finishing of the ceremoniall law you do but delude the readers and abuse the Scriptures for there is no suche matter to be founde in them If you alledge them to proue that Christe is the full finishing of the Ceremoniall lawe you take vpon you to proue that which no man deâ—teth of is very far froÌ„ your purpose You note also the .20 of Exodus Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them to proue that we may not knéele at the Communion but how fitly euery child may iudge for what sequele is there in this argument God in the second commaundement forbiddeth worshipping of Images therfore we may not receyue the Communion knéeling Admonition The fift As for the halfe communion whiche is yet appointed like to the commemoration of the Masse we saye little of it sauing that wee may note howe neare the translatour bounde him selfe to the massebooke that woulde not omit it Wee speake not of the name of Prieste wherwith he defaceth the minister of Christe bicause the priest that translated it would perhaps fayne haue the minister of Christ to be ioyned with him seing the office of priesthoode is ended christ being the last priest that euer was To call vs therfore priests as touching our office is eyther to call back agayn the olde priesthode of the lawe whiche is to denie Christe to be comen or else to keepe a memorie of the Popish priesthod of abhomination stil amongst vs As for the first it is by â–ª Christe abolished and for the seconde it is of Antichriste and therefore wee haue nothyng to doe with it Suche ought to haue no place in our Church neyther are they ministers of Christe sente to preach his Gospell but priestes of the Pope to sacrifice for the quicke and the dead that is to tread vnder their feete the bloud of Christe Suche oughte not to haue place amongest vs as the scriptures manifestly teache Besides that we neuer reade in the newe Testament that thys worde Priest as touching office is vsed in the good parte Answere I know not what you meane by the halfe communion I finde no such worde in the CoÌ„munion booke If you meane the communion in one kinde you speake vntruely and slaunderously of the booke and of this whole Church If you meane the scriptures and prayers appoinpointed to be read when there is no communion then do you vniustly liken them to the coÌ„memoration of the Masse being most fruteful scriptures godly prayers The name of Priest néede not be so odious vnto you as you would séeme to make it I suppose it commeth of this worde Presbyter and not of Sacerdos and then the matter is not great The Priest or priests that translated this book be not so scornefully to be taunted I thinke some of them haue ended their lyues in the fyre and all of them singuler both in lyfe religion and learning Speake not so contemptuously of so worthie men vtter not youre hautie stomackes with so spitefull wordes towardes youre superiours and betters least you proue your selues to be in the number of those of whome Saincte Paule speaketh 2. Tim. 3. vse 2.3.4.5 and Iudas in his epistle vse 8. It is true that the presthod of the old law is abolished but the place of Scripture noted in your margent proueth it not For Hebrues 5. Paule doth shew why the highe Prieste was ordeyned and what were his offices But hée speaketh nothing of the abolishing of the Priesthoode I muse what you meane thus vnnecessarily to paynte youre margent and that with so little iudgemente and lesse discretion The ninth to the Hebrues is some thing to the purpose but néedlesse Touching popish Priests as you call them whether they ought to haue any place in our Church or no I haue spoken before where I haue also answered your marginall notes concerning that matter You farre ouershotte your selfe in my opinion when you set it downe that you neuer read in the newe Testament this worde Priest touching office to be vsed in good parte What say you to the fourth to the Hebrues vse 14. Seeing then that we haue a greate high priest which is entred into heauen Iesus Christe c. And vse 15. For we haue not a hye priest whiche can not be touched with the feeling of oure infirmities but. c. And chap. 5. vse 6. Thou art a priest for euer c. And Apocalips 5. 1. Peter 2. But what shoulde I trouble you with a tedious heaping vp of Scriptures Shew me one place in this Epistle yea in the whole newe Testament where this worde priest is taken in euill parte touching office Truly eyther you are farre deceyued or else my vnderstanding fayleth mée I condemne that office and institution of sacrificing for the quicke and the deade with you and I knowe it is condemned in the scriptures manyfestely and namely in the ninthe and tenthe to the Hebrues Admonition Sixthly in this booke three or foure are allowed for a fit number to receyue the Communion and the Prieste alone together with one more or with the sicke man alone may in tyme of necessitie that is when there is any common plague or in tyme of other visitation minister it to the sicke man and if he require it it may not bee denyed This is not I am sure lyke in effecte to a priuate Masse that Scripture drinke ye all of this maketh not against this and priuate Communion is not agaynst the Scriptures Answere How vntruly these meÌ„ charge the church wyth priuate coÌ„munions I haue shewed before The place of scripture here alledged to proue the thrée or foure be not a sufficient number to coÌ„municate is this drinke ye all of this Matth. 26. Mark. 14. Which may as well be applyed to proue that ten twentie fortie is no sufficient number I know not what your meaning is except you thinke no number sufficient vnlesse all do communicate together bicause Chryst sayde Drinke ye all This texte proueth that all ought to be partakers of the Lordes cup but it dothe not determine any certaine number of communicantes I knowe there be some of the olde fathers as Basilius Magnus whiche woulde not haue fewer communicants than twelue But of the number of Communicantes there is nothing determined in Scripture neyther is it materiall so that there be a number that it may be a communion Admonition The seuenth And as for priuate baptisme that will abyde the touchstone Go ye sayth Christ and teache baptizing them c. Now teaching is diuorced from communions and sacraments They may go alone without doctrine Women that may not speake in a congregation maye yet in tyme of necessitie minister the sacrament of Baptisme and that in a priuate house And yet this is not to tye necessitie of saluation to the sacramentes nor to nousell men vp in that opinion This is agreable with the scriptures and therfore when they bring the baptised child they are
the Christian congregation concerning the same haue boldely enterprised to stirre vp many and heynous errours For if these reasons should take place the Apostles vsed it not Ergo it is not lawfull for vs to vse it or this either they did it Ergo we must needes do it then no Christians may haue any place to abide in they maye haue no Christian Princes no ministration of sacraments in Churches and suche like for the Apostles had no place to abide in they had no Christian Princes to gouerne them no churches to minister sacraments in c. Likewise we must haue al things common we must departe with al our possessions when we be conuerted to the Gospell baptise abroade in the fields minister the communion in priuate houses only be alwayes vnder the crosse and vnder Tyrants and such like For the Apostles had al thinges common departed from their possessions baptized abroade in fieldes ministred the communion in priuate houses were alwayes vnder persecutors and Tyrants c. 2. Another kind of argumente is much like vnto this and is taken ab authoritate negatinè which in matters of saluation and damnation holdeth when we reason ab authoritate scripturae from the authoritie of the scripture but not else For this argument it is not commaunded in the scripture to be done nor there expressed Ergo it ought not to be done is so far out of the way and so erronious that it is not tollerable for it taketh away the most parte of all due circumstances without the which either after one manner or other the very institutions of Christ cannot be obserued For how is it possible to receiue the holy Communion but either sitting standing knéelling walking or lying either at one time or other in the morning or at night before meate or after meate clothed or naked in this place or in that place c. and yet none of these circumstances are in scripture commaunded or by necessary collection may thereof be gathered the same is to be said of the obseruatioÌ„ of times of common prayers and other conuenient and necessarie orders in the Church If this argumente were good then all good lawes and ordinances made for the aduancing of true religion and establishing of good orders were to be abolished whiche were the very roote and welspring of stubbornesse obstinacie sedition disobedience and confusion 3. The third kind of argument is called petitio principij whiche is when a man frameth vnto himselfe principles of his owne deuise grounded neither vpon authoritie neither yet upon substantial reason and then vpon the same will conclude his purpose which is vit â—â—sissimum genâ—â— argumentands a very erronious kynde of reasoning as these men doo in vsing these two false principles the one when they say that to be inuented by an Antichristian Pope which was not so inuented the other when they say that nothing may be vsed in the Church of Christ which was inuented by the Pope or vsed in the Popes Churche which can not be true as in sundrie places of the boke I haue declared The selfe same reasons moued the Aërians to forsake the order of the Churche and to commaunde their Disciples to do the contrarie of that that the Church did We borrow good lawes of the Gentiles and we vse the Churches Belles Pulpits and many other things vsed of Papists c. 4. The fourthe kynde of reason is of negatiues by comparison as this Priestes and Ministers are to be known by their doctrine not by their apparel Ergo they ought not to haue distinct apparell from other men This argumente followeth not for negatives by comparison are not simplie to be vnderstanded but by the way coÌ„parison And therefore of the former sentence thus we may conclude that the apparell is not to be estéemed as a note of difference in comparison to learning doctrine and yet a note As when Paule sayth that Chryst sente him not to baptise but to preache the Gospell 1 Cor. 1. And God by his Prophete I wil have mercy and not sacrifice Ose. 6. and Mat. 9. 5. The fift is ab eo quod est non causam vt causam ponere vvhen that is taken for the cause of any thing vvhich is not the cause as when they condemne the booke of common prayer and a prescript forme of seruice bycause as they say it mainteineth an vnlerned or as they term it a reading ministerie wheÌ„ as the boke is not the cause of it neither yet a prescripte forme of prayer but either the parties themselues that be vnlearned or they that do admitte them or else both This kind of argument is vsuall in the Admonition There be other vnlearned and vnskilfull reasons vsed in this booke whiche may easily be discerned euen of children and therefore I here omit them Thus much I thought good generally to write which being duly considered the booke it selfe needeth no other kinde of confutation To the Christian Reader I Am not ignorant to what dangers especially of vncharitable slanderous tongs I haue made my selfe subiecte by taking vpon me this worke notwithstanding my reaconing is made and I have armed my selfe against the worst being taught so to do by the opprobrious speach of diuers who as busy bodies intermedling in other mens matters more than it becommeth them do therof iudge most vnchristianly and reporte most vntruly beleuing as partial Iudges whatsoeuer is reported howsoeuer falsely and vniustly But as I with all my harte for my parte forgiue them and wish vnto them more Christian hartes indifferent eares and charitable mouthes So do I exhorte thée Christian reader to abstaine from all suche rancor and other partiall and sinister affections in reading of this my booke And thinke of me as of one that to speake the truth to testifie his conscience to mainteyne the peace and quietnesse of the Churche to withstande erronious opinions or contentious doctrine will neither spare his laboure nor his fame and yet not so stiffely addicted to his owne opinion but that he can be contented to submitte hym selfe to better authoritie and reasons than he him selfe hath And I besée thée receyue this admonition at my hande Trie before thou trust beleue not lightly euery reporte as thou hast two eares so vse them both condemne no maÌ„ before he be heard abstaine from speaking euill of any wheÌ„ he is not present to make thée answere for that is a great iniurie respect not the person but the cause and let not euery pretenced zeale carrie thée headlong thou knowest not whether and suspende thy iudgement of this booke vntill thou hast aduisedly and indifferently redde the same Correction of faultes escaped in this booke In the ende of the Epistle dedicatorie for O deare spouse reade O deare spouse of Christ Folio 23. line 8. for est reade sunt Fol. 32. lin 34. for the trusteth reade he trusteth Fol. 33. lin 24. for are not come read are not scarce come Fol. 42. lin 20.
or callyng so that those qualities be founde in him which in that office are to be required I maruel to what purpose the twelfth chapiter of the first booke of Kings is here quoted for Ieroboam is there reproued bicause he toke the préesthood from the tribe of Leui to the whiche onely it did apperteyne The Papists neuer toke so great occasion of sâ—andring the gospel at the ignoraÌ„ce of the ministers for they haue of them selues those that be as ignorant and inore as they do at your schismes and fonde opinions wherewith you disquiet the peace of the Churche and lay stumbling blockes before the weake for the whiche God wil surely call you to accompte The second chapter to the Romaines is here quoted only to paynt the margent The second In those days no idolatrous sacrificers of Heathenish priests were appoynted to be preachers of the Gospell but we allowe and lyke well of Popish masse mongers men for al seasons King Henries priests King Edwards preestes Queene Maries preests who of a truth if Gods word wer precisely folowed shold froÌ„ the â—ame be vtterly remoued The place in the fifth chapter of the Hebrues quoted in the Margent speaketh nothing of Idolatrous sacrificers or Heathenish priests but only by the example of Aaron proueth that no man ought to intrude himselfe into the office of a Bishop or Préeâ—t except he be called of god Lord how dare these men thus wring the scriptures In the .23 of the Prophete Hieremie there is muche spoken againste false Prophetes but not one woorde for any thing that I sée to proue that idolatrous sacrificers maye not be admitted to preache the Gospell The places of the .44 of Ezechiell haue some shewe in them for there the Lorde commaundeth the Leuites whiche had committed Idolatrye to bée put from theyr dygnitie and not to bée receyued into the Preestes office but to serue in inferioure mynisteryes I thinke you wyll not make thys a generall rule to debarce such from preaching of the gospel as haue through infirmitie fallen and be nowe with hartie repentance retourned Wée haue many examples to the contrarie Peter forswore his maister Chryste whyche was as euill as sacrifising to idolles and yet hée was not put from hys Apostleshippe Wée haue dyuerse examples in the Primitiue Churche of suche as by feare béeyng compelled to sacrifise to straunge gods after repented and kepte still the office of preaching the Gospell and did moste constantly dye in the same I pray you what say you to maister Luther Buâ—er Cranmer Latimer Ridley c. were not all these somtymes Massemongers yet singuler notable instrumeÌ„ts of promoting the Gospel and preaching the same wherof many haue giuen testimonie by sheding their bloud And by whose Ministerie especially hathe the Gospell bene publyshed and is as yet in thys Churche of Englande but by suche as haue ben Massemongers and nowe zealous godlie and learned preachers God in that place of the Prophet Ezechiel sheweth how gréeuous a sin idolatry is especially in the préests but he prescribeth no generall rule of secluding them from theyr ministerie if they falling afterwarde repent Besides this there is a great difference betwixt the seueritie of the lawe and the lenitie of the Gospell betwixte the externall regimente of the Churche before Christe and the Churche after Chryste neyther can you make the one in all poyntes correspondent to the other Lykewise betwixt the declining of those Préests which was wholly from God to Gentilitie and the falling of ours to Papistrie which confesseth the same articles of fayth that wée doe althoughe not syncerely It is one thing wholly to worshippe false gods an other thing to worship the true God falsly and superstitiously But among all other things I woulde gladly knowe wherein king Edwards préestes haue offended you It is happie you let Quéene Elizabeths préestes alone I maruell whose Préests you are The thirde Then they taught others now they must be instructed them selues and therfore lyke yong children they muste learne Catechismes God be thanked there is a great number of ministers that can teache others and may be your schoolemasters in all kinde of learnyng excepte you haue more than you vtter in these treatises If they that fynde some want of learning in themselues or that be crepte into the ministerie vnlearned eyther of theyr owne accorde or by commaundemente of their ordinarie reade and learne godlie and learned Cathechismes they are to be commended and so is he that prouoketh them therevnto That Catechisme whiche you in derision quote in the margent is a booké fit for you to learn also and I know no man so wel learned but it may become him to reade and learne that learned and necessarie booke But some arrogant spirites there be that thinke them selues of all men best learned and disdayne to learne of any That place of the fourth chapter of the first to Timothie dothe not forbid a man to learne He that is a good and modest preacher wil not disdayn as well to be taught as to teache The fourthe Then election was made by the common consent of the whole Churche nowe euery one picketh out for himselfe some notable good benefice he obteyneth the nexte aduouson by money or by fauour and so thinketh himselfe sufficiently chosen To proue that the election was then made by the coÌ„mon consent of the whole Churche you quote the fyrst of the Acts. I tolde you before maister Caluines iudgement of that place There is no mention of electing by any common consante And in the place by you quoted whiche is the. 26. verse it is declared howe they gaue foorth their lottes and that the lot fell on Mathias and that he was by a common consent compted with the eleuen Apostles here is no mention of any election But when he was extraordinarily through Gods prouidence by lot appoynted then they all compted him and estemed him as one of the Apostles where as before some of them would haue had Barsabas I thinke your meaning is not to haue always two at once to be presented to the ministerie and then one of them to be chosen by lot I knowe none of that opinion Wherfore this example is singular and extraordinarie and therfore no generall rule to be folowed If any man seeketh a benefice extraordinarily or vnlaufully If any man desire honorem the honor not onus the burthen opes the ryches not opus the vvoorke hée hathe to aunswere for it but I truste you will not accuse all though perhaps you knowe some I meane of youre selues and peraduenture your owne selfe The fifth Then the coÌ„gregation had authoritie to call ministers in steede therof now they runne they ride and by vnlawful sute and buying preuente other suters also To proue that the congregation had then authoritie to call ministers you alledge the sixte of the Acts which place of the Acts I touched before It speaketh not of ministers of the worde
that they make a confession of their faith He maketh no mention at all of any baptising by womeÌ„ and therfore you haue done your cause great iniurie The seconde thing you mislike is priuate communions And you quote the 1. Cor. 11. In which chapter sainct Paule reproueth the prophanation of the supper among the Corinthians by banquetting and contempte of their brethren and he exhorteth one of them to tarrie for another But how can you applie thys to your purpose I knowe not what you meane by priuate Communion If you meane the receyuing of one alone there is none such allowed in the booke If you meane bicause it is ministred sometime vpon occasion in priuate houses I sée not howe you can call it priuate in respecte of the place if the number of communicants be sufficient You muste explicate your selfe before I can tell what you meane There is nothing in the Communion booke touching the Communion contrarie to that place of S. Paule by you quoted to my knowledge The CoÌ„munion exhibited to sicke persons is allowed both of Peter Martir and Bucer as in the other treatise I haue declared and consonant to the custome of Christes Churche euen from the Apostles time as it is to be séene in olde writers The third is the Iewish purifyings as you terme it you cite for that purpose Act. 15. where Peter speaking agaynst certayne of the Pharisies which beléeued and taught that it was néedeful for the Gentiles which were conuerted to be circumcised and to obserue Moses law saith on this sort Novv therfore vvhy tempt ye God to lay a yoke on the disciples necks c. how any thing here conteyned prohibiteth womeÌ„ after they be deliuered froÌ„ the great daunger and paynes of childe bearing to giue in the congregation thankes for their deliueraunce let the godly Reader iudge Surely this is no Iewishe purifying but christian giuing of thaÌ„ks most consonant agreable to the word of god But hereof also something more is to be spoken in another place Fourthly you mislike obseruing of holy dayes And you alledge Exod. 20. Sixe dayes shalte thou labour and do all thy vvorke To obserue any day superstitiously or to spende any day vnprofitably is flat agaynst not this coÌ„mandement onely but others also in the holy Scriptures And I woulde to God it were better looked vnto But to abstayne any day from bodily labour that we may labour spiritually in hearing the worde of God magnifying his name and practising the workes of charitie is not either agaynst this or any other commaundement For I thinke the meaning of this commaundement is not so to tye men to bodily labour that they may not intermit the same to labour spiritually For then how could we preachers and students excuse our selues howe mighte the people lawfully come to oure Sermons and Lectures in any of the sixe dayes But of this thing also occasion wyll bée ministred to speake more héereafter In the ende you adde patched if not altogither yet the greatest peece oute of the Popes portuis To this I aunswere briefly it maketh no matter of whom it was inuented in what booke it is conteyned so that it be good and profitable and consonant to Gods worde Well sayth Ambrose Omne verum a quocunque dicitur à spiritu sancto est All truthe of vvhomsoeuer it is spoken is of the holy ghost The fiftenth and sixtenth Then feeding the flocke diligently nowe teaching quarterly then preaching in season out of season now once in a moneth is thought sufficient if twice it is iudged a worke of supererogation These be but words of pleasure God be thaÌ„ked there be ministers such as you mislike of which féede their flocks diligently and preach in time and out of time according both to S. Peters and S. Paules meaning But you must vnderstande that he doth not alwayes féede the beste nor take the greatest paynes whiche preacheth moste often but he that preacheth moste learnedly moste pithely moste orderly most discretely most to edifying It may be that â—e which preacheth but once in the moneth taketh more paynes for his sermon hath more pithe and learning in his sermon edifyeth more by his sermon than you do for all your sermons in all your sermons or by all the sermons that you make in the whole yeare be they neuer so many For what is it to preache euery day and to spende the time with words onely or with bitter inuectiues agaynst certayne trifles and agaynst superiours Suche sermons doe not edifie but destroy doe not worke in the hearts of the hearers faythe and charitie but eyther contempte of religion or else contempte of superiours contempt of good orders yea hatred malice vndiscrete wrath coloured with a pretence of zeale Truely suche sermons seldome or neuer worke any good effecte many women in London coulde on that sorte occupie the time Wherefore I am fullie persuaded that he commeth nearer to the fulfylling of the mynde of the Apostle which diligently studying and labouring continually for knowledge dothe orderly learnedly and effectually preache once in the moneth than suche as backbiting at other mennes tables running all the day long vppe and downe the stréetes seldome or neuer studying doe negligently vnorderly verbally if I may so terme it preache euery day twice And yet I knowe the oftner a man dothe preache the former circumstances béeing considered the better it is But of euery one it will be required according to his talent and not he that speaketh moste but laboureth most to speake not he that preacheth moste often but that preacheth moste paynefully truely and diligently shall in that day bée best accepted That learned and auncient father master Whithead hath sundrie times lamented in my hearing and I think there be other of his friendes hatâ— heard the same the loose friuolous and vnprofitable preaching of diuers Ministers in London And I woulde to God it were better looked vnto then I thinke verily we should haue lesse contention and more religion The seuententh and eyghtenth Then nothing taught but gods word now princes plesures mens deuises popishe ceremonies Antichristian rites in publike pulpits defended Then they sought them now they seeke theirs It had bene wel to haue let vs vnderstand what those princes pleasures be what mens deuises what popishe ceremonies what Antichristian rites for now you haue but slandered both the Prince and the whole state of religion in this Church by publike authoritie established wherefore vntill you shewe some particulers this shall be my answere that Spiritus Dei neque est mendax neque mordax The spirite of God is neither a lyer nor a slaunderer It is but your pleasure thus generally to say That then pastors sought their flockes nowe they seeke theirs For it is well knowen that there be pastors which séeke their flocks and not theirs Hitherto thanks be vnto God in all this discourse there is not one péece of false doctrine of any substaunce
before the Sacraments were ministred now it is supposed to be sufficient if it be read To proue that the worde was preached before the sacrameÌ„ts were ministred you alledge the third of Mathew verse 12. VVhich hath his fanne in his hand and vvil make cleane his flovver and gather his vvheate into his garner but vvill burne vp the chaffe vvith vnquencheable fyre I vnderstand not how you can of this place conclude that there must be of necessitie preaching and not reading before the administration of the Sacraments If you say Iohn preached vnto suche as came vnto his Baptisme and readde not vnto them therefore of necessitie there must be preaching and not reading I denye the argument for it is a common rule that we may not conclude a generall doctrine of a singuler or particuler example and I am sure it is agaynst all rule of Logicke But how if it maye be proued that Iohn did baptyse some without preaching vnto them In that third chapter of Mathew verses .5 and .6 we reade that all Ierusalem and all Iâ—daea and all the region round about Iordan went out to be baptized of him and that they were baptized of him in Iordane confessing their sinnes but we reade not that he did immediatly before preache vnto them and verses .13.14.15 it is manifeste that he did baptize Christe without preaching This is but a slender proofe you vse therby to condemne the sinceritie of our sacraments and administring of them in this Churche There is no man I thinke whiche doth not allowe of preaching before the administration of the Sacraments But it is not therwith ioyned tanquam de necessitate sacramenti as of the necessitie of the sacrament neyther is there any thing here alledged for preaching before the administration of the Lords Supper In déede we reade not that Christ did preache immediatly before the distribution of the Sacrament of his body bloud to his disciples onely he told them that some of them should betray him that he had greatly desired to â—ate that passeouer with them This I write to shewe youre blynde and vnlearned collections not to disallow preaching in the administration of Sacraments But I woulde gladly learne why you doe so greately myslyke of readyng the Scriptures I hope you be not Zwingfildians Is not the worde of God as effectuall when it is read as when it is preached or is not reading preaching Isidorus sayeth that reading bringeth great profite to the hearers Tertulian sayth when wée come togither to the reading of the holy Scriptures wée féede oure faythe wyth those heauenly voyces we rayse vp oure affiaunce wée fasten our hope And againe he calleth the reading of the Scriptures the féeding of our fayth But what néede I speake anye more of a matter so manyfeste You flatly ioyne with the Papist in this For in the confutation of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande mayster Harding calleth reading of the Scriptures to the people in the Churche a spirituall dumbnesse and a thing vnprofitable c. That to reade the scriptures in the church is no newe thing but moste auncient and grounded vppon Gods worde it is manyfest by that whiche is written in the fourth of Luke where the Euangelist sayeth that Christ on the Sabboth day going into the synagoge according to his accustomed manner risse vp to reade and there was deliuered vnto him the booke of the Prophete Esaye and as soone as hée opened the Booke hée founde the place where it was written Spiritus Domini super me c. The Spirite of the Lord vpon me c. Likewyse in the thirtéenth of the Actes wée reade that Paule and other of his companie béeing in the Synagoge on the Sabboth day was sent vnto by the rulers of the Synagoge Post lectronem legis Propherarum after the readyng of the lawe and the Prophets to know if they would make any exhortation to the people Iustinus Martyr Apolog. 2. pro Christianis sayeth that in his tyme the manner was on the Sabboth daye when the people were gathered together to haue the Scriptures read in the publique congregation and in the time of publike Prayer for the space of one whole houre Origene wryting vppon Iosua Homel 15. saythe that the Bookes of the olde Testamente were deliuered by the Apostles to be read in the Churches Cyprian lib. 2. Epists 5. sayth The reader soundeth out the highe and heauenly vvords he readeth out the Gospel of Christ. c. Chrysostome vppon the Actes Hom. 19. The Minister and common Minister standeth vp and cryeth vvyth a loude voyce saying Kepe silence after that the reader beginneth the prophecie of Esay Augustin speaking to the people sayth Yee heard vvhen the Gospell vvas read yee heard erevvhile vvheÌ„ it vvas read if ye gaue eare to the reading dearely beloued vvee haue hearde in the lesson that hath ben read But of reading bothe scriptures and prayers I haue spoken before and mynde to speake something hereafter For my part I muse what you meane in this poynt so to iumpe with the Papists The seconde generall reason is this Then Sacramentes were ministred in publique assemblies nowe in priuate houses The places of Scripture wherby you proue that Sacraments were then ministred in publique assemblies be taken out of the first of S. Marke and .1 Cor. 11. which places of Scripture proue that Iohn did baptize openly that the Lords Supper was ministred in the publique congregation but neyther of them bothe conclude that these Sacraments may not also be ministred vppon any occasion in priuate houses For what sequele is there in this reason all the countrey of Iudaea and they of Ierusalem wente out vnto him and were baptised of him in the riuer of Iordan confessing their sinnes Ergo Baptisme may not be ministred vpon any occasion in priuate houses you may as well conclude that none ought to be baptized but in the riuer of Iordan and none but suche as be able to confesse their sinnes and so you shoulde seclude children from Baptisme as the Anabaptistes doe Baptisme was ministred in Cornelius house Actes 10. The place is not of the substaunce of the Sacraments To the .1 Corin. 11. it is answered before Surely this Churche of England doth not permit the sacraments to be ministred in priuate places except there be a coÌ„gregation and then not vsually but only in certaine cases The thirde generall reason is this Then by ministers onely now by midwiues and deacons equally That then the Sacraments were ministred onely by ministers you alledge the 28. of Mathew whiche place is answered before Likewise .1 Cor. 4. Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Chryst and disposers of the mysteries of God. Here is not one worde for your purpose Except you take mysteries for sacrameÌ„ts which if you do you are much deceyued for by the word mysteries here he vnderstandeth the worde of God and Gospell of Chryste as all learned writers do
not wasted vpon loyterers and idle vagabounds Nowe it is the first steppe to the ministerie nay rather a mere order of priesthoode Answere In the whole .xij. chapiter of the Epistle to the Romanes there is not one worde to proue the office of a Deacon to consist in gathering almes and distributing the same neither yet dothe he speake there of the office of a Deacon no more dothe he in the thirde Chapiter of the seconde Epistle to the Thessalo Lorde God what meane you thus to play with the scriptures It is true that in the primatiue Churche the office of a Deacon was to collecte and prouide for the poore but not onely for it was also their office to preache and to baptise for Stephen and Philippe béeing Deacons dyd preache the Gospell Act. 6.7.8 And Philip dyd baptyse the Eunuche Act. 8. Iustinus Martyr one of the moste auncient writers in his seconde Apologie sayth that in the administration of the Supper deacons did distribute the bread and the wine to the people The same doth master Caluine affirme of deacons in his Instit. ca. 19. It may well be compted the first steppe to the ministerie as it hath bene from the Apostles time and S. Paule ioyneth them togither 1. Tim. 3. Admonition For they may baptise in the presence of a Bishop or priest or in their absence if necessitie so require minister the other sacrament likewise reade the holy scriptures and homilies in the congregation instruct the youth in the Cathechisme and also preache if he be commaunded by the Byshop Answere I know not what you meane by your Ponti tit in the margent of your booke but if you meane the booke entituled the forme and maner of making and consecrating Byshops c. now allowed in this Church of Englande then do you vntruely reporte it for there is no mention of baptising in the presence of a Byshop or Priest neither yet of ministring the other sacrament in their absence if necessitie require onely the booke sayth that a deacon may baptise or preach if he be thervnto admitted by the Byshop and that he may so do by the worde of God I haue proued before As for reading the holy scriptures and Homilies in the congregation also for instructing the youth in the Cathechisme who doubteth but that a deacon may do them Admonition Agayne in the olde Churche euery congregation had their Deacons Answere O how aptely you haue alledged the Scriptures to proue that euery congregation had their deacons In the first to the Philip. these be the words Paule and Timotheus c. to all the Saincts which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Paule and Timotheus salute the Byshops Deacons which were at Philippi Therfore in those dayes euery congregation had their Deacons a straunge kind of reasoning you might well haue thus concluded Ergo at Philippi there was Deacons But surely this argument is too muche out of square there was Deacons at Philippi therfore euery congregation had their Deacons In the .13 of S. Iohn verse .27 these be the wordes And after the soppe Sathan entred into him then sayde Iesus vnto him that thou doste do quickly After supper Sathan entred into Iudas and Iesus sayde vnto him that thou doste do quickly Therefore euery congregation had their Deacons No maruell though your margent be pestred with Scriptures when you take libertie to make ex quolibet quidlibet Peraduēture you meane that Iudas was a Deacon as he was not but an Apostle bicause he carried the bagge and that some of the Apostles thought that Christ had bid him giue somwhat to the poore belike whosoeuer giueth a peny to the poore at his masters commaundement is with you a Deacon In the sixt of the Acts we learne that there were chosen seauen Deacons but there is not one worde to proue that euery congregation had their Deacons In the third of the first to Timothie S. Paule sheweth what qualities and conditions a Deacon ought to haue but not one worde of deacons béeing in euery congregation This is great audacitie thus manifestly to wring the scriptures without all colour or shew of reason Admonition Now they are tyed to Cathedrall Churches only what do they there gather the almes and distribute it to the poore nay that is the least peece or rather no parte of their function What then to sing a Gospell when the Bishop ministreth the Communion If this be not a peruerting of this office and charge let euery one iudge Answere I am sure you are not offended that there be Deacons in Cathedrall Churches For if they ought to be in euery congregatiō they ought to be there also and yet I know no such order now in Cathedrall Churches that they be more bounde to Deacons in the respecte of reading the Gospell thā other Churches be But admitte they were it is no peruerting of the office of a Deacon being incident to his office aswell to reade the Scriptures in the congregation and to exhorte as to giue almes and distribute to the poore For the state of the Churche is not nowe as it was in the Apostles tyme neyther is that parte of the office of a Deacon so necessary nowe as it was then being lawes and orders otherwise to prouide for the poore than there either was then or coulde haue bene Admonition And yet least the reformers of our time shold seeme vtterly to take out of gods Church thys necessarie function they appointe something to it concerning the pore and that is to search for the sicke needy and impotent people of the parrish and to intimate their estates names and places where they dwell to the Curate that by his exhortation they may be releeued by the parrish or other conuenient almes And thys you see is the nighest parte of his office and yet you must vnderstande it to be in suche places where there is a Curate and Deacō euery parrishe cannot be at that cost to haue both nay no parrish so farre as can be gathered at thys present hath Answere And what faulte can you finde herewith is not thys greatly to be commended If euery parrishs cannot be at the cost to haue both Curate and Deacon why do you require them both in euery parrish Why do you not thinke well of suche lawes as appoint collectours for the poore which may aswell prouide for them and better too than could the Deacon who must be susteyned himselfe with that which the poore should haue Admonition Now then ▪ if you will restore the Churche to his ancient officers this you must do In stead of an Archbyshop or Lorde Byshop you must make equalitie of ministers Answere I haue proued before that aswell the name as office of an Archbishop is both most auncient and also most necessarie in the Church of Christ and that this equalitie of ministers which you require is both flatly against the scriptures and all aunciente authoritie of councells and learned
An Answere to the seconde parte of the Libell called An admonition to the Parliament and entituled A view of Popishe abuses yet remayning in the English Church for the which godlie ministers haue refused to subscribe Admonition WHere as immediatly after the laste parliament holden at Westmynster begon in Anno. 1570. and ended in Anno 1571. the ministers of gods holy word and Sacraments were called before hir maiesties high Cōmissioners and enforced to subscribe vnto the articles if they would kepe their places and liuings and some for refusing to subscribe were vnbrotherly and vncharitably entreated and from their offices and places remoued May it please therefore this honorable and high Court of Parliament in cōsideration of the premises to take a view of such causes as then did withholde and now doth the foresaide Ministers from subscribing and consenting vnto those foresaide articles by way of purgation to discharge them selues of all disobedience towardes the Church of God and their soueraigne and by way of most humble entreatie for the remouing away and vtter abolishing of all suche corruptions and abuses as withhelde them through whiche this long time brethren haue bene at vnnaturall warre and strife among them selues to the hinderance of the Gospell to the ioy of the wicked and to the griefe and dismay of all those that professe Christes religion and laboure to attaine Christian reformation Answere You complayne much of vnbrotherly vncharitable entreating of you of remouing you from your offices and places Surely in this point I must compare you to certayne heretikes that were in Augustines time who most bitterly by sundry meanes afflicting and molesting the true ministers of the Churche yet for all that cried out that they were extreamly dealte with and cruelly persecuted by them or else vnto a shrewd and vngratious wife which beating hir husbande by hir clamorous cōplaints maketh hir neighbours beleue that hir husband beateth hir or to him that is mētioned in Erasmus colloquies that did steale and runne away with the Priests purse and yet cried alwaies as he ranne stay the thiefe stay the thiefe and thus crying escaped and yet he was the thiefe him selfe You are as gentlie entreated as may be no kinde of brotherly perswasion omitted towardes you most of you as yet kepe your liuings though some one or two be displaced you are offered all kind of friendlinesse if you could be contente to conforme your selues yea but to be quiet and holde your peace you on the contrary side most vnchristianly and most vnbrotherly both publikely and priuately raile on those that shew this humanitie towards you slaunder them by all meanes you can and most vntruly report of them séeking by all meanes their discredit Againe they as their allegiance to the Prince dutie to lawes requireth yea and as some of them by oth are bounde do execute that discipline whiche the Prince the lawe and their oth requireth You contrary to al obedience duty and oth openly violate break those lawes orders and statutes which you ought to obey and to the which some of you by oth is bounde If your doings procéede in dede from a good conscience then leaue that liuing and place whiche bindeth you to those things that be against your conscience for why shold you striue with the disquietnesse both of your selues and others to kepe that liuing which by laws you cannot excepte you offende against your cōscience or what honestie is there to sweare to statutes and lawes and when you haue so done cōtrarie to your oth to breake thē and yet still to remaine vnder them and enioy that place which requireth obedience and subiectiō to them For my parte I thinke it much better by remouing you from your liuings to offende you than by suffering you to enioy them to offend the prince the lawe conscience and god And before God I speake it if I were persuaded as you séeme to be I would rather quietly forsake all the liuinges I haue than be an occasion of strife and contention in the Church a cause of stumbling to the weake reioysing to the wicked I know God would prouide for me if I did it bona conscientia yea surely I would rather die than be an author of schismes a disturber of the common peace and quietnesse of the Churche and state There is no reformed Churche that I can heare tell of but it hath a certayne prescripte and determinate order aswell touching ceremonies and discipline as doctrine to the which all those are constrayned to giue their consent that will liue vnder the protection of it and why then may not this Churche of England haue so in like manner Is it méete that euery man should haue his owne phansie or liue as him list Truly I know not whervnto these your doings can tende but either to Anabaptisme or to méere confusion But nowe to the reasons that moue you not to subscribe to those articles ministred vnto you by hir Maiesties highe Commissioners The first article First that the booke cōmonly called the boke of common prayers for the Church of Englād authorised by parliamente and all and euery contents therin be suche as are not repugnant to the word of God. Admonition Albeit right honorable and dearely beloued we haue at all times borne with that whiche we could not amend in this booke and haue vsed the same in our ministerie so farre forth as we might reuerencing those times and those persons in whiche and by whome it was first authorised being studious of peace and of the building vp of Christes Church yet now being compelled by subscription to allow the same and to confesse it not to be against the worde of God in any point but tollerable we must nedes say as followeth that this booke is an vnperfecte booke culled and picked out of the popish dunghill the masse booke full of all abhominations for some and many of the contents therin be such as are against the worde of God as by his grace shal be proued vnto you And by the way we cannot but muche maruell at the craftie wilinesse of those men whose partes it had bene first to haue proued each and euery cōtente therin to be agreable to the word of god seing that they force mē by subscription to consente vnto it or else sende them packing from their callings Answere And what reason can you giue why you should not aswell allowe of it by subscription as you saye that you haue hitherto done by vsing of it in your ministerie Will you speake on thing and do another will you not subscribe to that whiche you publiquely vse and giue your cōsent vnto If those persons by whome this booke was first authorised were studious of peace and of bulding vp of Christes Church as you say they were then you that séeke to deface it are disturbers of peace and destroyers of the Church of Christ. They were singuler learned men zelous in Gods religion blamelesse in life
hath brought to vs these thirtene years past c. And what can you tell howe much it hath profited I thinke very much but the lesse bycause of your cōtentiousnesse For by the factiōs that you haue stirred many be brought into a doubte of religion many cleane driuen backe and no doubte the frutes of the Gospell would haue muche more appeared if you had not made this schisme in the Churche a perpetuall companion but yet a deadly enimie to the Gospell I know not what you meane by your Circumceliō or newe Apostle If you meane such as preach in diuers places as they be called or as they sée occasion I sée not with what honest zeale or godly affection you can call them in derision Circumcelions or newe Apostles Some such haue done more good with their flying sermons as you terme them than you haue done with your rayling libels But as I said in the beginning I will not aunswere wordes but matter although I am constrained to do otherwise you are so full of words and barren of matter Admonition The second reason In this booke also it is appointed that after the creede if there be no sermon an homely must followe either already set out or herafter to be set out This is scarce plaine dealing that they would haue vs to consent vnto that which we neuer sawe whiche is to be set out hereafter we hauing had such cause alreadye to distrust them by that whiche is already set out being corrupt and strange to mainteine an vnlearned reading ministrie And sith it is plaine that mens works oughte to be kepte in and nothing else but the voyce of God and holy scriptures in which only are conteined al fulnesse and sufficiencie to decide controuersies must sounde in hys Churche for the very name Apocrypha testifieth that they ought rather to be kepte close than to be vttered Answere Your seconde reason in fewe wordes is this In the booke of common prayer it is appointed that after the creede if there be no sermon an Homily must followe either already set out or hereafter to be set out but you knowe not what wil hereafter be set out therefore you will not subscribe You haue no cause to suspecte any thing touching religion set out by publique authoritie for so is the booke or hereafter to be set out by cōmon authoritie Hitherto you are not able to cōuince any homily set out by cōmon authoritie of any error and therefore you ought not to be suspicious of any that is to come If any Homily shall hereafter be sette out wherein you mislike any thing you néede not to reade it the boke doth not appoint you this or that Homily to read but some one which you like best But what néede you to be scrupulous in thys matter if you be disposed to preach then néede you reade no Homily at all therefore this is no reason This assertion that in the holy scriptures is cōteyned al fulnesse to decide controuersies if you meane controuersies in matters of fayth and in matters touching saluation is very true but you haue vsed little discretion in quoting some places to proue the same I finde no faulte with you for citing the sixte verse of the 2. Timo. 3. for the 16. verse that is but a small ouersight and it may bée in the Printer But howe doe you conclude this assertion of the words of Peter 2. epist. ca. 1. verse 20. which be these so that ye first knovve that no prophecie of the scripture is of any priuate motion For this place only proueth that the scriptures be not of men but of the holy Ghost it speaketh nothing of the sufficiencie of the Scripture That place also 1. Cor. 1. is not fitly applyed to this purpose there is scripture sufficient directly to proue the sufficiencie of scripture so that you shoulde not haue néeded to giue the aduersarie occasion to carpe at the vnaptnesse of these places for that purpose Homelies contayning doctrine agréeable to the scriptures be of the same nature that sermons be Wherfore if it be not lawfull in the Church to reade homilies neither is it lawfull to preach Sermons The reason is all one neyther is there any difference but that Homilies be read in the booke Sermons sayde without the booke Homilies are pithie learned and sound sermons oftētimes be words without matter vnlearned erronious But of reading Homilies in the church I haue somthing spoken before now it shal be sufficient only to set down Master Bucers iudgemente of this matter in his notes vppon the Communion booke which is this It is better that vvhere there lacks to expound the scriptures vnto the people there shoulde be Godly and learned Homilies readde vnto them rather than they shoulde haue no exhortation at all in the administration of the supper And a little after there be too fevve Homilies and too fevve points of religion taught in them vvhen therefore the Lord shall blesse this kingdome vvith some excellent preachers lette them be commaunded to make moe Homilies of the principall points of religion vvhich may be readde to the people by those pastors that cannot make better themselues Admonition In this booke days are ascribed vnto saints and kepte holy with fastes on their euens and prescripte seruice appointed for them whiche beside that they are of many superstitiously kept and obserued and also contrarie to the cōmaundement of God Sixe dayes thou shalt laboure and therefore we for the superstition that is put in them dare not subscribe to allowe them Answere This is contained in your first reason and there aunswered Your collection hangeth not togither for howe followeth this these holydayes be superstitiously obserued of some therefore you may not allow them Why shoulde other mens superstition hinder you from lawfully vsing a lawfull thing The Saboth day is superstitiously vsed of some so is the church so is the Créed the Lords prayer and many things else and yet I hope you will subscribe to them You heape vp a number of places in the margent to proue that which no man doubteth of that is this portiō of the commaundement Sixe daies shalt thou labour c. The meaning of which wordes is this that seing God hath permitted vnto vs sixe days to do our owne works in we ought the seuenth day wholy to serue him This is no restraint for any man from seruing of God any day in the wéeke else For the Iewes had diuers other feasts whiche they by Gods appointmente obserued notwithstanding these wordes Sixe dayes c. Euery man hath not bodily laboure to doo but may serue God aswell in these sixe dayes as in the seuenth And certenly he doth not by any means break this commaundement which abstayneth in any of these six dayes from bodily laboure to serue god For this is the commaundement Remēber that thou kepe holy the Saboth day as for this Sixe dayes thou shalt vvorke is no commaundemente
ring whiche you call a sacramentall signe and vntruly say that we attribute the vertue of wedlocke therevnto I knowe it is not materiall whether the ring be vsed or no for it is not of the substance of matrimonie neither yet a sacramentall signe no more than sitting at Communion is but only a ceremonie of the which Master Bucer writing his iudgement vppon the first Communion booke set out in the time of King Edward saith on this sort Subijeitur alius ritus vt annulum c. There is another rite and ceremonie vsed that the bridegroome should lay vpon the booke the ring or any other signe or token of vvedlocke be it golde or siluer vvhich he vvill giue to his vvife and from thence the minister taking it doth deliuer it to the bridegrome and he deliuereth the same to the bride vvith a prescript forme of vvords conteyned in the booke this ceremonie is very profitable if the people be made to vnderstande vvhat is therby signified as that the ring and other things first laide vppon the booke and aftervvard by the minister giuen to the bridegrome to be deliuered to the bride do signifie that we ought to offer all that vve haue to God before vve vse thē and to acknovvledge that vve do receiue them at his hand to be vsed to his glory The putting of the ring vppon the fourth finger of the vvomans lefte hande to the vvhich as it is saide there commeth a synevve or string from the harte doth signifie that the harte of the vvife ought to be vnited to hir husband and the roundnesse of the ring doth signifie that the vvife ought to be ioyned to hir husband vvith a perpetuall bande of loue as the ring it selfe is vvithoute ende Hitherto Master Bucer The seconde thing you reproue is bycause saye you we make the married man according to the papisticall forme to make an Idoll of hys wife saying with my body I thee worship c. And yet S. Peter .1 epist. cap. 3. speaking to the husbands saith Likewise ye husbandes dwell with them as men of knowledge giuing honor vnto the woman c. S. Peter wold haue the man to giue honor vnto his wife yet his meaning is not that a mā shold make an Idol of his wife Last of al you like not that the married persons shoulde be enioyned to receiue the Cōmunion Truly I maruell what you meane so wickedly to reuile so godly and so holy a lawe Well I will onely set downe Master Bucers iudgemente of this thing also in the booke before of me recited his wordes be these Est illud admodum pie ordinatum vt noui coninges vna quoque de mensa Domini communicent nam non nisi in Christo Domino debent christiani inter se matrimonio iungi That is also godly ordeyned that the newe married folkes should receiue the Communion for Christians ought not to be ioyned by matrimonie but in Christ the Lorde Other pettie things you say out of the boke which you call in the margent abuses accidentall as women to come bareheaded bagpipes fidlers comming in at the greate dore c. you will not speake of Truly neither will I speake of them bycause being out of that booke and meare trifles they are not within my compasse But in the meane time this is a sore reason The ring is vsed in matrimonie the man saith to his wife with my body I thee worship the newe married persons receiue the Communion togither therefore you will not subscribe to the booke of common prayers But this argumēt cannot be aunswered women come to the Churche bareheaded with bagpipes and fidlers at the great dore of the Churche and these things bee not in the booke therefore you will not subscribe to the booke Admonition The tenth As for cōfirmatiō as they vse it by the Byshop alone to thē that lacke both discretion and faith it is superstitious and not agreable to the worde of God but popishe and peeuishe We speake not of other toyes vsed in it and howe farre it differeth and is degenerated from the first institution they themselues that are learned can witnesse Answere Confirmation as it is nowe vsed is most profitable without all manner of superstition most agreable to the word of God and in all points differing from the Papisticall manner of confirming children But arrogancie maketh you so péeuish that you can like nothing be it neuer so good Admonition The eleuenth They appointe a prescript kinde of seruice to burye the deade and that whiche is the duty of euery christian they tie alone to the minister whereby prayer for the dead is mainteyned and partly gathered out of some of the prayers where they praye that we wyth this our brother and all other departed in the true faith of thy holy name may haue our perfecte consummation and blisse both in body and soule We say nothing of the threefoulde peale bycause that it is rather licensed by iniunction than commaunded in the booke nor of theyr straunge mourning by chaunging their garments which if it be not hipocriticall yet it is superstitious and heathenishe bycause it is vsed only of custome nor of burial sermōs which are put in place of trentalls whereout spring many abuses and therfore in the best reformed Churches are remoued As for the superstitiōs vsed both in countrey and City for the place of buriall whiche way they must lie howe they must be fetched to Church the minister meeting them at church stile with surplesse with a company of greedy Clarks that a crosse white or blacke must be set vppon the dead corps that bread must be giuen to the poore offrings in buriall time vsed cakes sent abrode to frēds bycause these are rather vsed of custome and superstition than by the authoritie of the boke Small commaundement will serue for the accomplishing of suche things But great charge wil hardly bring the least good thing to passe and therefore all is let alone and the people as blinde and as ignorante as euer they were God be mercifull vnto vs. Answere It is true that we haue a prescript kind of seruice to bury the dead and that we appointe that office to the minister and what haue you in the whole scripture against this or who euer hath found faulte with either of these two things I meane prescript seruice to bury the dead the minister to execute that office but you alone or when was it euer heretofore reproued by any but euen by your selues now of late You say that therby prayer for the dead is mainteyned as may partly be gathered out of some of the prayers where wee praye that we with thys our brother other departed in the true faith of thy holy name c. You know full wel what our doctrine is cōcerning prayer for the dead you ought not thus boldly to vtter a manifest vntruthe for in so doing you do but bewray your sinister
be not present Well men may sée whervnto this geare tendeth if they be not blinde Benedictus also Nuns dimittis and Magnificat be great motes in your eyes but you shewe no reason worthy to be answered onely in derision you say except some of them were ready to dye or would celebrate the memorie of the Uirgin or Iohn Baptist. As thoughe these Hymmes or Psalmes were not profitable for all men as the rest of the holy Scripture is but these especially bicause they conteyne the mysterie of our saluation and the prayse of God for the same By this your reason we may not vse any of the Psalmes vntil we be in like case as Dauid was or other when they were first made But I thinke nowe the time is come when those shall correct magnificat qui nesciunt quid significat Truely this your dooing is a méere prophanation of holy scriptures Admonition The thirtenth In all their order of seruice there is no edification according to the rule of the Apostle but confusion They tosse the Psalmes in most places like tennise balles the people some standing some walking some talking some reading some praying by theÌ„selues attende not to the minister He againe posteth it ouer as faste as he can gallop for either he hath two places to serue or else there are some games to be played in the after noone as lying for the Whetstone heathenishe dauncing for the ring a Beare or a Bull to be bayted or else Iacke an apes to ryde on horse backe or an Enterlude to bee playde and if no place else can bee gotten it muste bee doone in the church c. Now the people sit now they stand vp wheÌ„ the old testameÌ„t is read or the lessons they make no reuerence but when the Gospell commeth then they all stande vp For why they think that to be of greatest authoritie and are ignorant that the scriptures came from one spirite When Iesus is named then off goeth the cappe and downe goeth the knees with suche a scraping on the grounde that they can not heare a good while after so that the word is hindred but when any other names of God are mentioned they make no curtesie at all as though the names of God were not equall or as though all reuerence oughte to be giuen to the sillables We speake not of ringing when Mattens is done and other abuses incident bicause we shal be answered that by the booke they are not mainteined only we desire to haue a booke to refourme it As for Organes and curious singing though they be proper to popishe dennes I meane to Cathedral churches yet some others also muste haue them The Queenes Chappell and these Churches must be paternes and presidents to the people of all superstitions Answere This is a slaunderous vntruth And the .1 Cor. 14. abused to confirme it Whatsoeuer S. Paule requireth in that place is vsed in that booke of Seruice for first the whole seruice is in a tong knowne as S. Paule there requireth that the people may vnderstande and say Amen Then are the Scriptures read the Sacramentes ministred according to Christes owne institution those that be godly disposed persons knowe what a manifeste vntruth this is that you here vtter But madde men women and children must haue their wordes If by tossing of Psalmes you meane the singing of them alternatim then doe you disallowe that whiche is both commendable and of great antiquitie as it appereth in an Epistle that Basilius Magnus did write to the ministers in Neocesaria where he sheweth the selfe same order of singing Psalmes to be then vsed in the churche that we vse at this day If by tossing of Psalmes lyke tennyse balles you meane the ouer hastie reading or singing of them it is in déede to be mislyked but it is no parte of the booke and therfore no cause why you should absteyn from subscribing to it Walking talking reading priuate praying of the people in time of Common prayers seruing of two cures games played in the afternoone on the Sabboth daye as lying for the whetstone c. be faults worthy of punishment where they be vsed but they are not within the contentes of the boke they are here recited out of place to no purpose This is very malicious and vndiscrete dealing to burden the common order with suche faultes whiche by the malice of men are growen in vse and are of all good men mislyked So you might haue burdened Saint Paule and other preachers with the faults of the Churches of Corinth and Galathians and the residue of the Apostles with the superstitions of the Iewes conuerted in the primitiue Churche and all good rulers with such faultes as corruption of time breedeth Standing or sitting at this time or that time is indifferent and therfore may both be well vsed and abused also Kneeling at the name of Iesus is of the lyke nature ringing when matâ—ins is doone as you tearme it curious singing organs â–ª c. All these be without the booke and therfore without discretion alledged as a reason why you wil not subscribe to the book Here it pleaseth you to call Cathedrall Churches Popish dennes As hap is your words ar no slander But this brag I will make of Cathedral Churches and such as be now in them I wil offer vnto you a doze in cathedral Churches in EnglaÌ„d which I my selfe do know the worst wherof in learning shal encounter with al Papists Puritans Anabaptists and what other sects soeuer in England for the defence of religion now professed eyther by worde or writing Without arrogancie be it spoken I thinke there was neuer time wherein these churches were better furnished with wyse learned and godly men than they be at this day I speake not this bostingly but to Gods glorie the honour of the Prince the comfort of the godly and the shame of slandrous Papists and disdainful schismatiks Your slaÌ„drous spéech of the Quéenes Maiesties chappel which you also say to be a pattern and president to the people of all superstitions is rather seuerely to be punished than with wordes to be confuted Admonition The fouretéenth Their pontificall whiche is annexed to the booke of Common prayer and whervnto subscribing to the Articles we must subscribe also wherby they consecrate Bishops make ministers and Deacons is nothing else but a thing worde for worde drawne out of the Popes pontificall wherin he sheweth himselfe to be Antichrist most liuely And as the names of Archebishops Archdeacons lorde Bishops Chancelours c. are drawen out of the Popes shop together with their offices So the gouernement whiche they vse by the lyfe of the Pope which is the Canon law is Antichristian and diuellish and contrarye to the Scriptures And as safely may we by the warrante of Gods word subscribe to allow the dominion of the Pope vniuersally to raigne ouer the Churche of God as of an Archbishop ouer an whole prouince or a Lordbishop
and they bée quoted to proue a matter not doubted of among vs. In the former edition and fourthe reason it is thus written In this booke we are enioyned to receiue the Communion kneeling whiche beside that it hath in it a shewe of papistrie dothe not so well expresse the mysterie of this holy supper For as in the olde Testament eating the Paschall Lamb standing signified a readinesse to passe euen so in receiuing it nowe sitting according to the example of Christe we signifie a rest that is a full finishing thorough Christe of all the ceremonial lawe and a perfect worke of redemption wrought that giueth rest for euer and so we auoyde also the daunger of Idolatrie In the seconde Edition these wordes be thus altered In this booke we are enioyned to receiue the Communiō kneeling which beside that it hath in it a shewe of popish Idolatrie dothe not so wel expresse a supper neither agreeth it so wel with the institution of Christ as sitting dothe not that we make sitting a thing of necessitie belonging vnto the Sacrament neither affirm we that it maye not be receiued otherwise but that it is more neare the institution and also a meane to auoyde the daunger of Idolatrie Here is the signification of sitting whiche they before made cleane dashed out as a thing vnaduisedly before put in It is also here graunted that the Communion may be receiued otherwise than sitting with other circumstances whereof they haue nowe better considered Surely this is a great alteration vppon suche a sodeine And I would hardly haue bene persuaded that these men woulde so sone haue discredited themselues by their inconstancie But peraduenture the selfe same had not the correction of the booke which were the first penners of it and therefore how they will like of this correctiō it may be doubted But although the woordes in the text be altered yet the quotations in the margent remayne still Belike they are to be applied as it pleaseth the platformers In the same leafe and fifth reason to these wordes Besides that we neuer read in the new Testamente that this worde Priest as touching office is vsed in the good parte In the second editiō is added except it speake of the Leuiticall priesthood or of the priesthood of christ Here as I thinke they haue forgotten that which Peter speaketh to all Christians in his 1. epistle cap. 2. ver 5. And ye as liuelye stones be made a spirituall house and holy preesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. And vers 9. But ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood c. And Apoca. 1. And made vs kinges and preestes vnto god c. I willed them before to shew me one place in the whole new Testamēt where this woord Priest as touching the office is taken in euill parte I may be deceiued but I desire to learne Fol. 4. All this is added in the seuenth reason But some will say that the baptisme of women is not cōmaunded by law if it be not why do you suffer it wherefore are the children so baptized accordingly cōmon experience teacheth that it is vsed almost in all places and few speake against it this I am sure of that when it was put in the booke that was the meaning of the most part that were thē present so it was to be vnderstand as common practise without cōtrolement doth playnely declare All these be but coniectures Diuers things he suffered in many places vsed without controlement which notwithstanding by no law be cōmaunded What the meaning was of those that penned the booke I know not neither as I thinke do you And surely for cōmon practise I can say little but for mine owne experience this I dare affirme that I haue not knowne one child so baptised in places where I haue had to do no not synce the beginning of the Quenes Maiesties reigne I speake not of the thing it selfe but onely of your coniectures I thinke if the circumstances of the booke be well considered it will appeare that the meaning is that priuate baptisme is rather to be ministred by some minister which in the time of necessitie may soonest be come by than by any woman But in this point I submit my iudgement to suche as better knowe the meaning of the booke being penners thereof than I do In the same leafe and nynth reason speaking of certen things vsed aboute mariage they adde these woordes With diuers other heathenishe toyes in sundry cuntryes as carying of wheat sheafes on their heads casting of corne with a number of such like whereby they make rather a maygame of mariage than a holie institution of god These be but toyes in déede vsed I know not where not conteyned in any part of the booke of cōmon prayers therefore without my compas of defence They lacke matter when they stuffe their booke with such vayne friuolous trifles Fol. 5. In the 10. reason to these woords as for confirmation is added which the papistes our men say was in tymes past Apostolicall grounding their opinion perhappes vppon some dreame of Hierome And in the same place these woordes be left out We speake not of other toyes vsed in it and how farre it differeth and is degenerated from the first institution they them selues that are learned can witnesse And in the place hereof this is inserted as though baptisme were not alreadie perfecte but needed confirmation or as though the Byshop could giue the holy ghost You your selfe in effecte haue confessed in your firste edition that confirmation of children is very auncient and that it hath bene well instituted for there you say that now it differeth and is degenerat from the first institution But vpon better aduisement you haue left out these wordes in your second edition as you haue also left out thèse with other toyes vsed in it whereby you confesse contrarie to your former sentence that the confirmation of children now vsed is without any toyes Howsoeuer it pleaseth you to accompt Hieromes iudgement touching the antiquitis of confirmation a dreame yet his dreame may be of as much credit with wise men as your bare denial of the same The wordes that you haue added in the seconde place might well haue bene spared for you knowe that confirmation now vsed in this Church is not to make baptisme perfect but partly to trie howe the Godfathers and Godmothers haue performed that which was enioyned them when the children were baptised partly that the children themselues nowe being at the yeares of discretion and hauing learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in baptisme may with their owne mouth and with their owne consente openly before the Churche ratifie and confirme the same and also promise that by the grace of God they wil euermore endeuor thēselues faithfully to obserue and kéepe such things as they by their owne mouth and confession haue assented vnto And
pag. 1. These be the words In those days knowne by voyce learning and doctrine now they must be discerned from other by Popishe and Antichristian apparel as cap gowne tippet c. And in the second part speaking of the apparell prescribed to ministers they say on this sorte There is no order in it but confusion no comlynesse but deformitie no obedience but disobedience both against God and the Prince Are you not then ashamed to say that this article they will haue the minister discerned from others by no kynde of apparell and the apparell appoynted they terme Antichristian and the apparell appoynted by the Prince disobedience against the Prince is falsifyed Fol. 4. lin â— pag. 2. They will haue all Archebishops Bishops Archdecons c. together with their offices iurisdictions Courts and liuings cleane taken awaye and with speede remoued You say that this is falsifyed in part bicause there is left out Lords grace Iustice of peace QuoruÌ„ c. Surely the article is truly collected in euery poynte and playnly affirmed in the .2 leaf of the first part of that Admonition As for your giuing words that follow they bée but wynd I warrant you the confutation will abide the light and the author will shew his face whyche you are ashamed to doe 9. Lin. 9. The article is truly collected Looke in the first part of that Admonition fol. 2. pag. 2. fol. 3. And in the second part of that Admo fol. 1. pag. 2. fol. 5. pag. 1. 17. Lin. 12. The collection is true for their wordes bée these They simply as they receyued it from the Lord we sinfully mixed with mans inuentioÌ„s deuises And therfore you vntruly say that it is falsified 19. Lin. 16. They will haue no godfathers nor godmothers You say that this article is also vtterly falsified what meane you so to forget your selfe Is it not thus written in the first part of the first Admonition fol. 3. pag. 2. and as for baptisme it was inough with them if they had water and the partie to be baptised fayth the minister to preach the worde and minister the sacraments Now we muste haue surplesse deuised by Pope Adrian Interrogatories ministred to the infant godfathers and godmothers brought in by Higinus c. Howe say you Are not godfathers and godmothrs here disallowed Wherfore be they else in this place recited or why are they here ascribed to Pope Higinus Wil you nowe allow any thing in the Churche inuented by the Pope â— In déede in the seconde edition of this firste Admonition these words godfathers godmothers broughte in by Higinus be cleane left out as I haue before noted Wherfore either you haue not read the diuersitie of their editions or else you are very impudent 22. Fol. 8. in fine I maruell why you say that this collection is falsified Looke fol. vlt. pag. 2. of the firste parte of the Admonition Out of the second treatise called A view of Popishe abuses remayning Fol. 10.10 pa. 1. lin 33. Reading of seruice or homilies in the Churche is as euill as playing on a stage and worse too You saye that this is falsified Lord God what meane you In the seconde leafe of that booke these be their direct words Reading is not feeding but it is as euill as playing vpon a stage and worse too To the same effecte they speake diuers times and so do the Authours of the seconde Admonition Surely eyther they are ashamed of their doings or else you haue not with diligence read their bookes Thus breefly to haue answered to your vniust accusation of falsly collecting certaine articles out of the Booke entituled An admonition c. shal be sufficient Other articles which you say be gathered out of the same booke and confesse to be true I haue omitted bicause they bée sufficiently answered by me in the confutation and your confirmation of them is vsuall and childishe I woulde wishe that suche as be wyse men and in authoritie would diligently consider that whiche you aunswere to the article Fol. 14. as you quote it touching the gouernement of the Churche and the authoritie of Princes and their lawes and likewyse that which is written concerning the same matters in the second Admonition I wil make them neyther better nor worse but wish the magistrates well to marke your iudgements opinions in these matters and to foresée the worst The Lord blesse this realme of Englande with the continuance of his Gospel long life of the Quéenes maiestie peace bothe foreyne and domesticall Amen Bulling aduers Anabap fol. 1. Idem fol. 1.11.18.87.102.244 Fol. 9 18. Fol. 9.18.77 Fol. 1. Fol. 10. Fol. 11.17 Fol. 11. Fol 10.214 Fol 19. Fol. 19.95.242 Fol 178. Fol. 11.242 Fol. 11. Fol. 17.77 Fol. 18. Fo. 78.244 Fol. 78. Fol. 79. Fol 85. Fol. 88. Fol. 95. Fol. 11. Fol. 11. a â— Thess 5.21 Iam. 1.19 20. Iam. 2 1. b Math. 15.23 Luc. 16.15 c Math. 20.25.26 Math. 23.8.9.10 Marc. 10.42.43 Luc 22.15 c. d Math. 24.48.49 e Math. 9.37.38 Ephesi 4.11.12 f Mat. 18.15.16.17 g pro. 29 18. Amoâ— 8.11.12 c. Ma. 21.23 c 1. Cor. 11.30 h Mat. 10.16.26 i Esai 59.1 k Exod. 23.1.2 Math. 7.1.2 Iam. 4.11.12 l 1. Cor. 5.20 1. Cor. 7.27 m Psalm 50.15 Math. 7.7 1. Tim. 2.1.2 a 2. Reg. 23. 2. Chro. 17. 2. Chro. 29.30.31 Psal. 132.2.3.4 Mat. 21.12 Iohan. 2.15 b Deute 4.2 Deut. 12.32 c Psal. 37.27 Rom. 12.9 d 1. Cor. 2.14 e Psalm 31.6 Psal. 13 9.22 f Iohan. 15.21 g 1. Tim 3.8 h Math. 7.6 i Math. 11.31 1. Corin. 11. l Acts. 1.12 Acts. 6.3 1. Tim. 3.2.7.8 Tit. 1.6 m 1. Reg. 12.31 n Rom. 2.14 o Hebr. 5.4 Ezech. 44.10 12.13 Ierem. 23. p 1. Tim. 4.11 q Ministers of London enioyned to learne maister Novvels Catechisme r Act. 1.26 s Act. 6.2.3 t Act. 14.13 2. Cor. 8.19 u Acts. 1.25 w 1. Tim 4.14 x Act 20.28 Ephe. 4.11 Tit. 1.5 1. â—â—t 5.2 y 14.23 z Esaie 5.8 〈…〉 * Philip. 2.20 25. Colos. 1.7 Luke 9.2 a 1. Samuel 9.28 Mat 26.48 Mat. 26.73 b Iohan 6.38 Iohan. 12.49 1 Cor. 11.23 c 1. Timo. 3.1 d Philip. 4.11 2 Cor. 6.4.8.10 f Mat. 23.11.12 Luc 22.25 1. Cor 4.14 1. Petr. 5.2.3 g Rom. 8.26 1. Timo. 1.2 h Damasus the first inuenter of this stuffe well furthered by Gregorie the seuenth i Math. 28.19 1. Cor. 14.35 The first appointer herof was Victor 1. Anno. 198. k 1. Cor. 11 18. l Act. 15.10 m Exod. 20.9 n 1. Pet. 5.2 o 1. Tim. 4.2 p Phili. 2.20.21 q Act 1.26 6.2.3.14.13 r 1. Pâ—t 5.2 s Act. 20.28 t Math. 3.12 u Marc. 1.5 1 Cor. 11.18 w 28.19 1. Cor. 4.1 a Act. 2.46 Act. 20.7 c Mat. 26 20. Mar 14.18 Luc 22 14. Iohn 13.28 e Mat. 26 26. Mar. 14.22 1. Co. 11.24 f Telesphorus in Anno. 130. g 1 Corin. 5 11. h 1. Cor. 11.23 i Act. 8.35.36.37 Act. 10.47
knowen preaching of the word purely ministring of the sacrameÌ„ts sincerely Ecclesiastical discipline which consisteth in admonition and correction of faults seuerely But this Church of England for so in effect they say is voyde of all these Ergo it hath not so muche as the external face of a Church To proue that the word of God is not preached truely they reason on this sorte The ministers of the worde are not according to Gods word proued elected called or ordeyned nor the function in such sort so narrowly looked vnto as of right it ought is of necessitie required And therfore the word of God not truly preached Here thanks be to God they alleage not one article of faith or poynt of doctrine nor one péece of any substaunce to be otherwise taught and allowed of in this church for not euery mans â—olly is to be ascribed to the whole church than by the prescript worde of God may be iustified neither can they Now how this conclusion followeth though the antecedent were true lef those iudge that be learned The ministers are not rightely proued and elected c. Ergo the worde of God is not truly preached howe wicked soeuer the man is howsoeuer he intrude himself into the ministerie yet may he preach the true worde of God for the truth of the doctrine doth not in any respecte depende vpon the goodnesse or euilnesse of the man I pray you howe were you and some other of your adherents called elected c. But to come to the purpose They would proue that the ministers of the worde in this Churche of Englande are not according to Gods worde proued elected called or ordeyned What force and pithe is in their arguments shall appeare in the seuerall answeres to euery one of theÌ„ This one thing I muste let you vnderstande that these men séeke to defaco this Churche of Englande by the selfe same grounds that the Papists do although by another kinde of proofe For what haue the Papists else to say but that we haue no Ministers bicause they â—e 〈◊〉 rightly called and so consequently no worde no sacraments no discipline no Churche And certainly if it were well examined I beléeue it woulde fall out that the authors of this booke haue conspired with the Papistes to ouerthrowe if they could the state bothe of this Church and Realme howsoeuer subtilly they séeme to detest Papistrie But now to their reasons The first is this For wheras in the old church a triall was had bothe of their abilitie to enstructe and of their godly conuersation also nowe by the letters commendatorie of some one man noble or other tag and rag learned and vnlearned of the basest sort of the people to the slaunder of the gospel in the mouthes of the aduersaries are freely receyued It is true that in the olde Churche tryall was had of their abilitie to instruct and of their godly conuersation But the place in the margent alleaged oute of the fyrst Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles maketh nothing for that purpose béeing therein no mention at all of any triall made either of learning or maners but onely of presenting two and of praying and casting of lottes And master Caluine in his Institutions sayth playnely that out of this place of the Actes and example there can be no certayne rule gathered of electing and choosing Ministers for as that ministerie was extraordinarie so was the calling also Reade master Caluine and you shall soone see howe little this place so ofte in this margent coted maketh for that purpose for the which it is coted In the sixt of the Acts mention is made of Deacons onely whome you will not allowe to be ministers of the worde and therefore this place serueth not your turne neither is there any thing spoken of any tryall but only they are willed to looke out among them seauen men of honest reporte and full of the holy Ghost and wisedome to be appoynted Deacons The rule of sainct Paule in the .1 Timo. 3. and Tit. 1. is to be followed And the Booke of ordering Ministers and Deacons sette foorth and allowed by this Churche of Englande requireth that who soeuer is to be admitted into any order of the ministerie shoulde so be tryed examined and proued bothe for learning and life as sainct Paule there requireth Reade the Booke with indifferencie and iudgement and thou canst not but greatly commende it If any man neglect his duetie in that poynt his faulte muste not bée ascribed to the rule appoynted neyther yet to the whole Churche Is the lawe euill bicause some Lawyers in their office swarue from it This is a fallation a non causa ad causam Agayne if some bée admitted into the ministerie eyther voyde of learning or lewde in lyfe are all the rest for their sake to be condemned Or is this a good argument some bee admitted into the ministerie without trial therfore none is lawfully admitted into the ministerie or some ministers be vnlearned and euill Ergo there is none good I thinke you wil not denie but that there is now within this Church of Englande as many learned godlie graue wise and woorthy ministers of the word as there is in any one realme or particular Church in all Christendome or euer hath bene heretofore Touching letters commendatorie of some one man noble or other it may bée that the parties whiche gyue these letters be of that zeale learning and godlynesse that their particular testimonie ought to be better credited than some other subscribed with an hundred hands And I thinke there is bothe noble men and other who may better be trusted in that poynt than a great number of parishes in Englande whiche consist of rude and ignorant men easily moued to testifie any thing And in many places for the most parte or altogether drowned in Papistrie I knowe no reason to the contrarie and I sée no scripture alledged why one learned godly and wise mans testimonie may not be receyued in such a case and yet the booke expresseth no such thing but requireth due examination of learning and sufficient testimonial of conuersation and giueth libertie to any one particular man to obiect any crime against any such as are to be ordered and willeth that the partie accused be kept from the ministerie vntill he haue cléered himself of the crimes obiected If tag and rag be admitted learned and vnlearned it is the fault of some not of all nor of the lawe And if they were called and elected according to your fantasie there would some créepe in as euil as any be nowe and woorse too You say that there be admitted into the ministerie of the basest sorte of the people I knowe not what you meane by the basest sorte This I am sure of that the ministerie is not now bound to any one tribe as it was to the tribe of Leui in Ieroboams tyme Now none is secluded from that function of any degrée state
state That Bishoppes haue authoritie to admit ministers which is here denyed it is playne by that whiche is written 1. Timo. 5. Manus cito ne cus imponas Lay thy hands rashly on none These words Ambrose Chrisostome and al learned writers for the moste part do say to be an admonitioÌ„ to Timothie that he ought to be circumspect in appoynting of ministers And to Titus ca. 1. Paule sayth that he left him at Creta vt constitnat oppidatim presbiteros that he should appoynt ministers in euery tovvne This Hierome and others do expounde of the authoritie that Titus had in placing ministers in euery Churche It is the generall consent of all the learned fathers that it perteineth to the office of a Bishop to order and elect ministers of the word In this saith Hierome in Epist. ad EuagriuÌ„ A Bishop doth excel al other ministers in that the ordring and appoynting of ministers doth properly pertayne vnto him And yet these men say that the right of ordring ministers doth at no hand apperteyne to a byshop But for the order and maner of making ministers peruse the booke made for that purpose and as I sayd before so I say agayne if thou hast any iudgement thou canst not but like it and allowe of it The seuenth Then none admitted to the ministerie but a place was voyde aforehande to which he should be called but nowe byshops to whome the righte of ordering Ministers doth at no hande appertayne doe make 60.80 or 100. at a clap and sende them abroade into the countrey like masterlesse men To proue this you cite in the margent the first of the Actes where it is declared howe Mathias was chosen into the place of Iudas to make vp the number of the twelue Apostles Surely this is but a slender reason Mathias was chosen into the place of Iudas Ergo no man muste bée admitted into the ministerie excepte a place beforehande be voyde to the which he shoulde be called Euery meane Sophister will laughe at the childishnesse of this argument Mathias was chosen to be an Apostle and not to any certayne cure and therefore this example proueth nothing If you had used mo reasons I woulde haue answered them What certayne cure had Paule Barnabas Philippe Epaphroditus Andronicus Iunius and yet they were not of the twelue Apostles It is a straunge doctrine to teache that a man may not preache oute of hys owne cure It is more straunge to say that it is not lawfull for him to preache excepte he haue some Pastorall cure béeyng of hym selfe able to lyue and not mynding to bée burdensome to the Churche If you séeke for any texte in Scripture to confirme this doctrine you can fynde none if you séeke for examples to the contrarie you shall fynde plentie That the ordering of Ministers dothe appertayne to Byshops properly which you here vtterly denie I haue proued before they be best able to iudge of mens abilitie to that function It is their especiall charge to sée that there be méete ministers in the Churche and therefore good reason that they should haue the chiefe stroke in ordering of them and yet in that businesse they trust not them selues alone they haue other godly and learned ministers to assist them in examining suche as are to be admitted they also require a testimoniall of life and conuersation from that place wherein those that are to be Ministers haue bene latest and longest remayning If suche numbers as you say be admitted at one time and sent abroade like masterlesse men that is the faulte of the person not of the lawe neither is it a sufficient cause to debarre any learned godly and méete man from the ministerie able to liue of him selfe or hauing any other Ecclesiasticall liuing as Prebende fellowship in some colledge of either Uniuersitie or such lyke though he haue no pastorall charge and cure neither shall you euer be able to proue but that a man disposed and able to â—o good in the Churche of Chryst may be admitted into the ministerie although he haue no Ecclesiasticall liuing at all I mislike runnagates and masterlesse men and suche as are compelled to séeke vp and downe to get them seruices aswell as you and I hope the redresse thereof is already determined The eyght Then after iust triall and vocation they were admitted to their functioÌ„ by laying on of the hands of the company of the eldership onely Nowe there is neither of these being looked vnto required an Albe a surplesse a vestiment a pastorall staffe beside that ridiculous and as they vse it to their newe creatures blasphemous saying receyue the holy Ghost Of triall vocation I haue spoken before To proue laying on of hands c. is alledged the first of Timothie the fourth chapter this is but a ceremonie and it is now vsed For the Byshop and other learned and graue ministers there present do lay their hands vpon suche as are admitted into the mynisterie Nowe if you would knowe what is here mente by Seniors you may learne if you please of Oecumenius a learned and olde writer who expoundeth this place of Timothie on this sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By Seniors he meaneth Byshops and so sayth Chrysostome in like maner In the booke nowe allowed of making Deacons and Ministers and consecrating of Byshops there is neither required Albe Surplesse Uestiment nor pastorall staffe reade the Booke from the begynning to the ending And therefore this is a false and vntrue reporte To vse these wordes receiue the holy ghost in ordering of ministers which Chryst him selfe vsed in appoynting his Apostles is no more ridiculous and blasphemous than it is to vse the words that he vsed in the supper But it is blasphemie thus outragiously to speake of the words of Chryst. The Byshop by speaking these wordes dothe not take vpon him to giue the holy ghost no more than he dothe to remitte synnes when he pronounceth the remyssion of synnes but by speaking these wordes of Chryst receyue the holy ghost whose sinnes soeuer ye remitte they are remitted c. he doth shewe the principall duetie of a minister and assureth him of the assistaunce of Gods holy spirite if he labour in the same accordingly You call them his new creatures these be but words of scurrilitie to be hissed at not to be answered The ninth Then euery pastor had his flock euery flock his shepherd or else shepherds Now they do not onely runne fisking froÌ„ place to place a miserable disorder in Gods church but courtously ioyne liuing to liuing making shipwracke of their owne consciences and beeing but one shepherde nay would to God they were shepheards and not wolues haue many flocks To proue this you alledge the twentith of the Actes the .4 to the Ephe. the .1 to Titus the .5 chapter of the .1 of Peter which places declare that there were Pastors which had flocks but they proue not that euery Pastor had a
should be brought into the tresurie of the Lorde VVherefore that also whiche is written in Deuteronomie thou shalte not couet their siluer nor their golde neither shalte thou take any thing therof to thy selfe least thou offende bicause it is abomination vnto the Lord thy god c. It manifestly appeareth that either priuate vses is forbidden in suche things or that nothing shoulde so be broughte into thy house that it be honored for then it is abomination c. Hitherto Augustine By these words it doth manifestly appeare that euen things altogither dedicated to Idols and vsed in idolatrie may be conuerted to common vses and vsed in the seruice of God and to his honor But not to priuate vses nor superstitiously Peter Martyr in the Epistle before mentioned touching this matter writeth on this sort But let vs cōsider your other argumēt that is to say It is not lawfull to vse these kind of vestures bycause they were inuented of the Popes tyrannie In this point I doe not wel perceiue howe it may be affirmed for a surety that we can vse nothing that perteined to the Pope is vsed in Popery Trulye we must take good heede that we bring not the Church of Christ into such bōdage that it may not vse any thing that the Pope vsed It is very true that our forfathers toke the temples of Idols turned the into holy Churches where Christ should be worshipped And they toke also the salarie reuenewes cōsecrated to the Idols of the Gētiles to their wicked shewes and playes and to their holy votaries virgins and transposed it to finde the ministers of the Church And yet all these things did not only seruice vnto Antichrist but vnto the Deuill yea the holy ecclesiasticall writers did not sticke to take the verses of Poets which had bin dedicated vnto Muses and to other diuers gods and goddesses for to be plaide in plaies and spokē in shewes to obteine the fauoure of their gods I saye they did nothing sticke or feare to vse thē whē it semed to them cōuenient imitating Paule the Apostle who stucke nothing at all to reherse for his purpose Menāder Aratus and Epymenides and that he did in intreating the holy Scripture applying prophane words to set forth Gods religion VVe read also hovv that vvine was consecrated vnto Bacchus bread vnto Ceres vvater vnto Neptune oile vnto Minerua letters vnto Mercurie song vnto the Muses and vnto Apollo and many other things Tertullian reherseth in his booke entituled de Corona Militis Christiani vvhere almost he entreateth this selfe same argumente Yet for all that vve sticke not to vse all these things frely asvvell in holy as in prophane vses although at one time or other before they had bin consecrated to Idols and to diuels Hitherto Peter Martir Bucer in an epistle that he writte to Iohn Alasco is of the same iudgement his words are worthy to be noted and be these For if by no meanes it be lawfull to vse those things vvhith were of Aarons preesthod or of the Gētiles thē is it not lavvfull for vs to haue Churches nor holidaies For there is no expresse commaundement by vvorde in the holy scriptures of these things It is gathered notvvithstāding frō the example of the old people that they ar profitable for vs to the encrease of godlines vvhiche thing also experience proueth For any thing to be a note of Antichrist is not in the nature of any creature in it selfe for to that ende nothyng vvas made of God but it hangeth algither of consenting to Antichristes religion and the professing thereof The vvhiche consente and profession beeing chaunged into the consente and profession of Christianitie there can sticke in the thinges themselues no note or marke of Antichrists religion The vse of belles vvas a marke of Antichristianitie in oure Churches vvhen the people by them vvere called to Masses and vvhen they vvere rong againste tempestes Novv they are a token of Christianitie vvhen the people by them are gathered together to the Gospell of Christe and other holie actions VVhy may it not then be that the selfe same garmentes maye serue godlie vvith godlie men that vvas of vvicked signification vvith the vngodly Truly I knovve very many ministers of Christ most godlie men vvho haue vsed godly these vestures and at this day do yet vse them So that I dare not for this cause ascribe vnto them any faulte at all muche lesse so heynous a faulte of communicatyng vvith Antichrist for the vvhich fault vve may vtterly refuse to communicate vvith them in Christe The preestes of diuels did celebrate in their sacrifices the distribution of bread and the cuppe as Iustinus Martyr and Tertullian make mention VVhat lette is there vvhy vvee may not vse the same ceremonies also you will saye vvee haue a commaundement of the Lorde touching this ceremonie Very vvell And by the selfe same it appeareth that same thing to serue among the children of God to the seruice of Christe vvhich the vvicked abused in the seruice of deuils if the commaundement of Christ be added therto But it is the commaundement of Christ that in our holie actions vve institute and vse all things so as comlinesse and order be obserued that faith may be edified The same maister Bucer in an other Epistle written to maister Cranmer Archbishop of Canturburie sayeth on this sorte All true godly men may godly vse those rites vvhiche vvicked men haue abused howsoeuer vngodly Bullinger and Gualter in the Epistle before alledged answering this question whether we maye weare suche apparell as the Papistes doe say on this sorte If vvee should haue nothing common vvith them then muste vve forsake al our churches refuse all liuings not minister baptisme not say the Apostles or Nicene crede yea and quite cast avvay the Lordes prayer neyther doe you borrovv any ceremonies of them The matter of apparell vvas neuer taken away at the beginning of reformation and is yet reteyned not by the Popes lavve but by the kings commaūdement as an indifferent thing of mere policie Yea truly if you weare a cap or a peculiar kynd of apparell as a ciuile and politique thing it smelleth neyther of Iudaisme nor Monachisme For these will seeme to separate themselues from the ciuile and common life and accompte a meritorious deede in the wearing of a peculiar garment So Eustachius Bishop of Sebastia was not simply condemned for wearing a peculier kinde of garmente but for that he did put religion in his garmēt The Cannons of the councell of Gāgren Laodicen and of the sixt coūcel are vvell knowne If in case any of the people be persuaded that these things Sauoure of Papisme Monachisme or Iudaisme let them be tolde the contrarie and perfectly instructed therein And if so be thorough the importunate crying out hereon before the people by some men many be disquieted in their conscience let them beware vvhiche so do that they bring not greater yokes on their owne neckes
Uniuersities and of all good learning In the margent for the .15 of Mathewe vse 23. they haue quoted the .15 of Mathew vse 13. to proue that tyrannous Lordship can not stande with Chrystes kingdome the words be these But he answered and sayd euery plant which my father hath not plaÌ„ted shall be rooted vp meaning that suche as be not by frée adoption and grace grafted in Iesus Chryst shal be rooted vp But this proueth not their proposition I do not allowe tyrannous Lordship but I disallow such vnapt reasons In the same preface speaking of byshops c. they haue added these words they were once of our minde but since their consecration they be so transubstaÌ„tiated that they are become such as you see It may be that coÌ„sideration of the time place state condition other circumstances hath altered some of them in some points as wise not wilful men in such matters by such circumstances be ofteÌ„times altered but that any one of them were euer of your minde in moste things vttered in those two treatises I can not be persuaded In the Admonition the .1 leaâ—â— For the .1 Acts. vse 12. is noted Acts. 2. vse 21. to proue that in the olde Church there was a tryall had bothe of the ministers abilitie to instruct of their godly conuersatioÌ„ also The text is this And it shal be that whosoeuer shal call on the name of the Lord shal be saued Which is farther froÌ„ the purpose a gret deale than the other place is There is also in the same leafe lefte out king Edwards priests which argueth with how little discretion and lesse aduise the first admonition was penned Speaking of learning master Nowels Cathechisme these words be added and so first they consecrate them and make them ministers theÌ„ they set theÌ„ to schole This scoffe is answered before might very wel haue bene left out And a little after where it was before then election was made by the common consent of the whole church now it is thus corrected then election was made by the elders with the common consent of the whole church which altereth the matter something but yet is not proued by the texte alledged out of the .1 of the Actes and by me answered before For Act. 14. vse 13. is quoted Act. 14. vse 23. which ouer-fight I my selfe haue corrected in my answer to the place There is also left out an albe which before was sayd to be required by the pontifical in the ordring of ministers As I said before so I say agayn that in the booke of ordring mnisters now vsed printed since An. do 1559. there is nether required albe surples vestimeÌ„t nor pastoral staff This line is also added these are required by their pontificall meaning surplesse vestiment c. which is vntrue as I haue sayd before For the .1 Ti. 1. vse 14. now it is .1 Ti. 1. vse 19. but it is not to proue any matter in controuersie onely it is vncharitably and vniustly applied For .1 Sam. 9. vse 28. is placed .1 Sam. 9. vse 18. the self same place that I haue answered before Where before it was thus written then ministers were not so tied to any forme of prayers inuented by man now these words inuented by man be left out there is added as necessitie of time required so they might poure c. I know not their meaning except they wold neither haue vs bouÌ„d to the lords prayer nor any other It was before remoue Homilies articles iniunctions a prescript order now it is that prescript order Wherby it should séeme that they haue learned to allow of a prescript order of praiers but not of that prescript order which is in the booke of publike prayers This is no dallying neither yet inconstancie For the .3 of Mat. vse 12. is placed .3 of Mat. vse 1. to proue that in the old time the worde was preached before the sacraments were ministred The place now alledged is this In those dayes Iohn the Baptist came preached in the wildernesse of Iudea This proueth that Iohn preached but it proueth not that wheÌ„soeuer Iohn did baptise thaÌ„ he did preach Oueragainst these words the Nicene crede was not read in their coÌ„munion is written in the margent note that we condeÌ„ne not the doctrine coÌ„teined therin If you condeÌ„ne not the doctrine therin what do you theÌ„ coÌ„demne or why mislike you the coÌ„munioÌ„ bicause that créede conteining true doctrine is read at the celebratioÌ„ therof It is wel that you make this protestatioÌ„ if you meane good faith Here is also added the .42 vse Act. 2. to proue that theÌ„ the sacrament was ministred with coÌ„mon vsual bread which place I haue answered before in answering to the .46 vse of that cha Wheras before it was thus interrogatories ministred to the infant godfathers and godmothers brought in by Higinus now godfathers and godmothers brought in by Higinus is left out It is happie that you are so sone persuaded to allow of godfathers godmothers I perceiue you tooke vpon you to set downe a platforme of a Church before you had well considered of it Fol. 4. For some one of the congregation is now some of the congregation wherby they séeme to allow mo godfathers than one which they did not before For the .14 of the Acts. vse 4. is noted the .15 of the Acts vse 4. to proue that the office of Seniors was to gouerne the Churche with the rest of the ministers but without reason For it is onely there written that at Ierusalem there was Apostles and Elders and that Paule and Barnabas declared vnto them what things God had done by them I denie not the thing it selfe wherof I haue sufficiently spoken before but the argument These seniors then bicause their charge was not ouermuche did execute their office in their own persoÌ„s Now these words bicause their charge was not ouermuche be left out Wherfore they haue left them out I knowe not Fol. 5. They haue left out doctors thrée times in this leafe which before they recited with Chauncelors Archedeacons officials commissaries proctors Be like they haue remembred that this word Doctor is founde in the newe Testament and especially Doctor of lawe To proue equalitie of ministers they haue added Phil. 1. vse 1. 1. Thes. 1.1 The first place is this Paule and Timotheus the seruaunts of Iesus Chryst to all Saincts in christes Iesus that are at Philippi with the Byshops and Deacons The second is this Paule and Syluanus and Timotheus vnto the church of the Thessalonians c. Truly I know not how to conclude of those places an equalitie of all ministers I would to God you would set downe your places and frame your arguments your selues Fol. 6. They haue forgotten to quote Heb. 6.1 haue lefte out the body braunch of Antichrist and for the same haue put in the tayle But these are but trifles and very slender corrections ¶
and Martirs at their end for eyther all or the most parte of them haue sealed this boke with their bloud But by the way this is to be noted that you confesse your selues to haue allowed that by vsing of it which you say is against the worde of God. The vnperfectnesse of this booke 〈◊〉 suche things in the same as be culled and picked out of that popish dunghill the masse booke wyth the contents therin that be against the worde of God shal apeare I am sure in your seuerall reasons for it is not sufficiente for you barely to say so withoute wit learning or reason This you know right well that in so saying you make the Papists leape for ioy bycause they haue gotten suche companions to assault this booke whilest they rest them and lye as it were in slepe O that the wise men of thys Realme suche I meane as be in authoritie sée not thys Popish practise and séeke not with more earnestnesse to preuent it Will ye suffer the Papists to gather strength and to multiplie by tollerating suche libellers vnder the pretence of reformation to discredit so muche as lyeth in them yea to ouerthrowe the whole state and substance of religion in this Church be not secure but watche and remēber the beginning and encrease of the Anabaptists of late in Germany which I haue described in my preface to this booke You saye that you can not but muche maruell at the craftye wylynesse of those menne whose partes it had bene firste to haue proued eache and euery contente therein to bee agreeable to Gods woorde c. Nay surely but it were youre partes rather to proue that there is some thing therein contrary or not agréeable to Gods worde For suche as bée learned and knowe the manner of reasoning saye that the Opponente muste proue or improue and not the Aunswerer They stande to the defence and mayntenaunce of the Booke you séeke to ouerthrowe it it is youre partes therefore to iustifie youre assertions by reasons and argumentes Nowe to your reasons Admonition The first is this They shoulde firste proue by the worde of God that a readyng Seruice going before and with the administration of the Sacraments is according to the worde of God that priuate communiō priuate baptisme baptisme ministred by women holydaies ascribed to saints prescript seruices for them kneeling at Communion wafer cakes for their bread whē they minister it surplesse and cope to do it in churching of women comming in vayles abusing the Psalme to hir I haue lifted vp mine eyes vnto the hilles c. and suche other foolish thinges are agreable to the written worde of the almightie Answere I do not well vnderstand your meaning woulde you haue vs to proue that to reade prayers before and with the administration of the sacraments is according to the word of god In déede in the booke of seruice there is first appointed to be read some one or two profitable sentences mouing either to prayer or to repentance after followeth a generall confession then the Lords prayer and certaine Psalmes nexte certaine Chapiters out of the olde and newe testamente c. Last of all the administration of the Sacramente If you aske me of the sentences they be Scripture If of the Lords prayer Psalmes and chapiters they be scripture also If of the Sacrament of the supper it is according to Scripture Math. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. If of the other prayers annexed they be likewise according to the scripture for they be made to God in Christes name for suche things as we néede or as we desire according to that saying of christ Quicquid petieritis c. VVhatsoeuer you aske my father in my name c. And again Petite dabitur vobu Aske and it shal be giuen vnto you Math. 7. and. Iacob 1. If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske it c. 1. Ti. 2. with other infinite places besides If you would haue vs to proue that to reade prayers or scripture in the Churche is according to the worde of God whiche you séeme to denie then we say vnto you that if there were any pietie in you any religiō any learning you would make no such vaine and godlesse doubts Was there euer any from the beginning of the worlde to thys daye the Zwinfildians onely excepted that mysliked reading of prayers and Scriptures in the Church but you But touching reading in the Churche I haue spoken before in the former treatise and minde to speake something of it hereafter as occcasion shal be ministred If you meane by priuate communion the communion ministred to one alone there is no suche allowed in the booke of common prayers but if you call it priuate bycause it is ministred sometime in priuate houses to sicke persons Then haue we the example of Christ who ministred the supper in a priuate house and inner parlor Marc. 14. Luc. 22. Math. 26. We haue also the example of the Apostles them selues who did minister the Supper in priuate houses especially if that place bée vnderstanded of the supper whiche is in the seconde of the Actes and before alleadged of you to proue that common and vsuall bread oughte to be in the supper Likewise of the primatiue Churche as appeareth in the seconde Apologie of Iustinus Martyr Tertul. de corona militis and others If you meane by priuate baptisme baptisme ministred in priuate houses and families you haue therof example in the Scriptures Acts. 10. other priuate baptisme allowed in the church of Englande I know none Master Bucer in his censure vppon the Communion booke speaking of the order appoynted in the same for priuate baptisme writeth thus In this constitution all things are godly appoynted I would to God they were so obserued and especially this that the baptisme of Infants be not deferred for therby is a doore opened vnto the diuell to bring in a contempt of baptisme and so of oure whole redemption and Communion of Chryste which through the sect of Anabaptists hath too muche preuayled with many For women to baptise we haue no rule that I knowe in the whole Communion booke but in scripture we haue an example of Moses wife that did circumcise and circumcision is correspondent to baptisme But I know no generall doctrine can be grounded of a singuler example and therfore most of your arguments be very féeble Holy dayes ascribed to Sainctes wherein not the Saincts but God is honored and the people edified by reading and hearing suche stories and places of scripture as pertayne to the martyrdome calling and function of suche Saincts or any other thing mentioned of them in scripture muste néedes be according to Gods worde For to honor God to worship him to be edifyed by the stories and examples of Saincts out of the scripture can not be but consonant to the scripture The proscript seruice for them is all taken out of Gods word and not one péece thereof but it
but tendeth rather to the constitution of the Saboth than to the prohibiting of rest in any other day appointed to the seruice of God And it is as muche as if he shoulde say sixe dayes thou maist worke and so do some translate the Hebrew worde The place alledged out of the first of Esay is far from the purpose there is not one worde there spoken of any holy dayes dedicated to Saintes but only the Lorde signifieth that their sacrifices and feaste dayes were not acceptable to him bycause they were done in hipocrisie and without faithe so that he reproueth modum not factuÌ„ their manner of sacrifising that is their hipocriticall kinde of worshipping him In the 2. Esdras 1. in the place by you quoted I sée not one word that may serue for your purpose the words you quote be these I haue led you thorovve the Sea and haue giuen you a sure vvay since the beginning I gaue you Moses for a guide and Aaron for a preest In the 14. to the Rom. the Apostle speaketh nothing of our holydaies but of such as were obserued among the Iewes and abrogated by the comming of christ And yet in that place the Apostle exhorteth that we which be strong shoulde not dispise them that are weake nor condemne them though they vse not the christian libertie in dayes and meates That in the fourth to the Galath Ye obserue dayes monthâ—s and times and yeares c. Saincte Augustine ad Ianuarium epistola 119 â–ª expoundeth on this sort Eos inculpat qui dicunt non proficiscar quia posterus dies est aut quia luna sic firtur vel proficiscar vt prospera cedant quia itaâ—se habet positio syderum non agam hoc mense commertium quia illa stella mihi agit mensem vel agam quia suscepit mensem I knowe there be other that do otherwise expounde that place and that truly euen as they do also that in the 14. to the Rom. of certaine Iewish feasts as Sabboths new moones the feasts of Tabernacles the yeare of Iubilie and such like abrogated by the Gospell and yet superstitiously obserued of some But these places can by no meanes be vnderstood of the dayes obserued by vs and called by the names of Saincts dayes for they were ordeyned since the writing of this epistle And that you maye vnderstande the difference betwixte the festiuall dayes obserued of the Papists and the dayes allowed nowe in this Churche it is to be considered First that their Saincts dayes were appointed for the honoring and worshipping of the Sainctes by whose names they were called ours be ordeyned for the honoring of God for publique prayer and edifieng the people by reading the scriptures and preaching neyther are they called by the name of any Saincte in any other respecte than that the scriptures which that day are read in the Church be concerning that Saincte and contayne either his calling preaching persecution martirdome or such like 2. The Papistes in their Sainctes dayes prayed vnto the Sainctes we onely praye vnto God in Christes name 3. They hadde all thinges done in a straunge toung wythoute any edifieng at all Wée haue the prayers and the Scriptures readde in a tongue knowne whyche cannot bée withoute great commoditie to the hearers 4. To be shorte they in obseruing their dayes thinkâ— they merite thereby something at Gods hands we in obseruing our dayes are taught farre otherwise The Church euen from the beginning hath obserued such feasts as it may appeare in good writers Ierome writing vppon the fourth Chapiter to the Galathians saith on this sorte If it be not lawfull to obserue dayes monethes times and yeares we also fall into the like faulte which obserue the passion of Christ the Saboth day and the time of lent the feastes of Easter and of Penthecost and other times appointed to Martirs according to the manner and custome of euery nation to the whiche he that will aunswere simply will say that our obseruing of dayes is not the same with the Iewishe obseruing for we do not celebrate the feast of vnleauened or sweete breade but of the resurrection and death of Christ c. and leaste the confused gathering together of the people should dyminishe the faith in Christe therefore certaine dayes are appointed that we mighte all meete togither in one place not bycause those daies be more holy but to the intente that in what day soeuer we meete we may reioyce to see one another c. Augustine in like manner li. 18. de ciuitate dei cap. 27. saith that we honor the memories of Martirs as of holy men such as haue striuen for the truth eueÌ„ to death c. The same Augustine in his booke contra Adamantum Manachiâ—i discip cap. 16. expounding the wordes of the Apostle ye obserue dayes yeares and tymes writeth thus But one maye thynke that he speaketh of the Sabaothe doe not we saye that those tymes oughte not to bee obserued but the thinges rather that are signified by them for they did obserue them seruilely not vnderstaÌ„ding what they did signifie and prefigurate this is that that the Apostle reproueth in them and in al those that serue the creature rather than the Creator for we also solemnely celebrate the Sabboth day and Easter and all other festiuall dayes of Christians but bicause we vnderstande whervnto they do appertayne we obserue not the times but those things which are signified by the times c. Other reformed Churches also haue dayes ascribed to Saincts aswell as we as it may appeare by these words of Bullinger writing vpon the .14 to the Rom. In the auncient writers as Eusebius and Augustine thou mayst find certayn memorials apoynted to certayn holy men but after another manner not muche differing from ours whiche we as yet retayne in our Churche of Tigurie for we celebrate the Natiuitie of Christ his circumcision resurrection and ascention the comming of the holy ghost the feasts also of the virgin Mary Iohn Baptist Magdalene Steuen and the other Apostles yet not condemning those which obserue none but onely the Sabboth day For perusing old monuments we finde that this hath alwayes bene left free to the churches that euery one should follow that in these things that should be best and most conuenient Caluine in like maner writing vpon the fourth to the Galath dothe not disalow this kinde of obseruing dayes his words be these VVhen as holynesse is attributed to dayes when as one day is discerned from another for religion sake when dayes are made a peece of diuine worship then dayes are wickedly obserued c. But when we haue a difference of dayes laying no burden of necessitie on mens consciences we make no differeÌ„ce of days as though one were more holy than another we put no religion in them nor worshipping of God but only we obserue them for order and concorde sake so that the obseruing of dayes with vs is free and without all superstition And agayne
vpon the .2 to the Coloss. But some will say that we as yet haue some kind of obseruing dayes I answere that we obserue them not as though there were any religion in them or as thoughe it were not then lawfull to labour but we haue a respect of pollicie and orders not of dayes And in his institutions vpon the fourth commaundement Neither do I so speake of the seuenth day that I would binde the Church onely vnto it for I do not condemne those Churches which haue other solemne dayes to meete in so that they be voide of superstition which shal be if they be ordeyned onely for the obseruing of discipline and order Master Bucer in his Epistle to master Alasco speking of holy dayes sayth that in the Scriptures there is no expresse commaundement of them it is gathered notwithstanding sayth he from the example of the olde people that they are profitable for vs to the encrease of godlynesse which thing also experience proueth To be short Illiricus writing vppon the fourth to the Gala. maketh this diuision of obseruing dayes times The first is natural as of sōmer spring time ▪ winter ▪ c. time of planting time of sowing time of reaping c. The seconde is ciuill The thirde Ecclesiasticall as the sabboth day and other dayes wherein is celebrated the memorie of the chiefe histories or acts of Christ which be profitable for the instruction of the simple that they may the better remēber when the Lorde was borne when he suffred when he asscended vp into heauen be further taught in the same The fourth superstitious when we put a necessitie worshipping merite or righteousnesse in the obseruing of time and this kinde of obseruing dayes and times is onely forbydden in this place Thus you sée by the iudgements of all these learned men that days ascribed to saincts is no such matter as ought to make men seperate them selues from the Church and abstayne from allowing by subscription so worthy godly a booke as the booke of common praier is much lesse to make a schisme in the Church for the same Touching fasting on the euens of suche feastes or rather absteyning from flesh you know it is not for religion but for pollicie and as I thinke the same is protested in that Acte where suche kinde of absteyning is established and therfore these be but slender quarels picked to disalowe suche a booke Admonition The fourth reason In this booke we are enioyned to receyue the Communion kneeling whiche beside that it hath in it a shewe of Papistrie dothe not so well expresse the mysterie of this holy Supper For as in the olde Testamente eating the Pascall Lambe standing signified a readinesse to passe euen so in the receyuing of it nowe sitting according to the example of Chryste we signifie reste that is a full fynishing thorough Chryste of all the ceremoniall Lawe and a perfecte worke of redemption wroughte that giueth reste for euer And so we auoyde also the daunger of Idolatrie whiche was in tymes paste too common and yet is in the heartes of many who haue not as yet forgotten their breaden God so slenderly haue they ben instructed Agaynst whiche wee may sette the commaundemente Thou shalte not bowe downe to it nor worship it Answere Surely this is a sore reason the booke of Common prayers requireth kneeling at the Communion Ergo it is not to be allowed That knéeling is not to be vsed you proue on this sort Kneeling is a shewe of papistrie and dothe not so well expresse the misterie of the Lords supper therefore not to be vsed Of knéeling at the Communion I haue spoken before now therfore I will onely note in one worde or two the slendernesse of this argument You say knéeling is a shewe of euill and for proofe thereof you alledge 1. Thessa. 5. Absteyne from all apparance of euyll Howe followeth this the Apostle willeth vs to abstayne from all apparaunce of euill Therefore knéeling at the Communion is a shew of euill But your meaninge is that bicause the Papistes knéeled at the sacring of the Masse as they called it therefore we may not knéele at the receiuing of the Communion you may as well say they prayed to images and saincts knéeling therfore we may not pray knéeling There is no such perill in knéeling at the Communion as you surmise for the gospeller is better instructed than so grossely to erre And as for the learned Papiste he is so farre from worshipping that he disdayneth that holy Communion iesteth at it and either altogither absteyneth from comming vnto it or else commeth onely for feare of punishement or pro forma tantum for fashion sake and the moste ignoraunt and simplest Papist that is knoweth that the Communion is not the Masse neither do they sée it lifted vp ouer the Priestes heade with suche great solemnitie as they did when they tooke it to be their god No truely the contempt of that misterie is more to be feared in them than worshipping and to be short if they be disposed to worship they will aswel worship sitting as knéeling But they are farre from suche an opinion of the bread and wine in the blessed Communion for they make no accompt at all of it You say sitting is the moste meetest gesture bycause it signifieth rest that is a full finishing thorowe Christ of all the ceremoniall lawe c. What are ye nowe come to allegories and to significations Surely this is a very papisticall reason Nay then we can giue you a great deale better significations of the Surplesse of crossing of the ring in mariage and many other ceremonies than this is of sitting I praye you in the whole Scripture where dothe sitting sygnifie a full finishing of the ceremoniall lawe and a perfect worke of redemption that giueth rest for euer If allegories please you so well let vs haue eyther standing which signifieth a readinesse to passe vsed also in the eating of the Passeouer or knéeling whiche is the proper gesture for prayer and thankes giuing and signifieth the submission and humblenesse of the mynde But you say Christ sat at his Supper therfore we must sitte at the receyuing of the Supper You may as well say Christ did celebrate his Supper at night after Supper to twelue onely men and no women in a parlour within a priuate house the thursday at night before Easter therfore we ought to receyue the Cōmunion at night after supper being twelue in number and onely men in a parlor within a priuate house the Thursday at nighte before Easter But who séeth not the non sequitur of this argument The places written in youre margent to proue that Christ did sitte at Supper be néedlesse and were vsed for the same purpose before where I haue also spoken my opinion of kneeling If you cite the Gal. 4. and 5. and the Epistle to the Hebrues in many places to proue that sitting signifieth rest that is a full
affectioÌ„ How proue you that a prescript forme of seruice for burying the dead and the minister only to burye them doth mainteine prayer for the dead when you haue shewed your reason you shall heare my answere In saying that these words gathered out of some of the praiers that we with this our brother c. import praier for the dead you do but quarell wheÌ„ we say that we with Abraham Isaac and Iacob may raigne in thy kingdome do we pray for Abraham Isaac and Iacob or rather wish our selues to be where they are In the like manner when we saye that we wyth this our brother and all other departed in the true faith of thy holy name may haue our perfecte consummation and blisse both in body and soule we pray not for our brother and other that be departed in the true faith but we pray for our selues that we may haue our perfect consummation and blisse as we are sure those shall haue which dye in the true faith Now wey this reason there is a prescript forme of burying the dead it is made a portioÌ„ of the ministers office therefore you will not subscribe to the CommunioÌ„ booke The threefold peale mourning apparell buriall sermons the place of buriall whiche way they must lie howe they must bee fetched to the Churche a crosse white or blacke set vppon the dead corps breade giuen to the poore offrings in burial time vsed cakes sent abrode to frieÌ„ds you confesse not to be conteyned within the booke and so you ease me of some laboure But yet of mourning apparel and burial sermoÌ„s giue me leaue to speake a little It is no good reason to say that bicause mourning apparell is only vsed of custome therfore it is superstitious hethenish many things be vsed of custom which be neither superstitious nor heathenishe as to receiue the CoÌ„munioÌ„ before dinner to celebrate the Lords day on the sunday not on the saterday to preach in pulpits such like Mourning apparell is of great antiquitie as you know and I thinke it is no matter of religion but of ciuilitie and order If any man put religion in it then no doubte it is superstitious But wherin haue funerall sermons offended you or with what face of brasse dare you likeÌ„ them to trenfalls What similitude is there betwixte a godly sermon and the wicked masse In what one pointe are they like or how dare you condemne suche sermons being then most necessary and most profitable what is there a more fitte time to entreate of the mortalitie of man and shortnesse of his dayes of the vanitie of this world of the vncertentie of riches of the resurrection of the iugement to come of eternall life and of euerlasting death and of infinite other most necessarie points than that wherin we haue a present example before our eyes When is there a more méete time to beate downe trentalls sacrificing for the dead prayers for the dead purgatorie and such like than that wherin they were accustomed to be most vsed surely there is as much difference betwixte our funerall sermons and the Papisticall masses and trentalls as there is betwixte colde and hote blacke and white lighte and darkenesse truth and lies heauen and hell But belike there is some other priuate cause that maketh you to reiecte funerall sermons You say that in the best reformed Churches they are remoued I thinke you say not truly and I am sure that Master Caluine doth very well like and allowe of them as appeareth in the forme of common prayers vsed of the English Churche in Geneua and by him allowed But if it be so I tell you playnely for my parte I lyke not that reformation excepte there bée weightier reasons than eyther you vse or I can perceyue I am sure that in aunciente Churches of long tyme they haue bene vsed and the same you maye sée in the most â—uncient and best learned fathers Touching the place of burial I muse what you meane to mislike of it séeing there hath always ben an appoynted place for the same euen from Abraham to this day Other thinges that you mention be but trifles and some of them I thinke bothe is and may be vsed without superstition or any kinde of religious opinion But these be not in the booke and therfore no cause why you should disalowe of the booke for them Admonition The twelfth Churching of women after child birthe smelleth of Iewishe purification their other rites and custome in their lying in and comming to Church is foolish superstitious as it is vsed She muste lye in with a white sheete vppon hir bed and come couered with a vayle as ashamed of some follie She must offer but these are matters of custome and not in the booke But this Psalme as is noted before is childishly abused I haue lyfted vp mine eyes vnto the hils from whence coÌ„meth my help The sunne shal not burne thee by day nor the moone by night They pray that al men may be saued and that they may be deliuered from thundring tempest when no daunger is nigh that they sing Benedictus NuÌ„c dimittis Magnificat we know not to what purpose except some of theÌ„ were ready to die or excepte they would celebrate the memory of the virgin and Iohn Baptist. c. Thus they prophane the holy sripture Answere Of the churching of women I haue spoken before and also of the .121 Psalme I haue lyfted vp mine eyes to the hilles c. For their lying in I can say little I am not skilfull in womens matters neither is it in the booke no more is hir white shéete nor his vayle let the women them selues answere these matters You say we pray that all men may be saued we doe so in déede and what can you alledge why wée shoulde not so doe Sainct Paule .1 Timoth. 2. sayth I exhorte therefore that first of al supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thanks be made for all men c. And adding the reason he sayth For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our sauiour who wyl that all men shall be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truthe The Apostle dothe here will vs in playne words to pray for all men euen that they may be saued for thervnto tende the words following You mislike also that we shoulde pray to be deliuered from thundring and tempest when there is no daunger nighe You broche many straunge opinions may not we pray to be deliuered from perils and daungers except they be present and knowne to be at hande where finde you that Chryste teacheth vs to say in our daily prayer Libera nos à malo deliuer vs from euill What knowe we when there is any daunger of thundring and lightning haue we not examples of diuers that haue sodenly perished with the same Is it not therfore necessarie to pray for deliuerance from thunder and lightning aswell as from other daungers thoughe they
in the Churche or common weale But where read you that Eugenius did first inuent them Admonition The sixtenth In that the Lorde byshoppes their suffraganes Archdeacons Chauncelors officials proctors doctors summers and suche rauening rablers take vpon theÌ„ which is most horrible the rule of Gods Church spoyling the pastor of his lawfull iurisdiction ouer hys own flock giuen by the word thrusting away most sacrilegiously that order which Christe hath left to his Church and which the primatiue church hath vsed they shew they hold the doctrine with vs but in vnrighteousnesse with an outwarde shew of godlinesse but hauing denied the power therof entring not in by christ but by a Popishe and vnlawfull vocation We speake not how they make ministers by them selues alone and of their sole authoritie and that in secret places of their election and probation that it is of him to whom by no righte it belongeth And that when they haue made them either they may carry in their Colledge and lead the liues of loytring losels as long as they liue or else gad abroad with the Byshops buls like to Circumceâ—ions to preach in other mens charges where they list or else get benefices by friendship or money or flattery where they can catch theÌ„ or to coÌ„clude if al these faile that they may go vp down like beggers and fal to many follies or else as many haue done set vp billes at Paules or at the Royall exchaunge in such publike places to see if they can heare of some good masters to entertayne them into seruice Surely by the Cannon law by which the byshops reigne rule they ought to keepe those ministers which they make as loÌ„g as they haue no liuings places We know three or foure byshops in this Realme would haue kepte suche houses as neuer none did in this land if this rule had bene obserued They clapt theÌ„ out so fast by hundreds they made them pay well for their orders and surely to speak truth they were worthy for the bishops what oddes soever there were of their giftes yet in their letters gaue them all a like commeÌ„dation They put on their surplesses or else subscribed like honest men Fye vpon these stinking abominations Answere In all these wordes there is not one thing touched which is conteyned in the Communion booke therfore I might passe this parte ouer with silence noting onely your vnorderly and vndiscrete dealing who going about to deface the booke of Common prayer wander you know not whither and spende your labour in writing agaynst such things as be not in that booke once meÌ„tioned But yet something I must say to certayne things by you in this parte written without al modestie discretion or reason And first you shewe your selfe greatly offended that the pastor is spoyled of his lawful iurisdiction ouer his stocke and therfore you burst out into these wordes of heate rauening rablers horrible sacrilegiously and suche like It had bene well if you had tolde vs what that lawfull iurisdiction of the pastor ouer his stock giuen by the word had bene for the places of scripture which you quote for that purpose doe not playnly inough set out that matter In the 18. of Mathewe vse 17. after certaine admonitions in priuate offences Christ sayth Dic ecclesiae tell the Churche In which place as I tolde you before the Churche doth signifie suche as haue authoritie in the Churche or else publike reprehension in the open congregation by suche as be called thervnto It giueth not any pecâ—lier iurisdiction to the pastor for any thing that I can learne And in the same cha 18. vse where christ saith VVhat soeuer ye binde on earth shall be bound in heauen c. according to your iudgement vttered before it is mente of the whole Church not of the pastor only You haue before denied that one man can excommunicate and therefore this place maketh nothing for your assertion In the .11 of the Actes vse 30. mention is made howe the Disciples which were at Antiochia dyd according to their abilitie sende succoure to their brethren which dwelte in Iudea and that they sente it to the elders by the handes of Barnabas and Saule But what is this to the iurisdiction of the pastour This declareth that the disciples of Antiochia trusted the elders whiche were in Iudea with the distribution of their almes The .15 of the Actes in the places by you noted sheweth how Paule and Barnabas were sente to the Apostles and Elders which were at Ierusalem about the deciding of a certain question moued by certain of the sect of the Phariseys touching circumcision This declareth the vse of Councels and openeth the next and readyest way to determine controuersies but it speaketh nothing of the iurisdiction of the pastour The .xii. to the Rom. vse 7.8 hath bene sundry tymes by you alledged to no purpose at all euen as it is nowe in lyke manner The Apostle there willeth euery man that hath an office to attende vpon his office c. But he speaketh not of any peculiar iurisdiction of the pastor ouer his flocke In the first to the Phil. vs. 1. Paule and Timothie salute the Bishops and Deacons which be at Philippi How gather you therof any iurisdiction perteyning to the pastor The .1 Cor. 12. vse 28. The Apostle sayth that God hath placed in his Churche first Apostles secondely Prophetes thirdly teachers c. What is this to youre purpose or what iurisdiction of Pastors doe you gather hereof you may here learn that there is in the church diuers degrées of persons 1. Thessa. 5. Paule exhorteth them to knowe and loue suche as laboure among them he describeth no peculiar kynde of iurisdiction 1. Timo. 4. vse 14. Saint Paule willeth Timothie not to despise the gifte giuen vnto him by prophecie with the laying on of the hands of the companie of the eldership in the .1 Timo. 5. vse 17. he sayth The elders that rule well are worthie of double honour c. Which place commeth the nearest to youre purpose for here is mention made of ruling and of ministers but yet it is not declared what kind of rule this was except you will expounde it by the wordes following specially they whiche labour in worde and doctrine And this kinde of rule remayneth to the pastor still Thus you see with how little discretion lesse learning you heape vp scriptures in your margent only to deceyue the simple and ignorante who are by you too muche deluded beléeuyng what so euer you speake or wryte without any further examination If they would marke these words of yours wel they might soone vnderstand that you séek as great iurisdiction ouer them as any of those persons whome you haue here named You saye they hold the doctrine with you but in vnrighteousnesse with an outward shew of godlinesse but hauing denyed the power thereof entryng not in by Christ but by a Popish and vnlaufull
vocation This is but your veyne of rayling and your vsuall manner of extolling your selues and condemning other But as I sayde before your wordes be no sclaunder neyther will I in words contend with you but therin giue you the vpper hande only I must still let you vnderstand of your foolish applying of scriptures For wherfore haue you here quoted the tenth of Iohn vse 1. Belike bycause Christ sayth there That he whiche doth not enter in by the dore into the sheepfolde but climbeth vp an other way is a theefe and a robber therfore all such as bée placed in this Churche of England your selues excepted enter in by a popish and vnlauful vocation You had gone orderly to worke if you had firste proued that we haue not come into the shéepfold by christ If you thus omitte the proofe of your minor you may conclude what you wil and quote scriptures at your pleasure But wyse and lerned men will lament your follie and laughe at your vnskilfulnesse Of making of ministers I haue spoken before and answered the places Actes 6.14 20. sufficiently As for the other two places Ro. 12. vse 6.7.8 and .1 Cor. 9. vse 16.17 I muse why you note them they nothing at all perteyning to the making of ministers they something touche their office yet not that directly But you must be borne with least you shoulde haue séemed to youre disciples to haue sayd nothing Some of those ministers you say may tarie in their Colledge and leade the liues of loytering losels as long as they liue If you knew any suche loytering losels in any Colledge I trust you would make them knowne to other also If you knowe none suche then are you a slaunderer of Colledges and suche as be in them It were to be wished in my opinion that there were many preachers in Colledges of greater continuance than I knowe any Then should not yong factious vnruly and vndiscrete persons so greately trouble with their contentions and sects bothe vniuersities and the whole realme also I knowe no Bishops that giue out Bulles but if such preachers as remayne in Colledges or elsewhere béeing thervnto licenced by the Bishop or other that haue authoritie doe take paynes to preach where they sée occasion they are greatly to be commended and I pray God encrease the nūber of such Circumcetiōs But since this your opinion hath bene broched it hath not only driuen many frō the ministerie but also caused diuers to loyter and cease from preaching And certainely if it be not in tyme prouided for that one braunch of your doctrine wil spoyle this Churche of England bothe of preachers and preachings The rest that you write in this parte I hope is more slaunderously of you spoken than truely notwithstanding I thinke there hathe bene some ouersighte in some men whiche I trust is and will be amended if not then I wishe that Cannon of the lawe to be put in practise that suche as admit them should also prouyde for them When you say that the Bishoppes of thys Realme reigne and rule by the Canon lawe you forgette your selfe you know it is otherwise Their chiefe authoritie they haue by Gods lawe the reste by the lawes of the Realme and of the Prince but these wordes are but wordes of course with you Admonition The seuentéenth We should be too long to tell youre honoures of Cathedrall Churches the dennes aforsayd of al loytering lubbers where master Deane master Vicedeane master Canons or master Prebendaries the greater master Petie canons or Canons the lesser master Chauncelor of the Churche master Treasorer otherwyse called Iudas the purse bearer the chief Chaunter Singing men speciall fauourers of religion squeaking Queristers Organ players Gospellers Pistellers Pentioners Readers Vergers c. liue in greate idlenesse and haue their abiding If you woulde knowe whence all these came we can easyly answere you that they came from the Pope as oute of the Troian horses belly to the distruction of Gods kingdome The Churche of God neuer knewe them neither doth any reformed church in the worlde know them Answere Here you speak both without the book of Cōmon prayers and scriptures also for neither are cathedral churches conteyned in that booke neyther haue you any scripture to proue that which you so impudently affirme God be thanked it is well knowne to those that be not with malice blinded that Cathedrall Churches be furnished with godly zelous and learned men And that they be the chiefe and principall ornaments of this Realme and next to the vniuersities chiefest mainteyners of godlinesse religion and learning there be some desire the spoyle of them whose instrumentes you be But I hope both their mouthes and yours also shal be firste stopped with earth Master Deane master vicedeane master Cānons c. as much as they loyter may thinke themselues fitte to be compared with such as you are in any respects The rest of your rayling words I leaue to the Authoure You say all these come from the Pope c. It is not materiall frō whence they come so they be good profitable and necessarie for the mainteyning of religion lerning wise and learned men But I pray you from what Pope came they or in what time did the Pope inuent them I told you before that such places and Colledges were in Augustines time and that he both hath the name of master Deane and alloweth of his office If you had redde any aunciente learned authours as your writings declare you haue not then shoulde you finde that Collegiate Churches be of great antiquitie euen since the yeare of our Lorde .235 But what can you speake against Cathedrall Churches which you may not aswell speake against the Colledges in the vniuersities They were not in the Apostles time neyther yet in the primatiue Church must they therefore nowe be dissolued your meaning is belike to bring al to cōfusion and barbarisme You say no reformed church in the worlde knoweth them wherin I thinke you speak more than you knowe Can you name any reformed Church that hath plucked them downe Peraduenture in dyuers places where the Gospell is now preached they had neuer suche rewardes for learning But what haue we to do in suche cases with other reformed Churches we haue to consider what is most méete for this Churche and state and not to follow other as though we were children I sée no cause why other reformed Churches should not rather followe vs than we them seing in no respecte we be inferior to them Well to conclude your wordes be but vayne and your proofes none at all And therefore I doubte not but Cathedrall churches shall be able to withstand both your opprobrious speaches and the gréedinesse of all their aduersaries so long as it shall please God to blesse thys land with so vertuous and learned a Quéene and so wise and discréete counsellours Admonition The eightéenth And birds of the same fether are couetous patrones of benefices persons vicars
obijciunt obstacula atque remorae ab illis quoque exortae qui maximè Euangelici volunt videri Verum per initia reformationis Ecclesiae nostrae eadem nos exercuit molestia Erant enim quibus nihil in reformando satis purum videbatur vnde ab Ecclesia sese segregabant conuenticula peculiaria constituehant quae mox consequibantur schismata sectae variae quae iucnudum spectaculum exhibebant hostibus nostris papistiois Sed innotuit tandem ipsorum Hypocrisis ataxta suaque sponte diffluxêre Liberabit hac molestia vos haud dubie clemens misericors Dominus c. The same in Englishe FIrst of all we reioyce with you for the wonderfull felicitie of your moste gracious Queene in quieting of troubles in ouerthrowing of hir enimies in keeping of hir subiects in obedience and for hir wyse and couragious sifting out of the mischeeuously vvrapped practizes of traytors And vve do earnestly pray vnto God that he wil not only continue these so great graces in hir but also increase them and that he will defende hir from all euill This virgin Prince beloued of God in the iudgement of all good men excelleth all the men Princes that novv reigne in the vvorlde in vvisedome in modestie in mercy in iustice in dexteritie and maruellous happinesse in all hir affayres so that vndoubtedly the godly of al nations do comfort them selues and are confirmed in the true religion for that they do euidently see Christe the Lorde so mightily to fauour his seruaunt and to preserue hir in glory and all maner vertue before Heroicall and diuine Princes But vve are not a lyttle sory that in your spreading of the truthe and enlarging of the limittes of Christes church so many stops and stayes are cast agaynst you and they springing from them that vvill seeme moste Euangelicall For in the beginning of the reformation of our Churche the same grieues occupied vs for there vvere some vnto vvhom in reforming nothing might seeme sufficiently pure in so muche that they separated them selues from the churche and appoynted priuate conuenticles the vvhich there did presently follovv schismes and diuers sectes and they were a pleasaunt spectacle to our enimies the Papistes But at the length their hypocrisie and disorder dyd appeare and they vanished of their ovvne accorde The mercifull and gracious Lorde shall deliuer you also no doubt from this trouble c. A briefe answere to certain Pamphlets spred abroade of late I HAVE of late receyued thre litle Pamphlets the first as it were a preface to the other two the seconde entituled An exhortation to the Bishops to deale brotherly with their brethren The thirde An exhortation to the Bishops and theyr cleargie to answere a little Booke that came foorth the last Parliament and to other brethren to iudge of it by Gods worde vntill they see it aunswered and not be caried awaye with any respect of men The Preface consisteth of these poynts especially first by diuers examples it is there declared that the wicked and vngodly of this world coulde neuer away with such as woulde reproue them for their manyfest sinnes and vngodlynesse Secondly that this is the cause why these two Treatises which wer lately written and imprinted in the last Parliament time c. were of so many mysliked and the authors thereof so cruelly entreated and straightly imprisoned c. Thirdly it rayleth on the Bishops and suche as be in authoritie comparing them to false prophets and to Phariseys c. Laste of all it concludeth wyth threatenyng that if they goe forewarde in their sinnes their doings shall bée with more bitternesse of woordes and playnenesse of speache throwne into their faces The first is néedlesse for who knoweth not that from tyme to tyme it hath ben the maner of such as wer desperatly wicked not to suffer their sins opeÌ„ly to be reproued The seconde is false vncharitable and slaunderous for the cause why the bookes bée not estéemed especially of the wise and learned is the vntrue doctrine conteyned in them maynteyned with vntrue and vnapt allegations of the Scriptures and interlaced with opprobrious termes and rayling speaches tendyng to the disquietnesse of the Churche and ouerthrow of true religion The authors therof to be imprisoned not for telling any man of his sinnes but for writing Libels agaynste this whole Churche of Englande agaynst the booke of Common-prayers agaynste the ministerie agaynst the Sacramentes fynally agaynst the whole forme and gouernement of the Churche by the whole consent of this realme established according to the rule of Gods word And with what face can you say that they be imprisoned for telling men of their sins â–ª where euer read you or herd you that any of the Prophets or apostles told meÌ„ of their sins by liâ—els Surely that kinde of dealing is not for the Apostles of Christ but for the ministers of Sathan The thirde commeth of the same spirite that the seconde dothe that is of the spirite of arrogancie and malice for it compareth godly wyse zealous and learned Bishops to idolatrous Priests and â—o Phariseys but in déede the conditions and qualities of the Phariseys doo moste aptely agrée wyth the authours of these Libelles and theyr adherentes for the Phariseyes didde all that they did to bée séene of men and soughte the commendation of the common people as appeareth Matthew 6. and .23 and so doo they The Phariseys when they fasted disfygured theyr faces and these walkyng in the streates hang downe their heades looke austerely and in companie sighe muche and seldome or neuer laughe the Phariseys strayned out a gnat and swallowed down a Camell And these men thinke it an heynous offence to weare a cap or a surplesse but in slaundring and back-biting their brethren in rayling on them by Libelles in contemning of superiors and discrediting suche as be in authoritie to be shorte in disquieting the Churche and state they haue no conscience The Phariseys separated themselues from the common sorte of men as more holy and contemned the poore Publicanes as sinners And therfore some learned interpreters thinke that they bée called Pharisaei quasi segregati quod vitae sanctimonia a vielgi moribus vita separati essent noÌ„ aliter atque monachi quos Chartusianos vocant They be called Phariseis as separated and deuided from the coÌ„mon sort in holynesse of lyfe muche like vnto the Monks which be called Carthusians And Iosephus sayth that they were called Phariseys bycause they séemed to bée more holy than other and more cunnyngly to expounde the lawe Also hée sayeth this to bée one propertie of theirs that what so euer theyr owne reason persuadeth them Id sequuntur pertinaciter that they stubbornely followe Agayne hée sayth that they bée astutum hominum genus arrogans interdum Regibus quoquâ— infestum c. A suttle kynde of men arrogante and sometymes ennimies to Kinges and rulers These men separate them selues also from the congregation
be And it is the common opinion of all writers that these words of Chryst do not condemne superioritie Lordeshippe or any suche lyke authoritie but the ambitious desire of the same and the tyrānical vsage thereof Musculus expounding these places sayth in this sorte VVhosoeuer vvill be great among you c. He sayth not no man ought to be chiefe among you vvhich he shoulde haue said if it had not ben lawful in the kingdome of God for some to be great and chiefe or if it had ben necessarie that all shoulde haue bene in all things equall the Celestiall spirits are not equal the stars be not equal the Apostles them selues vvere not equall Peter is found in many places to haue ben chiefe amōg the rest vvhich vve do not denie Therfore this is not Christes meaning to haue none great or chiefe among Christians seeing the very necessitie of our state requireth that some be superiours and betters so far is it from beeing repugnaunt to charitie In a common vveale it is necessarie that some should excell other so is it in a vvell ordered familie In like maner there must be in the Churche gouernours presidents rulers of vvhome Paule maketh mention Ro. 12. 1. Cor. 12. Heb. 13. As there is also in the body some principall mēbers some inferiour c. Therfore Christ doth not require that in his kingdome all should be equall but this he doth require that none should desire to be great or to be thought and counted chiefe Hitherto Musculus Which interpretation muste néedes be true else we may say that Christe in this place reiecteth and disalloweth the Princes and Magistrates of the Gentiles and also forbiddeth the same among Christians which is false and Anabaptisticall Likewise the same Musculus sayth that Chryste teacheth in this place what he ought to be in déede that desireth to beare rule ouer other to wit that he ought to be a seruaunt to other that is as he dothe interprete it to profite other and to serue for the cōmoditie of other for though the name of a prince and of a lorde be a name of honor and dignitie yet is it the office of a prince lorde to serue those which be vnder thē in gouerning of them carefully and in prouiding for their wealth and peace Moreouer the Greke wordes that Chryste vseth in all these places as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe signifie to rule with oppression and to rule as a man list Furthermore Christe doth not say that no man shall be great among them or beare rule but he sayth Quicunque voluerit inter vos magnus fieri c. He that desireth to be great among you c. To conclude it is manyfest that in Matthewe and Marke he reproueth the ambition of the sonnes of Zebedie who ambitiously desired the one to sitte on hys right hande the other on his lefte And in Luke the ambition of the rest of the Apostles who contended among themselues which of them should be greatest So that it is playne that these places suppresse ambition and desire of rule in all kinde of men and not superioritie not magistracie not iurisdiction in any kinde of persons Touching the place in the .23 of Mat. where Chryste said vnto his disciples Be not you called Rabbi call no man father be not called maisters Who is so ignorant to thinke that Christ forbiddeth by these wordes one Christen man to call another lorde maister father shal not children call their parents father shall not scholers call their teacher maister And shall not seruauntes call him master vnder whose gouernement they are Is it not lawfull for one to call an other maister doctour father lorde c Paule notwithstanding these wordes of Christ 1. Cor. 4. calleth himself their father and. 1. Ti. 2. he calleth himself the doctour of the Gētiles Wherfore it is manifest that these names be not here prohibited muche lesse the offices but only the pharisaicall ambitious and arrogant affection of superioritie As it is also manifest by this that foloweth VVho so euer exalteth himselfe c. And surely as Christe condemneth here the ambitious affectiō of such as ambitiously desire these names of superioritie so doth he in like maner cōdemne those who be so puffed vp with pride and arrogācie that they contemne and disdayne to call men in authoritie by the titles of their offices For pride contempt and arrogancie is as well in refusing to giue honoure and reuerence as it is in ambitious desiring the same But the chiefe purpose of Christe in this place is to teache vs not so to depende vpon men as though it were not lawfull to breake their decrées or to decline from their authoritie For there is one only Father Lorde and maister to whome wée are so bounde that by no meanes wée maye declyne at any tyme from hys preceptes These places therfore may be aptly alledged against the pride tyrannie and ambitiō of the Bishop of Rome whiche séeketh tyrannically to rule and not to profite But it maketh nothing at all against the lawfull authoritie of any other in any state or condition of men Howe aptly that place of the .24 of Mathew But if the euill seruaunt shall say in his heart c. is alleaged let all men iudge I thinke it forbiddeth not to punishe suche as breake good lawes But Lorde how these men are beaten which do as they liste say what they liste and that with reioycing thereto that is if they be no otherwise beaten than hitherto they haue bene they will not only with schismes and factions teare in sunder this Churche of Englande but in time ouerthrow the whole state of the common wealth To proue that either we muste haue a righte ministerie of God and a righte gouernement of his Church according to the Scriptures set vp c. or else there can be no right religion c. is alleaged the ninth of Matth. the fourth to the Ephe. and the eightenth of Math. In the ninth of Mat. the place they alleage is this Surely the haruest is great but the labourers be fevve vvherefore c. In the fourth to the Ephe. He therefore gaue some to be Apostle c. In the eightenth of Mathew If thy brother trespasse agaynst thee c. The first place declareth that Ministers of the words are necessarie in Christes Churche The seconde that there is diuers kindes and degrées of them And the thirde sheweth an order of correcting secrete sinnes and priuate offences and medleth not with those that be open and knowne to other Nowe therefore consider to what purpose those places be noted in the margente and howe little they proue that which is concluded As for all the rest of the places of Scripture that followeth noted in the margent of this preface I knowe not to what purpose they be alleaged but onely for vayneglorie to bleare the eyes of the ignorant people and to make them beléeue that all
that which is written in this booke is nothing else but Scripture it selfe They haue delt very subtilly to cote the places onely and not to set them downe in playne words for by this meanes they thinke that of the moste parte it shall neuer be vnderstanded howe vnaptly and to what small purpose they be alleaged This name Puritane is very aptely giuen to these men not bicause they be pure no more than were the Heretikes called Cathari but bicause they think them selues to be mundiores cateris more pure than others as Cathari dyd and seperate them selues from all other Churches and congregations as spotted and defyled Bicause also they suppose the Church which they haue deuised to be without all impuritie An answere to the admonition Admonition SEing that nothing in this mortall life is more diligently to be sought for and carefully to be looked vnto than the restitution of true religion reformation of Gods church it shall be your partes dearly beloued in this present Parliament assembled as muche as in you lieth to promote the same and to employ your whole labour and studie not onely in abandoning all Popish remnants bothe in ceremonies regiment but also in bringing in and placing in Gods churche those things onely which the Lord himselfe in his word cōmandeth Because it is not enough to take paynes in taking away euil but also to be occupied in placing good in the stead therof Now because many men see not all things and the worlde in this respect is maruellously blinded it hath bene thoughte good to prosfer to your godly considerations a true platforme of a Churche reformed to the ende that it beeing layd before your eyes to beholde the great vnlikenesse betweene it this our English church you may learne either with perfect hatred to detest the one and with singular loue to embrace and carefull endeuour to plant the other or else to be without excuse before the maiestie of oure God who for the discharge of our conscience and manifestation of his truth hath by vs reuealed vnto you at this present the sinceritie and simplicitie of his Gospell Not that you should either wilfully with stande or vngratiously tread the same vnder your feete for God doth not disclose his wyll to any suche end but that you should yet now at the length with al your mayne and might endeuour that Chryst whose easie yoke and lyghte burthen we haue of long time cast of from vs mighte rule and reigne in his Church by the scepter of his worde onely Aunswere I Will not aunswere words but matter nor bare affirmations or negations but reasons and therfore in as few words as I can I will comprehende many lines But before I enter into their reasons I thinke it not amisse to examine that assertion which is the chiefe and principall grounde so farre as I can gather of their Booke that is that those things onely are to bée placed in the Churche which the Lorde him selfe in his worde commaundeth As though they shoulde say nothing is to be tollerated in the Churche of Chryste touching either doctrine order ceremonies discipline or gouernement except it he expressed in the worde of god And therfore the most of their argumentes in this booke be taken ab authoritate negatiuè which by the rules of Logique proue nothing at all It is moste true that nothing ought to be tolerated in the Churche as necessarie vnto saluation or as an article of faith except it be expresly conteined in the worde of God or may manifestly therof be gathered and therfore we vtterly condemne reiect Transubstantiation the sacrifice of the Masse the authoritie of the bishop of Rome woorshipping of Images c. And in this case an argumente taken Ab authoritate Scripturae negatiuè is most strong As for example It is not to be found in Scripture that the Bishop of Rome ought to be the head of the Church and therfore it is not necessarie to saluation to beléeue that he ought to be the head of the Churche c. It is also true that nothing in ceremonies order discipline or gouernement in the Churche is to be suffered béeing against the worde of God And therfore wee reiect all ceremonies wherein there is any opinion to saluation woorshipping of God or merite As créeping to the crosse holy breade holy water holy candle c. But that no ceremonie order discipline or kynde of gouernement may be in the Churche except the same be expressed in the worde of God is a great absurditie and bréedeth many inconueniences The Scripture hath not prescribed any place or time wherin or when the Lords Supper shoulde be celebrated neyther yet in what manner The Scripture hath not appoynted what tyme or where the congregation shall méete for common prayer and for the hearing of the worde of God neyther yet any discipline for the correcting of suche as shall contemne the same The scripture hath not appoynted what daye in the wéeke should be moste méete for the Sabboth day whether Saterday whiche is the Iewes Sabboth or the day now obserued which was appointed by the church The Scripture hath not determined what forme is to be vsed in Matrimonie what woordes what prayers what exhortations The Scripture speaketh not one woorde of standing sitting or knéelyng at the Communion of méetyng in Churches fieldes or houses to heare the word of God of preaching in pulpets chaires or otherwise of baptizing in fontes in basons or riuers openly or priuatly at home or in the churche euery day in the wéeke or on the Sabboth day only And yet no man as I suppose is so simple to thinke that the Church hathe no authoritie to take order in these matters I pray you what mente Sainct Paule in the .1 Corinth 14. after he had prescribed certayne orders vnto them to bée obserued in the Churche thus generally to conclude Omnia decenter ordine fiant Lette all things be doone decently and in order Dothe hée not there giue vnto them authoritie to make orders in the Churche so that all thynges hée doone in order and decently The best interpreters doo vnderstande this as a general rule giuen vnto the churche to examine hir traditions and constitutions by And therefore without all doubte their iudgemente is that the Churche hath authoritie in external things to make orders and appoynte lawes not expressed in the woorde of GOD so that thys rule of the Apostle bée obserued Nowe if eyther godly Councels or auncient fathers were any thing at all regarded of these men as they be not suche is their arrogancie this controuersie mighte soone be decided For the most auncient fathers and best learned as Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus Tertulian Cypriā and other do expresly declare that euen from the Apostles tyme the Churche hath always had authoritie in suche matters and hath obserued diuers orders ceremonies not once mencioned in the worde of God.