their difficulties or for a need exchange any of them for some other chapter But now the Canon inhibiting all addition and exchange doth not onely sylence for euer those chapters omitted but so many moe also in our Parochiall and country Churches where our people will not come but on holidaies and where reading is most needfull in publick because â—ewe can fewer do reade in priuate as that a great part of the Bible shall neuer be read which as it crosseth the practise of the Iewes and of all Christian Churches the end of the holy Scriptures which are all written for our learning so it directly crosseth the first intention of the booke which proiected the reading of the olde Testament once and New thrise euery yeare accounting of foure chapters in euery day which takes place in Cathedrall Churches onely not in Parochiall Now how the Church may ordaine a course of drowning so much of the Canon and be innocent I doe not see ANSVVER IF the Church of England for blessings the most happy for learning the most sufficient for sincerity of Religion the most reformed and for Lawes and ordinations that concerne piety the most vpright be it spoken without enuie of all the Churches of Europe at this day haue no greater blemish to staine her with then the drowning of the Canonicall Scripture which you impute vnto her Wee are and will bee euer readie although the meanest of many thousands that liue in her bosome to proue her Innocent Whereas if shee haue wilfully silenced Gods truth and vttered vnto the people vanity and Lyes in steade thereof wee will mourne for the sinnes of our mother with hearty sorrowe and not enter into the defence of so great a fault for God forbid that any partiall affection to her who whilest she is vpon earth may erre should make vs transgresse against our father in heauen who is trueth it selfe but if shee haue done nothing in this case which well befitted not the wisdome and care of a mother howsoeuer it please others to mistake her meaning then let her great wisdome bee iustified of her owne children to reade in the Church of God the Scriptures haue beene the honour of our Liturgy the happynes of our people and the true and readiest directions to a better life but either to reade them all or onely to reade them our forefathers in discretion did not think safe seeing the one might bee to small vse the other not without great profit and both most agreable to the wisdome and practise of former times for if a hundred threescore chapters of the Canon be omitted as you say for we can be content to take your account in this case and therein some whole bookes as the Chronicles Canticles most of the Apocalipse be left out wee nether doe in this without warrant what otherwise refuse nor refuse to doe with warrant that which reasonably was practised by those that liued before and yet are neither some things in all the bookes of Apocripha nor all things in some of them by authority permitted publicklye to bee read in our Church and those which are as often you haue been told are not for confirming of faith but to reform manners And so as Saint Austen speaketh from the customary phrase of the Church wee retayne them and read them as parts of the ould TestameÌ„t All which we confesse inpropryat you of speech onlye to bee written by Moses and by the prophets but from the time of Artaxerxes to the age wherin Iosephus wrot the want of prophets was supplied for the continuance of the Historie of those times by other men godly and zealous that were no Prophets which was the true cause that they were of lesse estimation then all the rest of the Scriptures are but if we show the reputation that the Apocripha had that as Saint Cyprian speaketh these anciently were accustomed to be read in the Church then neither doth this Church deuise any new custom nor by the admission of these can worthily be iudged to silence the holy Scripture Saint Austin writing against some Pelagian Libertines of his time alleadgeth a place out of the booke of Wisedom wherunto exception was taken that this booke was not Canonicall hereof thus Saint Hilary wrot vnto him Illud testimonium quod posuisti raptus est ne malitia mutaret intellectum eius tanquam non Canonicum definiunt omittendum Vpon this occasion amongst some other reasons to iustifie his allegation he sheweth fiâ—st that excepta huâ—us libri attestatione the thing that he proueth therby is otherwise manifest then he saith that many worthy men such as Saint Cyprian was etiam temporibus Apostolorum proximis alleadging nihil se adhibere nisi diuinum testimonium crediderunt and againe non debuit repudiari sententia libri Saptentiae qui meruit in Ecclesia Christi tam longa amositate recitari ab omnibus Christianis ab Episcopis vsque ad extremos laicos fideles poenitentes Catechumenos cum veneratione diuinae authoritatis audiri So that if in Saint Austins time who liued not much aboue foure hundred yeares after Christ some of these which we call Apocripha were of long continuance read in the Church and of all euen from the Bishops to the meanest layitie heard with the attention and reuerence of diuine Scripture how can we iustly be blamed to retaine them or be thought in this so ancient and so warrantable a custome wilfully to silence the Canon of holy Scripture Saint Hierom who of al other was most earnest to distinguish these books froÌ„ the Canonical yet sheweth that they were anciently read Sicut Iudith Tobiae Machabaeorum libros legit quidem Ecclesia sed eos inter Canonicas scripturas non recipit sic haec duo volumina intelligit Sapientiam Ecclesiasticam legit ad aedificationeÌ„ plebis non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandam But if Saint Hierom who was most earnest against these bookes cannot moue you to approue as warrantable their reading in our Church the consent peraduenture and the practise of the Churches reformed may In the harmony of confessions set out at Geneua this article of the Belgick confession is there approued Differentiam porro constituimus inter libros istos sacros eos quos Apocriphos vocant vtpote quod Apocriphi legi quidem in Ecclesia possunt fas sit ex illis eatenus etiam sumore documenta quatenus cum libris Canonicis consonant At neutiquam ea est ipsorum authoritas firmitudo vt ex illorum testimonio aliquod dogma de fide religione Christiana certo constitui possit tantum abest vt aliorum authoritatem infringere vel munere valeant Hereunto agreeth the confession of this Church Zanchy giueth them the next place to the Canonicall Scripture and this as himselfe confesseth not without warrant both of the Greeke and the Latin Church hereunto wee
for information of manners yet seeing in those ancient times some of the fathers did inhibit the reading of them some say they were vsed by the Catechistes as wee permitted base coyne to the Irish some euen Councels forbad the reading of them and seeing by their first more innocent then prudent admission of them to be read in assemblies they wonne as appeareth in the third Councell of Carthage the stile first of Canonicall Scriptures and afterward the full dignity and haue since iustled with the Canon as Ismael did with Isack for precedeÌ„ce and hauing wonne it by this stratagem do maintaine their stile from the sâ—me reason of being read and that euen amongst vs me thinks there was neuer so great cause of aduancing them so neare the Chayr of estate as is now of teaching them to know their distances eyther by sylencing their voyces in the assemblies as most of the reformed Churches do or else by teaching them to speake in a different time as doe those Churches that read them while the coÌ„gregation is gathering not as parts to diuine seruice or at least that euery Minister were ioyned to giue them their note of difference that the people might know and discerne the voice of God from the voice of good men And if Hierom translating some of them did giue them a brand of difference why should not we in the reading Or if the elder brother suffer not the yonger to giue the armes of his house without a Crescent to distinguish them how will God that is so Iealous of his Honour put it vp that wee put no sensible difference betwixt the children of his spirit and the baser sonnes of men though good men In which cause my Lord I am the more earnest because I finde at the Conference Hierom taxed for calling them Apocripha and there though not truely for Cyril did it before him saide to bee the first that so termed them and his exceptions called the old euils of the Iewes and I find theÌ„ also tearmed Canonicall ad mores as if any writing but Gods could be properly Canonical which is co ipso canonica quo authentica as D. Whitaker well saith which make one feare that which I am loth to feare or speake must make me by so much the more afraid of allowing their admission by how much they incroch vpon the prerogatiues royoll of the Scriptures eyther in titles or in vsage ANSVVER THe custome of accusing the lawfull ordinances of this Church hath imboldened some men aboue both dutie and reason to continue still vehement in their first opposition which peraduenture at the beginning was vndertaken without cause this land as it neyther doth nor I hope euer shall professe any other doctrine but that which is sincere and true Our home aduersaries confessing that for the substance of Religion it maintayneth the true and the holy faith so for our publike Lyturgye which now is misliked by you wee will first take the censure of one as strickt as any that liued eyther since or before him and after if wee be further vrged enter into the particular defence of all that iustly can bee misliked in our Church not that wee are willing to giue any strength to this last errour or to flatter for aduancement the eye or the hand of this time an infirmitie which we hope shall not cleaue vnto vs but because wee are perswaded in conscience that the holy Spirit hath directed the consultations of the fathers of our Church euen then when first they banished superstition to frame by the assistance of a Diuine power a publike seruice of God in this land purer for the matter more effectuall for vse more chast for ceremonie more powerfull to procure deuotion then any Lyturgye publicklye established since the defection from the primitiue Church Of which as I promised I must tell you what Maister Deering said Looke if any line be blameable in our seruice take holde of your aduantage I thinke Maister Iewell will accept it for an article our seruice is good and godly euerie title grounded vpon holy Scriptures and with what face doe you call it darknesse But men are ashamed to seeme guiltie who alwaies haue beene Iudges or at least accusers That then which you mislike in this place for the rest wee shall indeuour to defend when wee come vnto them is the reseruation euen of the parcels of those Chapters some parts whereof we reiect as drosse that is to summe vp your whole accusation in few words that no Apocripha is publikely to be read in diuine seruice The Church of Christ according to her authoritie receiued from him hath warrant to approoue the Scriptures to acknowledge to receiue to publish and to commaund vnto her children so then that the Scriptures are true to vs wee haue it from the Church but that we beleeue them as true in themselues we haue it from the holy Ghost By this power the Church hath severed those parcels of Scripture by the name of Apocripha from those which vndoubtedly were penned from Gods Spirit In this diuision neyther hath the light nor the approbation beene all one seeing euen some partes penned by the holy Ghost and so now generally approued both by the Church of Rome and vs haue had some difficulty not without great examination to be admitted into the Catalogue of Gods Canon As the Epistle to the Hebrewes of S. Iames the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the Reuelation And howsoeuer those that were neuer doubted of may seeme to haue in some sort greater authoritie then those that were yet wee giue them saith M. Zanchy equall credit with the rest and to the Apocripha the next place of all other to the holy Scripture The Canonical only wee allow for probation of the doctrine of Faith but the other being proued for the confirmation therof Nay the Church of Rome confesseth howsoeuer they and wee differ which are Canonicall that the Apocripha in the Canon are to haue no place Saint Austin calleth by a larger acceptation of the word Canonicall euen those which though they had not perfect and certaine authority yet accustomably were read in the Church to edefie the people a custome as it seemeth neither now nor differing from the practise of our Church Athanasius allowed them to some men The third CouÌ„sel of Carthage not at al. Cyrill Bishoppe of Ierusalem reiectes them from beeing read in the Church of whome Doctor Whitakers whome you alledge giueth this censure in this Cyrill peradueÌ„ture was ouer vehement which forbad these bookes to be read at all For other Fathers although they accounted them Apocripha yet they permitted them to be read And Saint Hierome speaketh of the booke of wisdome and of Ecclesiasticus out of which two is more read in our seruice then out of al the Apocripha besides that they may be reade to the edification
are glad to see them now so earnest intreaters for reading the Scriptures in the Church seeing heretofore the most of them haue beene content for a Sermon of small edification but of great length to omit the reading of many Chapters which might haue beene done at that time so that in true vnderstanding the silencing of the Scripture was rather to be feared at their hands who desired to haue it indifferent and left free for to read it at all APOLOGY AS for the corrupt Apocripha appointed in the Calender it made to me no scruple of subscribing to the Booke with reference to the Churches intention and doctrine for besides that our doctrine was and is pure touching the dignities of the Canon the reformers of the booke professing to haue ordered that nothing should be read but eyther the pure word or that which is euidently grounded vpon the same gaue me reason to thinke that howsoeuer some vnmeet Chapters kept their old standing in the Calender yet our Churchment not to vrge the reading of them in which I was the more confirmed by that prouision which vnder the Queenes authority was published with the Homelies that the minister might exchaÌ„ge any one or other lesse profitable Chap. of the old TestameÌ„t for any of the new testament more profitable if as Doctor Abbots saith of the CanoÌ„ much more of the Apocripha But now I perceiue by the Rubrick that the tale of Susanna must be read to the last verse which helps to manifest the falshood of the whole fable as Ierom calles it and I see by the order of the Canons our former liberty of exchange all â—iberty of ceÌ„sure to be repealed Now how can I suâ—scribe to the reading of an vncertain tale in stead of the more sure word of the Prophets which Peter biddeth vs attend and not to Iewish fables such as is that of Iudith for which no time can be found out to father it vpon And that of Tobit both which Luther as I haue heard thought to be plaâ—es at the first and after made stâ—râ—es How can 〈◊〉 for instruction of Gods people read these fictions better then the popish Legends or so well as Holinsheds or Eusebius Chronicles for what ground is there for conscience to build vpon when nothing can be certainly obserued for doctrine where nothing is certainely knowne for truth Finally in the 13 of Daniell as it is vnfitly called is a repugnancy to the true story of Daniels age and beginnings of honour In the ninth of Iudith a commendation of Simeon and Leuies bloody act as ordered and blessed of God vndertaken with praier yea euen of that most outragious cruelty in which for the offeÌ„ce of one they executed many innoceÌ„t harmeles persons And this womaÌ„ blessed that zeale which Iacob cursed and God plagued as a rage And this exception our men tooke against Campian in the Tower So in the 7. of Tobit 3. the Angell maketh himselfe of the tribe of Nepthaly in the 12. one of the seuen Angels that offer vp the prayers of the Saints to God in both a lyar And in the latter a lying vsurper vpon that office which none but the Angell of the couenant may meddle with Now knowing that God hath no need of lyes I dare not read as a part of diuine seruice these tales in his presence and the presence of his Angels and people much lesse allow the appointing of them to be read especially obseruing how idlely wee shall tell the common people of their basenesse while yet we read them out of the Bible ANSVVER WE are glad to heare you confesse that the intention of our Church was and is pure and I hope euer shall be touching the dignitie of the Canon which in my opinion ought to haue been a strong motiue both to you and others neyther to haue dissented from the practise of the Church in reading things ancient profitable and such as were called by the fathers Scripture though not Canonicall nor to haue quarrelled with these bookes as if all that were in them were thought by vs to be of an infallible vndoubted truth we say theÌ„ first coÌ„cerning all these bookes that neither doe wee nor any in our Church retaine them as Canonical truthes for doctrine nor of equall authoritie with the other Scriptures yet peraduenture we may giue some reasons why these things misliked by you are not of that moment that thereby they ought to be accouÌ„ted of no better authority theÌ„ Hollinsheads or Eusebius Cronicles We confes that we read by apointmeÌ„t the Historie of Susanna to the last verse but the last verse which is the greatest exceptioÌ„ to the History we read not and the Church of Rome confesseth that it ought to belong to the beginning of the foureteenth Chapter It is knowne that Africanus wrot to Saint Origen coÌ„cerning the truth of this book but what hee wrote wee haue yet no warrant neither can Origen or S. Hierom be iustly proued to bee aduersaries to our opinion in this case for hee that is most earnest against them which was Saint Hierom affirmeth as Doctor Whitakers collecteth that this storie of Susanna of Bell and the Dragon the Hymne of the three children was commonly read in the Church of God which is al for which we desire your allowaÌ„ce as a thing not new or lately inuented but auncient warraÌ„table so practised by our Church I could willingly enter into a defence of the trueth of this History if our aduersaries of the Church of Rome were not ouer-apt to make this conclusion which is not sound that whatsoeuer was aunciently read in the Church and is true ought to bee esteemed as the Canonicall Scripture so that they froÌ„ truth coÌ„cluding scripture we are forced against them to accuse them of some faults Whereas if confessing them to bee no canonicall Scriptures they or others would haue giuen vs leaue to read theÌ„ in the Church as profitable to manners wee could without violence haue afforded them the reconcilement of other Scriptures and vndoubtedly haue proued them to be most true But howsoeuer the Church of England requireth not the Subscription of you or of any other to warraÌ„t the falshood and vntruth of any Iewish fable but to approoue the forme of our Liturgy so farre that those books which anciently were read in the Church or at least those parts which containe nothing contrary to faith may still retaine their auncient place in the Church for edifying of manners which was giuen them in the first and the purest times In which doubtlesse the liberty of exchange formerly left to the discretion of the minister might haue continued stil if men would haue tempered themselues from indiscret causelesse neglect of publicke order for as Saint Austin well noteth That surely he hateth his country who thinketh himself neuer well except he trauell So little obedience or loue appeareth in those men
that translation which for their 〈◊〉 and cost in it is commonly calâ—ed the Bishops Bible from whence if you or any man collect that because a new translation is authorised and the papistes iustly taxed by our men for adhering to the vulgar that any man might correct the translations in the communion Booke where they obscured or crossed the sense we must tell you that first for the vulgar translation we disable not so farre but that we are readie to confesse whether you vnderstand the Italian or that which goeth vnder the name of Saint Hierom that they were vsed anciently in the Church a thousand and three hundred yeares ago one of them by Saint Austin preferred before all the rest the other highly commended by Beza and that of the vulgar though with Pagian and Dryedo we thinke it were not Saint Hieroms but mixt yet we can be content to say as Isiodor doth of it Interpretatio eius ceteris anteponitur his translation is to be preferred before others but for all this both you the Church of Rome must know that these neither are so pure as the fountaines themselues for no translation whatsoeuer is Authenticall Scripture and that from hence euerie priuate man must not take libertie vnto himselfe to correct and amend at his owne pleasure least wee haue iust occasion to complaine as Saint Hierome doth that there be as many varieties of translations as there be bookes whilest euerie man according to his fancie addeth or detracteth as seemeth good to himselfe Neyther can an error in translating in any Church be an argument sufficient to proue it to be no Church And concerning the Church of England it hath not wanted a care and a religious care in this point and therefore it were no reason for you or any to reproue her for that wherein she deserueth prayse onely your patience is required to forbeare all priuate corrections of translations vntil authority from the diligent labors of learned men wholly imployed in that busines may establish a better yet the faults in this are not such but they may be tollerated without offence though peradueÌ„ture corrected with more benefit And seeing there is no error in faith contrarie to the doctrine of the Church that can be in pretence confirmed by any reading which we allow me thinks the article of subscription may wel say that the book of common prayer containeth nothing in it contrarie to the word of God and that it may lawfully be so vsed But say you if Austin whom I call Saint Austin vpon the credit of many Latin copies would not admit one word palam where the sense rather required theÌ„ receiued it because it was not in the Greeke how shal I approue vnder my hand a translation which hath many omissions c. If your moderation had beene like vnto Saint Austins in this case we should haue little cause to mislike your doing and yet the example which you bring for your best warrant being stretched so far as you do cannot iustly be reckond amoÌ„gst S. Austins vertues For in that place which you alledge he saith Multa latina exemplaria sic habent et pater tuus quividet in absconso reddet tibi palam sed quia in Graecis quae priora sunt non inuenimus palam non putauimus huic aliquid disserendum esse Now I see not what can be directly gathered from S. Austins example for palaÌ„ was not in some Greek copies but I hope you know what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is which sometimes they traÌ„slate in propatulo somtimes palam if the old Latin translation want it the Greek haue it as Doctor Whitakers noteth Iudge whether you ought to imitate Saint Austin in this whom the Rhemistes follow rather then the original which is followed by our Church and therefore the blemishes in our translation which your zeale hath published of omission addition obscuritie peruerting as senselesse contrary and such like we are willing to answer them when we come to your obiections in the last page whch wee know you cannot proue not that you want wit but because you are not assisted with a good cause APOLOGY FRom the exceptions concerning the Scriptures I come to those which arise about the SacrameÌ„ts And though there because to speake of priuat Communions as on the Churches part not so well ordained yet I will insist vpon priuate Baptisme and will draw vnto it that Rubrick which saith that it is certaine by Gods word that Infantes baptised haue all things needfull to saluation and are vndoubtedly saued This speech I did interpret as spokeÌ„ not simply but ex hypothesi in opposition to the popish conceit of the necessity of confirmation in this maner that the child hath al things necessary that is all outward means needs no confirmation is vndoubtedly saued that is as vndoubtedly as if it were confirmed And vnto this construction the precedent part of the Rubrick directed me the sound doctrine of our Church against the simple necessity of Baptisme and grace inseperably annexed therto did set me in it then the speech seemed like that of Christ in the ninth of Iohn where hee saith neither hath this man sinned nor his father that is not in such sense as the question was asked whether he or his father had sinned As for priuate Baptisme by a lawfull minister being acccompanied with such doctrine as our Church hitherto hath generally receiued about the same I thought it might be inexpeâ—tent but not vnlawfull But my Lord obseruing since in the booke of conference that my Lord of Londoâ— leauing the state of the child vnbaptised as vncertaine saith that if it die baptised there is an euident assurance that it is saued without any exception made of Gods eternall purpose and further that the place in the third of Iohn Except a man be regenerate of water and of the holy Ghost c. must be vnderstord of the Sacrament of baptisme which conceit if we draw the text to infants must necessarily thrust vs as it diâ— Austin and other Fathers vpon the simple necessity of that Sacrament vnto saluation as the like words in the sixt of Iohn Except ye eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of the Sonne of man ye cannot be saued being vnderstood of the other Sacrament drew on the Administration thereof to Infants perceiuing I say the grounds laid in that conference and by whom and adding therunto that addition to the Catechisme that there be two Sacraments as generally necessary to salâ—uation and the sixtie ninth Canon which vnder paine of suspension bindes the Minister in case of necessity to hast to the baptising of euery weake child the very night not excepted It seemeth to me that our Churches doctrine in this point is declining to that opinion of the simple necessitie of that Sacrament and grace annexed thereto which we formerly opposed And if this be
necessary pertaining to the essence of worshippe and which so bindeth the conscience as the word it selfe and therefore they adde not to the word which by the consent of the Church do ordaine any ceremony in the externall worship obseruing the limitations of order comlinesse and edification not as necessary but as a thing indifferent and free binding the conscience not out of the qualitie of the thing but onely from hence that it is commaunded for as there are as the schoolemen say somethings which are mala quia prohibita somethings which are prohibita quia mala so there are some things mandata quia necessaria some things necessaria quia mandata of which kinde in Baptisme we account the crosse But as wee neither allowe vnmeete nor purpose the stiffe defence of any vnnecessarie custome heretofore vsed in Baptisme so wee knowe not yet any reason why infants should be the worse if at their first admission into the Church of Christ if at the time when they are deliuered as it were vnto Gods owne possession for the Church and euery member thereof as Master Zanchy noteth ought first of all to offer it selfe to God ceremonies fit to betoken such intents be vsuall with vs as in the purest times they haue beene Hereby putting the whole congregation in mind that the Infant thus admitted into the church hath by the promise of his â—ueâ—ties renounced all obedience to the enemies of God surrendered vp himselfe for euer vnto his seruice who suffered for his redemption vpon the cros This being then our innouation and the beginning of that profession wherein wee purpose to continew to our liues end to haue either besides the thing which is Baptisme a significant signe which is the crosse or to call it a dedication seeing the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by the olde translatour of the Bible sometimes translated dedico sometimes initio or innouor which Quintinus obserued at the fift canon of the councell of Gangren cannot be in my opinion from the word Dedicate to make the crosse any part of diuine worship for though our dedication bee not such as the dedication of the Temple was and therefore the comparison vnfitly alledged in this place yet godly men as P. Martyr noteth are then visibly consecrated vnto God when they be washed in holy Baptisme and hereof to haue a signe externally to signifie their intention or this signe to bee the crosse cannot in any reasonable construction bee the inuention of a wil-worship And if this signe bee lesse lawfull at this time by the blemish it may seeme to receiue from Popery It is not impossible but that sometimes they may iudge as rightly what is decent about such externall affaires of God as in some greater things what is true The Hebrewes did dedicate and initiate their things not by simple and bare words but by adding of outward rites signes I meane and tokens which might bee seene not that they taught any holinesse or diuine quality to bee in those things for seeing it is in the soule these are not capable of it but so they thought because the rites beeing instituted by GOD whose authoritie in this case the Church now hath those things which were consecrated might become instruments of the holy spirit by which the faith of men might bee stirred vp this is the opinion of P. Martyr Seeing then our dedication as shall appeare afterward is not as you imagine wee conclude that it is neither vnlawful for the church to adde ceremonies significant in this kinde as accidentall parts of the externall worshippe nor though wee yet graunt you not so much vnlawfull amongst those for to account the crosse beeing neither by our church esteemed as a meanes of diuine worshippe nor imposed for Doctrine being but the tradition of men APOLOGIE IF the childe bee dedicated by this signe then either initiated as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth or consecrated hereby as the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the former then Baptisme is made void if the latter then the crosse is operatiue and to say trueth in vse of speach to dedicate vnto holy vse and to consecrate is all one nor can it bee replyed that dedicated is as much as declared to bee dedicated though if it were so this signe should come into a needles office yea into that for whih Baptisme was ordained for beside that the phrase is not vsed the verie words of the Canon do reiect that sense by confessing our Dedication by this signe to be such as the ancient fathers before Popery did vse Now it is plaine that sauing the verie point of adoration and worship with which popery crowned this Idoll there is nothing ascribed to the crosse in or out of Baptisme by the ranckest Papists but the fathers are as deeply ingaged in the same So if we vse it as the fathers wee hold it to be so necessary for our defence as was the bloud of the passouer vpon the Israelites posts or as the marke on their foreheads in the ninth of Ezechiell without which none can be safe For so did the fathers and we take the soule to be fenced by the crossing of the body and the crosse to haue vertue of consecrating the sacrameÌ„t or the childe of driuing away diuels witchcraft and diseases of strengthing against temptations And if we will excuse the fathers by saying they spake thus relatiuè with reference to the crosse of Christ and his death neither will all their speaches heare this releefe nor haue we at all distanced them from the Papists who say as much for themselues and then what Popish superstition is that from which we haue purged it Specially if his maiestie were truely informed at the conference that in Baâ—tisme the Papists neuer ascribe any power or spirituall grace therto as indeed he was not witnesse their writers and how either skilfully or negligently haue we vnder the faier name of the Primitiue and Apostolicall Churches reduced it to that vse of holinesse and consecration which in the name of the Papists could not haue beene borne I confesse my Lord I had rather thinke some committies to whom the penning of this Canon was betrusted to haue failed therin then misdeeme all that reuerend assembly to haue intended such a meaning But so long as this interpretation stands as the miâ—de of our Church I shall feare it iustly knowing how vnder the couert of phrases the maine points of trueth haue beene surprised and therefore may be againe So I conclude that as the Israelites bore that alter for a signe which for Sacrificing they could not haue suffered so for a simple significatiue signe I could haue borne that of the crosse which for an altar of dedication I cannot approoue ANSERE WHILST some men in the sincerity of an vpright minde haue laboured with humility to giue satisfaction to contentious spirits both those persons runne more speedily from vs whom wee
good so that sometimes to be euill which indeede is good 3 The third is that this or that is to bee done or to bee left vndoone In this first it is a witnesse which will not lye In the second it may accuse but not absolutely excuse In the last it may binde though it want strength in this respect onely that wee are weake For those newe cordes and such are newe opinions which were not able to holde SAMPSON may easily holde him fast that is by many degrees weaker then SAMPSON was The first of these respecteth the time past the second the time present the third for the well or euill doing the hauing or suffering the ioy or torment that is to come As if hee that had made time the preciousest circumstance of all our actions had set our Conscience as the seuere and diligent watchman of all our times Now hauing set down the vse of conscience the next consideration is of the errors of it These are two a false Assumption and a false application In the first wee take those things to bee good and true which indeede directly are euill and false an error peraduenture which may appeare hereafter to haue misled you in this point so those that put the Apostles to death did thinke in that action that they pleased God for the time was come that our Sauiour foretold Whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that hee doth God seruice In the second a false application arising out of a true ground because hee heareth that God is to bee loued aboue all things therefore he thinketh it vnlawfull to loue any thing but God these erre not alike but the error of Conscience doth infect both Neither ought a Conscience that thus erreth to bynd seeing the force and strength of Conscience is not built vpon himselfe but vpon some Precept seeming so to it selfe bring no good reason but either because it is commaunded or else forbidden Against which contrarily either to doe or to maintaine is to foyle as you say the Conscience and to make it like a distempered lock that no key will open But let vs heare your selfe lay downe the greeuance whereat your Conscience doth either truely repine or in weakenesse stumble APOLOGY IF the matters be looked on which be imposed I now speake of the Ceremonies they seeme light but if their deriuation from Antichrist they are hatefull if the simple vse of them be considered they are shadowes but if the late abuse which is hardly seuered from the things they are Gyants If their nature bee weighed they are indifferent but if their vse not so while the Papists insult the zealous mourne and both stumble at them and both they that like and they that like them not cast vs that haue not vsed them out of their Consciences as men ready to say Masse rather then to loose our liuings and the very boyes girles laugh at our most graue and reuerend Ministers whome before they looked on with feare ANSVVER THat which troubleth your Conscience seemeth to be the Ceremonies of this Church in show light but such as haue their originall from Antichrist shadowes but Gyants in nature indifferent but in vse not so We account Ceremonies in religion if they be harmlesse and tend to edification such as are the Ceremonies of our Church the second Intentions of the Law Intermediate meanes not to be dispised of a better and more religious seruice for as to thinke that Ceremonies without true inward holinesse could cleanse from sinnes were to erre and to bee lewish and superstitious so to account them of no vse were to bee meerely prophane For both the Iudiciall and the Ceremoniall Lawe being in a sort Morall as the scholemen speake the one in an order to our neighbours the other in an order to God these haue no other allowance in Gods worship but as they are vertuous furtherances of his honour In the Ceremonies of the olde Lawe there were three things to be obserued First that they were all ordained for the expressing of the inward and morall worshippe to serue to true holinesse Faith Hope and Charity without which all the rest were reiected euen as a burden by him that commāded them saying I will haue mercy but not sacrifice Secondly if Ceremonies bee contrary to true holinesse they were to bee omitted for their end was to further deuotion and not to hinder it In this respect they were dispensable when either by the place or time two violent circumstances of all our actions or for som Impediment they could not wel be vsed this made that euen Circumcision was omitted for those who were born in the desart as being vnfit to moue Immediatly after that wound and beeing vncertaine to rest seeing they must follow the fire the cloud when they moued Thus in persecution wee are content rather to exercise Religion without Ceremonies then to want it which in peace to neglect or contemne must needes bee a great offence Those times beeing fittest to serue GOD with greater reuerence and more holy solemnities which are compassed about with greater rest and more happie blessings Lastly when Ceremonies are requisite to testifie our faith as doubtlesse they are then when they are either vpon malice or through misvnderstanding oppugned wee may not in conscience remit any part of them for the refusing of such can be no small sinne where the vsing is blessed with the crowne of Martyrdome Now if you can showe that those which for long time haue beene retained in our Church for wee haue not inuented new but reserued the old vsed in the Church before ROME was Idolatrous are heauie burdens deriued from Antichrist Hatefull Gyants not Indifferent but vnlawfull in vse Scandals and such like which wee are sure neither you nor the leardnedst in that cause are able to proue then wee shall thinke you haue much reason to refuse them in regard of Conscience All the actions of man are of three sorts good euill and indifferent If our Conscience say that is to bee done which is naturally good it is no errour If it deny that to bee done which is euill it is no errour For by the same reason euill is forbidden which commaundeth good but on the contrary if it say that to bee done which is naturally euill or not to be done which is good it is doubtlesse a cōscience which doth err in both likewise in indifferēt things such as you say these are if their nature bee waighed but they are necessarie if the lawfull cōmandement be added to make I say such absolutely necessarie where authority hath not determined is doubtles a Conscience that doth much erre For euery will that disagreeth from reason either true or false directly sinneth for whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne and yet euery thing which is done by the will giuing assent to reason is not voide of Sin because that Ignorance which is a fault cannot possiblye
may add the testimonie of others as of Pellican Chenitius and Kymedencius all not ouer great fauourers of vs and whom our aduersaries may not refuse in this case all consent in this Sciendum maioribus placuisse vt preter libros vere Canonicos ex quibus fidei nostrae assertiones constant Ecclesiastici quoque ad plebis aedificationem publicè legerentur vt sunt liber Sapientiae Ecclesiastici libellus Tobiae c. From all antiquitie it then appearing many thinges profitable to edification to be read in the Church both in the time of the Iewes before Christ as also since which the Church did not esteeme Canonicall how can it be a silencing of the Scripture in vs who onely after the example of all antiquitie read some writings which were called Ecclesiasticall and more profitable to edification then some Scriptures although not of equall authoritie for doctrine of faith as the rest of the Scriptures are neither was this custome euer thought vntill now of late vnlawfull and idle but lawfull and of much vse nor as one well noteth can it be reasonably thought because vpon certaine solemne occasions some Lessons are chosen out of those bookes and of Scripture it selfe some Chapters not appointed to be read at all that we therby do offer disgrace to the word of God or lift vp the writings of men aboue it For in such choise considering the intent of the Church we do not thinke but that fitnes of speech may be more respected then worthines And therfore although for the peoples more plain instruction as the ancient vse hath bin we read in our Churches some Apocripha besides the Scripture yet as the scripture we read them not all men know the differēce that the Church of England maketh in this point But men shall easily fall into error when they once oppose their priuate iudgement against the Reuerend authority of their owne Church neither is their conclusion altogether sound that seeing Moses amongst the Iewes was read euery Sabbath day in their Synagogues that therefore such Scripture should be onely read which had the same authority that the writings of Moses had vnlesse they be able to proue that it was not lawfull for any bookes to be read of them but the bookes of Moses which if it were true as all men know it is not then eyther there was no Scripture but the bookes of Moses or elfe all partes of the Scripture was not read in the Iewish Synagogues If they vrge vs further with the councell of Laodicea which forbiddeth any thing to be read that is not Canonicall we must tell them that the same councell accounteth that Canonicall which is not Further we must craue leaue of those who vrge so strictly the reading of the whole Scripture in Churches in what part of the world or in what tōgue the new testamēt was read in the purest times Besides if the authority of Saint Hierome which you vrge against vs may be accepted as sufficient in this case against you he will tel you that some part of the beginning of Genesis the Canticles the beginning of Ezechiel were not amongst the Iewes permitted to be read of any vnlesse they were comne to the age of priesthood which was thirtye from whence paraduenture the gouernors of our Church haue restrayned their voyces frō speaking by bare reading to the comon people who either vnderstand them not at all being so read or else peruert them to their owne harme this is not to sylence them as you say but rather to reserue them to a better and safer vse that those who for soundnes of Iudgment knowledge are able maye reade and expound them at seasons which are more conuenient This if it weare not by lawes strictly commaunded to be obserued of all but should giue liberty as you seeme to desire to some able ministers to doe otherwise Ignorance which is euer boldest would take aduantage continually to be reading the obscurest chapters whereby the church of necessity could not chuse but receiue greate harme therfore the desires of a few peraduenture by reason of their sufficiency not hurtfull ought to be no motiue why lawes should not be made or executed which preuent that the worst disposed may not haue libertye to doe harme or the weakest to receiue The Chronicles some part the Canticles the Apocalipse the chapters of some Genealogyes things wherin ignorant men haue beene euer most forward to deale contain in the iudgment of wise men many things not so requisit for silly people to know because they are not bound to giue an account of those things their imployment therein doth not onely distract them but make them vnable to know such Scriptures as are of more vse and nearenesse to their owne saluation I may say as Salomon doth in another case It is modest humilitie to abstayne from these but euerie foole will be medling so that what safely peraduenture might be admitted to able ministers such as it may be you are ought not to be a reason either why lawes should not be made at all or why libertie for not vsage should bee granted to those that are able seeing experience telleth vs that euerie man will be a Iudge to account himselfe able and so exemptions perhaps reasonable from the strict obseruation of some Canons granted to a few shall become warrants for the intollerable boldnesse of others and in the end bring a contempt to all vniformitie in order from whence must needes follow a ruine and desolution to the gouernment of the whole Church And surely if men well considered eyther the generall weakenesse of many that take vpon them to expound or the common ignorance of silly people mixt with a pronnesse to euill when such Scripture is read hee must needes thinke the wisedome of our forefathers in this choyce of Scripture to be great and esteeme the instruction of the people to be the principall end that was propounded by them this made the Vniuersitie of Cambridge to giue permission onely to such to interpret Saint Paules Epistles as were thought in diuinitie fit to be admitted to the degree of Bachelers because Saint Peter saith that in them are many things hard to be vnderstood which they that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest as they doe all other Scriptures vnto their owne destruction and for the Canticles which euery man now vndertaketh to expound Aquinus being requested by the example of Saint Bernard to write something vpon them he gaue this answere giue me the Spirit of Saint Bernard and I will doe it yet our Church goeth not so farre to forbid any that is licenced to preach to expound these but only for reading vnto the people admit in their roome with out stopping their voyces in due season other writings euer accounted Ecclesiastical to be read not as better but as better seruing for reformation of manners Yet howsoeuer they haue wrongfully accused our Church in this point we
of the people not to confirme the authoritye of Ecclesiastical opinions or decrees this peraduenture was not vnfit seeing antiquity thought as the counsel of Trent hath set downe that by a kinde of similitude they might seeme to bee Salomons Wherein notwithstanding because there are thought to bee some errors according to the graue moderation of our dread Soueraigne whose wisdome appeared in this like the wisdome of Salomon wee reiect such parcels as are faultie and retaine the rest And yet those which according to the example of the most reformed Churches for you rule vs in all things by the tyranny of example are retained amongst vs are neither read nor esteemed as the rest of the holy scriptures seing liberty is left to all men in their seuerall charges to informe their people in the different valuation of these writings which though the Canon forbid in the Lyturgy both because our additions are vnseemly and often vnsafe yet it is lawfull in your Sermon to instruct your paâ—ish what respect and authority is to bee giuen vnto these bookes and therefore your feare in my opinion is needlesse seeing the very naming of the booke from whence the lesson is taken to the most of your hearers will bee difference enough Let me aduise you therefore according to the counsell of Saint Hierom not to contemne those things as smal without which things that are greater cannot well stand And therfore it is wisdom to leaue both the reading and the often reading of these bookes to the wisdome and direction of those that doe rule ouer vs and I hope humility will conquer you in this case if neither vertue nor reason could ouercome onely I must tell you before I end this point that if Saint Hierom were taxed at the conference as the first that gaue them the name of Apocripha there wanted both duery and thankfulnesse in you to interpose that clause though not truely for Cyrill did it before him Seeing all men knowe that Hierom was the first that of all other did openly tearme them by that name without all exception amoÌ„gst the Latine Fathers for any thing that I knowe was the first neither was Cyrill his opinion equally sound to S. Hieroms in this case seeing all men knowe that by him Bâ—ruch was accounted Canonicall which worthyly is refused by our Church And therefore if you acknowledge the benfit you haue receiued discharge your debt and hauing receiued fauour as at his hands returne loue as Hugo speaketh For as S. Austin saith none that is sober will striue against reason None that is a christian against the Scripture and none that loueth peace will thinke contrary to that which the Church doth And if beyond this you will needes feare it may argue your loue but not your knowledge Besides what wisdome euen in the greatest safety can make a freedom from feare in the mindes of some melancholy humours APOLOGY AGaine though we beare and with the best rather then likliest expositioÌ„s admit som speeches as we find in some Rubricks Collects or translations in the booke being in shew daÌ„gerous or in sence idle or perhaps false yet my good Lord who can with a good conscience allow your part I meane the reuerend fathers therin that in so many Impressions of the booke could correct none of them but rather still leaue them vpon improbable defences then remooue them with ease as who can Commend in your Lordshipps still to call those peeces of Scripture Epistles which are taken out of Ieremye â—sayes the Acts and Reuelation when the verye counsell of Trent that absurditâ— in the Mâ—sse booke And though the eagernesse of some spirits to innouate to many things maye somewhat excuse your tenâ—citye of them yet in yeilding to nothing you seeme to haue forgotten Augustus Leuell of hating equallye morositie and noueltie as equall faults yea to forget how easie it may be in time for the papisâ—s to ingrosse our own speeches as by name that of confirmation That it giueth strength against temptations to sinn c. As the Gothes made the laws of the Romans to become theirs by a Gothish interpretation And in all this stiffnes what is more manifâ—st then the difficultye of denying our selues and of ayming simplie at the glorie of God when wee are once ingaged and het in the quarrells of our owne ANSVVER SEeing it pleaseth you to repeat the same things as new which often heretofore haue beene answered both by vs and others It shall not bee I hope offensiue to any If we say againe what else where wee haue vttered which peraduenture hath not come vnto your vew That because men are easily wearied in those duties that are best and prayer making vs apt to fall into speculations concerning God both that our wearines may be lesse and our thoughts more sound and more agreable to the present busines those wise men that haue beene before vs haue chosen lessoÌ„s for the church fitting seuerall occasions that as prayer make vs fitter to hear so the hearing of these may make vs fitter to pray To read scriptures in the time of diuine seruice wee hope being auncient and of such vse their wisdom will not much mislike if the name of epistle doe offend you cannot but know that the originall of this both for the name and the thing was from Paule himselfe commanding the same Epistle which he sent vnto the Collossians to be read in the Church of the Laodiceans and of that to the Thessalonians he saith I charge you in the Lord that this Epistle be read vnto all the brethren the Saints from which custome the Church hauing appoynted that portion of scripture whether out of the prophets Acts of the Apostle or Reuelation which circumstances considered was thought then fittest to be read vnto the people as if it were sent directlye vnto them thereby procuring their attention is not vnfitly tearmed by the name of Epistle to these as Saint Chrisostome noteth the minister stood vp and cryed with a loude voyce Let vs attend this practise hath resemblance to the practise of the Iewes euen vntill this daye amongst whome some thing is read euerye Sabboth out of Moses or the prophets besides these if any thing offend through the seueritye of some expositions as what scripture so holye that some expositions will not corrupt wee desire more charitye at their hands seing the cause wee defend is the Honour of our church the wisdome of our forefathers the worship of God and not our owne wils for which onlye if our Reuerend fathers had been ingaged they would I doubt not long since rather haue relinquished their owne right then with so much preiudice haue hazarded the Churches peace as for the Church of Rome we are so farre from being vnwilling that they should ingrosse our speeches as that wee daily and heartily pray that they would in all thinges both thinke and speake