all things and keepe that which is good 1. Thess 5.21 try the spirits whether they are of god or no 1. Iohn 4.1 to examine cōclusions by the word yet doubtles in things of this nature kind all must also remember that Paul hath giuen rule that neither the Apostles nor the churches of God haue any custome to warrant any to be contentious 1. Cor. 11.16 In case therefore any constitutions at any time by christian Princes and there nationall Synods in such matters shall chance to be made which some priuate man or men examining by the word of God are thereby able to proue the same to be contrary thereunto which I cannot deny but may bee possible for the trueth is as our Church very soundly holdeth Artic. 21. generall counsels may erre sometimes haue erred euen in things appertaining vnto God yet such are then but in all peaceable and in dutifull manner to make knowne those their reasons for which they so thinke thereof to those that are in authority no way otherwise by presse or in pulpit to seek to trouble or to deface either thē or the church in other respects cōmendable for matters of no greater moment then an aberration or twoe can be touching the outward orders only therof so leauing in patience the successe thereof to God to more mature cōsideration in the next Synod for so much I thinke the foresaid rule of the Apostle binds vs vnto and certain it is as Augustine teaches in his second booke against Parmenian Toleranda quaedam sunt quae non sunt tamen probanda therefore as he there saith Cap. 1. as a man of right may quaedam improbare so firmitate debet quaedam supportare 4 Our fourth ground principle therefore is that the Soueraigne magistrate and the church hauing in things indifferent lawfully once enacted their ecclesiasticall orders and constitutions howsoeuer before therein men might vse their freedome and liberty to vse or not to vse them as charity in not offending their weake brother thereby would best permit them all men then are onely so to vse their liberty therein as that they giue no scandale and offence to publike authority nor shew any contempt thereof in wilfully not conforming them selues according to the order thereby prescribed therein For when the councell Acts. 15. had once decreed that the gentiles should abstaine from things offered to Idolls strangled and bloode Verse 29 wee reade that Paule Silas Acts. 16. gaue the Churches of the gentiles the same to obserue and keepe after as they trauelled And hee him selfe hauing prescribed and further prescribing certaine ordinances touching such matters to the Corinthians Chap. 11. commends them for obseruing them verse 2. and condemns those that contentiously refused so to do verse 16. The frequent and vsuall practise of the Church as it appeare both in all ecclesiasticall stories and in the decrees of auncient famous councels both in making of canons touching such matters and in obaying the same pregnantly proue that this is an auncient receiued truth Yea euen thereby for the further proofe hereof it appeares that it hath beene an vsuall thing in the Churches of Christ aswell to censure them for Schismaticks who for a rite or ceremony not vnlawfull in it selfe neither for nature nor vse would make a rent therein to the breach and disturbance of the communion fellowship thereof as those for heritikes that would set abroach and wilfully defend errors in doctrine of faith or manners to the disquieting and infecting of the same And truly not without iust cause hath it thus done for as Caluin writes Lib. 4. Inst Cap. 10. Sect. 31. what a seed of braules and confusion of things would that bee if euery one might be suffered as he list to alter things appointed by publique order The consideration whereof as Beza to his commendation notes in his discourse of his life caused him to submit himselfe to the order of Geneua touching their communion bread when hee was admitted thither againe though he then dissembled not that he liked other bread better 5 But then fiftly we are to take this with vs that then rites and ceremonies by publique authority commaunded are such as thus we are bound though not in respect of the things themselues in particular yet in regard of gods ordinance set downe in his word in generall to binde vs in all things not contrary to his reuealed will in the scriptures to obey our superiors to yeeld vnto when not onely in their owne nature they are things neither commaunded nor forbid by the word as is aforesaid but also are neither for multitude nor cost too burthensome to the Church nor are such in respect of the vse wherein they are vrged wherein any part or peece of Gods proper and immediate worship outward or inward or any opinion of holinesse merit or greater perfection or necessitie to inthrall or insnare the conscience is lodged And when they are imposed as such things ought to be only for order decency and comlinesse as mutable changable vpon iust occasion by like authority and therefore as edifying onely as such things may and not iustly tending to the offēce of any for that they are vrged but to the lawful ends last named and extra casum scandali and contemptus lay not an Ineuitable necessity vpon the consciēce of the obseruer For so long neither any thing set downe or ment in the second commaundement nor any elsewhere in the Scriptures against adding thereto or against the worshiping of God in vaine by the precepts and traditions of men howsoeuer some seeme to think otherwise can iustly rightly be drawn against such ordinances for the second commaundement only condemnes any worshiping of God otherwise then he hath appointed himselfe And so likewise all the other places against additions and vaine traditions are onely against such wherein any opinion of faith Gods worship or seruice is laid And the opinion touching the sufficiency of the Scriptures by the godly learned in all ages held and maintained hath beene and is this that either expresly or by right inference they are sufficient to determine all truth concerning faith gods worship necessarie to saluation whereas still it hath beene also held and yet is for outward accidentall and changeable rites and ceremonies that the Churches of Christ haue libertie to ordaine touching them as the gouernours thereof shall think fittest and so neither all nor alwaies that they are tyed to one precise forme therein Alwaies prouided that in their ordayning the same they crosse not but rather agree as neere as they can as is aforesaid to the generall rules left them in the same Scriptures touching the same else how cā we iustifie Salomons seauen daies festiuity at the dedication of the temple 1. Kings 8. Hesters Mardocheus yearly holy days Chap. 9 or of Iudas Machabaeus his brethren Math. 4.59 All which yet we allow and all this is set downe
the defence of the appointed apparrell Page 272. c. the said Archbishop plentifully prooueth that the good creatures of God neuer so much abused by Idolaters purged of that abuse may be vsed and that very lawfully about Gods worship and seruice and so quite ouerthroweth the ground of this argument for whereas to reuiue it againe they wold shift off all these proofes by saying they hold onely when the things so abused after purged and vsed are things needfull and profitable that cannot serue there turne for many of the things if not all mentioned in those there alleadged testimonies were not so needfull but that Gods seruice might haue beene fully done without them and it is not for priuate men to iudge so well as the publike state what is profitable and to be vsed to good end And in very deed the very Latine word Superpelliceum vsed to signifie a surplisse as some not vnprobably haue noted doth shew that it was taken vp and vsed by the ministers in their administration in the primatiue and purest times of the Church when the ministers and almost all that professed Christ through the cruell persecutions raised in those times against all such were faine to hide themselues in Caues woods and mountaines and for very pouerty and want of better to go clothed in pellibus in beasts skynns euen therefor for seemlinesse and comlinesse when they were to execute their ministry to hide couer those there base garmēts of skyns And many of the ministry now in these daies either thorough pouerty or by some other meanes ordinarily going so raggedly and vndecently apparrelled as they doe if it were but in that respect there is and may be a profitable and necessary vse in some sense of the same garment to couer the deformity of the other and to preserue them and their ministry from cōtempt derision that too easily otherwise therefore with too many they might runne into But to take away quite all force of this their argument which yet seemes to be the chief and principall that any now stand vpon in this case first I say suppose a surplisse for matter forme altogether like ours were abused and yet is as they say in in the popish Church yet ours that we now vse being not eadem numero but only eademspecie they can no more make idolathites of ours then the Corinthians could of euery sheep because such some amōgst them had beene As therfore they without any scruple of conscience of their owne others might eat of any other sheepe that certainly was known neuer had beene offered to an Idol though it were neuer so like that which had so what reason is there but that we for all this reason of the abusing of a surplisse to Idolatry by the Papists may vse an other surplisse made vs since the banishment of popery out of our churches which we are sure they neuer abused nor yet vsed secondly I further ad that in very deede it can neuer soundly be proued that a surplisse as it is prescribed to vs with long large sleeues hath been at all any of their idolatrous masse garments An Albe I find was one of them but that was with strait sleeues diuersly otherwise in their wearing of it differed from ours as many may see Lib 3. Durandifol 25. de rationali diuinorū officiorū In deed I cannot deny but that at the first by the statute 1 Eliza. ministers were to vse in their ministratiō the same ornaments that were in vse in the raigne of Ed. the sixt in the second yeare of his raigne amongst which this Albe was But her Maiestie by vertue of the said statute with the consent of the Archbishop the high comissioners in the seuenth yeare of her raigne as it appears by the booke of Aduertisemēts then by authority published belike of purpose to remoue the scandall takē by the popish Albe appointed the surplisse in this forme manner that we weare it to be-vsed in stead thereof hoping that seeing forma dat esse rei so therby this differed from that popish linnen masse garment as it doth that by this change of the forme people wold also chāge their mislike therof for the former reason into a liking of this for that now it was not the same neither numero nor specie particulerly nor generally that euer had beene vsed to or about the Idolatry of the masse for though Gedeons Ephod particularly abused was therfore worthy to be defaced yet that neither caused Samuell nor Dauid to shun the wearing of linnen ephods especially differing from his otherwise in forme as they did also yea to conclude this point seeing the Lord in the old testamēt prescribed such distinct apparrell for Aaron his sonnes and all their sons to minister in as we read he did Ex. 28. that not onely to be typical wherin it stādeth not with the nature of the times of the new testament to imitate thē but also as it is there expresly set down ve 40. for glory comlinesse things lawfull to be respected euen now in the time of the new what sound reason can be shewed vtterly to debar the Churches now since Christ from imitating them at all in appointing any comely apparrell to discerne and distinguish their ministers by To say it is an humane tradition and therefore to be reiected as long as it is vrged but as it is without any superstitious opinion thereunto annexed onely for comlinesse order and decency as we haue heard by the fift principle before set downe it may lawfully be retayned and vsed But if it be alleadged that it is offensiue to some eye to many weake brethren first answer is to be made thereunto that indeed that were sufficient to stay men from the vse thereof if lawfull authority had set downe no order therein but now that it hath the case is altered as that according to the fourth premised ground the ordinance of he Church must bee the rule that we are to follow therein for feare of offending the publike estate thereof whose offence wee are rather to shunne then the other yea the case so standing with vs that in respect of our ministry place wee haue all to say with the Apostle 1. Cor. 9.16 wo be to vs if we preach not the Gospell as Cartwright himself hath writtē in the second part of his reply page 264 we are rather by continuance in our ministry by yeelding to the vse hereof to shun this rock of incurring otherwise this woe then the other For in this case all we can do for such is saith he to seeke better to instruct them and to pray for them but we may not to preuent not offending of them leaue vndon that which God hath not left free vnto vs and to the same effect writeth Beza Epist 8. and 12. But indeed to many are the readiest to bee offended at our yeelding hereunto though intruth it bee of conscience
day and the Epistles on Easter eue and Michaels day lastly that the portions of scripture inserted into the booke and the Psalter annexed thereunto are so prescribed thereby to be read as they are wherein yet there are many knowne faults that by no meanes can stand with the same Scriptures in the originall tongues wherein they were first written The first whereof is prooued to be a great fault for that it is a kinde or taking from the word and forbid Reuel 22. and a depriuing the people of one good meanes the better to enable them to search them and so is the second said to be for that by the precise appointing them at those times the people are occasioned to mistake and to misunderstand them and likewise is the third for that so there is false witnesse borne both against the scriptures and the spirit of God the authour thereof as to haue said and meant that there which they neuer did But to the first of these for any thing that I can gather out of the 14 Canon for by the statute made at the first Eliz. 1. to establish the booke aswell all addition detraction or alteration thereof in the vse and practise of it was forbid as it is now by that Canon it may as well now as before and indeed both before and now truely and iustly bee said that no such inconuenience neede arise by that order for that no minister eyther by the booke or by any other ordinance of our Church is 〈◊〉 forbid ouer and aboue those that are appointed being allowed to be a Preacher to read any or all of those that are not at such times as he shall thinke good with exposition thereof and sure I am I myselfe haue so done and in ful perswasion that therin I haue done nothing against order therin taken eyther before or now For doubt lesse any man may iustly think that by our Churches order they were onley so left out as they are in that they were not thought so lightsome and easie to be vnderstood as the other that are appointed to be read being but barely read without exposition and interpretation and in the meane time none that can are forbid to read and studie them priuately But if they were by the Kalender aswell appointed as the other orderly to bee read yet in that in parish Churches the people com not together but vpon few daies in the weeke they might misse the hearing of most of them aswell then as now And as for the second the inconuenience imagined to arise therby euery minister that makes scruple at conformity being a Preacher as commonly and generally he is that likewise he in reading of those Scriptures at those set times by soundly interpreting them and preaching thereupon which the booke no where nor any other Canon forbids him may preuent And touching the last I hope shortly all occasion of that obiection will be remoued when the new translation by his Maiesties most Christian and Princely order in hand shall be finished and authorised as the onely authenticall translation to be vsed in our Churches and in the meane time I am perswaded that no Bishop in this land will denie any minister that can and will in peace and quietnesse vse that his liberty to read all the foresaid Scriptures in the booke according to the great Bible by order alreadie from themselues appointed to be in Churches that we may read the Chapters out of it for though we may find that the Booke appointes Epistles Gospels Chapters and Psalmes to be read yet no where shall we finde there eyther that they are said to be any part of the Booke and therefore they were left out in the latine translation thereof or that it ties or bindes vs to any one certaine translation for the same But if it expressly did may we iustly thinke that it is contrarie to the word to read the Scriptures to the common people in a translation that hath such faults as the originalls thereof rightly vnderstood sometimes will not beare Doubtlesse then I feare in faith and assurance in our consciences that wee doe alwaies well therein we shall neuer allow them to read or to haue read vnto them the Scriptures in any translation at all for when can we be certaine that any translation is free from all such faults vnlesse therefore with the Papists we would debarre them from hauing and hearing the Scriptures at all in the vulgar tongues we must be contented that they read and haue them read vnto them in translations that happily when we haue all done may haue some such faults And this is it that both they and we must content our selues withall in this case first that the faultes be such which though they stand not full with the originall yet they import not any errour against any necessarie truth elsewhere taught in the scriptures of which kind for any thing that I can remember amongst all the faults noted in the foresaid inserted Scriptures in the booke there is not one and then that those faults are not so defended by our Church to be no faults but that alwaies it hath beene permitted the godly learned ministers in preaching of any of the said Scriptures in a wise and discreet manner notwithstanding to acquaint the people with the sense most agreeable with the original yea we see most of the same faults corrected and amended alreadie in the foresaid great Bible commonly called the Bishops Bible and now againe that that whole translation and others are to be examined and so all faults that haue past in any hertofore as far as the learning and diligence of man can reach vnto are to be reformed all which duely considered I hope may serue to answere these obiections CHAP. 10. Touching the reading of the Apocrypha NOw the next is touching the bookes appointing the Apocrypha to be read as it doth wherein many faults are found also as that they are appointed publikely to be read at all that they are appointed to be read as Chapters of the holy Scripture of the olde Testament and as more edifying then the Canonicall omitted to giue roome for thē and that often there is a speciall choyse of them for certaine solemne feast daies or holy daies All which obiections as I sayd before the Deane thē of Chester now L. Bishop of Rochester no man then or there finding any fault with that his answer in the conference before his Maiestie shewed was needlesse because by the preface set before the second volume of homilies which is by order of our Church allowed authorized aswell as the booke and indeed published since the bookes first authorising in the yeare 1563. and therefore euen by that circumstance more likely and fit to serue in this point to explane the meaning of the booke the minister is exhorted to wey and to read his Chapters priuatly before he come to read them publickly and thereupon if in his discretion he thinke
as one of the points agreed on amōgst our selues in this Church Act. 6.20 and 34 whereunto none refuse to subscribe and Caluin vpon the eleuenth of the first to the Corinthians Beza in his foresaid eight Epistle most plainly teach the same yea euen Cartwright himselfe as you may see in the 84 Page of the late Archbishops booke against him confesses that it is not necessary that euery rite and ceremony be expressed therein but that it is sufficient to make the orders of the Church therein lawfull if they be according to the generall rules set downe in the Scriptures concerning such things They therefore being so if any yet will be offended either at the commaunders or obeyers therein it is an offence taken not giuen and therefore at their owne perill onely for both reason and religion teach and therefore as an vndoubted truth it is held and alwayes hath bene and namely of Caluin 1. Cor. 11. Instit lib. 4. Chap. 10. Sect. 31.32 Chap. 16. of the harmonie of the confessions by August Epist 118.119 86. by Bucer to Alasco by Peter Marter to Hooper and by Bucer to Cranmer that the Churches of Christ haue freedome and libertie according to these generall rules to prescribe orders rites and ceremonies and then they hauing so done it is not for priuate men to refuse for the maintenance of good order and peace therein to conforme themselues thereunto for that the publicke iudgement of the Church in such matters is alwayes to be preferred before the priuate opinion of this man or that and the Church is not to stay from making any constitutions in such things vntill she can be assured that all will be pleased therewith for then hardly euer should she make any and so also there would neuer be any end of brawles iarres discords and dissentions thereabout He therefore that herein would neither giue offence nor take any is according to the councell of Ambrose in this case as Augustine hath reported in two of the former places modestly and quietly alwayes to conforme himselfe according to the order of the Church wherein he liueth 6. And yet though hee doe so let not any man thinke but for all that he may be fully in possession of his Christian libertie in such matters and so according to the rule of the Apostle stand fast in that libertie wherewith Christ hath made him free not suffering himselfe any whit to bee entangled againe with the yoke of bondage Galathians 5.1 For we may sufficiently to that end bee possest thereof within our consciences though for not offending of a weake brother much more for not offending the publicke estate of a famous Church wee neuer outwardly possesse our selues thereof For the same Apostle that giues vs that rule and as we haue heard of such things confidently sayd that all things were lawfull for him 1. Corinthians 10.23 yet sayth also if meate did offend his brother hee would eate no flesh whiles the world stood that hee might not offend his brother 1. Corinthians 8.13 For Christian libertie in respect of such outward things lies in our right iudgement thereof in that we are alwayes perswaded that extra casum scandali contemptus both of priuate persons and the publicke state wherein wee liue wee may without sinne and hurt to our consciences vse our libertie therein The ignorance or forgetfulnesse but of which point is the ground and cause of manie vnbrotherly quarrels and contentions in the Church about things of this kind let vs therefore take this for the sixt generall point needefull to bee resolued of for the better directing our selues and others how to behaue our selues in matters of this nature If any doubt whether extra casum scandali contemptus one may lawfully without sin or hurt of conscience in such commanded rites and ceremonies sometimes vpon due and iust consideration and circumstances omit or intermit the vsing of them let him consider that the decree of abstaining from things offered to idols strangled bloud mentioned Act. 15. notwithstanding after the Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinths though he vtterly disalow the breach of that ordinance by any of the church in the idols temple to the offence of any weake brother Chap. 8.10 c. yet when in respect of the circumstances there is no such danger of offence Chap 10.27 permits them freely to eat thereof without any scruple of conscience Neither ought this to seeme strange vnto any for as there is a precise keeping of such lawes and as flat a breaking thereof so is there also a middle or meane betwixt both which is to do prater legem and yet not contralegem because though then the letter of the law be not strictly obserued yet neither the true meaning nor end of the law is crossed by doing otherwise then it appoints Vpon which ground though the foresaid decree of the Apostles and brethren in the councell of Hierusalem was set downe as it appeares there without limitation of time or place how long and where it should binde the christian gentiles to the obseruation therof yet in due place time without sin or hurt of conscience they grew to the disuse thereof and now it is vniuersally held not to bind at all any when there is no danger of offence to any weake brother by doing otherwise Wherefore it is to be wished that the Church and they that are in authoritie therein would alwayes in the vrging the obseruation and execution of such their ordinances not onely haue a care as questionlesse this of ours hath had first that by all good meanes they whom the obseruation thereof concernes might be taught how with a good conscience they may and ought to yeeld thereunto for doubtlesse the rule of the Apostle whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 holds not onely of things indifferent left at libertie but also limited by authoritie for their vse one onely way then also that they bee but vrged according to the nature of the things themselues that is neither as perpetuall and vnchangeable vppon any occasion nor as simply and absolutely alwayes to bind the conscience as the things commanded by God himselfe do Much lesse would they be vrged more earnestly then the ordinances and commandements of the Lord himselfe in his word least so the reprehension of the Scribes and Pharises should iustly be incurred yee tythe mint and annisse and leaue the greater things of the law vndone or ye make the commandements of God of none effect for the obseruing of your owne traditions Math. 23.22 and 15.3 for it is all that the verie lawes of God himselfe do or can do simply and absolutely to bind the conscience and therefore human lawes and ordinances doubtlesse bind not simply of themselues but so farre forth onely as they are made by lawfull authoritie whereunto the word of God requires subiection and obedience as long as the things commanded thereby are not contrarie
they serue and so consequently as there also is noted are the freer from danger of abuse yet indeed that booke no where nor any publike ordinance of our Church annexeth any signification vnto any of them as I said before either for that naturally of themselues they signifie any such thing or that supernaturally any such is tied thereunto what vse soeuer therefore we make of any of them by way of signification or resemblance it is either from our owne declared meaning and intention in the vse thereof as in this or from our voluntarie meditation thereof as in the rest and therefore they neither darken the nature of the Sacraments nor no way iustly can be sayd or thought to be as new Sacraments For all Sacraments by Christs owne ordinance not onely signifie the spirituall things whereof they are Sacraments but also are Gods ordinarie meanes whereby he doth offer deliuer and seale the deliuerie thereof to all the worthie receiuers of the same in all which these come short of them And who knoweth not but the Sacraments haue significations some principall and proper and some lesse principall and common to them with other things and that therefore though the Church may not either in her intention or voluntarie meditation in the vse of her owne rites and ceremonies thereby encroach vpon the principall and proper vse of Christs Sacraments yet she may without wronging either of Christ or his Sacraments reach in her intention and meditation by occasion of her owne rites and ceremonies to those that are lesse principall and common As for example the Supper of the Lord hath two ends and vses the one principall and proper to be vnto the right receiuers the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ as Paul sheweth 1. Cor. 10.16 and another lesse principall set downe in the next verse namely to knit vs in communion amongst our selues Now though the Church neuer that we read of ventured by any of her rites and ceremonies to signifie the former yet doubtlesse both by her loue feasts taken vp in the Apostles times as it appeares euen in that Chapter and by the vse of the holy kisse mentioned Rom. 16.16 and 1. Cor. 16.20 yea euen immediatly before the receipt of the Sacrament by Iustine Martirs time as it appeares in his Apologie vnto Antoninus Pius it was the Churches vse to resemble vnto themselues the latter and thereby as by admonitorie signes and tokens the better to put and keepe themselues in remembance thereof what should let therefore but that the sacrament of baptisme principally and properly signifying our remission of sinnes in the bloud of Christ and our regeneration through his spirit in being thereby so ingrafted into his death and resurrection as that we are dead to sinne and raised vp to righteousnesse but that the Church of Christ may vse the signe of the Crosse as she doth with vs as an admonitorie token of our christian hope and expectation that the children of Christians baptized amongst vs shall and will answer the lesse principall and common end thereof which is to bring forth the fruits and effects of the former thereby before bestowed vpon them and sealed vnto them 3. Hereby also we are led to answer another maine obiection which they make against it for that whiles it is vsed as it is it is charged to be an addition to Christs Sacrament and ordinance of baptisme which is vtterly vnlawfull or at least an arguing him in some sort of some imperfection in the ordaining the maner how it should be ministred in that wee neuer read he or any of his Apostles made any mention of the vse hereof in the administration of this Sacrament For euen hereby we see alreadie by the lawfull vse of the loue feasts and the holy kisse together with the receit of the other Sacrament in the primitiue and apostolike Churches neither of which were any more mentioned by Christ in the institution of that Sacrament then this was in this other that euerie such rite and ceremonie taken vp by the Church and vsed when and where the Sacraments are ministred though they be also such as serue to betoken and signifie vnto the people some thing also signified by the Sacraments themselues as these did are not straight to be accounted either vnlawfull additions thereunto or things arguing Christ of imperfection in not remembring them in the first institution They themselues that vrge this obiection most do allow diuerse things in the administration hereof and in the other Sacrament also as here either of godfathers or godmothers or of the parents or of some in their roome and that to answer certaine questions as also in the other of ministring it in the morning in the publike assemblies and to women none of which are expressed in the first institution of either and yet they will not grant either of these things to folllow thereupon But the full answere to this obiection is this that the truth is indeede that Christ hath left the institution of the Sacraments full and perfect for all the substantiall and vnchaungeable things thereunto appertaining expresly set downe by the direction of his spirite in the Scriptures wherein he is to bee followed without addition or detraction yea or any alteraon thereof at all and that he left vnto his Church the further ordering of the circumstances and further what was fit according to varietie of times persons and places for the most orderly decent and comely administration thereof prouided alwayes that therein she keepe her selfe in a course not contrarie but consonant to rules set downe in the same Scriptures for her direction herein for thus the practise of his true Church euer since hath taught vs to vnderstand him therein Vnlawfull addition to any of Christs Sacraments therefore is only that that either participates therewith in all or at the least in the chiefe and proper ends and vses thereof or is added for complement thereof as necessarie and so vnchangeable whereas our Church in the last named tract of her ceremonies protesteth of this and of all the rest that they are retained only for discipline and order and may vpon iust causes be altered and changed therefore are not to be esteemed equall with Gods law and we haue heard that the 30. Canon particularly of this protesteth that the vsing of it is neither to adde any vertue or perfection to the Sacrament nor the omitting of it detracts any thing from the effect and substance of it And therfore not only priuate baptisme as we haue heard is by our seruice booke iudged perfect and effectuall without it but we see that our Church accounteth many thousands that haue bin and yet are baptized without it sufficiently baptized so that euen thereby it is euident that it is vsed not as a necessarie supply to perfect baptisme though it be called the signe of the Crosse in baptisme but that it is vrged only vpon the minister to vse it as is
that behalfe will grow by the wise and orderly reuiuing thereof What more of any moment not formerly answered is now alleaged out of the communion booke to stay men from subscription I remember not saue that some say the vrging of all prescribed therby now to be read without leauing out any part therof in respect of a sermon or in any other regard as it appeares Canon 14 shuts out preaching much But my experience teacheth me the contrary for though I read fully all that is appointed and haue long vsed so to do yet I praise God beeing vpon the point now of 60 yeares of age yet I finde both strength and time conuenient euery Sabbath both forenoone and afternoone to do both And they that finde not themselues of strength so to doe they are not by any law forbid to get thē Curats and helpers which may ease them commonly if not of all yet of a great part of the burden of the tone and if their liuing bee so small and they are not able to haue that helpe otherwise beeing conformeable and doing what they can their weaknesse or sickly estate will easily with their ordinaries excuse them Sure any man may be that reads the booke and the canons there to find that the booke often directeth vs to pray that all ministers may be diligent preachers of the word and that by the canons better order is taken for often diligent preaching of the word then euer heretofore hath beene and therefore this may goe amongst other too hard collections and constructions of our Churches meaning well enough and therfore need not in truth stay any man from subscribing I am not ignorant that yet many things more in this booke are obiected but because I know onely a charitable construction will easily remooue them I passe thē ouer wishing euery man therby as he may is bound to satisfie him selfe therein CHAP. 15. Answering certaine obiections out of the booke of Ordination THus then we are come at the last to the other booke of ordinatiō of Bishops Priests Deacons against which as it is in vse with vs now long hath been I must cōfesse I see or find nothing euer alleaged of any moment to this purpose but I finde the same so fully answered by our late most reuerend Archbishop in his foresaid book against Cartwright so oft before named since by the right reuerend and learned now Bishop of Winchester in his booke written long since of the perpetuall gouernment of Christs Church as that I cannot but maruaile especially seeing I could neuer see the latter of these books by any once euer yet attempted to be answered that any for all this should set a foot againe any old obiections and new I finde none of any moment against the said booke whereunto there they haue beene and are and that also long ago so throughly answerd And therefore for this point Christian Reader both to spare thy further labour and mine thereunto I referre thee Onely this in the meane time I say for my owne part that there I finde all that hath beene said of any waight against the said booke in my iudgement so satisfied that in respect thereof onely whosoeuer refuseth to subscribe he doth so without any iust cause at all For concerning the distinction of degrees by that booke for the better ordering of the Church in her ecclesiasticall policy allowed to be amongst vs the ministers of the Gospell I must needs say and protest though as seriously and diligently as I could I haue read and considered all that hath beene written to or from with or against of that question for these thirtie yeares and more and also of purpose for the same haue searched all antient writers and all monuments of antiquity that I could come by yet I could neuer find any thing of any sound moment or force brought against the same yea that more is besides hatred to popery too great an admiration of some other Churches I neuer by all this could finde that the impugners thereof and the seekers in the steed thereof to bring in a gouernment of the Church by a parity of Ministers and their Presbiteries haue indeed and truth any thing of sound moment or of any waight at all to iustifie or to countenance their so doing In so much that before the late reformation of Geneua for all the fore said points and search that I haue vsed for this point I could thereby yet neuer finde any one Church of Christ so big as that of Geneua and the appurtenances thereof any where or at any time for the space of one ten yeares possest of that their kinde of gouernment whereas of the contrarie through the whole course of the Scriptures euer since Moses and through all Ecclesiastical stories and monuments of antiquitie I obserue it hath bin the lords pleasure in his good prouidence alwaies to haue his church since it had but outward visibility in one nation perpetually gouerned by distinct degrees of ministers proportionable to this of ours for through the old Testament from Moses to Christ it had by Gods ordinance an high priest Priests and Leuites to that end and Christ enlarging the bounds therof we find by the playne testimony of the new testament he left for the orderly gouernment therof vntill his second comming Ephes 4. some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors Teachers In that therfore in that golden age of the Apostles when the gifts of the spirit both vpon the ordinary Pastours christian people were as they were often extraordinary we yet find when particular Churches were furnished setled with all their ordinary necessary officers they stood need besides the helpe they then had of Synods the ouersight of euangelists the visitation againe and againe both by their letters personall presence of the apostles whiles they liued what reason can any man haue to thinke that in the times since far worse then those the churches of Christ should not likewise need some in the roome of those to haue a superintendency ouer the particular ministers to visit and to keepe them in order from time to time And therfore doubtlesse the Apostles Prophets Euangelists in that which they had extraordinaly ceasing euer since we find by the testimony of ecclesiasticall stories by light warrāt from these former proportions experience for the better ordering therof in peace and vnitie the church of Christ possest of Bishops ministers Deacons All which neither could nor would haue beene so if this other fancyed forme of Church gouernmēt had been so essentiall thereunto this of ours so bad vnfit for the same as the admirers of that other would beare the world in hand both this and the other hath been is for who can or wil be perswaded that God being of that powre that he is louing his church as he doth that euer he could or would suffer her for 15 or
16 hundred yeares to be destituted bereued of her proper and essentiall outward forme of church gouernment or that he would haue continued blessed the other as he hath both in the ancient churches since if it had beene or were so displeasing vnto him antichristian as they now charge it to be 2 As for the preaching by deacons ministring baptisme by such who can read the story of the Acts touching the Deacon Phillip and what after is storied there in both respects as done lawfully by him though we read there only of his calling to the office of a deacon or what to like purpose as the foresaid two learned fathers haue shewed out of the monuments of true antiquity such haue don in the primitiue Church but he will see he hath cause to cease froÌ„ obiecting that as a fault against that booke in that our Deacons are said to bee called to their office according to apostolike example 3 And as for the name Priest it answering with vs as it doth in respect of our office the word presbyter not the other Sacerdos what iust offence can any take thereat 4 And as long as we find Apostles directing and commaunding Euangelists as Paul did Timo. and Tytus witnesse the epistles he wrote to them they therby directed to ouersee direct pastors as therin by the storie of the Acts it appeares they did pastors charged to attend feed their flocks though we find not the precise names of Archbishops Metropolitans or primats at the first what should wee therfore striue Strife about words as long as wee find the matter and substance that in truth implyeth as much becomes not the Church of God but the ecclesiasticall stories and the records of the ancient councells make it most manifest to them that read them that it was not long after the age of the apostles ere these very names were taken vp and for order sake giuen to the Bishops ouer other 5 And as for that saying receiue the holy Ghost it beeing vnderstood either of the holy Ghost it selfe or of the gifts thereof fit for the ministry as some take it it doubtlesse is vsed and meant as a prayer that so they may not as a speech of one hauing power authority to giue it as when Christ vsed it but taking it as very wel also it may for the calling to the ministry wherof the holy Ghost is the author they as the ordinary means wherby he calleth them thereunto may say so wherfore to grow to an end I verily think no one thing more either hath bred or yet doth nourish more the ecclesiasticall controuersies of ours about rites and ceremonies and the outward pollicy of our Church as either not reading or negligent studying of sound antiquity therfore I would wish do with all my heart that all my good brethren of the in ministry as far as their ability will serue theÌ„ would get them the writings of the ancient fathers especially the ecclesiasticall stories of Eusebius his fellows the tomes of the ancient councels then next after the study of the sacred scripture that they would diligently read consider of theÌ„ For doubtles euen therby they would learn much to direct them how to cary themselues in their places in all occurreÌ„ts that otherwise for lack of so good presideÌ„ts to much troble many of theÌ„ are ofteÌ„ cause also why they are more troublesome vnto others for such matters theÌ„ otherwise they would be if they were throughly acquainted with the ancient practise of Christs Church in such cases There they should finde it in August Epist 86. to Casulan 118. to Ianuari Euseb lib. 5. cap. 23. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Zozom lib. 7. cap. 19. in Greg. ad Leandrum and that one Church is not bound in her outward rites fashions to anothers and therfore that no one Church is preiudiced by anothers different fashions in such things yea that nihil officit in eadem fide conspirantium EcclesiaruÌ„ consuetudo diuersa yea that rather that so being they holding notwithstanding vnity of faith they are the more commendable for the bonds of the Churches vnitie were alwaies held to be one God one faith one baptisme and not one rite or one ceremony and therefore there also shall they finde how peacably godly the learned in such times conformed themselues to the orders and fashions alwaies of the Church wherin they liued in such things and so neither gaue offence to any nor tooke any and how the different fashions or opinions in such things notwithstanding they thought it vnfit to breake vnity with others And to this end I wold euery one would but read the said 86. 118 epistles of S. Augustine and his next also the 119 for there they should find both excellent councell and examples to this purpose 7 Alas how can any ioyne with the brownists in holding rhis kinde of gouernment by Archbishops and Bishops to be antichristian and that of theirs to be Christs Churche perpetuall essentiall regiment but he must needs ioyne with them in their practise rent separation from vs 8 Or the premises considered what sound reason hath any man to thinke though one of late an enemie thereunto hath vrged it in print that the holding of this gouernment of ours to haue warrant from the scriptures should impeach the Kings supremacy as though that these degrees of ministers in this sort allowed by the booke of ordination of them could not both stand together wheras indeed therby it is coÌ„firmed strengthened as Solomons was in that though the high Priesthood was expresly from God he yet rightly deposed Abiather and placed Sadok in his roome 1. Kings 3.35 For though in respect of that which they haue froÌ„ PrÃnces they may be said to be theirs of humane constitution yet in respect of their ministry spiritual iurisdictioÌ„ in the church they wel may be said to be of Gods own ordinance 9 Wherfore to grow towards an end remember we my good brethren this one thing more that it standeth this our state and Church much vpon hauing made so many seuere lawes as it hath against Papists Schismaticks Barowists or Brownists cal theÌ„ as you wil hauing also so executed theÌ„ as they haue minding as it semeth so to do stil and we see it is most necessary for the peace of the church they should let none of vs that should ioyne with theÌ„ therin also euery way strengthen theÌ„ what we could they so multiplying as they do both on the right hand left by any means weaken eyther our ' selues or theÌ„ against them which once againe I caÌ„not but put you in mind we do so long as eyther for conformity or this subscribing by our refusal stil hereof we not only make distraction rent breach amongst our selues but also strengthen them with so many arguments as we stand vpon
A BROTHERLY PERSWASION TO VNITIE AND VNIFORMITIE IN IVDGEMENT AND PRACTISE TOVCHING THE RECEIVED and present Ecclesiasticall gouernment and the authorised rites and ceremonies of the Church of England VVritten by Thomas Sparke Doctor in Diuinitie And seene allowed and commanded by publike authoritie to be printed ROM 12.18 If it be possible as much as in you is haue peace with all men COR. 11.16 If any lust to be contentious we haue no such customs nor the Churches of God LABORE ET CONSTANTIA LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Roger Iackson and are to be sold at his shop in Fleet-street neere to the great Conduit 1607. HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD OF GREAT BRITAINE France and Ireland King and ouer all persons and in all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as ciuill in these his dominions next and immediatly vnder God Supreme Gouernor and defender of the ancient Catholike and Apostolike Faith HIgh and mightie Monarch and my most dread gratious Soueraigne being one of them that by your most Honorable Councels letters in your Maiesties name were called to be before your highnes at the conference at Hampton Court and receiuing there such satisfaction as I did by your excellent Maiesties owne most readie and apt answers to the doubts and obiections there and then proposed as I could not but then greatly reioyce in my heart and praise and magnifie the Lord for the same so euer since though to the better satisfying of all others I haue not onely in my practise accordingly yealded vniuersall conformitie but priuately by word and writing also haue laboured to perswade all whom I haue met with to do likewise yet seeing and obseruing so many stil to refuse I could not but think it my bounden dutie to God and his Church first then to your highnesse by writing some short Treatise to doe the best that I could to further your most gracious christian purpose resolution determination in the said conferēce which was as I conceiued it by your most princely moderation resolution first of al in our home controuersies amongst our selues about our Churches Liturgie or Hierarchie so to knit vs all together in vnitie verity as that al our forces hereafter might more strongly be bent employed against our common aduersaries so the better also after to draw them to conformity with vs in the exercises and profession of our true and pure religion And therfore now wel nigh two yeares ago hauing writ this Treatise and finding that the priuat vse therof though it hath done good with som yet to that purpose could reach but to a few it hauing in this time comd bene in the view of some of the most reuerend Bish so hauing also got allowāce by authority to be printed hereupon hauing bene by thē and many others which haue sene read the same much vrged to publish it I am bound thus to dedicate it to your Maiesty so to offer it to the sight of all who shal be pleased to read it And the rather I thought iustly I might so do for that the ground of most of that I haue said therin to the satisfying of my brethren arises frō the speeches answers determinations that your highnes self gaue in the forsaid cōference But indeed I must needs confesse I durst not yet thus far haue aduentured but vpon comfortable remēbrāce of your Mai. vouchsafing the next morning after the said cōference to send for me thē to giue me that most gratious coūtenāce most princely kind words that you thē did in cōsideration of a book that your highnes vnderstood I had writtē bin in some trouble for in her Ma. time that last was touching succession Pardon me therfore most gracious soueraign if to testify in some measure my loyalty and thankefulnes for the same I venture now againe into your highnesse presence with so small a present as this For you being pleased to accept the same to giue it passage thus vnder your most roial patronage and protectiō to the end aforesaid vndoubtedly it wil may much the sooner get liking and entertainment withall so also giue the better satisfaction and contentment to all them whersoeuer it finds the same Thus therefore once againe most humbly crauing pardon for this my great boldnes hoping of your Maiesties fauorable acceptance hereof most instantly vpon the knees of my soule begging of the almighty that your Highnes your most royall issue may most happily prosperously reign rule ouer vs while the Sun Moon endure to his most gracious protection I commend your Maiestie now and euer From Bletchley in Buckinghamshire 1607. Your Maiesties faithfull and humble subiect Thomas Sparke The Epistle to the Christian Reader I Am not ignorant welbeloued in the Lord that I haue and doe vndergoe already the hard censure of many for conforming my selfe as I haue to the orders of our Church and that I am like to endure harder for the writing and publishing of this Treatise following to perswade others so to doe likewise And all this the rather for that eyther through ignorance what my iudgement in former times hath beene of these matters now in question or misconstruction of some of my former actions many as it seemeth haue conceiued that heretofore I haue not beene the same man that now in this my dealing I manifest my selfe to be To satisfie therefore all men if it may be in this respect first they are to vnderstand that though there be now vpon occasion of the manner of this new vrging the rites and ordinances of our Church as they are some difference in outward shew betwixt my former courses and this which I now take that yet that prooues not circumstances duely considered any alteration of my minde or iudgement at all touching these things For I alwaies before as occasion serued me both in Pulpit and otherwise in priuate conference with many manifested my selfe to be of that opinion that I alwaies thought they were rather to be yealded vnto being but of the nature they are and being vrged no otherwise then in deed and truth they be by our Church then that any minister should for his refusing conformity therunto suffer himself to be put from the vse of his gifts place and ministery for such a necessity is laid vpon vs that be in the ministery I alwaies knew and remembred to preach the Gospell that woe is to vs if we do not so 1 Cor. 9.16 And with Archippus I euer vnderstood that Paule had said to euery one of vs take heed to thy ministery that thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it Coll. 4.17 And therfore I could neuer think and so my vsuall saying hath been alwaies to my friends and felow ministers talking with me of these things that at the last day it would or could be taken
for a sufficient excuse or reason in any of vs before the great Iudge of quick dead and the chiefe Bishop of our soules of and for our surceasing therefrom to say and plead we could not be suffered to continue and to go on therin vnlesse we conformed our selues in these thinges as this our Church requireth now at our hands And therefore also howsoeuer otherwise weake brethren were not wilfully and needlesly in such things to be offended by vs yet if after so many yeares instruction they would be so weake still as that they would rather wish vs to leaue our ministery what mischiefe or inconuenience soeuer therby should grow eyther to them or to our selues and ours and to the whole Church by our so doing then to yeald to the vse of these things I could neuer yet perswade my selfe that we were bound to preuent the not offending of such by suffering our selues to be run vpon these so daungerous rocks But indeed I alwaies rather thought that that was to redeeme the not offending of them in such things at a farre higher and costlier rate and price then eyther wee were bound to giue for it or it were worth and therefore that in this case the onely thing that remained for vs to doe was holding on still our ministery better to instruct them and to pray for them that God would make them wiser and stronger and so to leaue them to him And the rather haue I beene confirmed in this my opinion because I plainly find that Maister Cartwright himselfe as desirous as he was otherwise that they that are in authoritie would haue rather beene pleased to remoue sundrie of thē was yet in this case of the very same iudgment as any man may see he was in his secōd part of his secōd reply chap. the last Then secondly though when I haue beene called by lawfull authoritie to some conference about these matters as sometimes I haue beene and by the same had leaue then freely to say my mind touching these things I haue not refused in dutifull manner to lay downe my reasons why they that were in authoritie hauing questionlesse thereby power as well to remooue or alter such rites and ceremonies as to continue them as that plainely is confest they haue both in our Common Booke it selfe and in the booke of Articles might well be pleased for the better encouraging of many both to enter into the ministerie and the quieter to continue therein as also thereby the sooner to breed peace vnitie and loue amongst our selues and to remooue offence from the weake and tender consciences of many to vse their power and authoritie rather to remooue or alter certaine of them then to continue and vrge them as they were yet euen then also as it is well knowne as occasion was offered I sundrie times plainely protested that for my owne part those reasons notwithstanding I thought it not fitt if authoritie would not yeelde therefore so to do but for other reasons seeming of more force thereunto should chuse rather to continue and so to vrge them still that any man therefore eyther should shunne the ministerie or suffer himselfe to be depriued thereof For I neuer thought them but waied and vnderstood as they are with vs eyther of themselues simply vnlawfull or any way so inconuenient that any should therefore runne vpon eyther of these rocks Much more therefore I haue wondred at those men and greatly alwaies in my minde haue I misliked them who for things of no other nature then these about which our domesticall controuersies haue beene haue yet euen therefore growne vnto such a mislike of the state of our Church as that they both in pulpit and print haue thought they might not onely most bitterly seeke the disgrace both of it and the gouernours thereof but also make as they haue too to many of them a plaine and open schisme therin yea and an vtter rent breach therfrom And I praise God for it the feare thereof from the beginning and the falling of it out so when it did together with the serious consideration of the nature of the questions themselues haue so alwaies kept me in loue and liking of the present gouernement and the orders thereof that hitherto euer peaceably and quietly I haue liued vnder and in the practise thereof and neuer yet could be brought how well soeuer I haue liked of some that haue seemed zealous forward in wishing as they counted it reformation of and in certaine things for their painfulnesse in their places and fruitfulnesse of their labours otherwise in their ministery eyther to be present at any of their meetings and consultations to that end or to yeald them my hand at any time to any thing concluded therein by them yea alwaies as I haue said I haue not onely misliked to the disturbance and disquiet of so famous a Church of Christ as this of ours is all those their exceptions against it notwithstanding that any should seeke eyther in Pulpit or Print to deface it and disgrace it as I sawe too many did but also what credite soeuer at any time God hath giuen mee with any especially of any great place I haue vsed it to the best of my skill and credite with them to breede and to nourish in them a good liking of our present Church-gouernment and so in time and place to bee as they might Patrons for it rather then any way to suffer themselues to bee drawne to ioyne with them that sought the subuersion thereof and to bring in an other Insomuch that thirdly I may with a safe and good conscience both before GOD and man proteste that I neuer yet coulde bee brought by any thing that I haue euer heard or read to that purpose these foure and thirtie yeares that I haue beene in the Ministerie and yet I thinke I haue read most if not all that hath beene since written to that ende eyther to thinke that forme and plott of Church gouernement so much admired and magnifyed as the perpetuall and onely fit gouernement for Christes Church by a paritie of Ministers and their Presbiteries eyther fitting for such a Monarchye as this is or any way in deede so aunswerable or conformable to the perpetuall gouernement vsed by GOD for and in his Church eyther since Moses or Christ during the Storie eyther of Newe Testament or Olde as this by Archbishopps Bishoppes and Pastors of ours is And heereupon it hath beene that being a great part of my time Bishoppe Coopers Chaplaine to my good liking and contentment I haue not onely alwaies euer since I was Minister liued as an ordinarie Pastour euer also discharging the office of such an one in my own person in and vnder this gouernment without being at any time once eyther presented or conuented for the omission or transgression of any of the orders thereof but also for sundrie yeares was I by the said Bishoppes gifte Archdeacon of Stow in Lincolnshire and so
had beene still but that it was so farre from mee that I found I coulde not do that good therein that otherwise I might and in conscience tooke my selfe bound to haue done Likewise hence it hath beene that neuer to this day was I so much as made priuie too or acquainted with any petition or supplication exhibited to Prince Parliament or Conuocation tending to any alteration of this present gouernement And lastly certaine it is that I neuer ministred the Communion but I receiued it kneeling and as for the surplesse I haue long agoe and verie often worne it neyther euer refused I the wearing of it where or when I had one to weare and when it was eyther by my people or by the Ordinarie of the place required at my hands or when I my selfe saw the vse of it would open vnto me any wider doore or procure me any more opportunitie to doe good with any and when I least vsed it yet euen then also I had a care when my Text gaue mee any occasion so to acquaint my people with the doctrine of Christian liberty and to teach them the free vse of such indifferent things that it should not any way be iustly offensiue to any of them when at any time for order sake vpon occasion they should see mee most formally vse them And touching subscription if I would or should denie it sure I am the Bishoppe of Lincolnes recordes would prooue it that twice or thrice I haue heretofore vpon occasion subscribed in effect euen as now it is required Finally I must needes say whatsoeuer other men haue fancied of mee though with Bucer in his opinion giuen of our Common Booke I haue thought certayne things therein so set downe as that Nisi candide intelligantur that is vnlesse they bee fauourably vnderderstood they seeme to carrie some shew of contrarietie to the word of God yet in verie deede I neuer thought any thing therein or within the compasse of the required subscription such but that the same by such a charitable and fauourable construction and that also but well standing with the professed and publikely established doctrine of our Church and with the best and true meaning of the Bookes themselues whence the obiections to the contrarie did seeme to arise might with a good conscience for the peace and good of the Church be quietly yealded vnto And in that best sense as I knew charitie did binde vs all to take euery thing so I coulde neuer be perswaded but that with a very good liking and allowance of the state wee freely might And therefore that is all that euer I desired if to them that were in authoritie in peaceable manner by conference with or before them when it should or did please themselues to call or admit men thereunto it could not be perswaded for the reasons and respects aforesaid that it were best to alter those things whereupon some tooke occasion to shunne the ministerie or to leaue it that otherwise were likely to be profitable for their gifts therein that yet they would be pleased as by law alreadie established I know they might to allow euery thing within any of the bookes whereunto that subscription reacheth to be construed and taken of euery one in the best sense they could for the better and more certaine direction thereunto to publish the same as therby allowed so to be taken And so to conclude my iudgement alwaies hath beene and is of this present Church gouernment and the orders thereof if they that be in place of gouernment therein euery one of them would do but that good in his place which by the lawes thereof alreadie made he both might an ought it would be so happie and blessed euery way as none should iustly haue cause eyther to complaine of the old or to seek to bring in a new And before the last conference before his maiestie at Hampton Court it is well knowne in the countrey where I dwell that in a publike meeting of the ministers before the commissarie and many ministers vpon occasion there giuen mee I made it publikely knowne that I was and euer had beene of this iudgement that I haue said and therefore then further I shewe as elsewhere sundrie times before others of greater place and namely to my owne Diocesan also before the said conference had how vnwilling I was eyther there or elsewhere to be drawne to stand in any opposition or contention with the reuerend fathers about any of these matters For my iudgement is that neuer that 〈◊〉 but dutifull ioyning with them is likely any way to be the meanes to procure the Churches good Being therfore thus perswaded and therefore so thinking of the lawfulnesse of my owne course as also taking the inconueniences of the other to bee so many and great sundrie waies as I doe the times now also considered wherein wee liue how can I but in Christian charitie in this manner doe the best that I can both thus to make my minde knowne in these things and also by this insuing Treatise to seeke to perswade others to be like minded as I am and for the reasons therein set downe to yealde to doe as I doe The best and most fauourable construction therein I haue giuen of the things that men vse to sticke at and yet with all I trust I haue made it appeare that the same stands verie well with the true meaning of the books themselues whence the doubts arise and with the publikely receiued doctrine of this our Church This Treatise therefore being seene and allowed thus to be printed and published according to the order in that case prouided may the rather I hope draw men to vniformitie and conformitie for that euen thereby they may see that thus both in their practise and subscription they are by publicke and sufficient authoritie allowed to take and construe euerie thing in the best sense that may bee And the rather that it might so doe because amongest brethren I thought that the likeliest way to perswade I haue studied to deliuer my mind in as louing brotherly a phrase and manner as I could Wherefore hoping that all reasonable men herewith will be satisfied and so be content and willing without any preiudice from my person to read and consider what I haue set downe in this Treatise following I bid thee Christian Reader heartily farewell in the Lord. 1606. Your louing brother vnfainedly Thomas Sparke The Contents of the Treatise following Chap. 1. The preamble or preface thereunto Chap. 2. The sum and diuision of the whole Chap. 3. The mayne proposition of the whole and seuen groundes thereof Chap. 4. Of kneeling in the receit of the Communion Chap. 5. Of conformitie in apparrell and namely touching the surplesse Chap. 6. Of the vse of the signe of the crosse in baptisme in general Chap. 7. Answers to obiectiōs against the same some old some new Chap. 8. Answers cōcerning some men specially touching these rites Chap.
9. Of the order and practise of the book in reading the scriptures Canonicall Chap. 10. Touching the reading as the booke appointes of the Apocrypha Chap. 11. Concerning the interrogatories in Baptisme Chap. 12. Answers touching diuers other obiectiōs against the booke Chap. 13. Touching subscription and certaine obiections against the same Chap. 14. Answers to more obiections made against the same Chap. 15. Answers to certaine obiections against the booke of ordination Chap. 16. The conclusion and an exhortation to vnitie A PERSVVASION TO VNIFORMITIE VNto his Christian brethren The Preamble Chap. 1. THough I must needs confesse well beloued that none that with any diligence haue read the Ecclesiasticall stories and the monuments of the ancient councels and fathers but that therein they must needs see and find that alwayes there haue bene diuersities of opinions in causes Ecclesiasticall euen in the best times sinse the Apostles and that amongst the best and most famous Christians otherwise especially about the outward orders and customes of the Church yet no small griefe hath it bene vnto me to see and behold now for these 34. yeares that I haue bene in the ministerie the originall growth and continuance of these our domesticall controuersies amongst our selues about the outward policie and rites of our Church For whiles men haue spent their times and zeale in the pursuit thereof as of both sides they haue very much so much time leasure and oportunitie hath Sathan got to sow and water his tares of Atheisme Papisme and of sects and schismes amongst vs. Insomuch that the sight and consideration therereof hath often made me to thinke and say as occasion hath serued me to men of both sides as Moses did to the Israelits Exod. 2. Why smitest thou thy fellow being thy brother and as Paul sayd to the Galathians Gal. 5. If ye thus bite one another take heed yee be not consumed one of another For alwayes it hath bene and still is my opinion in such cases Conferant fratres sed non contendant for doubtlesse in such matters as these especially S. Paul hath told vs if any list to be contētious that we haue no such custome nor the Church of God 1. Cor. 11.16 Foreseeing yet what further inconuenience might grow of these controuersies in the end if it were not in time preuented I haue long and much wished and prayed that God would raise vs some one that both for authoritie skill and will were fit to be a moderator therein and so an effectuall composer thereof Wherein his name be blessed for it at the last he hath graunted that my desire in sending vs him to be our soueraigne Lord and king whom he hath who accordingly vpon his first entrance into this his kingdome most religiously and christianly hath sought by a solemn conference to end and determine the same by letting both parties therein see wherein they had gone too farre what was the Medium in which they were both to meete and agree Wherein his Maiestie so caried himself that verily I thinke I may boldly speake it in the name of all that were then present thereat that neuer any of his place before in such varietie of questions and matters shewed himselfe more worthie of admiration and applause of all either for his indifferency in deciding or for his iudicious kind of examining of euerie thing that then came in question Insomuch that without all doubt if once whatsoeuer then and there his Maiestie resolued of might take effect and accordingly be put in execution witnesse but the report of the sayd conference alreadie with allowance published in print great hope there would be that the vnitie that thereby his Highnesse aimed at would quickly be attained and happily continued For euen thereby it appeares that an vniuersall learned and preaching Ministery through his dominions and that also by all good meanes prouision should be made for the same as soone as might be was then yeelded to be fit and verie necessarie Pag. 52. 96. The carelesnesse and negligence of sundrie ministers in this Church also was therein by his Maiestie inueyed against and condemned Pag. 52. And that stricter order should be taken for the due sanctifying of the Sabaoth was then vniuersally approued Pag. 45. Likewise how and by whom hereafter the censures of the Church might be euerie way and in all Ecclesiasticall courts most fruitfully and sincerly administred then and there was so resolued of as that if accordingly there be proceeding therein we shall all therefore haue great cause to reioyce Pag. 19. 78. 89. 94. And for the better maintenance of the puritie of religion amongsts vs then and there by his Highnesse order was taken which since most carefully and religiously his Maiestie hath caused to be gone about that as pure and perfect a translation should be made of all the scriptures as may be that then that onely both to the ending of all quarrels touching translations as much as possible might be both amongst our selues and also with our aduersaries should after be publiquely vsed in our Churches Page 46. Then also it was to the same end agreed that our Catechisme should be perfected Page 43. which since thereupon as we see hath beene enlarged amended Thirdly to that end likewise it was yeelded vnto that there should bee a straiter restraint for the selling of Papists bookes then before had beene Page 49. And lastly then also it was graunted that the words in the sixteenth Article of the booke of articles touching falling from grace of regeneration should be explayned by addition of some such words as wherby plainly it might appeare that it taught not that the regenerate and iustified either totally or finally fall at any time from the same Page 30. 41. Further concerning the communion booke to make the vse and subscription thereunto the easier to be yeelded vnto it was by his Maiestie with the assent of the Bishops concluded that to the title of absolutiō shold be added for the better explanation of the meaning thereof these words or remission of sins Page 13. And that to the title of confirmation should be annexed these laying on of hands vpon children baptised and able to render an accompt of their faith according to the Catechisme following Page 36. And that the Rubricks touching priuate babtisme should be so altered as that thereby it might be euident that the booke in no case of necessity allowes any but a lawfull minister to baptise any childe Page 19. 86. And that those words his disciples shold twice be left out in the Gospells Page 63. al which we see in our new communion bookes don And then also certainly as it is plainly set downe Page 61 of the said booke of the cōferēce his Maiesties order was that none of the Apocrypha should bee read at all wherein there was any error and therefore his highnes willed D Reynolds to note those chapters in the Apocrypha bookes wherein such errors were and to
but rather consonant to the same word of God Maruellous well therefore saith the late Archbishop in his answer to the admonition as it is to be seene Pag. 279. of his foresaid answer to M. Cartwright that a christian magistrate may ordaine or retaine any ciuill politike or Ecclesiesticall orders and rites so that first they be not against the word of God secondly that iustification or remission of sinnes be not attributed vnto them thirdly that the Church be not troubled with the multitude of them fourthly that they be not decreed as necessarie and not to be changed and last of all that men be not so tied vnto them but that by occasion they may be omitted so that it be without offence and contempt 7. Hereunto I will adde onely one generall rule more and that is this the nature of charitie being as it is described 1 Cor. 13.4 c. Certainly where it is indeed it will make the owner alwayes striue to hope and to iudge the best that he can of his priuate neighbours actions and deeds how much more then ought it to bind all men to conceiue and to construe the best of the lawes and orders of the Church of Christ wherein they liue contrarie therefore doubtlesse it is to Christian charitie let men therein pretend neuer so much zeale to stretch and bend their wits to make the worst and hardest construction they can of the lawes and ordinances set forth by lawfull authoritie in the Church whereof they are Thus questionlesse whiles men do they giue not vnto Caesar that which is Caesars as Christ hath commanded Math. 22.22 neither do they yeeld vnto their superiours that honour and reuerence that both Peter and Paul enioyne all Christians to giue them 1 Pet. 2.17 Rom. 13.7 but rather by thus doing they make themselues like such as Pet. 2. Epist 2.10 and Iude vers 8. describe to be despisers of gouernement presumptuous standing in their owne conceipts and fearing not to speake euill of them that are in dignitie For they cannot but see that so farre as they by their hard conceipt and construction disgrace their lawes and ordinances so farre also they deface and discredit them that made and vrge them Remember we therefore that as it is an ancient saying so it is also in this case a verie sound rule the words of the lawe may not captiously be taken nor the law it selfe slandered For he that in wresting of the lawes would seeme to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therein vses to prooue himselfe commonly to bee no better then a Sycophant These things thus premised and as I hope by vs all yeelded vnto as certaine truths I trust I shall be able to iustifie as much as I haue sayd namely that with a safe and good conscience we may and ought to yeeld conformitie so farre as by publike authoritie is now required at our hands Howbeit whiles I go about thìs vnderstand my purpose is not to take vpon me particularly and expresly to seeke to satisfie euerie obiection that I know hath bene or is made but onely those that I iudge to be most materiall and that also as briefly as I can for that I hope I haue to deale with men of learning and iudgement who therfore being satisfied in the greatest will neuer sticke I should thinke at the rest CHAP. 4. Of Conformitie and first in kneeling at the receipt of the Communion TO proceed therefore therein the things of greatest moment for which I obserue this vrged conformitie is stucke at are either certaine rites or ceremonies prescribed the Cleargie to vse by the seruice booke or Canons or certain exceptions made against the things thereby appointed in the Churches seruice to be read In the first ranke three rites or ceremonies are misliked especially kneeling in the receit of the Communion the prescribed apparell and the making the signe of the crosse after Baptisme Their reasons of the dislike of the first of these I find especially to be three that it was not vsed by Christ nor his Apostles at the first institution of this Sacrament that it came in and first was taken vp after the doctrine of reall presence by transubstantiation and so thereupon adoration of the host crept into the Church of Rome and now by the Canons it is vrged so strictly as that neither the minister may administer it to any that refuse to take it kneeling nor they otherwise receiue it without incurring the censures of the Church Touching the first reason long ago it hath bene sufficiently answered as you may see Pag. 596. c. of the late Archbishops answer to M. Cartwright where hee shewes the Authors of the admonition that were the first vrgers of it that as the Church of Christ without any wrong offered to Christ or his institution haue since altered the time and the place and diuerse other circumstances in the administring of this Sacrament so may it also the gesture of sitting then vsed for that it was instituted after the receit of the passeouer in eating whereof they vsed that gesture into this of kneeling And as for the second it is grounded rather vpon an imagination then vpon any sound ground for though there I find the admonition saith it came in by the decree of Honorius yet they quote no author to proue it which they would not haue failed to do if they had had any worth the citing And therfore though they were answered by the foresayd author that he could find no such decree of Honorius for it yet neither they nor M. Cartwright their defender once since go about to proue that euer Pope Honorius made any such decree And there being foure of that name Bishops of Rome and some of them before either transubstantiation or adoration was heard of in the Church in fathering such a decree vpon Honorius without any adition or proofe argues the weaknesse and vncertaintie of their euidence But howsoeuer the Papists since these grosse and idolatrous conceits of theirs touching this sacrament came in haue vsed it superstitiously in adoring their host in the eleuation thereof I cannot find neither in their masse booke or any where else that either Priest or people with them were bound to receiue it kneeling and we by our publike doctrine hauing abandoned that eleuation and adoration of theirs as we haue we vse it onely as in the foresayd place the sayd Archbishop shewes to no such end but for that we thinke it a fit and seemely gesture the Sacrament being as it is a Sacrament of thanksgiuing and it being also by the order of our Church alwayes deliuered and receiued with prayer wherein that gesture is very comely and for that we know that now amongst vs there is as great danger if not more of too base a conceit and of too much contempt of so excellent a Sacrament then of any too high an estimation there of And therefore euen to preuent that the better is it onely that the
and ours is plainly with all expressed and set downe in our book of euery bodie to be seene and therfore the better to preuent all offence or other construction of our meaning thereby but indeede neither they nor we hold that the altar or our signe of the Crosse of themselues or any otherwise then in our intention signifie any such thing at all And yet this puts me in remembrance of another difference betwixt that of thicks and this of ours that that was visible and permanent as the substantiall crosses vsed in poperie also are whereas ours is but as an action transient and by and by ceased and gone and therefore neither so subiect to further abuse nor yet to giue offence as either that of theirs or these of the Papists which are vsed without any expresse notification with all of the ende and vse thereof much more of anie lawfull and warrantable meaning they haue therein and therefore the more doubtlesse offensiue Yet if wee should thereunto annexe the signification imagined why should that bee vnlawfull in our publicke estate when as the writers of the admonition thinke that they lawfully may preferre sitting in the receipt of the Lords Supper before any other gesture for that it best signifies rest thorough Christ from sinne and the rites of Moses yea that more is read wee not Ioshua 24. that hee hauing pitched a stone vnder an Oake told the people that that should be a witnesse against them if they at any time after forsooke that God whom they then had chosen to serue But yet for further and more full answere to these prooffes of theirs we are to vnderstand that Gods worship or seruice is taken eyther properly as it is immediately tendered and done to himselfe for that he hath so commaunded it Or it is taken in a large and generall sense for whatsoeuer is done so with warrant from any rules of his word as that the doer may doe it in faith without which in nothing he doeth he can please God Rom. 14.23 as it seemeth to be taken Coloss 3.17 where the Apostle saith whatsoeuer ye shall doe in word or in deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus In which sense seruants doing at the commaundement of their maisters according to the flesh any seruile worke not forbidden by God doing it willingly and cheerfully as they ought for that God hath commaunded seruants to obey their Maisters in such things the Apostle saith they therein serue the Lord and not man Ephes 6.7 And therefore so also when subiects obey the lawful ordinances and lawes of their Princes and Superiours be they ciuill or ecclesiasticall because God hath commaunded obedience and subiection to such Rom. 13. and 1. Pet 2. as we haue heard and Hebr. 13.17 and their commaundements haue warrant from generall rules left them in the word though there they be not particularly specified they may euen therein in this sense be said to serue God himselfe But yet then any man may see that there is great difference betwixt this kinde of seruing of him and the other for the other is so his proper and immediate seruice as that men sinne if they yeald him it not because of his owne onely commaunding it and requiring it at their handes Whereas this growes to be but an inferiour kind of seruice of his though rightly done verie accetable also by the meanes of the lawfull commaund of the superiour whom hee hath commaunded to bee obeyed And therefore the late Reuerend Archbishoppe in his foresaid booke Page 269. writing and speaking there of the commaunded rites ceremonies amongst vs and namely of the distinct apparrell appointed ministers saith that men know we could be without them that but for obedience sake we do not much esteme them which he neither could nor would haue said of any thing expresly and immediatly commaunded by God as a point of his perpetuall or necessarie seruice or worship Now then who is so simple but he may easily conceiue that things of this latter kinde may be vsed about religion and the seruice of God in the former sense and yet for all that made no part nor peece eyther of religion or of the worship and seruice of God in that kinde which as long as they are not but onely keepe their owne inferiour ranke and place that which they say of their so being vsed makes nothing to proue their antecedent or any vnlawfulnesse in them For the rules against all addition by man to Gods seruice and worship prescribed by himselfe in his written word and against worshipping and seruing of him by the precepts or traditions of men are onely to be vnderstood as it is euident euen by that which we heard Paul say of seruants seruing the Lord Christ in doing their maisters lawfull commaunds in any thing that he hath not forbid of his seruice and worship in the first sense and therefore they are no better then wrested when they are drawne against such rites and ceremonies and conformitie therein as we spake of 5 Neyther is that any reason of force against them that they are said to be needlesse and vnprofitable traditions of men nor that they are made meere ecclesiasticall though they had some signification of some religious duety annexed vnto themselues for the iudgment of the publike state of a Church touching the needfulnesse and profitablenesse of such things is to bee preferred before the iudgment of priuate men For they that bee in place of authority and haue beene long exercised therein beeing also Godly and learned through their better acquaintance with the mysteries of gouernment must needs see and iudge better what is fit and meete for order and comlinesse then priuate men can And as for their beeing made mere ecclesiasticall by that which I said before of the surplisse partly appeares to be false and reason I can see none as I haue said also why the author of the booke against the crosse should account the vse of it in the primitiue Church beeing the same for which we vse it namely to shew that we are not ashamed to professe faith in Christ crucified c. to haue bene then ciuill and therefore lawfull and ours to be meere Ecclesiasticall and therefore vtterly vnlawfull If their reason be because we vse it onely in the church that by the minister they vsed it also elsewhere by any of them surely that is a very weake one For though mariage be or were only to be solemnized in the church and in the time of diuine seruice and that onely by a minister yet that would not proue it to be meere Ecclesiasticall and the like may be sayd of the buriall of the dead For notwitstanding burials are in some sort ciuill humane and politicke thinges and therefore neither the vsing it onely in the Church nor onely by the Minister will prooue it so And I wonder that any should euer imagine that an Ecclesiasticall rite or ceremonie should
good end and vse But to vrge them with examples neerer liker to our rites in question Bells in popery haue been yet be witnes Durand writing of the vse of them de rat diuin offic Fol 7. as much abused as any of these and yet we remouing the abuse lawfully I hope retaine them to a good vse to call our people together to praiers and sermmons Againe the commemoration of the Saints departed vsed to good and holy ends onely at the first in the primitiue Church as to the praising of God for them and to the better incouraging of others to imitate them grew in time grosly to be abused in adoring praying vnto them and yet in the vniuersities in their Colledges and at Saint Maries in Oxenford as also at Pauls Crosse and else where the abuse being remooued the is a kind of commemoration of some departed vsed and I think none will say vnlawfully They cannot denie both these were first taken vp by humane ordinance that the vse of them is Ecclesiasticall and that neither of them are simply necessarie and yet I trust they will not say that the Church with vs doth amisse in retayning them as she doth to a good vse notwithstanding their foresaid abuse by and in the Church of Rome And kneeling who knoweth not hath beene a gesture and yet is most grosly abused in and of that synagogue in saying their prayers and doing their idolatrous deuotions to their stocks and stones and yet who is there that will or may disalow it as an vnfit vncomly gesture to be vsed in our religious dutifull seruice of God I grant for kneeling we haue warrant by the commended examples of the godly in the scripture yet thence it followes not that it is simply alwaies a necessarie gesture in praying which is sufficient in this for that point But to presse them yet more neerely in this case howsoeuer they may say that some signing with the signe of the crosse and some making thereof hath beene and yet is superstitiously and idolatrously abused of Papistes how can they say in particular that euer this of ours hath so beene or is They knowe and wee know that wee in the vse thereof haue and doe banish all their superstitiousnesse and idolatrie in the vse of it As therefore wee vse it there neuer was nor is abuse in it neither haue or doe they abuse the same that wee vse Numero indiuiduo eodem but the like onely in Genere aut specie which makes no more to the condemnation of ours then the abuse of some particular cattell to the sacrificing of them to idols or diuels could or did make vnlawfull the sacrifycing of any other in the time of the olde Testament like thereunto to the Lord or as I said before to debarre the Corinthians from eating without scruple of all like mutton or meat to that which had beene fâ—red to Idolls And as for the vrged example of Ezechias in demolishing for the grosse abuse therof of the brasen serpent who seeth not that it reacheth no further but to the encouraging by that example of others of like authority vpon like occasion to do the like to and with the very particular things so abused and yet not to deale in like manner with all things that after shall bee like the other made and vsed onely to a lawfull and good ende And after the vse of that particuler brasen serpent was ended for the which GOD commaunded it to bee set vp as wee read Num. 21.8 the retaining of it so long after euen without any warrant from God and therfore there beeing no vse thereof neither by diuine ordinance nor by the churches when it was so abused it was the best so to deface it And yet these things considered that bindes not our King straight of necessity to abolish this which he found here before imposed by the lawfull authority of a famous Church to a lawfull end 〈◊〉 howsoeuer other abused the like But why may wee not to some such good ends as wee may imagine then say some aswell retaine the vse of some materiall crosses and other images in our churches as this I answere that besides that there are many other reasons why that should not be allowed though this thus bee there are two euident reasons taken euen from the nature of this and the manner of the vse thereof that put such a difference betweene this as it is vsed and them that no way the tolleration of them followes vpon the allowance of this For first as I said before this is past and gone as soone as it is made when as those stand and abide still and this hath the vse and end express and that lawfull with the making of it and so haue not the other theirs neither is their vse lawfull And therefore this is so freed from the danger of superstition and idolatry infinitly better then those CHAP. 8. Containing answers to obiections that concerne some men specially touching these ceremonies or rites THus now their maine and chiefe obiections answered touching the vnlawfulnes of the vrged vse of our ceremonies because as I vnderstand there are some who though they bee brought to confesse that being in nature end vse no otherwise then they are with vs they may of some be yeelded lawfully vnto yet for their parts in respect of some particular circumstances arising from their own persons and places hold it still so vnconuenient for them so to doe that they thinke they were better to suffer depriuation for refusing to yeeld conformity herein something further I must adde for the answering of the obiections of such wherfore indeed I must needs confesse that it is most true that the same Apostle that said speaking of outward indifferent things that all things were lawfull for him ads straight that all things were not yet expedient for him all things edify not 1. Cor. 10.23 And therfore questionles wel may it be that some that are perswaded of the lawfulnes of others yelding yet may doubt of the expediency therof both in them and in themselues But we must withal remember good brethren that when Paule so spoke hee spake of things indifferent left at liberty and not as then for their vse one onely way limitted by the lawfull order of the Church as now our case in this is for then as wee heard in the fourth generall rule set downe in the beginning the same Apostle vrges Act. 16. 1. Cor. 11. the obseruation of the Churches orders in such things For theÌ„ in respect of their outward vse such things haue much altred their nature for before wheras charity was our rule to direct vs how where and when to vse our libertie therin now the publike order of the Church is to be our director in that respect both we and others in charity and loue to maintaine peace good order in the Church are to conforme our selues quietly to her ordinances therein 1 But
belike for the reasons aforesaid he saith flatly that there is no receiuing of one alone alowed in the booke But suppose the worst if it should be held to be contrarie to the word either to minister it in a priuat house or that the minister in any case should minister it to one alone we must then condemne all antiquity euen in Iustin Martyrs Tertullians and Cyprians times in whose times Maister Cartwright is inforced to confesse it was ministred in priuate houses in the foresaid page 525. in Serapians time who had it sent him lying sick on his death bed to be receiued alone as we read in Eusebius Lib. 6. Cap. 43. And though there be but two the minister and the sick yet in reference to them two it may be said take ye eat yee and wee know that Christ hath promised that when two or three are gathered togeather in his name hee will bee in the middest of them Math. 18. And wee know that Bucer and Peter Martyr allowed our communion booke euen in respect of the communion therein prescribed for the sick in their iudgments that they gaue thereof and likewise that Musculus de coena Domini confesses that it is retained in diuerse reformed Churches yea neither Beza nor Caluin but in some case they allowed it and Oecolampadius as it is written in his life denied it not the sicke but in this case we need none of these helps because this thing in question is so mentioned in the communion booke as rather yet it is disalowed thereby then allowed cannot iustly be said to be contained therein and is so shut out againe as we haue heard both by the drift of the same by the foresaid Canons explayning the meaning of the book touching the ministers duty in visiting of the sicke And further of the other neede not be said for it is so there permitted as with all streight as we 〈◊〉 haue heard the vse of that permission is preuented And yet if it shold be vrged as plainly yet permitted there I think wel may it be Prater verbū but hardly wil it be proued any more to be contrary to the word thē the former for wher hath the word so appropriated this to the minister and denyed it vnto others that it should be contrary to the word but 〈◊〉 to permit it to another 6 Further yet in that in a rubricke next the creed in that tract it is said if there be no sermon shall follow one of me homilies already set forth or to be set forth by common authority especially the 35 article in the booke of Articles adiudging both the former booke of Homilies set forth in King Edward the sixts time and the second booke the seuerall tytles wherof are there set downe to be read in the Churches by the ministers diligently distinctly as containing what doctrine is meete necessary for these times arise other obiections which they haue against this subscription for say they in these already extant some faults there are in certaine of them which cannot stand with the word and further what may be in the rest that shall bee see forth wee cannot tell and therfore hard it is to subscribe howsoeuer when that booke and rubrick was authorised first Eliza. I there were some to be set out yet since they that were intended then haue long agoe beene published so therefore in that respect as I said in the beginnig this obiection is void Touching those that then were extant notwithstanding the obiected faults against some of them very true it is that there is much wholsome needfull doctrine contained in them most of them they can not nor do touch with any faults at all and those which they obiect against any of them are not of any such momēt but either with a fauourable constructiō they may be made none at all or else as they knowe they are such as about which amongst the godly learned both of ancient time now also there is hath been great question whether they be to be counted any faults at all or no and the same may as iustly bee said of all that since haue beene authorised But touching those that by authority then should after be set out why ought not men then in charity aswell haue hoped that they in authority would haue a care that they should containe nothing contrary to the word as it seemeth they did of Sermons to be made In that therefore they made no exception euer yet against the Booke in that respect though then their Sermons be allowed to be made by preachers euery where which yet then they could not tell whether they would bee faultlesse or no 〈◊〉 But in very deed though subscribing to the Booke of Common Prayer and Articles we thus subscribe to the allowing of them to be read yet in that by the preface before the second Booke of Homilies which interprets the meaning of both these bookes herein it appeares the minister is not tied to read them all but directed there only out of them all prudently to chuse out such as be most fit for the time and for the instruction of the people our late Archbishop in his foresaid booke Pag. 715. and the next had iust cause and ground to write as he hath fully to remoue this obiection if any homily saith he shall be appointed hereafter wherein you mislike any thing you need not to read it for the book appoints you not to read this or that homily but some one which you shall like best and if you be disposed to preach you need read none at all and touching those which are to be set out if you feare any such thing as you pretend I thinke saith he in that case a modest protestation would not be refused Yea as we haue heard before Pag. 720. he refuseth in plaine and expresse words to defend any thing as appointed by the booke to be read which is not grounded vpon the word of God But in very deed I cannot see how iustly and truely the bookes can be said to containe all which they appoint or allow in any sort to be read such direction for the reading of them they may well be sayd to containe but yet not therfore the things themselues Howsoeuer in this case in my conscience there is great difference betwixt being bound only by the booke to read the Scriptures in a translation that hath faults the Apocrapha that hath faults or homilies that hath faults the iustifying of them to be faultlesse and plain it is suppose in this that we were strictly thereby tied to read all these that yet no where by the bookes or otherwise are we charged either by practise or subscription to aduouch that all or any of these containe no faults or that so doing to auer that they are no faults and therfore this obiection need trouble vs as litle as any CHAP. 14. Answering more obiections against subscription to the
book of comon prayer NOw touching baptisme the tract thereof in that priuate baptisme is so vrged as it is therby and by the 69. Canon especially seeing both it and the other sacrament are said in the Catechisme to be necessarie to saluation some thereupon gather that now it seemeth to be the meaning of the booke and of our church also to hold baptism so necessary to saluation as that none can now be saued without it But surely herein they wrong in my iudgement both the books and the meaning of our church For hereby doubtlesse they do not mean to tie God so to this ordinary meanes as that he neither can nor will exraordinarily saue any without it though neuer so much preuented by death before according to Gods ordinance they may haue it For then the booke neuer should haue beene so explained in that point as now it is that none but a lawfull minister should baptise the chld in what danger soeuer it be But onely hereby would the state take order as much as might be which was very necessary to preuent all contempt or neglect thereof if it could in time be had for as the one extreame is to be auoided so doubtles was and is the other and so for any thing our Church hath done in this point the ancient doctrine that alwaies hath in this case bene held and receiued of and in the Churches of Christ since the first institution of the sacraments namely not the want therof simply but the contempt or neglect therof to be damnable is held here still and therfore this of baptisme is to be counted so necessary to saluatiō as that by all means when wher as is aforesaid it may be had it is most carefully diligētly to be sought for 2 Now whereas I heare that some stumble at that that the child dying after baptisme before yet it can be confirmed it is said in the book immediatly before the Catechisme in a rubricke there that such a child hath all things necessary by the word of God to saluation and is vndoubtedly saued gathering thereupon that the meaning of our Church therin is absolutely and simply so to tie saluation to baptisme that whosoeuer once is outwardly baptised cannot be saued surely this is as hard a collection construction of this as may be For first it is euident that there the speach is of baptised children onely dying before they be confirmed and that of purpose it is there so set down to the cōfort of christian parents in that case plainly to teach vs all howsoeuer our Church thinks it fit to retain the vse of confirmation in sundry good respects yet it holds it not to be of the same nature with the sacraments of baptism the Lords Supper nor so necessary to saluation And what reason is there to the contrary but that we may and ought in Christiā charity so hope perswade our selues of al christiā children so baptised dying in their childhood as that book speaketh 3 For all this some yet draw an argument to stay them from thus subscribing as is required for that by the booke as they alleage so much is attributed to confirmation that it is therby made as a third sacrament contrary to the 25 article of the book of articles also subscribed vnto for that say they the Bishops imposition of his hands is in the tract of confirmation expresly termed a signe wherby they certify them whom they confirme of Gods gratious fauour and goodnes towads them whereas the article saith that neyther confirmation nor any of the other foure by the Papists held to be sacraments can be sacraments iindeed because they haue not any visible signe or ceremony ordayned of God But the contrariety that seemeth herein to be betwixt these bookes is easily to be remoued For though the communion booke make imposition of hands a signe drawne from the example of the Apostles yet it deriues it not from Gods ordinance and institution as the outward signes in Sacraments are and so that notwithanding the words of the article may well enough stand therwith which only denies it to haue any visible signe ordained by God Againe there is great ods betwixt materiall and substantial signes such as water bread and wine are in the sacraments this bare action of imposition of hands sacraments properly taken are not only signs of some spiritual grace but of sauing grace in Christ Iesus they are means also to offer to deliuer to seale the deliuery of the same to the right receiuers therof all which this is not hereby made But I maruell what reason men haue to allow of imposition of hands as a laudable rite and ceremonie euen drawne also from the Apostles example in the ordination of ministers thereby as it were by that solemne ceremony and prayer withall to set them apart from all others for the worke of the ministerie and yet so much to mislike of this here they thinke not that it makes ordination a sacrament why should they thinke then that it makes so confirmation it is vsed here with prayer wherunto especially the booke attributeth their confirmation appointing the other but withall to be vsed as there by externally to certifie them that to them particularly that strength is wished Hierom I am sure against the Luciferians acknowledges that it was in vse in churches in his time and before and that only to be ministred by Bishops as it is with vs propter honorem sacerdotii non legis necessitatem And Bucer vpon the fourth to the Eph. so allowes it and so many other learned writers both ancient and of these times as you may see at large Inst Cal. l. 4. c. 19. sect 4. no reason it is why they shold not because now with this imposiion of hands extraordinary gifts of the spirit are not giuen for those were but to follow therupon for a time and sufficient it is now that further strength doth folow And it is vsed hath bin thus by the bishops not by the ministers not as som hardly therupon gather therby to intimate as though it were a higher thing then either baptisme or the supper which they vse to minister but onely for order and in good pollicy thereby the better to draw both ministers and godfathers and godmothers the more carefully to see children so catechised as that being cald by the Bishops to this they may therewith their owne mouthes professe and promise that which others before did for them And verily being vsed to this end in the good Pollicy of the Church it would be a notable good meanes hereof and therefore I haue long wisht a more carefull and an vniuersall vse therof lament the neglect therof for euen from thence the great negligence that hath beene both in ministers to Catechise in the people in seking to haue their youth duly instructed hath very much proceeded I hope the contrary good fruits in
wilfully to persist in their superstitious refusal or recusancy on the one side in their like peuish shuÌ„ning of ioining in coÌ„muioÌ„ again with vs of the other And therby as much doubtles as ether the weight of those reasons comes to or the credit of their persoÌ„s is that stand therupon are they will they be emboldened to think say in the opinion of so many of our own religion and fellowship that they haue had wrong and shall haue still in being punished as they haue beene are or shall be for refusing to ioyne with vs in vse of that seruice and for submitting themselues to that forme of Ecclesiastical gouernment which is in so many respects contrary to the word O therfore it were to be wished good brethren in this case that you would seriously remember that the Lord requires of all his Zac 8.19 that they should loue truth and peace ioyning them both together therfore that the Apostle Rom. 12.11 had no sooner wild vs to be ferueÌ„t in spirit but he addeth streight seruing the lord ver 18. vrging vs al as much as is possible to haue peâ—â—â— with al meÌ„ For doubtles they are very much deceiued that vnder pretence of zeale think they may without offence disturbe the Churches peace For who knoweth not that it is as dangerous erring on the right hand as on the left and that Christ iustly checked the sons of thunder Luk. 9.55 though their wish of fire against the Samaritans came from a fiery zeale and loue towards himselfe Surely euen the lamentable experieÌ„ce we haue had already by the original growth of the opeÌ„ schisme wherin to many of our brethren haue desperately run of late years wherin stil wofully and obstinately they continue being as all men must needs see from no other ground occasion but from the too much vrging and amplifying vnder the shew likenes of zeale of the same things that now still in this case of refusall of conformity and subscription are reuiued I would thinke should haue sounded such a loud retreat in all our eats from euer medling any more therewith for feare of the like inconuenience to our selues that ere this wee should haue beene sufficiently warned from running any more this course for hardly can any be of the iudgment of the one but he must like of the practise of the other But Nunquam sera est ad bones mores via Wherfore let not studium partium or any preiudicate opinion touching loue of our own priuat credit or to much desire too please a few priuat men make any of vs so to forget our duty either to God our church or our selues and those that depend vpon vs as for a few weake obiections a thousand times so answered that as Augustine speaketh Epist 118 might satisfie though not a contentious person yet any modest and peaceable minded man to run our selues and ours any longer vpon these so dangerous rocks so much to our owne harme so much also to the reioycing and strengthening of our common aduersaries And yet this I haue not writ or any thing therein eyther to condemn any that of weaknesse and tendernesse of conscience indeed all this that I haue said notwithstanding cannot in faith doe otherwise for I haue learned of the Apostle Rom. 14. as I said in the beginning that whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne or any way to stay or to withold them that be in authority eyther from shewing what fauour they will or may to such else also being peaceable and fruitfull men or when it shal seem good vnto theÌ„ is regard of theÌ„ to remoue or better to smoth the controuerted changable things they most take offence at but onely in the meane time whilest things stand as they do hereby to perwade my good brethren in the best manner I could how with a good conscience these things may be yeelded vnto for the peace of the Church without any iust offence therby either giuen or taken rather theÌ„ that for their not so yeelding they shold suffer themselues to be kept from entring the ministery or to be depriued thereof againe or but to be but suspended from the execution thereof by the sentence of the Bishoppes But in the meane time whiles we can grow all to be thus minded to be at vnity amongst our selues in these things let no man thinke that therfore he hath any iust cause giuen him to call into question the truth of our religion otherwise or the Papist at all therefore to insult ouer vs. For none of any reading of the monuments of antiquitie can be ignorant that in the primitiue Church and in the best times thereof since the Apostles that for a long time together there hath beene amongst the ancient Christians otherwise very sound and at vnitie in the trueth and substance of religion amongst themselues as great diuersities of opinons and as hot contentions as in these respects these of ours be about Ecclesiasticall rites and ceremonies And all the world may know but by the confessed differences of opinions by Bellarmine amongst themselues in his bookes of controuersies in matters of far higher nature that the Papists of all men haue least vnitie euen in the chiefe grounds of their religion and it is as famously knowne that here in England whiles they bare the sway for all their great brag of vnitie otherwise that in their church seruice there was great diuersitie some following the vse of Sarum some Herford vse some the vse of Bangor some of Yorke and some of Lincolne CHAP. 16. Containing the conclusion and exhortation to vnitie YEt to conclude good brethren seeing in euery particular nationall church vniformitie in such things is very requisit and commendable for the better maintenance of peace and loue therein euen of loue and compassion to our common mother the Church of England which as I haue sayd is troubled with so dangerous enemies both on her right hand and left and so to bury and extinguish for euer the odious name of Puritants to put an end to all shew of Schisme distraction and diuision amongst our selues to the no small strengthning of our selues to our reioycing against our common aduersaries and so to the great weakning and vndoubted griefe of our enemies let vs all of vs for euer hereafter giue ouer contending any more thus amongst our selues about these our mothers outward fashions trimmings and deckings and let vs both speedily and vnfainedly euery one of vs reunite our selues together in vnitie of iudgement and vniformitie of practise as by these her outward orders is by her authority required at our hands that so we may bend all our forces as dutifull children together to the preseruation of the life and strength of our sayd mother which we cannot but see otherwise to be in great perill and danger so the better that she may strongly encounter ouercome and subdue all both her aduersaries and ours For Nestor