their house vvhich they knovv to be held urged and maynteyned by the Romish stevves and their instruments as their proper vvhorish stuffe Last of all they must bee vvary least any signes or tokens bee left upon their daughter by vvhich shee may bee questioned agayne by these panders as one of theires Novv if it please your Excellent Majestye you are one of these nursing Fathers of the Church of God blessed bee his name therefore and in this high calling by Gods providence you haue this Ministery of the Sacraments rescued out of the popish Brothells and brought into your ovvne care and keeping Here therfore bee pleased to set before your eyes the foresayd example of a good Father in those things vvhich yet remayne to be performed I. E. in prouiding for the credit of this your reduced daughter and so of your vvhole Family not only in this your Flourishing Kingdome but also in the Catholike Church of Christ vvherof you are a citezen unto vvhom a principall part therof as an honorable familye is Committed in trust This is that which all the Godly throughout the Christian world doe expect from your hand and that the more earnestly because they know that God hath enriched you with such excellent gifts placed you in so high a place almost aboue all others euen to this very end that you might remoue from the Ministery of the Sacraments all those popish trinkets wherewith it hath bin fearfully prophaned restore unto it agayne that virgin-like attyre wherwith it was of old adorned by the high King of Kings and lawgiver Christ the Lord in his holy Institutions So shall your faith and fidelitye bee famous throughout the Christian world and the Church of England grow more honorable under your Gouernment The Latyn vvords of Iohannes Alasco himselfe Serenissimo Regi EDVVARDO SEXTO Deigratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Monarchae Fideiverae Catholicae Apostolicae Defensori Omnium in suis ditionibus personarum c. IOHANNES A LASCO c. REcte facit Pater laudemque meretur proculdubio si Filiam Virginem dolis lenonum ad ganeas forte abreptam rituque jam meritricis ornatam protinus illinc eximat incolumi adhuc pudicitia illius inque suas rursum ipsius aedes reducat Sed idem satis non esse putat ad tuendam suam filiaeque illius totius adeo familiae suae honestatern exemisse e ganeis filiam inque suas aedes reduxisse nisi illi id totum plane detrahat quod in ganeis illis pro ornatu meretricio haberi videt Neque disquirit undenam ornatus ille originem suam habeat sed indecorum sibi adeoque castitate filiae suae familiae etiam totius indignum esse judicat ut aliquid omnino ejusmodi domisuae conspiciatur undecunque tandem deductum esset quod in ganeis ipsis pro ornatu meretricio haberi non ignoret Neque hic audit eorum persuasiones qui omnia ex Patris arbitrio domi suae aestimanda esse dicunt proinde ornatum quoque meretricium illum in ganeis honestissimum jam fore putant domi paternae cum filiae illi tum etiam reliquae toti familiae si quidem paterna authoritate comprobaretur eò quod in Patris id potestate positum esse videatur ut quae illi probantur ea jam honesta etiam domisuae omnia esse censeantur Intelligit enim etiamsi domi suae pro honestis haberentur omnia quae ipse sua authoritate comprobasset honestatem tamen filiae illius familiae suae totius non intra domesticos sibi duntaxat parietes suos sed per totam etiam civitatem reliquam tuendam esse ut omnem malam suspicionem apud omnes omnino cives a domo sua depellat cavet ne ullis rursus lenonibus ullam deinceps etiam reposcendae denuò ad ganeas filiae suae occasionem quoquo modo relinquat pro jure ipsorum si quae apud illam notae adhuc tales ganeis familiares conspicerentur Ita vero etiam Parentum loco sunt in Dei Ecclesia veluti in civitate quadam Verbi Gladij Ministri omnes habentque sibi concreditum ab ipsomet Domino Deo veluti filiae loco purum ac legitimuÌ„ ministerium Sacramentorum Hic igitur istorum Ecclesiae Parentum ut ita jam loquamur fidem ac studium nemo non merito laudaverit si concreditum sibi ab ipsomet Deo veluti filiam quandam purum ac legitimum Sacramentorum ministerium ab Antichristi Romani lenonum suorum ganeis in quas vi ac tyrannide ipsorum abductum fuerat in suas ipsorum domos rursus in curam inquam ac custodiam suam reduxerunt Sed hic cogitare debent utrique potissimum autem ij qui non frustra Praecellentes Dei Ministri Altoresque Ecclesiae Dei a Spiritu Sancto vocantur Reges inquam ac Monarchae Christiani satis non esse si filiam illam e ganeis Papisticis in aedes rursus suas ipsorum hoc est in curam custodiamque suam recipiant nisi eam etiam omni illo ornatu plane exuant quem in ganeis ipsis meretricium ornatum esse haberi sciunt nequid ejusmodi domi ipsorum conspiciatur quod pro meretricio haberi posset in ea potissimum civitate in qua varia sunt adhuc judicia hominum neque ab uno homine gubernari possunt in qua adhuc multam infinitamque lenonum turbaÌ„ superesle constat Neque hic audient persuasiones illorum qui ornatum ejusmodi undecunque tandeÌ„ desumptus esset honestum nihilominus domi paternae fore existimant si Patris ipsius authoritate comprobetur Intelligunt enim non toti se Civitati omnino non toti inquam Dei Ecclesiae sed parti duntaxat illius alicui veluti domui ac familiae cuidam praeesse et proinde etiamsi domi suae pro honestis jam haberi videant quae ipsi sua authoritate comprobassent sui interim officij esse agnoscunt quatenus equidem castitatis amâ—ntes publicaeque honestatis studiosi haberi volunt ut filiae illius totiusque adeo familiae suae honestatem non inter domesticos tantum parietes suos sed per totam illam civitatem etiam omni studio ac cura tueantur nihilque domi suae conspici patiantur quod in ejusdem civitatis ganeis ac lupanaribus maximo lenonúomnium conatu ac tyrannide pro meretricio haberi interim urgerique ac propugnari vident Postremo cavendum sibi modis omnibus esse putant ne eisdem lenonibus rursum aut eorum similibus ullam omnino occasionem pro jure ipsorum relinquant quoquomodo reposcendae fiâ—â—ae illius suae si quae notae adhuc ganeis illis familiares apud illam conspicerentur Iam vero tu quoque unus es ex hisce Ecclesiae Dei Altoribus Rex Serenissime quo quidem nomine summas
WaldeÌ„ses who first reformed their churches purged out all their popish leveÌ„ renouÌ„ced all such humaine Cer. or Traditious as unlawfull as manifestly appeareth by all Papists and Protestants that have sett downe their confession practise 4. If Analogically Sacramentall Cere be impious aemulators of Gods holy Sacraments as the Rej. confesseth what can be sayd why humaine significant Cer. analogicall to divine significaÌ„t should not by parity of reason be esteemed impious aemulators of Gods holy signes Is it forbidden to aemulate Gods Sacra only not all his holy ordinances After all these come in morall significaÌ„t Cer. which are only to expresse some benefitt whiâ—h God giveth us or to notify professe or expresse some duty which we owe to him or one to another But I do not see wherein these differ froÌ„ reductive Sacra Cer. except it be in this that it may so fall out that these sometymes are not affixed to SacrameÌ„ts This head therfore seemeth to be added only because D. Morton had used it before and for his sake let us a little further weigh it when therfor the Rej affirmes that morally significant are ordeined to expresse some benefitt on Gods part some duty on ours By some benefitt or duty he must meane any spirituall benefitt or duty besyde the covenant which he professedly mentioneth excepteth How the Rej. divisionâ— interfere and croâ—â—e one the other for if one benefitt may be signifyed why not any one this morally significant are religious or sacred significant in the generall the Species as large as the Genus Hence againe morally significant will be a genus to sacramentall reductively significant for that is but a particular signification of some benefitts duties in the Sacrament which are included under this Generall so one species of the distributioÌ„ shall become a Genus to the opposite member contradistinct species If it be here replyed that reductive significative sacramentall is annexed to the Sacrament I answer that is nothing to the nature of the significancy for take use a crosse out of baptisme in the same manner to the same end as in it it will be the same in the specificall nature of significancy only so much the worse because it is sett cheek by jole with baptisme 2. I aske what he meanes by those words expresse professe is it barely to declare if so then let him show who is his adversary unlesse he will fall out with his shadow for do not all his opposites graunt that signâ— indicantia or showing sygnes are lawfull but not symbolica Lastly when he affirmes that these Cerem morally significant are not to signifye the covenant of grace The crosse sâ—gnifyes the covenant of grace I reply if they may signifye any other spirituall duty or benefitt if they may signifye the severall essentiall duties of the covenant of each syde why may they not signifye the whole covenant 2. If the crosse signifyeth the consecration of the child to God and so entrance into the covenant the relation of a souldier to a Commaunder a servant to a master and so is continuance and faythfull perseverance in that profession to Christ and his respect and regard of us according to those relations then doth it signify the covenant By this which hath beene sayd it appeares that the quaestion is falsely stated for these Ceremo are more then holy by application in his sense formerly opened they are pressed as necessary and are used as analogically sacramentall as well as properly morall â—he state of â—â—e quaestion and in signification do pertake somthing of the proper nature of Sacraments as also in the significative teaching and stirring up the heart when it s sayd they are used in worship they are externall acts of Gods worship falsely appointed by man and serve not for order nor decency nor aedification CHAP. VIII Concerning a nationall Church answ to the 60.61.62 of the Preface OF the faythfull congregations wherein we were borne baptized and nourished up in fayth there is no quaestion made but they are our loving and beloved mothers Yet much quaestion ariseth concerning that which the Rej. teacheth viz. Pag. â—0 6â— That all those churches together have one mother and so we have a grandmother that is the Church of England considered as one church and that by way of representation as the convocation house 2. by way of association and combination into one profession worship and discipline which includeth the orders and officers that is the Hierarchye pertaining therunto but not by any other collective consideration 1. I never read either in Scripture or in any orthodoxe writer of a visible particular Church either grandmother of Christians or mother of other Churches if the Rej. hath he should do well to informe us where we may fynd this doctrine explained 2. I would willingly know whether Christians Christian churches also were not in England before this great grandmother I think the Rej. will not denye it nor yet flye for succour to his phisitians who have found out an herb which is called of them Sonne before the Father Filius antâ— Patrem to justifye his intention of Daughter before the Mother Filia antâ— Matrem He must confesse that this Grand-motheâ— is onely a mother in law The nature of a representative church and that law also to be mans not Gods 3. All the churches of England may as well be considered as one in unity of profession without any new motherhood as all the Latine Scholes of England one in the unity of the same Grammar or all Gallenicall or Platonicall Scholes one in their kynd 4. A Representative mother is the image of a mother and an image with commaunding authority in religion without Gods commaund Quod ecclesia siâ—is repraesentativa libeÌ„ter credâ—mus vera enim non estu Sed â—sten aâ—te qâ—aso â—â—de â—orâ—â—ec nomen Qui hoc nomintâ—◠〈◊〉 Quis â—acundâ— ceâ—spirandi â—obis potestatem dedit Qâ—is coÌ„deâ—di Canones decreta verbo Des disâ—â—â—miâ—iâ— vobiâ—tus fecit Quiâ— ut ista humeâ—is hominum impeâ—eretiu permisâ—t Qâ—is consitentia ut siâ— gravareitâ— vebis persw sit Vt dicâ—â—etis bâ—num malum malum benum quâ—â— iussit 〈…〉 â—â—clesia 〈◊〉 qâ—a nihil 〈◊〉 al et sed picta ceâ—iâ—la â—mnia Scanâ—n estâ— ecclesia riâ—a sâ—â—sa Christo â—râ—ua qua seâ—a veâ—it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei 〈◊〉 is an Idoll It was well therfore to this purpose sayd of Zwinglius Explan arti 8. That you be a representative church we willingly beleeve for you are not the true church But show I beseech you whence you had this name who styled you with this title who gave you power of meeting and combyning together who graunted you authority of coyning decrees and Canons differing from the word of God who suffered you to impose these upon men who perswaded you thus to burden Consciences who enjoyned you to call evill good and
divine by institution No man can conclude thus we must every where have some garment and therefore in England a Surplice We must alwayes in Baptisme have some admonition to professe the faith and therefore in England a Crosse. We must use reverent gestures in receiving the holy Communion and therefore in England we must kneel in the act of receiving But we may conclude thus We must have a fit place to meete in and this place is generally fittest for our Congregation therefore we must have this We must have a convenient time to meete in and this houre is generally most convenient for our Congregation therefore this The Monkes may as well conclude We must have some garments therefore we must in one order have blacke in another white in a third blacke over white or white over blacke in a fourth gray a fifth party coloured in some all wollen in some all linnen c. ad infinitum as well I say every whit as the Rejoynder can conclude from a garment to a Surplice from admonition to the signe of a Crosse or from reverence in a table-gesture to kneeling To Bellarmine the Rejoynder answereth that he speaketh of naturall Ceremonies Which is true but are not these conteined under the generality of the Defendâ—nt his words there is no gesture or circumstance of worship which hath not beene abused And as for other circumstances which are called civill many of them admit onely of such variety as nature doth lead unto by occasion of this or that determination common to religion with other affaires 9. That our Ceremonies are not individually or singularly the same which Papists have solemnely abused the Replier said it is no marvell because it is impossible to carry the same particular signe of the Crosse from the Fonte to the Church doore or to keep it being so long as it is in making That is therefore no great mystery The Rejoynder answereth nothing to this save onely that he descanteth upon the terme mystery 10. It was added as an overplus not for necessity of the Argument that as it seemeth Papists doe give divine honour unto the signe of the Crosse as it is usâ—d among us because they ascribe divine operation unâ—o it as it was used by Iewes Heathens and Iulian the Apostata Bell de effect Sacram. lib. 2. cap. 31. and they doe not account us worse then them The Rejoynder opposeth 1. That the Papists honour not the Lords Supper in our hands The difference is that unto that Sacrament they require a right-ordained Priest but not so to the Crosse. 2. He answereth that they ascribe this divine operation unto it onely when there is an intention of such an operation in him that maketh the Crosse. Be it so the Patrones of our crossing defend that use which the Crosse had among the Fathers who allowed that intention as Bellarmine in the place now cited sheweth And how shall the inward intention of them be discerned This at the least seemeth to follow that as for uncertainty of the Priests intention divers Papists worship the Hoaste onely upon condition if it be changed into the body by the Priests intention so they must ascribe divine honour unto our Crosses upon the like condition of such an intention as was in the Fathers 11. About materiall formall samenesse the Replier refused to dispute that was sayth the Rejoynder because if he had he must either have opposed all learning and common sense or else have yeelded to the Dâ—fendant that change of essentiall forme maketh the same materiall to become another thing as in the changing of water into wine But 1. with consent of all common sense we may say that our Crosse differeth not so from the Popish Crosse as the wine did from water Ioh. 2. 2. It were no opposition to all learning whatsoever Aristole teacheth if one should say that not the forme onely but also the matter was in a great part changed when water was turned into wine 3. Opinion and intention is not the essentiall forme of a ceremoniall Crosse. For one and the same ceremoniall Crosse is used by Papists to divers intentions as to represent a Mystery to cure diseases to drive away divels c. Bellarmine in the fore-cited place And opinion belongeth to the efficient or making cause not to the forme 4. The very making of a Crosse in such a manner or with such circumstances as put upon it a relation to religion maketh both matter and forme of that Ceremony and so after idolatrously abused carrieth with it at least a shew of an Idolatrous Ceremony But this shew the Rej. referreth unto the fifth chapter and heere opposeth onely that likenesse and samenesse are not one Which is true of individuall or singular samenesse not otherwise for those things are like which have one and the same qualitie But he himselfe will not say that onely the same individuall or particular Ceremonies which Idolaters abuse are forbidden to us He hath hitherto in all this section declined the defence of that absurdity This quidity therefore is not to the purpose 12. It was added by the Replier that we have no intention or opinion in the use of the Crosse but the Papists have the same though they have others more and therefore there is some formall samenesse in their Crosse and ours To this the Rejoynd in many words answereth nothing but that this replie stifles it selfe because if we have not all the same opinions which they have then they have not the same with us But it doeth not follow of positive opinions concerning the Crosse it selfe For we may want some of their opinions and yet they have all that we have the same Doeth not he that knoweth most of this or that know the same thing with him that knoweth little though he knoweth more 13. Another odde reason was framed by the Repl. thus If this doeth make a Ceremony not the same that men have not altogether the same opinion of it then among the Papists there are as many kinde of Ceremonies Crosses Surplices as there are diversities of opinions about their nature and use which no man will say Yes sayth the the Rejoynder I will say it of Ceremonies and he that shall denie this must lay aside both learning and conscience not knowing what to say But he is too too confident upon the ground which he is driven to by force of a contrary winde For without laying aside of learning and conscience we may thus argue If this be so then all human Ceremonies used among the Papists and brought in as hitherto all have used to speake by Popes are not Popish For they may be this or that Hedge-Priests Ceremonies who hath added his opinion and institution unto them 2. The Pope by the same reason cannot know when his Ceremonies arâ— observed or omitted because he cannot know all opinions and intentions of men And the like reason holding with us our Church must inquire into the opinions and intentions
which was against Popish Recusancie of our Communion-booke and not against refusall of some few ceremonies contained therein I speake now of the Statute Law not of lawlesse canoÌ„s Or what if wee should stand upon that interpretation which fetcheth the obligation from the weight of the matter imposed which in our ceremonies is very little Some of these I am â—ure the Bishops must flye if they will defend their disuse of the Crosiers slaffe which they are bound by our lawes as well to use as the Ministers are surplusses But all this is needlesse because there can be no contempt in a conscionable forbearance of unlawfull impositions such as the ceremonies are sufficiently proved to be SECT XII HEre certaine Divines are brought in witnessing 1. that superstitions doe depâ—ive men of Christian liberty which we deny not but take their testimonies as making against our ceremonies because as I haue formerly shewed some of these superstitious opinions are inseparable from the imposing and using of them 2. That Christian liberty doth not consist in the use or disuse of things indifferent which we also willingly grant But I would haue the Defendant remember that all freedome is not in the minde conscience For where the minde is free the body may be bound else Christians should not taste so much of this worlds misery as they doe Now Christ hath left unto us not onely an inward liberty of minde and conscience but also an outward freedom of our bodies and outward man from such bodily rites in his worship as have not his stampe upon them and his Spirit and blessing promised unto them Of this the Defendant saith nothing at all Sect. XIII XIIII COncerning the profession of our Church so often brought in enough hath beene said before now it sufficeth to answer that no profession whatsoever can make humaine significant Ceremonies in Gods worship agree with Christian liberty As for superstition which the Defendant doth now the second time most ridiculously object I have answered in the beginning of this Confutation Now onely I note 1. how loosely he describeth that superstition which he calleth affirmative as if no man could use any thing superstitiously except he did hold that without it the faith of Christianity or the true worship of God could not possible consist Never was there such a description given by any man that considered what he said 2. How manfully he concludeth our negative superstition upon this ground that Christ hath left these ceremonies free which is the maine quaestion betwixt him and us 3. How he mis-reporteth our opinion in saying absolutely that wee hold a Surplice to have unholinesse and polluâ—ion in it whereas we hold that it is onely made more unfitt for Gods service then it was before through idolatrous abuse but yet unto other uses it may be applyed 4. That in stead of Scripture he bringeth forth the universall practise of men in the Church which yet hath beene formerly also refuted 5. That he can finde no Divine that calleth opposing of Ceremonies superstition but onely M. Calvin in one place speaking rhetorically as he useth to doe and not intending any definition or distributioÌ„ of that vice 6. How he corrupteth P. Martyrs words to have some colour for a new accusation P. Martyr taking there upon him the person of an adversarie unto Hoopers opinion with whom notwithstanding afterward he consented and recalled the counsell which then he gave as appeareth pag. 1125. saith that if we should refuse all things that the Papists used we should bring the church into servitude which assertion is most true because the Papists abused many necessary things even Christs own Ordinances the observing of which is liberty Now the Def. would have that precisely understood and that in the rigour of every word concerning the Surplice I have here subjoyned apart an Epistle of Zanchius who otherwaies was somewhat favourable to Bishops wherein the Reader may see his judgement concerning superstitious garments To the most renowmed Queene ELYZABETH Defendresse of the Christian Religion and most mighty Queene of England France and Ireland H. Zanchius sendeth greeting MOST gracious most Christian Queene we have not without great griefe understood that the fire of contention about certaine garments which we thought had beene quenched long agone is now againe to the incredible offence of the godly as it were raised from hell and kindled a fresh in your Majesties Kingdome and that the occasion of this fire is because your most gracious Majesty being perswaded by some otherwise great men and carried with a zeal but certainly not according to knowledge to retaine unity in religion hath now more then ever before resolved and decreed yea doth will and command that all †Zanchius it is like was misinformed for Bishops have bin the chief devisers and advisers Bishops and Ministers of the Churches shall in divine service putt on the white and linnen garments which the Popish Priests use now in Poperie yea that it is to be feared least this fire be so kindled and cast its flame so farre and wide that all the Churches of that most large and mighty kingdome to the perpetuall disgrace of your most renowned Majesty be sett on a flaming fire seeing the most part of the Bishops men greatly renowmed for all kinde of learning and godlines had rather leave their office and place in the Church then against their owne conscience admit of such garments or at the least signes of Idolatry and Popish superstition and so defile themselves wiâ—h them and give offence to the weak by their example Now what other thing will this be then by retaining of these garments to destroy the whole body of the Church For without doubt that is Satans intent by casting a seed of dissentions amongst the Bishops And that hee aimed at the infancie of the Church by stirring up discord betweene the East and West Churches about the Passover and other Ceremonies of that kind Therfore Irenaeus Bishop of Lions had just cause in his Epistle sent out of France to Rome sharply to reprove Victor the Pope of Rome because he out of a kind of zeale but not according to knowledge was minded to excommunicate all the Churches of Asia because they celebrated not the Passeover just at the same time as they at Rome did For this was nothing but by an unseasonable desire to retaine the same Ceremonies in all Churches to rent and teare a peeces the unity of the Churches I therefore so soone as I heard that so great a ruine hanged over the Church of Christ in that kingdome presently in respect of that dutie which I owe to the Church of Christ to your gracious Majesty and to that whole kingdom intended to write thither and to try by my uttermost endevor whether so great a mischiefe might possibly be withstood some that feare Christ and wish well to your Majesty exhorting me to the performance of this duty But when I had scarcely