in verb. lex sect 8. interprete the lawe and breake the letter of it to followe the reason and intent thereof The lawe forbiddeth to open the gate of the citie the enemie cometh vpon a suddaine here necessitie maketh that lawfull which was not so before Secondly in the lawe of God necessitie hath power to breake a ceremonie for the performance of some morall duetie even as it is said I will haue mercie rather then sacrifice This is the instance which the decretall forenamed giveth Necessitie made it lawfull for the Machabies to fight on the Sabboth which before was vnlawfull Such is the instance which our Opposites bring likewise For if Abimelech doth that which is vnlawfull it is in the breach of a ceremonie onely to performe a morall duetie This striketh at those who for the sacrifice and for the ceremonie of Crosse and Surplice with drawe mercie and loue from vs from poore men that are scandalized by them but iustifieth the course we take who preferre loue to the soules of men being a morall duetie before these ceremonies even as we ought In deed if Abimelech brake lawfully a ceremonie of God for the good of the body how much more then must we break these ceremonies of mans commaunding for the good of the soule On the other side had Abimelech sinned if to keepe this ceremonie he had omitted this duetie of loue to Davids body then much more sinne they who to keepe these ceremonies of their owne omit that duetie of edification which they owe to their brethrens soules Thirdly the same Bernard that saith necessitas non habet legem affirmeth and avoucheth that no dispensation is admittable against Gods lawe Whene the Schoolemen Praecepta decalogi sunt indispensabilia This holdeth most in negative preceptes which as they doe oblige semper so also ad semper So that what necessitie can dispence with the scandal of these ceremonies whose precept negatiue runneth thus 1. Cor. 10.32 Ezra 8.21 giue no offence to Iewe or Gentile or to the Church of God Ezra is in necessitie he wanteth horsemen and other souldiours to conduct the people safe yet wil he not for this necessitie aske such forces of the King least he should scandalize him Tertull. speaking of conformitie to an heathenish ceremonie in wearing a garland non admittit status fidei saith e Tertul. de coron milit he allegationem necessitatis nulla est necessitas delinquendi quibus vna necessitas est non delinquendi To this we may adde that of Cyprian f Cypr. in serm de lapsi◠Non excusat oppressum necessitas criminis vbi crimen est voluntatis Fourthly though necessitie might make conformitie lawfull yet no necessitie is in place to make it lawfull as for the necessities which are pretended there is no necessitie in them First it is obiected we ought to conforme for the performing of a necessarie duetie which we owe to the weake to winne them to which our answere is most iuste Rom. 15.2 we must please the weak only in that which is good charitie reioyceth not in iniquitie 1. Cor. 13.6 but in the trueth Peter conforming scandalouslie to please winne is sharpelie by Paule reprooued The second necessarie duetie obiected 1. Cor. 9.16 is the continuance of our ministerie for a necessitie is layd vpon vs to preach the Gospell therefore woe vnto vs in that we disable our selues frō preaching of it That we disable not our selues it hath been shewed elswhere that being called from the preaching of the gospell by the violence and iniustice of our Reverend Fathers no necessitie lyeth vpon vs it is evident for asmuch as Paule speaketh of them only to whom the dispensation is committed and who being called thereto doe it not willinglie through their negligence and their slouth which is not our sinne who desire nothing more willinglie then to haue againe that libertie of preaching which while we had once we shewed not our selues so vnwilling and negligent as many of our Opposites doe The Priestes of Holland were condemned by their owne side when to remayne with their flockes forsooth they tooke the oath to the true reformed church in a sense secrete whereby they meant their owne church of Rome excusing this equivocation of theirs because they were compelled Somewhat is here which toucheth our case We are tolde it is lawfull to beare the servitude of these ceremonies for our flockes sakes seeing it pleaseth our superiours to compell vs vnto them to which we answer as one answered them “ Io. Molan de fid haeretic seruā lib. 4. cap. 9 primum non videntur cogi qui possunt abire deinde nomen Dei verbum Dei claram apertam confessionem requirit The third necessarie duetie obiected is obedience to the Magistrate For which men say we are bound to conforme which Christ was not in the ceremonie of washing handes nor Daniel neither in the ceremonie of opening the window towards Ierusalem when there was such a scandall towardes the Magistrates law to ensue And the doctrine of the Protestantes Churches denyeth this necessitie likewise which is this Fransc Iun. cont 3. cap 16. nota 7. Nemo efficere poterit vllo praecepto suo vt actus per se indifferens sit per se bonus aut necessarius per se The commandement of the Magistrat maketh a thing indifferent good per aliud onlie and propter aliud to wit by the word and for the profit of edification which the same word doth enioyne Ibid. nota 21.22 Nota. 59. which because it is not euer in place therefore leges Principum non obligant semper And this wee haue against this supposed necessitie in case the ceremonies were indifferent which we worthelie hold to be evill Neither is it any thing when it is said the Magistrate doth not impose these rites but only as a politicall ordinance for order and decencie So did diverse Princes impose the ceremonies of the Germane Adiaphorisme to whom there was returned that aunswere which now fitlie serueth our turne g Io. Brent de Adiaph apud Conrad Schlusselburgh pag. 564 etiam si politicus Magistratus postulat recipi Adiaphora tanquam politicas constitutiones res externas è quibus tamen scandalum contumelia Evangelij exoritur non sunt recipienda In one only case doth necessitie dispence that is when it so altereth a facte as that it taketh away from it al reason of sinning as extreame necessitie maketh it lawfull h Bellarmn de matri mon. lib 1 cap. 27. tollere alienū wherfore because it is now alienū no longer for the law of nature it selfe maketh all things common in such extremitie Now the ceremonies remayne still scandalous neither can the commandement of the Magistrate bring it about that they should do no longer hurt therfore the necessitie of his obedience dispenseth not what say I. the cōmaundement of the Magistrate doth not take away frō
mort Augustine but now the Crosse cannot but admonish the mind of poperie that to thinke the better of it as long as they see it being b Iac. Ledesima Catechis in initio the principall badge of poperie enthroned and sitting in a Sacrament amongst vs where ought to be seene no signe but such as men should tremble at 3 Deut. 21.23 Moses crosse must be pulled downe because no c Francisc Iun. in Analyâ— ibid. monument of any heynous crime committed must be seene amiddst the holy people of God Is the Crosse a Monument of what he hath revenged and punished but none of that which he hath served and honored It is too good a d Decret par 2. caus 13. qu. 3. Monument for a wicked man to haue his body buried in the Church-yarde or his name mentioned in the Church-service among the names of holy men And is it not then too good a Monument for the Crosse to be reuiued at the Fonte and there be mentioned honorably togither with the signe of the water the signe of the couenant What that these ceremonies of Crosse and Surplice are expresly termed reliques of poperie as they are left behinde in our church by the best of our e Ioh. Caluin epist to Francford Pet. Martyr inâ—pist Amic cuid in Angl. writers In regard heereof say wee to them as we are prompted 4 Isa 30.22 get ye hence for ye are menstruous Yea as our owne f Homil. ag peril of Idolat Iniunct art 343. Lawes enioyne and leaders direct roote we out throughly all the monuments of popish Idolatrie euen to the g Iohan Wolph in 2. Reg 18. least relique euen to the h Peâ— Martyr amic cuidam in Angl. least leavem euen to the least l Gualt in Luk. 5. ver vlt. quisquilliae euen to the least m Pet Martyr in epist alia amico cuidam in Angl. foot steppe which if it bee done all the friendes in the world are not able to saue the crosse it being so grande a monument of poperie as that the papist is n Humble moâ— for tollerat tickled at the very heart to see it entertained amongst vs. What then letteth that wee should not renewe the ancient request o Concil Cartha 3.5 can 15. Placuit ab Imperatoribus gloriosissimis peti vt reliquiae Idololatriae in quibuscunque locis omnimodò deleantur Seeing all the reasons are lyable against these Reliques controversed which moued Aurelius with his Collegues to sue for the razeing of those remainders of Idolatrie which in their times were left First the Crosse is a Iewell of the harlot while we keepe it we repent not of former adulterie as we ought Secondly it is a Trophee of Antichristes conquest while it standeth Christ is dishonored and put to shame Thirdly it is a signe of commoderation with Gods enemies while we beare it we forbeare to confesse against them as we are commaunded Thou shalt destroye all signes and monumentes of their religion because thou art an 5 Deut. 7.5.6 holy people to the Lord. Fourtly It is a stumbling blocke to the popishly minded while it continueth some regard seemeth to be had of their service and of their ceremonies Fiftly It is a 6 Iudg. 2.3 snare like to one of Canaans monuments while it surviueth occasion is giuen to abuse yea to worship it Sixtly It is a 7 Isa 44 10 vanitie euen as euery Idoll is which can no way be profitable More then these sixe reasons the best of our p Gui. Perk. de Idololat p. 109. writers cannot alleadge against any monument of Idolatrie which being all of them found in these reliques controuersed it is apparant that the ielousie of the Lord is prouoked to see them and that it standeth not with the holines of our Church to keepe them whose duty is to 8 Isa 30.22 pollute the ornament to hate the imployment of 9 Ind. 23. euery Idoll and to account his gold 1 Deu. 7.26 execrable his meat 2 Apoc. 2.20 abhominable his name it selfe 3 Psal 16.4 detestable yea a name to bee 4 Exod. 23.13 rooted out from vnder heauen This dutie we see practised from time to time 5 Gen. 35.2 Iacob not only burning the bodies of his Idols but abolishing their earings too Elias abhorring an 6 1. Reg. 18 32. Altar of Baals as well as Baal himselfe Iehu not onely defacing Baals Image but his 7 2. Reg. 10 22. Temple and Vestrie also Daniel detesting the meat 8 Dan. 1.8 of Bell as well as Bell himselfe And Iosuah lastly razing forth whatsoeuer monument he could find of 9 Iosu 23.7 Canaans Idolatry The faithful in Iacob when they reforme and purge the Church to take away the sinne thereof make all the stones of the Altars as Chalke stones broken in peeces that the 1 Isa 27.9 groues and Images may not stand vp That which is left of first loue in the decaied church of Ephesus hateth all 2 Apoc 2.6 Nicolaitan participation in the appurtenances of Idolatrie Thus Augustine the Christian soule that is truely thankfull for her conuersion from Idolatry q August in Mat. serm 6 non vult in terra sua aliquid esse in contumeliam Dei speaking of the monuments of former Idolatrie which is repented of To this agreeth that of r Chryso in 1. cor 10 Chrisostom with what face canst thou giue thankes for thy conuersion from Idolatrie with that mouth which thou defilest with the leauings of the Idoll #Sect 9. The second sinne committed in retaining the Crosse is the danger of Idolatrie in it for time to come THe second hurt of the Crosses Idolothisine is the daunger that is in it for the time that is to come For the reliques of Idolatry sayth Augustine s August etiam sopitae solunt recale scere What then will these reliques do of Crosse and Surplice which as sparcles flie about and are not onely not quenched but also not couered so much as with embers And the common sort of men are entangled with superstition oftentimes euen in the middest of Religion t August demoribus eccles lib. â— cap. 34. thoroughly purged What hope then they can be pure when vnpurged reliques lye in their way as stumbling blockes and snares vnto them Seeing then u Concil Chalced. act 3. principalis prudentiae est omne malum initio opprimere serpentem morbum legum medicinaresecare Yea a dutie w Pelag. 2. epist ad vniuers episcop Italiae ante prouidere remedia quam morbus increscat in consideration that x Concil tom 1. pa. 760. sera sunt remedia quae adactis iam vulneribus opponuntur The Crosse and Surplice should be so farre from the open honour they haue in the worship of God amongst vs as that indeed they should be forbidden to be in sight at all What doest thou in
It is a beggerlie ceremonie wanting power to inrich with grace spiritual pa. 138. It is matched with the word in some sort preferred before it p. 136 It is held to be better theÌ„ a sermon and worthy of worshippe and adotation pa. 140. It is a mute character dumbe signe a blind guide and a dumbe vicar of the Devill ibid. It hath no instructions in it but onely the lessons of grosse Idolatrie penned by the Devill ibid. It defileth like an Harpie whatsoever it toucheth with all his hypocrisies pa. 141. By retayning it we open a gappe to Lutheranisme Adiaphorisme and all Idolatrie pag. 141. It is a thorne in the â—ande of a violent man to hurt others and to vndoe them pag. 142. It is but a Tradition of mans and yet it is preferred before the lawes of God pa. 147. There is more stirre to vpholde it then the preaching of the word pa. 148. It is a deceiptfull toy pag. 154. It was at the firste a faithles invention taken vp without all warrant occasion or neede pag. 155. It is made a Magicall inchauntment Ibid The pruning knife of doctrine was never able to this houre to loppe of the abuses of it ibidem It bewitcheth the soule it blasteth the body and wasteth the goods without all pitty pag. 156. It is a mutuall prayer pag. 160. The maintayners of it haue nothing to cover it withall but figge-leeves pa. 165. It is dounge that polluteth the Sabbath pa. 166. It mocketh the Sabbath by the mocke-sabbaths which it hath sett vpp to it selfe ibid. It is not founde in the Leiturgies of the primitiue Church pag. 169. It came into the Sabbath by Montanus and grewe into credite with the rest of his inventions pa. 170. It is an hereticall and idolatrous rite of the forehead as badde as a pagan garland ibi It is a badge of the Devill fodered into the verie forehead of the Sacrament it selfe pa. 172. Blessing with it is no better then blessing with an old shooe-sole pa. 161. D. The Deacon was wont to teade an Homilie when the Minister of a Countrey-parish was sicke and could not preach pa. 195. The Devill doeth bend him selfe against the Pastors that he may make the more havock of the flocke pa. 181. To devise new signes is to set the church to schoole againe after the Iewish maner pa. 98. and to vilifie the signes which God hath appointed pa. 100. Everie new devised signe is a newe devised sacrament pag 90. Great diversitie and doubtfulnes touching the fashion of the crosse pa. 60. A Done let downe of old vpon the baptised for a signe of regeneration by the spirit an vnlawfull signe pa. 101. The duties of the Sabbath serve to edifie the Church as well as for the service of God pag. 195. E. The Ephod set vp by Gedeon in short time made Ophra more famous then the Tubernacle pa. 100. F. The Fathers holde the water in Baptisme to be nothing worth without the crosse pa. 77. 90 92. 113. They can be no vizard for a ceremonie which hath beene abused since pag. 75. They called the signe of the crosse a sacrament pa. 89. They are verie vnsavourie in the matter of the crosse pa. 90. The Feast came after the worshipping of the calfe and after the substance of Idolatrie and yet the Apostle counteth it a principall part of the Idoles service pag. 95. Formalistes for livings sake lye downe vnder the burden of Subscription and conformitie which wring the shoulders of their coÌ„sciences pag. 188. Many of them cut our their toÌ„gues either not vsing their giftes at all or having no giftes to vse or abusing their giftes or vsing them to no purpose pag. 189. Some of them are non-residentes loco others officio by their conformitie gracing popery and for the vpholding of their conformitie broaching many popish pointes in their preaching Ibid. Maister Foxe prayeth hartily against the Surplice pa. 196. G. GOD bestoweth no grace vpon any but by his owne meanes which the crosse is not pa. 4. He alloweth no Teacher but him selfe nor meanes of Teaching but his holy Worde and Sacraments pa. 62. There were no Godfathers in the primitive church pa. 71. H. Heathenish Jdolatrie sprang from a desire to adde visible signes to the booke of the creaturs pag. 139. Hezekiah was bound to demolish the brazeÌ„ serpent pa. 36. 37. 41. The holy kisse is cast out of the church though it went before the solemnitie of the Supper was a meere naturall signe of peace and had no state in the Sacrament it selfe pag. 111. Holy water a meere prophanation and repetition of Baptisme pag. 101. Homilies dubd with the name of preaching and held to bee a preaching sufficient for the sanctifying and saving of the church pa. 175. A Homilie is too leane a sacrifice for a Sabbath Ibid. It is but a dead letter pa. 176. There wanteth in it the gift of the spirit the arte of the husbandman the heate of the nurse the opening of the Booke the dressing of the meate the interpreter which is one amongest a thousande and that ordinance of God which onely bringeth the blessing with it Ibid. It is but a woodden shadow of preaching and nothing worth Ibid. How Homelies beganne pa. 195. Hony added to the wine of the Supper and to the water of Baptisme is as auncient as the crosse and hath bene lesse abused and yet is vnlawfull pag. 103. I. An Jdole is to the Lord as doungue pa. 3. Jdolaters defile whatsoever belongeth vnto them if their vse which is religious hath but touched it pa. 9. Yea so as it cannot be made cleane to vs pa. 18. 24. Things that haue once served Idolatrie are Idolatrous pa. 40. 56. An Jdoles name must not bee mentioned in common talke pag. 53. The Idole and ignorant ministerie is the bane of our church pag. 150. It is the very sinnewes of Antichrist pa. 179. An Jdolothite defined pag. 9. A thing being knowne to bee Idolothious a protestation that we honor not the Idole serveth not the turne pag. 23. All Jmages in churches daungerous and vnlawfull though not worshipped pa. 64. 65. Jmages of God in poperie are as vile Idoles as the Images of the Pagans were pa. 38. Imposition of handes is vsed with vs effectiuely pa. 34. All Inventions of man in the worshippe of God are forbidden in the second commaundement pag. 61. K. Sundrie sortes of Knightes which beare the crosse for their badge and why pa. 163. L. In what case the leaving of the Ministerie is sinfull pa. 188. A long Leiturgie wearieth the people before the Sermon beginneth cloyeth the Minister and filleth vp the roome of preaching pa. 177. Libertie turned into necessitie is libertie no longer pa. 87. Libertie to devise newe signes is but a young wanton novice which the licentious Adiaphorisme hath begotten pag. 100. All likenes of Cerem with Idolaters forbidden pa. 78. 133. R. 3. pa. 1. 134. R. 3. p. 2. 171. No worse livers in
ariseth from doing of a necessarie dutie but now it was a dutie necessarie vnto Paule to vse these ceremonies of the Iewes to their edification vntill such time as the preaching of the Gospell had made their abolition manifest We haue an instance of the like in our Lord him self who doing a necessarie dutie of love in breaking conformitie with the common and vsuall fastinges of his time yea with the fastinges of Iohn himselfe for the sparing of the weake vessells of his Disciples and for the more convenient cleansing them from all old dregges of weaknes the scandall which ariseth hereof in Iohns disciples is a scandall taken by them and no way giuen by him What then wee breaking cōformitie vnto ceremonies Mat. 9.14 which doe more hinder edification thē the fastings of Iohns disciples we doe but that which is necessarie to ridd the old dregges of poperie out of mens heartes and to prepare them to the wine of the gospell so that if any offence come of it men take it only without any fault in vs. Secondlie what though the avoyding of greater mischiefe made a thing inexpedient to become convenient which we see it doth not this were nothing for the ceremonies in present controversie because we may say the same of them which the Germane Divines long since spake of the ceremonies of their Adiaphorisme e Ioachim Westphal in explicat sentent è duob mal min. Nihil mali ex ceremonijs istis reiectis ex receptis verò provenit plurimum Take we a little paynes to survay these evills f P. Melane loc theolo Melancthon while he was vpright wrote thus of the hurt that cometh by ceremonies which are borrowed and translated out of poperie into the churches pertinacia eorum laudanda non est c. their pertinacie is not to be commended who when they acknowledge the doctrine is true tam acerbe flagitant omnes ritus this partinacie is a manifold scandal because it confirmeth the enemies of the trueth and bringeth the weake into a doubting that the vse of christiā libertie is not approved by those great men that are of learning and in authoritie and the holy ghost is made sadde in the heartes of other weaklings who are much grieved to be accused of lenitie g Thes de Adiaphor Theolog. Saxon. apud Conrad Schluss pag. 521. The Divines of Saxonie drewe these inconveniences from the yeelding of the Adiaphoristes even from their owne mouthes and there is not any one of them but may bee imputed to the corruptions of our church By the reducing of popish ceremonies good mē are troubled and made sadde so that invocation is hindred in them Papistes are confirmed and made glad this change is so taken as if it were a beginning to greater things hereafter mutatio ipsa per se est obscuratio doctrinae Item abalienant hae animos hominum à concionatoribus alijs h Confess Eccles Manifeld aedit Ann. 1560. Ibid pag. 554. Others of them describe the hurt of the popishe corruptions retayned on the one side of the cloth and the good of their purging out on the other First by yeelding to popishe Ceremonies an evil example is left behinde vnto posteritie if any persecution shall hereafter befall vt ipsi similiter agant languide vnde similia oriantur certamina offensiones Secondly Papistes are exceedinglie confirmed in their impietie whereas if wee had stood stedfast our constancie would haue made them perpetually doubtfull of their owne religion Thirdly certaine weake men of our owne brethren are so offended with our inconstancie yea so weakned and cast downe that they are in a mammering whether the doctrine be true or no which heretofore we haue preached to them Fourthly the mindes of our Diuines are so distracted vt metuenda sint in futurum maiora mala For where Divines consent not there trueth is corrupted and pietie in the ende quite lost Fiftlie there is nothing more certainlie to be expected from the strife about ceremonies quam vt alios novos errores pariat sicut est error foecundus Sixtly these questions will bee so beaten into the mindes of our yong schollers as that there will be no hope of concord with our posteririe ita rursum aliud ex alio malum Seventhly vnlesse these quarells be appeased all occasion of conversion wil be shut vp against papistes and others that be vncalled and so the kingdome of Christ will be hindered Eightlie the opinion of indifferencie will be alwayes a vayle for all false doctrines quae iam irrepserunt quaeque postea excogitabuntur ad palliandas eas ornandas many other incommodities are there which arise frō conformitie to popish rites which if they cannot mooue our Opposites yet let them be mooued by that happines which will reflorish as soone as these scandalls are remooued out of the way For first say these men all posteritie will be admonished to take heede how they admit the least leaven of poperie or giue occasion of declining to superstitiō or of dissipating of the church Secondly the papist will be the sooner brought to doubt of his religion Thirdly the weake and doubtfull amongest our selues will bee raysed and comforted Fourthly the mindes of our Divines shall be ioyned together in peace and vnitie and shall doe and preach many profitable things to the glorie of God and to the vtilitie of the church Fiftly newe errours latelie sprong vp by occasion of these controversies shall quite be cut off petulantia ingenia occasionem habebunt nullam deinceps alia fingendi nova Sixtly the yonge Divines after the example of their Elders shall be lovers of peace and haters of contention Seventhly great occasion shall be opened to convert papistes for there is nothing more effectuall for their conversion thē our agreement quis omnes vtilitates potest resensere tempus verò plures dabit quam quisquam nunc excogitare queat #Sect 4. Present Necessitie pretended by the Opposites makes not the Crosse convenient THE second circumstance which in the opinion of our Opposites maketh these ceremonies to grow convenient though inexpedient in themselves is present necessitie for necessitas non habet legem saith a Bernard de praecept dispensa Bernard and the Canon lawe affirmeth b Decret Gregor li. 5. rit 41. c. 4 Mat. 12.4 quod licitum non est hoc necessitas facit licitum which our Opposites backe with Davids facte the shew bread eaten by him is termed say they vnlawfull and yet to him in time of necessitie it did become lawfull First that which is spoken of necessitie non habet legem ipsa sibi facit legem must be vnderstoode of c Io. Molan de Iurame tyran praestand c. 24 Nauar li. ◠c. 27. Num 35. humane lawes that when some suddaine case falleth out so that the inferiour cannot haue recourse to the law-maker that then he may him selfe d Summa Siluestrin
Ought we not saith he to live in the feare of God because of the Cananites our enemies In like manner ought not this to haue stayed the hande of the crosses revengers that there be papistes and libertines amongst vs that will not only nodd the head but also clappe the hande And the papist hath great z BilkingtoÌ„ in epist ad Comitem Leycestr cause giuen him to see his ceremonies as he taketh them to finde such friendshipp and he and the Libertine hath this coÌ„mon cause of hatred which feedeth it selfe in the sight of our ruine 1 Sam. 18.7 Are not these they of whom men say they haue slaine their tenne thousande of vs #Sect 2. Vniust manner of proceeding and oath ex officio c. iust causes of complaint FOurthly the maner vniust of proceeding against vs doeth exaggerate this wronge of ours not a little Where first we complayne of the othe ex officio howbeit not first of all we onely renewe the auncient complaint of Iohn Lambert an holy Martyr of Gods trueth It a Act. and monum pa. 1022. pittieth me saith he to heare and see what is vsed in some of our nation and such also as name them selues spirituall men and should be head Ministers of the church who incontinent as any man commeth before them anone they cal for a booke and doe moue him to sweare without any longer respite yea and will charge him by vertue of the contents in the Evangelie to make true relation of all that they shall demaund him First we take this course to be against the lawe of Nature it selfe registred in the civill law Nemo tenetur accusare seipsum or as the foresaid Lambert citeth it prodere seipsum to betraye him selfe The Canon lawe hath receaved some light hereof inrowling the othe of Sixtus the third with this provisoe b Decret p. 2. causa 2. q. 5. c. 10. licet evadere satis aliter potuissem suspicionem tamen fugiens coram omnibus me purgavi sed non alijs qui noluerint aut sponte hoc non elegerint faciendo formaÌ„ exemplumque dans Gratian though much iniurious in this case is constrayned to gather from hence this observation ecce qualiter c. See how the chiefe Bishop purgeth c Ibid. ca. 18 him selfe by othe and yet prescribeth no necessitie of the like course to others Whence we are given to vnderstande that satisfaction of purgation by othe resteth in the will of the accused not in the will choyse or pleasure of the Iudge The auncient practize perverted not this naturall equitie as appeareth by an auncient d Coâ—il Neocaesar cap. 9. Councell speaking of a Minister fallen into some sinne quod si de se non fuerit confessus argui manifestè nequiverit potestatis suae iudicio relinquatur Secondly this maketh a breach vpon the order which God hath settled and appointed in his providence which Paule presseth as an order 1 Tim. 5. vlt to which the Presbyterie ought of duetie to submitt them selves in iudiciall proceeding against Elders and Ministers When he saith some mens faultes are manifest and these are to be brought vnto iudgement other mens faultes are secret and these God hath reserved vnto him selfe to follow after iudgement The practize of auncient tymes fought not against this providence of the Lord as nowe the othe ex officio doeth e Decret p. 2. caus 15. q. 6. c. 1. Non potest humano condemnari examine quem Deus suo reservabit iudicio Confessio in talibus extorqueri non debet sed potius sponte profiteri Pessimum n. est de suspitione aut extorta confessione quenquam iudicare Againe f Ibid. caus 2. q. 5. c. 20 spontanea confessione vel testium approbatione publicata delicta habito prae oculis Dei timore commissa sunt regimini nostro iudicare occulta verò incognita illi sunt relinquenda qui solus novit corda filiorum hominum Gratian coÌ„menting herevpon affirmeth that purgation by othe is inhibited by this authoritie of the Pope by which no man must be compelled to confesse against him selfe but the confession must be voluntarie that must coÌ„demne a man Againe Adulterie is not to be punished nisi flagitium detegatur If it cannot be proved all iudgement ceaseth h Innocen 1 epist 3. ad Exuper Tholoss c. 4. non habent latentia peccata vindictam probatione cessante vindictae ratio conquiescit Last of all l Synod Rhemens can 19. Episcopi iudices iudicia discernant quia sunt quaedam iudicanda modo quaedam Dei iudicio reservanda Thirdly the othe ex officio fighteth directly against Gods word who requireth two or three witnesses vnto everie lawfull eviction and condemnation This holdeth in the Elder and in the Minister especially against others an accusation may be receaued if the accuser will binde himself to triall but the Minister hath this priviledge that it must be tried before hand whether there be two or three witnesses or no before his name be called in to question For this is the sense of those wordes Receaue not an accusation against an Elder vnder two or three witnesses In deed the governing Elder hath this priviledge by this place 1 Tim. 5. the preaching Elder is here meant by our Opposites owne confession And this hath been aunciently practized m Concil Bracharen 2. ca. 8. Placuit vt si quis aliquem clericorum in accusatione fornicationis impetit secundum praeceptum Pauli Apostoli duo vel tria testimonia requirantur ab illo quod si non potuerit datis testimonijs approbare quod dixit excoÌ„municationem accusati accusator accipiat Againe n Iulius 1. cont Oriental pro Athanas c. 30.31 when a Minister is to he iudged the proceeding must not sleightly passe nothing must be done till the accuser come in place none must goe further then the libell of the accusation which is put vp the rest must be reserued to Gods iudgement man must not de illis quae ei inconcessa sunt vllo modo iudicium praesumere What othe ex officio here for the accusation is not so much as receaued till the accuser him selfe come in place no captious interrogatories are here proposed after he is come beyonde the libell of accusation which he did put vp and if proofe fayle to make good the libell the minister remayneth vntouched yea without any othe of his owne he is sent away cleared and the accuser only is stayed behinde to be punished for his slaunder Thus the Canon o Decret p. 2. caus 2. q 5. c. 1.3 Nos sacramentum Episcopis nescimus oblatuÌ„ nec vnquam fieri debet nisi pro recta fide If a minister of old was put to his othe only in the causes of faith then now they swerue from auncient practize who put ministers to ther othes ex levi p C 4. causa which the canon by name coÌ„demneth as vpon
Parliament would binde no man because they sawe them controversed not only by private men but also by whole churches Now it is not vnknowne that our Reverend Fathers require a subscription not only to Faith and Sacramentes but also to the Discipline communion booke ceremonies and all things else so imposing articles of their owne which no subiect by the lawe is permitted to doe I say of their owne notwithstanding the Canon For seeing the statute lawe is against it no e Statut. 25 of H. 8. c. 19. canon no constitution ecclesiasticall can make it good Howsoever seeing diverse Ministers haue been repelled and deprived that offered to subscribe iuxta formam Statuti so farre forth as the lawe of the lande doth binde them it sufficiently appeareth we are denyed the benefite of lawe and that a transcendent power aboue the lawe hath been claymed whereby to wrong vs. And what wil be said to this that if we were bound by the lawe to subscribe as they would haue vs that then we must subscribe against the crosse in baptisme For they will haue vs to subscribe vnto the bookes of Homilies which are established by act of Parliament and to acknowledge no doctrine is contayned in them but that which is sound and true whereas we are able to prove plainly by the principles that are contayned partly in the homilie against the perill of Idolatrie partly in the homilie for Whitsentyde which handleth baptisme that no roome ought to be for the crosse in the service of God or in the sacrament of Baptisme as hath been shewed in seuerall places of this treatise Thirdly we complayne that we are put out from our benefices which are freeholdes by the bare and sole sentence of a Bishopp whereas the libertie of an English man is this to be put from his f Magna Charta c. 29. free-holde by none but by the verdict of 12. men And as we are wronged by the bare and sole sentence so also by the meere will and sole pleasure of a Bishop What lawe haue they else For the Statute of Eliz. the 1. punisheth no bare omission with obstinacie and contempte of any one rubric of the service booke especiallie in them who receaue the whole body of it so farre foorth as a booke of mans framing may be receaued to omit that the booke for which we are punished now is not that communion booke which the Statute of Eliza. doeth establish but a newe one a diverse one a different one which when it was afferred to the most honorable Court of Parliament to be confirmed it was refused reiected cast out and disannulled Consider these thinges a while and then aske of thy selfe why doeth not a Crozier staffe appeare in the handes of a Bishopp as well as the crosse in Baptisme sith the lawe g Ordinat minist Anglican ap Bucer rubric vltim in the book of ordayning Minist p. 65. requireth the one aswell as the other Is it because there is a meaning not to vse that gentle direction which the vpper ende betokeneth but that rigour which the lower ende doeth signifie according to the auncient verse h Durant dâ—rit li. 2. c. 9 sect 40. curva trahit quos recta regit pars vltima pungit In Russia the bacculus pastoralis is cruciatus whereof our Governours should not be ashamed as longe as they loue so well as they doe the crosse in Baptisme But if they may spare them selues at their pleasure though they spare not vs yet me thinkes it can not but be hardly done of them to keepe the Staffe of this crozier still in their handes for a trunchion wherwith to strike and beate their fellowes The birde in the l Act. and monu pa. 374. parable of Iohannes de Rupe scissa is deplumed by those who first clothed her with her gay feathers when in the pride of them shee began with her beake to punge and to teare with her talants If our Reverend Fathers cease not to punche vs and to teare vs as they begin it is the duetie of every true christian Ezech. 3â— 16 to giue the Lord no rest in his prayer vntill he remember his mercifull promise to iudge betweene the fatt leane of his flocke And this we trust he will doe in due time against their expectation who according to auncient hipocrisie Isai 66.5 looke for a blessing from the Lord notwithstanding they thrust out as if the whole fault were in vs who for such small matters as these incurre our owne vndoeing But this is to mocke both with God and with man and that somewhat like to m Socrat. histor lib. 3. cap. 12. Iulian if I be not deceaued who when he had impoverished the christians laughed at them as at fooles because they would impoverishe them selves to haue the blessing which their Maister giveth to the poore Nowe who are we to be thus conformed vnto the first begotten of God who are nowe in heaven as now it is saide to vs what great matter is it to make a crosse to put on a Surplice so was it saide of olde to them what great matter is it to sweare n by Caesar Nay we are herein conformed to our Lord him selfe for so it was saide to him trueth what is trueth Iohn 18.38 Is that such a matter to be stood on Is he wise that will cast away him selfe for trueth And so much of the sinne of the ceremonies against the 8. commaundment The Slaunder of the Crosse Chap. 9. OVr ninth indictment against the ceremonies is the shame defamation which they throwe vpon our church vpon sundrie members of it against the ninth coÌ„maundment First they defame our church before the papist whose badges they are For seeing they make vs like the spirituall Egipt Rome Apoc. 11.8 as the foreskin vncircumcized Iosuâ— 5.9 likened the Israelites to the earthlie they must needes proue to be a shame of Rome to vs as that was A shame of Aegipt to them in regard whereof wee must humbly beseech our Iosuahs to take them from vs. a Ioh. Drusius in Provâ—rb Boâ— Sirae Qui honorat contemnentes se similis est A sino saith the prouerbe of the Iewes how base then doe the Ceremonies make vs honouring the papist by wearing his cognizance when he scorneth to communicat with vs in the least of all our rites and Ceremonies Secondly these Ceremonies doe disgrace vs before our brethren of the reformed churches Is it not much not to be able to hold vp the face before a brother But now the Crosse disableth vs to hold vp our crossed foreheades before our brethren of other churches who write it amongst the markes of the beast a Sam. 1.22 Looke then with what shame the Armenian armie looked on their brethren when they came home with faces marked with the enemies b Magdeburg centur 7. col 92. inke and with no lesse doe we looke on them because it
The Hussites that conformed in Boheme esteemed better of the papistes their of their syncere brethren pag. 120. I. All Idolatrous Rites and Ceremonies are to be rooted out pa. 66. Idolatrie cannot possible be separated from Church-Images but is an inseparable accident to them pa. 138. Iewells borrowed from Egypt proved at last matter for the making of a calfe pa. 19. The Jewes in Rome and in Franckforde are counted better then protestants pag. 119. The Iewish ceremonies were not presently to be left but were to stay till the Gospell was preached and the Iewes instructed to a leaving of them pa. 69. The time of their funerall was the time of the Tēples destruction after which they might not be vsed ibid. and pag. 71. Images in Churches offend the godly and confirme the wicked in their impietie pa. 73. Jmages had a base beginning Q. p. 2. they are to be put out of the church Q. p. 2. and R. p. 1. they are harlots and temptations to Idolatrie R. p. 1. they came into churches by degrees ibid. they are devises of man brought in through blinde zeale and devotion ibid. they are dangerous even to them that bee most wise pag. 139. their danger is vnavoydable pag. 140. The Imperfection of predecessours is by the successours to be perfected pa. 3. That which is Inexpedient and Jnconvenient is sinnefull pag. 44. Inexpediencie is of two sortes ibidem Inferiors haue libertie to examine the lawes and constitutions of their Superiours pag. 11. The Israelites are a plaine president of mans pronenes to Idolatrie and superstition pa. 76. K. The Kings of Judah were not blessed of God but when they purged the lande of Iurie from all ceremonies not prescribed by Moses lawe pag. 4. Kings haue not an vnlimited and Pope-like Authoritie pa. 113. 114. When Kings command that which is good Christ him selfe commaūdeth in them pa. 114 Kinges owe the same reverence and obedience to the Word and Sacramentes that every private man doeth pa. 114. The custome of not Kneeling in prayer betweene Easter and Whitsontide is disvsed though it be very auncient pa. 120. L. The Law of the lande punisheth not a bare omission of any parte of the service booke but only an obstinate kind of refusall of the forme thereof ioyned with contempt pa. 39. 109. To Leave Antiquitie vpon causes iustifiable was never deemed vnlawfull pa. 120. Our Leiturgie is more prest then the booke of God it selfe and the prayers thereof are so strictly observed as that they are in a maner turned into a Charme pa. 19. Lighting of tapers at the monumentes of Martyrs forbidden by a Councill pa. 78. M. The Magistrate must wholy abolish poperie pa. 2. The Magistrates commaundement doeth not take away from the Ceremonies the reall hurt and scandall of them but doeth rather much increase it pa. 26. The Magistrate hath no power to make Ceremonies lawfull to be vsed so long as they remaine scandalous and hurtfull ibid. The Magistrate and the Minister bee the Nurses of Gods people pa. 54. The godly Magistrate must drive away al Idolls vnd Images out of churches R. p. 1. Malitious persons are not to be scandalized by our doing of any thing that is vnnecessarie pa. 57. 63. The Ministers which conforme not are not refractarie but ready to obay in all things so farre forth as they may with a good conscience pap 34.35 they are deprived for disvsing Rites which all Churches except our owne haue banished pag. 39. they are called from preaching of the Gospell by the violence and iniustice of the Prelates pag. 48. they can no more be accused for troubling the Lande then might Elias or the Angell pag. 81. their Apologie ibid. and pa. 82. 83. c. 117.118 they are vniustly thrust from their Ministerie and from their flockes pag. 103. they are as farre from the iudgement and practise of Donatistes and Anabaptistes as their accusers pag. 113. Ministers iure divino are all equall succeede the Apostles all alike from whom they receiue like power not onely for preaching but for binding and loosing pa. 101. and 86. Ministring the Communion to Infantes was in former times vniversally observed as well as the crosse pa. 131. Mixture and medly of ceremonies is no way to make peace pa. 98. Monachisme is falsely fathered vpon Elias Elishah Iohn Baptist and the Apostles pag. 126. N. Names of Protestantes and Puritanes are names savouring of pernitious debate and division pa. 111. The Nativitie of our Lord was about the point of the Autumnall Equinoctiall pa. 121. Necessitie doeth sometimes so alter a fact as that it taketh away from it all reason of sinning pa. 49. Necessitie in rites was never heard of in the church till Antichrist began to vsurpe over the libertie of christian men pa. 91. Non-residents pompous lords and idle ministers are vnprofitable to Gods church pag. 83. O. The Occasion even of a passiue scandall must be removed by the Magistrate and disvsed by the Ministers especially if it be a monument of Idolatrie that hath beene is or is likelie to be abused superstitiouslie pa. 34. All Occasions of contentions which may lawfully bee taken away are to be remooved pag. 89. He that offendeth is faid to destroy because he doth that which is apt to destroy of which destruction would insue were not men by the Lord preserved which is no thankes to him that gweth scandall pa. 43. Bare Omission of anie thinge commaunded by the Magistrate is no contempt pag. 32. The Oath ex officio is against the lawe of nature the Civill and the Canon Lawe pag. 104. It maketh a breach vppon the order whiche God hath setled and appointed in his providence ibidem It fighteth directlie against Gods worde pag. 105. It maketh way to the Spanish Inquisition and offendeth against the contrarie iustice practised of olde ibidem It pervertech the duetie of a righteous Oath crosseth the law iustice of all nations times and Countries ibid. It is against the law of this lande pa. 107. the Oath to which the Adulteresse was put in Moses lawe maketh nothing for it pa. 106. Oyle was heretofore as vniversally vsed as the crosse pa. 131. P. Pagans Rites continued in the church corrupt the christians doctrine and confirme the Pagans in their idolatrie pa. 73. The Papist must be healed like the melancholike man pa. 71. The Papist is the right Puritane the reasons why pa. 112. The Patrones of the ceremonies are negligent in divers regardes pa. 55. Paul though he circumcised Timothy refused to circumcise Titus because hee saw it would breede scandall pa. 45. Paul was necessarilie to vse the Ceremonies of the Iewes to their edification till such time as the preaching of the Gospel had made their abolition manifest pa. 46. Paules conformitie in the Temple was helde of divers to haue bene not warrantable pa. 70. yet our case and his are very different p. 71. 72. The Pax of the papistes is very absurdly defended by the