THE Regiment of the Church AS IT IS AGREABLE WITH Scriptures all Antiquities of the Fathers and moderne Writers from the Apostles themselues vnto this present age I. Cor. 14. v. 40. v. 26. Let all things be done decently and in order Let all things be done to edification I. Cor. II. v. 16. If any man iust to be contentions we haue no such customes nor the Churches of God TC LONDON Imprinted by T. C. for William Welby and are to be sold at his Shop in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the Grayhound 1606. TO THE MOST REVEREND FA ther my very good Lord Richard by Gods holy ordinance the Lord Arch-bishop of England grace and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. AS many things most reuerend father are both comely and profitable so neither is there neither can there be anything more necessarie in any well managed church or christian common weale then godly vniformitie and christian vnitie in pure Religion the proper and peculiar worship of the euerliuing God Which vnitie and vniforme conformitie for all that not onely the cruell and blood-thristie Papists in former times but the Brownists also and the Martinists cursed broodes untimely hatched detested of God and irkesome to the world haue of late daies endeuoured with might maine to disturbe extinguish it to take it quite out of the way For the speedie conuersion or else for the vtter confusion of which professed enemies of the godly vnitie and true christian peace of Gods Sion I deeme them right happie who can in any small measure concur by way of redresse and put to their helping hand Against the former sect I haue published many books challenging all English Iesuites Seminaries Iesuited Papists yea prouoking and adiuring them all ioyntly and seuerally to frame some answere either to all or to some one of the saide bookes But wil ye haue the truth their harts faile them their own consciēces accuse them they are at their wits end know not in the world what to say or write They will not answere and why I pray you because forsooth they cannot but to their owne shame and confusion euerlasting For if they could they would vndoubtedlie answere mee so to saue their owne credite and the life of their late harched Romish Religion About three yeeres agoe a railing Iesuit an odde swaggering Diuine terming himselfe E. O. in his detection against Maister D. Sutcliffe and Maister Willet taketh notice of the bookes which I haue published against them and telleth his Readers if they may beleeue him that the confutation of my workes is vndertaken But what followeth and the said confutation must be published if it shall be thought expedient By which words with the circumstances annexed thervnto wee may easily vnderstand three memorable points First that the Papists are mightilie troubled about the answearing of my bookes Secondly that they can not tell in the worlde how and in what sort to answere them Thirdly that they would haue all their Popish Vassalls to think that they haue alreadie answered them and that they are not published because it is not thought a thing expedient to bee done But I pray thee gentle Reader who will beleeue these Iesuits what wise man will euer thinke that the Iesuits haue for the space of eyght or nine yeares considered howe to answere my bookes and after the answere is vndertaken cannot tell if it bee expedient to publishe the same for as the Philosopher can tell them Vltimum in executione debet primum esse in intentione That which is the last in execution must bee the first in intention Yea the very light of Nature and daylie experience teacheth vs that in all our actions wee must chieflie and principallie respect the end for the which wee intende to doe them They dare not fight the combat valiantly neyther with the long sworde nor yet with the shorte They dare not encounter mee and cast mee their Gauntlet No no Negry quidem can bee extorted from their pennes Against the latter sect because they whollie dissent from the Papists and agree with our English Churche in the chiefest fundamentall points of Doctrine an other manner of methode and a different kinde of proceeding must bee vsed against them They exclaime with open mouthes and crie out against our English Church flying from our companies and detesting vs as prophane polluted and forlorne people They vse Conventicles Whisperings and meetings in Woodes Fieldes and odde corners They beare the simple people in hand that our Temples are prophaned our Doctrine corrupt our Sacraments impure our Byshops Antichristian and our kind of Church-gouernment repugnant to that sacred forme and order which our LORD IESVS prescribed in his holie worde They say of themselues but Laus propriioris sordescit that they are inspired of the holy Spirit that they are sent from Heauen to reforme our Church and to direct it into all Truth With which faire speeches and sugred words alas for pittie they seduce the rude vulgar sorte steale away their hearts and make them disobedient to higher powers And while these good fellowes the Brownists and Martinists seeke to bee reputed the onely wisemen vpon Earth they neither knowe what they say nor yet whereof they affirme but doe open a large window to all disloyaltie and sedition euery where and giue the Papists some comforte and hope once to enioye theyr long expected daye In regarde hereof most Reuerend Father and worthie Prelate my selfe though the meanest of manie thousands in this our English Churche haue thought it operaepretium to vse my Penne in my plaine and simple manner for the vnitie and true peace of our English Sion and for the manifestation of the lawfull gouernmēt thereof I haue in this present discourse most honourable constant wise and christian Patron of the Churches libertie power freedome auncient prerogatiue which the Brownists and foolish Martinists would turne vpside downe made euident demonstration of the lawfull gouernment of our Church And that is done in such compendious manner as neither the Reading can be thought tedious nor the price of the book chargeable with such perspicuitie as the most simple euen very babes and children may with al facility understād the same with such sufficiēcie as no Brownist or Martinist or other malitious aduersarie of our churches godly setled gouernment whosoeuer shall euer be able while the world indures either with Scriptures Councels Fathers or Ecclesiastical Histories to gain say or with stand the same I haue succinctly and euidently set down before the eyes of the indifferent Reader that the monarchical gouernāce of our English church is both the best and the most laudable of all others That there is euer hath beene in all former ages of the church superioritie of one church-minister aboue and ouer another and that one may this day lawfully haue iurisdiction ouer another That Bishops Arch-bishops Primates Metropolitains Patriarches haue euer beene in
ad collectas Semper vero absit omnis dierum superstitiosa observatio Next after the Lords day I cannot but like and allowe the sanctification of those daies also in which the auncient Church did celebrate the memorie of the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Christ of the circumcision passion resurrection ascension and the comming downe of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles Vpon all other daies as euery Church shall thinke it expedient so let them call together the congregation to Sermons Sacraments praiers and collections But euer all superstitious obseruation must bee quite laide away Out of these wordes of this zealous Christian and most learned Father whose authoritie if I had nothing else to say would weigh deepely with mine owne conscience I note first that Zanchius doth highly reuerence the constitution of the Church concerning holy-daies Secondly that euery Church hath free libertie to appoint such holy-daies as are most conuenient for themselues Thirdly that no such constitution of daies is vnlawful but that onely which tendeth to superstition And maister Caluin himselfe agreeeth vnto Zanchius in many places of his workes The second Aphorisme of kneeling at the holy Communion THeir opinion who hold it vnlawfull to receiue the holy Communion kneeling on their knees seemeth to me so rediculous senselesse and voide of all Christian modestie that I deeme it needlesse to vse many words for the coÌ„futation therof King Salomon the wisest King that euer liued in the world vsed to kneele vpon his knees and to stretch out his hands when he offered vp his prayers vnto God For thus saith holy Writ of him in that behalfe When Salomon had made an ende of praying all his prayer and supplication vnto the Lord he arose from before the Altar of the Lord from kneeling on his knees and stretching of his hands to heauen Ezra when he praied to the Lord confessed his sinnes with teares and feldown before the house of God and praied to God vpon his knees and Daniel praied vpon his knees three times a day Christ our sauiour himselfe fell down on his face when he praied to his father And Saint Luke saith that when he was drawen aside from his Disciples he kneeled down and praied S. Peter praied kneeling after the example of Christ his Lord and maister Saint Steuen when the cursed Iewes gnashed their teeth against him and ran violently vpon him and stoned him to death fell to his praiers and kneeled vpon his knees And Saint Paul bowed his knees vnto God when he praied for the people These testimonies drawne from the holy Scriptures and from the very practise of Christ himselfe and his faithfull seruants were able to satisfie euery well disposed minde neuerthelesse to take away all contention and wrangling if it may be had and obtained of the aduerse part I am content to alledge Maister Caluins opinion whose authoritie with them may not be gainsaid or withstood These are his expresse wordes Hic testarioperae praetium est eas demum humanas constitutiones me probare quae dei authoritate sundatae ex scriptura desumptae adeoque prorsus diuinae sint Exemplum sit in geniculatione quae fit dum solennes habentur precationes quaeritur sitne humana traditio quam repudiare vel negligere cuivis liceat Dico sic esse humana vt simul sit divina aâ—i est quatenus pars est decori illius cuius cura observatio nobis per apostolum commendatur hominum autem quitenus specialitèr designat quod in genere fuerat iudicatum magis quam expositum Here it is worth the labour to testifie that I doe alowe approue those coÌ„stitutions of men which are deriued from Gods authoritie and the holy Scripture and so are altogether become diuine Let vs take example in kneeling which is done in time of solemne praiers The question is if it be such a tradition of man as euery one may refuse and contemne the same as he list I answere that it is so the traditioÌ„ of man as it is elso a traditioÌ„ of God It is of God as it is a part of that comelines the care coÌ„servatioÌ„ wherof is coÌ„mended to vs by the Apostle But it is of man in respect that it designeth out in specialty that was generally insinuated rather theÌ„ expounded Thus writeth M. Calvin out of whose words I observe these golden Lessons First that all constitutions are diuine which are deduced and gathered out of the Scriptures Secondly that euery ordinaunce of the Church which pertaineth to comelinesse is a coÌ„stitution divine And consequently that euery Ceremonie approved this day in the Church of England is a divine tradition and therefore must euery one reverently obediently receiue the same as the ordinance of Almightie God If this doctrine of M. Calvins were deepely in printed in euery English subiects heâ—â—â— there would not one English subiect be so â—nd in the â—and who would kicke spâ—â—â—e or once in utter against the least ceremonie in the English Church For euery childe seeth that by M. Calvins doctrine euery Ceremonie pertaining to comelinesse Est de iure diâ—â—â—o grounded vpon the generall rule of Gods law And consequently he that wil denie any ceremonie in the English Church to be divine and not approved by Gods word must proue out of Gods word which he wil neuer do that the ceremonie doth no way pertaine to comelinesse in the church For no wise man can thinke that that is rather to be accouÌ„ted comely or vncomely which a few yonglings of late dayes haue esteemed so theÌ„ that which was euer reputed so throughout the Christian world of al learned men generally for 1000. yeeres together Nay for one thousand foure hundred yeeres that is from S. Marke the Euangelist vntill a thousand and some hundred yeares were expired and if no one learned writer can bee sound for the space of so many hundred yeares that will avouch any one Ceremonie in the Church of England this day vsed as kneeling the signe of the Crosse the Surplesse and such like to bee an vncomely Ceremonie then doubtlesse such ceremonies by Maister Calvins doctrine are grounded vpon Gods word and must bee obeyed receiued accordingly I wish the Reader to marke these words of Maister Calvin Dei est quatenus pars est decori It is of God as it is a part of comelinesse I wish I say the Reader to marke them well because they are of great importance and doe proue them â—tter in controversie most euidently To which former wordes of M. Calvin let vs now adde the wordes which follow immediately in the same place Thus doth hee write Ab hoc vno exâ—mplo estimarâ— licet quid de toto hoc geâ— nere sit sentiendum By this one example of kneeling wee may easily iudge what is to be thought of all other ceremonies Loe thus the case standeth this ceremonie the church hath ordeyned iudging it to
conscientia scripsi sicut credias sic etiam isberè loquutus sum vt facienduÌ„ esse docent sacrae litera Fides auteÌ„ mea nititur cùm primis simplâ—citèr verbo Dei Deinde nonnihil etiam communi totius veteris catholica Ecclesia consensu si ille cum sacris literis non pugnet Credo n. qua a pijs patribus in nomine Domini congregatis communi omnium consensu citra vllaÌ„ sacraruÌ„ litorarum contradictioneÌ„ definita receptafuerunt ea etiam quanquaÌ„ haud eiusdem cum sacris literis authoritatis a spiritu sancto esse Hinc fit vt quae sunt huinscemodi ea ego improbare noc velim nec audeaÌ„ bona conscientia quid autem certius ex Historijs ex concilijs ex omnium patrum scriptis quà m illos ministroruÌ„ ordines de quibus diximus communi totius reipublicae christianae consensu in ecclesia constitutos receptosque fuisse Quis autem ego sum qui quod tota ecclesia approbavit improbem sed neque omnes nostri temporis docti viri improbare ausi sunt quippe qui norunt licuisse haec Ecclesiae ex pietate atque ad optimos fines pro electorum aedificatione ea omnia fuisse profecta ordinata When I worte this Confession of my Faith I wrote euery thing with a good conscience and as I beleeued so I also freely spoke as holy writ teacheth me to doe My beliefe is principally simply grounded vpon Gods word then some-what also vpon the coÌ„mon consent of the auncient Catholique Church so it doe not swarne from the holy Scriptures For I belâ—eue that such things as that holy Fathers gathered together in Gods name haue with common consent defined and receiued without any contradiction of the holy Scriptures do proceed from the holy Ghost though not of the same authoritie with the holy Scriptures Hence comes it that my selfe neither will nor with safe conscience dare reproue such kinde of decrees But what is more cleare and euident by Histories by Councels and by the writings of all the Fathers then that those orders of Ministers wherof we haue spoken haue bene appointed receiued in the Church euen with the common consent of the whole christian Common weale And who am I that I should reproue that which the whole Church hath approued yea which all the learned men of our age durst neuer reproue to this day as who knew right well that both the Church might lawfully doe these things also that they proceeded of pietie that all things were ordained to very godly purposes for edefication of Gods elect Thus writeth this learned godly zealous and iudicious Father who for his rare learning profound knowledge pure zeale great iudgemeÌ„t was inferior to none of his age in Christs Church if not superiour to all Out of whose words I obserue many more excellent worthy documeÌ„ts for the help of the wel affected Reader First that this godly learned man was fully resolued to die in that Faith which he heare speaketh of Secondly that he published this his Confession of Faith with a good conscience constantly beleeuing as he wrote Thirdly that his Faith was grounded vppon the word of God Fourthly that the Decrees of the holy Fathers assembled in Christes name defined by the common consent of all and not repugnant to the Scriptures were not simply the Decrees of men but also of the holy Ghost Fiftly that the Degrees of Ministers and superioritie of Bishops Arch-bishops Primates and Patriarches were approued and receiued by vniforme and common consent throughout the whole Church of Christ. Sixtly that this great learned man neither durst nor could with good conscience reproue the same Seuenthly that the Church had authoritie to appoint constitute ordaine such degrees and superiority amongst the Ministers of the Church Eightly that such constitutioÌ„s proceeded of pietie were ordeined for edisicatioÌ„ of the Church To the testimony of this graue writer I deeme it worth the labour to adde that which the same Doctor hath in another place These are his words Hoc ego ingenuè denuò profiteor talem esse meam conscientiam vt a veteruÌ„ patrum sive dogmatibus sive scripturarum interpraetationibus non facilè nisivel manifestis sacrarum literarum testimonijs vel necessarijs consequentijs apertisque demonstrationibus convictus atque coactus discedere queam Sic enim acquiescit mea conscientia in hac mentis quiete cupio etiaÌ„mors I againe professe freely my conscience to be such that I cannot easily depart either from the Doctrines of the auncient Fathers or from their interpretations of the holy Scriptures vnlesse I bee convicted and compelled therevnto either with the manifest testimonies of holy Writ or with necessarie consequences and manifest demonstrations For so my conscience is at rest and in this quiet of minde I desire to die Out of which wordes I note two things both memorable and of great importance wishing the gentle Reader to marke them attentiuely First that the auncient Fathers haue decreed according to the holy Scriptures superioritie among Ministers in the Church and the degrees of Bishops Arch-bishops Primates Metropolitans Suffragans and Patriarches Secondly that this learned Doctor thinketh himselfe bound in conscience to acknowledge receiue and obey such decrees and constitutions of the holy Fathers and therefore earnestly desireth to ende his life in that beliefe Nicolaus Hemingius affirmeth constantly that the pure church which followed the Apostles-time ordeyned diuers degrees of Ministers for the peaceable Regiment of the Church as Metropolitans Arch-bishops Patriarches The 1. Obiection Ye know that the Lords of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them and they that are great exercise authoritie ouer them But it shall not be so among you but whosoeuer will be great among you let him be your seruant The Answere I answere that these wordes of our Sauiour Christ doe only condemne ambitious desire of rule and the tyrannicall vâ—â—ge thereof but not simply all superioritie and lawfull authoritie of one aboue an other I proue it first because Christ saith not the Lords of the Iewes but the Lords of the Gentiles beare rule ouer them As if hee had said you may not haue that tyrannicall kind of gouernment which the gentiles vsed nor such ambitious desire and sinister affection of rule as was found among them And therefore is it significantly said it shall not be so He saith not it shal not be at all but it shall not be so as it was among the Gentiles Secondly bcause it is the frequent custome of the holy Scriptures to forbid things simply without exception when it doth in deedes and true meaning prohibite onely the abuse and the inordinate desire and vsage of the same Call no man your father vppon earth saith Christ for there is but one your Father which is in heauen Bâ—â— not called Doctors for one is your Doctor euen Christ But
Of the discipline of the Church The first Section of the multiplicitie of Church-discipline THe Authors Patrons and seekers of the new English presbyterie reckon vp three parts of church-discipline viz 1. the election abdication of ecclesiasticall officers 2. the excommunication of the stubborne and absolution of the repentant 3. the decision of all such matters as rise vp in the church whether it be touching corrupt manners or peruerse doctrine For answere whereunto marke the next Section The second Section containing an answere vnto the former There is but one onely kind of publique church-discipline which is called in the new testament by the name of excommunication I say publique because I grant priuate admonition and reprehension to be a certaine kind of priuate discipline I say church-discipline because I acknowledge also ciuill discipline Discipline consisteth intrinsecally in the punishing and correcting of vice It is one part of the churches pollicie farre different from the election of ministers and decision of controuersies The third Section of the essence nature and condition of church-discipline The Patrones of the English presbyterie doe make it an essential part of the Gospell so necessarie to saluation as no Church can bee without it but the truth is otherwise I proue it first because S. Paul giueth a singular commendation to the Church of Corinth although it wanted at that time the Church-discipline which is excommunication Secondly because we may stay and continue in that Church which is destitute of excommunication Which doubtlesse we could not doe if excommunication were a part of Christs Gospell and necessarie vnto saluation For we must flee from that Church which wanteth any thing necessarie to saluation This notwithstāding many learned men euē of best accoūt in the reformed churches do think it lawfull to remaine in those Churches where excommunication is not in vse Maister Bullinger writing against the Anabaptists hath these words This the Anabaptists vrge that there is no true Church acceptable vnto God where there is no excommunication To whom we answere that the Church of Corinth was a true Church and so acknowledged of Paul before there was any vse of excommunication in it The same doctrine is taught vniformely of maister Caluin maister Gualter and others Thirdly wheresoeuer the word of God is truly preached and his Sacraments lawfully administred there is Christs Church vndoubtedly For these are the true markes by which best learned Writers discerne the Church of God The case is euident enough it is needelesse to spend much time about it Vide sententiam Gualteri in fine sectionis subsequentis The fourth Section of the persons that must excommunicate Excommunication precisely and chiefely pertaineth to the Church and secondly to those to whom the Church hath cōmitted the execution thereof I proue it by Christs owne wordes in his holy Gospell where hee willeth his Disciples to tell the faults of their brethren if they will not heare them vnto the Church that is to say vnto the whole congregation And forthwith Christ addeth these wordes Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Againe in an other place he giueth the same authoritie of binding and loosing vnto Peter alone which hee gaue in the other place to all the Apostles ioyntly Thirdly in an other place he giueth power to remit retain sins vnto his Disciples onely soly Out of which three seuerall commissions of our Lord Iesus I gather and conceiue two generall rules and settled lawes The one that onely the successors of Christs Apostles and Disciples haue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen that is of opening and shutting of binding and loosing of remitting and retaining sinnes as also the power of excommunication touching the vse and execution thereof I say touching the vse and execution thereof because it is one thing to execute excommunication and the keyes of heauen an other thing to commit the execution thereof to others The other that the whole Church hath authoritie to commit the execution of the keyes and of excommunication to some speciall persons fit for that purpose for comlinesse and order sake and for auoyding of confusion This my resolution I will proue to be grounded vpon the doctrine of great learned men highly renowned in the reformed Churches two things I haue to proue first that the whole Church hath power to commit the keyes and excōmunication to some certaine fit persons chosen for that end and purpose Secondly that onely the Ministers of the word Sacramēts can denounce the sentence and put the same in execution Concerning the former Maister Bullinger hath a long and learned discourse which is able to satisfie any indifferent Reader These are his expresse wordes caeterum video controversum inter quosdam nostri aevi homines c. But I perceiue it is a controuersie among certaine men of our age who should haue power to punish sinne and to execute the discipline of the Church some ascribing it to the whole Church other some to speciall men chosē for that purpose Doubtlesse I cannot perceiue that they offend who giue this power to certain men chosē for that end wtout doubt they doe not offend against Gods word But they obiect if he shal not heare you tel it to the church Now some chosē men are not the church But these men perceiue not that Christ his Apo. vsed the figure Synecdoche For Paul saith you being gathered with my spirit And in the latter Epistle he saith it is sufficient to the same man that he was rebuked of many If they wil stand vpon Christs words literally we wil see when they wil bring the whole church together But we speake say they of the particular Church We therfore haue the victory who say that Christ vsed the figure Synecdoche We graunt that this power is giuen to the whole Church but we call the congregation of good men the Church For it followeth forthwith in the very words of our lord where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the mids of them Therfore if Christ as they graunt committed the ecclesiasticall discipline to a particular church two or three much more eight or twelue make a particular church what letteth that christ cōmitted not the same to chosen men who are consecrate to Christs name seeing the authoritie of ecclesiasticall discipline is more intiere renowned among chosen godly men then among the confused vulgar sort who as they lack iudgement so are they often carried away with affections Haec Bullingerus Maister Gualter hath these words potestatis christi meminit alludeut ad mat 18. ne ille ecclesie sententiā cōtemneret et hoc iubet quiatunc non erat alia tales coercendi quādo magistratus non erant christiani ali◠qui iste paenas dedisset secundum
duo volumina legit ad aedificatitonem plebis non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandum As therefore the Church readeth the books of Iudith and of Tobye and of the Machabees but receyueth them not amongst the Canonicall Scriptures so doth it also reade these two volumes for edification of the people but not to confirme any Ecclesiasticall doctrine Saint Augustine is of the same opinion and deliuereth the matter in these expresse words Hanc Scripturam quae appellatur Machabaeorum non habent Iudaei sicut Legem Prophetas Psalmos quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet tanquam testibus suis dicens oportebat impâ—eri omnia quae scripta sunt in Lege Prophetis in Psalmis de me Sed recepta est ab Ecclesia non invtiliter si sobrit legatur vel audiatur maxime propter illos Machabaeos qui pro Dei Lege sicut veri Martyres a persecutoribus tam indigna atque horrenda perpessi sunt The Scripture which is of the Machabees the Iewes repute not as they doe the Lawe and the Prophets and the Psalmes to which the Lord gaue testimonie as to his witnesses saying It behooued all things to be fulfilled which are written in the Lawe and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes of mee but the Church hath receiued it not without profite if it bee read or heard soberly especially for those Machabees who for the Lawe of God as true Martyrs suffred of their persecutors so vnworthy and horrible torments Saint Cyprian Saint Ambrose and other Fathers teache the same Doctrine and the continuall practise of the Churche in all ages doth yeelde a constant testimonie therevnto Nowe seeing the Churche of God hath thought it meete and profitable to haue the Apocryphall books read in the Church and seeing withall that Saint Austen Saint Hierome and other holy Fathers do commend the same I see no reason why a few young heads without gray beards whose authoritie is no waye comparable with the practise of the Church neither their reading experience and iudgement to bee equalized with the auncient holy Fathers should take vppon them so rashly to controll the Churche of England and to condemne her for following the practise of the Church in all ages Let these men weigh well with themselues what the holy most reuerend and learned Father Saint Austen saith to this and the like questions These are his expresse words In his n. rebus de quibus nihil certi statuit Scriptura Diuina mos populi Dei vel instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda sunt For in those things touching which the holie Scritpure hath left no certaine rule the custome of Gods people and the ordinances of our ancestours must be holden for a lawe Behold here gentle Reader a most excellent rule indeed giuen vs by this holie Father and great learned Doctor Which if they who this day impugne the governement of our English Church the Prownists and their â—â—herents I euer meane would duely ponder and regarde they would doubtlesse surceasse to vexe and distourbe the peace of our Church and receyue the ordinances of their auncestours with all reuerence and humilitie For the Church of England doth make a flat separation in which it doth in plain and expresse tearms seuer deuide the Canonicall books from the Apocryphall so as no simple Reader can but perceyue and vnderstand the same And it is not to the purpose to obiect as some haue done that the Rubricke in the booke of common prayer calleth the Apocryphall bookes holy Scripture For first when the Rubrick saith the rest of the holie Scripture it may be vnderstood fitlie of the bookes Canonicall following especially seeing it nameth not the Apocryphal expressely but quoteth some of them afterwards Secondly the Apocrypha may truely and lawfully beecalled holie Scripture Analogicè though not Univocè that is to say the wrytings of holy men or bookes conteyning holie and good matter And in this sense speaketh the Rubrick as I iudge and sundry of the holie Fathers I am well assured doe so tearme the bookes Apocryphall Howsoeuer the Rubricke be expounded or wrested two things are apparant Th' one that the Rubricke doth not call them Canonicall scripture Th' other that the Church meaneth not to equalize them with the Canonicall books of holy writ I prooue it because shee hath plainely distinguished the one from the other and preferred the authoritie of the Canonicall Neyther will it serue their turne to say as some haue done viz. That nothing may be read in the Church but onely the Canonicall scriptures For first no text of holy writ doth so affirme and consequently the Church hath power to determine thereof as is alreadie prooued Secondlie the ancient councell of Uasco which was holden aboue one thousand and one hundreth yeares agoe decreed plainlie in their publique assembly that the Deacons should read the Homelies made by the holy Fathers These are the expresse words of the Councell Hoc etiam pro aedificatione omnium Ecclesiarum pro vtilitate totius populi nobis placuit vt non solum in Ciuitatibus sedetiam in omnibus parochijs verbum faciendi daremus Presbyteris Potestatem ua vt si presbyter aliqua infirmitate prohibente per seipsum non potuerit praedicare Sanctorum Patrum Homiliae a Diaconis recitentur Wee haue also decreed for the edification of all Churches and for the good of all the people that the Priests should bee licenced to preache and not in Cities onely but also in euery Parish Churche so that the Deacons may read the Homilies of the holy Fathers if the Priest cannot preache himselfe by reason of some infirmitie Thirdly it is voyde of all reason and farre from all Christianitie to affirme it vnlawfull to read testimonialls made to signifie the distresse of our honest Neighbours that thereby wee may bee styrred vppe to releeue them more bountifullie Yea if it be true that some haue written it is a lawe amongst them of the Presbyterie to haue their orders for gouerning the Church reade publicklie once euery quarter And I knowe Expropria scientia that some of them haue done more Well now-adayes euery vpstart yongling that can rawely pronounce some Texts of the holie Byble though hee but meanely conceyue the true sense will roundly take vpon him I warrant you to reuile our most Reuerend Fathers the Archbyshops Byshoppes and to controll the gouernement of our Churche as if hee had a Commission from Heauen to doe it If I should disclose what my selfe haue heard herein and how I haue beene saluted sometimes for speaking my minde in the defence of the Reuerend Fathers and of the Godly setled Lawes of this Church of England time would sooner faile mee then matter whereof to speake CHAP. XIIII Of certaine extrauagants very offensino to the Patrons of the Presbyterie The first member of Christs Baptisme and the circumstances thereof IT is sharply reprooued that
the booke of common prayer hath in it these wordes that by the Baptisme of his welbeloued Sonne God did sanctifie the floud Iordane and all other waters to the mysticall washing away of sinne By these words say they the Minister is caused to testifie of God that hee hath done that which hee neuer did For answere herevnto I say first that I wonder at the temerarious audacitie of these men who presume to set abroach Quie quid in buccam venerit Truly saith th' Apostle of such qualified people they would bee Doctours of the Lawe and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither whereof they affirme Secondlie that if maister Caluin say traielie as he saith most truelie in deede that it is a pestileut mischief when the maner of one church must bee made a Lawe to all the rest Then doubtlesse may I say truely that it is a mere pestilent mischiefe when the gouernment of all the Churches in a whole Monarchy must be squared and measured by the fancie and conceyte of euery priuate man Thirdlie that when our Sauiour Christ was baptized in Iordan of his precursor Saint Iohn then did he sanctifie all waters for the mysticall washing away of sinne Neither is this mine opinion onely neither yet the Doctrine of the Church of England onely but it is the constant and vniforme affirmance of the holy Fathers Tertullianus whose rare learning Saint Cyprian admyred and therefore was daily conuersant with his works giueth this censure of Christs Baptisme in Iordan Baptizato n. Christo idest sanctificante aquas in suo baptismate omnis plenitudo spiritalium retro Charismatum in Christo cessauit For when Christ was baptized that is to say when Christ sanctified the waters in his Baptisme then all the fulnesse of former spirituall gifts ceased in Christ. Saint Hylarie hath these words Non ille necessitatem habuit abluendi sed per illum in aquis ablutionis nostrae erat sanctificanda purgatio Sequitur Atque ita Prophetae testimonio lauacro non eget exempli sui authoritate Humanae salutis Sacramenta consummat hominem assumptoine sactificans lauacro Hee stoode in no neede of washing but in the waters of our washing hee was to sanctifie our purgation And so both by the testimonie of the Prophet hee needeth no washing and by the authoritie of his example hee doth consummate the Sacraments of Mans saluation sanctifying Man both in his assumption and in his washing Saint Ambrose is consonant to the rest and deliuereth his minde in these words Baptizatus est ergo Dominus non mundaeri volens sed mundare aquas vt ablutae per carnem Christi quae peccatum non cognouit baptismatis ius haberent Our Lord therefore was baptized not desiring to bee purged but to cleanse the waters that they beeing washed by the flesh of Christ which knew no sinne might enioy the right of baptisme Saint Hierome hath these words Ipse Dominus noster Iesus Christus qui non tam mundatus est in lauacro quam lauacro suo vniuersas aquas mundauit statim vt caput extulit de fluento spiritum sanctum accepit non quod vnquam sine spiritis sancto fuerit quippe qui de spiritu sancto in carne natus est sed vt illud nobis monstraretur verum esse baptisma quo spiritus sanctus adueniat Our Lord Iesus Christ who rather cleansed all waters by his washing then receiued any cleansing came no sooner out of the floud but hee receiued the Holy Ghost not that hee was any time without the Holy Ghost who was conceyued by the Holy Ghost in the fleshe but that wee should vnderstand that to be true baptisme in which the Holy ghost is giuen Saint Bede who for his great vertue and rare learning was surnamed Venerablis Venerable or Reuerend hath these expresse words Baptizatus est Dominus non ipse aquis mundari sed ipsas mundare cupiens aquas quae ablutae per carnem eius peccati vtique nesciam Baptismi ius iuduerent quod tam innumera sub lege baptismata non poterant contra prauaricationis malum vim regeneratiua sanctificationis coni ciperent Our Lord was baptized not for desire to cleanse himselfe but to cleanse the waters that they being washed by his flesh which knewe no sinne might put vpon them the right of baptisme and receiue the power of regeneratiue sanctification against the euill of preuarication which all the washings vnder the Law could not performe Thus write the holie Fathers For the better vnderstanding of whose words three things must be seriously obserued touching the sanctification they speak of viz. The time the manner and the ende The time when they were sanctified the manner how they were sanctified and the end for which they were sanctified Concerning the time wee must knowe that Christ instituted holie Baptisme two wayes First exemplarilie by fact then expressely by word Examplarilie when hee was baptized in Iordan about three yeeres a halfe afore his Passion at what time hee was about 30. yeeres of age Expressely after his Resurrection about thirtie dayes before his Ascention vp into Heauen At which time Christ gaue commission to his Apostles that they should teache and baptize all Nations Concerning the manner hee did not instill any inherent sanctimonie or holinesse into the waters but onely did consecrate and depute them vnto an holie ende viz. To be the fit and ordinarie matter of holy baptisme like as God is saide to haue sanctified and blessed the seuenth day not by putting any holy inherent qualitie into it but by deputing and ordeyning it to his owne seruice and holy worshippe Now that he ordained exemplarilie both the water of Iordan and all others to bee the vsuall matter of the Sacrament of Baptisme it may appeare by manie circumstances of the Text aswell for the matter of Baptisme as for the forme and effect thereof First hee determined water to be the matter of baptisme when he touched it with his owne most pure holy flesh and yeelded to be Baptized therewith Secondly hee determined the forme of Baptisme when in his Baptisme the whole Trinitie appeared sensiblie for the voyce of the Father was heard from Heauen the Sonne was present in our flesh assumpted and the Holy Ghost appeered in the shape of a Doue And as Saint Hylarie saith the effect of Baptisme was declared for that the Heauens were opened in the celebration thereof Concerning the ende Baptisme is affirmed of Christ himselfe to bee our second byrth In another place it is said to washe away our sinnes Sacramentally In another place it is called the lauer of Regeneration and Renouation of the Holie Ghost And in another place it is made the seale of our iustification by faith of remission of our sinnes and sanctification in the Holy Ghost To this effect wryteth the golden mouthed Doctor