forsooth call Christ his lore and yoke vnto which all Christ his true members must submit themselues Which indeed is no other especially as they meane it for this poynt and argument which wee haue in hand but the new fangled deuices of their owne discontented and ambitious spirits as in the examination of the second part of this first obiection which now followeth shall better and more fully I hope appeare For vnder that more large question touching the original and due bounds of Excommunication commeth another more speciall and subordinate very much vrged and delighted in by many how far Princes themselues are subiect to this censure or any other person or persons or whole states somtimes of like condition quality and consideration the which being diuersly propounded and intended by these two late pleaders the one exempting Princes altogether from all and euery part as it seemeth of this Excommunication as may bee gathered by his owne words the other vrging especially herein the abuse of it in his conceipt by some Nichols in his plea for innocents pag. 51. 52. to whome which he so much misliketh that is impropriated which in his iudgement should be common to all Ministers of the Gospel and that so far foorth as was obserued by a graue counsellor of our state by that which was put vp in petition sometimes by those innocents his clyents that by their rules the pastor of Greenewitch might excommunicate Queene Elizabeth so worthily famous throughout the world in those dayes And indeed being neuer agreed vpon by those new Doctors themselues nor scarse any other of later times it may be allowed very worthy our paines to enquire further into it Author of the Assertion for true and Christian Chruch-policy pag. 327 albeit we come short of any full conclusion or final determination of the same the rather for that our Lawyer like exceptor ouer carried with malice and desire to charge our Bishoppes with some foule and greate imputation thereupon seemeth to haue forgotten the first principles of their cōmon profession herein or at the least forsakē the graue iudgement of their renowned masters and founders of theyr new Discipline crying out very lowdly and challenging all confidently in this manner Who and where they are of their opinion and faction which hold that princes may be excommunicated Whereas besides the generall opinion of them all displayed in the petition abouesayde and discerned by that honourable counseller and elsewhere expressed in their disciplinarian assertions apologeticall writings and conclusions Sir Walter Mieldman that their Oracle may speake as the mouth of them all what their iudgement and desire is for this question Master Cartwright part 2. reply pag. 65. Bishop Whitguift who little regarding the troublesomnesse of those times wherin that worthy prelate sate at the sterne of our Ecclesiasticall gouernement and lesse discerning as it may seeme the mysteries of any such politique administration and particulars belonging to so weighty a censure proceeding especially against such persons as Princes are c was not ashamed to terme the Lord Archbishop of Caunterbury then being Pag. 92. vbi supra as the bawd to Princes other greate Magistrates sins in case they were not excommunicated as his wisedome with the Senate of his associates did iudge oftentimes meete and necessary Demonstration of Discipline pag. 75. And another ads further in this point that Princes must not be flattered in their sinnes and therfore this censure must be inflicted vpon them as well as vpon any other But leauing them to themselues I thus answer to the particulars of this obiection as they glance and glide on both sides of this Excommunication and are directed by the former exceptors and many other against the truth and nature of the same First that as for that Excommunication from the inuisible Church whereby any Minister pronounceth according to the rules of Gods word of any to be in the state of grace or otherwise it and all the parts and degrees of it agree as well to the Prince and any other such like person or state as to any other that hath a soule to saue and so standeth in neede of faith repentance confession and absolution necessary requisite and tending thereunto because in Christ Iesus and matters of soules gouernment Christian liberty and such like there is neither bond nor free as Coll. 3. v. 11. Secondly for that which we call from the visible Church so far footth as it is meerely Ecclesiasticall euery Prince and Potentate is as wel lyeable vnto it as any other because the care and charge of their soules is no lesse vpon the gouernors of the Church but rather much more then for any other and also their sinnes and examples are commonly more infectious and dangerous then other mens And lastly it were not onely a great profanation of all those holy things dayly offered to such polluted and vncleane soules but a greate cruelty also and carelesnesse at the least in those that should be soule-sauers and physitians to suffer any vnder their diet ordering and cure to surfet themselues and surcharge their soules with new sinnes of taking by this meanes Gods name in vaine polluting his sanctuary eating and drinking their owne damnation and such like before by confession and true repentance outwardly testified at the least which is as much as any man can require and discerne they haue discharged themselues of their ould sinnes as noxious humors in a foule stomacke which eftsoones otherwise would break out into many aguish hote and cold fits as Augustine calleth them of other sinnes and dayly symptoms of Gods iudgements Howbeit in this second kind of Excommunication there are certaine cases reserued Casus reseruati and speciall rules euermore to be obserued for the execution of it which may fit vs in some better and further answer to this point As first that because the safety of many and the common peace of the whole Church is alwayes to be respected and preferred before any meanes for the saluation of a few or of the Prince himselfe in such times as by the Excommunicating of some Prince or others of great power or els some whole faction which might breed commotion in the Church or whole state commonly noted and called by turbidis temporibus this censure may very well yea ought to be forborne as in all other of that nature which may preiudice rather then helpe and further the peaceable gouernement of the Church and sauing of soules in generall For which ends this censure was first inuented by God or man and all things appertaining thereunto and wholly are and ought to be referred Secondly where the forbearing of this censure or at the least some higher degree thereof may bee perceiued by the wisedome of the Church to make most for the regaining of any who might otherwise haply bee hardned and discouraged if not in some tender minded people swallowed vp with sorrow thereby as
word And had not God himselfe made this order and difference in all publique and politique proceedings as by the places aboue named and many other of the old and newe Testament which we haue elsewhere vsed for the differences and dignities of Ministers in generall may appeare yet common experience reason and necessity would haue inforced the same as we may see in all pollitique bodies Ecclesiasticall and Ciuil which haue euer beene in the world which otherwise through a generall confusion none ruling nor any obeying would fall downe of themselues as Saint Paul saith if euery member were a head where were the hand the feete the smelling c euen all without order and difference a monstrous confusion And therefore these men themselues in their exercising and awarding this high censure or any part of their new deuised pollicy and discipline reduce all such proceedings to Consistorial throne and iurisdiction and that in far greater soueraignty and peremptory vnreuerseable power then wheresoeuer vnder Christian Magistracy any lawfull Ecclesiasticall body doth execute their iurisdictions and power And herein it differeth not whether the immediate mannagers and Actuaries in this Excommunication be good or bad as the Donatists and Anabaptists sometimes excepted against Baptisme it selfe and some of our homebred Schismatickes haue often reuiued those quarrells or els Laickes sometimes and in some cases as the next question will better inquire so long as they haue this externall order and power by lawfull authority vnder Christian Magistrates put vpon them because therein they doe not their owne worke or actions as Augustine hath abundantly aunswered against the Donatists but the speciall functions of the Church by which they are moued and in euery particular directed and no way carried so farre foorth as they performe any Ecclesiasticall seruices by their owne priuate motions and spirit as appeareth also in baptisme ordination of ministers and many other things appertaining to Ecclesiasticall power and censures And indeede the summe of this obiection is none other then the demand of Corah and his confederates challenging equall power and holinesse in this kinde to all the Leuites and ministers in common Num. 16. v. 34. which God had made then for the order and gouernment of that Church proper to the Priests which is all one with the matter and question we haue in hand For the conclusion whereof I desire all to reade that with iudgement and to translate the Latine of it into good true English diuinity or Christian and godly pollicy if they will which that graue learned and true Christian politician wrote sometimes by way of councell and Theologicall determination to certayne like minded with these Questionists Obiectors Melancthon in Consiliis theologicis Et Consistoria ideo coÌ„stituta sunt ne indocti pastores aut malidaÌ„nent homines sine legittima cognitione sicut manifestum est iracundos pastores saepe hoc modo iniuste turbasse ecclesias notum est plurimos pastores nescire ordinem cognitionum satis est pastors quod ad ministerium iurisdictionem suam attinet quando crimen est notorium admonere reum si non obtemperet arcere cum a communione c. Which speciall power also is by the wisedome and appointment of our Church thorough some delegate power left many times in the hands of euery the meanest minister who also for the most part alwayes hath his ministery and vse in the inflicting this censure and absoluing any persons from it To which the same author addeth the practise and iudgement of other learned men and Churches at that time more directly to this question Anâ—â— Annum in ditione Naumbergensi magna contentio fuit inter quosdam an singuli pastores armandi essent hac potestate Nominatim sine cognitione Consistorii excommunicandi aliquos responderunt autem Dr. Sneppius Casper Aquila idem quod nos nunc scribimus Now for the third and last question and obiection vsually made against the meanes and manner of executing this censure Quaest 3. namely that oftentimes meere Laicks or such at the least as were neuer fully admitted into holy orders doe not onely intermeddle therewith but haue for the most part the greatest stroke therein Plea of the Innocent pag. 49. 50. To which I first answer that which some of these exceptors and pleaders make contrary vse of alledging as the truth is and the order thereof by our Canons and common practise of our Church that the mayne sentence of Excommunication is euermore reserued to bee denounced by the Bishop or some other minister as from whose care and power this whole proceeding doth originally descend by whome and by what means soeuer it be managed Which secondly if it were not so I answer that whatsoeuer is performed herein by any such persons either for the better more safe preparation to the finall sentence it selfe or els practised in the very denouncing of the same are to be accompted for no other then the actions of the sacred ministery it selfe or if you will rather speake with Cyprian and Ierome of the Church and whole power any where established for so they speake plainly albeit very impertinently Nichols in his plea pag. 59. and as ignorantly cited by one of these grand exceptors against many things in our Church gouernment and this one we haue in hand amongst the rest Clauium potestas non vnised vnitati conceditur And so indeede the intermedlers herein are not merely Laikes or wholy Ecclesiasticall in that behalfe and their assistance herein or pronouncing this sentence at any time is no otherwise then as the Clerke of the peace at any commoÌ„ Sessions doth reade denounce or any way assist the Iudges thereof to whome properly and principally the whole commission is directed Thirdly many things incident and especially belonging to this greate censure of Excommunication as it is now for the most part exercised by any Church being externall and primarily respecting the bodies and outward estates of the offendors as also the common peace and externall pollicy of both Church and common wealth together as we aboue shewed they are by all reasonable consideration to be mannaged and discussed by their proper professors and best experienced therein Neither lastly were it meet as the whole councell of the Apostles conclude in the like case that the ministers of the word and Sacraments should attend vpon tables or taking knowledge of all criminall causes in this kind and nature In respect whereof our new masters of their Church policy haue found it very necessary to appoint diuers sorts of lay persons as Elders Deacons Widdowes and such like making them essentiall parts of all welordered Church policy Acts. 6. v. 2. according to Christ his word rules and kingdome as they say who yet notwithstanding in the trueth of those termes being according to the vse thereof in the first Churches and Paul his mentioning of such kind of helpers 1. Cor. 12. v. 26. vnder the
wholesome doctrine as the peaceable gouernment of the Church And lastly to be such as whereby God may duely be serued and our Church orderly and sufficiently taught and gouerned as well as other reformed Churches in the world Which to be so and no further both the nature and end of this course prescribed and most necessary to be kept of all sheweth And appeareth further by that learned Archdeacons answere Of his Plea 135. which may bee of all the rest both mouth and eie remembred by Master Nichols himselfe Pag. 134. which he gaue to some amongst whom he was one that refused to subscribe pressing them and very truely gathering therupon as if he held opinion that we had no sound religion amongst vs and that our late Queene of most famous and worthy memory and the whole state had not appointed sufficient lawes and orders for the true and right exercising of the same but rather some thing directly to the contrary and then indeed they might and ought to refuse to subscribe or to continue any longer in our Church by refusing to set to their hands to so much as that those their orders and lawes containe nothing against the holy Scriptures and rules of faith and manners of piety faith which is the end summe of all that is vrged and those dangerous and feareful words so offensiuely and tenderly taken by some where it is said that those articles and meanes aboue named for vniformity of doctrine and conformity in rites and ceremonies containe nothing contrary to Gods word Implying thereby and truely setting downe as himselfe knew well if any other the whole matter and end of subscription being euen then a prudent gouernour of and much imployed about that businesse Archdeacon of Canterbury Bishop of Norwich vnder that learned wise and most mild and worthy Archbishop and afterward worthily in greater place of the Church that by subscribing in this manner now as men are vrged they are required onely and by this meanes tyed to giue their witnesse and certificate vnder their hands of their good opinions and allowance of our lawes and orders for doctrine and gouernment and all necessary meanes sufficient according to the scripture for the true seruice of God so that our Church was and is according to Gods word not Hereticall nor Schismaticall nor maintaining any thing against the first or second table but a true member of the right Catholicke Church professing and seruing the true GOD in a right manner as well as other Churches which also I haue lately learned by one that was an eie eare witnesse was the answer of that most learned and reuerent Archbishop Parker to Doctor Humfrey who then also was somewhat tender and curious hereabouts and Maister Cartwright also at the same time and which I presume is and will be the answer of all our reuerent fathers to all refusers and standers out vpon the vrging thereof if with the like mind and modesty they will come in and submit themselues vnto them as that famous learned man whom they need not be ashamed to haue their patterne precedent Doctor Humfrey did And thus much for the first point concerning the nature and end of Subscription CHAP. III. Declaring the ancient constant and generall vse of this kinde of proceeding in the Church of God and all other kinds of societies and incorporations whatsoeuer THe second followeth which respecteth the long vse of subscription in the Church of God according to the true nature and end thereof aboue described whereof wee reade in the Lawe and before the Lawe also and indeede in euery kinde of any state proceeding ecclesiastical or ciuil good or bad one or other as without the which none of them could possibly stand or long endure as first in circumcision Gen. 17. and passouer Exod. 12. verse 49. whereby testimony and subscription was giuen to that religion and ceremonies then in vse none other whereby they bound themselues to like allow and practise the same for euer as well as of their separation from all false religions and idolatry and to be a meanes of so great benefits to the receiuers of the same Gala. 5.3 as Saint Paule albeit to some other purpose telleth the Galathians that beeing circumcised they were bound to allow the whole legall seruices and also to keepe the whole Lawe as that also of our sauiour Christ who liued from that time of his circumcision vntil his death vnder that legall forme of religion wherof also he was a minister Rom. 15. neither did he alter the same til after his ascention And hence it was that both to Abraham and all the gouernours of the Church after GOD gaue so straight a charge for the vrging and obseruing of it as beeing the first meanes of subscription to the true religion which was then professed in the world in so much that whosoeuer hee were stranger or bred amongst them should be cut off if he were not circuÌ„cised So likewise at the rearing of the tabernacle and building of the temple wee may obserue to this purpose that euery family and speciall house yea priuate persons offered somewhat thereunto in token of their approbation to that worke Exod. 35. ve 5 22. cap. 38. ver 26. as the publick meanes of Gods seruice at the making of any couenant betweene God and the people or enterprising any more publique busines For that end in Nehemiah and other places we see an vniuersall practise of this subscription Nehe. 10.28.29 and for more particular vrging therof as an oath ex officio in some causes of greater waight the true meaning equity of that hard place Leuit. 5.10 and sâ—â—e â—â—her Nehe. 10.29 as Hugo de sancto victore and other learned expound it doth not onely giue allowance but commandement also for the same the newe testament such as would not receiue and obey the doctrine and ordinances agreed vpon and customes also for those times as in the first to the Corin. Cap. 11. verse 16. were not onely suspected and noted for some dangerous and irregular persons and the contrary highly commended 1. Cor. 11.2 as in the second Epistle to the Thessalonians 3. cap. ver 14 2. Thes 3.14 but to be debarred also from the common priuiledges of the Church as in that place Company not with such and with such eate not saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 5. which I take to be specially meant of the Lords table yea they were not to be entertained into house Iohn Epist 2. verse 10. much lesse to any cheefe place in Gods house which those men to whome this subscription for the like in doctrine and ceremonies customes ordinances and orders of the Church as Acts. 15. verse 22. is vrged are in petition and expectation of But more particularly for the dueties aboue named wee reade in the primitiue Church which may seeme to haue lesse neede of this meanes and preseruatiue how all Priests and
alicubi extent In quibus etiam tam magnis quod facilè largientur credo omnes subarduis voluisle tentasse aliquid satis erit praesertim mihi haec primò adniteÌ„ti aliis bene multis iam diu occupato nimium praepedito dum haec ab initio mediarer tantuÌ„ non obsesso penitus oppresso Quae si quod voluimus effectum minùs dederint quod medicantibus in hoc potissimùm genere perrarò obtingit qui vt Galenus curare multos sed sanare paucos solent illud tamen hinc commodi euenturum autumo bene spero quod vt tertium illud Crucis verè iam Contradictionis Signum nuperos quod audio multum gratulor nactum esse patronos bene multos verè Aesculapios sic alios nostra haec forsitan excitabunt qui depositis illis penè desperatis de Excommunicatione Subscriptione curis medelis extremam quod aiunt manum quamprimum addant imponant Quae denique quoniam tibi in Excelsissimo Episcopalis dignitatis culmine magno tuo merito virtute prudentia constituto quae exhibeantur minora esse longè indignissima satis intelligaÌ„ meipsum si placet cum aliis pro strenaruÌ„ more indole postmodum insequuturis vnà offero adiungo adeoque se totum ditioni tuae dicat consecrat hisce demum pauculis consignat in perpetuum Honoratissimae Amplitudinis tuae obseruantissimus IOHANNES TICHBORNVS The Epistle to the Reader IT was well saide of that Italian Merchant Machiauel de repub for all refined pollicies of this last age That the world must be sicke and purged also before it die Wherein what the great Physition hath from time to time practised vpon that vaste bodie somtime by fire sometime by water generally by many great coÌ„mon destructions euery generation and story are perpetuall witnesses and Saint Hierome most passionately doth expresse and bewaile writing thus against Iouinian Libro primo contra Iouin Succrescit silua vt succidatur Howbeit a better Prophet prognosticated of some more speciall diseases which should befall and possesse the wayward crasie most disteÌ„pered old age of the world auouching by the spirit 2. Tim. 3. v. 1. that in the last dayes men should bee full of selfe loue couetousnesse pride wantonnesse and such like which the learned haue obserued and found to be the root and causes of all heresies as also disobedient and breakers of oath and promises from whence haue proceeded the manifold Sects Schismes and personall separations disturbing alwaies the outward peace quiet gouernment of the Church of God For the mitigating and repressing whereof because they can neuer wholly be cured or taken away 1. Cor. 11. Math. 13. for there must be heresies and Coccle tares and darnell will be sowed and must grow amongst the best corne and croppe vntill the end it hath pleased Christ the soules sole Physition and great protector of his Church to substitute the Ministery and Magistracy whereby as Chirurgians and his owne hands in those his ordinances to apply sundry kinds of remedies to so many and diuers maladies both which working diuersly yet to one and the same end partly by the word and spirit and partly by the ciuill sword doe hold vp as well the generall frame and compage of the whole body as the estates of all particular Churches and Common wealths vntill the day of perfect recuring and restoring all things come Now the physicke and Cure committed to the hand of the Church which is the subiect matter of my treatise ensuing may for our better discerning and handling the same for this present not vnfitly bee matched with the termes and parts made and giuen by the learned to that happy art whereby the life and health of the lesser world mans body is procured and maintained Which being by the vsuall account three in number namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may for breuity order sake be reduced to the three special heads to which I haue referred this my so termed threefold Antidote and desired to apply the same to our present state in England being now by God his blessing if all had eies or grace to see it as was sometimes said of Rome and Athens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen a little world or a briefe and Epitome of all God his mercies elsewhere bestowed vpon all the Churches and Common-wealths in the world Vnderstanding by the first thereof Excommunication which comprizeth vnder it as a part for the whole exhortations admonitions reprehensions threatnings confession absolution and such like all these meanes which the ministery and power of the keies may by the word and spirit prescribe at any time for the purging and healing so many soules sicknesses which the whole Church for this life and euery member thereof is continually subiect vnto And by the second termed Subscription answering to that second general part of physicke called Hygeine in respect of the nature end and manifold vse therof we meane all wholsome decrees Councils priuate or publique and constitutions of the Church by which the trueth of doctrine amidst the manifold differences and contrarily minded people in the world may be preserued and maintained the inward peace of each conscience more fully and safely secured and the outward order of euery particular Church better established and defended against al manner of oppositions by turbulent spirits in that behalfe and the iust temper of the whole body of Christ by all good meanes wise foresight cont nued throughout the world And lastly by the Crosse which I haue made the noble Hierogâ—yphicon of all other decent ceremonies to bee vsed at any time in the Church of God I vnderstand all comely ornaments whereby as well Christ his Ministers according to their differences degrees dignittes as all other things belonging to the least performance and holy administration in God his seruice may and ought to be beautified decked and adorned all scarres and defects naturally or by euill euent incident to any Church healed and supplyed and the most naturall sweet colour vigour and beautie of Christ his Spouse be made resplendent and apparant to the whole world with all other properties and effects which that decoratiue art and last part of Physicke is knowne and celebrated to bring to passe in mans body all which as in those last dangerous dayes they haue been much incombred by the hands and meanes of Schismatikes Atheists Churchrobbers and such like of the prophane cursed crue of so many heathenish people that haue rushed into Gods inheritance as Psal 80. v. 1. and no lesse tortured and afflicted now a long time with all kind of spirituall diseases and enormities and euen brought as they say to the last casâ— so stand they now in need if euer to be releeued with all the best antidotes and electuaries which from both hands of Ministery and Magistracy the Lord is willing
giueth sometimes to priuate mens admonishments and exhortations saying thereupon cohortatoriè as Luther obserueth him and the other learned fathers to speake many times Ligasti aut soluisti fratrem yet is this no whit of this nature and kind whereof we intreat this being an exhortation or counsell and a common worke of charity belonging to all Christians the other a iudgement or a solemne and peculiar iudiciall proceeding performed alwayes by Gods ministers onely and lieutenants in this behalfe wherein God deales by them as a King doth by his Iudges and other immediate officers for any state occasion wherein although many haue skill and can giue counsell and aducie yet are no charters quoadius as wee say pardons or iudgements whatsoeuer of validity and force to carry or confirme any thing for or against any except they be pronounced or otherwise sealed and warranted by those who are called and designed to represent and supply the Kings place and person in any of the same And thus much briefly of this first kinde of excommunication which respecteth indifferently all kindes of people that haue soules to be saued and may yea ought to be exercised in all places where any true minister is found albeit there be no order or power established according to the nature of a visible Church or other ordered gouernment whatsoeuer For so is the nature of the other excommunication which wee made to be from the visible Church wherein alwayes is required some company liuing vnder forme of outward gouernment by which lawes may be made and enacted for this or at the least some other kinde of separation from the same for so Saint Paul speaketh of a company to be gathered together as from which that incestuous person was to be remoued by his owne censure which also may appeare by all other such separations which euer haue beene read of or are as yet practised in the world wherein by some kind of power established amongst some company liuing vnder gouernement be it of one kind or other certaine persons haue beene excluded oftentimes according to the discretion of the gouernours thereof from the face and fellowship of some visible Church Which also according to the causes and diuers kinds of operation and proceeding by or against any this kinde of excommunication must againe be diuided into that which by violence without cause and against all order and reason is oftentimes denounced and that which vpon iust cause or by some kinde of order at the least is commenced and executed for the separation of any from the visible Church the first whereof may be called excommunicatio violentiae such as were exercised by Tyrants against many a true member both of the visible and inuisible Church the other not vnfitl termed excommunicatio ordinis in which by some orderly proceeding and vnder some course of Lawe and constitutions iust or vniust any are remoued from any such company and priuiledges belonging thereunto which also being as all iudgements are as the Schooles distinguish them vsurped or defiled and tainted with some in iustice and wrong or els direct and regulated according to trueth and equity so likewise is this excommunicatio ordinis whereby good Ieremie and our Sauiour Christ himselfe Iohn 7. were by such orders as those times did afford Abstentes as the word in Ieremie importeth and debarred at the least from many priuiledges of that Church and time as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may by Erastus his own acception or any others signifie as well as that incestuous person most iustlie by Paul from the company and priuiledges of the Church of Corinth But to tye our selues to that excommunication which by good order and vpon iust and necessary cause is alwayes awarded resting in the hands power of euery true Church and company gathered together in the name of Christ to professe his name and seruice that also hath it differences and distinctions for so by the Schooles and Kanons many such haue beene inuented whereof that of excommunicatio maior minor the greater and the lesse may very well fit our purpose According to the vse of this greate censure by all Christian Churches in the world Which vpon the assistance at the last of Christian magistracy and by their owne speciall decrees and constitutions thereabout haue extended the power of this censure to the debarring of those that are separated thereby from many common priuiledges whereof the ciuill estate maketh them otherwise partakers as appeareth by many ciuil constitutions and statute Lawes in force at this present amongst vs de excommunicato capiendo and such like to that purpose For which cause this excommunication by order as we haue termed it for the better setting downe the true nature of it must once againe be diuided into that which is meerly ecclesiasticall as proceeding onely and wholly from that power of the keyes which are giuen to the Church for the ruling and sauing of soules or els into that which is ciuill abusiuely so called and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we say or lastly partly ecclesiastical and partly ciuill according to which are most proceedings therein for the outward gouernement of any Church at this day That which is called ecclesiasticall is so wholly estated in the persons of Church gouernours as that if there were no ciuill Magistrate in the world yet would and ought they to claime and shew their authority and power if according to the true ends and vses thereof hereafter more particularly to be set downe the Church shall iudge it fit or necessary so to be awarded Author of late assertions for Church Discipline And no ciuill power hath any more to doe with it then as the latest exceptor and pleader himselfe against many things therein confesseth and proueth by the authority of Bishop Horne and Doctor Bilson both reuerend fathers of one Sea in our Church it hath to doe with making ministers consecrating Churches immediate making of Church Canons for doctrine cases of cōscience administration of the word and Sacraments and such like In the prefaces to certaine Iniunctions made in Henry 8. and Elizabeth their raignes which some princes of this kingdome and all other wisely possessed with the trueth of these matters haue euermore disclaimed Howbeit for the other which concerne first the bodies and outward estates and condition whatsoeuer of any and secondarily and consequently the soule and inward man and so also respect for the most part the outward peace of the common state both ecclesiasticall and ciuill they all must haue their consideration determination and proper place accordingly as proceeding first from ciuill power may be intended or remitted continued suspended or changed and sometimes exercised or inhibited by ciuill magistrates soueraigne or subordinate Of which sort I make all temporall punishments commutation of pennance outward shame and all other bodily afflictions whereof notwithstanding that of being giuen ouer to Satan some haue made one Erastus out of some
of the fathers albeit belonging to the Church power alwayes in such cases and that in the highest degree wherein through the affliction of the flesh in any kinde meanes may better be procured and applied for the sauing of the soule in the day of the Lord Iesus 1. ad Corin. Cap. 5. v. 5. The difference and true distinction whereof may appeare by these speciall notes first that Ecclesiasticall excommunication and all things concurring thereunto so farre foorth as they are meerly ecclesiasticall concerne the soule and the meanes to recouer any secure or desperate sinner and withall to preserue any other or the whole Church from any further annoyance spirituall infection or any kind of preiudice thereby but the other respect first the body and outward man and afterward happily are made profitable and appliable to the soules of any Secondly that which we call for better order and instruction sake ciuill haue their ground and originall whatsoeuer they are from the other power which is called ciuill magistracy as the other touching the soule the inward and spirituall seruice of God the peace of conscience and such like belonging vnto this censure proceede from the rites and investitures of that other order called priesthood power of keyes ecclesiasticall magistracy or what els besides it be called swaruing not from the trueth of the matter it selfe which for it part must alwayes doe that which belongeth thereunto in this and all other offices although there were no Christian Magistrate in the world and doth also exercise the same according as they see it most fit and correspondent to the ends aboue named in all places where the foote of violence from any part of the secular power incombreth not but rather as they ought to kisse the Sunne in that one sense and behalfe protest and maintaine the rights power and priuiledges of the same Thirdly those proceedings herein which are meerly ciuil or mixt sometimes of both according to their seuerall ends authors and originals doe principally and for the most part respect the common policy of the whole State and that which is Ciuil as well and more particulary many times as that which is Ecclesiasticall albeit they ought to agree in all things together as Hippocrates his Twinnes All which might be shewed in the manifold particulars which in the vse of this censure haue been added partly by the ciuill Magistrate and further inuented by the immediate Gouernours vnder the allowance of the chiefe magistrate of seuerall Churches for the better strengthning and more orderly and profitable executing this or any other censure which any iudicious reader may referre euery one as they are not vnknown by reason of their common practise in the world to their proper place and one of those three heads of this our last diuision To which I desire this one thing to be adioyned before I come to the more particular definition of this Excommunication namely that albeit this censure doth properly and euermore of right belong to the power of the Church and immediate gouernment of soules yet can no such power exercise any part of outward gouernment or more publique administration whatsoeuer within the territories and dominions of any ciuill magistracy without the speciall good allowance or indulgence at the least of the chiefe magistrate there which in all places of setled and well ordered gouernment appertaineth to the ciuill power which God in the example and type of Iudah among the tribes hath made the onely lawe-giuer Insomuch as no due execution of any other their owne most proper proceedings can bee well performed without their helpe and assistance which caused the due vse of this censure to be so rarely and indeed weakly exercised in the primitiue Church and many other Churches of later times before ciuil magistrates were christned or this ciuill power did vndertake the protection of the Church or at least gaue way and liberty for the full execution of all Ecclesiasticall power which hath beene very much curbed and scanted by most Christian Princes in the world Much lesse doe we arrogate any secular power and command to be originally and properly in the persons or states meerly ecclesiasticall albeit one and the selfe same man or state may very lawfully and ought sometimes necessarily to be armed and furnished with them both as Luther himselfe learnedly sheweth In Epistola responsiua ad Melancthonem Et in postilla ad Epiphaniam de Magis and elsewhere we haue examined that as the ciuill magistrate sometimes hath been a priest so contrarily may Gods minister be a king or of any other electiue dignity the same man but not the same person which are distinguished euermore but may concur both in one subiect but that the enacting of lawes Bodin de repub in Methodâ— historiarum creating of magistrates citations Iudiciall proceedings and punishments accordingly haue their first beginning and warrant also from the ciuill sword yea the very outward forme of gouernment by which that part of the Church which is committed to any ciuill Magistrate who is truely termed of our later Deuines the keeper and maintainer of both tables commonly called Church discipline is to be administred and vnder which be it one or other any of these Church affayres are to be established procured and executed dependeth wholly vpon the will and authority of the chiefe magistrate in any estate as himselfe may iudge fittest for the due ordering of the same most agreeable to the ciuill body and conuenient and profitable for the whole state Alwayes prouided that the essentiall and mayne points expressed in the word or the necessary consequents belonging to any person cause or calling in these Ecclesiasticall administrations be in no part abolished interrupted or diminished which is all that we challenge in this Excommunication or any other such power priuiledge or censure from any ciuill magistrate in the world The summe and definition whereof according to the premises I meane this Excommunication from the visible Church by order of wholsome Lawes ecclesiasticall or ciuil according to the true nature thereof commaunded and expressed in the word of God may for our better proceeding to the points that follow Definitio Excommunicationis a visibili ecclesia be thus set downe Namely to be that censure of the Church which proceeding from the power of the keyes is awarded against notorious offenders vnder any forme or meanes by those persons onely whome any Church shall thinke best to depute and assigne to take knowledge of all causes deseruing the same and to giue sentence according to the nature thereof against any persons offending therein Which although in regard of the extent thereof and quality of the crimes and persons offending and incurring this censure it hath beene diuided or rather distinguished by some such circumstantiall differences of time longer or lesser while places of and in the Church or Churchyards or such like yet for summe and substance I hold them all one as by
the true ends scope of all those kinds afore named or at any time vsed by the Iewes themselues or any other in their Church gouernments shall more specially be shewed in the next Chapter CHAP. II. Comprising the true end and scope of all the kindes and differences of Excommunication aboue named with some little infusion of guomicall Diuinity touching one speciall point for proceeding thereby against some kind of persons after their confessions and often absolutions thereupon THE ends therefore of all those kinds of Excommunication which haue beene recited in the former Chapter as appertayning any way to the Church power and authority concerne either the common good or auoiding any euill and imminent daunger in any particular Church which by suffering any notorious offender vncensured or scandalously to rest among them might by euill example or further infection be much annoyed and suddenly subuerted or els the priuate duty and care the Church sa a louing mother the ministers thereof their spirituall Fathers ought to haue for the regaining and recouering any from their irrepentance and more speciall soule sinnes as also by true confession of some occasions and occurrents thereunto vpon their receiuing againe into the Church to preserue them from further daungers and to prescribe them remedies and directions for afterward And indeede more good is like to be done toward the most part of sinners vpon their confessions and absolutions after these censures then we see come to passe or likely to be effected by our ordinary and generall preaching The common ground of all which may be obserued especially in the latter inuentions for bodily and more sensible punishments to haue proceeded from the strange corruption and fleshly mindes of all mankind for the most part with whome all other meanes of exhortations admonitions reprehensions promises or threatnings for the time to come and such like will little preuaile except some present sensible temporall afflictions inward or outward be adioyned thereunto and therefore not onely meanes of griefe feare and shame but other also more neere and outward punishments vpon their goods bodies and good names for euer haue beene deuised and appointed to driue them to confesse and leaue their sinnes and by the affliction of the flesh as saint Paul teacheth in what kind soeuer to recouer and saue the soule in the day of Christ Iesus his iudgement wherein the Church dealeth as God himselfe is wont with hard hearted and irrepentant sinners whome when all other meanes faile he afflicteth for no other end but their owne saluation with many inward and outward plagues and iudgements In all which temporall and outward afflictions this one thing ought euermore to be regarded by those that haue the awarding of them that such particular meanes in this kind may euer bee applied as whereby the offenders might more sensibly be touched and not to punish the richer ones by the purse which they little regard and the poorer with shame and bodily chastisements which they are wel hardned to indure but rather contrariwise that so at the least they may be brought into order of outward gouernment if not to the inward reforming of themselues and so by true and vnfained confession to God and man to be restored againe to the inuisible Church which all the parts and kinds of these latter excommunications aime at and serue vnto For so indeed this confession and absolution thereupon is one of the chiefe and true ends of this the greatest censure of excommunication and all the meanes and parts thereof as might appeare by those hard places in the 6. and 10. to the Hebrewes and the 18. of Matthew if they be throughly looked into and well compared together as also by the practises of the Iewes themselues to the which some of those places at the least are referred and by the same as the practises of those times for the most part to be expounded who were not only armed for their Ecclesiasticall estate with great authority but had further power to inflict corporall punishments which the Romanes themselues would not altogether abrogate nor much alter According to whose practise and proportion of trueth touching this argument contained in the former places one speciall point touching confession and absolution thereupon but especially the exercising of this highest censure in some cases Quod gnomicum esse volo and against some persons I thinke fit and necessary to be vnfolded for the Iewes themselues had not only their Consistory wherein this Church power was exercised which Math. 18. 2. Thessal 3. cap. vers 14. is termed by the name of the Church and Saint Paul would haue disordered noted persons carried thither by which nothing els can be meant but this Church power we now speak of resting in the hāds executiō of them to whom any particular Church shal commit the same for the time In his Dictionary called Thisbites De politia Iudana but also as Elias Leuita reporteth might easily be gathered out of the old Testament but that others haue eased me of that labour of late and out of Berteram also and Sigonias they proceeded diuersly by outward and temporall punishments according to the nature and quality of their saults Which against some persons and in some cases was so farre extended as that they were neuer receiued into the outward fellowship of the Church againe or at the least had not the sentence of absolution publickly and quoad forum externum as we say affoorded vnto them as by the three words vsed by the Iewes to expresse three kinds of Excommunication may plainly be gathered Nidni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the first whereof they remoued more grieuous and obstinate sinners from the rest of that Church Cherom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the second they inflicted and awarded some more grieuous punishment which might stick by them as we say and euen pierce them to the heart and bones as themselues expound the word Shamatha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the third did Anathemize them to a perpetuall separation wherein they should remain vnto their death Which last I take it was only meant of these outward meanes in Church gouernment and no way respecting forum internum or any ones interest at the least for euer in the inuisible Church but that therein any priuate minister or member of that Church besides might yea ought to deale by all good meanes for their confirmation againe and recouery and so that place in Saint Paul 1. Cor. 16. vers 22. concerning Anathema Maranatha vntill the Lord come is to bee vnderstood of all those that should as Hebr. 10. vers 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their wilfull and more then voluntary rebellion as I may so speake and returning vnto their olde sinnes make but a sport and scorne of this Excommunication and absolution and euen tread vnder their feete the bloud of the Lord Iesus then the which nothing could be more despightfull
and fitting them for the kingdome of glory Instance and euident proofe whereof is affoorded in this one practise for many others of the primitiue Church in which these Church gouernors only tooke knowledge and care of all those that gaue their names vnto Christ and were thereupon after confession of the faith admitted into the ranke and order of their Catecumeni and so afterward were reckoned in the number of the visible Church as Saint Augustine confesseth of himself who also afterwards falling from that faith or not liuing worthy of the same after all good meanes vsed as is specified more particularly by our Sauiour Christ Mat. 18. v. 17. and was alwayes in force in the primitiue Church as by Heb. 10. other places may be gathered and yet persisting in that their vnworthinesse of such a fellowship were returned backe againe by the same power of the Church vnto their former estate and were no otherwise accounted of then as if they were Publicans or Heathen Mat. 18. v. 17. that is such as had nothing to doe with that speciall Church of the Iewes which was the onely Church visible at that time The like may be sayd of all decrees and constitutions made by the immediate gouernours of any particular Church for the determining of all controuersies and expounding of Scriptures according to the rules of faith and manners and their speciall prescribing meanes and directions to penitents and such like as Physitians are wont to their patients and giuing orders for the safe keeping of the doctrine of faith and manners and the preuenting of all things contrary to the same commonly procured by hereticks and schismaticks Wherein also that their power for the vrging of Subscription proceeding from this of Excommunication to all things set downe by them not contrary to the generall rules of faith and manners consisteth and appeareth as is further declared in the next treatise In which respect Saint Paul gaue such charge in so many places vnto Timothie for the carefull keeping of that depositum and forme of wholsome wordes 1. Tim. 6. v. 20. And Reuel 2. ver 14. and 15. God requireth it of the Angell and none other who by all mens confession representeth the Church power in that place that the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicholaitans and the heretickes themselues were not repressed by him and that Ecclesiasticall power whereof that Angell was head and superintendent by such meanes of admonition confutation conuiction and so consequently if neede required Excommunication which are euermore proper to the Church care and power Albeit in that infancy of the Church in all places there was a great mixing of both powers as appeareth by the Apostles themselues who called Councels in their owne name for the better strengthning that their weake state and beginnings strooke some with temporal punishments and with death also in some cases which also vntill Christian Magistrates did protect and maintayne this power rights and authority of the Church was practised in many places after the Apostles time wheresoeuer the violence of persecuting tyrantes did not restrayne the Church liberty in this behalfe which is wont and so iustly may yea ought indeede as well as any other incoporation left vnto it selfe to make Lawes ordayne Magistrates punish offenders and such like whereby that their state may bee better ordered and preserued Howbeit which in the second place I answer and is euermore to bee remembred according as wee haue also obserued before no power whatsoeuer properlie belonging to the Church or els annexed by any meanes thereunto can be exercised in any part of the world vnder ciuill Magistracy without the authority or good leaue at the least of the commaunders therein nor any Lawes made or ratified without assent and leaue of the ciuill power as vnder which and from which all other Externall power hath all his outward motion as the most principall members of any naturall body vnder their proper head as all Christian Churches doe acknowledge the ciuill magistrate in all causes supreme head and gouernour howsoeuer that word Head without any such iust cause I thinke hath beene of late misliked of some euen as many good Popes also Beda lib. 1 cap. 23. de Gregorie Mag ad Mauricium lib. 2. cap. 18. Honorius ad Horaolium before that chayre of pestilence was fully seated amongst them did call the Emperors of their times their gracious Lords And yet notwithstanding as the other principall parts of the body the Liuer for example hath immediate motion and operation from it selfe as wel as that other from the head and as the inferiour orbes of the Stars and circles of heauen are moued as well by theyr owne naturall courses as by that generall motion which is obserued to carry all other with it and vnder it so is it in this entercourse of politique administrations Ecclesiasticall and ciuil both interchaungeably compared and considered together neither may the proper orders and proceedings of the one be truely sayde to be any more preiudiciall or contrary to the other then the Liuer in his proper operations to the heart or head from which it hath his continuall life and motion wheras the God of nature hath in his wisedome and prouidence diuersly disposed of them in that general communion their properties and functions euermore reserued to themselues as that stoute and wise high Priest tolde Vzziah how it appertained not vnto him to meddle in any part of the Priest his office 2. Chro. 26. vers 18 howsoeuer in other things they were subiect vnto them euen vnto their placing and displacing and indeede here is no more in effect then as housholders rule in the house and martiall men for their orders of warre 1. Reg. 2. v. 35. which yet I hope no way withstād that other which we call the chiefe power To which purpose also is that other straine and further extent of this cauil that any such power should be warranted by God and so allowed to bee in force vnder any wel ordered gouernment wherein the ciuill and chiefe Magistrate hath nothing to doe for the discerning and awarding thereof much lesse to haue power and authority to repeale or reuerse the same and so to restore any person censured thereby of this kingdome to forrain Ecclesiastical power of law as it is thought Insomuch as one of the daintiest practisers of these dayes in a sad and sober conference had with some of our grauest did cast it out I cannot tell how that he could neuer found the depth and mysteries of Episcopall Iurisdiction in generall and of these proceedings for Excommunication in speciall pag. 77 78. Late assertions for Church discipline And more plainly and grosly our late pleaders as well for their innocents as they terme them and as I may truely call the other very sinfull assertions for their new discipline haue made both the power it selfe and much more the due practise and exercise thereof very dangerous for
I haue dealt with or heard of confesse as much of our doctrine which yet indeed be things well examined is as much as is required at their hands by this Subscription And as for particular differences of learned men about the exposition of sundry Scriptures and diuersities of iudgements about any speciall point of positiue Diuinitie as for example in some part of that Article touching Christs descending into Hell and such like very manie about the reading or translating In Epistola quadam yea allowing at all certaine books generally retained amongst the rest of holy Scripture they need not hinder any mans hand from Subscription for as long as the world standeth there will be infinite such differences and that which Hierome obserueth in his time concerning many such varieties must goe still for currant that in such causes Quilibet abundet suo sensu and yet submit himselfe to the generall truth and equity of things ordained in the Church which is the best rule for euery age and euery special Church For so neither is it any way cōtrary but very agreeable to the word of God and euery particular therein that the best humane constitutions for matters of doctrine or manners should be imperfect and not want their doubts and ambiguities nor yet that those that liue vnder gouernment for these imperfections no way implying any manifest error or impiety be they neuer so many shall refuse to subscribe thereunto being lawfully required for so should they yeeld vnto nothing and yet when they haue done all they can they must and doe subscribe to some men and some rules for doctrine and matters traditionary amongst themselues and why not aswell to the present state whereby they liue but that singularity syding and affection now ruleth all the world and God his ordinance is easily neglected and reiected Secondly in matters doubtful and difficult either for doctrine and practise so long as they containe no manifest impiety or notorious offence in them the Superiours authority grounded vpon the fift commandement is sufficient warrant and bond also to any conscience for obedience therein for otherwise there would be no end of controuersies as Melanct. pag. 123. Part. 2. Consil Theolog. Vt sit igitur discordiarum finit recte facit potestas obligans homines vt obtemperent cum alioqui parere sit necesse according also to that old argument Cognitio in synodis est summum iudicium in Ecclesia parere igitur est necesse nor yet any order for any proceedings in the world Which mooued Saint Augustine at the last to conclude this point for the compelling of hereticks and all contrarily minded to wholsome doctrine and religion established by the Ciuil Magistrate as in his Retractations he sheweth Retractatio lib. 2. cap. 18. whose iudgemēt being so vniuersaly approued amōgst vs that refractary spirits may and ought to be constrained to such obedience euen against their iudgements that without any conscience of sin vnto them I maruaile how these standards out can in their consciences absolue themselues of a great sin against the fift commandement for disobeying in so meane and small impositions by so lawfull authority whereas in obeying they haue the fift commandement for their warrāt and the commanding magistrate his soule and conscience engaged in this behalfe as whose sinne furthermore it is if it bee any and of whom it is to be required and not of the obeyer who in cases doubtfull and difficult maketh iust conscience of obedience to superiors and stayeth himselfe herein vpon the fift commandemēt And if they say that in subscription things simply wicked are vrged by our Church as in our doctrines formes of prayer and discipline defended and allowed it is strange that they haue neuer as yet in all their pryings exceptions and conclusions amongst them exhibited any such foule matter to the eies of the iudicious which God be thanked are in great number amongst vs and abroad in the world and it were very strange and wicked also that our neighbour Churches with whom we entertaine and professe agreement and confession alike should want so much charity and that so long especially those Aristarchi of Geneua and Beza himselfe writing so oft to our late Queene and some Bishops also of this kingdome as neuer to haue put vs in minde thereof in a word they might as well say wee haue no Church at all which GOD be thanked for matter of constitution for doctrine and maners is one of the most flourishing Churches in the world as to say we should retaine such grosse points contrary to faith and manners Cassander de Baptismo Infantum p. 113. as Cassander learnedly disputeth from this generall to his particular defence of infants baptism against those Anabaptisticall exceptors in Germany of late very like in too too many things vnto those Sectaries of our times to whom our wise and learned most noble Soueraigne lately answered that if they supposed and iudged such grossenesse as idolatry and such like to be in any part of the substance of our religion or any meanes of expressing the same that then they did very ill to stay so long amongst vs and should rather depart the kingdome which is also our answer in some cases vel subscribendum vel secedendum rather in case they cannot be perswaded then they should doe any thing against their conscience In his Epistle to Queene Elizabeth and the Bishops of that time to depart from vs. Thirdly M. Digges his reasōs for association in religiō which presume are well accounted of by these refusers and dislikers of Subscription the Author being for the most part wholly of their side make as much for vniformity in professing and expressing the same religion by one kind of ceremonies and circumstances accordingly And be it well considered and examined in matter and weight of state deliberation and execution it will be found thereupon by all that are truely able to discerne such matters and mysteries that it is as like to haue toleration multitudes of religiō which all kinds of opinion so much condemne as such variety diuersities and contrariety in the outward manner externall rites circumstances and ceremonies to expresse the same as we haue aboue intimated and in the outward performing thereof And albeit there be great ods in respect of the matter of conscience with GOD which is but one and so will haue but one religion one faith one baptisme c and so for the soules and safeties of Christian people which can haue but one good and true religion yet for good policy matter meanes of common peace and well ordering the outward gouernment of the Church more inconueniences may well and wisely be obserued to proceede from the latter then the former as in comparing ceremonies with doctrine by certaine reasons drawne from master Luther and others we haue elsewhere shewed in a more large treatise which if God please shall not be long behind this about this
is lawfull or forbidden therein by the precise rule of Gods word Lastly these men greatly wrong themselues as well as our whole Church and the gouernors thereof in comparing that abominable Idoll of Baall and the rest aboue mentioned in those Scriptures with our Crosse and other such like ceremonies howsoeuer defiled with much superstition and Idolatry at any time for as for that one of Baal and most also of the other there neuer was nor possibly could be any good vse of them as we haue shewed and prooued of the Crosse Neither was the naming of those abominable Idols simply wicked as Saint Ierome also disputeth in one of his Epistles and which might well fit our tenderest in this kind who cannot abide the least mention of the Masse and that vpon conscience of these places which yet was generally vsed as Doctor Fulke sheweth Fulke against Sanders to signifie the Lords supper by it a long time in the Church but such a mentioning of them only as those Idolaters did vse towards them as may appeare by the contrary protestation of Dauid Psalm 16 saying I will not mention them in my lips which is as the scope of that speciall place argueth to praise them or pray vnto them as it is well knowne the Idolaters did Whereas the worst that euer was imputed or performed to this Crosse or any other of that nature was no way giuen to the things themselues or by their meanes to any horrible Idoll as that of Baall was and so to the very diuell himselfe as Saint Paule sheweth but respectiuely alwayes and in relation to him that did hang vpon the Crosse as the worst of them all chalenge for themselues as from whom by their idle fancies and superstitious imaginations some diuine power was communicated and transfused into that and all other Crosses and that no otherwise as the best of them plead for it and themselues then as a King doth make a grant and sendeth vsually some token of his will and authority in many particulars by his ring or seale and so much for this argument also CHAP. VI. Answering that obiection for Christian liberty which the Crosse is supposed in some so much to crosse THE other reasons that followe are of lesse moment and yet for the satisfying of all as neere as I can I will returne somewhat to them also the one being taken from that grand prerogatiue of Christian liberty chalenged and magnifyed many waies by these men the other from those necessary apparent and vnauoidable offences which doe dayly and must needs still arise from the vse of this Crosse which as all Christians so especially the chiefe Magistrate and all other vnder him that haue charge of their peoples soules as well as of their bodies are bound to foresee preuent and take away or els should be found to transgresse that royall Lawe spoken of in Iames Iames. 3. Rom. 14. v. 15. and that speciall branch thereof mentioned in the 14. to the Rom. by not walking in loue nor hauing charitable compassion at the least of these mens infirmities and great soules dangers and dammage The first whereof which toucheth Christian liberty sauoreth not a little of Anabaptisme from which some writing masters of this kind haue bought or borrowed too many drugges to make vp their poysonfull confections in some of their books as that other aboue vsed by them against the indifferency of any thing was drawne from the Manichees Insomuch as a man may boldly and truely say of many of these irregular persons for the summe of their new doctrines and strange practises that they are for the most part and so will be found to be compounded of Manichisme and Anabaptisme I meane the worst sort of them For against the other which I haue elsewhere distinguished I neuer intended in this or any other to deale against them but as neere as I can the errors of them all As in this one particular of withdrawing their obedience to lawfull authority in things in their owne nature indifferent vnder colour of Christiā liberty doth very plainly appeare In which for more speciall answer they shew not only their great security in not examining their consciences for so manifest a breache of Gods Lawe and their further pride hypocrisie in passing ouer the grauiora legis as Christ told the Pharisies of his time vnder colour and pretence of making scruples and conscience of these smaller things as comparatiuely they may be called but also very grosse and sottish ignorance in not discerning Institutionum lib. nor any way determining aright of this Christian liberty Which is a thing indeed as Caluin well obserueth and discourseth vpon this argument no lesse spirituall then the pardon of sinne and peace of conscience and specially consisteth in that spirituall freedome from the lawe of sinne and curse awarded by Gods lawe thereupon which naturally raigneth in our mortall bodies that is euery power and part of body and soule and power from Christ his grace spirit and life to worke righteousnesse and fulfill the law as Saint Paul from the last words of the 4. Chap. to the Romanes to the end of the seuenth most fully seteth downe Neither did Christ come as himselfe proclaimeth to destroy the Law but to establish and performe it in himselfe and all his members who is a Sauiour but not to sinne againe a physition but not to surfetting and therefore hath deliuered vs from all our enemies Lucae 1. that we should serue him and keepe euery one of his commandements The maine summe whereof standeth in due obedience to himselfe and his lawfull ordinances Zanch. in Confess as Saint Peter expoundeth the same Neither doth our freedome from that seuerity of the ceremoniall Lawe abridge any whit the authority of the Magistrate in decent ceremonies agreeable to the Gospell but cleane contrary as we haue aboue remembred inuesteth rather that whole perfection meaning and authority of the ceremoniall Law in those Christian Magistrates to whom God committeth any part of his Church vnder the Gospell The ceremoniall Law indeed being nothing els but an order appointed by God himselfe for the outward policy and discipline of the Church being then vnder the pedagogy of the Law which now is left to the liberty of Christian Princes as they shall see their times occasions to require Only vt Austen ne excedant and so become a snare and burden where yet I see not but obedience is necessary albeit vt Peter a yoake too heauy to beare and it is a sinne to the commanders encroching vpon this liberty but yet you inferior must obey and so as Beza bene parere may and must stand when magistrates doe malè imperare So if the Apostles had vrged more ceremonies parendum orat Secundo Cauendum ne vt de Imaginis vsu multitudo caeremoniarum hinder charity or oppresse any in these poore times and daies of Gods wrath vpon the Church as also of the miserie for
as Esay 42. ver 21. if men also would do their parts at all wants And assaies most readily to affoord and indeed now is the time spoken of by the Prophet Psal 119. ver 126. for the Lord to put to his hand for men haue destroied and euen with plague and pestilence as the Septuagints render it wasted and adnulled his Lawe and all the meanes for the magnifying and exalting the same as the Prophet Esay complaineth in the place aboue named Howbeit because purging medicines especially of the highest kind and degree such as Excommunication hath proportion vnto are very seldome and with greatest care to be vsed it hath been the iudgement and resolue of our late graue Diuines and very worthy and wise gouernours especially of that thrice reuerend Whitgift that considering these late turbulent times very little or nothing at all should be spoken or written touching the true nature power vse and necessity of that great and high censure But now that it hath pleased God by the eye and care of our most noble Soueraigne to appoint a couragious prudent Alexander in the place and roome of that renowned Philip for his wisedome meeknesse and sweet moderation of all things belonging to Ecclesiasticall affayres whilst he sate at that stearne and hath withall enlarged somewhat his vergee power by putting the garments of Aaron as Exod. 28. vers 2. vpon his shoulders and committing the golden rodde as well as the pot of Manna and tables of the Lawe to his speciall custody I holde it high time for all sorts of persons and especially of our owne tribe to vse all good meanes for the repayring the manifold breaches irruptions and depopulations before mentioned and the giuing and bringing vpon Ierusalem beauty in stead of ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse as was prophecied and promised by the prophet Esay 61. vers 3. to come to passe in these dayes of the Gospell and greatest grace and would no doubt but for the great abuse contempt and neglect of both be fully effected and accomplished In which respect if all meanes were summed vp together I presume none would be found so excellently vsefull and absolutely necessay as Excommunication Subscription which therefore I haue placed in the forefront the one containing in it and requiring by it a iust power to be inuested in the sacred ministery for the establishing all due meanes for the soules health and recouering the same once lost or decayed the other prouiding a constant vniforme and certaine course and order for the executing and obseruing most precisely euery the least thing once enacted and so appointed as without which indeed it is impossible any where to vphold a comfortable ministery or that the Magistrate should be able to retaine any meanes in any for me or due tenor for Gods seruice or the common peace iustice and equity amongst men for want also whereof any may perceiue how little profit hath been made of so long and much preaching in this kingdome arising chiefly from so many differences new inuentions and extrauagant courses as well in preaching as in infinite strange opinions and vnheard of new and vaine doctrines broached and scattered in euery country Church corner insomuch as I may too too truely say the cause of so litle religion in the world is for that there hath been of late now also is so much religion I meane so much padling and medling in it and so many kinds and meanes vnrepressed and not so seuerely proceeded or seriously prouided against of euery maÌ„s deuice to expresse it And which is treason to attempt in state affayres once appointed by men is now admired and magnified and not only admitted or at the least wise permitted and winked at in Gods matters which a good writer seeing and foreseeing complayned of long sitheÌ„ce in this manner Ratinnculis sermonibus de religione sillogisticis inhiant iam omnes etiam ex ima plebe tanquam heâ—bis pascuis armenta with many other such like words and matter to that purpose the summe sence whereof is according to our former inference that whilst euery one is bold and taketh liberty to himselfe to dispute and dispose of Religion in generall and the highest and chiefest points thereof it is come to passe that they haue in them no true or sound religion at all 2. Tim. 3. vers 5. with 1. Tim. 4. vers 1. but to end as we began with Saint Paul his prophesie most make a shew of godlinesse but deny the power thereof and to become flat Apostates at the lest to deny the faith that is all true Religion the Church God and all For my part In Epist res pons ad Augu. albeit I could wish according to the old word Da mihi medicum canum canillis that as Hierome told Augustine all mens endeuours in this kind were like the steps of the weried Ox that fastneth sure footing wheresoeuer he goeth yet obseruing as Camerarius doth the like in the practise of Herodotus and Theucidides In his notes vpon Theucidides how yong vpstarts and Emperick mountebankes are too bold aduenturous to offer their drugs in this behalfe I meane much loose old and disguised stuffe without new matter or better forme and order both which or at the least the latter ought to be discerned in euery new work and that euen at the games of Olympus and how withall our auncients for dayes as Elihu termeth them who indeede should speake by word and writing to this cause doe sit still in that their politique resolue vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or like Ruben Iudg. 5. vers 16. are content to abide all their liues priuate by their sheepfolds notwithstanding the much bleating of their owne and other flocks the indignation of the matter on both sides hath drawne and enforced me to this second aduenture and to say with Elihu Who can in such a cause refraine from speaking and writing also especially in the behalfe of Excommunication and Subscription whose reproch redounding so to God and his Church I haue so often heard and for which happely some may say and I must needs acknowledge my selfe haue payed so decre and can yet be c nten and will be most willing to be more vile as he said yea if it could be so purchased with name liuing and life it selfe to redeem the great good and consequence of them both to the present state of our Church to wh ch I haue adressed and after my manner prepared this poor Antidote desiring GOD that it may sort to none other euent end then I aymed at propounded to my selfe in the former which is and euer shall be partly to stir vp others of greater ability to some better seruice in this kynd as also to cause much other of th kind and quality spent already and truely meant that way to be reuiued againe and by this meanes if
put out as Bellarmine p. 78. l. 2. for facts r. fasts p. 81. l. 35. for Antichrist r. Antichrists p 84. l. 35. for conscience of some r. conscience of sinne p. 85. l. 18. put out not in the title of the Chap. p. 96. l. 34. for tollerent reade tolerent A TRIPLE ANTIDOTE AGAINST CERtaine very common Scandalles of this time which like infectious and epidemicall diseases haue generally annoyed most sorts of people amongst vs poisoned also not a fewe and diuers wayes plagued and afflicted the whole State CHAP. I. Containing the names natures and manifold kinds and differences of Excommunication EXcommunication beeing the highest censure of all Ecclesiasticall power from which the other two of Subscription and the Crosse with all such decent and profitable ceremonies doe naturally arise and the lawfulnes and necessity of these latter depending for the most part vpon the former I haue placed the same in the forefront as it were of those many battels and encounters which by all kind of people almost in this complayning and murmuring age haue beene made against them all but especially against the trueth power and vse of excommunication Which according to the name and nature thereof I haue first of all endeuoured to define after this manner Namely as the word expoundeth it selfe Excommunication in the most generall sense and acception thereof is nothing els but a separation from some common benefite of which any formerly haue beene Excommunicatio a communi bono separatio or otherwise might haue been partakers which is the common receiued definition by the Schooles and Canons Which being somewhat too generall for our purpose after certaine diuisions of these larger termes wee hope at the length to comprise the full summe and substance thereof in as short a compasse as so great a matter may be These common benefites and priuiledges therefore enioyed in this life being either Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill this terme of Excommunication hath beene alwaies by all sufficient writers restrained to those speciall graces and fauours which belong properly to the Church and so this censure is to be defined accordingly to be a debarring and separation from the Church which also being either visible or inuisible the trueth and nature of this excommunication must be in like manner examined and distinguished to be a separation from the visible or inuisible Church Of which distinction sundry reasons may be giuen which briefly may be comprised in these two positions from which many more particulars may easily be collected first that the knowledge order and proceeding in either of these kindes are very much differing both in respect of the persons censuring accusing or offending as also of the defaults and punishments thereunto belonging the one being alwaies certaine after one manner because God as Augustine well obserueth who is the high Iudge in that priuy Court doth see all things euermore as they are and iudgeth accordingly by his present mercy and present iustice taking all actions and persons as he findeth them and so his word and ministry thereof with all other meanes belonging to this Excommunication proceed by the same order and degree the other very variable from the visible Church and vncertaine Primo secundum praescientiam 2. Causam 3. Operationem 4. retributionem sol 2047. taking knowledge and giuing order for personall causes according to particular allegations and proofes as they say which Hugo de sanct in his booke de Sacramentis legis naturalis scriptae doeth more largely expresse making foure kindes of iudgements Secondly because one and the selfe same person may be admitted and allowed for a communicant in the one which happily hath no interest nor fellowship in the other and so contrarily the same persons may by course and order of lawes and proceeding in some cases be remoued from some part of the visible Church which keepe their place firme and sure in the inuisible as 1. Timothy Chap. 5. verse 24. and 2. Samuel Chap. 16. verse 7. is plainely auouched that God seeth not as man seeth and that some mens sinnes goe before vnto iudgement and some follow after Now this Excommunication from the inuisible Church is onely infallibly known and exercised by God who alone knoweth who are his 2. Tim. chap. 2. vers 19. And how at all times euery one standeth or falleth to himselfe the great master of all Rom. 14. vers 4. yet hath hee appointed certaine persons to whome a speciall commission is directed to proceede in this inward and high Court of conscience and by which speciall meanes as by certaine signes and best coniectures the knowledge of euery one his estate and freeholde as it were in the inuisible Church and true fellowship with God and his Saints may be discerned which meanes the learned haue called voluntatem signi being indeed signa voluntatis subordinate to that infallible prescience and predestination of God by which together with these signes and meanes which for that end are prepared and appointed by God all are deliuered from their miserable estate and fellowship with the diuell and Church malignant and receiued into this inuisible Church and company whosoeuer they are that are at any time so receiued as Saint Augustine in many places learnedly sheweth which signes and meanes specified in the word of God and commonly called and vnderstood by those generall graces of faith and repentance being found in any or testified by any outward signes to those Commissaries of God as I may so terme them aboue named so farre as they can or ought to iudge according to their rites of commission and proceeding to be in any or otherwise to be wanting so are they iudged and allowed for meete partakers and communicantes with that heauenly society being qualified thereunto by the former graces or els to be wholly vnworthy and out of the same and so being admitted or excluded by these stewards Gods ministers whome God hath appointed and none other as shall be shewed hereafter to deale in that high Court of his or pronounced priuately or more openly so to be whatsoeuer they shall doe in that behalfe according to the tenour of their commission and order of their court roules which is the truth and scope of holy scriptures shall be ratified and confirmed in heauen both for the pardon of sinne which is the kingdom of grace in this life Ioh. 20. vers 23. and the full state of glory for euer in heauen Mat. 16. vers 19. In regard whereof this excommunication from the inuisible Church so farre foorth as it may be awarded or any way iudicially proceeded in by man Definitio excommunicationis ab inuisibili ecclesia may thus be described to bee that part of the power of the keyes whereby vpon the signes and euidences of infidelity heresie irrepentance or such like euery true minister doth pronounce any to be in the state of Gods wrath and out of the fellowship and communion of Saints Which power albeit Saint Augustine
to the spirit of grace which by this special meanes and ministry of the Church offereth such reconciliation for whome the Apostle there witnesseth that there remaineth no more such sacrifice for that their sinne as vnto whome Hebrewes 6. vers 4 it were not conuenient as some expound the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that this kind of repentance or penance a part for the whole Caietanus in tertiam partem Summae Nazianzen ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieroon in Epist Aug. lib. 20. contra Iulianum Pelagianum Confession our daily Baptisme or the consequeÌ„t for all which the Schools and some of the fathers call second Baptisme or absolution should be any more offered by which they might be renewed that is receiued any more into the visible Church which places to be vnderstood and expounded of that inward gift and grace of true repentance which ioyneth alwayes certainly and inseparably to God and the inuisible Church were against the whole course tenour and purport of holy Scriptures which promise reconciliation at all times and admittance againe to euery truly repentant sinner into the inuisible Church whereof God onely and no mortall man can iudge or discerne Howsoeuer in the cases before named they whom such matters do concerne the Gouernours in any part of the visible Church are taught and enioyned by the places before cited to keepe this order and decorum because otherwise there would be no order or distinction at all but the bloud of Christ together with this censure and all other holy administrations would infinitely be prophaned of all desperate sinners who would make no more of this matter but to sinne and be absolued againe which were not onely troublesome to the ministers but much more preiudiciall to the peace and safety of any Church and therefore God himselfe is said Heb. 12. vers 17. in the matter of Esau his refusall and putting off from his birthright that he found at Gods hands nor his fathers then Gods immediate minister in this behalfe any place for repentance that i for the recouery of that outward fauour which yet was a further pledge and Sacrament as it were of better things for â—f his speciall saluation as no man can iudge so this place hath no meaning And more especially for Cain his marke about which the learned write and differ so much and driuing from Gods face as neuer to be admitted againe into the visible Church howsoeuer for procreations sake God the only Iudge then Ecclesiasticall Ciuil spared his life And indeed so farre is this place or any of the other before alledged or any where to be found in the old or newe Testament from giuing any signes or directions to any particular persons or Church in generall to take knowledge or giue iudgement of any to haue committed the sinne against the holy Ghost as that I thinke no humane censure hath euer had any warrant or permission from any part of Gods word so much as to inquire or to take any knowledge thereof being only known to God himselfe as abouesaid who alone knoweth who they be that will continue in finall impenitency vnto the end Howbeit for that other exposition besides these former examples of the Iewes and God himself in the cases of Cain and Esau it may be obserued to be the practise of all politique proceedings such as this practise particular in Excommunication is in which it is most solemne and generall not to suffer their fauours pardons and indulgences too often to be abused for so we see that notorious offenders formerly branded for their often outrages are not permitted by our Lawes to claime the benefit of common pardons So in the second booke of the Institutions for the Canon law Cap. de remission poenitentijs Solemnis poenitentià ve dilescat Ecclesiae authoritas iterari non debet and Saint Paul himselfe commaunded Titus cap. 3. vers 10. to giue ouer as the Greeke word importeth reasoning or dealing in this kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with any foule heretick after certaine admonitions and censures vsed for his recouery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the same place aboue named And so much for the true and proper ends of Excommunication with the speciall kinds and degrees thereof Now follow certaine questions in the next Chapter to be considered of which happely may better explane some things in these former chapters which yet haue beene purposely set downe for the more easie discerning and full discussing of the same CHAP. III. Containing answers to certaine questions and obiections made by diuers of these times against some particulars in the managing and executing this great censure of Excommunication THE questions vsually made and obiected diuersly by the manifold exceptors against the trueth and power of this Excommunication may be reduced to these speciall heads as they follow in order to be handled First how farre this censure as it is Ecclesiasticall may extend it selfe being as some merry gentlemen and quaint Lawyers of latter time haue in reproche thereof cast foorth a bottomlesse gulfe which they nor any other could euer sound nay yet the originall and ground from whence both it and all Episcopall power do proceed especially as they are exercised now adayes in most places of the world To which I answer first that if they could be as wel contented to giue vnto Christ that which is his by the power of the spirituall sword which should cause this acknowledgement as they are enforced by temporal Lawes and power to giue vnto Caesar that which is due vnto him they would neuer occupy their heads and tongues with such questions sauoring strongly of disdain and enuie if not palpable ignorance in this cleere light of the the Gospell for in a word this power of theirs is as well from aboue as any other subordinate power vnder Christ who being the great Bishop of soules hath appointed his holy ministery and annoynted them with speciall grace and power for the gouernement of soules by all those outward meanes of dispensing the word in any kind or manner giuing the sacraments admitting into the Church vpon confession and acknowledgement of the true faith and shutting out for the renouncing the same absoluing and receiuing them againe vpon repentance professed and such like in any of the parts of this Excommunication besides which God hath made proper to this function as hath beene aboue declared And so not only that speciall power and commission to deale with the conscience and inward man in all matters appertayning to the visible Church is appropriated to this ministery and euery particular annointed with the least part of that holy oile but also a kind of externall power and iurisdiction properly also Ecclesiastical respecting all the meanes abouesayde and all other things which directly and immediatly concerne the soule and the meanes for the peace safety and well ordering the same in the kingdome of grace and preparing
Saint Iude seemeth to imploy vers 22. 23 commaunding to put this wise difference taking pitty of some and pulling othersome out of the fire according also to that generall rule which may be the ground of both these answers 2. Cor. 13. v. 10 God hath giuen this power to saue and not to destroy and so vpon Mat. 13. v. 29. the learned haue obserued three bad kinds of Excommunication comparatiuely to those eradications there spoken of Festinata Suspitiosa Damnosa which they thus expound namely damnosa Excommunicatio quando multitudo est in causa vel princeps nisi fuerit causa manifesta redundans in iniuriam ecclesiae as Saint Augustine obserueth the same quod aliquandò sunt tolerandi mali pro pace ecclesiae quando timetur de schisenate adding aliud est quod docemus aliud quod sustinemus For so may this Excommunication be well and fitly likened vnto a sword or physick which are neuer to be vsed but vpon great occasion and when those that haue skill how to vse them see it fit and needfull especially for this strongest kind of potion as I may so terme it which onely is to be vsed in desperate diseases And therefore the gouernours of the Church immediate ministers and awarders of this censure respecting with a wise eye and foresight when this physicke and last remedy may be profitable behouefull obserue many times that milder meanes of more graue and temperate admonitions and increpations to serue turne towards some persons to whome being wise as the prouerb is a word may be sufficient and many times better then this great blowe of Excōmunication Which further no immediate minister thereof vnder Christ priuately or more publickly in any state-administration is bound continually and without respect or difference to denounce and put in vse and execution but as they shall find and iudge it most profitable for that whole Church wherein they are Iudges and Commissioners or that speciall person or persons who may incur and deserue the same which being once discerned and vpon sufficient and mature deliberation resolued vpon it ought to passe against all that liue in the Church princes or potentates as well as others without respect of persons except onely which is the last reseruation in this case with strong hand they be openly withstood or iustly feared so to be which in another kinde was Dauid his case sometimes when in his wise foresight and most iust griefe and godly indignation withall he cryeth out 2. Sam. 3. cap. vers 39. The sonnes of Zeruiah are too strong for me Lastly I answer to the second part of this grand obiection that in respect of the last kind of Excommunication which we called for distinction sake Ciuil so far soorth as this censure hath beene at any time strengthned immediatly by ciuill Lawes and authority or the gouernours of any Church themselues haue had any delegate power committed vnto them for that purpose no chiefe Magistrate howsoeuer he be termed in monarchicall or any other state is any further subiect to it then as himselfe who is the fountaine of all externall power and such kind of proceedings shall thinke good for any iust cause and respect eyther of his owne good or peace or well ordering of his state to submit himselfe thereunto as the manner of our Kings of England is and euer hath beene in matters of common iustice to yeeld themselues to the order of Lawes as well as other their subiects and so are many times impleaded in their owne courts which if they should refuse no humane power by Gods word hath any authority to bring them into order either of any of those Ciuill courts or those other which for the constitutions and processe therein we haue called Ecclesiasticall Quest 2 The second question and obiection is framed by the selfesame Authors and sundry others peruerted rather then instructed by these masters why this censure of Excommunication and the key of all Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in generall is not common to euery minister but made proper and peculiar to Bishops their Chancellors and Officialls or any other to whom more improperly in their iudgements it doth appertaine To which I answer that so far foorth as this Excommunication seperateth any from the inuisible Church it equally still belongeth to euery minister of what degree and guift soeuer as well as the administration of the word and Sacraments which are outward meanes in like manner to testifie vnto any their communion or separation from the true Catholike Church which is onely seene of God but for the other two later kinds of Excommunication which are properly politique and exercised euermore by some company liuing vnder forme and order of Lawes as all other of that nature they may no more properly or conueniently belong vnto euery minister then that euery Citizen should be Ruler and Magistrates at the least in free Citties or that euery Counsellor or Lawyer should bee Iustice of peace or that euery one should be the master father or first borne and so beare all kind of rule in euery familie Whence it is that Christ himselfe Math. 18. referreth matters criminall and of politique consideration such as no priuate meanes could reforme first of all to the Church Discipline by which as we haue aboue noted nothing els can be meant then that power in whose hand soeuer for orders sake and better execution by the designment and appointment of any particular Church it may rest by which any person or persons shall in the name of the same Churches proceede in this censure or any other of the like nature as we reade of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 5. v. 4. and 2. Thess 3. v. 14. writing to a certaine company to bee gathered together amongst the rest of the Corinthians for this end and purpose to take knowledge of such criminall and other kindes of causes which might require any such Ecclesiasticall censure and more speciall to the Thessalonians willing disordered persons to be noted by some letter or Epistle as worthy to be deferred to some further knowledge and iudgement as without which such noting and all other Ecclesiasticall obseruing were to smal or no purpose Wherefore the same Apostle 1. Cor. cap. 12. v. 28. speaking of all Church affayres and publique administrations maketh some to be Gouernours as well as others to be pastors and teachers of Gods people Sic 1. Tim. 5. v. 17. verè ruling Elders sensu vero genuine And herein neuer as yet did any iudicious Diuine stand much vpon it whether these Church Magistrates be termed Bishops Elders Chauncellors or by any other such like name or degree which the Church and chiefe Magistrate shall put in trust and commission for these administrations so long as the things themselues and the substantiall poynts for all Ecclesiasticall proceedings be allowed and maintained by euery chiefe Magistrate as they are proper and euen essentiall to any well ordered Church and necessarily required by Gods
language which was the first and true holy tongue of Canaan wee scarce vnderstand one another in the most common and vsuall things for the building of Gods house except haply in some fewe generall tearmes of repentance faith and the Lords prayer and such like which also are agreed vpon and in generall onely vnderstoode for names sake rather then for any vniforme consent in the vnderstanding and teaching the same but that euery one both Priest and people will haue a trick of teaching and vnderstanding Scriptures and religion of their owne according to their priuate fancies and iudgements whereby they run themselues and others many times vpon the rocks of sundry heresies and schismatical practises too too common amongst vs in so much that wee scarce vnderstand one another but when the minister speaketh of one thing for doctrine or life the people take it and will vnderstand it of some other as in the building of Babell at which Scalliger obserueth one onely word remained to all tongues namely Sack because as he guesseth beeing of so common vse to all euery one caried that with the name and vse thereof with them euē as it is also with vs who onely pronounce haply Gods name aright as beeing the voice of nature and so in name and vse with all the world In which respect it were further to be wished of all that loue and seeke the peace and good of this our Church or any other that the wisedome and most godly care of our state in generall and the gouernours of our Church seeing as we say they cannot curâre de minimis or possibly cauere de omnibus would prouide a more generall forme and maner of vrging and requiring subscription wherin besides those three points in force and vse already it might further be enacted vpon paine of heresy or some other great forfeiture as should seeme best vnto their godly wisedomes that all be bound with as great security to keepe one constant course agreed vpon by the Church according to the Articles of faith agreed vpon in which wee liue in expounding the scriptures translating or expounding their texts discussing an vniuersall controuersie and such like as also for conformity in ceremonies wherein euery one now yong and old please themselues as they list and raigne in their pulpits and priuate parishes according to the motions of their owne wandring braines and that euermore according to the common Translations Articles of faith and formes prescribed and generally agreed vpon by the gouernors of the Church in which wee liue for the time beeing who as by God man it is appointed alwaies iudged most fit should praescribe and binde in such cases all vnder them that considering the manifold inconueniences which daily arise and breake forth for the want of this to the offence of euery man of all sortes and no lesse aduantage to the aduersaries of true religion But especially that none presume or by any meanes bee permitted to deale in this publique sort or priuate also if it might be preuented in any thing controuersed amongst our selues our neighbour Churches tending any way to opposittion about any matter of our doctrine or gouernment or cōrouersies buried or indiscussed as yet by the Church it selfe without the priuity and allowance at the least or rather commandement of such as are in authority for the maintaining of this vniformity and publike peace of the Church setled amongst vs. Remembring that graue councell and determination herein by Melanchton in his Theologicall councels Pag. 223. Part 2. Nec vult Deus dissipationes fieri infinitas proinde conuenire vult Ecclesiae doctores vt vna doctrinae vox audiatur in quaque Ecclesia Nehem. 13. cap. vers 25. And that worthy precedent for religion and wise gouernment Nehemias with whom I will conclude this first reason who cursed and punished those that spake halfe of Ashdod and halfe of their owne language and chased all strangers from the house of the Lord. The second reason of this necessitie of Subscription is for the discerning and examining how certaine persons of whom more speciall care is to be taken are disposed and affected to the present state established and the generall proceedings thereof wherin because no state is able to prouide for all particulars they haue ben vsually reduced in our Church to those three which of all others were adiudged to be most needfull and behoouefull for the state present The first in regard of that dangerous doctrine and very common defection and separation therupon of many a liege subiect otherwise against the Princes most lawfull supremacie that by meanes of this Subscription at the least such as might draw others into the like errours should shew their detestation of such a dangerous doctrine and opinion The second in regard of that Anabaptisticall fury which possessed whole multitudes amongst vs not long since and raged very fearefully for the time in the minds and practises of many holding teaching that our orders for Gods seruice set formes of prayers in general euē not without blasphemy of the Lords prayer it selfe were not to be allowed as being vnfit for these times of grace and much derogatory from those spirituall sacrifices required since that fulnesse of grace and prerogatiue of the Spirit and aboundance thereof vpon the Church For meeting with which inconuenience the second article concerning the book of common prayer was thought necessary to be vrged against Brownisme and all the points and branches thereof vnto both which the third also was found as requisite and needfull to be adioyned for the lawfulnes and sufficiencie of the ordinatiō of ministers amongst vs which as yet very many dāgerously stumble at indeed is thought to be the onely true and most common rocke of offence in this their separation and that as well in regard of Papists which generally hold that we haue no true ministery or Minister in England as also of many amongst the other Anabaptisticall sort and faction that maintaine openly the making of Ministers to be proper to God the spirit so was subiect to no human power much lesse to that which our State inuesteth in the Bishops Ecclesiastical power established amongst vs as the immediate meanes vnder God for that purpose Insomuch as euen vnto this day the greatest maisters of opposition to the Bishops calling them plants that God neuer planted and such like condemne them and much more others for nothing so much as taking vpon them this power and which in my opinion and best obseruation in many is the maine and greatest rock of offence hindering the subscription of many at this time and haue for their parts made no more of any such orders and power giuen them by the Bishops then as they haue not spared in my hearing although long since blasphemously to say of a pasport frō a master theefe to passe through Stāgat hole or some such theeuish place or by a bribe to
doth the word of God come out from them onely 1. Cor. 14.36 but beeing as all other men subiect to their falles howsoeuer neither thēselues nor any other their fauourers delight to tell Quid faciunt in other things and doceant also which is many times worst of all as well as Quid patiuntur must likewise endure the censure of the time and their speciall punishments awarded as well as other men Now that these men may haue some reasōs giuen and affoorded why they may safely subscribe as well as the gouernours of the Church may ought to vrge the same vpon them I haue reserued somewhat to the last place as I promised for this end Wherein first wee will remoue some difficulties vsually pretended in this action of obedience and then declare how in effect they daily doe as much or haue already by their daily practises more then in this subscription is required at their hands For the first they must all know that the thing required in subscription is their obedience rather and good affection to the state and allowance of the maine things established amongst vs then any their particular knowledge and examination of so many particulars which doe not so much indeede concerne them to know much lesse to inquire so farre into them whose best wisedome and safety for their consciences were in matters of this nature so long as no manifest sinne may appeare therein for then a separation were necessary to rest themselues vpon that which is commanded and the wisedome and decrees of those vnder whose gouernment and authority they liue For besides that this were many waies more safe for their consciences and would cut off many lets and hinderances which on the other side are cast into the way of the manifold dueties of their speciall callings it would very well become men of their sort to haue so reuerent an opinion of so many waighty and graue constitutions deuised and appointed by so many learned heads after such long experience and precedents from all Churches in the world to yeelde themselues with heart and hand and to giue their good allowance to the same that at the least they are lawfull and wholsome and such as doe no way crosse and contrary the word of God And to say with him that read ouer a booke and vnderstood but few things therein Quae intellexi bona Laertius in Socratis vita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credo etiam quae non intellexi for being things at the most doubtfull and controuersed betwixt them and the reuerend Fathers any reasonable man would thinke it more fit that these inferiors should come in and yeelde themselues rather then these superiors whose reasons and consciences are perswaded to be as good and better because better informed and furnished with iudgement and knowledge then theirs Neither may the pillars of the earth as Iob speaketh that is auncient constitutions and determinations of men in place be forsaken and pulled downe for their sakes who are but of yesterday and so I conclude this with that worthy speech of Arnobius in a higher matter against the Gentiles Superciliosa nimis res est quando ipse sit non tuus Lib. 1. contra Gentes in aliena etiamnum possessione verseris potentioribus dare conditionem velle vt id fiat quod tu velis non quod inueneris antiquis constitutionibus fixum Secondly if any thing be hard in the iudgement of these refusers it may either be conuinced to be simply wicked and then no doubt it should be forborne or altered or they might and ought to depart or els doubtfull and disputable and then by better discussing the points and information thereupon the most tenderest of them might be satisfied if they would seeke and hearken to the meanes as the Bishops of euery Diocesse according to the appointmēt of our worthy Soueraigne haue yeelded time and meanes enough for their satisfaction in any thing they may haue iust cause to take exception against For the other reason that they doe dayly subscribe by word and practise how els doe they say Amen to our Leitourgies and to our orders of common praier whereat they refuse not to be present much more how can they be content by their practises to haue liued as ministers hitherto vnder that gouernment and particulars therein to which now they dare not subscribe and set their hands whereas by their former practises they had done so many a yeare together and so would doubtlesse by their word and profession now but that some other sinister causes I feare draweth and haleth them another way And so to conclude this point I desire all to remember that wise speech of that graue Senator in Valerius Maximus prophecying of Rome that then should be the end of that Empire when the superiors should forget to rule as beseemed them and inferiors to obey in all things which doth euermore best become them and without the which there would be no better then Nomadum vita Euripides in Phaenissis where as Euripides saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the very Image of hell it selfe death and the graue where as Iob saith Chap. 10. vers 22 there is no order but light is there as darknesse To answer yet a little more fully the obiections made against subscription and to giue the best satisfaction we can to the weake or wilfull standers out vpon the vrging thereof and so many vniustly offended thereupon I desire al with indifferency to reade that which I haue thought necessary to adioyne here following as a supplement to our former considerations thereof as well shewing what small cause the one side hath for their standing out being offended thereat as also the great equity and euen absolute necessity for the most precise requiring the same in any well ordered estate First therefore to shew that it bindeth none to beare false witnesse to say yea and nay of the same thing so to intangle and inwrap weake consciences with manifold scruples and difficulties In his plea pag. 203. which is the summe of Master Nichols and all his complices opposing themselues against it we say first that nothing contained in those Articles to which Subscription is required is any way against the rule and Canon of faith and manners which are the very pith substance of all the word of God for as for all our doctrine there is nothing generallie maintained in all the Articles of our Church which directly crosseth any portion of scripture examined by those two former rules nor yet containeth or alloweth any blasphemy heresie Idolatry or superstition or any iniustice in them against the second table but wholsome Lawes are made against them all both Ecclesiasticall Ciuill and are euery way sutable for the generall contents thereof with that Harmony of confessions which was not many yeeres since agreed vpon by all reformed Churches as I presume these refusers neither can nor will deny and all that euer
and many other matters the people being led chiefly by the outward senses and orders customably obserued Lastly whereas some obiect that our doctrine and ceremonies are contrary the one to the other and that willingly which all confesse and yeeld vnto they would subscribe to our doctrine and all the Articles of our faith but not vnto the ceremonies it seemeth to me very strange and much repugnant to the rules of true Diuinity which teache that euermore to be good for practise which is true and sound for conscience and iudgement Now our doctrine being allowed for good and currant which doubtlesse is as well about ceremonies as any other head and point of doctrine I cannot see any iust cause for the standing out against the one more then the other and indeed howsoeuer the doctrine of faith which is according to those grand rules of faith and manners as Hierome defineth them 1. Tim. cap. 4 is truely and soundly taught and maintained all other things about circumstances and ceremonies and speciall practises of any not contrary to the generall rules aboue named cannot goe amisse according to that graue and true iudgement of Augustin Lib. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 4. Vbi bene creditur non male viuitur And for things doubtfull and controuersed which euermore will remaine in the best reformed Church whatsoeuer either for doctrine or practise the Decrees of euery speciall Church for their times ought to preuaile with euery well minded and affected person to God his Church For the further resoluing and concluding whereof and this whole treatise I desire all to reade that which Melancton hath set downe pag. 501. and 502 of the first part of his theological Councels part whereof I haue thought fit and necessary to set downe and adde as a Colophonem to all the rest Haec cum constituta sunt in Ecclesia potestatem esse interpretandi ambigua eamque pertinere ad plures hoc est ad Sinodos sequitur Sinodorum sententias amplectendas esse tanquam certas non labefactandas Frustra enim esset potestas datae iudicandi si liceret perpetuo aduersari Nulla est politia in qua non sit aliqua vox legum interpres inuiolahilis Si ea maiestas tribuitur imperis quia diuinitus constituta sunt Deus voluit Magistratum hac potestate Iudicandi munitum esse cur non Ecclesia magis haberet potestatem authoritatem inuiolabilem quae longe superat imperia maiestate Denique concussa Sinodorum autoritare refractis his repagulis quo modo petulantia ingeniorum coerceri poterit Nullus in ecclesia seditionum finis erit si ea quae vetustas summa grauitate decreuit cauillari licebit Multae sunt causae quae deletis veterum testimonijs magnos possint tumultus excitare vt quaestio de infantū Baptismo de verbo Ioannis primo an significat personam pleraque alia Valeat igitur in ecclesia rerum iudicatarum autoritas Agnoscamus promissiones quae testantur piorum congressus iudicia gubernari diuinitus Discat populus reuerentiam ecclesiae illis piorum Doctorum congressibus deberi qui ingentibus certaminibus defenderunt caelestem doctrinam Haec sunt vtilia tranquilitati communi Nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parit aeternas dilacerationes vastitatem Ecclesiarum And this which I wish imprinted in euery brest being put last that it might be lesse lost Epist ad Luci. and first and for euer remembred proceeding from old Hierome that bos lassus solet figere pedem firmius CHAP. I. Intreating of the lawfulnesse and necessity of Ceremonies in generall in all solemne publicke and more especially all holy administrations whatsoeuer and how farre the magistrates authority may stretch for the determining of any to be vsed in particular AMongst so many idle vncharitable and vnnecessary exceptions by many against sundry particulars established for Church gouernment and the ordering and performing the publique seruice of God amongst vs there is one more generally carped at and misliked then any other namely the signe of the Crosse which hath beene so much obserued in our administration of Baptisme and noted to containe Idolatry heresie and manifest impiety or at the least great superstition and manifould occasions of the greatest and yet most necessary and vnauoydable offence to all both good and bad Which as some haue publiquely and too too scandalously termed Crux infaelix so hath it by Gods iust iudgements thorough some weaknesse or wilfulnesse vpon the vrging thereof too too truely fallen out to the iust harts griefe of many and much garboyle and dissipation in our Church For the clearing of which exceptions and satisfying the offended therewith I could commend many things out of ancient writers and learned discussers of this point and more especially that answer of learned Cassander albeit in some things iustly to be refused to seuerall obiections made against the ceremonies in baptisme vsed by most Churches and the solemne administration thereof but because no authority of any new or old nor yet any Councel in gnomicall cases more particularly appropriated and euermore applyable to the present time nor yet any weight of reason and argument can draw some from their prepossessed opiniōs resolues to the contrary and some scripture holds of theirs ill vnderstood and worse applyed against the true and lawfull vse of this ceremony I will indeauor to set downe by way of position obiection and answers whatsoeuer I thinke may either declare the lawfulnesse of this Crosse or els answer any obiection to the contrary For the which this position is in the first place to be set downe as to which all sorts of Christian professors in the world haue euermore agreed and subscribed vntill of late some bold spirits which dare set vpon any thing haue encountered this grand position and Maxime in all state proceedings namely that there is no nation of Christian name so barbarous but that in the administration of their baptisme publique or priuate some decent rites and ceremonies seruing for orderly and comely performing of the same haue beene inuented vsed and retained by them ouer and besides such things as are directly prescribed for the administration thereof by holy scriptures As Bellarmine obiecteth and we neuer denied to the Lutherans Lib. 1. de Sacramentis cap. 24. de ceremoniis Baptismi Zuinglians and such like that vrge abrenuntiation and vse other such like ceremonies which both for reuerence to the ancient Churches the mothers of vs all that vse the same and obedience to that Church wherein we liue besides charity which we ow to our neighbor Churches at least for our opinions if not for our practise are most reuerently to be esteemed of vs and which may further serue as Cassander sheweth to declare the vertue In Respons ad obiectiones contra ceremonias in baptismo vsitatas and commend the dignity and state thereof in this holy administration besides many other reasons
there rendred by him to the simpler sort Insomuch as the great obseruer of state-proceedings aswell Ciuill as especially Ecclesiasticall Melancton wrote these words with great aduice no doubt to one Loneras a very scrupulous exceptor and seuere and hasty censurer of his neighbour Churches Nunquam poterit esse tranquillitas nisi in ritibus dissimilibus adde etiam dissimulanda aliqua infirmitate aequitatem moderationem adhibebimus mihi crede nobis etiam illi multa condonat And indeed besides the former reasons euen nature and common reason doe vrge and call for the same it being all one in a manner to see a naked body without clothes as any such solemnity for sacred or Ciuill administration without ceremony And therefore as the Schooles say well that circumstances doe cloath the humane actions for the morality thereof be they good or bad so outward rites and seemly ceremonies giue the beauty true decency to the same Which being most requisite in all publiques for their better grace according to their grauity and auoyding all contempt which otherwise doth easily follow such proceedings so most of all in Gods seruice whose house and euery the least meanes of his presence with vs and our dealing with him holynesse becommeth for euer and all decency is too little In which respect the Apostle himselfe doth not only leaue it arbitrarie to the Church of Corinth and so to other Churches to doe and see all things done in comelinesse and order much lesse directeth and prescribeth thereby how things already precisely and particularly commanded in the word for euery circumstance and euery ceremony ought to be mannaged and performed as some of late are bould to interpret and define the meaning of the words to be so and no otherwise but indeed as the text sheweth and common reason conuinceth commandeth and enioyneth the gouernors of that Church and so of euery particular Church to appoint and ordaine all such things as by the iudgement of such gouernours and not of euery priuate humor or fancy might best make for the comely ordering all things in publique performable to God as also for the greatest edifying of the whole Church first and then of euery particular member thereof Implying that without ceremonies and outward accomplements there were no comlinesse in any of our actions which without the same were like bare walles without any seeling varnish or painting Secondly that without order this colour and beauty of ceremonies is no better then a fayre face or sweete complexion with a most mishapen and monstrous body Lastly all such meanes be they neuer so seemly and so orderly are little worth vnlesse they be referred to edification the end of all no more then a sweet sauour and most comely proportion do profit one that hath an Atrophia or hectick feauer and consumption in his bones that no one part can doe his office or right vse for the good of the whole body For indeed to speake with the Apostle doth not very nature common reason and experience teache that as Aristotle long since obserued no speciall rules can euer be giuen I may say with truth and reuerence by God or man in writing In the sixt book of Ethicks or any other meanes of direction whereby this comlinesse and good order for edification may generally be giuen for all particulars which are infinite and accordingly continually practised for all times Countries Churches and congregations alike but that which is thought and is comely in one and so may serue for order and edifying to the same is not so nor can be so to another besides that as the Apostle saith we haue no such custome 1. Cor. 11.16 which many times in any politick body becommeth another nature as we say as well as in the state of any naturall body I intimating that most of these things for outward ceremony tending to comlinesse order are very much determined and ouerswayed by custome Augustinus Epistol 118. 119. as in those two famous Epistles for this purpose of Ambrose to Augustine and Augustine againe to Ianuarius doth very plainly and plentifully appeare And lastly to end this point of ceremonies in generall Magistrates Ecclesiasticall are not only bound to make wholsome Lawes determining many particulars and the right vse thereof for the ends aboue named but also all such Lawes and constitutions made by them not repugnant to any part of Gods word whether originally inuented and deriued from the primitiue Church or more lately and particularly deuised since for any more speciall forme of gouernment by the immediate magistrates thereof both for quality and in some good proportion of equality also aswell bind all liuing vnder those gouernments Ecclesiastical or Ciuil to a due respect and obedience thereunto as the ceremoniall and Iudaicall Lawes did bind the Iewes for those times or any Ecclesiastical Lawes and traditions made by the Apostles themselues as 1. Cor. 11.2 and that by vertue of the fift commaundement which tyeth all to obey in such indifferent points which afterward becommeth necessary to euery subiect neither must the Church now looke for immediate oracles or Apostolicall directions and extraordinary assistance and reuelations for the ordering euery particular as at the first founding of Christian societies vnder Moses and the Apostles vntill all things were fully setled for the legall seruice state of Churches vnder the Gospel at what time God was pleased himselfe to be superintendent King and Priest for both gouernments before there was any setled forme in the world vnder the Law or Gospel and so many things were extraordinarily carried by the Apostles as in Simon Magus Ananias and the excommunicated person giuen ouer to Satan and euen Moses himselfe in sundry punishments for the breach of the Saboth and such like by speciall counsell and directions from Gods voice and spirit speciall for those times But the gouernors of the Church them selues hauing now the spirit and word of God together Esay 59. v. 21. and so many precedents of Christian Churches for all state deliberations and proceedings may and ought to the end of the world determine of all such meanes within the compasse of Gods word as they shall iudge to serue best for their seuerall times and states to comlinesse order and edification of the whole Church or any part thereof as in the treatise of Subscription we haue more specially shewed CHAP. II. Shewing of the Crosse and findeth it to be of it selfe in the number of indifferent and lawfull ceremonies yea and in the right vse thereof necessary also being once commanded by the Magistrate NOw in the second place this position I hope shall be found and allowed to be as true that not only amongst the tolerable conuenient but most seemly orderly and edifying ceremonies of the Church the signe of the Crosse in speciall may very lawfully and safelie be reckoned and esteemed The truth whereof may thus appeare first because the vse of it in
baptisme as it is amongst vs is not against any speciall commandement of God by which all our actions and particulars in vse are to be examined iustified or condemned Secondly because it is very agreeable to comely order both generally and more speciall for the matter of baptisme and so consequently very fit and profitable and in some cases also necessary for the edification of the Church Lastly because the vse of it hath beene very ancient and constant euen in the matter of religion in that sense we vnderstand it and expound it throughout the Church of God and thereupon also adiudged and commanded the rather to be retained of our Church and many best reformed Churches in the world For the first because for the answering of the obiections which is the second part of this treatise it will better appeare I will be the briefer in it and only shew that it is neither against the first second or third commandements but especially the second which this Crosse so much crosseth if these mens iudgements might goe for authenticall expositions of that commandement And indeed that which wise Socrates who diued as far as natures light and strength could giue him into the manifold depths of those two generall differences bonum and malum perceiued to be the hardest taske for all those Doctors to distinguish of good and euill may more truely be auerred of our Diuinity Masters who for want of looking right into this perfect Lawe of liberty which with the Euangelicall harmony are the hardest taskes of our profession put very often euill for good and good for euill and so are so farre to seeke in the right assoyling so many weake ones in cases of conscience as that they not only wound themselues and many others Prou. cap. 17. vers 15. through their peremptory assertions and determinations in cases very doubtfull and difficult but contrary to Salomons rule iustifie the wicked and condemne the innocent which both together are abhominable Insomuch as some worthy Diuines hold yet opinion that all errors schismes and heresies in the world haue still proceeded from the ignorance and misconceiuing and construing of the nature properties of God and sinne discouered in this law Now of those three commandements the first concerneth the hauing and worshipping of the true God and none other the second all meanes to conceiue of him and serue him by and the third the manner how to vse these meanes and to haue and serue this God aright thereby If therefore the vse of the Crosse do neither incounter nor incumber any of these three the aduersaries will surely grant that it is simply and in it selfe neyther against these nor any other commandement of God For the first our doctrine neuer teacheth nor alloweth any of the least part of worship any way to belong to the best creature much lesse to any image of this Crosse which is but a bare signe and of no good thing in it selfe but of a forme and signe made for such a tormenting engine which yet by accident became through Gods permission a meanes of the best things and all good vnto vs howsoeuer it be taken in wood stone or mettall much lesse conceited in the mind or imagined by any fancy by meanes of any transient and aërious signe as ours is Neither must the vse of a thing much lesse any part of the Church of God thereupon in their doctrine or practise be condemned for any particular or accidentall abuse of this Ctosse or any other ceremony so long as the nature of the thing remayneth indifferent and the receiued and maintained doctrine of that Church is against them For so do we teach and so ought all both ministers and people to beleeue detesting all doctrine and abuses to the contrary that this our Crosse either mental aiërous or expressed in any visible forme is so far from hauing any Diuine power in it naturally which is the highest idolatry or transfused from Christ and the Crosse which he hanged vpon and so into all other Crosses accordingly which is a peeuish conceit of the Papists amongst the rest or els infused by any especial promise or grace of God either into the thing it selfe or vpon the best vse of it according to the solemne orders of any Church to that end whereby it hath any power to procure good or turne away euill which many hereticks and idolaters haue giuen vnto it Irenaeus lib. 10. cap 24. de Gnosticis Carpocratianis and doe yet at this day but only hold it to be a bare ceremony inuented by man for other good vses in the Church And for the second commandement we teache and hold in like manner that this Crosse which we vse in any kind or difference is no meanes either to expresse or comprehend God or any person of the Trinity in or vnder it as thereby the better to serue them which is the first thing prouided against in this commandement nay yet to be any meanes at all of Gods worship which ought only to be appointed by himselfe and therefore giueth commandement thereunto and to the obseruers thereof who thereby doe homage vnto God and procure blessings and good things to themselues which is the second thing enioyned by the same and the very summe of cautions giuen touching Gods worship in this second commandement onely our Church retayneth it as an indifferent ceremony as Master Fulke also in the like case answereth to Marshalls reply against Master Calfield about this matter for the vse of this Crosse in the primitiué Church In his answer to the first Article pag. 173. For the third none of the reformed Churches where this Crosse is vsed make it any part of the forme outward or inward or els any meanes of the least part of Gods worship as if without it holy baptisme were not rightly administred or with it were in any respect of God or any power or vse of the Sacrament the better thereby administred all which might incurre some breach of the third commandement but as our Canons explaine themselues the whole matter of the Sacrament for the whole substance matter Second reason forme and manner thereof is perfected and ended before any vse thereof bee once admitted or named For the second reason prouing the lawfulnesse of this ceremony it appeareth from hence because it is very fit and agreeable to the three generall rules prescribed by Saint Paul for all ceremonies to be vsed in the Church namely edification comlinesse and order As for the latter two to be comely and orderly the iudgement commandement and common vse thereof by any Church doe sufficiently argue the same in respect that this signe of the Crosse as aboue shewed is as comely and indeed more fit for the ceremonies of Baptisme then any other And is not only generally commanded and that aboue other ceremonies as being of most auncient vse in most of the Churches in the world so iudged more befitting this
English nation I presume none will refuse them in this or any other argument the one making the Crosse an indifferent ceremonie and in regard of some of the reasons aboue rehearsed of good and necessary vse whose particular words for one place amongst the rest I thinke good to set downe out of his answer and Reioynder to Martiall his reply Article 5. pag. 173 The Christians among the Pagans marked themselues with the signe of the Crosse in token that they professed him that was crucified afterward to put themselues in mind of the death of Christ In controuersia de baptismo these were tollerable vses of an indifferent ceremony The other of Docter Whitakers in his last readings almost that euer he had in the vniuersity of Cambridge which many heard as well as my selfe auouching that not only the signe of the Crosse but also salt hony and oyle might very safely be vsed in the administration of baptisme without conscience of some if there were the like reason to vs for the vse thereof as was to those speciall primitiue Churches or else the gouernors of any Church should iudge the same fit or requisite to be vsed And thus much for the reasons shewing the lawfulnesse fitnesse and good vse of the Crosse to which I will adde the excellent conclusion of Cassander in the place aboue named Hoc tantum hoc loco efficere voluimus antiquissimas has lōgo vsu confirmatas caeremonias quae citra impietatem seruari possunt non esse temere insectandas nec pertinaciter violandas nec earum causa Ecclesias in quibus adhuc earum vsus retinetur perturbandas sed ex Christiana charitate pacis vnitatis studio obseruandas adhibitis his cautionibus vt superstitionis periculosae siquid immineat occurratur nihilominus huius Sacramenti institutio vsus mysterium fidelibus studiose explicetur amplissime commendetur vt Christo suus ex fide honos Ecclesiae sua ex charitate reuerentia tribuatur CHAP. IIII. Examining and answering those many reasons which are vsually alledged against the Crosse or any other such ceremonies to be simply wicked and to be not in themselues and in their owne nature vtterly vnlawfull NOw it followeth to consider of such reasons as haue beene vsually and of late more especially obiected against it and the vse of it in our Church the which for order sake may thus be deuided Namely to be such as would argue it to be vtterly vnlawfull in it owne nature euery way or els respectiuely and by accidentall abuse and scandall thereupon since first it hath beene deuised and vsed in the Church and Sacrament of Baptisme Of the first kind the first and worst of all I thinke is that strange assertion broched by some of late sort but originally deriued from the Manichees sometimes but in a more scholer-like sort cause taken vp by that learned Lutheran Illiricus that nothing in the world for choyce or vse and whole nature of it is indifferent to any but either simply and particularly forbidden or commanded and so not only the crosse but all other ceremonies inuented by man and orders in ciuill things for any good vse in the Church especially or common wealth to be vtterly vnlawful To which a double answer may be rendred First that the very ground of this kind of building is very sandy vnsound taking away and euen abolishing the very nature of things and order of Gods creation whereas the trueth is both many actions of men much more the quality and condition of some things in themselues are neither good nor bad but indifferent and so are left to mans choice or refusall so that if he do them or do them not vse them or vse them not more or lesse no conscience of sinne as Luther speakes out of Augustine can arise from them Mat. 15. such are to vse or not to vse this or that meate drinke or apparrell which defile not the man to exercise this or that kind of recreation and to doe the one and not the other or none of them both oftner or more seldome longer or lesse while and such like Yea in morall and will actions themselues to giue thus much or thus little to that man rather then another as acts of curtesie and gratuity and such like a thousand Ecclesiasticall also as singing ceremonies more or lesse In Opusculis Insomuch as some and euen master Beza himselfe not without good shew of trueth and reason for it haue spoken and written the cleane contrary and made all actions whatsoeuer in themselues to be neither good nor bad but indifferent as the actes of the foulest sinnes murther and adultery in the matter of warre and extreme punishment and matrimoniall duties are then good and therefore not simply wicked being once clothed with their due circumstances as the Schooles speake which make euery action good or bad The morality whereof Aristotle that great Master maketh to consist in the manner of doing Lib. 2. of his Ethicks and end for which it is done including therein the intent of the doer and due circumstances thereunto belonging Which point being somewhat nyce and easily drawne into abuse I wish should very warily be handled and wisely harkned vnto for feare of that which experience hath shewed in some to cast all hand ouer head as in Iob. 22. and Mala. 3. vers 14. and such like howbeit if their meaning be of any action already done or any thing already vsed as being determined of before in our choice to any end accompanied with circumstances necessarily following the same then we ioyn with them against all indifferency and the disputation were very friuolous and de non ente as we say Secondly we answer that in case such expresse commandement were necessary for euery particular thing action especially in all matters of Gods seruice there is sufficient expresse warrant as we haue aboue shewed for this and other ceremonies to make them good and necessary also being once commaunded ex necessitate mandati at the least vt scholae to be vsed as namely that place in the Corinthians which chargeth the Church gouernors to ordaine all things tending to decencie 1. Cor. 14. v. 26. and 40. compared together order and edifying in the church and not only as these newe Masters would haue it to see all things particularly expressed in the word to be done with such decency and due circumstances according to the speciall commandements of GOD herein which were infinite and so impossible and answerably all vnder authority to obey and vse the same for otherwise a man might preache in his doublet and hose or any other more disguised apparell for any thing is any where particularlie commanded or forbidden to the contrary And as it is most credibly reported of one of these rather wilfull then weake refusers of our ceremonies in Northhamptonshire that lighting from horseback in trauellers
to our selues so all other deuoide of that word promising aswell as commanding remaine matters of another nature and doe indeed differ essentially which is as we say in Schooles genere definitione So that if we would define those ceremonies and Sacraments we must giue them a Genus aequiuocal from this commandement of GOD as whose nature is in this kind of our conceiuing them now altered to be indeed ordinances of God 1. Cor. 11. as Exo. 12. and Cor. 11. whereas the other are only actions of men or things inuented made choice of by them and so remaine for their proper notion and terme to my mind howsoeuer ordained to holy vses by them that haue authority to separate and determine things to such vses who haue no kind of power to make such ordinances being only to be appointed by GOD as the second commandement prouideth Neither are ill actions in Gods worship or whereby God is better worshipped by vs much lesse signes helpes and meanes therein presently the worship of God it selfe neither yet are all ceremonies actions but whether they be actions gestures or any outward habites ordained and appointed only by man they are no other but helpes only howbeit commanded once by God as the legall ceremonies were the best and greatest of them are but meanes and helpes whereby the better and more easily to worship GOD by and in those such meanes as he hath appointed priuately or publiquely with any power faculty or action of body or soule which are the sole and all the parts of Gods worship from man And lastly I conclude this answer that these ceremonies we speake of are neither in themselues worship of God or any meanes thereof nor yet any strange manner of seruing God so often condemned in holy Scripture with that determination herein of Georgius Cassander in his answer to one that carped at and condemned all ceremonies vsed in baptisme In responsione ad obiectiones contra ceremonias in baptismo vsitatas Alienus modus est colendi Deum qui vel pugnat cum vero culius vel abducit a vero cultu Dei which is a short summe of things forbidden in the second commandement non qui eò institutus est vt homines ad verum Dei cultum ducat ad eius obseruationem informet Nor any other meanes as helpes to our weaknesse are forbidden by Christ in the fifteenth of Mathew vnder these words In vaine doe they worship me Mat. 15. v. 9. teaching for doctrines mens precepts or traditions but onely such as whereby the superstitious heart of man supposeth to please GOD or any way demereri Deum as wee say to procure GODS mercy and goodnesse to vs or whereby as Christ himselfe obiected to the Iewes the commandement of GOD or any part thereof is preiudiced made voide or incumbred not adorned and helped forward as by these we speake of That other reason of being an Image so forbidden by name and in their sense also by the second commandement albeit Peter Martir and Bishop Iewell also as Doctor Fulke remembreth against Sanders about this argument of Images wil not grant the Crosse vsed by vs or els as it was vsed in the primitiue Church to be any Image at al yet because in the largest extent and true signification of the Hebrew word vsed to signifie the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or at the least some such thing forbidden in that commandement we will not as indeed we need not oppose their authority in this point seeing as we haue aboue shewed no such kind of Images are any way forbidden by the true scope and meaning of that commandement in generall or any particular word or clause contained therein or any part of God his word being no waies made nor by any meanes allowed or defended to represent the Godhead or any person of the Trinity or els to be any meanes at all for our better conceiuing or seruing any of them much lesse as to which the least part of diuine worship inward or outward is or ought to be performed or applied which the first commandement directly prouideth against and which I take it is the summe of all our defenses or replies vsed by any of our learned writers for the vse or abuse of the Crosse or against any kind of Images About which I suppose there would neuer haue bin such hot and vnnecessary contention betwixt the East and West Churches of GOD in generall if these things had beene thoroughly considered of and the controuersie it selfe so farre as it may be so truely and in it owne nature termed fully discussed and determined But because I haue in the second Chapter sampled these things together with many particulars of like nature as namely one aboue the rest to paint Deaths head to put vs in mind of Death and to prepare vs thereunto would equally be found vnlawfull by their expositions and exceptions or to write any thing in greater letters for better remembrance of any part of Gods mercies and iudgements And because also the greatnesse of the argument in generall doth deserue of it selfe and through some more speciall and importunate traducements of my selfe by some more seuere censurers of my poore paynes hereabout in another kind wherein I desired to giue satisfaction to this argument may happely vrge me to a more particular consideration and discourse about the same hereafter I will leaue it for this time and come to that other and last reason of this first ranke arguing the vnlawfulnesse of this Crosse simply and in it owne nature which is because being with many other ceremonies most of them artificiall and of mans deuising and withall Ecclesiasticall as we all grant are yet notwithstanding significant to the Church of GOD and of mysticall vse representation and signification there being no warrant or Scripture in particular or generall expresly or by consequence for any such ceremonies To which because I haue answered in a larger discourse which God willing shall not be long from the worlds censure somewhat in examining that cauil exception against our Church how far foorth Matrimony signifieth the mysticall vnion betwixt Christ and his Church as is read in our solemnization thereof I may be a little the briefer herein The argument it selfe standing vpon a very small and weake foundation of all other For these ceremonies first being enioyned and appointed by lawfull authority to a good end without heresie or error thereabout in our doctrine or superstition or any kind of manifest impiety and pollution in our practising of them we haue many waies sufficient warrant for any of them in the word of GOD neither are any of them done without or besides Gods warrant and allowance by his word as in the declaration of this point in our treatise before we haue shewed being done to that generall end of all our actions in respect of God Rom. 14 Whether we eate or drinke or
denounced against manifest despisers and deprauers of them Qui contemnit festa solennia coetus Ecclesiasticos quia irritum facit faedus Abrahami Patris nostri non habebit partem futuri saeculi which Hospinian applieth to our ceremonies CHAP. V. Answering the obiections of the Crosse being vsed for an Idoll sometimes and so retained yet in some places of the world THE other reasons vsually made against any vse of the Crosse in holy baptisme or any other administration appertaining to religion or any part of Gods seruice are taken from certaine accidentall occasions which haue fallen out in the world and the Church of God it selfe about this Crosse being either not vnderstood or misconstrued or too too hardly censured by some which vpon their owne conceipt haue growen into great mislike of the same or lastly because it hath beene abused at any time to superstition and idolatry The first whereof may be that of their last coyning for any thing I haue read or heard except only that by way of proiect and collaterall kind of answer Doctor Fulke against Sanders might suggest something to this exception very quickly apprehended by such busie spirits Fulke against Sanders of Images and the cauelling wits of so many Sophisters and impostors in these daies for so that truely famous learned man telleth Sanders and his complices that they might as well worship those torturing engines wherewith Martyrs were cruelly handled and ended their liues withall as this of the Crosse vppon which our Sauiour Christ endured such cruelty and shame which rather is worthy of all detestation as this replyer against it inferreth thereupon then of any such honourable mention as is made thereof in the administration of Baptisme To which albeit vnworthy of any answer being a grosse and foule fallation ab ignoratione Elenchi as we say the argument being not ad idem for this honorable mention of the Crosse is not made by vs because it was a meanes of tormenting so innocent a person howsoeuer also not the instrument but the deuisers and actors of so wicked a practise deserue all the blame herein but because it pleased God to permit and so it was effected in time that his owne Sonne should by so shamefull a death the better to declare the greatnesse of our miseries and his owne mercies procure our peace Which in respect of the worthines of the person and omnipotency of Gods power and mercy might no doubt otherwise haue been accomplished but that now being done and as the Schooles speake omnia dum sunt necesse est vt sint we therefore iustly doe and indeede necessarily ought to retaine all possible meanes for the due remembrance of it neither may those accidents thereabout any more cause vs to detest the thing it selfe or forbeare the mentioning of it then if an honest mans sword should in it selfe be hated for any cruelty wrought by it or which is more fit if any man should euermore loath and detest those burning cutting and cauterising yrons by which our health when there is no other remedy hath sometimes been procured In Asceticis Which Saint Basill saith in his moralls we doe well abide loue and like although we cannot indure the physitians of our soules to cut burne or touch our soules with those spirituall instruments and edge of Gods lawe Nay further Cyprian an other great and good father not vnfitly albeit somewhat insolently and strangely for the manner of speeche is not afraid to cry out of Adam his sinne it selfe which was the first mouer in this violent resolution of the heauen it selfe for all causes concurring herein to our peace and the whole argument occasioning all that great tragedy O foelix culpa qua talem meruit redemptorem Much more may we call it a blessed Crosse and wounds by and vppon which the Apostle witnesseth all our peace was procured ratified and confirmed for euer Another argument of this latter kind and to the same purpose is thus framed No inuention of man or ceremony whatsoeuer whereof there is not for the present nor yet euer hath beene any necessary vse in the Church of God being once abused and that so generally may any longer be vsed and reteined in any part or meanes of Gods seruice but the Crosse is for euery point such a thing therefore it ought no longer to be vsed in any reformed Church To which I first answer Iohannes Bunderlinus Sebastian Franck and one Entfelder Anno 1543. that by this argument all ceremonies whatsoeuer besides those which the word of God specifieth and particularly requireth should in time be all condemned and cast out of the Church which was the opinion of some in Germany as namely Iohannes Bunderlinus and Sebastiane Franck who set foorth books Anno. 1530 condemning all ceremonies yea euen the holy Sacraments themselues because they had been prophaned violated and oppressed as they write by the tyranny and Idolatry of Antichrist For so indeed it is cleere that no humane inuention whatsoeuer but hath either formerly or may futurely be abused and so by consequence none to be reteined in sequele of time and abuse So that any may perceiue the very foundation of this argument to be most vnsound and contrary to the very rules of common reason for that as Aristotle truely teacheth whatsoeuer is Aristot Ethicks lib. 4. cap. 4. or may be well vsed may also be abused and secondly no abuse of any thing can take away the right and true vse thereof for then as the Apostle saith in another such like case we should goe out of the world And lastly nothing cā be abused which hath not first of all been in some good vse or at the least appointed thereunto 1. Cor. 5. the abuse being a priuatiue or a negatiue at the least of the other and so no doubt was this Crosse before as we haue aboue remembred out of Irenaeus the Gnosticks and other hereticks had so anciently abused the same and more particularly the sanctified Bells so called and vsed in Poperie in most of our Churches yet reteined our Fonts also which haue been as fouly abused to speake nothing of our feastes wherein much Idolatry and foolish worship hath been giuen to Saints diuers waies should all be remoued if this argument were good there being no such absolute necessity for any of them besides the commandement of lawfull authority which for decency order and better edification appointeth the same rather then any thing els For so we see that as some haply vpon conscience of this matter and argument we haue in hand haue made a common practise of it children might otherwise be baptized at some bason or some riuer and fountaine of water as Iohn Baptist did And for the brasen Serpent about which there hath been so much adoe betwixt Martiall and Calfill Fulke and Sanders euen in this very argument of the Crosse there is no question but that it was very much abused
before Hezechias his time and yet did not any of the Kings before him pull it downe nor any of the Prophets of those times did call vpon them so to doe much lesse as some of these new masters enioyne Christian princes were any of those Princes bound vpon feare of that Serpent so to be abused or giuing occasion to Idolatry which could not bee but very great 2. of Kings cap. 28. v. 4. 2. Chroni cap. 29. vers 16. it being placed in the Temple it selfe as by the story repeated in the Kings and Chronicles compared together may appeare and that it was no necessary thing but indifferent Hezechias his pulling it downe without any reproofe of the Prophets or breach of any Gods lawes as it seemeth sufficiently declareth who also if he had let it continue still and caused the people by instruction and true discipline to leaue that their abusing of it no Scripture or Prophet I dare say could haue reprehended him for it as we doe not reade that any one or other commended him greatly for taking it away nor reprehended any other of the Kings for not pulling it downe before And lastly the setting vp of the Image or portraiture of any ones father or friend which is a thing in my poore opinion too too common in some other respect euen in the places where all the parts of our holy seruices are performed as also the armes and pictures of Princes which is as common in many Churches might with greater shew of reason be called into question if there were any force in this argument then our Crosse which is but aërious and a transient signe as we haue aboue shewed and neither Image nor Simulachrum as the learned distinguish them and as those we last named are Which also haue not only beene abused to the greatest superstition and Idolatry as appeareth by all storie but also the very first occasions and originalls of all Idolatry as out of the 14. of the booke of Wisedome partly appeareth and many learned men haue gathered from thence and how the pictures of princes haue bin by the flattery of Sycophants their owne pride and cruelty abused this way many histories report And yet I hope for these abuses causes or occasions thereof then the which there can be no greater none will be so bold not onely for feare of law in that case prouided but euen vpon conscience of due reuerence to the same as to pull them downe or conclude that they ought to be pulled down or any way deface them or disgrace them by word or practise Secondly whereas they obiect that there is no necessarie vse of this Crosse in the Church of God I aunswer that it is enough for vs and might be for them also but that nothing can hold them to make it necessary because the Church of Christ hath so aunciently vsed it and the present Church gouernment iudgeth it still fit to be reteined amongst vs neither ought any priuate spirit to call that common prophane or vnnecessary as Saint Peter sometimes was aduertised which GOD by his lawfull Magistrate hath made holy and necessary to be performed by vs. Act. 10. Neither yet can any accidentall abuse albeit in the highest degree of any thing whatsoeuer necessary or indifferent discharge the subiect from his due obedience to things of this nature once commanded by the Magistrate Which if it should be granted and yeelded vnto many temporall Lawes of this kingdome which are forced to tolerate many a mischiefe oftentime ought eftsoones to be repealed Thirdly besides that there haue been and yet are very many good and so necessary vses of this Crosse as we haue formerly proued so is there no better way to shew and reforme the abuses of the same Cap. 4. then that both by preaching which I could wish were more carefully performed in this behalfe and due vse and practising the same in the publique congregation all sorts of people might be informed in the trueth and lawfulnesse of this ceremony by Gods word Lastly for those places which are alledged out of Exodus Esai and Hosea to strengthen this argument I answer that most of them are particular cases grounded vpon speciall circumstances of those peoples sinnes and so are not to be drawne to conclude any generall proposition for or against these kind of ceremonies as for example there is great odds betweene the land of Canaan where all such meanes and monuments of Idolatry are in particular commanded vtterly to be defaced and any part of the Church of GOD in which any such abuse hath sometimes hapned or more constantly beene continued for which God neuer gaue any peremptory and generall commandement or speciall charge against them Secondly those places in Esai and Hosea are threatnings and promises of God to his Church Esay 30. Hosea 2. for the better informing ordering and comforting the same and in no reasonable construction or exposition any peremptory commandements against the things there spoken of as where it is said I will pollute their Images and cause the name of Baall to cease the one being a iust iudgement denounced against the Idolatry of that time which God be thanked is farre from vs and our state which maketh seuere lawes for the punishment of the same the other a gratious promise as the scope of that place and the meaning of the words declare And what a deale of Sophistry is committed by allegation of Scripture any Iudicious text-man or obseruer of the many strange conclusions of these times may easily perceiue and elsewhere my selfe haue giuen some touch vnto them and tast vnto other because indeed which is diligently to be marked for the true vnderstanding of many Scriptures many things are spoken therein especially in their Sermons cohortatorie as Luther obserueth in the Fathers that is 2. 2. quaest de vsura by way of exhortation and maiorem cantelam as Caietanus also obserueth in the Schooles themselues wherein things are applyed to the times present and not any way determined of for the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse thereof and so such promises and threatnings implying alwayes a condition doe put nothing in being as the Schooles speake which is alwaies to be examined and only to be iudged by the rule and Canon of the morall Lawe of which nature also are certaine homilies of ours from which these exceptors thinke they haue so great aduantage as well for not subscribing thereunto as for the ouerthrowing this matter of the Crosse which we haue in hand Besides also that many things are by comparison and symbolically drawne by these disputers from the olde Testament to the new and so as the schooles say argumenta symbolica comparatiua are parum argumentatiua little or norhing at all able to conclude any thing whereas those godly exhortations are made as the title of them sheweth against the perill of Idolatry and by way of greater detestation and not according to their particular iudgement what