of Mortification which I think with very good Meaning they have preached out of â—heir own Exprience and Exercise And Things in private Counsels not unmeet But surely no Sound Conceits Much like to Parsons Resolution or not so good Apt to breed in Men rather weak Opinions and perplexed Despaires then Filiall and True Repentance which is sought Another Point of great Inconvenience and perill is to entitle the People to hear Controversies and all Kinds of Doctrine They say no part of the Counsell of God is to be suppressed nor the People defrauded So as the Difference which the Apostle maketh between Milk and Strong Meat is confounded And his Precept that the weak be not admitted unto Questions and Controversies taketh no place But most of all is to be suspected as a Seed of further Inconveniâ—nce their Manner of Handling the Scriptures For whilest they seek expresse Scripture for every Thing And that they have in a manner deprived themselves and the Church of a speciall Help and Support by Embasing the Authority of the Fathers They resort to Naked Examples Conceited Inferences and Forced Allusions such as do mine into all Certainty of Religion Another Extremity is the Excessive Magnifying of that which though it be a principall and most holy Institution yet hath it Limits as all things else have We see wheresoever in a manner they find in the Scriptures The Word spoken of they expound it of Preaching They have made it in a manner of the Essence of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to have a Sermon precedent They have in a sort annihilated the use of Liturgies and Formes of Divine Service Although the House of God be denominated of the Principall Domus Orationis A House of Prayer and not a House of Preaching As for the Life of the good Monks and Hermits in the Primitive Church I know they will condemne a Man as half a Papist if he should maintain them as other then Prophane because they heard no Sermons In the mean time what Preaching is and who may be said to Preach they move no Question But as far as I see every man that presumeth to speak in Chair is accounted a Preacher But I am assured that not a few that call hotly for a Preaching Ministery deserve to be the First themselves that should be expelled All which Errours and Misproceedings they do fortifie and intrench by an addicted Respect to their own Opinions And an Impâ—â—ience to hear Contradiction or Argument yea I know some of them that that would think it a Tempting of God to hear or read what may be said against them As if there could be A Quod bonum est tenete without an Omnia probate going before This may suffice to offer unto themselves a Thought and Consideration whether In these things they do well or no And to correct and asswage the Partiality of their Followers For as for any Man that shall hereby enter into a Contempt of their Ministery it is but his own Hardness of Hart. I know the work of Exhortation doth chiefly rest upon these Men and they have Zeal and Hate of Sin But again let them take Heed that it be not true which one of their Adversaries said That they have but two small wants Knowledge and Love And so I conclude this Point The last Point touching the due Publishing and Debating of these Controversies needeth no long Speech This strange Abuse of Antiques and Pasquils hath been touched before So likewise I repeat that which I said That a Character of Love is more proper for Debates of this Nature then that of Zeal As for all direct or indirect Glaunces or Levels at Mens Persons they were ever in these Causes disallowed Lastly whatsoever be pretended the People is no meet Arbitrator but rather the quiet modest and private Assemblies and Conferences of the Learned Qui apud Incapacem loquitur non disceptat sed calumniatur The Presse and Pulpit would be freed and discharged of these Contentions Neither Promotion on the one Side nor Glory and Heat on the other Side ought to continue those Challenges and Cartells at the Crosse and other Places But rather all Preachers especially such as be of good temper and have Wisdome with Conscience ought to inculcate and beat upon a Peace Silence and Surseance Neither let them fear Solons Law which compelled in Factions every particular Person to range himself on the one side Nor yet the fond Calumny of Neutrality But let them know that is true which is said by a wise Man That Neuters in Contentions are either better or worse then either Side These things have I in all sincerity and simplicity set down touching the Controversies which now trouble the Church of England And that without all Art and Insinuation And therfore not like to be gratefull to either Part. Notwithstanding I trust what hath been said shall find a Correspondence in their minds which are not embarqued in Partiality And which love the Whole better then a Part. Wherefore I am not out of hope that it may do good At the least I shall not repent my self of the Meditation FINIS IN HAPPY MEMORY OF ELIZABETH QUEEN of ENGLAND OR A COLLECTION OF THE FELICITIES OF Queen Elizabeth Written by his Lordship in Latin AND Englished by the Publisher QVeen Elizabeth both in her Naturall Endowments and her Fortune was Admirable amongst Women and Memorable amongst Princes But this is no Subject for the Pen of a meer Scholler or any such Cloistred Writer For these Men are eager in their Expressions but shallow in their Judgements And perform the Schollers part well but transmit Things but unfaithfully to Posterity Certainly it is a Sciencâ— belonging to Statesmen and to such as sit at the Helmes of great Kingdoms and have been acquainted with the weight and Secrets of Civil Business to handle this matter dextrously Rare in all Ages haâ—h been the Raign of a Woman More rare the Felicity of a Woman in her Raign But most rare a Permanency and Lasting joyned with that Feliciâ—y As for this Lady she raigned Four and Fourty years compleat and yet she did not survive her Felicity Of this Felicity I am purposed to say somewhat yet without any Excursion into Praises For Praises are the Tribute of Men but Felicity the Gift of God Fiâ—st I reckon it as a part of her Felicity that she was advanced to the Regal Throne from a Private Fortune For this is ingenerate in the Natuâ—e and Opinions of Men to ascribe that to the greatest Felâ—city which is not counted upon and cometh unlooked for But this is not that I intend It is this Princes that are trained up in their Fathâ—rs Courts and to an immediate and Apparent Hope of Succession do get this by the Tendernesse and remisseness of their Education that they become commonly lesse capable and lesse Temperaâ—e in their Affections And therefoâ—e you shall find those to have been the ablest and most accâ—mâ—lished Kings
glory to judge the World That the Sufferings and Merits of Christ as they are sufficient to do away the Sinns of the whole World so they are onely effectuall to those which are Regenerate by the Holy Ghost Who breatheth where he will of Free Grace which Grace as a Seed Incorruptible quickeneth the Spirit of Man and conceiveth him anew a Son of God and Member of Christ So that Christ having Mans Flesh and Man having Christs Spirit there is an open passage and Mutuall Imputation whereby Sin and Wrath was conveyed to Christ from Man And Merit and Life is conveyed to Man from Christ VVhich Seed of the Holy Ghost first figureth in us the Image of Christ slain or crucified through a lively Faith And then reneweth in us the Image of God in Holinesse and Charity though both imperfectly and in degrees farre differing even in Gods Elect As well in regard of the Fire of the Spirit as of the Illumination thereof which is more or lesse in a large proportion As namely in the Church before Christ VVhich yet neverthelesse was partaker of one and the same Salvation with us And of one and the same Means of Salvation with us That the Work of the Spirit though it be not tyed to any Means in Heaven or Earth yet it is ordinarily dispensed by the Preaching of the Word The Administration of the Sacraments The Covenants of the Fathers upon the Children Prayer Reading The Censures of the Church The Society of the Godly the Crosse and Afflictions Gods Benefits His Iudgements upon others Miracles The Contemplation of his Creatures All which though some be more principall God useth as the Means of Vocation aâ—d Conversion of his Elect Not derogating from his power to call immediately by his Grace and at all Howers and Momentâ— of the Day That is of Mans Life according to his good pleasure That the Word of God whereby his Will is revealed continued in Revelation and Tradition untill Moses And that the Scriptures were from Moses Time to the times of the Apostles and Evangelists In whose Age aftâ—r the comming of the Holy Ghost the Teacher of all Truth the Book of the Scriptures was shut and closed so as not to receive any new Addition And that the Church hath no power over the Scriptures to teach or command any Thing contrary to the written Word But is as the Ark wherein the Tables of the First Testament were kept and preserved That is to say the Church hath onely the Custody and Delivery over of the Scriptures committed unto the same Together with the Interpretation of them but such onely as is conceived from themselves That there is an Universall or Catholick Church of God dispersed over the face of the Earth which is Christs Spouse and Christs Body Being gathered of the Fathers of the old World of the Church of the Iewes of the Spirits of the Faithfull Dissolved and the Spirits of the Faithfull Militant and of the Names yet to be born which are already written in the Book of Life That there is also a Visible Church distinguished by the outward VVorks of Gods Covenant and the Receiving of the Holy Doctrine with the Use of the Mysteries of God and the Invocation and Sanctification of his Holy Name That there is also an Holy Succession in the Prophets of the New Testament and Fathers of the Church from the time of the Apostles and Disciples which saw our Saviour in the Flesh unto the Consummation of the Work of the Ministry which persons are called from God by Gift or inward Anointing And the Vocation of God followed by an outward Calling and Ordination of the Church I believe that the Soules of those that dye in the Lord are blessed and rest from their Labours and enjoy the Sight of God yet so as they are in Expectation of a further Revelation of their Glory in the last Day At which time all Flesh of Man shall arise and be changed and shall appear and receive from Iesus Christ his Eternall Iudgement And the Glory of the Saints shall then be full And the Kingdome shall be given up to God the Father From which Time all things shall continue for ever in that Being and State which then they shall receive So as there are three Times if Times they may be called or parts of Eternity The first the Time before beginnings when the Godhead was onely without the Being of any Creature The Second the Time of the Mystery which continueth from the Creation to the Dissolution of the World And the Third the Time of the Revelation of the Sonnes of God which Time is the last and is everlasting without change FINIS A Perfect List of his Lordships true Works both in English and Latin In English AN Apology touching the Earl of Essex The Elâ—ments of the Common Laws of England Advancement of Learning Essayes with the Colours of Good and Evil. Charge against Duels History of the Reign of King Henry the seventh Counsels Civil and Moral Or the Essayes revised and enriched Translation of certain Psalms into Verse The Natural History with the Fable of the New Atlantis Miscellany Works containing A Discourse of a Warr with Spain Miscellany Works containing A Dialogue touching an Holy Warr. Miscellany Works containing A Preface to a Digest of Laws Miscellany Works containing The Beginning of the History of K. Henry the 8. History of Life and Death translated into English De Augmentis Scientiarum translated into English by Doctour Guilbert Watts of Oxford This present Volume with the Particulars contained in the same In Latine DE Sapientiâ Veterum Instauratio Magna Historia Ventorum Historia Vitae Mortis De Augmentis Scientiarum Historia Regni Henrici Septimi Regis Angliae Sermones Fideles sive Interiora Rerum Dialogus de Bello Sacro Nova Atlantis Historia Naturalis versa et evulgata operâ— et curâ Iacobi Gruteri Opera Philosophica et alia nondum sed propediem Deo favente Typis mandanda As for other Pamphlets whereof there are severall put forth under his Lordships Name they are not to be owned for his Books Printed for VVilliam Lee and are to be sold at his shop at the Turks-Head in Fleetstreet ANnotations upon all the New Testament A Systeme or Body of Divinity in 10. Books wherein the Fundamental and main Grounds of Religion are opened in Folio 1654 about 240. Sheets The Saints Encouragement in Evil times in 120. 1651. All written by Edward Leigh Esquire Master of Arts in Magdalen Hall in Oxford An Exposition of the Prophecie of Haggee in fifteen Sermons by that famous Divine Iohn Reynolds D.D. in 40. 1649. An Exposition of the Psalms of Degrees The Young mans Tutor both wriâ— by T. Stint in 80. Herestography or a Description of all the Heresies and Sectaâ—ies of these later times by Eph. Pagit 40. with new Additions 1654. of the Ranters and Quakers Contemplations Sighs and Groans of a Christian published by W.
in our Eye yet the Body of the Kingdome is but thin sown with People And whosoever shall compare the Ruines and Decayes of ancient Towns in this Realm with the Erections and Augmentations of new cannot but judge that this Realm hath been far better peopled in foâ—mer times It may be in the Heptarchy or otherwise For generally the Rule holdeth The smaller State the greater Population proratâ— And whether this be true or no we need not seek further then to call to our remembrance how many of us serve here in this place â—or desolate and decayed Burroughs Again Mr. Speaker whosoever looketh into the Principles of Estate must hold it that it is the Mediterrane Countries and not the Mariâ—â—me which need to fear surcharge of People For all Sea â—rovinâ—es and specially Islands have another Element besides the Earth and Soil for their Sustentation For what an infinite Number of people are and may be sustained by Fishing Carriage by Sea and Merchandizing wherein I do again discover that we are not at all pinched by Multitude of People For if we were it were not possible that we should relinquish and resign such an infiâ—ite Benefit of Fishing to the Flemmings as it is well known we do And therefore I see that we have wastes by Sea as well as by Land which still is an infallible Argument that our Industry is not awaked to seek maintenance by any over great Press or charge of people And lâ—stly Mr. Speaker there was never any Kingdome in the Ages of tâ—e world had I think so fair and happy means to issue and discharge the Multitude of their People if it were too great as this Kingdome hath In regard of that desolate and wasted Kingdome of Ireland which being a Countrey blessed with almost all the Dowâ—ies of Nature As Rivers Havens Woods Quarries good Soyl and temperate Climate And now at last under his Majesty blessed also with obedience Doth as it were continually call unto us for our Colonies and Plantations And so I conclude my second Answer to this pâ—etended Inconvenience of surcharge of People Tâ—e Third Answer Mr. Speaker which â— give is this I demand what is the worst Effect which can follow of Surcharge of People Look into all Stories and you shall find it none other thâ—n some Honourable War for the Enlargement of their Bordeâ—s which find themselves pent upon Forrain parts Which Incoâ—venience in a valourous and Warlike Nation I know not whether I should term an Inconvenience or no For the saying is most true though in another Sense Omne solum Forti Patria It was spoken indeed of the patience of an exil'd Man But it is no less true of the valour of a Warlike Nation And certainly Mr. Speaker I hope I may speak it without offence That if we did hold our selves worthy whensoever just Cause should be given Either to recover our ancient Rights Or to revenge our late wrongs Or to attain the Honour of our Ancestors Or to enlarge the Patrimony of our Posterity We would never in this manner forget Considerations of Amplitude and Greatness and fall at variance about profit and Reckonings Fitter a great deal â—or private Persons then for Parliaments and Kingdoms And thus Mr. Speaker I leave this first objection to such Satisfaction as you have heard The second Objection is that the Fundamentall Laws of both these Kingdoms of England and Scotland are yet divers and severall Nay more that it is declared by the Instrument that they shall so continue And that there is no intent in his Majesty to make Innovation in them And therefore that it should not be seasonable to proceed to this Naturalization whereby to endowe them with our Rights and Priviledges except they should likewise receive and submit themselves to our Laws And this Objection likewise Mr. Speaker I allow to be a weighty Objection and worthy to be well answered and discussed The Answer which I shall offer is this It is true for mine own part Mr. Speaker that I wish the Scottish Nation governed by our Laws For I hold our Laws with some reducement worthy to govern if it were the world But this is that which I say and I desire therein your Attention That according to true reason of Estate Naturalization is in Order First and precedent to union of Laws In degree a less Matter then union of Laws And in Nature separable not inseparable from union of Laws For Naturalization doth but take out the Marks of a Forrainer But union of Laws makes them entirely as our selves Naturalization taketh away separation But union of Lawes doth take away Distinction Do we not see Mr. Speaker that in the Administation of the world under the great Monarch God himself that his Lawes are divers One Law in Spirits another in Bodies One Law in Regions celestiall another in Elementary And yet the Creatures are all one Mass and Lump without any vacuum or separation Do we not see likewise in the State of the Church that amongst People of all Languages and Linages there is one Communion of Saints And that we are all Fellow Citizens and naturalized of the Heavenly Hierusalem And yet nevertheless divers and severall Ecclesiasticall Lawes Policies and Hierarchies According to the Speech of that worthy Father In veste varietas sit scissurae non sit And therefore certainly Mr. Speaker the Bond of Law is the more speciall and private Bond And the Bond of Naturalization the more common and generall For the Lawes are rather Figura Reip then Forma And rather Bonds of Perfection then Bonds of Entirenesse And therefore we see in the Experience of our own Government that in the Kingdome of Ireland all our Statute-Lawes since Poynings Law are not in force And yet we deny them not the Benefit of Naturalization In Gersey Garnesey and the Isle of Man our Common-Lawes are not in force And yet they have the Benefit of Naturalization Neither need any Man doubt but that our Laws and Customes must in small time gather and win upon theirs For here 's the Seat of the Kingdome whence come the supreme Directions of Estate Here is the Kings Person and Example of which the Verse saith Regis ad exemplum totus componitur Orbis And therefore it is not possible Although not by solemne and formall Act of Estates yet by the secret Operation of no long time but they will come under the yoak of our Lawes And so Dulcis tractus pari jugo And this is the Answer I give to this second objection The third Objection is some Inequality in the Fortunes of these two Nations England and Scotland By the Commixture whereof there may ensue Advantage to them and Loss to us Wherein Mr. Speaker it is well that this Difference or Dispaparity conâ—isteth but in externall Goods of Fortune For indeed it must needs be confessed that for the Goods of the Mind and the Body they are Alteri Nos Other our selves For to do them but
was pressed somewhat rudely by an Agent of the Swizzes to raise their Pensions brake into Words of Choller What said he will these Villaines of the Mountaines put a Tax upon me which words lost him his Dutchy of Millain and chased him out of Italy All which Examples Mr. Speaker do well prove Solons opinion of the Authority and Mastry that Iron hath over Gold And therefore if I shall speak unto you mine own Heart Me thinks we should a little disdain that the Nation of Spain which howsoever of late it hath grown to Rule yet of ancient time served many Ages First under Carthage then under Rome after under Sarazens Gothes and others should of late years take unto themselves that Spirit as to dream of a Monarchy in the West according to that Devise Video Solem Ortentem in Occidente Onely because they have ravished from some wild and unarmed People Mines and Store of Gold And on the other side that this Island of Britanny seated and manned as it is and that hath I make no question the best Iron in the world That is the best Souldiers of the world should think of nothing but Reckonings and Audits and Meum and Tuum and I cannot tell what Mr. Speaker I have I take it gone through the Parts which I propounded to my Self Wherein if any Man shall think that I have sung Placebo For mine own particular I would have him know that I am not so unseen in the world but that I discern it were much alike for my private fortune to rest a Tacebo as to sing a Placebo in this Business But I have spoken out of the Fountain of my Heart Credidi propter quod locutus sum I believed therefore I spake So as my Duty is performed The Judgement is yours God direct it for the best A Speech used by Sir Francis Bacons in the Lower House of Parliament by occasion of a Motion concerning the Union of Lawes AND it please you Mr. Speaker were it now a time to Wish as it is to Advise No Man should be more forward or more earnest then my self in this wish That his Majesties Subjects of England and Scotland were governed by one Law And that for many Reasons First because it will be an infallible Assurance that there will never be any Relapse in succeeding Ages to a Separation Secondly Dulcis tractus pari Iugo If the Draught lye most upon us and the Yoke lightest upon them it is not equall Thirdly the Qualities and as I may term it the Elements of their Laws and ours are such as do promise an excellent Temperature in the compounded Body For if the prerogative here be too indâ—finite it may be the Liberty there is too unbounded If our Laws and proceedings be too Prolixe and Formall it may be theirs are too informall and Summary Fourthly I do discern to my understanding there will be no great Difficulty in this Work For their Laws by that I can learn compared with ours are like their Language compared with ours For as their Language hath the same Roots that ours hath but hath a little more mixture of Latine and French So their Laws and Customes have the like Grounds that ours have with a little more mixture of the Civill Law and French Customes Lastly the Mean to this work seemeth to me no lesse excellent then the Work it self For if both Laws shall be united it is of necessity for preparation and Inducement thereunto that our own Laws be reviewed and recompiled Then the which I think there cannot be a work that his Majesty can undertake in these his times of Peace more Politique more Honourable nor more Beneficiall to his Subjects for all Ages Pace datâ Terris Animum ad Civilia Vertit Iura suum Legesque tulit justissimus Auctor For this continuall Heaping up of Laws without digesting them maketh but a Chaos and Confusion And turneth the Laws many times to become but Snares for the People as is said in the Scripture Pluet super â—os Laqueos Now Non sunt pejores Laquei quam Laquei Legum And therefore this work I esteem to be indeed a work rightly to term it Heroicall So that for this good wish of Vnion of Laws I do consent to the full And I think you may perceive by that which I have said that I come not in this to the Opinion of Others but that I was long ago setled in it my Self Neverthelesse as this is moved out of zeal so I take it to be moved out of Time As commonly zealous Motions are while Men are so fast carried on to the End as they give no Attention to the Mean For if it be Time to talk of this now It is either because the business now in hand cannot proceed without it Or because in Time and Order this Matter should be precedent Or because we shall leese some advantage towards this Effect so much desired if we should go on in the course we are about But none of these three in my judgement are true And therefore the Motion as I said unseasonable For first that there may not be a Naturalization without an Vnion in Laws cannot be maintained Look into the Example of the Church And the Union thereof You shall see severall Churches that joyn in one Faith one Baptism which are the points of spirituall Naturalization do many times in Policy Constitutions and Customes differ And therefore one of the Faâ—hers made an excellent observation upon the two Mysteries The one that in the Gospell where the Garment of Christ is said to have been with out Seame The other that in the Psalm where â—he Garment of the Queen is said to have been of divers Colours And concludeth In veste Varietas sit Scissura non sit So in this Case Mr. Speaker we are now in hand to make this Monarchy of one Piece and not of one Colour Look again into the Examples of Forrain Countries And take that next us of France And there you shall find thâ—t they have this Distribution Pais du droit Escript and Pais du droit Constumier For Gascoigne Languedock Prâ—vence Daulphenie are Countries governed by the Letter or Text of the Civill Law But the Isle of France Tourain Berry Anjou and the rest And most of all Brittain and Normandy Are governed by Customes which amount unto a Municipall Law And use the Civill Law but only for Grounds And to decide new and rare Cases And yet nevertheless Naturalization passeth through all Secondly that this Vnion of Laws should precede the Naturalization Or that it should go on pari passu hand in hand I suppose likewise can hardly be maintained But the contrary that Naturalization ought to precede Of which my Opinion as I could yield many reasons so because all this is but a Digression and therefore ought to be-short I will hold my self now onely to one which is briefly and plainly this That the Vnion of Laws will ask a great
hath proved Concluded as the Spaniards are great Waiters upon Time ground their Plots deep upon two Points The one to profess an extraordinary Patronage Defence of the Roman Religion making account thereby to have Factions in both Kingdoms In England a Faction directly against the State In France a Faction that did consent indeed in Religion with the King and therefore at first shew should seem unproper to make a Party for a Forreiner But he foresaw well enough that the King of France should be forced to the end to retain Peace and Obedience to yeeld in some things to those of the Religion which would undoubtedly alienate the Fiery and more violent sort of Papists Which Preparation in the People added to the Ambition of the Family of Guise which he nourished â—or an Instrument would in the end make a Party for him against the State as since it proved and mought well have done long before As may well appear by the Mention of League and Associations which is above 25. years old in France The other Point he concluded upon was That his Low-Countries was the aptest place both for Ports and Shipping in respect of England And for Sciâ—uation in respect of France having goodly Frontier Townes upon that Realm And joyning also upon Germany whereby they might receive in at Peasure any Forces of Almaines To annoy and offend either Kingdom The Impediment was the Inclination of the People which receiving a wonderfull Commodity of Trades out of both Realmes especially of England And having been in ancient League and Confederacy with our Nation And having been also Homagers unto â—rance He knew would be in no wise disposed to either War Whereupon he resolved to reduce them to a Martiall Government Like unto that which he had established in Naples and Millain upon which suppression of their Liberties ensued the Defection of those Provinces And about the same time the Reformed Religion found entâ—ance in the same Countries So as the King enflamed with the Resistance he found in the first Part of his Plots And also because he mought not dispense with his other Principle in yielding to any Toleration of Religion And withall expecting a shorter work of it then he found Became passionatly bent to Reconquer those Countries Wherein he hath consumed infinite Treasure and Forces And this is the true Cause if a Man will look into it that hath made the King of Spain so good a Neigbbour Namely that he was so entangled with the Wars of the Low-Countries as he could not intend any other Enterprise Besides in Enterprizing upon Italy he doubted first the Displeasure of the See of Rome with whom he meant to run a Course of strait Conjunction Also he doubted it might invite the Turk to return And for Germany he had a fresh Example of his Father who when he had annexed unto the Dominions which he now possesseth the Empire of Almaign neverthelesse sunck in that Enterprize whereby he perceived that the Nation was of too strong a Composition for him to deal withall Though not long since by practise he could have been contented to snatch up in the East the Countrey of Emden For Portugal first the Kings thereof were good Sons to the See of Rome Next he had no Colour of Quarrel or pretence Thirdly they were Officious unto him yet iâ— you will believe the Genuese who otherwise writeth much to the Honour and Advantage of the Kings of Spain It seemeth he had a good mind to make himself a way into that Kingdom seeing that for that purpose as he reporteth he did artificially nourish the yong King Sâ—bastian in the Voyage of Affrick expecting that overthrow which followed As for his Intention to warr upon the Inâ—idels and Turks it maketh me think what Francis Guicciardiue a wise writer of History speaketh of his great Grandâ— Father Making a Judgement of him as Historiographers use That he did alwayes mask and vail his Appetites with a Demonstration of a Devout and Holy Intention to the Advancement of the Church and the Publick Good His Father also when he received Advertisement of the taking of the French King prohibited all Ringings and Bonfires and other Tokens of Joy and said Those were to be reserved for Victories upon Infidels On whom he meant never to warre Many a Cruzada hath the Bishop of Rome granted to him and his Predecessours upon that Colour Which all have been spent upon the Effusion of Christian Bloud And now this year the Levies of Germans which should have been made under hand for France were coloured with the pretence of Warr upon the Turk Which the Princes of Germany descrying not onely brake the Levies but threatned the Commissioners to hang the next that should offer the like Abuse So that this Form of Dissembling is Familiar and as it were Hereditary to the King of Spain And as for his Succours given to the French King against the Protestants he could not chuse but accompany the Pernicious Counsels which still he gave to the French Kings of breaking their Edicts and admitting of no Pacification but pursuing their Subjects with Mortall Warre with some Offer of Aides which having promised he could not but in some small Degree perform whereby also the Subject of France namely the violent Papist was enured to depend upon Spain And so much for the King of Spaines proceedings towards other States Now for ours And first touching the Point wherein he charâ—â—th us to be the Authours of Troubles in Scotland and France It will appear to any that have been well enformed of the Memoâ—iâ—s of these Affaires That the Troubles of those Kingdomes were indeed chiefly kindled by one and the same Family of the Guise A Family as was partly touched before as particularly dâ—voted now for many years together to Spain as the Order of the Iâ—suiâ—es is This House of Guise â—aving of late years extraordinarily flourished in the eminent Verâ—ue of a few Persons whose Ambition neverthelesse was nothing inferiour to their vertue But being of a House notwithstanding which the Princes of the Bloud of France reckoned but as strangers Aspired to a Greatness more then Civill and proportionable to their Cause wheresoever they had Authority And accordingly under Colour of Consanguinity and Religion they brought into Scotland in the year 1559 and in the Absence of the King and Queen French Forces in great numbers whereupon the Ancient Nobility of that Realm seeing the imminent danger of Reducing that Kingdome under the Tyranny of Strangers did pray according to the good Intelligence between the two Crowns hâ—r Majesties Neigh â—ourly â—orces And so it is true that the Action being very Just Honourable her Majesty undertook it expelled the Strangers and restored the Nobility to their Degrees and the State to Peace After when Certain Noble-Men of Scotland of the same Faction of â—uâ—se had during the Minority of the King possessed themselves of his Person to the end to abuse his Authority
all that he said Reducing him to the Times and places of the said Conferences he confessed the Matter As by his Confession in writing signed with his own Hand appeareth But then he fell to that slender Evasion as his last Refuge That he meant onely to cousen the King of Spain of the Money And in that he continued at his Arraignment when notwithstanding at the first he did retract his own Confession And yet being asked whither he was drawn either by Mean of Torture or promise of Life to make the same Confession he did openly testifie that no such Means was used towards him But the Falshood of this Excuse being an Allegation that any Traytour may use and provide for himself is convicted by three notable Proofes The first That he never opened this Matter neither unto her Majesty unto whom he had ordinary Accesse Nor to any Counseller of State to have permission to toll on and inveagle these Parties with whom he did treat if it had been thought so convenient Wherein percase he had opportunity to have done some good service for the further Discovery of their secret Machinations against her Majesties Life The second that he came too late to this shift Having first bewrayed his guilty Conscience in denying those Treaties and Conferences till they were evidently and manifestly proved to his Face The third that in conferring with Ferrera about the manner of his assurance he thought it better to have the Money in the Hands of such Merchants as he should name in Antwerp then to have brought it into England Declaring his purpose to be after the Fact done speedily to fly to Antwerp And there to tarry some time and so to convey himself to Constantinople where it is affirmed that Don Salomon a Jew in good credit is Lopez his near Kinsman And that he is greatly favoured by the said Don Salomon whereby it is evident that Lopez had cast his Reckonings upon the supposition of the Fact done Thus may appear both how justly this Lopez is condemned for the Highest Treason that can be imagined And how by Gods marvellous Goodness her Majesty hath been preserved And surely if a Man do truly consider it is hard to say Whither God hath done greater things By her Majesty or For Her If you obâ—erve on the one side how God hâ—th ordained her Government to break and crosse the unjust Ambition of the Two Mighty Potentates the King of Spain and the Bishop of Rome never so straitly between themselves combined And on the other side how mightily God hath protected her both against forrain Invasion and Inward Troubles And singularly against the many secret Conspiracies that have been made against her Life Therby declaring to the world that he will indeed preserve that Instrument which he hath magnified But the Corruptions of these Times are wonderfull when that Warrs which are the highest Trialls of Right between Princes that acknowledge no superiour Jurisdiction And ought to be prosecuted with all Honour shall be stained and infamed with such Foul and Inhumane Practises Wherein if so great a King hath been named the Rule of the Civill Law which is a Rule of Common Reason Must be remembred Frustra Legis auxilium implorat qui in Legem Committit He that hath sought to violate the Majesty Royall in the Highest Degree cannoâ— claim the preheminence thereof to be exempted from just Imputation AN ADVERTISEMENT TOUCHING THE CONTROVERSIES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND IT is but Ignorance if any Man find it strange that the State of Religion especially in the Dayes of Peace should be exercised and troubled with Controversies For as it is the Condition of the Church Militant to be ever under Trials So it commeth to passe that when the Fiery Triall of Persecution ceaseth there succeedeth another Triall which as it were by contrary Blasts of Doctrine doth sift and winnowe Mens Faith And proveth whether they Know God aright Even as that other of Afflictions discovereth whether they Love him better then the World Accordingly was it foretold by Christ saying That in the latter times it should be said Lo here loe there is Christ Which is to be understood not as if the very Person of Christ should be assumed and counterfeitted But this Authority and preheminence which is to be Truth it self should be challenged and pretended Thus have we read and seen to be fulfilled that which followeth Ecce in Deserto Ecce in Penetralibus While some have sought the Truth in the Conventicles and Conciliables of Hereticks and Sectaries others in the Externe Face and Representation of the Chuâ—ch And both Sorts have been seduced Were it then that the Controversies of the Church of England were such as they did Divide the Vnity of the Spirit And not onely such as do unswaâ—h her of her Bands the Bands of Peace yet could it be no Occasion for any pretended Catholick to judge us or for any Irreligious Person to despise us Or if it be it shall but happen to us all as it hath used to do To them to be Hardned and to us to Endure the good pleasure of God But now that our Contentions are such as we need not so much that generall Canon and Sentence of Christ propounded against Hereticks Erratis nescientes Scripturas potestatem Dei. You do Err not Knowing the Scripture the Power of God As we need the Admonition of S. Iames Let every Man be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath And that the Wound is no way dangerous except we poyson it with our Remedies As the Former Sort of Men have lesse Reason to make themselves Musick in our Discord So I have good hope that Nothing shall displease our Selves which shall be sincerely modestly propounded for the appeasing of these Dissentions For it any shall be offended at this voyce Vos estis fratres ye are brethren why strive Ye He shall give a great presumption against himself that he is the Party that doth his Brethren wrong The Controversies themselves I will not enter into As judging that the Disease requireth rather Rest then any other Cure Thus much we all know and confess that they be not of the Highest Nature For they are not touching the high Mysteries oâ— Faiâ—h such as detained the Churches for many yeares after their first Peace what time the Hereticks moved curious Questions and made strange Anatomies of the Natures and person of Christ And the Catholick Fathers were compelled to follow them with all Subtilty of Decisions and Determinations to exclude them from their Evasions and to take them in their Labyrinths So as it is rightly said Illis temporibus ingeniosa Res fuit esse Christianum In those dayes it was an ingenious and subtill thing to be a Christian. Neither are they concerning the great parts of the Worship of God Of which it is true that Non servatur unitas in Credendo nisi eadem sit in Colendo There will be kept
no unity in Believing except it be entertained in worshipping Such as were the Controversies of the East and West Churches touching Images And such as are many of those between the Church of Rome and Vs As about the Adoration of the Sacrament and the like But we contend about Ceremonies and Things Indifferent About the Extern Pollicy and Government of the Church In which kind if we would but remember that the Ancient and True Bounds of Unity are One Faith One Baptism And not One Ceremony One Pollicy If we would observe the League amongst Christians that is penned by our Saviour He that is not against us is with us If we could but comprehend that Saying Differentiae Rituum commendant unitatem Doctrinae The Diversities of Ceremonies do set forth the unity of Doctrine And that Habet Religio quae sunt AEternitatis habet quae sunt Temporis Religion hath parts which belong to Eternity and parts which pertain to Time And if we did but know the vertue of silence and slowness to speak commended by Saint Iames Our Controversies of themselves would close up and grow togeâ—her But most especially if we would leave the Overweening and Turbulent Humours of these times And revive the blessed proceeding of the Apostles and Fathers of the Primitive Church which was in the like and greater Cases not to enter into Assertions and Positions but to deliver Counsels and Advises we should need no other Remedy at all Si eadem Conâ—ulis frater quae affirmas consulenti debetur Reverentia cum non debeatur Fides affirmanti Brother if that which you set down as an Assertion you would deliver by way of Advise There were Reverence due to your Counsell whereas Faith is not due to your Affirmation Saint Paul was content to speak thus Ego non Dominus I and not the Lord Et secundum Consilium meum According to my Counsell But now Meâ— do too lightly say Non ego sed Dominus Not I but the Lord yea and bind it with an Heavy Denunciation of his Judgements to terrifie the simple which have not sufficiently understood out of Salomon That the Causelesse Curse shall not come Therefore seeing the Accidents are they which breed the peril and not the Things themselves in their own Nature It is meet the Remedies be applyed unto them by Opening what it is on either part that keepeth the Wound Green And formalizeth both sides to a further Oppoâ—â—tion and worketh an Indisposition in Mens minds to be reunited wherein no Accusation is pretended But I find in Reason that Peace is best built upon a Repetition of wrongs And in Example that the speeches which have been made by the wisest Men De Concordia Ordinum have not abstained from reducing to Memory the Extremities used on both parts So as it is true which is said Qui pacem tractat non is repetit Conditionibus Dissidiis is magis Aniâ—mos Hominum dulcedine pacis fallit quam aequitate componit And First of all it is more then Time that there were an End and surseance made of this Immodest and Deformed manner of Writing lately entertained whereby Matter of Religion is handled in the stile of the Stage Indeed bitter and earnest Writing must not hastily be condemned For Men cannot contend Coldly and without affection about Things which they hold Dear and Precious A Pollitick Man may write from his Brain without Touch and Sense of his Heart As in a Speculation that appertaineth not unto him But a Feeling Christian will expresse in his words a Character of Zeal or Love The latter of which as I could wish rather embraced being more proper for these Times yet is the Former warranted also by great Examples But to leave all Reverent and Religious Compassion towards Evils or Indignation towards Faults and to turn Religion into a Comedy or Satyre To search and rip up wounds with a Laughing Countenance To intermix Scripture and scurrility sometime in one Sentence Is a thing far from the devout Reverence of a Christian and scant beseeming the honest Regard of a sober Man Non est major Confusio quam Scrii Ioci There is no greater Confusion then the confounding of Iest and Earnest The Majesty of Religion and the Contempt and Deformity of things ridiculous are things as distant as things may be Two principall Causes have I ever known of Atheisme Curious Controversies and prophane Scoffing Now that these two are joyned in one no doubt that Sect will make no small Progression And here I do much esteem the Wisdome and Religion of that Bishop which replied to the first Pamphlet of this kind who remembred that a Fool was to be answered but not by becomming like unto him And considered the Matter which he handled and not the Person with whom he dealt Iob speaking of the Majesty and Gravity of a Iudge in himself saith If I did smile they believed it not As if hâ— should have said If I diverted or glanced upon Conceit of Mirth yet Mens Minds were so possessed with a Reverence of the Action in hand as they could not receive it Much more ought not this to be amongst Bishops and Divines disputing about Holy Things And therefore as much do I mislike the Invention of him who as it seemeth pleased himself in it as in no mean Pollicy That these Men are to be dealt withall at their own Weapons and pledgâ—d in their own Cup. This seemed to him as profound a Devise as when the Cardinall Sansovino counselled Iulius the second to encounter the Councell of Pisa with the Councell of Lateran Or as Lawfull a Challenge as Mr. Iewell made to confute the pretended Catholiques by the Fathers But those Things will not excuse the Imitation of Evill in another It should be contrariwise with us as Caesar said Nil malo quam eos similes esse sui Et me mei But now Dum de bonis contendimus de Malis consentimus While we Differ about good things we Resemble in evill Surely if I were asked of these Men who were the more to be blamed I should per case remember the Proverb That the second Blow maketh the Fray And the saying of an Obscure Fellow Qui replicat multiplicat He that replieth multiplieth But I would determine the Question with this Sentence Alter principium Malo dedit alter Modum abstulit By the ones Means we have a Beginning and by the other we shall have none End And truly as I do marvell that some of those Preachers which call for Reformation whom I am far from wronging so far as to joyn them with these Scoffers Do not publish some Declaration whereby they may satisfie the world that they dislike their Cause should be thus sollicited So I hope assuredly that my Lords of the Clergy have none Intelligence with this interlibelling But do altogether disallow that their Credit should be thus defended For though I observe in one of them many Glosses whereby the Man would
insinuate himself into their Favours yet I find it to be ordinary that many Pressing and Fawning Persons do misconjecture of the Humours of Men in Authority And many times Veneri immolant suem they seek to gratifie them with that which they most dislike For I have great Reason to satisfie my self touching the Judgement of my Lords the Bishops in this Matter by that which was written by one of â—hem which I mentioned before with honour Neverthelesse I note â—here is not an indifferent hand carried towaâ—ds these Pamphlets a they deserve For the one sort flyeth in the Dark and the other is uttered openly Wherein I might advise that side ouâ— of a Wise wâ—iter who hath set it down That punitis Ingeniis gliscit Authoritas And indeed we see it ever falleth out that the Forbidden Writing is alwaies â—hought to be certain sparks of a Truth that fly up inâ—o the faces of those that seek to choak it and tread it out Whereas a Booke Authorized is thought to be but Temporis Voces The Language of the Time But in plain Truth I do find to mine understanding these Pamphlets as meet to be suppressed as the other First because as the former sort doth deface the Government of the Church in the persons of the Bishops and Prelates So the other doth lead into Contempt the Exercises of Religion in the Persons of sundry Preachers So as it disgraceth an higher matter though in the meaner Person Next I find certain indiscreet and dangerous Amplifications as if the Civill â—overnment it self of this State had near lost the Force of her Sinews And were ready to enter into some Convulsion all things being full of Faction and Disorder which is as unjustly acknowledged as untruly affirmed I kow his Meaning is to enforce this unreverent and violent Impugning of the Government of Bishops to be a suspected Forerunner of a more generall Contempt And I grant there is Sympathy between the Estates But no such matter in the Civill Pollicy as deserveth so dishonourable a Taxation To conclude this Point As it were to be wished that these Writings had been abortive and never seen the Sun So the next is since they be commen abroad that they be censured by all that have Understanding and Conscience as the untemperate Extravagancies of some Light persons Yea further that Men beware except they mean to adventure to deprive themselves of all sense of Religion and to pave their own Hearts and make them as the High Way how they be conversant in them And much more how they delight in that Vein But rather to turn their Laughing into Blushing And to be ashamed as of a short Madnesse That they have in matters of Religion taken their Disport and Solace But this perchance is of these Faults which will be soonest acknowledged Though I perceive neverthelesse that there want not some who seek to blaunch and excuse it But to descend to a sincere View and Consideration of the Accidents and Circumstances of these Controversies wherein either part deserveth Blame or Imputation I find generally in Causes of Church-matters that Men do offend in some or all of these five Points The First is the Giving Occasion unto the Controversies And also the Vnconsiderate and Vngrounded Taking of Occasion The Next is the Extending and Multiplying the Controversies to a more generall Opposition or Contradiction then appeareth at the first propounding of â—hem when Mens Judgements are least partiall The Third is the Passionate and Vnbrotherly Practises and Proceedings of both Parts towards the Persons each of others for their Discredit and Suppression The Fourth is the Courses holden and entertained on either side for the drawing of their Partizans to a more straight Vnion within themselves Which ever importeth a further Distraction of the Entire Body The last is the Undue and Inconvenient Propounding publishing and Debating of the Controversies In which Point the most palpable Error hath been already spoken of As that which through the strangenesse and Freshnesse of the Abuse first offereth it self to the Conceits of all Men. Now concerning the Occasion of the Controversies It cannot be denyed but that the Imperfections in the Conversation and Government of those which have chief place in the Church have ever been principall Causes and Motives of Schismes and Divisions For whiles the Bishops and Governers of the Church continue full of Knowledge and good Works Whiles they Feed the Flock indeed Whiles they deal with the Secular States in all Liberty and Resolution according to the Majesty of their Calling and the precious care of Souls imposed upon them So long the Church is situated as it were upon an Hill No Man maketh question of it or seeketh to depart from it But when these vertues in the Fathers and Leaders of the Church have lost their Light And that they wax worldly Lovers of â—hemselves and Pleasers of Men Then Men begin to groap for the Church as in the Darkâ— They are in doubt whether they be the Successours of the Apostles or of the Pharises yea howsoever they sit in Moses Chair yet they can never speak Tanquam Authoritatem habentes as having Authority because they have lost their Reputation in the Consciences of Men by declining their steps from the way which they trace out to others So as Men had need continually have sounding in their Eares this same Nolite Exire Go not out So ready are they to depart from the Church upon every voice And therefore it is truly noted by one that writeth as a Naturall Man That the Humility of the Friars did for a great time maintain and bear out the Irreligion of Bishops and Prelates For this is the Double Pollicy of the spirituall Enemy either by counterfeit Holinesse of Life to Establish and Authorize Errours Or by Corruption of Manners to discredit and draw in question Truth and Things Lawfull This concerneth my Lords the Bishops unto whom I am witnesse to my self that I stand affected as I ought No Contradiction hath supplanted in me the Reverence that I owe to their Calling Neither hath any Detraction or Calumny imbased mine Opinion of their Persons I know some of them whose Names are most pierced with these Accusations to be Men of great vertues Although the Indisposition of the times and the want of Correspondence many wayes is enough to frustrate the best Endeavours in the Edifying of the Church And for the rest generally I can condemn none I am no Judge of them that belong to so High a Master Neither have I two Witnesses And I know it is truly said of Fame that Pariter Facta aâ—que Infecta Canebat Their Taxations arise not all from one Coast They have many and different Enemies Ready to invent Slaunder more ready â—o amplifie it and most ready to beleeve it And Magnes Mendacii Credulitas Credulity is the Adamant of Lies But if any be against whom the supream Bishop hath not a few Things but many Things
If a Third shall be accused upon these words uttered touching the Controversies Tollatur Lex fiat Certamen Whereby was meant that the prejudice of the Law removed either Reasons should be equally compared Of calling the People to Sedition and Mutiny As if he had said Away with the Law and try it out with Force If these and other like particulars be true which I have but by Rumourâ— and cannot affirm It is to be lamented that they should labour amongst us with so little comfort I know Restrained Governments are better then Remisse And I am of his mind that said Better is to live where nothing is lawfull then where all Things are lawfull I dislike that Lawes should not be continued or Disturbers be unpunished But Lawes are likened to the Grape that being too much pressed yields an hard and unwholsome Wine Of these Things I must say Ira Viri non operatur Iusticiam Dei The Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousnesse of God As for the Injuries of the other Part they be Ictus inermes As it were Headlesse Arrowes They be Fiery and Eager Invecâ—ives And in some fond Men uâ—civill and unreverent Behaviour towards their Superiours This last invention also which exposeth them to Derision and Obloquy by Libels chargeth not as I am perswaded the whole side Neiâ—her doth that other which is yet more odious practised by the worst sort of them which is to call in as it were to their Aides certain Merceâ—ary Bands which impugn Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall Dignities to have the spoyle of their Endowments and Livings Of those I cannot speak too hardly It is an Intelligence between Incendiaries and Robbers The one to Fire the House the other to Rifle it The Fourth Point wholly pertaineth to them which impugn the present Ecclesiasticall Government who although they have not cut Themselves off from the Body and Communion of the Church yet do they affect certain Cognizances and Differences wherein they seek to correspond amongst themselves and to be seperate from others And it is truly said Tam sunt Mores quidam Schismatici quam Dogmata Schismatica There be as well Schismaticall Fashions as Opinions First they have impropriated unto themselves the Names of Zealous Sincere and Reformed As if all others were Cold Minglers of Holy Things and Prophane and Friends of Abuses Yea be a man indued with great Vertues and fruitfull in good workes yet if he concur not with them they term him in Derogation a Civill and Morall Man And compare him to Socrates or some Heathen Philosopher Whereas the Wisedom of the Scriptures teacheth us otherwise Namely to judge and denominate Men Religious according to their Works of the Second Table Because they of the First are often Counterfeit and practised in Hypocrisie So Saint Iohn saith That a Man doth vainly boast of Loving God whom he never saw if he love not his Brother whom he hath seen And Saint Iames saith This is true Religion to visite the Fatherlesse and the Widow So as that which is with them but Philosophicall and Morall is in the Apostles Phrase True Religion and Christianity As in Affection they challenge the said Vertues of Zeal and the rest So in Knowledge they attribute unto themselves Light and Perfection They say the Church of England in King Edwards time and in the Beginning of her Majesties Raign was but in the Cradle And the Bishops in those times did somewhat for Day-Break But that Maâ—urityâ— and Fulnesse of Light proceeded from themselves So Sabinius Bishop of Heraclea a Macedoniam Heretick said That the Fathers in the Councell of Nice were but Infants and Ignorant Men That the Church was not so perfect in their Decrees as to refuse that Further Ripeness of Knowledge which Time had revealed And as they censure vertuous Names by the Names of Civill and Morall So do they censure Men truly and godly wise who see into the vanity of their Affections by the name of Politicks saying that their Wisdome is but Carnall and savâ—uring of Mans Brain So likewise if a Preacher preach with Care and Meditation I speak not of the vain Scholasticall Manner of Preaching But soundly indeed ordering the Matter he handleth disâ—inctly for Memory Deducting and drawing it down for Direction and authorizing it with strong proofs and warrants They censure it as a Form of Speaking not becomming the Simplicity of the Gospell And refer it to the Reprehension of Saint Paul speaking of the Enticing Speech of Mans Wisdome Now for their own Manner of Preaching what is it Surely they exhort well and work Compunction of Mind And bring Men well to the Question Viri Fratres quid â—aciemus But that is not enough Except they resolve the Question They handle Matters of Controversie weakly and obiter and as before a People that will accept of any Thing In Doctrine of Manners there is little but Generality and Repetition The word the Bread of Life they tosse up and down they break it not They draw not their Directions down ad Casus Conscientiae That a Man may be warranted in his perpetuall Actions whether they be Lawfull or not Neither indeed are many of them able to do it What through want of Grounded knowledge What through want of Study and Time It is a Compendious and easie Thing to call for the Observation of the Sabbath Day or to speak against unlawfull Gaine But what Actions and works may be done upon the Sabbath and what not And what Courses of Gain are Lawfull and in what Cases To set this down and to clear the whole Matter with good Distinctions and Decisions is a Matter of great Knowledge and Labour And asketh much Meditation and Conversing in the Scriptures and other Helps which God hath provided and pâ—eserveâ— for Instruction Again they carry not an equall Hand in Teaching the People their lawfull Liberty as well as their Restraints and Prohibitions But they think a Man cannot go too far in that that hath a shew of a Commandement They forget that there are Sins on the Right Hand as well as oâ— the Left And that the word is double edged and cutteth on both Sides As well the Profane Trangressions as the superstitious Observances Who doubteth but that it is as unlawfull to shut where God hath opened as to open where God hath shut To bind where God hath loosed as to loose where God hath bound Amongst Men it is commonly as ill taken to turn back Favâ—â—â—s as to disobey Commandements In this Kind of Zeal for Example they have pronounced generally and without difference all Untruths unlawfull Notwithstanding that the Midwives are directly reported to have been blessed for their Excuse And Rahab is said by Faith to have concealed the Spies And Salomons selected Iudgement proceeded upon a Simulation And our Saviour the more to touch the Hearts of the two Disâ—iples with an holy Dalliance made as if he would have passed Emaus Further I have heard some Sermons
decayed To your Princely Iudgement then I do in all Humblenesse submit whatsoever I shall propound offering the same but as a Miteâ— into the Treasury of your Wisedom For as the Astronomers do well observe That when three of the Superior Lights do meet in Conjunction it bringeth forth some admirable Effects So there being joyned in your Majesty the Light of Nature the Light of Learning and above all the Light of Gods Holy Spirit It cannot be but your Government must be as a Happy Constellation over the states of your Kingdomes Neither is there wanting to your Majesty that Fourth Light which though it be but a borrowed Lâ—ght yet is of singular Eâ—ficacy and Moment added to the rest which is the Light of a most wise and well compounded Councell To whose Honourable and Grave Wisdomes I do likewse submit whatsoever I shall speak Hoping that I shall not need to make Protestation of my Mind and Opinion That untill your Majesty doth otherwise determine and order all Actuall and Full Obedience is to be given to Ecclesiasticall Iurisdicton as it now standeth And when your Majesty hath determined and ordered that every good subject ought to rest satisfied and apply his Obedience to your Majesties Lawes Ordinances and Royall Commandements Nor of the Dislike I have of all Immodest Bitternesse peremptory presumption Popular handling And other Courses tending rather to Rumour and Impression in the vulgar Sort then to likely-hood of Effect joyned with Observation of Duty But before I enter into the Points controverted I think good to remove if it may be two Opinions which do directly confront and oppone to Reformation The one bringing it to a Nullity And the other to an Impossibility The First is That it is against good Policy to innovate any â—hing in Church Matters The other That all Reformation must be after one Platform For the First of these it is excellently said by the Prophet State super vias antiquas videte quaenam sit via recta vera ambulate in eâ So as he doth not say State super vias antiquas ambulate in eis For it true that with all VVise and Moderate Persons Custom and Vsage obtaineth that Reverence as it is sufficient Matter to move them to make a stand and to discover and take a View But it is no warrant to guide and conduct them A just Ground I say it is of Deliberation but not of Direction But on the other side who knoweth not that Time is truly compared to a Stream that carrieth down fresh and pure Waters into that salt Sea of Corruption which invironeth all Human Actions And therefore if Man shall not by his Industry Vertue and Policy as it were with the Oare row against the Stream and inclination of Time All Institutions and Ordinances be they never so pure will corrupt and degenerate But not to handle this matter Common-place like I would only ask why the Civill State should be purged and restored by Good and Wholesome Lawes made every Third or Fourth year in Parliament assembled Devising Remedies as fast as Time breedeth Mischief And contrariwise the Ecclesiasticall State should still continue upon the Dreggs of Time and receive no Alteration now for this Five and Forty years and more If any Man shall object that if the like Intermission had been used in Civil Causes also the Errour had not been great Surely the Wisedome of the Kingdome hath been otherwise in Experience for Three Hundred years space at the least But if it be said to me that there is a Difference between Civill Causes and Ecclesiasticall they may as well tell me that Churches and Chappels need no Reparations though Castles and Houses do Whereas commonly to speak truth Dilapidations of the Inward and Spirituall Edifications of the Church of God are in all times as great as the Outward and Materiall Sure I am that the very word and Stile of Reformation used by our Saviour Ab initio non fuit sic was applyed to Church Matters And those of the highest Nature concerning the Law Morall Neverthelesse He were both unthankfull and unwise that would deny but that the Church of England during the time of Queen Elizabeth of famous Memory did flourish If I should compare it with Forrain Churches I would â—ather the Comparison should be in the Vertues then as some make it in the Defects Rather I say as between the Vine and the Olive which should be most fruitfull And not as between the Briar the Thistle which should be most unprofitable For that Reverence should be used to the Church which the good Sons of Noah used to their Fathers Nakedness That is as it were to go backwards and to help the Defects thereof and yet to dissemble them And it is to be acknowledged that scarcely any Church since the Primitive Church yielded in like Number of Years and Latitude of Country a greater Number of Excellent Preachers Famous Writers and Grave Governers But for the Discipline and Orders of the Church as many the chiefest of them are Holy and Good So yet iâ— Saint Iohn were to indite an Epistle to the Church of England as he did to them of Asia it would sure have the Clause Habeo adversus te pauca And no more for this Point Saving that as an Appendix thereunto it is not amisse to touch that Objection which is made to the Time and not to the Matter Pretending that if Reformation were necessary yet it were not now seasonable at your Majesties First Entrance Yet Hippocrates saith Si quid moves à principio move And the wisedom of all Examples do shew that the wisest Princes as they have ever been the most sparing in Removing or Alteration of Servants and Officers upon their Coming in So for Removing of Abuses and Enormities And for Reforming of Lawes and the Policy of their States they have chiefly sought to ennoble and commend their Beginnings therewith Knowing that the first Impression with People continueth long And when Mens Minds are most in Expectation and Suspence then are they best wrought and mannaged And therefore it seemeth to me that as the Spring of Nature I mean the Spring of the year is the best Time for purging and Medicining the Naturall Body So the Spring of Kingdoms is the most proper Season for the purging and Rectifying of Politick Bodies There remaineth yet an Objection rather of Suspition then of Reason And yet such as I think maketh a great Impression in the minds of very wise and well affected Peâ—sons which is That if way be given to Mutation though it be in taking away Abuses yet it may so acquaint Men with sweetnesse of change as it will undermine the Stability even of that which is sound and good This surely had been a good and true allegation in the Ancient Contentions and Divisions between the People and the Senate of Rome where things were carried at the Appetites of Multitudes which can never keep
within the Compasse of any Moderation But theâ—e Things being with us to have an orderly passage under a King who hath a Royall power and approved Judgement And knoweth as well the Measure of Things as the Nature of them It is surely a needlesse Fear For they need not doubt but your Majesty with the advise of your Councell will discern what Things are intermingled like the Tares amongst the wheat which have their Roots so enwrapped and entangled as the one cannot be pulled up without endangering the other And what are mingled but as the Chaffe and the Corn which need but a Fanne to sift and sever them So much therefore for the first Point of no Reformation to be admitted at all For the Second Point that there should be but one form oâ— Discipline in all Churches And that imposed by necessity of a Commandement and prescript out of the word of God It is a Matter Volumes have been compiled of and therefore cannot receive a brief Redargution I for my part do confesse that in Revolving the Scriptures I could never find any such Thing But that God had left the like Liberty to the Church Government as he had done to the Civill Government To be varied according to Time and Place and Accidents which neverthelesse his high and Divine Providence doth order and dispose For all Civil Governments are restrained from God unto the general Grounds of Justice and Manners But the Policies and Forms of them are left Free So that Monarchies and Kingdoms Senates and Seignories Popular States and Communalties are lawfull And where they are planted ought to be maintained inviolate So likewise in Church Matters the Substance of Doctrine is Immutable And so are the generall Rules of Government But for Rites and Ceremonies And for the particular Hierarchies Policies and Disciplines of Churches they be left at large And therefore it is good we return unto the ancient Bounds of Vnity in the Church of God which was One Faith One Baptisme And not one Hierarchy one Discipline And that we observe the League of Christians as it is penned by our Saviour which is in substance of Doctrine this He that is not with us is against us But in Things indifferent and but of circumstance this He that is not against us is with us In these things so as the generall Rules be observed That Christs Flock be fed That there be a Succession in Bishops and Ministers which are the Prophets of the new Testament That â—here be a due and reverent use of tâ—e power of the Keyes That those that preach the Gospel live of the Gospel That all things tend to edification That all things be done in order and with decency And the like The rest is left to the Holy wiâ—dome and Spirituall Discretion of the Master Builders and inâ—eriour Builders in Christs Church As it is excellently alluded by that Father that noted That Christs Garment was without Seam and yet the Churches Gâ—rment was of divers Colours And thereupon setteth down for a Rule In veste varietas sit scissura non fit In which Variety neverthelesse it is a safe and wise Course to follow good Examples and Presidents But then by the Rule of Imitation and Example to consider not onely which are Best but which are the Likeliest as namely the Goverâ—ment of the Church in the purest Times of the first Good Emperours that embraced the Faith For the Times of Persecution before Temporall Princes received our Faith As they were excellent Times for Doctrine and Manners so they be unproper and unlike Examples of outward Government and Policie And so much for this Point Now to the particular Points of Controversies or rather of Reformation Circumstances in the Government of Bishops FIrst therefore for the Government of Bishops I for my part not prejudging the Presidents of other Reformed Churches do hold it warranted by the Word of God and by the Practise of the Ancient Church in the better Times And much more convenient for Kingdoms then Parity of Ministers and Government by Synods But then further it is to be considered that the Church is not now to plant or Build But onely to be proiâ—ed from Corruption And to be repaired and restored in some decayes For it is worth the Noting that the Scripture saith Translato Sacerdotio necesse est ut Legis fiat Translatio It is not possible in respect of the great and neer Sympathy between the State Civill and the State Ecclesiasticall to make so main an alteration in the Church but it would have a perillous operation upon the Kingdoms And therefore it is fit that Controversie be in Peace and Silence But there be two Circumstances in the Administration of Bishops Wherein I confesse I could never be satisfied The one the sole Exercise of their Authority The other the Deputation of their Authority For the First the Bishop giveth Orders alone Excommunicateth alone Iudgeth alone This seemeth to be a Thing almost without Example in good Government and therefore not unlikely to have crept in in the degenerate and corrupt Times We see the greatest Kings and Monarchs have their Councells There is no Temporall Court in England of the Higher sort where the Authority doth rest in one person The Kings Bench Common Pleas and the Exchequer are Benches of a certain Number of Judges The Chancellour of England hath an Assistance of twelve Masters of the Chancery The Master of the Wards hath a Councell of the Court So hath the Chancellour of the Dutchy In the Exchecquer Chamber the Lord Treasurer is joyned with the Chancellour and the Barons The Masters of the Requests are ever more then One. The Iustices of Assise are two The Lord Presidents in the North and in Wales have Councells of divers The Star-Chamber is an Assembly of the Kings Privy Counâ—ell aspersed with the Lords Spirituall and Temporall So as in Courts the principall Person hath ever eitheâ— Colleagues or Assessours The like is to be found in other well governed Common-Wealths abroad where the Iurisdiction is yet more dispersed As in the Court of Parliament of France And in other places No man will deny but the Acts that passe the Bishops Iurisdiction are of as great Importance as those that passe the Civil Courts For Mens Souls are more precious then their Bodies or Goods And so are their Good Names Bishops have their Infirmities have no Exception from that generall Malediction which is pronounced against all Men Living Vae Soli nam si ceciderit c. Nay we see that the fiâ—st Warrant in Spirituall Causes is directed to a Number Dic Ecclesiae which is not so in Temporall Matters And we see that in generall Causes of Church Government there are as well Assemblies of all the Clergy in Councells as of all the States in Parliament Whence should this sole exercise of Jurisdiction come Surely I do suppose and I think â—pon good Ground That Ab Initio non fuit ita
for a Minister The word Priest being made common to both whatsoever the Derivation be yet in use it confoundeth the Minister with the Sacrificer And for an Example of this kind I did ever allow the Discretion and Tendernesse of the Rhemish Translation in this Point That finding in the Originall th word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do ever translate Charity and never Love Because of of the Indifferency and Equivocation of the word with Impure Love Touching the Absolution it is not unworthy Consideration whether it may not be thought unproper and unnecessary For there are but two sorts of Absolution Both supposing an Obligation precedent The one upon an Excommunication which is Religious and Primitive The other upon Confession and Penance which is Superstitious or at least Positive And both Particulaâ— neither Generall Therefore since the one is taken away and the other hath his proper case what doth a generall Absolution wherein there is neither Penance nor Excommunication precedent For the Church never looseth but where the Church hath bound And surely I may think This at the first was allowed in a kinde of spirituall Discretion Because the Church thought the people could not be suddainly weaned from their Conceit of Assoyling To which they had been so long accustomed For Confirmation to my understanding the State of the Question is whether it be not a matter mistaken and altred by Time And whether that be not now made a Subsequent to Baptisme which was indeed an Inducement to the Communion For whereas in the Primitive Church Children were examined of their Faith before they were admitted to the Communion Time may seem to have turned it to refer as if it had been to receive a Confirmation of their Baptisme For Private Baptisme by Women or Lay-Persons the best Divines do utterly condemne it and I hear it not generally defended And I have often marvailed that where the Booke in the Preface to Publicke Baptisme doth acknowledge that Baptisme in the Practise of the Primitive Church was Anniversary and but at certain Times which sheweth that the Primitive Church did not attribute so much to the Ceremony as they would break an outward and generall Order for it The Booke should afterwards allow of Private Baptisme As if the Ceremony were of that Necessity as the very Institutiou which committed Baptisme onely to the Ministers should be broken in regard of the supposed Necessity And therefore this Point of all others I think was bâ—t a Concessum proper Duritiam Cordis For the Form of Celebrating Matrimony the Ring seemeth to many even of vulgar Sense and Understanding a Ceremony not Grave Especially to be made as the words make it the essentiaâ—l Part of the Action Besides some other of the words are noted in Speech to be not so Decent and Fit For Musick in Churches That there should be Singing of Psalmes and Spirituall Songs is not denyed So the Question is de Modo Wherein if a Man will look attentively into the Order and Observation of it it is easie to disceâ—n between the Wisedome of the Institution and the Exercise of the late Times For first there are no Songs or Verses sung by the Quire which are not supposed by continuall use to be so familiar with the People as they have them without Booke Whereby the Sound hurteth not the Understonding And those which cannot read upon the Booke are yet Pertakers of the Sense and may follow it with their mind So again after the Reading of the Word it was thought fit there should be some pause for Holy Meditation before they proceeded to the Rest of the Service Which Pause was thought fit to be filled rather with some grave sound then with a still silence Which was the Reason of the Playing upon the Organs after the Scriptures read All which was Decent and tending to Edisicatirn But then the Curiosity of Devision and Reports and other Figures of Musick have no Affinity with the Reasonable Service of God but were added in the more pompous Times For the Capp and Surplisse since they be Things in their Nature indifferent And yet by some held superstitious And that the Question is between Science and Conscience It seemeth to fall within the Compass of the Apostles Rule Which is That the stronger do descend and yield to the Weaker Only the Dâ—fference is that it will be materially said that the Rule holdeth between Privat Man and Privat Man But not between the Conscience if a Private Man and the Order of a Church But yet since the Question at this time is of a Tolleration Not by Connivence which may encourage Disobedience But by Law which may give â— Liberty It is good again to be advised whether it fall not within the Equity of the Former Rule The rather because the Silencing of Ministers by this Occasion is in this scarcity of good preacherâ— a punishment that lighteth upon the People as well as upon the Party And for the Subscription it seemeth to me in the Nature of a Confession And therefore more properâ— to bind in the Vnity of Faith And to be urged rather for Articles of Doctrine then for Rites and Ceremonies and Points of ouâ—ward Government For howsoever Politick Considerations and Reasons of State may require Vniformity yet Christian and Divine Grounds look chiefly upon Vnity Touching a Preaching Ministery TO speak of a Learned Ministery It is true that the Worthiness of the Pastours Ministers is of all other points of Religion the most Summary I do not say the Greatest but the most Effectual towards the rest But herein to my Understanding while Men go on in Zeal to hasten this work they are not aware of as great or greater Inconvenience then that which they seek to remove For while they in veigh against a Dumb Ministery they make too easie and too promiscous an Allowance of such as they account Preachers Having not Respect enough to their Learnings in other Arts which are Handmaides to Divinity Not Respect enough to Years except it be in Case of Extraordinary Gift Not Respect enough to the Gift it self which many Times is none at all For God forbid that every Man that can take unto himself Boldnesse to speak an Hour together in a Church upon a Text should be admitted for a Preacher though he mean never so well I know there is a great Latitude in Gifts And a great Variety in Auditories and Congregations But yet so as there is Aliquid Infimum below which you ought not to descend For you must rather leave the Arke to shake as it shall please God then put unworthy Hands to hold it up And when we are in Gods Temple we are warned rather to put our Hands upon our Mouth then to offer the Sacrifice of Fooles And surely it may be justly thought that amongst many Causes of Atheisme which are miserably met in our Age As Schismes and Controversies Profane Scoffings in Holy Matters