturall lawes as do serue for mens direction 12 The cause why so many naturall or rationall lawes are set downe in holy scripture 13 The benefit of hauing diuine lawes written 14 The sufficiencie of scripture vnto the end for which it was instituted 15 Of lawes positiue conteined in scripture the mutabilitie of certaine of them and the generall vse of scripture 16 A conclusion shewing how all this belongeth to the cause in question HE that goeth about to perswade a multitude that they are not so well gouerned as they ought to be shal neuer waÌ„t attentiue fauourable hearers because they know the manifold defects whereunto euery kind of regiment is subiect but the secret lets and difficulties which in publike proceedings are innumerable ineuitable they haue not ordinarily the iudgement to consider And becâ—â—se such as openly reproue supposed disorders of state are taken for principall friendes to the common benefite of all and for men that carry singular freedome of mind vnder this faire and plausible colour whatsoeuer they vtter passeth for good and currant That which wanteth in the waight of their speech is supplyed by the aptnes of mens minds to accept and beleeue it Whereas on the other side if we maintaine thinges that are established wee haue not onely to striue with a number of heauie preiudices deepely rooted in the hearts of men who thinke that herein we serue the time and speake in fauour of the present state because thereby we eyther hold or seeke preferment but also to beare such exceptions as minds so auerted before hand vsually take against that which they are loath should be powred into them Albeit therefore much of that we are to speake in this present cause may seeme to a number perhaps tedious perhaps obscure darke and intricate for many talke of the truth which neuer sounded the depth from whence it springeth and therfore when they are led thereunto they are soone weary as men drawne from those beaten pathes wherewith they haue bene inured yet this may not so farre preuaile as to cut off that which the matter it selfe requireth howsoeuer the nice humour of some be therewith pleased or no.
his maker resembleth him also in the maner of working so that whatsoeuer we worke as men the same we do wittingly worke and freely neither are we according to the maner of naturall agents any way so tied but that it is in our power to leaue the things we do vndone The good which either is gotten by doing or which consisteth in the very doing it selfe causeth not action vnlesse apprehending it as good we so like and desire it That we do vnto any such ende the same we choose and preferre before the leauing of it vndone Choice there is not vnlesse the thing which we take be so in our power that we might haue refused and left it If fire consume the stubble it chooseth not so to do because the nature thereof is such that it can do no other To choose is to will one thing before another And to will is to bend our soules to the hauing or doing of that which they see to be good Goodnesse is seene with the eye of the vnderstanding And the light of that eye is reason So that two principall fountaines there are of humaine action Knowledge and Will which will in things tending towards any end is termed Choice Concerning knowledge Behold sayth Moses I haue set before you this day good and euill life and death Concerning Will he addeth immediatly Choose life that is to say the things that tend vnto life them choose But of one thing we must haue speciall care as being a matter of no small moment and that is how the will properly and strictly taken as it is of things which are referred vnto the end that man desireth differeth greatly from that inferiour naturall desire which we call appetite The obiect of appetite is whatsoeuer sensible good may be wished for the obiect of wil is that good which reason doth leade vs to seeke Affections as ioy and griefe and feare and anger with such like being as it were the sundry fashions and formes of appetite can neither rise at the conceipt of a thing indifferent nor yet choose but rise at the sight of some things Wherefore it is not altogether in our power whether we will be stirred with affections or no whereas actions which issue from the dispositioÌ„ of the wil are in the power therof to be performed or staied Finally appetite is the wils sollicitor and the will is appetites controller what we couet according to the one by the other we often reiect neither is any other desire termed properly will but that where reason and vnderstanding or the shew of reason prescribeth the thing desired It may be therfore a question whether those operations of men are to be counted voluntary wherein that good which is sensible prouoketh appetite and appetite causeth action reason being neuer called to councell as when we eate or drinke or betake our selues vnto rest and such like The truth is that such actions in men hauing attained to the vse of reason are voluntary For as the authoritie of higher powers hath force euen in those things which are done without their priuitie and are of so meane reckening that to acquaint them therewith it needeth not in like sort voluntarily we are said to do that also which the will if it listed might hinder from being done although about the doing thereof we do not expressely vse our reason or vnderstanding and so immediatly apply our wils thereunto In cases therefore of such facility the will doth yeeld her assent as it were with a kind of silence by not dissenting in which respect her force is not so apparant as in expresse mandates or prohibitions especially vpon aduice and consultation going before Where vnderstanding therefore needeth in those things reason is the director of mans will by discouering in action what is good For the lawes of well doing are the dictates of right reason Children which are not as yet come vnto those yeares whereat they may haue againe innocentes which are excluded by naturall defect from euer hauing thirdly mad men which for the present cannot possibly haue the vse of right reason to guide themselues haue for their guide the reason that guideth other men which are tutors ouer them to seeke and to procure their good for them In the rest there is that light of reason whereby good may be knowne from euill and which discouering the same rightly is termed right The will notwithstanding doth not incline to haue or do that which reason teacheth to be good vnlesse the same do also teach it to be possible For albeit the appetite being more generall may wish any thing which seemeth good be it neuer so impossible yet for such things the reasonable will of man doth neuer seeke Let reason reach impossibilitie in any thing and the will of man doth let it go a thing impossible it doth not affect the impossibility thereof being manifest There is in the will of man naturally that freedome whereby it is apt to take or refuse any particular obiect whatsoeuer being presented vnto it Whereupon it followeth thâ—t there is no particular obiect so good but it may haue the shew of some difâ—icultie or vnplesant qualitie annexed to it in respect whereof the will may shrinke and decline it contrariwise for so things are blended there is no particular euill which hath not some appearance of goodnes whereby to insinuate it selfe For euill as euill cannot be desired if that be desired which is euill the cause is the goodnes which is or seemeth to be ioyned with it Goodnesse doth not moue by being but by being apparant and therefore many things are neglected which are most pretious onely because the value of them lyeth hid Sensible goodnesse is most apparent neere and present which causeth the appetite to be therewith strongly prouoked Now pursuit refusall in the will do follow the one the affirmation the other the negation of goodnes which the vnderstanding apprehendeth grounding it selfe vpon sense vnlesse some higher reason do chance to teach the coÌ„trary And if reason haue taught it rightly to be good yet not so apparently that the mind receiueth it with vtter imâ—ossibility of being otâ—erwise still there is place left for the will to take or leaue Whereas therefore amongst so many things as are to be done there are so few the goodnes wherof reasoÌ„ in such sort doth or easily can discouer we are not to mâ—ruaile at the choyce of euill eueÌ„ then when the coÌ„trary is probably knowne Hereby it cometh to passe that custome inuring the mind by loÌ„â— practise so leauing there a sensible impression preuaileth more theÌ„ reasonable perswasioÌ„ whâ—t way so euer Reason therfore may rightly discerne the thing which is good yet the will of maÌ„ not incline it selfe theruâ—to is oft as the preiudice of sensible experience doth ouersway Nor let any man thinke that this doth make any thing for the iust excuse of iniquity For there was neuer sin coÌ„mitted wherein a
matter whereof they speake Let any man therefore that carieth indifferency of iudgement peruse the Bishops speeches and consider well of those negatiues concerning scripture which he produceth out of Irenaeus Chrysostome Leo which three are chosen from amongst the residue because the sentences of the others euen as one of theirs also do make for defence of negatiue arguments taken from humane authority and not from diuine onely They mention no more restraint in the one then in the other yet I thinke themselues will not hereby iudge that the Fathers tooke both to be strong without restraint vnto any speciall kind of matter wherein they held such arguments forcible Nor doth the Bishop either say or proue any more then that an argument in some kinds of matter may be good although taken negatiuely from Scripture 7 An earnest desire to draw all things vnto the determination of bare and naked Scripture hath caused here much paines to be taken in abating the estimation and credite of man Which if we labour to maintaine as farre as truth and reason will beare let not any thinke that we trauaile about a matter not greatly needful For the scope of all their pleading against mans authoritie is to ouerthrowe such orders lawes and constitutions in the Church as depending thereupon if they should therefore be taken away would peradueture leaue neither face nor memory of Church to continue long in the world the world especially being such as now it is That which they haue in this case spoken I would for breuities sake let passe but that the drift of their speech being so dangerous their words are not to be neglected Wherefore to say that simply an argument taken from mans authority doth hold no way neither affirmatiuely nor negatiuely is hard By a mans authority we here vnderstaÌ„d the force which his word hath for the assurance of anothers mind that buildeth vpon it as the Apostle somewhat did vpon their report of the house of Cloe and the Samaritanes in a matter of farre greater moment vpon the report of a simple woman For so it is sayd in Saint Iohns Gospell Many of the Samaritans of that City belieued in him for the saying of the woman which testified He hath told me all things that euer I did The strength of mans authority is affirmatiuely such that the waightiest affaires in the world depend therâ—on In iudgement and iustice are not herevpon proceedings grounded Sayth not the law that in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shal be confirmed This the law of God would not say if there were in a mans testimony no force at all to prooue any thing And if it be admitted that in matter of fact there is some credite to be giuen to the testimonie of man but not in matter of opinion and iudgement we see the contrary both acknowledged and vniuersally practised also throughout the world The sentences of wise and expert men were neuer but highly esteemed Let the title of a mans right be called in question are we not bold to relie and build vpon the iudgement of such as are famous for their skill in the lawes of this land In matter of state the waight many times of some one mans authority is thought reason sufficient euen to sway ouer whole nations And this not onely with the simpler sort but the learneder and wiser we are the more such arguments in some cases preuaile with vs. The reason why the simpler sort are mooued with authority is the conscience of their owne ignorance whereby it commeth to passe that hauing learned men in admiration they rather feare to dislike them then know wherefore they should allow and follow their iudgements Contrariwise with them that are skilfull authority is much more strong and forcible because they only are able to discerne how iust cause there is why to some mens authority so much should be attributed For which cause the name of Hippocrates no doubt were more effectuall to perswade euen such men as Galen himselfe then to moue a silly Empiricke So that the very selfe same argument in this kind which doth but induce the vulgaâ— sort to like may constraine the wiser to yeeld And therefore not Orators only with the people but euen the very profoundest disputers in all faculties haue hereby often with the best learned preuailed most As for arguments taken from humaine authority and that negatiuely for example sake if we should thinke the assembling of the people of God together by the sound of a bell the presenting of infants at the holy font by such as commonly we call their Godfathers or any other the like receiued custome to be impious because some men of whom we thinke very reuerendly haue in their bookes and writings no where mentioned nor taught that such things should be in the Church this reasoning were subiect vnto iust reproofe it were but feeble weake and vnsound Notwithstanding euen negatiuely an argument from humaine authority may be strong as namely thus The Chronicles of England mention no moe then onely sixe kings bearing the name of Edward since the time of the last conquest therefore it cannot be there should be moe So that if the question be of the authority of a mans testimony we cannot simply auouch either that affirmatiuely it doth not any way hold or that it hath only force to induce the simpler sort and not to constraine men of vnderstanding and ripe iudgement to yeeld assent or that negatiuely it hath in it no strength at all For vnto eâ—uery of these the contrary is most plaine Neither doth that which is alleaged concerning the infirmitie of men ouerthrow or disproue this Men are blinded with ignorance and errour many things may escape them and in many things they may bee deceiued yea those things which they do knowe they may either forget or vpon sundry indirect considerations let passe and although themselues do not erre yet may they through malice or vanity euen of purpose deceiue others Howbeit infinite cases there are wherein all these impediments and lets are so manifestly excluded that there is no shew or colour whereby any such exception may be taken but that the testimony of man will stand as a ground of infallible assurance That there is a City of Rome that Pius Quintus and Gregory the 13. and others haue beene Popes of Rome I suppose we are certainely enough perswaded The ground of our perswasion who neuer saw the place nor persons before named can be nothing but mans testimony Will any man here notwithstanding alleage those mentioned humaine infirmities as reasons why these things should be mistrusted or doubted of Yea that which is more vtterly to infringe the force and strength of mans testimony were to shake the very fortresse of Gods truth For whatsoeuer we beleeue concerning saluation by Christ although the scripture be therein the ground of our beliefe yet the authority of man is if we
then receiued he for performance of this duty the special gift of the holy Ghost To keepe this cōmandement immaculate and blamelesse was to teach the Gospel of Christ without mixture of corrupt vnsound doctrine such as a number did euen in those times intermingle with the misteries of Christian beliefe Til the appearance of Christ to keep it so doth not import the time wherein it shold be kept but rather the time whereunto the finall reward for keeping it was reserued according to that of S. Paul concerning himselfe I haue kept the faith for the residue there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous shall in that day render vnto me If they that labour in this haruest should respect but the present fruit of their painefull trauell a poore incouragement it were vnto them to continue therein al the daies of their life But their reward is great in heauen the crowne of righteousnes which shal be giuen them in that day is honorable The fruite of their industry then shall they reape with full contentment and satisfaction but not till then Wherein the greatnes of their reward is abundantly sufficient to counteruaile the tediousnesse of their expectation Wherefore till then they that are in labour must rest in hope O Timothie keepe that which is committed vnto thy charge that great commandement which thou hast receiued keepe till the appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ. In which sense although we iudge the Apostles words to haue bene vttered yet hereunto we do not require them to yeeld that thinke any other construction more sound If therefore it be reiected and theirs esteemed more probable which hold that the last wordes doe import perpetuall obseruation of the Apostles commaundement imposed necessarilly for euer vppon the militant Church of Christ let them withall consider that then his commaundement cannot so largely bee taken as to comprehend whatsoeuer the Apostle did commaund Timothy For themselues do not all blind the Church vnto some things whereof Timothy receiued charge as namely vnto that precept concerning the choise of Widowes So as they cannot hereby maintaine that all things positiuely commanded concerning the affaires of the Church were commanded for perpetuitie And we do not deny that certaine things were commanded to be though positiue yet perpetuall in the Church They should not therefore vrge against vs places that seeme to forbid change but rather such as set downe some measure of alteration which measure if we haue exceeded then might they therwith charge vs iustly Whereas now they themselues both granting and also vsing liberty to change cannot in reason dispute absolutely against al change Christ deliuered no inconuenient or vnmeete lawes Sundry of ours they hold inconuenient Therefore such lawes they cannot possibly hold to be Christs Being not his they must of necessity graunt them added vnto his Yet certaine of those very lawes so added they themselues do not iudge vnlawfull as they plainly confesse both in matter of prescript attire and of rites appertaining to buriall Their owne protestations are that they plead against the inconuenience not the vnlawfulnes of popish apparell and against the inconuenience not the vnlawfulnesse of Ceremonies in Buriall Therefore they hold it a thing not vnlawfull to adde to the lawes of Iesus Christ and so consequently they yeeld that no lawe of Christ forbiddeth addition vnto Church laws The iudgement of Caluin being alleaged against them to whom of all men they attribute most whereas his words be plaine that for Ceremonies and externall discipline the Church hath power to make lawes the answer which herunto they make is that indefinitly the speech is true and that so it was meant by him namely that some things belonging vnto externall discipline and Ceremonies are in the power and arbitrement of the Church but neither was it mēt neither is it true generally that al externall discipline all Ceremonies are left to the order of the Church in as much as the sacraments of Baptisme the Supper of the Lord are Ceremonies which yet the Church may not therefore abrogate Againe excommunication is a part of externall discipline which might also be cast away if all externall discipline were arbitrary and in the choise of the Church By which their answer it doth appeare that touching the names of Ceremonie and externall discipline they gladly would haue vs so vnderstood as if we did herein conteine a great deale more then we do The fault which we find with them is that they ouermuch abridge the Church of her power in these things Whereupon they recharge vs as if in these things we gaue the Church a liberty which hath no limits or boūds as if all things which the name of discipline cōteineth were at the churches free choice so that we might either haue Church-gouernours and gouernement or want them either reteine or reiect Church censures as we list They wonder at vs as at men which thinke it so indifferent what the Church doth in matter of ceremonies that it may bee feared least we iudge the very sacraments themselues to be held at the Churches pleasure No the name of ceremonies we do not vse in so large a meaning as to bring Sacraments within the compasse and reach thereof although things belonging vnto the outward forme and seemely administration of them are conteined in that name euen as we vse it For the name of ceremonies we vse as they themselues do when they speake after this sort The Doctrine and Discipline of the Church as the waightiest things ought especially to be looked vnto but the Ceremonies also as mynt comyn ought not to be neglected Besides in the matter of externall discipline or regiment itselfe wee doe not deny but there are some thinges whereto the Church is bound till the worlds ende So as the question is onely howe farre the bounds of the Churches libertie do reach We hold that the power which the Church hath lawfully to make lawes and orders for it selfe doth extend vnto sundrie things of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and such other matters whereto their opinion is that the Churches authoritie and power doth not reach Whereas therefore in disputing against vs about this point they take their compasse a great deale wider then the truth of things can afford producing reasons and arguments by way of generality to proue that Christ hath set downe all things belonging any way vnto the forme of ordering his Church and hath absolutely forbidden change by addition or diminution great or small for so their maner of disputing is we are constrained to make our defence by shewing that Christ hath not depriued his Church so farre of all libertie in making orders lawes for it selfe and that they themselues do not thinke he hath so done For are they able to shew that all particular customes rites and orders of reformed Churches haue bene appointed by Christ himselfe No they graunt
is so different from that of the reformed Churches Beeing asked to what Churches ours should conforme it selfe and why other reformed Churches should not as well frame themselues to ours their answere is That if there be any Ceremonies which wee haue better then others they ought to frame themselues to vs if they haue better then we then we ought to frame our selues to them if the Ceremonies be alike commodious the later Churches should conforme themselues to the first as the younger daughter to the elder For as S. Paul in the members where all other things are equal noteth it for a marke of honor aboue the rest that one is called before another to the Gospell so is it for the same cause amongest the Churches And in this respect he pincheth the Corinthes that not being the first which receiued the Gospell yet they would haue their seuerall maners from other Churches Moreouer where the Ceremonies are alike commodious the fewer ought to conforme themselues vnto the moe For as much therefore as all the Churches so farre as they know which pleade after this manner of our confession in doctrine agree in the abrogation of diuers things which we reteine our churches ought either to shew that they haue done euill or else she is found to be in fault that doth not conforme her selfe in that which she cannot denie to be well abrogated In this axiome that preseruation of peace and vnitie amongst Christian Churches should be by al good meanes procured we ioyne most willingly and gladly with them Neither denie we but that to th' auoyding of dissention it auaileth much that there be amongst theÌ„ an vnitie as well in ceremonies as in doctrine The only doubt is about the manner of their vnitie how far churches are bound to be vniforme in their ceremonies what way they ought to take for that purpose Touching the one the rule which they haue set down is that in ceremonies in differeÌ„t all churches ought to be one of them vnto another as like as possibly they may be Whcih possibly we cannot otherwise conster theÌ„ that it doth require them to be euen as like as they may be without breaking any positiue ordinance of God For the ceremonies wherof we speake being matter of positiue law they are indifferent if God haue neither himselfe coÌ„manded nor forbidden theÌ„ but left theÌ„ vnto the Churches discretion So that if as great vniformitie bee required as is possible in these things seeing that the law of God forbiddeth not any one of theÌ„ it followeth that from the greatest vnto the least they must be in euery Christian Church the same except meere impossibilitie of so hauing it be the hinderaÌ„ce To vs this opinion seemeth ouer extreame violent wee rather incline to thinke it a iust and reasonable cause for any Church the state whereof is free and independent if in these things it differ from other Churches only for that it doth not iudge it so fit expedient to be framed therin by the patterne of their example as to bee otherwise framed then they That of Gregorie vnto Leander is a charitable speech and a peaceable In vnâ fide nil officit Ecclesiae sanctae consuetudo diuersa Where the faith of the holy Church is one a difference in customes of the Church doth no harme That of S. Augustine to Cassulanus is somewhat more particular and toucheth what kinde of ceremonies they are wherein one Church may vary from the example of an other without hurt Let the faith of the whole church how wide so euer it haue spred it selfe be alwaies one although the vnitie of beliefe be famous for varietie of certain ordinances wherby that which is rightly beleeued suffereth no kind of let or impediment Caluin goeth further As concerning rites in particular let the sentence of Augustine take place which leaueth it free vnto all Churches to receiue their owne custome Yea sometime it profiteth and is expedient that there be difference least men should thinke that religion is tyed to outward ceremonies Alwayes prouided that there be not any emulation nor that churches delighted with noueltie affect to haue that which others haue not They which graunt it true that the diuersitie of Ceremonies in this kind ought not to cause dissention in churches must eyther acknowledge that they graunt in effect nothing by these words or if any thing be granted there must as much be yeelded vnto as we affirme against their former strict assertion For if Churches be vrged by way of dutie to take such ceremonies as they like not of how can dissention be auoyded Will they say that there ought to be no dissention because such as are vrged ought to like of that whereunto they are vrged If they say this they say iust nothing For how should any Church like to be vrged of dutie by such as haue no authoritie or power ouer it vnto those things which being indifferent it is not of dutie bound vnto them Is it their meaning that there ought to be no dissention because that which Churches are not bound vnto no man ought by way of dutie to vrge vpon them and if any man doe he standeth in the sight both of God and men most iustly blameable as a needelesse disturber of the peace of Gods Church an author of dissention In saying this they both condemne their owne practise when they presse the Church of England with so strict a bond of dutie in these thinges and they ouerthrowe the ground of their practise which is that there ought to bee in all kinde of ceremonies vniformitie vnlesse impossibilitie hinder it For proofe whereof it is not enough to alleage what S. Paul did about the matter of collections or what Noble-men doe in the liueries of their seruants or what the Councell of Nice did for standing in time of prayer on certain daies because though S. Paule did will them of the Church of Coriâ—th euery man to lay vp somewhat by him vpon the Sunday and to reserue it in store till himselfe did come thither to send it vnto the Church of Ierusalem for reliefe of the poore there signifying withall that he had taken the like order with the Churches of Galatia yet the reason which hee yeeldeth of this order taken both in the one place and the other sheweth the least part of his meaning to haue bene that whereunto his wordes are writhed Concerning collection for the Saintes hee meaneth them of Ierusalem as I haue giuen order to the Church of Galatia so likewise doe ye saith the Apostle that is in euery first of the weeke let each of you lay aside by himselfe and reserue according to that which God hath blessed him with that when I come collections be not then to make and that when I am come whom you shall choose them I may forthwith sende away by letters to carrie your beneficence vnto Ierusalem Out of which wordâ— to conclude
Notwithstanding we do not deny alteration of laws to be sometimes a thing necessary as when they are vnnatural or impious or otherwise hurtfull vnto the publique community of mē and against that good for which humaine societies were instituted When the Apostles of our Lord Sauiour were ordained to alter the lawes of Heathnish Religion receiued throughout the whole world chosen I grant they were Paule excepted the rest ignorant poore simple vnschooled altogether and vnlettered men howbeit extraordinarilie indued with ghostly wisedome from aboue before they euer vndertooke this enterprise yea their authoritie confirmed by miracle to the end it might plainely appeare that they were the Lords Ambassadours vnto whose Soueraigne power for all flesh to stoope for all the kingdomes of the earth to yeeld themselues willingly conformable in whatsoeuer should be required it was their duty In this case therefore their oppositions in maintenance of publique superstition against Apostolique endeuours as that they might not condemne the wayes of their ancient predecessors that they must keepe Religiones traditas the rites which frō age to age had descended that the ceremonies of Religion had beene euer accompted by so much holier as elder these and the like allegations in this case were vaine friuolous Not to stay longer therefore in speech concerning this point we will conclude that as the change of such lawes as haue bene specified is necessary so the euidence that they are such must be great If we haue neither voice frō heauen that so pronounceth of them neither sentence of men grounded vpon such manifest and cleare proofe that they in whose hands it is to alter them may likewise infallibly euen in hart conscience iudge them so vpon necessitie to vrge alteration is to trouble and disturbe without necessitie As for arbitrary alterations when laws in themselues not simply bad or vnmeet are changed for better and more expedient if the benefit of that which is newly better deuised be but small sith the custome of easinesse to alter and change is so euill no doubt but to beare a tolerable soare is better then to venter on a dangerous remedy Which being generally thought vpon as a matter that touched neerly their whole enterprise whereas change was notwithstanding concluded necessary in regard of the great hurt which the Church did receiue by a number of things then in vse whereupon a great deale of that which had bene was now to be taken away and remoued out of the Church yeat sith there are diuerse waies of abrogating things established they saw it best to cut off presently such things as might in that sort be extinguished without danger leauing the rest to be abolished by disusage through tract of time And as this was done for the manner of abrogation so touching the stint or measure thereof rites ceremonies and other externall things of like nature being hurtfull vnto the Church either in respect of their quality or in regard of their nūber in the former there could be no doubt or difficulty what should be done their deliberation in the later was more hard And therefore in as much as they did resolue to remoue only such things of that kind as the Church might best spare reteining the residue their whole counsell is in this point vtterly cōdemned as hauing either proceeded from the blindnes of those times or from negligence or from desire of honour and glory or from an erroneous opinion that such things might be tollerated for a while or if it did proceed as they which would seeme most fauourable are content to thinke it possible from a purpose partly the easilier to draw Papists vnto the Gospell by keeping so many orders stil the same with theirs and partly to redeeme peace therby the breach wherof they might feare would insue vpon more thorow alteration or howsoeuer it came to passe the thing they did is iudged euill But such is the lot of all that deale in publique affaires whether of Church or cōmonwealth that which men list to surmise of their doings be it good or ill they must before hand patiently arme their minds to indure Wherefore to let go priuate surmises whereby the thing in it selfe is not made either better or worse if iust and allowable reasons might leade thē to do as they did then are these censures al frustrate Touching ceremonies harmelesse therfore in thēselues hurtful onely in respect of number was it amisse to decree that those things which were least needfull newliest come should be the first that were taken away as in the abrogating of a nūber of saints daies and of other the like customes it appeareth they did till afterwards the forme of common prayer being perfited articles of sound Religion and discipline agreed vpon Catechismes framed for the needfull instruction of youth Churches purged of things that indeed were burthensome to the people or to the simple offensiue and scandalous all was brought at the length vnto that wherein now we stand Or was it amisse that hauing this way eased the Church as they thought of superfluitie they went not on till they had pluckt vp euen those things also which had taken a great deale stronger and deeper roote those things which to abrogate without constraint of manifest harme thereby arising had bene to alter vnnecessarily in their iudgements the auncient receiued custome of the whole Church the vniuersall practise of the people of God and those very decrees of our fathers which were not only set downe by agreement of generall councels but had accordingly bin put in vre and so continued in vse till that very time present True it is that neither councels nor customes be they neuer so ancient and so generall can let the Church from taking away that thing which is hurtfull to be retained Where things haue bene instituted which being conuenient and good at the first do afterwards in processe of time waxe otherwise we make no doubt but they may be altered yea though councels or customes generall haue receiued them And therfore it is but a needles kind of opposition which they make who thus dispute If in those things which are not expressed in the Scripture that is to be obserued of the Church which is the custome of the people of God and decree of our forefathers then how can these things at any time be varied which heretofore haue bene once ordained in such sort Whereto we say that things so ordained are to be kept howbeit not necessarily any longer then till there grow some vrgent cause to ordaine the contrary For there is not any positiue law of men whether it be generall or particular receiued by formall expresse consent as in councels or by secret approbation as in customes it commeth to passe but the same may be taken away it occasion serue Euen as we all know that many things generally kept heretofore are now in like sort generally vnkept and abolished euery where Notwithstanding