A NEVV EIGHTFOLD PROBATION OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLANDS DIVINE CONSTITVTION PROOVED BY MANY PREGnant arguments to be much more complete then any Geneuian in the world against the contrary assertion of the fifty three petitioner-preachers of Scotland in their petition presented in the late Parliament to the Kings most excellent Maiesty With a ten-folde probation of the same Churches doctrine touching one of the most important points of our Creede which is of our Sauiours descending into Hell BY IAMES MAXVVELL Master of Artes c. LONDON Printed by IOHN LEGATT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1617. Psal 122. verse 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee Isay 41.8 9 25. Thou Iacob whom I haue chosen I haue taken thee from the endes of the earth and called thee before the cheife thereof and said vnto thee thou art my Seruant c. I haue raised vp from the North and he shall come from the East Sunne shall he call vpon my Name TO THE MOST LEARNED RELIGIOVS AND RENOWNED PRINCE IAMES the Concorder King of Britaine France and Ireland defender of the faith all felicitie Most gratious and redoubted Soueraigne INEVER read those words of the Euangelicall Prophet prefixt in the former page and I haue read them often but as oft did I thinke of Almighty Gods raising of you our Iacob from the North and endes of the earth to performe the part of his Select Seruant for the especiall good of his Church and euen so oft did I call to minde your gratious endeauours for the farthering of the glorious worke of Vnitie and Concord amongst diuided Christians but more especially according to your Royall and proper interest among your owne vnvniformed Britaines Wherefore perswading my selfe that it is both the duty of all good Christians to applaude your mest Christian Commendable endeauours and designes and the part of all your good subiects to concurre with your Maiestie in so worthy a worke for the aduancing thereof I haue brought vnto the building of this spirituall Temple of Concord and Peace two stones to wit two Treatises penned and framed to the common peoples capacitie Such as they are I doe humbly exhibite both heere together into your Royall hands to dispose of according to your most gratious and wise pleasure and as ye shall thinke good for them for whose good they are intended The first Treatise containeth an eightfold probation of the diuine and perfit constitution of the Church of England the which I doe demonstrate to be much more complete then any Genenian forme wheresoeuer in the world for a moderate quiet and calme refutation of a certaine contrary assertion contained in the three and fifty preachers of Scotlands petition presented vnto your Maiestie in the late Parliament And though there were many reasons which might induce me to dedicate the same vnto your Royall Maiestie yet nothing mooued me so much thereunto as that the demonstration which I doe vse is drawen out of the diuine Booke of the Reuelation of Saint Iohn the diuine the which I may in a manner call the Booke of King Iames the diuine a demonstration that no writer hath vsed before me so farre as I knowâ— for I suppose that no diuine will or can denie but that 〈◊〉 â—he Booke of the Reuelation is contained a representation both of the Church Triumphant in Heauen by such externall or sensible signes or showes as were most fit to represent the same by and likewise of the Church militant on earth such as it was to bee after our Sauiours ascensien in the two times of persecution and peace aye vntill the last period of his glorious comming to iudgement For as the beloued and diuine man of God Moses made the Tabernacle according to the patterne or modele shewed him in the mount as the Scripture speaketh so our Sauiour Christs beloued and diuine disciple Saint Iohn representeth vnto vs the forme and fashion of the militant Church according to the patterne of the Triumphant shewed vnto him by reuelation in the I le of Pathmos So that in the opinion of all diuines amongst the many particular Churches that are on earth that which is likest vnto the Church in heauen must needs bee the diuinest and best and that so much the more because that our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs to pray and say daily thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Now that the Church of England doth more neerely resemble the heauenly Church then the Geneuian doth I make it apparant by eight pregnant proofes and irrefragable arguments founded and grounded all of them in Gods written word especially in the foresaid diuine booke of Saint Iohns Reuelation 1. in that the Church of England is more diuine or God-like then the Geneuian in her supreame Gouerner on earth the Prince 2. in that shee is more Angelicall or Angel-like in her secondary Gouernours of Archbishops and Bishops 3. more celestiall or heauen-like for holinesse 4. more heauen like for humble reuerence 5. more heauen-like for harmonie 6. more heauen-like for habite 7. more heauen-like for locall decencie Church-implements conueniency Church-seruice solemnity and sacramentall ceremonies 8. and lastly more heauen-like for honour of the ministery In the handling of which eight arguments I doe demonstrate the lawfulnesse vtility and conueniencie of the chiefe rites vsed in the Church of England as namely of holy dayes of standing vp at the reading of the Gospel of kneeling at the rehearsall of the Law and in receiuing the holy Sacrament of Churchâ—musicke consisting of song and Organs of the Church habite of Surplice and Rotchet of the comely Structure and ornaments of Churches of hauing a Font with a standing Table for the celebration of the Sacraments and of signing with the crosse in Baptisme for the which I doe produce thirteene arguments all grounded in Gods word I doe likewise iustifie the title of Priest giuen to the inferiours of the ministery and of Lord giuen to the superiours by diuers good reasons and by thirteene arguments I prooue the lawfulnes and equity of paying tithes to the ministers vnder the Gospel adding thereunto an Invectiue against the Genevian or Puritane impure sinne of sacriledge And in handling the first of the eight branches of this our new demonstration which is that the Church of England is more diuine or God-like then the Geneuian in her supreme Gouernour on earth I do procue these sixe important points after following most part against the common contrary opinions of Romanes and Geneuians first that the Kingly power is immediatly from God and not from man by eight Testimonies of Scripture and three arguments Secondly that the kingly dignitie is absolutely greater then the priestly and of all other the diuinest by eight arguments Thirdly that christian kings are not meere lay-men but of a mixt condition partly ecclesiasticall and partly secular by ten sacred examples and three arguments Fourthly that kings are lawgiuers vnto their
Booke Reuela 1.2.8 9 11 14 1 6.7 21 14 22 1 3 our Church angelspreaching of the Gospel to the Preaching of Angels which Saint Iohn heard the Pulpit answereth to Mount Sion whereon he saw the Lambe standing or rather to that Tree of life bearing twelue manner of fruites for from thence the word of life is delinered by the learned and reuerend Bishops as it were from the mouth of the Lambes twelue Apostles twelue times in the yeare the first Lords day of euery moneth To be briefe our Church-font with Holy-water for the celebration of Baptisme doth answer vnto that glassie Sea or riuer of water of life cleere as christall proceeding out of the throne of God of the Lamb our Euangelical Priests Crosse-siguing the baptized on the fore-head and our Angelicall Bishops sealing and confirming of the Virgin seruants of our God which by Baptisme had beene bathed and washed Reuela 4.6 6.9 7 2 3.4 14 1 2 3 4. and so made fit to follow the Lambe doe answer vnto the Angels signing and sealing of the Seruants of God on the fore-head our Sacrament all holy bread of life answereth to that hidden Manna of heauen promised to him that ouercommeth our Lords supper to the Lambes supper Reuela 2.17 6.9 8 3 4 5 19 13 11 1 19 19 9. our Church golden and siluer Basons and Cuppes for the ministration of the holy Sacrament to the Angels golden Censer and our Church Table for the ministration and celebration of the same Sacrament answereth vnto the Golden Altar which Saint Iohn sawe before Gods throne And who can say otherwise but that a Font and a Church-Table are two implements or instruments as requisite to be in enery Church for the ministration of the Sacraments as a Pulpit is requisite for the delinerie of Sermons and for the reading and preaching of the word And thus haue I made it apparent to all such as haue but common sense and vnderstanding that the Church of England is much and many degrees liker then the Geneuian to the Church that Saint Iohn saw in heauen so that as many of vs as doe loue heauen cannot but exceedingly like the forme of the English Church and better then that of Geneua and wee may well say it that the forme of the Church of England and not that of Geneua was reuealed and represented to our diuine Prophet For the Reuelation containeth a propheticall representation of the Church of Christ and of the forme and constitution thereof such as it was to bee after our Sauiours ascension in the two times of persecution and peace vntill his last comming to iudgement to confound his foes and to glorifie his friends and elect children as I doe shew more particularly in another worke in Latine entreating of the persecution and peace of the militant Church according to the holy prophesies of Daniel and Saint Iohn a booke that I began at the age of nineteene yeares wherein all the opinions of ancient and moderne writers and euen of the learned of both Religions touching the authors instruments duration beginning manner and ending of the persecution or troubles and of the tranquillity and peace of the Church are propounded and compared together with their reasons and arguments debated and many errours refuted Now because I haue said in this Section that the Church of England is liker to the Church of God in heauen in the matter of sacramentall or symbolicall ceremony then the Geneuian is and haue giuen an instance thereof in their Signing of Christs new-borne babes on the fore-head with the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme Ezech. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Reuelat. 7.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. like as the Angels in heauen are said in Ezekiel to signe them that sorrow and mourne vpon the fore thead with the Crosse-like letter Thau and in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn to signe the fore-heads of Gods seruants with the seale of God I haue thought good to insist a little longer vpon the matter of this ceremony and to prooue the lawfull commendable and Christian vse of it by many arguments and euen some new ones of our owne meditation Our first argument is thus both the Prophet Ezekiel in the old Testament and the Prophet S. Iohn in the new haue prophesied of the conuersion of the Iewes to the faith of Christ by the Angels signing of them in the fore-head as the letter of the word doth beare in both places the which the auncient Doctours of the Church haue vnderstood of the Signe of the Crosse to be receiued at the hands of the Church in their Baptisme as no diuine that euer read the Fathers dare deny whereby they shall professe that they are no more ashamed of his Crosse or scandalized at the ignominie of it as their forefathers had beene 1. Cor. 1.23 to whom it prooued a stumbling block as the Apostle speaketh but that they glorie in it and beleeue to be made blessed by it euen to bee saued by Christs suffering on that same Crosse which their forefathers had once set vp to slay and destroy him by Wherfore if our Geneuians would haue the Iewes to bee conuerted to their Church they must needes receiue from England or rather from the primitiue Church the sacred signe of the crosse that they may haue it to christen the Iewes with otherwise they will not goe to Geneua for Christendome nor to Scotland neither nor to any reformed Church of their fashion Secondly in all reason and common sense it is conuenient that the Iewes beeing conuerted should declare by some sensible signe that they are no more ashamed of Chrisls crosse but well ashamed of their owne cursed course in crucifying him that came to cure them and though there were not any mention at all made in holy Scripture of their signing or sealing in the foreshead as there is most expressely yet should it bee lawfull for them to declare by some externall gesture or act aswell as by words of mouth their Christian disposition of this kinde Thirdly as it tendeth much to the glory of God in that he can bring light out of darkenesse life out of death saluation out of destruction nobilitie and fame out of ignominy and shame and honour out of dishonour so it tendeth to the edification of the Church that this admirable working of our most glorious and wise God bee declared and made as notorious as it can be with all conueniencie both by words of profession and gestures of signification and consequently it tendeth to the edification of the Church that the Iewes should declare by the signe of the crosse that they doe acknowledge God to haue drawen admirably blessing and honour out of the dishonour and curse of the crosse and saluation out of destruction It is a most Christian confession for Iew or Gentile especially the Iew to confesse and acknowledge that the Crosse which they once set vp
people and haue power of God to make lawes for the good both of church and common-wealth by sixe arguments Fifthly that kings are to be honourably and magnificently maintained and that God hath allotted them a certaine competent portion of their subiects goods Sixtly and lastly that Kings are endowed with a sacred immunity from all manner of coercion and censure spirituall or temporall at their subiects hands The which thing I procue against Romanes and Geneuians by seuenteene arguments And this is the summe of the first Booke which I most humbly commend vnto your maiesties patronage the other beeing onely a briefe of a certaine part of a larger worke I haue begun in Latine containeth a ten-fold probation of the doctrine of the Church of England touching our Sauicurs locall descending in his soule after death into the hell of the damned against the different and repugnant dostrines of Genenians and Romanes the which I do dedicate vnto the Reuerend prelats and pastors of the Church of Scotland The verity of which doctrin I do show confirme 1. by Typical prefiguration both personall and real 2. by propheticall praediction 3. by holy Scriptures pregnant historicall allusion 4. by Euangelicall asseueration 5. by apostolical explication 6 by all christians catholicall confession 7 by three fortie ancient doctors and fathers vnanime and harmonious profession besides some sixe or seauen Councels 8. by thirtie chiefe protestant writers ingenuous reception and subscription besides some particular reformed Churches 9. by irrefragable reason and demonstration 10. and lastly by the consideration of the diuers grosse absurdities impieties contradictions and ridiculous expositions that they haue committed which haue oppugned this auncient doctrine of the Church of England or dissented from the same And here I will likewise professe publikely that in case our precise Diuines can but shew as great variety and as good solidity of arguments and reasons euen for all their opinions ioyned together wherein they do dissent from the Church of England as I shall shew for this one point onely that I shall not be ashamed to retract my present opinions wherein I doe dissent from them and subscribe vnto theirs and so become as precise as euer I was knowne to bee once before And thus haue I briefly laid open vnto your Maiestie the summe and substance of these two little bookes which I haue written of late for the furthering of a perfit vniformity both in doctrine and discipline in the Churches of these two Kingdomes and euen for the perswading and enducing of my deere Countrey men to the reception of the auncient primitiue forme of Church such as it was in the dayes of glorious Constantine the great and during the purer time of the first fiue hundreth yeares which is one of your Maiesties most christian and commendable desires and designes worthy of the memorie and celebration of all succeding ages the which I pray the God of vnity and veritie that yee may as happily atchieue as yee doe holily wish it and worthily haue begunst That so the Church of Scotland may in your Maiesties blessed time receiue the consummation and accomplishment of her reformation from England like as from her shee had the inchoation or beginning thereof as our owne historie doth witnesse and that as the said Church hath already receiued of England their English Bible and Psalme-Booke so may she now likewise receiue her Liturgie or Seruice-booke with the whole rites and orders contained therein And though I be haply the first of my Countrey that euer wrote thus earnestly in defence of the Church of England yet let not my deere Countrey-men vnto whom God is my witnesse I doe dayly wish all manner of happinesse thinke that I haue done it out of any worldly respect to priuate profite benefit or benefice either already confered or hereafter to be confered vpon me by Prince or Prelate but out of a meere affection to verity and vnity to the pure primitiue Church The truth of which my protestation may hence appeare in part in that these ten yeere past that I haue liued in England I was at no time a Suter vnto your Maiestie nor yet beholding to any Bishop nor euer aimed at any benefice as being at this houre and intending to continue euer hereafter a Lay-man notwithstanding that the learned and reuerend Deane of Exeter Doctor Sutcliffe the nominated Prouost of that begunne Controuersial Colledge which beareth your Maiesties name hath chosen me to be a fellow and an Antiquary therof So that my deere countrymen shal haue no cause I hope to charge me with any preposterous affection or flattering humor in the behalfe of England seeing that I haue no purpose of aspiring to Church preferment amongst them who haue worthie Schollers enough of their owne and most complete Preachers to brooke their Benefices Neither shal the learned ministery of my country take it euill that a lay-man should thus meddle in Ecclesiastical matters if it shal please them to consider how that a lay-man may with greateringenuity indifferencie handle such an argument as this is then a Church-man who might happely be suspected offlatterie or fauour in the behalfe of one churches formemore then another that meerely for loue of preferment from the which kinde of suspicion one of my fashion is free And as for capacitie requisite in the handling of this argument I am content they should haue no better opinion of me then the course of my life and stadies in their owne good iudgement may challeng at their hands abreefe narration whereof I thought good by your Maiesties gracious leaue here to insert not out of any humour of ostentation but onely that it may thereby appeare that though I be a lay-man yet I haue spent a good part of my time in the study of diuinitie vnto the which I was knowne at home so much to haue addicted my selfe that at the age of 19. yeares and euen before I proceeded Master of Artes I was requested of some of our Ministery to preach by way of exercise And though I did refuse to condescend vnto their earnest desire proceeding from their good opinion of me for the which course I was not a little commended of that learned and renowned Diuine of good memorie Master Robert Rollock who disliked the vnripe forwardnesse of some young spirits howsoeuer otherwise of great towardnesse yet I ommitted not my priuate studie of diuinttie but followed the same assiduonsly being thereunto encouraged by the the foresaid Reuered Diuine who had diuerted me from my intended voyaege into Denmarke towards the famous and noble Philosopher and Astrologian Tycho Brahe with whom I thought to haue prosecuted my begun Mathematicall studies and so perswaded mee to finish my Academicall course in the learned Colledge of Edenburgh before I went to trauaile And there beeing past some seuenteene yeares since the time I proceeded Master of arts went beyond sea which was in the yeare 1601. I haue all this while
Catholikes of the name of Iames by your Maiesties subiect and seruant of the same Name shall be God willing shortly published for the first laïck fruits of that begunne Colledge which beareth the name of King Iames whereof I am to bee a Fellow The which premisses beeing considered I hope the more easily to gaine the Church of Scotlands good opinion and that they shall not charge me with incapacitie to handle such a weighty argument as this hauing written so much in matters belonging to Church and Religion To be briefe thus haue I spent these seuenteene yeares yeares of my priuate obscure life since I proceeded Master of Artes and went beyond sea in giuing my selfe to studie and contemplation endeauouring to know much and to contentation in no wise coueting after much and to Temperance and Continency Whereof I take the all-knowing God and his chaste Angels to witnes And now these my poore labours such as they are I most humbly lay downe at your Royal feet begging your Maiesties most honourable patronage and acceptance and in praying the God of Vnitie and Veritie to giue them a blessing for the furthering of your most Christian desire and glorious designe so that we may euen in your owne happie daies see with our eyes the full accomplishment thereof to the glorie of his name the comfort of his Church the good of great Britaine and your Maiesties eternall honour So prayeth daily YOVR MAIESTIES Most humble subiect and seruant and euen the grandchilde of your most Noble Grandmothers and Mothers household seruant William Maxwell sonne to the Laird of Kirkonnell and in his life man at armes to the most Christian King IAMES MAXVVELL THE CONTENTS OF THESE TWO BOOKES 1 THat Vnitie and Concord in matters belonging to Gods Worship amongst Christians especially Protestants and more especially amongst Britaines both for reason of Church and reason of State is to bee by all meanes desired and endeauoured Sect. 1.2.3 2. That one Churches constitution is more perfit and complete then anothers and that the lesse perfit ought to cōforme it selfe vnto the more perfit Sect. 4.5 3. That the constitution of the Church of England is much more perfit then an Geneuian whatsoeuer or wheresoeuer Sect. 6. 4. That the Church of England is more Diuine and God-like in the supreme Gouernor the Soueraigne Prince then the Geneuian Sect. 7.8 5. That the Kingly power is immediately from God and not from man as both Romanes and Geneuians doe hold prooued by eight testimonies of Scripture and three irrefragable arguments Sect. 9. 6. That the kingly dignitie is absolutely greater then the priestly and of all other the diuinest contrary to the opinion of Romanes and Geneuians prooued by eight arguments Sect. 10. 7. That Kings are not meere lay-men but mixt of an ecclesiasticall and secular condition contrary to the opinion of Romanes Geneuians prooued by three arguments ten examples of Kings that haue exercised spirituall power for the good of the Church Sect. 11. 8. That Kings are Law-giuers to their people and haue power of God to make lawes for the good both of Church and Common-weale prooued by sixe arguments Sect. 12. 9. That Kings are to be honourable and magnificently maintained and that God hath allotted them a certaine portion of their subiects goods Sect. 13. 10. That Kings are indued with a Sacred immunitie from all manner of coercion and censure spirituall or temporall at their subiects hands prooued against Romanes and Geneuians by 17. arguments Sect. 14. 11. That the Church of England is more Angelicall or Angel-like in her secondary Gouernours of Archbishops and Bishops Sect. 15. 12. That their is an imparitie or inequalitie amongst Gods Ministers in the Church triumphant in heauen and that their hath beene alwaies the like imparitie in the Church militant on earth first vnder the Law then vnder the Gospel and aswell in the time of Christ and his Apostles as of their successours Sect. 15. 13. That the Church of England is more heauen-like for holinesse where the conueniency of holydaies besides the Sunday is prooued and demonstrated by vnanswerable arguments Sect. 16. 14. That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for humble reuerence where the conueniencie of the gestures of standing vp at the reading of the Gospel capping or bowing at the name of Iesus of kneeling at the rehearsing of the Law and especially at the receiuing of the holy Sacrament is declared and prooued Sect. 17. 15. That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for harmonie where the conueniency of Church-musicke consisting of voices and organes and other instruments is declared Sect. 18. 16 That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for habite where the conueniencie and decencie of Church-habites as of the Surplisse and Rotchet is prooued Sect. 19. 17. That the Church of England is more Heauen-like then the Geneuian for locall decencie Church-implements conueniency Church-seruice solemnitie and sacrament all ceremony where the conueniencie of a Font or the Ministration of Baptisme and of a standing Table for the celebration of the Lords Supper is declared and the vse of the ceremonie of the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme prooued most lawful and commendable by 13. arguments Sec. 20. 18. That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for honour of the Ministerie where the lawfulnesse of the stile of Priest amongst the Ministers of the Gospel and likewise of the stile of Lord conferred on the reuerend Gonernours of the Church is declared and the Geneuian-church gouernors of Lay-elders prooued to be a thing vnlawfull and absurd Sect. 21. 19. That the maintenance of the Ministerie is more diuine heauen-like and honourable in the church of England then in the Geneuian where the perpetuall maintenance of Tithes is prooued and the Geneuian sinne of sacriledge exagitated and shewed to be more hainous then heathenish Idolatrie Sect. 21. 20. The diuersitie and repugnancie of the opinions of diuines touching our Sauiours descending into hell breifly propounded Tract 2. 21. The doctrine of the church of England touching the foresaid point demonstrated to be only orthodoxall by a Ten-folde probation Tract 2. A Primitiue patterne for the Church of Scotland Sect. 1. VNitie and Concord amongst Christians especially amongst Protestants or reformed professours but more especially amongst Britaines Psal 133.1 2 3. Ioh. 17 20 21 22 23. 1. Pet. 3.8 Heb. 12.14 as they that are the worshippers of one and the same true God the seruants of one and the same only Sauiour Iesus Christ the children of one Church and the subiects of one and the same Soueraigne is in the iudgement of all them that are truely wise of all other things most to bee desired and endeauoured as a thing most pleasing to God and most profitable to man Sect. 2. Vnitie and Concord is to bee desired and endeauoured in all things but especially in those things Psal 122.6 Rom.