points but for convelling and tearing up the foundations of many generations in * As the invisibility of the Catholick Church c. Doctrine Worship and Discipline without legitimate Authority and for other things which need not here be named Their third instance of the defectiveness of the Articles Object 3 is that they speak nothing of the creation of providence fall of man of sin of the punishment of sin of Gods Covenants effectual calling Adoption Sanctification Faith Repentance Perseverance of the Law of God Christian Liberty and liberty of conscience Religious worship of the Sabbath or Lords day of Marriage and Divorce the Communion of Saints Church-Government and Discipline of the Resurrection or of the last Judgment All which the Scripture teach as necessary and are comprised in the Apostles creed That the Assemblies Confession hath all these and that with proofs of Scripture which the Answ 1 Articles want But they should consider that a Confession of faith is one thing and a Catechism or a common-place book to refer ones reading unto is another If the Church shall think fit to compile one of these for the help of young students no doubt but all those shall be expresly treated on though perhaps not in the same form or titles But to constitute a Confession of Faith of all these heads with the several Articles which the Assembly hath subjoyned would doubtless have excluded many more from subscription than the Articles ever did Especially where they have made that an Article of faith which never was a Protestant doctrine viz. That the Church Catholick is a visible and organical body Assemblies Confess ch 35. Artic. 2. whereas it is an article of our faith in the Apostles Creed and not of sense And that which is laid as the foundation of the usurpation of the Bishops of Rome Bellarm. de Eccles l. 3. c. 2. by Bellarmine for either that or somewhat like it must follow upon that ground so that a fair Bridge is hereby laid from Thames to Tiber for his Holiness to walk upon A point universally opposed by the Protestant party except Peter Ramus and perhaps one or two more althongh of late owned by some of them of which * Vindicia Catholicae in answer to Mr. Hudson else-where I instance in this that be it true or false yet a point of this nature should not have been made an Article for the not subscribing whereto men must have been rejected from the Ministry others there are that would have stuck no doubt with many men orthodox able and godly 2. As to the things themselves they are all in effect touched either in the Articles Articles of Ireland Anno 1615. whence taken or the Homilies which are approved by the Articles or in the Liturgy or in the Book of Ordination a branch also of the Articles And the Articles of Ireland which are more full in themselves than ours and comprehend in terminis most or all these heads they are taken verbatim out of the books now mention'd And to give some instances The Creation and Providence is mentioned in the first Article of God and in the Catechism in the Common-prayer-book And more largely in the Homily for Rogation week part 1 2. The fall of man his sin and punishment of it professedly discours'd of in the Homily of the misery of mankind and is touched in the Articles Artic. 9. 10. of Original sin and Free-will Gods Covenant may be understood in the Articles of Justification and Predestination Artic. 11. 17. and is discours'd on largely in the Homily of Salvation Effectual calling also in the same 17th Article and more largely in the Homily of Faith Where also of Adoption as likewise in the lesser Catechism in the Liturgy Faith in the Article of Justification by faith Sanctification in the Homily of good works and divers others Repentance hath a proper Homily for it Perseverance is expresly set down in the 17th Article Of the Law of God in the Homily of the misery of Man And in the Catechism in the Liturgy so far as concerns practice Christian liberty in the Articles of the Traditions of the Church And the Homily of disobedience and wilful rebellion Religious worship is the subject of the Liturgy And of several Articles and of the Homily of the time and place of prayer The Sabbath or Lords day in the Homily of the time and place of prayer Of Marriage both in the Homily of Matrimony and in the Exhortation at Marriage in the Common-prayer-book Divorce as a point of Law is discoursed in the Canons Communion of Saints is the ground of all Exhortations to Unity as the Homily against Contention and exhortation to Charity as love and good works Church-government is the subject of Artic. 20. 21. of the authority of the Church and of General Councils And for Orders they are in the Book of Ordination For the Rules in the book of Canons and in the Rubricks in the Liturgy about Order and in the Commination there Of the Resurrection the Homily on Easter-day And of the last Judgment in the Homily against the fear of Death Seeing therefore that most or all of these heads are either expresly treated on or occasionally either in the Articles or branches of them how say they that they contain nothing of them Proofs to Confessions Lastly for the proofs added in the Assemblies Confession not added in the Articles they know it is not usual to add Proofs unto Confessions as may be seen in the Confessions of the Reformed Churches where they are rare And even lately their Brethren of the Independent way published their Confession without proofs And unless it be that of New England the Assemblies and those of the Separation I remember not that I have seen any with frequent proofs And if I mistake not it had not been amiss if the Assembly had kept the Track in this in as much as the Proofs sometimes do not infer the Article In a Catechism or Sermon or Dispute they are more proper than in a Confession Because that is a thing supposed to be grounded not in this or that place but on the current of the Scripture Besides Proofs occasion Dispute which is abhorrent from the nature of a Confession The places alledg'd may be clear a proof and yet not so to every less-intelligent Reader I conclude this discourse touching the imperfection and defectiveness of the Articles with that considerable passage of Erasmus to this purpose Summa religionis nostrae pax est unanimitas Erasm presat in Hilarium ea vix constare poterit nisi de quà m potest paucissimis definiamus in multis liberum relinquamus suum cuique judicium propterea quod ingens sit rerum plurimarum obscuritas c. The sum saith he of our Religion is peace and unanimity of which there is little hope unless those things which shall shall be enjoyned as matters of faith be
they alledge the Apostles doctrine practise To the Assertion first which is no less inconsiderately uttered than confidently affirmed if generally taken Absurdities of the Brethrens Assert For so it overthrows Civil bounds National Laws Divine and Ecclesiastical Institutions It overthrows Civil bounds Might not the Brethrens Neighbour say unto them Sirs your Garden your Orchard your Close your Land were once indifferent and common to all men it is not the Authority of any Man or Law that can make that proper to you and necessarily to belong to you which Providence at the Creation left common and indifferent for all men On such a discourse as this the Levellers go And my self knew a man that would therefore pay no rent to his Landlord saying Why should not he have a house as well as he Smile not Brethren for the parallel fully holds all Tenures were at first indifferent and common Secondly It destroys National Laws for 't is in it self indifferent whether for example theft shall be punished by restitution or imprisonment or scourging or death Now when the Law of any Nation hath appointed such a punishment necessarily to be inflicted upon such a Malefactor he may upon this ground say The kind of punishment is indifferent and no Law of man can make that necessary without injustice It everteth also even divine Ordinances The Water in Baptism the Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper are before separation indifferent and common Therefore they cannot in particular by this principle be made necessary and obliging to be used Lastly because they intend Ceremonies in Religion it takes away the ground of Ecclesiastical Institutions whose object is especially things in their own nature indifferent as times place persons gestures habits c. for what obedience can be expected where no Authority can make it necessary in such things which leads me to a Answ 2 second Answer Gen. viz. That though no Law can alter the nature of things in themselves metaphysically and abstractedly considered yet it may and doth alter the obligation of practice about them that what was free before to do or not is otherwise now For example It was indifferent whether Paul would sacrifice or not Act. 21. but after the Church had judged it requisite for him he thought it his duty now to do it Again it was indifferent for him to circumcise or not to circumcise Act. 16. Gal. 2.3 5. yet according to circumstances he did it to Timothy and would not do it to others To abstain from blood and from things strangled I suppose the Brethren count indifferent because the Apostle saith Every Creature of God is good 1 Tim. 4. and nothing to be refused yet the Apostles for that time made it a matter of necessity to abstain from them Act. 15. Whether a Man pray uncovered and the Woman covered might seem indifferent but the Apostle besides other Arguments determines it by the custom and practice of the Church as a matter necessary to go that way he propounded As to that clause Indifferent things cannot be made necessary if they offend tender Consciences and are scandalous to good men It is answered that The due performance of the Worship of God And the general edification of all Consciences When scandal is not to be regarded by directing the reverent performance of their duty And the satisfaction of the Consciences of the greater part of the Church together with the taking away the scandal from profession apt to be cast upon it by the Adversary for omitting these Ceremonies is of more consequence and ought to be more eyed by those in Authority then the satisfying of a few though good men Paul no doubt gave very great offence in sacrificing in circumcising Timothy Gal. 2.5 in not circumcising Titus and in being stiffe against it Yet because the more publick and common good of the Church was concerned his charity directed him to love the Body and tender the welfare of that rather then of some particular Members though otherwise pretious This for their proposition next for their proof from the Apostles Doctrine and Practice Their proof Rom. 14. First his Doctrine All things indeed are pure but it is evil to him that eateth with offence See to the like effect also the Proposit touching Reform of the Liturg. now in the Press And it is good neither to eat Flesh nor drink Wine whereby thy Brother stumbleth or is made weak To take heed lest our liberty become a stumbling-block But if one will use his liberty and the other will take offence then his charge is Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth 2. His practise If Meat make my Brother to offend 1 Cor. 8. I will eat no Flesh whilest the world standeth lest I make my Brother to offend Answ But do these things prove that things indifferent may not by Authority be made necessary as to practise Nothing less For the things the Apostle mentioneth were as to any publick Injunction by Authority then in being left free no Law passed on them And they were observed according as Conscience in some and Charity in others did direct But are the Brethren able to shew out of these or any other places of the Apostles doctrine or practice That after the Church hath declared that they seek not to be justified by Works Gal. 2. much less Ceremonies but by the Faith of Jesus Christ That they own but one Mediator betwixt God and Man 1 Tim. 2. even the Man Christ Jesus That they having an eye to decency order and reverence in the Worship of God 1 Cor. 14. to which they are injoyned do judge that such and such Ceremonies without opinion of holiness in the things themselves or of adding any substance to the matter of the Worship are usefull to the better performance of Gods service and edification of his people and not in themâ—elves contrariant thereunto Are they able to shew that the Apostle because either things are in themselves indifferent or because some would be offended at them did in such a case either by doctrine or practice incourage unto disobedience I trow they are not To be sure the places alleadged prove it not as hath been shewed they speaking only of such things as on which no Civil nor Ecclesiastical sanction had passed but were in every mans liberty And the Apostles doctrine and practice as we heard prove the contrary he referring to the custom of the Church 1 Cor. 11. as a determination in things of themselves indifferent and himself also practising divers things Act. 21.16 Gal. 2. that without all question did offend many tender Consciences Certain it is that things strangled and blood were things indifferent yet commanded as necessary for the time by the Apostles Act. 15. So Circumcision sacrificing c. practised by Paul with offence to some Thus of
a reason is demanded seeing every Lords day is celebrated upon the same account that Easter is viz. the memory of the Resurrection of our Lord. Lastly It is non-sense or worse say these sensible men to require that the people should receive the Sacram. and other Rites thrice a year as implying the Popish Sacraments or else Superstitious ceremonies Antique Answ 1 Crossings c. When the Lord did three times enjoyn his Antient people to appear before him three times in the year Deut. 16.16 Exod. 23.14 and 34.24 with Levit. 23.38 whereof Easter was one yet he did not forbid their free-will-offerings much less do they that make this trine-appearance with an ad minimum and at least More they desire and exhort unto less they will nor permit They dispence not with Gods own invitation who hath set no precise time do exhort the people often in his name and bind them to some frequency if exhortation will not serve 1 Cor. 1. Next They that were not sent to baptize but had Answ 2 work of more necessity and haste their silence must not be construed to a Prohibition Gal. 4. explain'd And when they do reprove those that observed times and days and moneths and years As part of Moses Law obligatory to Christians and upon some opinion of righteousness thereby in derogation to the All-sufficiency of Christs righteousness Gal. 2. chap. 3. chap. 5. 6. 1 Tim. 6. they do no more thereby forbid the observation of times as invitements and advantages unto piety then when they exhort to be rich in good works and lay up for our selves a good foundation that we may lay hold on eternal life Rom. 3. do therefore forbid us to believe that a man is justified by the faith of Jesus Christ and that we are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 6. ult but for eternal life it is the gift of God When our Saviour forbad to call any Answ 3 man father upon earth he meant not to confute the Law Matth. 15.4 nor his own reproof of the Pharisees who made all things whereby they might gain to be Corban and so suffered not a man to help his father or his mother from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but a fresh mans consequence To conclude That because our Saviour in one sense forbad to swear at all Matth. 5. interpreted upon viz. the Pharisees exposition and dispensation and that whatsoever was more proceeded of evil he ever meant to condemn himself when he added Amen Amen 2 Cor. 1.21 Revel 10.6 which is literally more or the Saints or Angels both which we find to have taken deep oaths upon great occasions is a Quakers Logick Again Such is the frailty of our memories that Answ 4 without some standing memorials we should not seriously mind the things that do belong unto our peace The use of solemn Festivals And such is the hardness of our hearts that unless these times be solemn and therefore can be but seldome for familiaritas parit contemptum we should have little impression of them Hence ever since we read of any instituted Church we find they had their stata tempora not only hebdomadary but yearly also Yea nature did thus much dictate unto the Heathen that besides those days of the week wherein they did some special worship unto their Idols the footsteps whereof remain still in the appellations of them yet they had also their Annua solennia yea and Olympiads also more rare and solemner Now it is not unknown I suppose unto the Brethren that why Easter to be one seeing every Lords day is in memory of the Resurrection It is a question that should have been put first to our Fathers yea our Universal Mother who were more concerned to answer for they have told us Illa autem quae non scripta sed tradita custodimus Aug. ep 118. ad Januar. c. 1. quae quidem toto terrarum orbe observantur datur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel plenariis conciliis quorum est in ecclesia saluberrima authoritas commendata atque statuta retineri The antâ—quity of the four solemn Feastivals sicuti quòd domini Passio Resurrectio Ascensio in Coelum Adventus de coelo Sp. Sancti anniversaria solennitate celebrantur That those things which are not written in the Scriptures but kept by tradition and which are observed throughout all Churches we are thereby given to understand that they were instituted and commended unto us either by the Apostles themselves or by some General Councils who have a Soveraign Authority in the Church as the yearly celebration of the Passion and the Resurrection and the Ascension of our Lord and the coming down of the H. Ghost Thus that Father of whom as was noted above out of Calvin we must learn if we would know the certainty of the judgment of Antiquity and of our Mother the Primitive Church And particularly for Easter The same Author gives us to understand Chap. 1. Aug. ib. cap. 7. Nonnullos probabilis quaedam ratio delectavit ut uno certo die per annum quo ipsam coenam Dominus dedit tanquam ad insigniorem commemorationem post cibos offerri accipi liceat corpus sanguis domini That some are of opinion that the body and blood of our Lord should be offered namely by the Minister to the people and received upon one certain day in the year namely that whereon he himself received it which they do on a very probable ground viz. that the commemoration might be the more solemn Which ground holds with us in celebrating the Communion both upon the day that Christ himself did as also upon that whereon we commemorate that action of his whereby he applyed the efficacy of all his sufferings Easter day his Resurrection for he was delivered for our sins and was raised again for our justification We do it therefore upon these daies specially Hom. 4. ult as well as on others more ordinarily viz. That the commemoration might be the more solemn But they aim at the root whilest they strike at one of the branches and are offended at the genus Festival times besides the Sabbath as well as at Easter specially Of which to that of the Antient Church related by S. Austin I shall only add that They are the splendour and outward dignity of our Religion R. Hook Eccles pol. l. 5. § 72. in fine forcible witnesses of antient truth provocations to the exercises of all piety shadows of our endless felicity in Heaven on Earth everlasting Records and Memorials Wherein they which cannot be drawn to hearken to that we teach may only by looking upon what we do in a manner read whatsoever we believe The last thing they object against this Rubrick is a meer calumny and yet they raise a great tragedy upon it
field as the Lord commanded me Whereas both it is in the Prophet Zachary not in Jerem. Zach. 11.12 13. and also runs thus And I said unto them If you think good give me my price and if not forbear so they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver And the Lord said unto me Cast it unto the Potter A goodly price that I was prized at of them And I took the thirty pieces of silver and cast them to the Potter in the House of the Lord. Here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 variety of difference and yet I hope the Brethren will not deny but that the Evangelist Matthew did set down a sentence of Scripture To shake hands and part What think they of that of the Apostle It is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me Rom. 14.11 and every tongue shall confess to God Yet in the Prophet where it is written Isa 45.23 it is thus I have sworn by my self the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnese and shall not return that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall swear Which difference is such that the * In a conference with my self Quakers observe it as a ground of not-swearing because what the Prophet said of swearing the Apostle turns confessing A sentence then of Scripture it may be which is not the very words as the the title of those sentences is not these words but sentences To the second that this sentence as set down in Except 2 the Common-prayer-book is contrary to the place whence it is quoted and to other Scripture Answ The place quoted in the Service formerly is onely Ezek. 18. not naming any verse in the later Editions the 21 and 22 verses are figured but there is ground also for the sentence in the general context of that Chapter and particularly besides the former in vers 28 30 31 32. Now let us see whether there be any difference in sense much less any contrariety The Prayer-book saith At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sin from the bottom of his heart I will put all his wickedness out of my remembrance saith the Lord. In the Prophet verse 21 22. thus But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not dye All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live And verse 30. Repent Ezek. 18.30 31. and turn your selves from your transgressions And vers 31. ' Make you a new heart and a new spirit And then for the whensoever though implyed unavoidably in the former sentences yet 't is more than in terminis Jer. 18.7 Jer. 18.7 8. for even the Apostles cited Scriptures so as that they compacted several into one At what instant I speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it if that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evill I will repent of the evill that I thought to do unto them Now compare At what time saith the Common-prayer-book in the Prophet Ezekiel it is If he will turn indefinitely excluding no time which is equivalent unto whensoever And ' At what instant saith the Prophet Jeremy that is more Repent him of his sins saith the Common-prayer-Book turn from all his sins that he hath committed saith Ezekiel vers 28. and repent and turn your selves from your transgressions vers 30. From the bottom of his heart saith the Prayer-book From all his sins saith Ezekiel vers 21. and from all his transgressions vers 30. which surely is the same with from the bottom of his heart which yet is more clearly implyed vers 31. Make you a new heart and a new spirit that ' is Repent you from your heart and spirit as before he had exhorted to repentance I will put all his wickedness out of my remembrance saith the Common-prayer-book All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him saith Ezekiel vers 22. Now I shall leave it to every man that hath but two eyes Reason and Conscience to judge whether the Common-prayer-book hath a title in sense more than the Prophet pag. 26. Hebr. 4.7 chap. 3.12 Yea but it is dissonant from another To day if ye will hear his voice And Exhort one another daily while it is called to day Therefore we must not defer repentance Object but At what time soever encourages men so to do Answ To day if ye will hear As if both these sentences were not in the Old Testament as well as in the New and in both Testaments by the same Spirit 'T is evident by manifold places of Scripture that there is ever found place for true repentance without limiting of any time Why are they not offended with our Saviour for speaking of some that should be received at the eleventh hour Matth. 20. And with the Evangelist Luke for recording the repentance and acceptation of the Thief upon the Cross Luk. 23. And with the Prophet or the Lord rather in the Prophet Ezek. 23. for calling to her to return that was grown old not in ordinary sins but in Adulteries and Idolatry namely with a purpose of pardon if she would even then repent And a broken and contrite heart O Lord saith David thou wilt not despise and his repentance was late for his sin was toward the end of his life as Peter Martyr observes Pet. Mart. in 2 Sam. 11.2 One of the Martyrs hearing a Frier inveighing against the sins of the people in this manner O thou that hast spent thy youth and strength in the service of the devil dost thou think that God will now accept thee when thou canst sin no longer or to that effect said That had such doctrine been preached to him it would have cast him into despair when time was Is there any dissonancy in hastening men unto repentance and warning of them that they outstand not the day of grace and yet in the encouraging of them when they do repent To the third and last Exception that this sentence Except 3 At what time soever implies as if he could repent when he list Repent when we list c. and this occasions delay which carries many to Hell But by what Logick doth it follow that if men are told that that if they truly repent the Lord will forgive them Ergo They may repent when they list The inference is fully as good from Gods exhorting unto repentance and is urged thence by some because we are exhorted to repent therefore repentance is in the power of our own free will So whensoever you repent from the bottom of the heart c. Therefore you may when you will So that as the Brethren
So true is that long since foretold of such persons Their own tongues shall make them to fall Psal 64.8 after the Old Translation insomuch that whoso seeth them shall laugh them to scorn Neither is their sword that of the Spirit as if to curse or rather to recite and read them out of the Word of God 3. Sword were dissonant from the ministery of the Gospel Why read they then though they read but little in the publick those and such like Chapters out of the Bible Besides did not our Saviour curse Woe woe woe unto you Matth. 23. Scribes and Pharisees which he having named once repeats seven times in the same Sermon Unless woe be less then cursing Matth. 10. And did not he teach his Disciples to do so when he charged them to shake off the very dust from their feet as a testimony against them that would not receive them And doth not the Apostle say 2 Cor. 2.16 that the Ministers of the Gospel are as well the savour of death unto death as of life unto life Act. 13.11 chap. 23.3 And did he not curse when he said to Elymas Thou child of the devil and to the High-priest God shall smite thee thou whited wall And of the false Apostles 2 Cor. 11. that their end should be according to their work and wished that the Schismatical Teachers among the Galatians were cut off Gal. 4. Let them seriously consult the second Epistle of Peter and that of Jude But secondly to this Head The Minister doth not any thing more in this than in reading the Ten Commandements where 't is said The Lord will not hold him guiltless c. What is this but a curse express And That thy days may be long in the land which contains a curse implicite The old Divines Old method of Preaching they were wont to teach that Moses and John Baptist made way for Christ the Law for the Gospel Repentance for Faith as the needle for the thread But the Brethren know how to sow more easie pillows under all Ezek. 13.18 elbows Mar. 1.15 Act. 20.21 as the Prophet speaks Christ himself and so Paul did preach repentance before believing of the Gospel and represented the Curse that they might flee to the Blessing But let us try what metall their Shield is of whereby they would defend themselves viz. That was a service of the children of Israel 4. The Shield done but once and that not in the publick worship nor the Answ 1 place of it That no useful thing to others though first appointed to the Jews was peculiar unto them hath Answ 2 been shewn above That this was but once so done formally with that great solemnity of all the Tribes together the whole Nation assembled is granted yet it might be done by them more commonly in a less troublesom way and was in effect by the Prophets afterward And that this was not done as before though not with so great a Answ 3 multitude is not proved Neither if it were doth it follow that what was once commanded and is ever of good use in its season is therefore forbidden for ever Answ 4 because commanded but once That it was not done in publick worship is untrue for it was the most solemn and publick almost of any other They should say it was not done in the ordinary worship and why because it Answ 5 was an extraordinary service Which is an answer unto that It was not done in the place of publick worship that is the ordinary place it being not capable of it But as Mount Horeb was the place of worship at the delivery of the Law so Ebal and Gerizim at this solemn sanction of it by the Blessing and the Curse To the last piece People necessitated to curse themselves The people are hereby necessitated to curse themselves Why do not the Brethren enter an action at their profession the Law for this against God Almighty Answ who did in this Service so appoint his own people to curse themselves Numb 5.19 Exod. 22.11 as also in the suspected woman if guilty and any man that had concealed a thing of trust committed to him The end of which Ordinance then and of this institution of the Church now is most soveraign to the intent viz. That you saith the Commination being admonished of the great indignation of God against sinners The use of it may the rather be called to earnest and true repentance and may walk more warily in these dangerous days fleeing from such vices for the which ye affirm with your own mouthes the curse of God to be due But this ground that men must not curse themselves overthrows all civil Oathes for or before the Magistrate lest they should curse themselves For what is an Oath but an invocation of God 2 Cor. 1. An Oath to witness upon our soul that we lâ—e not as the Apostle speaks with an adjuration and cursing of our selves if we lie We may hence perhaps see Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacy why some of late have been so backward to swear either Allegiance or Supremacy because 't is to be feared some of them were true to neither Object For their close of Exceptions to the body of the Book where they say Answ That more might be said of sundry other particulars in the Service-book It is replyed above that more for number and weightier for substance have been long since urged by others and received by godly and learned * R. Hooker The Disputants at the Conf. Hamp Court and others men their full answer To which in the like scruples it were good that men would betake themselves * K. James pag. 47. of that Conference One of whom after solemn hearing of all that the Brethrens more modest Predecessors could object Thus concluded Alleadging from Bartolus de Regno That as better a King with some weakness than still a change Note so rather a Church and I add a Liturgy with some faults if such they were as the Brethren note then an innovation And surely saith he if these be the greatest matters you be grieved with I need not have been troubled with such importunities and complaints as have been made unto me some other more private course might have been taken for your satisfaction And surely it would make any man as it did him shake his head and smile And thus far of the matter of the Liturgy as to the substance of Worship SECT VI. Exceptions against the Ceremonies THe Appendixes follow and they are Ceremonies where their Exceptions against them may be reduced unto two heads First against the Imposition of Ceremonies in general Secondly against these in particular Of Ceremonies in general pag. 38. pag. 37. Touching the first they say That Ceremonies being things indifferent can by no command of Authority become necessary especially if they offend tender consciences For proof whereof
1 Cor. 4.5 until the Lord come who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have praise of God who shall defer his judgement till then for that his modesty and charity Neither let others be difficult in forgiving Concilium Alexandr apud Ruffin Hist lib. 1. cap. 28. remembring that ille Evangellicus junior filius paternae depopulatur substantiae sed in semetipsum reversus non solum suscipi meruit sed dignus paternis complexibus deputatur annulum fidei recipit stola circumdatur per quam quid aliud quam Sacerdotii declarantur insignia Nec probabilis extitit apud patrem senior filius quod invidit recepto nec tantum meriti habuit non delinquendo quantum noxae contraxit non indulgendo Germano I. E. Luke 15. That younger Son mentioned in the Gospel the waster of his Fathers substance but returning unto himself did not onely obtain to be received but was also counted worthy of his Fathers embracements and received the Ring of Faith and was cloathed with a Robe by which what other thing is signified than the Ornaments of Priesthood Neither was the elder Son approved of his Father in that hee envyed the reception of his Brother Neither deserved hee so well by not offending as hee contracted guilt by not indulging Let no man therefore bee high minded but fear Rom. 11. Gal. 6. and let him that standeth take heed least hee fall And let him whom God hath recalled Psal 8. Prov. 14.14 1 King 2. see that hee return not again to folly For the backslider in heart shall bee satisfied with his own way as wee see in Shimei who was not hearty to his submission And I remember that Watson the Priest having well * Watsons Quodlibets defended allegeance was afterward executed for * At Winchester treason I crave therefore the benefit and exercise of that Article of our Faith which every one of us professeth the communion of Saints And particularly in the conjunction of their prayers with mine that God who hath begun this good work in mee Phil. 1.6 would strengthen stablish confirm and perfect it until the day of Christ Amen SECT II. The heads of this Treatise ANd now having rendred the grounds of these Retractations and given a reason of mine and the Church of Englands Faith in these particulars And represented the consent thereof with the holy Scripture with primitive Antiquity and with the judgement of the best of the late writers of the Reformed Churches and made reply also to such Objections as did seem material let mee adjure all men and conclude in the Church affair with the prayer obtestation and admonition of the learned Zanchy Zanch. in clausulâ observationum in confess suam Tom. 8. Precor omnes Christianos per Dominum Jesum ut positis vanis privatorum hominum somniis positis etiam propriae carnis affectibus odiis inimicitiis amplexi vero certam ac salutarem veteris Ecclesiae doctrinam Christianamque dilectionem coeamus omnes in unam fidem sanctamque amicitiam sicut nobis quoque omnibus unus est Deus unus Mediator unum Baptisma una spes vocationis nostrae Ad gloriam nominis Dei Ecclesiae aedificationem salutemque animorum nostrorum Citius enim quam putamus sistemur ante tribunal Christi ut referat unusquisque prout se gesserat in corpore in hac vita Quando post hanc vitam nulla spes veniae nullus resipiscentiae locus I beseech all Christians saith hee by the Lord Jesus that laying aside the dreams and vanities of private men and laying aside also the corrupt affections of their own flesh as hatred and enmities and embracing the sure and soveraign Doctrine of the Antient Church with Christian love wee may all grow into one Faith and Christian friendship As there is to us also all but one God one Mediator one Baptism one hope of our Calling This do wee to the glory of the Name of God the edification of the Church and the salvation of our own souls For sooner than wee are aware of Note wee shall bee set before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive according as hee hath carried himself in the body and in this life when after this life there will bee no hope of pardon no place for repentance Thus far hee And in the matter of the Civil State I cannot end better than with that most true and charitable both judgement and prediction of the Kingly Prophet our late slaughtered Soveraign Icon. Basilic Medit. 27. speaking to His Majesty that now is and whom God long preserve Be confident saith hee as I am that the most of all sides who have done amiss have done so not out of malice but mis-information or mis-apprehension of things And none will bee more loyal and faithful to mee and you than those subjects who sensible of their errours and our injuries will feel in their own souls most vehement motives to repentance and earnest desires to make some reparations for their former defects Psalm 32.3 5. Whilst I kept silence thy hand was heavy on mee I said I will confess and thou forgavest mee O ter beatum cui bonus arbiter Non imputavit lubrica devia Errata vitae nec reperit dolum Caeco in recessu pectoris Erasm in vita Hieron de ipso Hieron verba faciens Fit nescio quo pacto ut efficacius nos eorum exempla permoveant quibus ex vitiosa vita contigit ad pietatem resipiscere * Reg. juris in Tit. digest Reg. 108. Fere in omnibus paenalibus judiciis aetati imprudentiae succurritur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHAP. XI Fuga Vacui or Some Additionals Phys lib. 4. cap. 8. Seqq. NOn dari Vacuum that there is no emptiness in Nature and the works of God was the assertion of the Philosopher And ne detur Vacuum that there may be none in Morals and in our works must be the contention of every Writer For which purpose partly to fill the Vacant pages and specially the Readers mind with satisfaction I shall subjoyn first certain notes in reference unto the chief Arguments in this Treatise Next some other Examples of Retractations and lastly an undoubted evidence of the sincerity of my own Concerning the Notes 1. Touching the Common-Prayer-Book the notable * Suggested to my search by my Reverend friend Mr. Tim. Thriscrosse Testimony of John Careless Confessor and Martyr who died in the Marshalsey 1556. The words * Fox Act. Mon. Edit the first for none since have it in his Examination are Dr. Martin But I pray thee how sayest thou now thy second Book the Liturgy reformed in 5 6. Edw. 6. is also condemned in divers points of Heresie at Frankford among the Brethren which Book will you allow Careless I am