plow is still preserved and continued But as for Titius who will rather be silenced then conforme it is evident that the cause of his silencing being his own refractarinesse which is onely personall and proper to himselfe and yet hath no facultie in himselfe to appoynt or admit of a successor he may be sayd to haue properly caused his owne suspension and deprivation This case needeth no long demurring on for there is not one sentence in all the length of it which doth not smell without any uncasing 1. are all those factious and schismaticall men that refuse to conforme vvas Hooper such a kind of man vvas Peter Martyr and Mr. Perkins such vvhen one at Oxford and the other at Cambridge refused to vveare the Surplice was Mr. Goodman Mr. Deering Mr. More Mr. Rogers and such like heavenly men the lights and glory of our Churches vvere all these factious and schismaticall In the presence of God it is well known they were were not But our prelats haue this prerogatiue they may dubbe whom they please factious aud schismaticall and after that there is no redemption they must be such be they otherwise never so full of all grace 2 Are all peaceable discreet men which are placed in the deprived ministers stead For the best of them they are still as great eyeâ— sores to our Bishops almost as the other because they reprove a great deale of Episcopall darknesse by their practises For the rest the congregations over whom they are set cannot finde it the voyce of all the countrey is otherwise for many of them yet according to the Prelats measure who meat as it seemeth the vertues and vices of a minister by certaine ceremonies of their owne imposing it cannot bee denied but the most of them are very peaceable discreet Even so as many of the Bishops themselves were known to be afore they were Bishops and shew themselves to be still for Episcopatus plures accepit quam fecit bonos 3 What sence can this haue The Bishop depriveth Titius respectiuely that he may constitute Sempronius Doth hee know before-hand vvhom he shall constitute then there is grosse legerdemaine betwixt him and that Semâ—ronius For with what conscience can one seeke and the other assigne the place of him that is in possession This is but some time in those benefices vvhich are fatter and whose patrons are more foolish Ordinarily the vilest minister that is to be found may succeed in the place of him that is deprived for ought the Bishop knoweth or for ought he can doe except he will endure a quare impedit which in case of morall unworthinesse hath scarce been ever heard of 4 The charge which he sayth our Bishops haue of appoynting Ministers I vvonder from whence they haue it or by vvhat conveyance They say that they themselues are the proper pastors of all the parishes in their Diocesse It is well if they haue an ubiquitary facultie and vvill to performe the office of pastors to so great a people but vvho made them such Christ and his Apostles never knew of ordinary pastors having charge of so many Churches But suppose they did by vvhom doth Christ call one of our Bishops by the Kings congedelier the Chapiters nominall election or by the Arch-bishops consecration There is none of these that can beare the triall of scripture nor of the Primitiue Churches example 6 Is the Bishops power of appointing a minister no wayes determinate to this or that minister then it seemeth his meere will determineth of the particular person without any iust reason For if there be certain causes or reasons which the Bishop is bound to follow in designing of this or that minister rather then another then is the Bishop determinate The Councel of Nice it selfe determined the authoritie even of Patriarches in this case viz. that the Elders should first nominate fit men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secondly that the people should elect or choose out of that number per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thirdly that the Bishop should confirme the elected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. l. â— p. 177. What exorbitant power is this then vvhich our Bishops doe now-a-dayes chalenge unto themselues All Classicall Divines do consent to that which Iunius setteth downe Conc. 5. l. 2. c. 6. n. 73. that no Bishop can send or appoynt a minister sine certa ac justa ecclesiae postulatione vvithout the certain fore-choyce of the Church Id enim esset obtrudere non mittere For that were to obtrude him not to send him 6 How is the course of Gods plow preserved when for the most part the succeeding minister is thrust vpon the people against their wills and so pernitious contentions arise of vvhich the Bishop is cause procreant and conservant by depriving the people of their minister and obtruding his own minister upon them and upholding him in al those courses vvherby he grieveth the poor people 7 As the Minister hath no facultie in himselfe to appoint a successor so hath not the Bishop neither of himselfe and by himselfe Thus much for the defendant his case Whereas he addeth that Beza and Mr. Cartwright determined with him in case of the Surplice I answer 1. they did not so for the crosse 2. they did not so for subscription to either 3. they did not so but by way of toleration requiring also that men did speake against the imposing of the Surplice 4. Beza was not throughly acquainted with the state of our Church Mr. Cartwright as I haue been certainly informed by his owne sonne recalled that passage of his booke and desired that his revoking of it might be made known I thought good overseeing the Presse to confirme the Authors report by a more particular relation which I haue receiued from a person of good credit set downe in writ as followeth MR. Cartwright being beyond the seas in printing the rest of his 2. Reply werein that indulgence is sent to the Ministers of England who sought reformation with him for their opinion of the use of the Surplice in case of deprivation 22 of whom met therabout of whom 19 ioyntly agreed that it was simply unlawfull in any case but the other three sayd otherwise wherefore it was agreeed by all that each part should write their opinion and their reasons to him which they did but the letter of the nineteene miscarried and that of the other three was delivered which he taking as the letter of the whole supposed their joynt consent had been that the losse of the ministerie altered the case of the unlawfulness and so that they were all against him whereupon he mistrusting his owne judgement and being much perplexed thereabout suffered himselfe to be swated unto what is there written but afterward understanding the right hee was much more perplexed yea as he sayd more then ever he was in that to the great prejudice of the truth he had suffered his conscience to be so defiled which was forbidden 1.
Cor. 8. 7. which hee hartily sorrowed to many professing that if he againe put pen to paper about that subiect he would cleare the cause and blame himselfe praying them to signify the same freely in the meane time the which they did so that it ever since hath been currant among all his friends and constantly affirmed by them to all on due occasions and particularly affirmed to M. Sprint by a Gentleman in the presence of one Nobleman two Gentlemen 27. ministers and many professors in his course in the scanning his booke then about to be printed divers yeares before it was printed sundry also of those ministers avouched the same some on their owne knowledge others vpon undoubted testimonie which yet is ready to be avouched in due case of need and should now be expressed were not the naming of the avouchers dangerous unto them and so not to be done without their knowledge which now cannot be For the poynt it selfe when a man doth but stand in doubt betwixt using the ceremonies and suffering of deprivation it must needs be more safe patiently to suffer himselfe to bee thrust from his ministerie then to reteine it and offend his conscience by using the ceremonies For to bee restrained by authoritie from his lawfull function because hee will not yeeld to the doing of that vvhich to him is sinne is no more sinne in the sufferer then to surcease his publicke preaching whilest he is held in prison where he wanteth occasion Thus the use of that is avoyded which he disalloweth and the blame of leaving his standing is theirs vvho cast him from thence and not his So no sin is committed either in the use of that hee disalloweth or in susteining deprivation But to hold his place and to practise against conscience is to commit one great sin at the least Thus having examined the Defend his adventurous charges of false presumptuous irreligious partiall and pernitious I finde them all to bee but rash vvords of distemper SECT XV. IN the last place the Defendant bringeth forth to answer the vvords of the Apostle 1. Thess. 5. 22. Abstaine from all appearance of evill But as this argument is not found at all in that page of the Abridgement vvhich he citeth so in the words or sence vvhich he setteth downe I dare say it is not used either of them or any other against the ceremonies Yet let us heare his answer The Apostle speaketh sayth he of the opinions of privat men But 1. vvhat vvarrant hath he to restraine a generall precept when the vniversalitie of it agreeth vvith the law Abstain from all appearance sayth the Apostle 1. sayth the Def. from some privat opinions 2. Why must appearance of evil be needs understood of opinions onely two or three interpreters indeed do understand it of doctrine most properly but the most otherwise the word translated appearance signifying rather an obiect of seeing then of hearing leads us rather to the eye as in actions gesturs garments then to the ear in doctrines 3. For that vvhich he addeth of privat mens opinions there is no circumstance of the text nor any reason or authoritie that doth vvarrant such a glosse SECT XVII AMong his accusations wherein he chargeth us with manifold scandalls the first is that some weak ones by occasion of these differences stand amazed and so become more remisse in profession of religion Where 1. it is to bee observed that when wee spake of weake-ones sect 12. it was put off with this pretence that they vvere such as we had catechised Now then vvho are these vveak ones I hope the Bishops provide that people of their Diocesses are well catechised whence then is this weaknesse 2. Differences in matters of circumstance are not wont to breed scandal vntill some authoritie injoyne uniformitie as vve may see in the primitiue churches 3. If differences be the occasion of this scandal surely those that differ from us may as vvell be accused therefore as we that differ from them especially vvhen we urge nothing of ours upon them but they impose their owne devices upon us and so are causes of the differences 4. the amazement vvhich some haue vvondring vvhat vvill be the event of differences is no damnable error which by the Def. is required to a scandall sect 1. And if they grow remisse in religion upon it that is their sinne I am sure zeale against superstition and for pure and undefiled worship hath no fitnesse in it to vvork remissenesse in religion but urging of humane devices in Gods vvorship tendeth directly thither SECT XVIII THe second charge of scandall is in respect of the Separatists Where 1. I aske if Gaius had made a separation from the Church wherein Diotrephes lived vvhether the Apostle Iohn had been cause of that scandal because he condemned his abuse of excommunication 3. Ioh. 9. 10. 2. If any separate from Churches where Images are retained who is the cause they that dislike of Images or they that retaine them 3. The dislike of ceremonies is not the cheife cause for vvhich separation is made but the intollerable abuses vvhich are in Ecclesiasticall Courts by which it commeth to passe that many poore men being troubled at the first for a small thing afterward are driven to flye the countrey and flying with a hatred of such courses are ready to receiue that impression which is most opposite unto them The thing it selfe is plaine enough to all indifferent men that Ecclesiasticall corruptions urged and obtruded are the proper occasion of separation SECT XIX XX. IN the next place the Papists are alledged as persons offended by Non-conformitie because they are utterly unperswadeable to enter into a Church where all ancient rites are professedly rejected But 1. the refusing of conformitie by the Ministers doe not I hope make these ancient rites much lesse all to be professedly reiected by our Church For then we may plead the profession of our mother as well as the Defendant which he I am sure will not grant 2. This assertion which is given as a reason is evidently false For in Scotland France the Low-countries and such like Churches vvhere none of these ceremonies are retained the power of Gods word vvhich doth not depend on human ceremonies is as â—ffectuall to the conversion of Papists as in England 3. How doth this agreâ— vvith that vvhich the Defendant hath so often told us that our ceremonies are not the same with the Papists ceremonies and that the Papists haue no great conceit of our ceremonies cap. 2. sect 1â— 4. If our contentions about these things bee a scandall to the Papist let them looke to it that cast these apples of contention into the Church under the pretense of peace and uniformitie 5. One minister without conformitie as old Mr. Midsly of Ratsdell vvho vvas after silenced for his labour hath converred more Papists then any I might say then all of the Bishops in England vvith all his ceremoniall observations 6. It is
Apostle teacheth manifestlie as we haue seene so all learned men who bee of sound judgement concerning the Magistrates office doe with one consent affirme that these bee the three chiefe parts of the office of the Prince and of everie godlie Magistrate Which thing being so I see not how your gracious Maiestie can with good conscience propound againe the garments in question and other things of that kinde smelling as yet of Popish superstition and once banished out of the Churches to the consciences of the Bishops to be taken on againe and so propound them that you should compell them by your commandement to receiue them againe For first this is quite contrarie to the first and chiefe part of the Princes office For if the Magistrate ought to haue a chiefe care that the worship of God be kept pure and without mixture and if for this cause all things are to bee abandoned which may anie way either by themselues or by accident defile this worship and therefore all things are to bee called backe as much as may be to the rule of God and to the former and Apostolicall and so the more pure and simple forme of religion Finallie if as the Apostle commandeth we bee to abstaine not onelie from all evill but also from all appearance of evill to what end I beseech you most renowned and most godlie Queen should those things bee brought againe into the Church of God by the Princes commandement which be contrarie to the puritie of the Apostolicall worship which smell of Popish superstition which bee neither availeable to the edification of the godlie nor to order nor for ornament except that which is whoorish which lastlie can bring no profit but on the contrarie manie evills to the Church It is out of all doubt that by this law concerning apparrell all godlie men will be offended but the wicked will laugh in their sleeve and hereby be put in hope to get manie moe things as for those of the middle sort that is such as bee newlie converted and turned from ungodlines to godlines and be not as yet well grounded they will be in great danger and if we speake according to mans judgement they will rather looke back to the old superstition to which by nature wee are inclined then fixe and fasten their eyes upon true religion And therefore this is 〈◊〉 a decree which will bring no advancement at all to godlines but may much further vngodlinesse For though these garments bee not evill and vncleane of and by themselves that is of their owne nature yet because of the former and late abuse they are not altogether free from uncleannesse Certainlie it cannot bee denied but that they will at the least â—giue occasions of manie evills and verie grievous superstitions Now the verie occasions also of evills are to bee shunned To what end then should these bee thrust upon the Church from whom no profit can bee hoped verie much evill may come for this is to tempt God Your famous Maiestie may well remember that not without cause it was written Hee that toucheth pitch shall bee defiled with it that the Apostle had reason to command that we should purge out the old leaven that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe And that Hosea did not foolishly reprove the Iewes because they translated and brought a yong graffe of superstitions out of Israel into their owne garden that is the true Church We ought most religious Queene to haue nothing at all to doe with the Papists in matter of religion saue in those things which they haue common with the Apostles Why I beseech you were some kings otherwise godly reproved and blamed in the Scriptures that they had not taken away Churches or Temples for divine service in the mountaines which were built by holy Fathers ere the building of the Temple in which the Lord was wont to bee worshipped Surely because the Temple being now builded and ordained for divine service God would not haue any footsteps of any other chappell at all to bee extant Therfore also when once the kingdome of Christ was manifested the ceremonies and garments of Aaron ought not any more to take place For this cause the Apostles were upon good ground carefull that after Christs ascention they should so be taken away that no relickes of them remained And if they tooke them away holily unholily haue the Papists called them back againe Now whether it be better to follow the godly simplicitie of the Apostles or the ungodly pompe of the Papists who is ignorant This recalling of such Popish garments your gracious maiestie may beleeue me will bee a greater evill then peradventure it may bee seene even to very wise men at the first blush For me thinkes I see and heare the Monks crying out with very loud voyces in the Pulpits both confirming their followers in their ungodlie religion by the example of your gracious Maiestie and also saying What doth not even the Queene of England also a most learned and a most prudent Princess beginne by little and little to come back to the religion of the holy Church of Rome the most holy and sacred vestments of the Clergie men being taken on againe we are to be in good hope that the day will come wherein she will a length though now they be thought to be dead recall also all the other rites and sacraments of the holy Church of Rome These and such like words no doubt most prudent Queene the Monkes and Iesuites will use in the Pulpits For they take all occasions to confirme their superstitions Therfore to recall these stinking garments and other rubbish of the Popish Church into the Church of Christ at this time what is it but to giue the Papists an occasion and the best that may bee to confirme and harden themselves and theiâ— in their superstitions and also to helpe them in this businesse But let us heare what the Prophet sayd to Iehosaphat King of Iuda when he helped Ahab Darest thou helpe the wicked and loue those vvho hate the Lord For this thing the vvrath of the Lord is vpon thee And what other thing will this bee then even to call backe the weake from the studie of pure Religion and to giue them a privie warning to looke backe and returne into Aegipt It is an easie matter for us weake men who of our owne nature are prone to superstition to slide backe to impietie Therefore occasions of sliding backe to vngodlinesse ought to be taken away and at no hand to bee given And what else I pray you meant God in forbidding to plow with an Oxe and an Asse to sow the same field with diverse kinds of seeds and to weare a garment woven of linnen and wollen together It is an odious and detestable thing with God that the same field of the Lord should bee tilled by ungodlie and godlie Bishops together If in the same Church Popish Doctrine be taught with the Doctrine of
the Gospell Finallie if sacraments ceremonies and rites partlie Apostolicke and partlie Popish be used and the Church bee cloathed with them as with a garment of linsey-wossey For what agreement hath light with darknesse And therfore those things which bee not of God but from them who haue defiled Gods worship are utterlie to be cast away which the Lord himselfe commanded to bee done when hee charged utterlie to destroy all things which appertained to those who should giue vs counsell to follow strange Gods and to burne their garments and all their stuffe with fire in the middest of the street to shew our detestation of such Seducers and that they might bee an execrable thing to the Lord. And who knoweth not that these garments are a part of the houshould stuffe of that Romish Seducer There shall cleave nothing of the execrable thing sayth hee to thy hand that the Lord may turne from the fiercenesse of his wrath and multiplie thee as he hath sworne to thy Fathers c. Wherefore to bring these garments seeing they bee the houshold stuffe of Antichrist into the Church of Christ what is it else then to provoke God to anger and to kindle his furie against us Certaine it is that he who is a true friend of Christ will never seeke to haue the ornaments of Antichrist in his owne house and much lesse will hee suffer them in the Temple of Christ. For who can indure the armes of his enemie in his owne house and specially in the chiefest roome of the same And if God will haue a thing destroyed and abolished who are we that we dare build it up againe But it is Gods will that after the death of Christ all garments of Aaron and Levi should be abolished and hee hath plainlie enough manifested everie where that in these our dayes he would haue all vngodlie and vaine ceremonies pompes deceits and paintings of the Papists driven away by the shining brightnesse of the Gospell because these things haue no power in them to kindle and increase godlines but greatlie availe to the quenching of the same Neither verilie can I see to what other end these garments tend then in very deed that I may now come vnto the second head to defile and disgrace the faire face nay the whole bodie of the Church of England reformed according to the Gospell as if the chaste and honest daughter of a King should bee attired with those verie garments wherewith some famous and notable whoore used to bee adorned and when shee were so clothed were commanded to goe abroad in the streets Now who can allow or judge this to bee tolerable Wherefore though for no other yet for this very cause such garments ought not to bee thrust upon the Church of Christ because that harlot of Rome hath abused and doth still at this day abuse them though in their owne nature they bee not evill to evill and to cover her fornications or rather to entice men to commit fornication For all these pompes and Popish ceremonies are nothing else but whoorish paintings invented and devised for this end that men might thereby bee allured to spirituall fornication Is it not therefore a filthie and dishonest thing to haue these in the Church of Christ If the brasen serpent which had beene ordained of God and that for the wholesome vse of the Israelites was taken away by godly King Ezekias because the Israelites had abused it contrarie to the word of God and if Ezekias bee highlie commended for this so doing because hee had â—â—ned that Serpent into ashes and commanded them to bee cast into the running water that there might never bee any print or signe of it extant any more how much more then are these vncleane garments to bee banished out of the Church of God seeing the Apostles never vsed them but the whoore of Rome hath used them in her Idolatrous worship and to seduce men For it is a verie dishonest thing that such things as are of themselues indifferent and haue been long used to the dispight and dishonour of God should bee retained in the Church of God to the hazard of the salvation of godlie men And much lesse that kinde of garments which is nothing but an invention of men or rather of the Divell himselfe devised to seduce the simple ones Wee all know what praise those common-wealthes deserue which make good lawes that the subiects shall not weare out-landish and strange apparrell nor bring it into the Common-wealthes because it is a corruption of good and honest manners and of the Common-wealthes themselves How then can that counsell which is given to your Maiestie bee commended to wit that garments unknowne to the Christian world in tht time of the Apostles and Apostolicall men should bee brought into the Church of Christ. Aâ—d if an out-landish kinde of attire bee not tolerated in well-governed Common-wealthes how much lesse are Idolatrous and heathenish garments to bee borne with in the Church where God is to be worshipped in spirit and truth and where hee would haue few and verie simple ceremonies Also if God established by his Law that a woman may not put on a mans apparrell not a man a womans the one beeing so well of it selfe dishonest and contrarie to nature as the other Why then should godlie Bishops and the servants of Christ bee clothed or rather shamed and deformed with the garments of godlesse Priests and slaues of Antichrist Why should wee not rather as wee bee of a divers religion from them so also be discerned from them at least in the performance of such duties as belong unto Gods worship by outward signes such as garments be Verilie this was Gods will and hee required of his people that it should bee discerned from the prophane Gentiles as by other things so also by a divers sort of apparrell and so should professe by this publicke signe that it would haue nothing to doe with the Gentiles And why should not wee doe the same Are wee not the people of God abides not the equitie of the same commandemet And if the word honest bee derived of honour what honour will it bee for the Church of Christ to haue Bishops attired and disguised with Popish visors in the administration of the Gospell and Sacraments so as they shall rather be derided then be reverenced any whit by the people And what commendation shall it be for your gracious Maiestie in true Churches and among true beleevers that you permit such trifles to bee called back into your Church Therfore it standeth not with honesty that holy Bishops be compelled to receiue such visors neither is it indeed a matter worthy of honour and praise neither deserveth it the name of vertue For if your Majestie should command that all English men leaving that ancient and very graue and comely attire should weare Turkie coats or a souldiers weed as it is called who would ever approue this decree as honest And
it is much lesse praise-worthy if godly Bishops be enioyned laying aside or at least changing the honest and ancient apparrell which the Apostles wore to wit that common and graue habit to put on the ridiculous and execrable or accursed garments of godlesse Mass-priests Now concerning the third part of the Princes duties there is nothing fitter to trouble the publicke peace of the Church then this counsell For everie noveltie especially in religion either by it selfe if it bee evill disturbs and troubles a good peace or if it bee good gives occasion of trouble by accident by causing contention betweene evill and good men But as in things which be good of themselves of which nature the reformation of the Churches according to the will of God is we are not to care for the troubling of that vngodlie peace that is of the world for Christ came not by his Gospell to keep such a peace but rather to take it away and to send a sword so assuredly by the urging of things indifferent to trouble the peace of Churches and to cause strife between good men and bad yea between godlie men themselues is so wicked that it can by no meanes bee defended so that Ireneus had just cause to reproue Victor Bishop of Rome for this cause as hath been sayd afore For it must needes bee that at such times the Churches be rent in peeces then which thing what is more hurtfull Many examples in the histories of the Church proue this which I say How many and how great troubles arose in the Primitiue Church between those who beside the Gospell urged also circumcision and the law and between those who upon good ground reiected them And how great evills would this dissention haue brought to the Church of Christ had not the Apostles betime withstood them by that councell gathered together at Ierusalem by a lawfull examination and discussing of the cause by manifest testimonis of the Scripturâ—s and by sound reasons If your gracious Maiestie as you ought desire both to be and to seeme Apostolicke then imitate the Apostles in this matter Neither lay and impose this yoke upon the neckes of Christs Disciples your selfe nor suffer it to be imposed by others But if you see that the Bishops disagree about this matter among themselves assemble a Synod and cause this controversie to be examined by the Scriptures And then looke what shall be proved by plaine testimonies and strong reasons propound that to be observed by all and command by your decreeâ— that that be observed and so take disagreement out of the Church For your gracious Maiestie ought to be verie carefull that there be no innovation in religion but according to the word of God By this means shall a true peace concord and unitie of the Churches bee preserved But if the proceeding be otherwise what other thing will it be then to take away vnitie and to trouble the Christian peace And this I may not passe over with silence that by this noveltie of the busines not onely the publick peace shall be troubled in that kingdome but also manie else-where out of that kingdome will haue occasion given them to raise new contentions in Churches and that to the great hinderance of godlines and the more slow proceeding of the Gospell For all men know that the most part of all the Churches who haue fallen from the Bishop of Rome for the Gospels sake doe not onely want but also abhorre those garments and that there be some Churches though few in comparison of the former which doe as yet retaine those garments invented in Poperie as they verie stifly retaine some other things also because the reformers of those Churches otherwise worthy men and verie faithfull servants of Christ durst not at the first neither iudged they it expedient vtterly abolish all Popish things But as the common manner is every man likes his owne best Now I call those things a mans owne not so much which everie man hath invented as those beside which every man chooseth to himselfe receiveth retaineth and pursueth though they be invented to his hand by others But if there be also annexed the examples of other men they bee more and more hardened in them and are not onely hardened but also doe their uttermost endevour by word and writing to draw all the rest to be of their minde Therfore wee easilie see what the issue wil bee if your gracious Maiestie admit of that counsell which some doe giue you to take on apparrell and other more Popish things besides For some men who be not well occupied being stirred up by the example of your Maiestie will write bookes and disperse them throughout all Germanie of these things which they call indifferent to wit that it is lawfull to admit of them nay that they be altogether to be retained that Papists may bee the lesse estranged and alienated from us and so we may come the neerer to concord and agreement As if forsooth the Papists though we for peace sake admitted of all those things would ever amend their Doctrine and banish out of their Churches or at any hand lay downe their false and godless decrees manifest and abhominable superstitions and idolatries and there will bee some who will answer such bookes once dispersed So of this English fire there will rise a new burning flame in Germanie and France on which hot coles the Papists as so many Smiths a forging will sprinkle cold water to make the flame the more vehement And is not this a goodly benefite Who therefore doth not see that this counsell tends to the troubling of all Churches To conclude that golden saying of a certaine learned man is verie true and certaine and approved by long experience that indifferent things that is the question about indifferent things is that golden apple of contention So much shall suffice to haue spoken of the troubling of publick peace what should I say of the consciences of privat belevers It is manifest that they are greatly troubled with this commandement to put on these linnen garments For they do so greatly complain that their lamenting voyces grones doe reach vnto and are heard in Germany Now how grievous and distastfull an offence it is to trouble the consciences of the godly the holy Scripture sheweth partly when it commandeth that we make not the holy Spirit sad neither offend the weak ones partly when it threatneth grivous punishments against those who feare not to doe these things partly also when it propoundeth the examples of the Saints and specially of Paul who speakes thus If meat offend my brother I le eat no flesh while the world standeth that I may not offend my brother For in those words hee giveth a generall rule by his example taken out of the doctrine of Christ to wit that no indifferent thing is to be admitted and yeelded unto much less to bee urged upon others and least of all to be commended by decree if
in the admitting urging commanding of it the minds of good men and consciences of the faithfull be offended for a tender conscience which feareth God is a thing most pretious and acceptable to God How therefore can that counsell be approved which would haue a law established and proclaimed by the Princes command for the use of garments to be used by Ministers in the ministerie For to speak many things in few words if such garments be to be propounded to the faithfull they are to be propounded either as indifferent or as necessary If the later wee doe vngodlily because we make those things necessarie which Christ would haue to be free If the former then are they to be left free to the Churches But by commanding and compelling we make things that bee free and indifferent to be necessarie and so fall into the same trespasse◠Moreover either they be ordained of God by Moses or they be delivered by Christ God manifested in the flesh or they be ordained by the holy Ghost working and speaking in the Apostles or they are of men either godly or wicked Those ceremonies and Levitical garments which were ordained of God by Moses ought all of them to haue an end after the death of Christ as the scriptures shew plainly especially the Epistles of Paul to the Coloss. and Hebr. therefore they cannot be revoked called back without the transgression of Gods will It cannot be sayd that Christ taught them because ther is no word extant to that end but rather he taught plainly oftentimes that all Moses his ceremonies were ended And the same I affirme concerning the Apostles It remaines therefore that they be sayd to be of men If they be from godly men then were they ordained of them either to edefication or for order and comelines But they avail not to edification that is to further comelines but rather tend to the overthrow of it as we saw before neither for any good order but rather they tend to disorder for there is a confusion of godly and wicked Bishops whereas it is meet and equall that one of them bee discerned from anothe◠even by their garments also Neither doe they make Christs spouse comelie as we shewed a little before Therfore we ought not to yeeld unto them And such things as haue been invented by men voyd of Gods spirit doe nothing appertaine to us Lastly the Apostles vsed not these garments For we haue no authenticke testimonie Now the Church is to be fashioned after the rule of that Apostelicall Church in ceremonies and garments as well as in Doctrine What doe wee then with these garments in the Church By whose authoritie can they be approved What profit or wholsome use can the Christian people haue by them But on the contrarie we haue shewed that godliness is weakned by them the pure worship of God is violated Popish superstition is by little and little called back the godlie be offended the wicked be confirmed and hardened in their ungodlinesses the weak in faith are brought into hazard of their salvation there are occasions of many evills given Monkes and other Popish preachers are hereby helped to confirme their followers in their superstition the wrath of God is provoked against us those things which God would haue to bee destroyed are hereby builded againe by 〈◊〉 the whole face of the Church is defiled and disgraced there is a foule sinne committed against honest and good lawes forbidding the putting on of strange and outlandish garments and so the whole Church is dishonored Besides the publick peace of the Church yea of many Churches is troubled one Bishop is set against another the consciences of the godly are troubled and the minds of goood men are offended Gods spirit is made sad in them and this apple of contention is cast as it were upon the table of the Gods Now seeing the matter stands thus most gracious Queene not onely I◠but all my fellow-ministers and all the godly prostrate before you intreat your Maiestie and for Iesus Christs sake whom we are perswaded you loue from your heart we humbly beseech your Maiestie not to embrace that counsell aforesayd neither to giue eare to such counsellors For those counsells most godly Queene are not for the good of that your Church and kingdome nor for the honor of your Maiestie seeing they neither serve to the increase of godliness nor to the retaining of the honestie of the Church neither to the preservation of publick peace but rather verie greatly weaken all these good things which your Princely Ma◠ought chieflie to stand for Let your Ma◠rather bend all your thoughts authoritie and power hereunto that first and aboue all you may haue Bishops who be trulie godlie and well exercised in the holie scriptures as by the blessing of God you haue very many and that you make much of and giue eare to them Secondlie that you bee carefull that with all diligence they may discarge their office watching over the flock teach sound doctrine confute heresies driue away Wolues keepe everie man in his own calling and exhort and stirre up everie man to lead a life beseeming a Christian. The Elders also and Deacons are to be admonished that everie one be diligent in his own office and if need be they are to be compelled by your gracious Ma◠authothoritie that neither the former by their sleeping and winking at the misdemeanors of the flock suffer the reines to be loosed to all licentiousnes and to the lusts of the flesh neither that the later by reason of their immoderate care for their own private businesses neglect the poore people of the Church and omit such other things as belong to their office For these three sorts of men bee the verie sinewes of the Church upon whom the salvation or destruction of the Church doth chieflie depend Furthermore your gracious Ma◠ought to vse great care and diligence that the Vniversities and in them good and godlie teachers bee well looked to cherished liberally maintained and preserved for these are as the mothers and nurses of the Churches in which and by which those are to be fashioned borne brought up and adorned who being fit may be called from time to time to rule and governe the Churches Last of all such things as cannot be corrected amended by the word and discipline of the Church as it is necessarie that according to Gods word they be cut off and taken away by the sword of the Magistrate so your gracious Maiestie is to take care of them as adulteries blasphemies and other capitall crimes of that sort For God hath given the Magistrate the sword for this end that ungodly seducers filthy knaues and unquiet men being restrayned the rest may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honesty This is the matter most gracious Queen whereon you are to spend your thoughts hereabout are your counsells to be occupied here is all your strength to be
hands are chiefe in this trespass to cover their owne guiltiness under figleaved innocencie of three ceremonies is too too grosse If Thomas or D. Morton in times past had pleaded for the ceremonies innocencie it might haue been well interpreted but for Thomas Chester Thomas Lichfild or any that bearâ—th a Cathedrall name to write of the innocencie of three ceremonies passing by three hundred foule nocencies which are plainly to be seen in the Prelates urging and managing of these ceremonies this is somewhat like as if Samson when he had sent Foxes with fire-brands in their tailes among the corn should then haue written unto the owners of that corne a long letter concerning the innocencie of Foxes and Fire-brands Thirdly and lastly it is sufficiently proved and shall by Gods grace be further maintained against this Defendant that these three ceremonies are not innocent or lawfull in their â—se This I had to say concerning the Title Now before I come to the book it selfe some few things are to be questioned in the Epistles which are three according to the number of the ceremonies defended In the first Epistle to the Marquis â— I would willingly learn what that Church is which is the mother of the Non-conformists it must of necessitie be either the faithfull Congregations which are in England collectiuely considered or else the Hierarchie consisting of Archbishops Bishops and their Officers If the â—ormer â—â—here understood then this Defence is begunne with a Slander For neither is the Non-conformist an adversarie impugning those Congregations nor doe they defame their religious worship nor infringe their wholesome libertie nor contemne their just authoritie but of all these things are the Prelates manifestly guiltie For they in their Lordly humours doe scorne and defame the most religious people as Puritanes they hinder the people from hearing of Sermons in another parish though they haue none or worse then none at home they are enemies to that preaching wherby the godly people finde themselues most edified they inslaue both Minister and people not onely to themselues but even to their Chancellors Commissaries officials and such like officers of their own making to whom not Christ onely but all the Primitiue Church saith plainely Depart from me I know you not they denie anie authoritie at all to be either in the Congregations or in their Ministers except it be a little of courtesie from the Ordinarie These things are so well known that they need no proofe If by the Church heer be meant the Hierarhie then wee profess plainely we acknowledge no such mother She is a Step-dams usurping this title and authoritie without all warrant from God our Father Shee is a creature of mans making and may more lawfullie be removed when it pleaseth man then ever she was by him crected Secondly I marvaile with what conscience this man can spend a great part of his Epistle in stirring up a Courtier unto the opposing of Non-conformists As if this were a great point of admirable wisedome and zeale as he calleth it and the Courtiers such as stood in most need of instigations to the zeale of Formalitie being otherwise for substance such as they should be Thirdlie what agreement is there in this Argument to conjure a man by the obligation of his Baptisme to stand for the defence of certaine ceremonies was he baptized into the faith of the cermonies or is he bound to maintaine everie ceremonie which men haue brought into that Church where he was baptized If he were conjured by his Bishoping to such things as these there would be more reason in the consequence Fourthlie what need is there that great men should be called to aide and assist the Prelats against Non-conformists haue they not power enough in their own hands can they not at their own pleasure suspend depriue excommunicate what almost they please Do they not tread these poore men under their feet Is it because that the Prelats cannot yet sufficientlie prevaile against theÌ„ in the consciences of men and therfore call for further help in vaine Or is the meaning that such men should be helped unto great Bishoprickes as are most Zealous against Non-conformists If this be the matter I dare say the Petition shall be granted and yet the Petitioner except he make great progresse in this eagerness will hardlie get beyond Lichfild at least not to Canterburie In the second Epistle to the Non-conformists manie things are jumbled together which afterward must be examined but here cannot For this Epistle taketh the whole book for unanswerable and therefore should rather haue been set at the end then at the beginning oneâ—ie one ridiculous piece of Rhetorick is to be touched wherein forsooth the Non-conformists aboue all their other faults wherewith they are usuallie charged and loaded are now as it were lovinglie intreated to acknowledge themselues guiltie of superstition The reason is rendred because there is a negatiue superstition the formall cause whereof is the forbearing and forbidding of things lawfull as unholy and profane and the Non-conformists haue such negatiue opinions as kneel not cross not weare not c. All this is nothing else but a trick of prevention usuall with craftie men who choose to lay that upon their adversaries which they know more properly to belong unto themselues But I would that this Defendant or rather Accusant had given us some plaine reason of his new opinion there is no definition of superstition properly so called that will father this conclusion The Schoolemen doe with one consent place superstition in a kind of excess of Religions worship Thom. 2. 2. q. 92. art 1 from whom in this point our Divines doe not dissent Now though this excess do seem sometims to consist in a negation yet 〈◊〉 excess or errour in negation is never called by any author that ever writ I dare say superstition when he meaneth to speake properly except that very negation abstinence or forbearing be held as a special worship Now in the Non-conformists there is no such thing to be found they doe not abstaine from these Ceremonies but as they doe from other unlawfull corruptions Suppose they erre yet everie erronious deniall of things lawfull is not superstition The Defendant therefore heere being overhastie to charge his adversaries considered not well what weapon he choose But if he had well remembred what is said of superstition not onely by our Divines but even by some of the Papists themselues he would haue forborne to make mention of this word For our Divines let honourable Calvin speak Iust. l. 1 c. 12. s. 1 Inde mihi videtur dicta superstitio quod modo praescripta ratione non contenta supervacuam rerum congeriem accumulet Papists thus Superstitio est saith Azorius Inst. mor. l. 9 c. 11 cum quis Deo cultuâ— tribuit inanem vanum scil commentitia futili aliqua caeremonia eum venerando vel cum quis Deum honorat falsis vanis frivolis ceremoniis
appointed and that if she addeth any thing of her own she doth decline The reason is because unto her is commited no authoritie of appointing new things but a ministerie to observe and doe such things which Christ hath appointed vide etiam Iun. de transl imper l. 1. c. 2. n. 26. 27. 31. This is also confirmed by sound reason both in respect of the wisdome required in all law-makers perfectly found in Christ and also in regard of the nature of such institutions For the former reason teacheth as Aristotle sheweth Rhet. 1. 3. that all which possibly may should be appointed in the law by the giuer of it and nothing left unto the ministerial iudges but that which must needs be left as matters of fact c. Now in the worship of God all but particular circumstances of order may easily bee appointed as in very deed they were by our law-giver Christ. As for the nature of such institutions that doth also require so much for whatsoever is aboue civilitie therein if it bee not a circumstance of order it is worship and therfore invented by man unlawfull will-worship For vvhatsoever is used or acted by him that worshippeth God in that act it must needs be either grounded on civill humane considerations and therefore civilitie or an act and means of worship and therfore worship or the ordering and manner of disposing those acts meanes and therefore lawfull if lawfully and fitly applyed or else at the least idle and vaine and therefore to be avoided according to that of Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A fift cannot be given By all this it may appeare that the authority of the Church is not to appoint what she will no not of things in their own nature indifferent and say they be in order or for order but onely to order those things vvhich God hath appointed Thus farre the proposition or first part of my syllogisme the assumption followeth But to appoint use the ceremonies as we doe is not to order in comely manner any thing pertaining to Gods worship The reason is because order requireth not the institution or usage of any new thing but onely the right placing and disposing of things which are formerly instituted This appeareth 1. by the notation which is given of the word it selfe which both in greek latine is taken from the ranking of soldiers in certain bounds limits of time place Dicebāt enim militibus tribuni hactenus tibi licet hic consistes eô progrediere huc revertere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inde ordo Scalig. and 2 by the definitions which are given therof by Philosophers and Divines Tull. off lib. 1 eadem vis videtur ordinis collocationis Ordinem definiunt compositionem rerum aptis accommodatis locis Locum autem actionis opportunitatem dicunt esse temporis Aug. de civit lib. 15 cap. 13 order is the disposition which fit places to things equall and unequall id est when things are handsomely ranked some to goe before and some to follow as P. Martyr expoundeth it loc com cl 4 c. 5. 3 The same also is confirmed by our Divines vvho usually giving instances of order doe infist in time place and such like circumstances making a difference betwixt mysticall ceremonies and order many times condemning the one and allowing the other as the divines of France and the low Countries in their observations on the Harmonie of Confessions Sect. 17 Beza Ep. 8. Iun. in Bell. append tract de cultu imaginum c. 7 n. 12 13 14. 4 By the context of the Chapter viz. 1 Cor. 14. it plainly appeareth that order is opposed to that confusion spoken of v. 33 and therfore importeth nothing but that peaceable proceeding vvhereby they that should speak speak one by one and the rest attend c. v. 30 31. So Basil expoundeth it shewing order to consist in sorting of persons some to this and some to that according to their office and in determining of time and place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 459. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and p. 530. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly neither Luk. 1 8 neither in any place of Scripture doth the word order import any more then hath been said As for comelinesse that is nothing but the seemlinesse of order For as P. Martyr saith in 1 Cor. 11 it is such a tempering of actions as vvherby they may more fitly atteine their end Otherwhere it may conteine that natural or civill handsomenesse which is spoken of ch 11 13 as it doth ch 12 23 and so includeth all that which is grounded on civility as a faire cloth and cup for the communion a faire and firme vessell for baptisme but not the appointing of new mysticall ceremonies for then such ceremonies were here commanded to all Churches vvhich the Def. I think vvill not say and then the Apostolick Assemblies should haue worshipped God uncomelily Thus we haue both proposition and assumption of our Argument against the ceremonies confirmed out of this place which the Defendant choose as the onely place that could be brought for them Now I hope vve may adde the Conclusion Therefore to appoint and use the ceremonies as we doe is not left to the liberty of the Church i. e. it is unlawfull SECT XVII COncerning the Fathers vve are told out of Zanchius that they had alwaies some universall ceremonies as certaine feast daies not appointed by God To this vve answer 1 If this alwaies bee taken in the largest extent to signifie from the beginning wee cannot beleeue the truth of this Assertion neither can the Defend proue it Who can think that presently upon the Apostles departure their disciples should presume to be vviser then their Masters 2 the first beginning of these feasts vvas not by canonicall imposition to binde men unto new ceremonies but a voluntarie accommodation in respect of the infirmity of some in the Church or comming towards it This appeareth by the variety vvhich was betwixt one Church and another in observing of them and by the testimonie of Socrates alledged and allowed by this Defend himselfe Apol. p. 2 lib. 2 c. 9. 3 The mischiefe that came in by these observations in that they so soone overshadowed obscured and justled out of dores the simplicitie of the Gospell and many ordinances of Christ do sufficiently shew that the fathers in these things had neither direction nor blessing from God But that which the ancient Churches of Christ did alwaies maintaine may not be deemed to derogate from the authority of holy Writ If alwayes include the Apostolicall times I grant If otherwise then let the Def. take to himselfe that vvhich he unreasonably cast upon us before of symbolizing with Bellarmine con l 4. c. 9. The same answer which our Divines giue there will serue here Wherunto may be added that vvhich M. Parker hath in his book of the Crosse p. 2 ch 9 s. 6 and de Polit. Eccles. l. 2. SECT XVIII FOr Protestant
Divines Bellarmines confession is alledged who saith That Protestants grant that the Apostles did ordaine certaine Rites and Orders belonging to the Church which are not set down in Scripture cont 1. lib. 4. cap. 3. To vvhich I answer 1 Rites and Orders may be ordained though such ceremonies as ours be unlawfull And Bellarmines meaning could not be of such Rites as our Ceremonies are except he spake against his conscience for he confesseth de cult sanct l. 3 cap. 7 that some of our Divines as Brentius by name condemne such as unlawfull 2 Bellarmine craftily bringeth in this confession of our diviues that he may make them contradict themselues as appeareth in the same place His Confession therefore in this place is not so indifferent as the Def. would haue it 3 our Argument is not from the Scriptures negatiuely against the authority of the Apostles which vvas all one with that of the Scriptures and therefore understood in our Proposition but against the ordinarie authority of the Church Except therfore the Def. can proue either that our ceremonies vvere the rites brought in by the Apostles or that our Convocation house hath the same authority vvhich the Apostles had this confession of Bellarmine is nothing to the purpose SECT XIX HEre the Protestants themselues are brought in confessing as much as Bellarmine said of them But the first witnesse Chemnitius saith nothing but that some Ecclesiasticall rites though they haue no commandement or testimonie in Scripture are not to be rejected vvhich in the sense now often expounded I willingly grant Yet the Def. should not in stead of Testimonie of Scripture haue put warrant of Scripture For testimonie neither in usuall acception nor yet in Chemnitius his own meaning is so large as warrant The place of Calvin hath been answered before Iunius is plainly of the same minde and so to be interpreted so also Zanchius Daneus and Whitaker But because Iunius is stiled here by the Def. vvith his deserved title of Iudicious it will not be amisse to shew his judgement fully about such additions as our ceremonies are To name therefore one place for all at this time because there he speaketh professedly his judgement and bindeth it with a solemn oath for the sincerity and impartialnesse of his conscience in that behalfe The place I meane is in his Ecclestasticus lib. 3 cap. 5. towards the end Where first he distinguisheth betwixt things necessarie and others not necessarie in the administration of the Church and concerning even the latter sort he modestly but throughly sheweth how little libertie is left unto men If any man saith he either by Civill or Ecclesiasticall authority will adde things not necessarie nor agreable to order wee would not pertinaciously contend with him but desire onely that he would seriously consider of three things 1 By what authority or example he is led to thinke that the holy Church of God and the simplicity of the mysteries of Christ whose voyce onely is heard by his sheep according to the commandement of the Father Ioh. 10 27 must be clad with humane traditions which Christ doth reject ◠2 To what end he judgeth that his things should be added unto those that are divine For if the end be conformitie with others it were more equitie that other Churches should conforme to those which come neerest to the word of God as Cyprians counsell is then that these should conforme to the other If the end be comelinesse what is more comely then the simplicity of Christ what is more simple then that comelinesse If there be no other reason beside will then that of Tertullian is to be thought of the will of God is the chiefe necessitie and that the Church of God is not tyed unto mans wills in things divine The 3 thing to be thought on it what event alwaies hath followed upon humane Traditions as daily experience doth shew This vvas the judgement of Iudicious Iunius vvherby it is manifest that he favoured not our ceremonies nor would haue pleaded for them as the Def. under colour of his name Because Zanchius also is brought in with his deserved Title of a profound Divine speaking nothing to the purpose in hand I will set down his judgement concerning this point out of that Epistle to famous Qu. Elizabeth vvhere he treateth expresly of ceremonies and of our ceremonies Est autem Ecclesia sicut in doctrina sic etiam in ceremoniis ad Ecclesiae Apostlicae regulam informanda The Church must be ordered by the rule of the Apostolicall Church as vvell in ceremonies as in doctrine What can be said more contrarie to the Def. his distinction SECT XX. AT length vve are come to Reason But if this reason were sound and certaine I see no cause vvhy it should not haue had the upper hand of humane testimonies 1 The first reason is grounded on the Defendants phantasie meerly For it supposeth that vve hold some points of Religion to be onely besides the Word and no vvay against it vvhich not onely I haue confuted before as a cavill but M. Cartwright long since in his Reply p. 56 the very vvords also of this argument which the Def. here opposeth doe shew that vvee hold such things condemned by the Scriptures and therefore against the generall rule of them though onely beside their particular prescription 2 The second reason concludeth nothing vvhich we will not grant in the sense formerly expressed viz. that by those some ceremonies be meant circumstances of meere order and by man◠invention be understood mans particular determination Otherwise the assumption is palpably false Beside the proposition also is untrue if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing indifferent be taken in such a generall sense as some time it is found used in by Divines Vide Sopingii Apologet. respons ad lib. anonym p. 166. 3 The third and last reason is taken from the difference of ceremonies vvhich may and must be in the Churches of Christ. The answer is that this difference ought to bee onely in determination of particular circumstances of order for time place c. SECT XXI THis sect is of al other most ridiculous For first it supposeth every circūstance to be of the like nature with the ceremonies in controversie Secondly it supposeth all circumstances to be of institution Thirdly it supposeth contrary circumstances ceremoniously to be practised by the same men as of institution for otherwise the cavillation hath no shew Now all these are conceited dreames But vvhat if vve should argue thus You say these ceremonies are divine and yet dare not deny but the rejecting of them in other Churches is divine You retaine these ceremonies as divine and yet haue rejected other ceremonies of like nature as divine as these What divinitie is in such courses SECT XXII AFter al this adoe about the proposition of the first argument now vve are told of an assumption out of the Abridgment and M. Hy. viz. that these Ceremonies haue no
Altar not of his own head nor upon a suddain which vvas impossible but by the same direction that he did all the other holy things 2 Chron. 4. 1. 3. He would not haue talked so loosely as he doth heere s. 20 vvhere no man can gather by his vvords that he knoweth of any Altar appointed particularly of God beside the Altar of incense A fourth answer is that vvhich Daneus giveth unto Bellarmine â—on 3 lib. 4 c. 19 viz. that this was not a new additament for kinde but for some circumstance onely because this Court was sanctified by God Exod. 27 40 and Salomon is said to sanctifie because he put it to that use which was not ordinarie To this the Def. replyeth nothing vvorth the answering but onely that he accuseth M. Nic. and so in deed the Divines formerly alledged of unconstancie unconsonancie whereas the answeres that haue been given may very vvell concurre all of them in one action and one answer The rest of his talke doth hang upon the hornes of his new found brazen Altar and there I leaue it SECT XXII COncerning synagogues I answer 1. they were no significant ceremonies about which the question now is 2. it is most likely though that the same Prophets vvhich erected schools called schooles of the Prophets were the first founders of those synagogues 3. seeing in the synagogues there was no significant ceremony of action or apparrell appointed by men to bee used in them therefore in the Christian congregations vvhich in forme of vvorship saving the addition of sacraments appointed by God is altogether the same with the synagogues there ought much lesse to be any SECT XXIII XXIIII XXV XXVI THe first example brought out of the New Testament are the the feasts of charitie ordained as the Def. sayth by the Apostles To which our answer is ready that if they were ordained by the Apostles then they vvere not humane but divine and therefore nothing pertaining to our question To this the Defendants reply is that if divine be opposed unto constitutions not commanded of God then we could not haue uttered a more unlearned position because all Divines distinguish betwixt divine Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall traditions All Popish Divines indeed doe allow of this distinction because it maketh for their purpose and some of our English vvhen they vvrite in defence of the Hierarchie or of the ceremonies but so deeply to accuse those that refuse it for vvant of learning this is too magisteriall For 1. that vvhich came from the Apostles as they vvere Apostles that came from the spirit of God Act. 15. 28. 1. Cor. 7. 40. and to call that divine which hath the divine spirit of God 1. God himselfe for authour vvhat vvant of learning is in this 2 Iunius vvas a Divine and learned yet he sayth that this distinction betwixt Divine and Apostolicall traditions is almost imaginarie and superfluous in Bellcont 1. lib. 4. c. 2. an 6. Danaeus calleth it a childish distribution in eund loc more learned divines might easily be named that doe so allow of this distinction And indeed to examine it by that learning by vvhich distinctions are chiefly to be tried it hath no Logick at all in it For 1. the distinction pretended betwixt things appoynted for perpetuall use and those that may be altered upon occasion This distinction or difference I say is no way contained in the tearmes Divine Apostolicall 2. Some things vvere immediatly by Christ appointed vvhich vvere not perpetuall as many things proper to the Apostles and their times And some things appoynted by the Apostles which were to be perpetuall as the essentialls of Ecclesiasticall government A second answer is brought in that these feasts were abrogated by the Apostles Then sayth the Def. 1. they were not of divine institution Not in that sence indeed which meaneth by divine perpetuall but yet they might be divine as gifts of tongues healing prophesying c. vvere Then 2. sayth he the Church may institute and abrogate as the Apostles did The consequence is but faint yet the consequent or thing inferred may be granted so that the Church keep within her bounds Our finall answer is That these feasts of charitie were not of mysticall signification nor yet meerly Ecclesiasticall And indeed it is plaine that these feasts did carry no ordained signification but that which nature her selfe had imprinted in their foreheads For who knoweth not that familiar feasting of poore and rich together is a demonstration and preservation of loue vvithout institution and yet this is all that the Def. can say for their signification Neither were these feasts merely Ecclesiasticall or religious because they were used in the assemblies for they were also used in the same manner and to the same end out of the assemblies Their proper end was reliefe of the poore and maintenance of brotherly loue Last of all for the ordination of these feasts it cannot be shewed to haue been Apostolicall Peter Martyr in 1. Cor. 11. 22. judgeth otherwise So that in this example the Def. can neither shew mysticall signification religious ceremonie nor Ecclesiasticall ordination and yet except all these be proved the instance maketh nothing at all unto his purpose But that which hee lacketh in weight of arguments he strives to make up in number SECT XXVII THE next instance like the former is the kisse of peace To vvhich our answer is that it was a naturall indicant signe of peace and reconciliation But the Def. borrowing light from some oratoriall phrases of the Fathers will proue the contrarie though it be as manifest as any thing can be both by Scripture and also by other histories that it was a civill naturall fashion used in those parts upon ciuill occasions as well as holy Now what doth hee proue First the institution so farre as it was not commanded by Christ was humane This he affirmeth but proveth not and in his affirmation wavereth like a reed shaken with some winde So farre it was from Christ and so farre it was from man and yet we heare not how farre from either The plain truth is it was of no institution at all but of naturall inclination and civill custome vsed long before the comming of Christ as is to be seen every where in the old Testament Gen. 29. 13. 1. Sam. 20. 41. c. yet by direction or custome it received constant application unto some speciall acts Secondly he sayth it was significant that is it had a naturall fitnesse to declare the inward affection of loue What is this to a signification imposed by man it vvas so significant as shaking of hands vvhich gesture also used to be joyned with it Tunc ambo nexi ad invicem dextras damus in osculo pacis sacrae c. It did so signifie loue as the turning away of the face doth signifie alienation of minde But sayth he it signified Christian loue As if Christian loue had not in it the common nature of loue and
therefore cannot be signified partly by naturall signes common to loue Cleanlinesse in the celebration of the sacraments is the same that it is at another feast though in regard of that application it may be called Christian or holy cleanlinesse or decencie Thirdly he sayth it was used in time of holy worship So no doubt was giving of the upper place unto the Elders c. in token of reverence and yet it was no religious instituted signe of mysticall signification such reasons as these bewray more confidence then good consideration SECT XXVIII THe third and last example vvhich is brought out of Scripture is the covering and uncovering of the head at divine service 1. Cor. 11. to vvhich I answer as before that it was a civill order of decencie used as well out of Gods worship as in it But here the Def. taketh paines to make many collections and confirme the same by divers witnesses Because as he sayth this poynt is of some moment though the other were of none let us therfore briefly consider what they be 1. I would first learne sayth he whether this ceremonie of covering and vncovering were not significant of some good thing I answer that this fashion which he abusiuely calleth a ceremonie was significant in a generall sence that is it did declare or argue a good thing 2 I would ask what thing it is that is hereby signified I answer subjection and superiour power But there is a relation also to God sayth the Def. I answer there is in mans superioritie a kind of resemblance of Gods soveraignite and so there is also as Calvin observeth in omni principatu in all superiour power so that this maketh covering and uncovering no more a religious significant ceremonie then the upper seat of a heathen Magistrate sitting in judgement for by that seat is signified a superioritie in which there is some image of Gods sovoraigntie There is nothing alledged out of our Divines by the Defendant which may not as well bee applied to the Iudges bench as to this covering and uncovering And the Apostle doth shew plainly that the vaile he speaketh of vvas of the same nature vvith long haire So that by the Def. reason mens short and vvomens long haire must be accounted religious mysticall ceremonies 3 Our third demand sayth he is whether these ceremonies of covering and uncovering were not instituted to bee observed in Gods publicke worship I answer it was required that they should be observed in holy Assemblies But 1. it was not onely required in Gods publick vvorship but also as Calvin upon the place granteth In quovis graviore coetu aut matronarum aut virorum in any graue meeting of men and women And instit lib. 4. cap. 10. sect 29. ne mulieres in publicum nisi velatae procedant â— Whensoever they goe into publicke places 2. It was not instituted primarily and principally for Gods worship If it were I aske vvhen and by whom Paul surely did not institute a new ceremony in this place for v. 14. he groundeth his admonition upon nature i. as Calvin well expoundeth it vpon a received vse and ancient custome in those parts which some through lightnesse began unseemly to transgresse There is nothing alledged out of Martyr or Chrysostome against this answer 4. Fourthly sayth he wee desire to know whether this matter were not a thing indifferent I answer it is indifferent in the generall nature of it yet at that time and in that place they sinned that did otherwise even before Paul or any of their overseers gaue them charge about it Lastly sayth he it is worthy our inquirie to learne how farre other Churches may be directed by this example I answer so farre just as the Apostles rule stretcheth 1. Cor. 14. 40. Let all things be done comely Now the Defendant hath a direct answer to all and every one of his demands let him cast up his summe and he shall finde that he hath proved just nothing Hee could find but three examples in all the New Testament vvhich had any colour so as they might bee alledged for mysticall ceremonies appropriated to Gods vvorship by mans institution The Loue-feasts the kisse of peace and the vaile of women And yet there is not one of these three as any indifferent man if he hath common sense may see by that vvhich hath been said that can be shewed either to be of mysticall signification other then nature giveth it nor appropriated unto Gods worship more then to civill occasions nor yet ever instituted by any man in the Church of God Is it not a marvellous thing that men should presume so as they doe to domineere in words and deeds over poore men in such things as they can shew neither precept nor patterne for in all the Scriptures We will descend lower saith the Def. And that I assure him is his best course for so long as he wadeth in the pure waters of holy Scripture he doth but striue against the streame descending lower to humane vvritings he may finde the vvaters troubled and so bring some fish to his net Yet having the Scriptures on our side vvee need not feare to follow him vvhether soever he pleaseth to leade us SECT XXIX HEere is alledged the universal custome of the ancient Church even from the Apostles times for confirmation of humane mysticall ceremonies in Gods vvorship To vvhich I answer 1 of the first and purest times next after the Apostles this cannot be proved nor is likely because it is not to be thought that all Churches vvould immediately admit of any thing vvhich they had not received from the Apostles 2 For the next ages it may easily be shewed that the best Writers taught many generall rules concerning the perfection of Scripture and the purity of Gods worship vvhich cannot stand vvith these humane inventions howsoever in their practise they vvere carried away unto other customes 3 The infinite troubles of those times against Infidels and Heretickes about the chiefe grounds and maine foundations of faith vvould not suffer them to examine these points of lesse moment as they should And in deed they vvere so taken up with those conflicts that they neglected many usuall truths So that if all should be received vvhich the Fathers practised neither any thing understood but by their interpretations vve should be destitute of much truth and overcharged vvith the burthen of humane presumptions as Augustine complained in his time ep 119 4 the Lord in justice vvould haue Antichrist to prevail which mysterie could never haue grown to any ripenesse had the worship of God been preserved sincere That corruption begot him and the reformation thereof must be his utter ruine It is sufficient that the lamentable experience of fifteen hundred yeres hath declared unto us vvhat fruit of significant ceremonies brought by man into Gods worship are wont to affoord unto those that affect them To fetch authority in this case from their practise by which hath insued such
the Iewes was done publickely and generally and in the bowels of the same Church but the Papists is not so To which I answer 1 these circumstances are not rendred as reasons of the abolishing in the text but invented by the Def. 2 private particular idolatry is to be removed as well as publick and generall 3 all these circumstances did more then agree to our ceremonies in the beginning of our reformation And sure they are not grown better since by any good that they haue done The second difference vvhich the Def. imagineth is that there was no other meanes to cure the idolatry of those times but now there is I answ 1 this is the very question whether there be any other sufficient meanes to cure the disease of humane ceremonies idolatrously abused beside abolishing 2 It is a vaine imagination vvhereby this difference is confirmed and no reason at all In the Dominions of our Ezekias saith the Def. this disease would be found curable without any such extremity But the experience of 50 or 60 yeares shew that hitherto it is not cured neither in Ireland nor Wales to say nothing of England Surely our Prelates are miserable Phisitions that in a disease so easie to be cured suffer the patients to languish under their hands unto death Especially saith he in this our most truely reformed Church which doth most liuely expresse the face and full body of her primitiue mother Church This he hath now 3 or 4 times repeated as if he did desire to make a question of it and here propounds it vvith a doubt if you will allow It is not sit heere to make a long digression about this matter In short therefore thus vve allow with all thankefulnes that our Church is to be called a reformed Church in regard of the main points of faith which are purely and freely taught among us vvith publick approbation and also in regard that the grossest superstitions are by publick authority cast out of our Assembles But if our Ecclesiasticall government be considered and some ceremonious superstions wee deny utterly that vve haue such a reformation therin as may represent the face of the primitiue Church Let the Defendant tell us if ever the primitiue Church had such chanting idol service as is every day to be seen in our Cathedrall Churches If there were in the primitiue Church Chancellors Commissaries Officials under the Bishops which executed the censures of that Church If he can shew any primitiue pompous Bishops that had sole authoritie of ordination excommunication If any Minister was called in the primitiue Ch. without expresse consent of the congreg over which he vvas set if Ministers vvere then vvont to goe to law for their places if the Primitiue Church ever heard of Pluralists Non-residents or dumb ministers If either in primitue or else in Popish Church almost simony was ever so ordinary as it is with us If ever so many prophane men openly known to be contemners of Religion vvere members of any primitiue Church as are of ours If ever he read of such carnall proceedings about Ecclesiasticall affaires in primitiue times as are every day practised in our spirituall-courts who tooke money for ordination citation absolution or change of pennance I will not insist on these things because they are beside our present question but onely desire the Def. to behold this face which I haue described in a right glasse and see if it be the face of the pure primitiue Church SECT 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. THE testimonies of Councels and Fathers alledged in the Abridgement about this point are largely ranked by the Def. into 14 Sections as if the maine burden of this Controversie did lye upon their authority vvheras in the Abridgement they are briefly mentioned as illustrations I vvill therefore according to the intent of those vvhich alledged them consider all together 7. In the fift Councell of Carhage it is true that he saith those Altars vvere onely expresly appointed to be abolished vvhich were set up vvithout reliques of Martyrs But let the Def. shew any reason why those also were not to haue the same measure vvhich had reliques of martyrs in them Surely the Councell seemeth to aime at a perfect reformation but stayed at this because of the superstition vvhich then prevailed among the peoples as they shew in that parenthesis si fieri potest if it may be and in the next Canon 8 In the next canon saith the Def. they would onely haue immediate instruments of Idolatry then brought into publicke use abolished But how doth he gather this glosse out of the Text Or wherein doth this glosse excuse our ceremonies especially as they were in the beginning of our reformation and since they haue mended as soure Alâ— doth in summer 9 To the decree of the Councell of Bracara forbidding men to decke their houses c. in such manner and at such time as idolaters did the Def. answereth nothing that hath any shew of reason in it For our ceremonies differ nothing from the Papists in place persons time but onely in some opinion Now the Councell there doth not forbid the opinion but the ceremony even to them vvhich were of a better opinion 10 The Councell of Affrick doth giue a reason why they condemned certaine feasts because they were drawn from the errours of the Gentiles Heerein I am sure it maketh against our ceremonies 11 To Tertullian de Coron the Def. saith lesse then nothing For he doth not speake of the same individuall habite which was used to idolatry as the Def. vainely pretendeth nor of that kind which was onely used in idolatrous worship For in the same book c. 13 he saith this habit of a garland vvas used in most base places as playes stewes jakes c. 12 The like answer is given unto Tertullian de Orat. 1 in generall it is said that Tertullian doth not condemne these ceremonies meerly for resemblance with idolaters but for opinion of efficacie and necessity wheras the contrary is plaine in Tertullian for he saith expresly Propterea in nobis reprehendi meretur quod apud idola celebratur Therefore it is to be blamed in us because it is used before Idols And B. Iewel Def. Apol. vvith many other of our best Writers against the Papists doe urge these testimonies of Tertullian meerely in regard of resemblance 2 In washing saith the Def. some did then hold an opinion of efficacie and necessitie If they did that is nothing to the purpose for they might be condemned in that behalfe and yet meerely also for resemblance vvith idolaters But no such thing appeareth in Tertullian he telleth us plainely that the vvashing before prayer vvas a significant sign in remembrance of Christs delivering unto the Iewes by Pilate when he had washed Cum scrupulose percontarer rationem requirerem compeâ—i commemorationem esse in domini deditionem c. 11 so that I doe not see but that this vvashing vvas
a certaine time when it may be unwitting to the commander little children were playing in the way vvould any mans conscience serue him to doe it Avoyding of scandall is a maine duty of charity May Superiours at their pleasure appoint how farre I shall shew my charity towards my brothers soule Then surely an inferiour earthly court may crosse the determinations of the high Court of heaven The superiours haue no power given them for destruction but onely for edification If therefore they command scandalls they goe beyond their commission neither are we tyed therein to doe as they bid but as they should bid If determination by superiours vvere sufficient to take away the sin of a scandall Then they doe very ill that they doe not so farre as is possible determine all things indifferent that so no danger may be left in giving of offence by the use of them Then the Church of Rome is to be praysed in that she hath determined of so many indifferents then Paul with the other Apostles might haue spared a great deale of labour in admonishing the Churches how they should avoyd offences about some indifferent things A farre shorter way had bene either to determine the matter finally or else to haue given order that the Churches should among themselues determine it at home But say that the Archbishop of Corinth for now I suppose such a one had called his Convocation and vvith consent of his Clergie had determined that men might and for testifying of liberty should at a certaine time eat of such and such meats which men formerly doubted of would not yet the Apostle haue given the same direction he did would not good Christians still haue had care of their brothers consciences Can the determination of a superiour be a sufficient plea at the barre of Gods judgement seat for a man that by vertue or force thereof alone hath done any action that his conscience telleth him will scandalize his brother Lastly I vvould faine know whether those superiours doe not giue a great scandall vvhich take upon them determinately to impose unnecessary rites vvhich they know many good men will be scandalized by The second notorious flaw vvhich I finde in the Defendant his subdivisions is sect 9 where he granteth that much indulgence indeed is to be used in things indifferent towards weake persons whose infirmity proceedeth onely from simple ignorance but that onely till such time as the doctrine concerning such things haue been sufficiently declared because a scandall doth alwaies presuppose a meer weakenesse for want of due meanes of knowledge For 1 Paul had sufficiently declared that it vvas lawfull for him to take wages yet he would not 1 Cor. 9 he had given sufficient reasons for the lawfulnesse of eating all kind of meats yet he abstayned and so counselled others for feare of scandall Rom. 14 1 Cor 9. 2 There can be no certaine set time for all sorts of men vvhen they are sufficiently taught 3 Who is this Def. that he dare judge so many of his fellow servants that in such indifferencies as our ceremonies are held to be they take offence not upon weakenesse but upon presumption 4 What authority haue our Prelats to obtrude unnecessary ceremonies upon the Church vvhich must be declared before they can be used Is it fit that the people should be troubled with the declararion of mens inventions vvhen they are hardly brought to heare willingly the maine things of the Gospell 5 Is it not more agreeable to the wisedome of God Ex. 21. 33 to fill up the pit then to set one by for to warne the passengers they fall not into it 6 There vvas never yet sufficient declaration of this doctrine of ceremonies throughout England In many places there is no preaching at all Many preach so that they declare nothing almost to the people but their own folly Many are ashamed or at least unwilling to declare unto the people mens devices Many declare them so corruptly that the scandall thereby is not removed but increased And among those that goe about vvith some good mind to declare this kind of doctrine there is almost as great variety of declarations as there is of declarers while some will haue them significant some not some say they are good and profitable to edification and others condemning them as altogether unfit declare them to be tollerable for avoiding of a greater mischiefe Some will haue them onely civill and others Ecclesiasticall some excuse all but the crosse and some extoll the crosse aboue all Are not such declarations thinke you likely to informe well the consciences of poore men who doubt more whom they should take for a good Declarer then they did at the first of the things themselues SECT X. AMong the instances of scandall arising from the ceremonies that vvhich in the Abridgement hath the third place is set first by the Def. viz that the superstitions Papist will be hardened in the liking of his abominable Religion from which he seeth wee borrow our ceremonies and increase in his hope of the full restoring of it againe To this the Def. answereth that our rites are not the ceremonies of Papists because they are purged from superstition But 1 that they are not purged from all superstition hath sufficiently been declared before 2 This plea of transubstantiating of ceremonies by the breath of our Convocation is a meere shift contrary not onely to the language of all our Divines and to that vvhich every mans senses doe tell him but also to the publicke profession of the Church of England in the preface to our service-book as it is cited by him p. 127. For there we are told 1 that an abatement is made of the excesse of Popish ceremonies All therefore are not abolished but some remaine And vvhich be they if these in question be not 2 That some of the old ceremonies doe remaine What sense can be given of these words if our ceremonies be not the same with those vvhich were of old among the Papists if it were meant of old ceremonies not used among the Papists then they doe not remaine nor are retained but restored 3 That none are devised anew therefore they must needs be taken from the Papists or from the Fathers but of the Fathers surplice or kneeling at the communion no instance can be given and as for the crosse the Def. himselfe will not defend I thinke all that use vvhich the Fathers put it to 3. The Papists own words doe sufficiently manifest how they are hardened by the imposition and use of our ceremonies For as it is shewed in the Abridgement p. 25 they seek to justifie their superstition by this that we haue borrowed our ceremonies from them And some of them thence conclude as there is shewed that our Governours like vvell of their superstition Beside Gretser a principall Iesuit saith that in these ceremonies our Ministers are as Apes of Popish Priests Apol. prâ— Gregor 7 pag. 8 and in
make humane significant ceremonies in Gods worship agree with Christian liberty As for superstition vvhich the Defendant doth now the second time most ridiculously object I haue answered in the beginning of this Confutation Now onely I note 1 how loosely he describeth that superstition vvhich he calleth affirmative as if no man could use any thing superstitiously except he did hold that without it the faith of Christianity or the true worship of God could not possible consist Never was there such a description given by any man that considered what he said 2 Hovv manfully he concludeth our negatiue superstition upon this ground that Christ hath left these ceremonies free which is the maine question betwixt him and us 3 How he mis-reporteth our opinion in saving absolutely that weâ— hold a Surplice to haue unholinesse and pollution in it wheras we hold that it is onely made more unfit for Gods service then it was before through idolatrous abuse but yet unto other usâ—s it may be applyed 4 That in stead of Scripture he bringeth forth the universall practise of men in the Church vvhich yet hath been formerlyly also refuted 5 That he can finde no Divine that calleth opposing of ceremonies superstition but onely M. Calvin in one place speaking rhetorically as he useth to doe and not intending any definition or distribution of that vice 6 How he corrupteth P. Martyrs words to haue some colour for a new accusation P. Martyr taking there upon him the person of an adversarie unto Hoopers opinion with whom notwithstanding afterward he consented and recalled the counsell which then he gaue as appeareth p. 1125 saith that if we should refuse all things that the Papists used vve should bring the Church into servitude which assertion is most true because the Papists abused many necessarie things even Christs own Ordinances the observing of which is liberty Now the Def. would haue that precisely uâ—derstood and that in the rigour of every word concerning the Surplice I haue here subioyned apart an Epistle of Zanchius who otherwaies was somewhat favourable to Bishops wherein the Reader may see his iudgement concerning superstitious garments To the most renowmed Queene Elizabeth Defendresse of the Christian Religion and most mighty Queen of England France and Ireland H. Zanchius sendeth greeting MOST gracious and most Christian Queene we haue not without great griefe understood that the fire of contention about certaine garments which we thought had been quenched long agone is new againe to the incredible offence of the godly as it were raised from hell and kindled a fresh in your Majesties Kingdome and that the occasion of this fire is because your most gracious maiestie being perswaded by some otherwise great men and carried with a zeal but certainly not according to knowledge to retaine unitie in religion hath now more then ever before resolved and dâ—câ—eed yea doth will and command that all Bishops and Mâ—nisters of the Churches shal in divine service put on the white and linnen garments which the Popish Priests use now in Poperie yea that it is to be feared least this fire be so kindled and cast its flame so farre and wide that all the Churches of that most large and mightie kingdome to the perpetuall disgrace of your most renowned Maiestie be set on a flaming fire seeing the most part of the Bishops men greatly renowned for all kinde of learning and godlines had rather leaue their office and place in the Church then against their owne conscience admit of such garments or at the least signes of Idolaâ—rie and Popish superstititon and so defile themselues with them and giue of fence to the weak by their example Now what other thing will this be then by retaining of these garments to destroy the whole body of the Churchâ— For without doubt that is Satans intent by casting a seed of dissentions amongst the Bishops And that hee aimed at in the infancie of the Church by stirring vp discord between the East and West Churches about the Passover and other ceremonies of that kind Therfore Ireneus Bishop of Lions had just cause in his Epistle sent out of France to Rome sharply to reproue Victor the Pope of Rome because he out of a kind of zeale but not according to knowledge was minded to excommunicate all the churches of Asia because they celebrated not the Passover just at the same time as they at Rome did For this was nothing but by an unseasonable desire to retaine the same ceremonies in all churches to rent and teare a peeces the vnitie of the Churches I therefore so soone as I heard that so great a ruine hanged over the Church of Christ in that kingdome presently in respect of that dutie which I owe to the Church of Christ to your gracious Maiestie and to that whole kingdom intended to write thither and to try by my uttermost endevor whether so great a mischiefe might possibly be withstood some that fear Christ and wish wel to your Maiestie exhorting me to the performance of this dutie But when I had scarcely begun to think of this course behold our most illustrious Prince commanded 〈◊〉 to do it which command of his did not onely spurre me one who of mine owe accord was alreadie running but laid a necessitie of writing upon me Wherefore this my boldnesse will seeme the lesse strange unto your gracious Maiestie seeing my writing proceedeth not so much from mine owne will and counsell of friends as from the commandement of my most Noble Prince who is one of your gracious Maiesties speciall friends Now I thought I should doe a matter verie worth the paines taking if first I should humbly admonish your most famous Maiestie what your dutie is in this cause and secondlie if as your humble suppliant I should beseech you for our Lord Iesus Christs sake to performe the same I beseech your gracious Maiestie to take this my writing in good part for it proceedeth from a Christian loue toward the Church and from an especiall reverend respect that I beare to your most gracious Maiestie The Lord knoweth all things Now to the matter in hand Whereas the Apostle writing to Timothie commandeth that praiers be made for Kings and all other that be in authoritie and saith that the end wherefore they bee ordained is that wee may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all that is perfect godlinesse and honestie he teacheth plainlie enough what is the dutie of godlie Kings and Princes namelie that they take care and bring to passe that first and aboue all things true religion and the true worship of God where it is banished bee restored and being restored bee kept pure all things which smell of impietie being farre removed Secondlie that men may liue honestlie and holilie all kinds of vncleannesses beeing abandoned Lastlie that publicke peace and holie friendship bee maintained among the subiects all occasions of contentious being as much as possiblie may be taken out of the way As the
shewed namely that to end in a word we all denying vngodlines and worldly lusts may liue soberly justly and godlily in this present world For this is the true and fairest garment of all other For which everie man ought to take care to wit that having put off the old man with his workes we put on the new man that is our Lord Iesus Christ neither are there any other true ornaments which become Christian Bishops besides those which the Apostle hath laid downe in his writings to Tim. and Tit. A Bishop must bee unreproveable the husband of one vvife vvatching sober modest harborous apt to teach not given to vvine no stryker nor given to filthy luere but gentle no fighter not covetous one that can rule his house honestly having children under obedience in all honestie not forward not angrie righteous holy c. For garments and ornaments of Aarons high Priest were types of these true ornaments those were the shadowes these be the bodie Wherefore let those bee gone and let these abide still And then at length shall we haue the whole Church and so the Bishops rightlie and trulie apparrelled Once againe I humblie beseech your gracious Maiestie that thinking no more of those outward garments you will mind and consider how these true and spirituall ornaments may be retained put upon and kept in the Churches And as I said in the beginning that according to your gracious Maiesties clemencie you will be pleased to pardon my boldnes in writing Our Lord Iesus Christ long preserue your gracious Maiestie safe and sound to vs and to the whole Church From Heidelberg 10. Septemb. 1571. THus good sir you see how I haue endevoured to satisfie your desire concerning the general part of the Defence If this doe not fully content you I vvill if it please God add vvhat is vvanting another time For it is fit vve should helpe one another in private concerning these things lest the publick sway of formalitie should make us forget or forgoe that sinceritie vvhich those men of God taught us in whom vvhen we vvere yet children we saw the power of godlines that made us loue their footsteps Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walke naked and they see his shame Apoc. 16. 15. I haue added to the Authors Reply but without his knowledge the advertisement following to fill up this page which without some purpose had otherwise been left blank WHEN you finde good Reader any straggling testimonies of some few forraine Divines alledged by the formalists which seeme to savour of toleration consider first that some did write in the dawning of the day of reformation and therefore could not so soone see distinctly and clearly every corruption which was in the Church 2. That notvvithstanding of greater light shining in the Church after the rising of the Sun aboue our Horizon the Divines treating upon many poynts could not bee exact in everie one or intending principally to beat downe such corruptions as did most assault their owne Churches no vvonder that there fell from their pens some sentences not ripely digested concerning other poynts 3. That howbeit these had purposely set themselues to consider the controversies of our Churches yet not being throughly acquainted with the particular state of the same might giue their iudgment in the generall case but could not so vvell in the particular as many worthy Divines in England haue done 4. They vvere but men and might erre in judgement and so appeareth by the vveak reasons subjoyned somtimes to their opinions And living in Churches vvhere some corruptions doe remaine they might the more readily stumble at the like in others 6. It hath been the practise of the English Prelates from time to time and is at this present houre not onely to offer preferment to Divines at home but also to send gifts to forraine Divines to blunt at least the edge of their zeale if they could not make them altogether their own as they haue done some For proofe of this their old practise I haue here subjoyned a few lines taken out of the friendly caveat to B. Sands then Bishop of London vvritten annâ— 1567. extant in the book intituled The Register Although you haue as much as in you lieth gone about to win credit and as it were to tie the tongues of Bullinger Gualter Zanchius and others with your bribes which you haue divers times sent them under the name of friendly tokens and remembrances yet when they shal be informed better of more then they were the last time and confirmed in the former satisfaction of these two last set forth bookes as well these that I haue named as divers more wil not bee ashamed like true and constant professors of the truth to answer your L. as Aristotle did Plato when he said Amicus Plato sed magis amica viritas that is to say openly to confesse not in privat meeting onely but in print also that English tiâ—ne English cloathes and English silver and gold are and shall bee welcome to them as long as they are not meant to stop them from the truth against both their conscience and their printed writings and confessions Yea if yee will look well on the matter Gualter hath condemned you and your splendida Pontificalia alreadie For in his last Epistle to you Lords he denieth not that those informations these two that he speaketh of delivered him were intollerable in the Church but trusting onely upon your words and beleeving your coloured lying informations too much would not credit them as tâ—o too monstrous things to bee in such a realme that hauâ— alway had so good a report for zealousnesse in religion and to be maintained of such men that in time of their banishment both hee himselfe and a great sort more knew to be godlie learned and earnest in religion MElanchton did write in the dawning of the day â—anchius in â—n Epistle to Bullinger reporteth that he was of a fearefull spirit and did many things which he did not approue His advices in the time of the Interim proved pernicious to the Germane Churches and grievous to all the godly Harder things if true are written concerning him P. Martyr freer in writing after he had left England then he was before in a letter to a certaine friend there confesseth his oversight in advisiâ—g rather to conform to Popish apparell then to leaue the Ministerie and that now with â—ullinger he was of another minde seeing the scandals which did arise unavoideably of them which he did not perceiue before He confesseth in another Epistle to a certaine friend there that he could not giue full and particular direction not being acquainted with all the particular circumstances Tu autem quiâ—â—es in ipso certamine consilia hic non expecta Valde quippe sumus à vobis procul In ipsa consultetis arena Which answer holdeth in other forraine Divines The Author of this sound Reply craving the removall or at least the free use of the ceremonies and that none be enthralled or saying if there Deanes Canons and Prebendaries will practise them in their Cathedrall Churches they will not contend with them providing the Prelates impose them not upon others is to be understood to speak onely of the English Church where they haue kept possession ever since the Reformation and as a man almost despairing of any cure after these fifty yeares contestation against them rather then resolving But all Writers condemn the reducing of corruptions into a Church specially after exile of many yeares Many worthies haue suffered much for Reformation what would they haue done to withstand the re-entry of Deformation FINIS Iunius here speaketh to our Defen who pag. 3. calleth his ceremonies The garments of Religion 〈…〉 malus conâ—us Mr. Fox †Zanchius it is like was misinformed for Bishops haue bin the chief devisers and advisers Pauls Bishops â—hee meaneth or els as I sayd before he is misinformed †Vntrue or misinformed †still misinformed †still misinformed In making 3 sorts of officers afterwards Bishops Seniors or Elders Deacons hee must take word Bishop in the scripture language as common to all Pastors