as wee do And if you or any other notwithstanding all this shall labour to make the world beleeue that the courage of Bishops for defence of the Church is but a stifnesse in their owne quarrels wee must let the world vnderstand which we know to be true that greater moderation and patience ioyned with carefull thoughts of what was to be altered hath by many degrees more appeared in them then in the meanest of the Cleargie besides wherewith if you cannot rest content but desire them to followe the Counsell of Trent in the alteration of these things wee are sory that out of loue to example you will rather propound them then none to please you wee can be content to say as Duâ—antus doth that to speake properly there is no Epistle out of the old Testament but rather they are called Lessons APOLOGY AND now my Lord from the intention of subscription which I dare not answere vntil I come vnto the things subscribed vnto Wherin I pray to haue coÌ„sidered first the Liturgy in general theÌ„ some particulers in it In general acknowledging the booke to be a good and godly booke I take exception at that new imposition of the Canons which doth absolutely command against all exceptions the whole Lyturgy to be read euery Sabboth and that at the vsuall houres The Booke at the first was ordained in part to supply the want of a learned ministery and vntill now some parts might be omitted lawfully for a Sermon as the Lord Cheefe Iustice of England iudged lately at Thetford in Norfolke in Tylneys case And in this intention who could condemne the Churches godly care of supplying some meanes of Gods seruice where all could not bee at once prouided But this intention is so changed that by the Canons no peece of the seruice must giue way to a Sermon or any other respect which computed with the accessorie occasions of Christinings Buryals mariages and Communions which fall out all at sometimes some at all times in many congregations doth necessarily pretend if not a purpose yet a consequence of diuorsing Preaching and so not widowes houses but Gods house vnder pretence of long prayers while neither the time nor the ministers strength nor peoples patience can beare that taske of reading and preaching to of which intention if we be afraid who can maruell that either shall obserue my Lord of Londons motion at the conference for a praying ministery as more needefull in a Church planted then Preaching as his speech since also haue professed or that shall marke how some Canons are planted against Lectures in market townes whereby the light hath spred to many other darke places and withall how skilfully all his Maiesties godly purposes against the ignoraÌ„t negligent scandalous Ministers haue beene not so much delaid as deluded and the offendours couered as the Flauians in the battell at Cremona by the rysing of the Moone at their backs which casting long shadowes vpon which the blowes being spent fell short of the bodies themselues of which there remaines an indigne abuse to his Maiesty a foule sinne to your Lordships a heauy plague to the Church and to the offenders intollerable insolencie in stead of deserued shame Now my Lord I that could well subscribe to the vse of the Lyturgy as it was before intended cannot doe so now the intention not being somwhat shifted but to the contrary point ANSVVER FEw things are likely to escape vnreproued where the best things in our Church are repreheÌ„ded there is no duty vpon earth that concerneth man with a greater nearnes then prayer doth which vsuallye expresseth euen all the seruice that wee owe vnto God for in religioÌ„ as one wisely noteth there is no acceptable duty which deuout inuocation of the name of God doth not either presuppose or inferre neither can there be greater approbation of this action being publick then that the Temple being appointed for this end in this respect God vouchsafeth it to be accounted his house as if Sermons Sacrifices Sacraments and all other seruices performed in that place were but second intentions for the building thereof in respect of Prayer Now for the better performance of this duty the late Canons haue renewed that care which in all ages was found in the gouernours of Christes Church that the strange desire of some few to heare themselues speake might not banish from amongst vs an institution of that vse a dutie of so much profit an ordinance so holy as if for feare to displace preaching our Temples ought not now to be accounted a house of prayer We must first for answere to their iniurious accusation in this case tell them that neuer any sauing some few meane persons haue disliked a forme of publike prayer those which mislike ours euen with the greatest seueritie that eyther malice or at the best the most scrupulous conscience could inuent haue beene able but to alleadge some few shadowes of faults all which haue beene often heretofore answered and if any in the feruencie of a zealous conscience remaine as yet vnsatisfied we will be bold to vse the words vnto him of Bishop Ridley after his condemnation to Master Grindall then beyond the seas Alas that our brother Knox could not beare with our booke of common prayer in matters against which although I grant a man as he is of wit and learning may finde to make apparant reasons but I suppose he cannot be able soundly to disproue by Gods word the reason he maketh against the Leteny and the fault per sanguinem sudorem he findeth in the same I doe marueile how he can or dare auouch them before the learned men that be with you As for priuate Baptisme It is not prescribed in the booke but where solemne Baptisme for lacke of time and danger of death cannot be had what would he in that case should be done Peraduenture he will say it is better then to let them die without Baptisme For this his better what word hath he in the scripture and if he haue none why will hee not rather follow that that the sentences of the old ancient writers doe more allow from whom to dissent without warrant of Gods word I cannot thinke it any godly wisedome And as for purification of women I ween the word purification is changed and it is called thankesgiuing surely Maister Knox in my mind is a man of much good learning and of an earnest zeale the Lord grant him to vse them to his glorie Thus farre Bishop Ridley Bishop of London and a blessed Martyr with whom we say of a great number they are learned they are zealous the Lord grant them to vse them to his glorie for wee will confesse as Maister Bucer doth there are not some few things wanting in the Lyturgye of England which if they be not charitably interpreted may seeme to dissent from the word of God But accessimus as Maister Iewell confesseth quantum
for information of manners yet seeing in those ancient times some of the fathers did inhibit the reading of them some say they were vsed by the Catechistes as wee permitted base coyne to the Irish some euen Councels forbad the reading of them and seeing by their first more innocent then prudent admission of them to be read in assemblies they wonne as appeareth in the third Councell of Carthage the stile first of Canonicall Scriptures and afterward the full dignity and haue since iustled with the Canon as Ismael did with Isack for precedeÌ„ce and hauing wonne it by this stratagem do maintaine their stile from the sâ—me reason of being read and that euen amongst vs me thinks there was neuer so great cause of aduancing them so neare the Chayr of estate as is now of teaching them to know their distances eyther by sylencing their voyces in the assemblies as most of the reformed Churches do or else by teaching them to speake in a different time as doe those Churches that read them while the coÌ„gregation is gathering not as parts to diuine seruice or at least that euery Minister were ioyned to giue them their note of difference that the people might know and discerne the voice of God from the voice of good men And if Hierom translating some of them did giue them a brand of difference why should not we in the reading Or if the elder brother suffer not the yonger to giue the armes of his house without a Crescent to distinguish them how will God that is so Iealous of his Honour put it vp that wee put no sensible difference betwixt the children of his spirit and the baser sonnes of men though good men In which cause my Lord I am the more earnest because I finde at the Conference Hierom taxed for calling them Apocripha and there though not truely for Cyril did it before him saide to bee the first that so termed them and his exceptions called the old euils of the Iewes and I find theÌ„ also tearmed Canonicall ad mores as if any writing but Gods could be properly Canonical which is co ipso canonica quo authentica as D. Whitaker well saith which make one feare that which I am loth to feare or speake must make me by so much the more afraid of allowing their admission by how much they incroch vpon the prerogatiues royoll of the Scriptures eyther in titles or in vsage ANSVVER THe custome of accusing the lawfull ordinances of this Church hath imboldened some men aboue both dutie and reason to continue still vehement in their first opposition which peraduenture at the beginning was vndertaken without cause this land as it neyther doth nor I hope euer shall professe any other doctrine but that which is sincere and true Our home aduersaries confessing that for the substance of Religion it maintayneth the true and the holy faith so for our publike Lyturgye which now is misliked by you wee will first take the censure of one as strickt as any that liued eyther since or before him and after if wee be further vrged enter into the particular defence of all that iustly can bee misliked in our Church not that wee are willing to giue any strength to this last errour or to flatter for aduancement the eye or the hand of this time an infirmitie which we hope shall not cleaue vnto vs but because wee are perswaded in conscience that the holy Spirit hath directed the consultations of the fathers of our Church euen then when first they banished superstition to frame by the assistance of a Diuine power a publike seruice of God in this land purer for the matter more effectuall for vse more chast for ceremonie more powerfull to procure deuotion then any Lyturgye publicklye established since the defection from the primitiue Church Of which as I promised I must tell you what Maister Deering said Looke if any line be blameable in our seruice take holde of your aduantage I thinke Maister Iewell will accept it for an article our seruice is good and godly euerie title grounded vpon holy Scriptures and with what face doe you call it darknesse But men are ashamed to seeme guiltie who alwaies haue beene Iudges or at least accusers That then which you mislike in this place for the rest wee shall indeuour to defend when wee come vnto them is the reseruation euen of the parcels of those Chapters some parts whereof we reiect as drosse that is to summe vp your whole accusation in few words that no Apocripha is publikely to be read in diuine seruice The Church of Christ according to her authoritie receiued from him hath warrant to approoue the Scriptures to acknowledge to receiue to publish and to commaund vnto her children so then that the Scriptures are true to vs wee haue it from the Church but that we beleeue them as true in themselues we haue it from the holy Ghost By this power the Church hath severed those parcels of Scripture by the name of Apocripha from those which vndoubtedly were penned from Gods Spirit In this diuision neyther hath the light nor the approbation beene all one seeing euen some partes penned by the holy Ghost and so now generally approued both by the Church of Rome and vs haue had some difficulty not without great examination to be admitted into the Catalogue of Gods Canon As the Epistle to the Hebrewes of S. Iames the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the Reuelation And howsoeuer those that were neuer doubted of may seeme to haue in some sort greater authoritie then those that were yet wee giue them saith M. Zanchy equall credit with the rest and to the Apocripha the next place of all other to the holy Scripture The Canonical only wee allow for probation of the doctrine of Faith but the other being proued for the confirmation therof Nay the Church of Rome confesseth howsoeuer they and wee differ which are Canonicall that the Apocripha in the Canon are to haue no place Saint Austin calleth by a larger acceptation of the word Canonicall euen those which though they had not perfect and certaine authority yet accustomably were read in the Church to edefie the people a custome as it seemeth neither now nor differing from the practise of our Church Athanasius allowed them to some men The third CouÌ„sel of Carthage not at al. Cyrill Bishoppe of Ierusalem reiectes them from beeing read in the Church of whome Doctor Whitakers whome you alledge giueth this censure in this Cyrill peradueÌ„ture was ouer vehement which forbad these bookes to be read at all For other Fathers although they accounted them Apocripha yet they permitted them to be read And Saint Hierome speaketh of the booke of wisdome and of Ecclesiasticus out of which two is more read in our seruice then out of al the Apocripha besides that they may be reade to the edification
as much indispensable necessitie as conformitie and obedience vpon ours Like vnto this surmise is that which followeth And say wee cannot confirme in euerie point you know who said the varietie of ceremonies did commend the vnitie of faith But doubtlesse it had beene much better for the Church more warrantable for your selues more pleasing to the state more profitable to your owne families to haue conformed your selues in euerie poynt then by refusing to hinder the Church of that good which by your owne confession might haue beene more in one yeare then all the Ceremonies will doe whilest the vvorld standeth For if any thing be imposed by authoritie contrarie to the word of God let some men take vpon them to prooue it and farre be it from vs for any mans cause to maintaine an euicted errour wee may bee deceiued and haue our infirmities as other men but wee are not vnwilling who will needes bee our aduersaries to account them our maisters if there bee iust cause But if these ceremonies be onely vnlawfull to some men for want of true resolution and so contrarie to conscience which yet is no warrant for disobedience let them learne to know that in things not vnlawfull It is better to obey then to offer Sacrifice Amongest men of equall authoritie in place of freedome diuersities of opinions may safely be published without offence but where men want authority and place to aduise and when Iawes haue set downe what is though fit there to thinke otherwise then the Church doth it is as if common passengers would sayle to Chyna by the North-east when the maisters and gouernours had determined to sayle by the North-west Wherein if both partes remayne equally stiffe in their owne opinions a mutinie must follow for want of Discipline sometimes I confesse varietie and alteration of cerimonies are thought fit both to shew the authoritie of the Church for you selfe haue confessed when you read your articles that euerie particuler or nationall Church hath authoritie to ordayne change and abolish ceremonies or rites of the Church ordained onely by mans authoritie so that all things bee done to aedifying Secondly that they are but furtherances of deuotion and no partes of diuine worship But when they are established as thought fit for decencie edification and order by such as haue authoritie from Christ to moderate those thinges then by inferiour persons such as wee are eyther to bee oppugned misconstrued despised or disobeyed it is daungerouslye to kindle a fyre of Rebellion in the principall parts of Gods house But that which followeth is much worse O my good Lord will it not bee enough to keepe safe and well fenced your Iurisdictions and personall dignities not enough to deuide the Honours to your selues and labours to vs Haue the last Canons no other end but to fence the Iurisdictions and personall dignities vnto the B B. Doubtlesse the diminishing of their honors which could neuer haue been without wrong vnto the Church was little to be feared though the Canons had not beene where so wise a King ruled ouer vs who had throughly tasted the calamities and miseries of that Church which placed the greatest part of their Zeale in suppressing of Bishops and whilest they laboured that none might haue too much they presently brought it so to passe that scarce any had what was reasonable enough besides if you knew the vnwearied paines the intollerable burthens that diuers of the Reuerend Fathers who watch ouer vs dayly sustayne for the peace and the happinesse of this Church you would plainely acknowledge preaching not to be the greatest paines and that it is a misdeeming of their care to thinke That they haue deuided the honours to themselues and the labours to you Surely there is no greater or more vehement exercise of faith amongest so many perils then prayers for the publicke peace of the Church and it is our parts to vnderstand those perils and to iudge them to appertaine to our owne safeties Besides it is our dutie to ascribe to the Magisâ—rates Wisedome and Iustice that is that wee doe not preferre our priuate iudgements before the lawes and decrees of the Church but obey them This honour is most agreeable to publicke peace not to cauill against the lawes nor to interprete them with Iealousie or Enuie but to couer to excuse and mitigate the ouer-sightes of Magistrates and lawes if there be any This as it is in priuate the ornament of a Christian so it is in publicke the honour of a good subiect Loue beareth all things Loue is the bond of perfection to preuent dissolutions of a Church or a commonwealth And heerein if the requisite seueritie which the palsie of the Church exacteth from the Reuerend Fathers draw them to punish whom they desire to fauour to aduance and cherish it is not a casting out of borne Israelites as you terme it but a iust reprehension setting a marke vpon that sonne that hath made no conscience to discouer the supposed nakednesse of his owne father In whose place it any wild beasts Papists you meane shall multiply I doubt not but their religious care will be as readie to suppresse the one as depriue the other And if in the ende as you prophesie which God forbid vnfortunately it happen that the Bishops shall want you as King Henry did Cromewell it shall be much safer to indure the hazard of those times then to buy an aduantage at so deare a price In the meane time beleeue which it is fit for you to acknowledge that if you forbeare vpon the poynt of Conscience their Lordshipps haue better reasons for that they do then to stand vpon termes of their owne pleasures Now to conclude this vnpleasing worke which wee laid aside in hope to haue rested without trouble vntill such time as we saw their bookes of this argument to increase still and heard that as much of this as was then printed was by them confuted wee desire all men to think of vs as of those that account the infirmities of our brethren our owne harmes and the modest directions of men as meane as our selues to be no blemish vnto vs who propound not victory but truth and the Churches peace The God of all loue and the giuer of all graces multiply his blessings vpon this land let them be poured O Lord as an oyntment vpon the Kings head strengthen the weake hands of the reuerend fathers the chiefe builders of his Temple giue vnto vs all vnity and peace as the bonds and sinewes of the communion of saints make vs to thinke and to speake the same things grant vnto you and others that refuse conformitie vpon conscience a better light peace in your hearts remorse for silencing your selues comforts against all worldly afflictions and if it so seeme good to his infinite wisedome seeing our Church hath so many trayterous and seditious enemies without that all within her owne bosome may thinke loue desire and behaue
be euer able to disproue that as the foundation of our doctrine is the vnchangeable word of truth so it is hath beene like the author thereof God himselfe euer constant and the same neither can the vsuall imputations of difference laid by our aduersaries bee any blemish to vs seeing those things wherein wee dissent are rather the opinions of some few then the setled consent of the whole Church It seemeth you haue hitherto mistaken what subscription was supposing it to import an Admonition of things so farre tollerable that men not otherwise priudiced might lawfully vse them beeing imposed Where priuate fancies adueÌ„ture to interpret the limitations of their own obedience the wisdome of those that make lawes shall haue little vse men disposed not to obey wil find colorable excuses vnder pretence of being preiudiced for that which they do refuse could any man think Subscription to be a Tolleration onely of things not to be approued and not rather an allowance of things to be tollerated the intention doubtles of the Church in this was not to require a tolleration or approbation froÌ„ you or any inferior of such things as were thought fit for the Church to commaÌ„d but to tye the tongues and the hands of all men from disturbing the Churches quiet froÌ„ any way resisting those lawful ordinations that preserue peace It cannot bee the duety of inferiours to examine with what reason lawes are made seing other places times wherein they are interessed are appointed to that end but only by obedience to giue an allowance by subscribing an approbation to what the lawes command which either by way of tolleration to indure without approbation or in show to approue without an harty allowance were subtilly by conformity to procure their owne peace and dangerously when occasion should serue to disturbe the Church Would any man do that vnder his hand which he is loath to be commanded to doe ex animo surely it cannot be seuerity in that lawe which requireth the heart to consent to what the hand doth seing reason telleth vs that in reasonable actions the hands and the tongue should expresse the heart whosoeuer desireth to seuere these either intendeth to dally with God or to delude man But many things say you are in the Communion booke which may be tollerated but not approued for therin are multae tollerabiles ineptiae Indeed it pleased M. Caluin writing his censure of that booke from Geneua to Knox and Whittingam at Frankford to say as you doe that in it were many tollerable follies But we see not how either if they be follies they can be tollerable in a Church Lyturgy or how any dispraises of ours haue inuented a Lyturgy of their owne more absolute and perfect then ours is but least the commendation of this should be thought but the opinion of such as were willing to flatter the state at that time the graue approbation of that holy Martyr Doctor Taylor is fit to be alledged in this place a censure giuen in EnglaÌ„d within two daies of that which before M. Caluin gaue There was saith he set forth by the most innocent king Edward for whom God be praised euerlastingly the whole Church seruiâ—e with great deliberation the aduice of the best learned meÌ„ of the realm authorised by the whole Parliament receiued published gladly by the whole Realme which book was neuer reformed but once note that seldom alteratioÌ„s are their vertues that were before vs yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfected according to the rules of our Christian religion in euery behalf that no Christian coÌ„scieÌ„ce I pray you mark it can be offeÌ„ded with any thing therin contained I mean of the book reformed And shal we now froÌ„ the coÌ„ceipt of soâ—e few make light accouÌ„t of so honorable a testimony not rather say of this booke as S. Austin doth in another case If thou runnest through all the wordes of the holy prayers I suppose thou shalt finde nothing which the Lords Prayer doth not containe and comprehend therefore wee may in other words speake the same things in our Prayers but wee may not speake contrary thinges Those of great place who thinke some things fit to be remoued may peraduenture be wronged by you for if their wisdome bee answerable to their places they knowe and must confesse both alterations with cause to bee dangerous and without cause such as this were to be needlesse No man would blame you to obserue the moderation which you mention out of Saint Austin for quisquis vel quod potest arguendo corrigit vel quod corrigere non potest saluo pacis vinculo excludit vel quod saluo pacis vinculo excludere non potest aequitate improbat firmitate supportat hic pacificus est In all which if most of the refusers to subscribe haue failed wee must needes say with the Prophet DAVID The way of peace haue they not knowne And because they beleeue when impudently they say wee are holy they dare say wee alone are holy but if these things may bee well obserued the faults in commaunding doubtlesse wil not bee required at your hands and surely the wisdome in our Gouernours was great who sawe that in alterations of custome that which may helpe peraduenture with the profit of it doubtlesse with the nouelty of change will doe more hurt and yet in reason you cannot but acknowledge that their LL. haue done wel in coÌ„manding these Ceremonies beeing both ancient and seruing for order and to edefication vnlesse you can shew that they are vnlawfull But say you hath God in vaine commaunded dissisimilitude with Idolators Were the Fathers vnwise that called so instantly from conformity with the heathen or the sects of Iewes or hereticks in matters indifferent such as a garland or habit or keeping of Easter daye or thryse dippings c. In the weaknes of my vnderstanding these can be no warrents for your manifest dissenting from the orders of this church are the rulers Idolatours are the things commaunded idolatrye you yourself haue cleared theÌ„ from that fault Tertullian a great light surely of the Church if he had not beene a falling starre reporteth of one at whome peraduenture you aime in mentioning the garland who chose rather to dye then with the rest of the souldiers to be crowned with lawrel only in this respect that the Christians had a ceremony not to doe it For to cast away in time of persecution the badge and signes of their warfare was to discouer vnto the world that they were cowardly soldiers and vndoubtedly in the Church there would haue beene no difference about thrise dipping if the Arrians had not abused it to establish their heresie of the three natures of the three persons which made Gregory to coÌ„maund that through all Spaine there should bee but once dipping and this after was confirmed by the Counsell of
necessitie or to conclude out of this care that the Church declyneth to a necessitie ouer rigorous and such as formerly was oppugned in our Church 2 Misconstrued the speech of the most reuerend father the now Lord Archbishoppe of Canterbury who as you say made no exception of Gods eternall purpose It cannot bee ignorance but want of charity which maketh you to misconster him thus seeing euen from that learned Deane who penned the whole conference you might haue collected what manner of necessitie was vrged by him his words are these which word Necessity he so pressed not as if God without Baptisme could not saue the childe but the case put that the state of the Infāt dying vnbaptized being vncertain to God only knowne but if it dy baptised there is an euident assurāce that it is saued What could be more religious agreeable to the doctrin of truth or more necessary in these presūptuous times wherin a Sacrament of so absolute necessity by practise of some is growen into such contempt which necessity if at any time wee haue denyed dealing with those of the church of Rome It is because ouerstrictly they bind frō the act done grace to the Sacraments as if none that receiue them could want it or none receiue that grace that do want them 3 False that the plac◠of S. Iohn is not vnderstood of the Sacramēt of Baptisme which you seeking to shun least you shold magnify Baptisme ouermuch ought to take heed least you run into the contēpt therof the one being that wherūto al mē are inclined the other bringing lesse hurt to the church by a necessity ouer absolute which serueth but to make al men carefull not to neglect a thing of such institutiō so great vse whilst a fear to establish an absolute necessity bredeth by degrees a contēpt of that which is the only ordinary way into the church of Christ in heauē the only way into the church vpō earth And because the Iews had many rites which in a larger acceptatiō were called Sacramēts but in a strict acceptation as we only two to distinguish betwixt these the other it is added not without cause to the catechisme that there be two sacramēts as generally necessary to saluatiō noting that ours succeeding two of theirs Circūcision the Passouer retain a necessity as theirs more aboue the rest so that the intētion of our church being neither differing frō it self nor frō the doctrin of truth in this point you need neither feare by subscription to giue your allowance nor doubt least your subscriptiō might iustly be pleaded to a bad sence APOLOGY MY secōd exceptiō about the Sacramēts is to the interrogatories in Baptisme made to the child answered by the suretyes that this fashion was causlesly needlesly trāsferred frō those of years forerūners to Infāts free born in the church I hold with Beza Bullinger Zepper others yet thought it not vnlawful in this cōstruction namely that this professiō made in the childs name shold not import either such a distinct faith in the child which saith Austin were Insanus error or that the faith of the sureties should auaile the Infāt which the word reiecteth or that the sureties vndertook that the childe shal hereafter make good this profession which were Insana presūptio but that this profession was thus made by the mouthes of the Godfathers partly to admonish the vnderstāding congregation of that couenāt which Baptisme really inioyneth to euery Christian euen as the Prophet spake to the dead Altar to admonish liuing Ieroboam the Prophets as Chrisostom notes spake to the vnreasonable creatures to teach reasonable men how vnreasonable they were become and secondly to cast vpon the Godfathers a kind of charge with it an aduantage of calling vpon this childe when he came to yeares to knowe answere that stipulation of Baptisme which they made profession of as in his name whē he was Baptized to shew what he should haue done himselfe if he had bin of years in this sense I thinke it lawfull though perhaps too obscure and vnnecessarie But my Lord if the Catechisme which making Faith and Repentance that is the profession of Faith and Repentance necessary to those that are to be baptyzed proceeds to say that Infants perform this faith and repentance by their sureties If I say this intend as it doth insinuate a necessitie of such a profession to be made in the childes name before it might bee admitted to the Sacrament as I reiect that conceipt as an error fauoring this Anabaptisticall opinion that faith must fore-goe the Sacrament of Baptisme so I dare not subscribe to the practise so inioyned and intended and would wish it changed into that course that Bucer aduised ANSVVER IT seemeth there is a curious desire of reprehension in those men who are willing to reproue the practise of their owne Church for that which is a custome ancient necessarie and of much vse wherein wee reprehend not alone the disposition of such but wee are ready to let the world see that the things themselues are most innocent which they doe reproue Most of them are not yet come so farre as to deny Baptisme to Infants an arrour which may follow from their former opinions if they suffer Scisme to growe in them and humours to bee rules for conscience but they are ready to professe that there is no saith in the childe required to Baptisme and that to bee borne of faithfull Parents is as much for their admission into the Church as the profession of the faith which they make by the mouthes of others This as it is vnthankfull to spurne at the indulgence of the Church so it is a contempt of duety which God requireth on our part there is no attainment to life but through the onely begotten sonne of God nor by him otherwise then being such for beleefe as wee ought as if those Articles in the iudgement of God were set downe for all men first to subscribe vnto whom by Baptisme the church receiueth into Christs schoole and seeing no religion inioyeth sacraments the signes of Gods loue vnlesse it haue also that faith whereupon sacramēts are built could there as one well noteth which I am sory you obserued not before you stumbled at these doubts be any thing more conuenient then that our first admittance to the actuall receipt of his grace in the sacrament of Baptisme should be consecrated with profession of beleefe which is to the kingdome of God as a key the want whereof excludeth Infidels both from that and from all other sauing grace And howsoeuer we say with S. Austin that Infants haue not a present Actuall habit of faith yet they haue then the foundation of that wherupon afterward they build the first ground whereof was laid by the sacrament of Baptisme so that without any madd presumption as you tearme it we may say truly of
is worship And againe it is confessed by the learned that in dedication of the Temple at Hielrusaem mens houses the Priests the Altars or whatsoeuer was dedicated 〈◊〉 Gods seruice or protection the very ceremonies as being then built vpon a word of God were parts of Gods worship and concluded against the Popish dedicating ceremonies that we now may vse no other means or rites of dedication then the word SacrameÌ„ts thanksgiuiâ—g and prayers such as Constantine onely vsed at the dedication of the Temple which he built at Hierusalem Add hereto that the Papists which abound in significant ceremonies for dedication do hold them all to be meane and parts of Gods worship finally yet if he that dedicated an Altar to an Idol were as Austine saith the worshipper of an Idol in that dedication theÌ„ they that dedicate a child vnto God are in that dedication worshippers of God and then the means of that dedication must be the means of his worship which for man to deuise de nouo and impose is to teach for doctrine mens traditions ANSVVERE THere is no plea we so willingly heare as that which striueth for the sincerity of Gods worship for that being mans duety and happinesse yet because easily corrupted least of all permitted to mans liberty God hauing prescribed an exact forme how hee will be honored wee ought all of vs both to search out and to further those holy obseruations which are free from superstition do serue vnto this end To dedicate the infant by this signe to Christ is to make this signe say you a meanes whereby Christ is worshipped and so will-worshippe is raised repugnant to the word of GOD a thing surely not fit either to bee commanded or performed by any that are vertuous in our Church It seemeth that in this more then ordinary curiosity of zeale you haue neither rightly waighed what it is to dedicate in that sense which the Church taketh it nor how many and of what nature are the parts of externall diuine worship For euery action referred to God of which kinde pearaduenture this is not to set out any part of our deuotion and duety to him is not of necessity worship for as in Baptisme wee are incorporat into the death of christ which was ignominious vpon the crosse so by this signe we doe externally testifie to the world that we haue coÌ„mended our selues for it doth not please you to say dedicated vnto his seruice of whose death merit and profession we are not nor euer purpose to bee ashamed all which wee testifie by signing this signe in the seat of shame without any proportion or resemblance with diuine worship Only we acknowledge as D. Whitakers noteth that this is an ancieÌ„t ceremony from the first beginning almost of Religion and the christian church the reason wherof as hee noteth was this Vt Christiani qui tum inter Ethnicos viuebant qui a fide alienissimi essent sese omni ratione Christianos esse declararent atque testarentur publice That christians who then liued amongst the Heathen and such as were aliens from the faith might publickly restifie and declare themselues that they were christians For with this signe by reason of the contempt of the crosse which all others had the christians were accustomed to marke and signe themselues as with the ensigne of their owne profession which being the custome of those times as Doctor Whitakers noteth and no more then is performed at this day wee cannot but wonder at the cauelling of such as make it any part of Diuine worshippe and at the peeuishnesse of those who from hence would conclude a will-worship inuented from humane reason All men may knowe that there was vnto the Iewes and so is and shall bee in all Churches vntill the end of the world besides the Sacraments in the externall worshippe sacrifices oblations and such like which are not the inuentions of men but traditions of the church which in matters of this nature hath authority to appoint daies places and things furtherances and parts though not of the immediate yet in a large phrase of the externall worshippe of God of which external worship some parts belong to obedience doing and fulfilling the morall precepts some other to the obseruation of outward ceremonies and yet euen these are not all of one nature nor of equall nearnes to the principall parts of the outward worshippe for the ceremoniall worshippe which hath and shall bee in the Church in all ages consisting in things and actions is thus distinguished into those wherein the worshippe consisteth into those which are annexed to it These amongst the Iewes were Temples Altars Persons Garments Vessels Times and such like but with vs as one noteth they are for number fewer for signification more famous for vertue more excellent forâ— obseruation more easie And howsoeuer wee can bee content to say and thinke that it is not lawfull to worshippe God with any other externall and ceremoniall worshippe then is warranted in his word by his owne allowance yet if any thing bee varied which is not commaunded of God or added not as essentiall but accidentall and not as necessarie but as indifferent pertaining to comelinesse order and edification wee cannot thinke that there is any change in the worship commaunded nor any new worship brought in without warrant For example Christ celebrated the Supper at eâ—ening the Apostles and the Church after theÌ„ in the morning shall wee say therefore any thing is added or detracted in this Sacrament no because Christ did not command that this should be celebrated in the euening as he did but only that we should do that which hee did not at that time wherein hee did it so that the auncient Church as wee may reade in Iustin Martyr mingling and delaying the wine with water did not therefore or thereby change the institution of the Supper whereof there may be a twofolde reason one that the wine which Christ gaue to his disciples might be so allaid for any thing wee knowe seeing the Apostles haue set nothing downe to the contrarie and therefore probable that the ancient Church receiued it from them Secondly because the ancient Church did not adde â—his in the Sacrament as an esseÌ„tiall necessary thing pertaining to the substance of the Supper but as accidentall to signifie a mysterie the like may bee saide of many things in Baptisme where either by adding or detracting to alter things otherwise not essentiall in Baptisme and therein stil following the lawes and ceremonies of that Church wherein wee liue is not to change either the sacrament of Christ or to prophane it by addition of any wil-worship to ordaine then new diuine worshippe is to adde vnto his word which thing is not lawfull seeing the word is necessarie bindeth the conscience deliuereth the substance of diuine worshippe and hath nothing in it expressed indifferent Now to adde hereunto is to ordaine somewhat as a thing absolutely
assured to be the blessing of our Land that then euen then there should be an increase both of papists and puritans as if both had discouered an extraordinary fauour to be showed to either but I can better satisfie my selfe in those of the church of Rome then in the other for all men in afflictioÌ„ which surely though not simply yet comparatiuely was their case are ouer apt to flatter themselues in all changes of a state that some thing will ease them but most especially then when they see fauours and mercies almost not denied to any But it is the distemper of euill humors that maketh false constructions or collections from a mercifull Prince Now for your selfe and others who inioyed your libertie fauour preferment and all other benefits with and beyond men of your owne time and perhaps of your owne worth yeelding your obedience and subscription to the gouernment and rites of this Church in the daies of Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie after a learned conference for satisfaction wherein the best and most Iudiciall that desired reformation yeelded after exceeding care and Zeale manifested in our dread Soueraigne after the most religious and sincere conuocation of the cleargie that euer was in this Church wherein the whole scope was a purer reformation of all that in manners and ceremonies waâ— thought faultie now I say to refuse to subscribe whereas before you had often done it vpon some suspicious feare without cause that the intention of the Church was altered I wish you could as wel satisfie others and the whole flocke of Christ then committed to your charge as I can beleeue that you are perswaded that you satisfie your owne conscience A wife and tenne children are strong motiues but to flesh and bloud thinke I pray you and thinke seriously of Christs Church how many of her children as farre as in you lieth are frustrate of nourishment by your meanes and thinke that the ground of this losse eyther to your selfe or to the family of Christ is your owne want of conformitie which more iustly is to be lamented by how much more God hath blessed you with excellent giftes but I trust the Church shall neuer need their paines that loue not her peace nor desire them to speake that haue not yet learned to harken vnto her voyce APOLOGY I Now beseech your Lordship to remember that most of vs haue beene peaceable in Israell and that if some mens rashnesse draw reuenge vpon vs Aemilius hath faulted and Rutilius is beaten one Mardochey hath not stouped and all the Iewes must perish for it And say we cannot conforme in euerie poynt you know who said the varietie of Ceremonies did commend the vnitie of faith and would God you would thinke that our labour in the Church might doe more good in one yeare then the Ceremonies will while the world standeth and though in your wisedomes you thinke the retayning of them to make vnto the Churches increase and benefit is it vnpardonable that wee should thinke another course better haue not our men sought Chyna by the North-east and by the North-west passages Doe not some Physitions set vpon the Chollicke by cold medicines other by hotte the one Sedando the other Discutiendo Doe not maryners seeke the safety of the ship by perswading some to hoyse sayle others to strike it in a tempest And what though now you haue great aduantage ouer your poore brethren yet may it bee good Counsell which Hanno gaue vpon Hannibals victory that it should be vsed as occasion of making the better peace with the Romanes Cum pacem dare potius quam accipere possent O my good Lord will it not bee enough to keepe safe and well fenced your iurisdictions and persoall dignitie not enough to deuide the honors to your selues and labours to vs Is their no feare that vpon the casting out not of Caananites but borne Israelites at once which this subscription will doe for I know you are nothing neare the reckoning in your owne diocesse wyld beasts should multiply and deuoure the land pardon me if I prophesy that when all is done and the heat spent your lordship will finde some want of vs as did Alexander of Paâ—meno King Henry the eight of his Cromwell and then perhaps either not a minde or not meanes to remedy that which might haue easily beene preuented In which your Lordships shall not be able to deuide eyther faults or comforts with vs seeng we as the Lord knoweth forbeare vpon the point of conscience your Lordships seeme to stand vpon tearms of your pleasures I say yours as perswaded that his excellent Maiesty would deny you nothing that you should ioyntly and earnestly seeke for the peace of the Church of God The Lord God direct your Lordship and your brethren as becommeth your great years learnings and functions as for me I shall pray alwaies for the Kings Maiestie and the state for you and the Church of God and henceforth striue to liue as an honest and peaceable priuate member of that Church in which I was not so happy as to stand a publike though honest and peaceable minister Your Lordships alwaies to commaund in the Lord IOHN BVRGES ANSVVER THere is no part of this whole Treatise which so vnwillingly I answere as this last wherein many things are vttered with so much passion as eyther our seueritie in replying must exceed the vsuall moderation which wee desire to hold or else we may iustly be suspected to betray the cause and the persons whom we should defend And therefore without any other answere we will only put you in minde of those harsh speeches which may peraduenture in this discontentment be agreeable to your fancie but are no way sutable to your cause nor verie well beseeming a man of your place First in these words I now beseech your Lordship to remember that the most of vs haue beene peaceable in Israell and that if some mens rashnes draw reuenge vpon vs Aemelius hath faulted and Rutilius is beaten one Mardochey hath not stouped and all the Iewes must perish for it Can you beleeue that your depriuation is a reuenge which some mens rashnes hath drawn vpon you Is the proceeding of the reuerend Fathers for the vnitie of the Church as if Aemilius had faulted and Rutilius should be beaten or can you in your own conscience compare it with the perishing of the Iewes for the not stooping of one Mardochey assure your selfe none of them are so transported with ambition nor so incensed with any particuler contempt offered vnto themselues which they could not easily haue remitted if their remissenesse in this had not hazarded the Churches peace And therefore doubt not but your selfe and others can well testifie that some of them haue dealt with your selfe and diuers in your case like fathers with their owne children leauing nothing vnattempted to reforme your opinion before they proceeded to giue sentence A dutie that lieth vpon their shoulders with