exceptions to the manner are found to be frivoulous we most humbly entreat your most excellent Maiesty that Pastors may be charged to examine their people before they come to the communion so to prepare them to come with comfort as the Leuits in the 2. Chr. 35. 6 Law sanctified prepared their brethren 7. For a Sermon before the Communion HErein also we both consent unlesse Answ to the petiT p. 11. sect 4. our brethren deceiue us with ambiguous words no body say they disliketh that it bee ministred with a sermon yet here also two exceptions are taken 1. Exc. It is absurd to think it should not be Answ ibid. ministred without a sermon and hath bred in many a vaine and false opinion as if not the word of Christs institution but rather the word of the ministers exposition were a necessary and essentiall part of the Communion Answ The ignorance of our people considered the shortnesse of mens memories especially in good matters the deadnes coldnesse of the greatest part unlesse they haue some good means to stir them up and even as it were to carrie and beare up their harts to God it is not only convenient but very expedient yea and necessary too if possibly it may be that at every communion there should bee a sermon there is not a better time to worke upon a people then when the ground is as we may say ready to eate up the seed from the hand of the sower this is that which S. Paul speakes of to preach in season 2. Tim. 4. 1 and that which our Lord commends to giue the portion of meate in fit time This was the practise of Iohn Baptist of Christ Mat. 24. 45 Mar. 14. Mat. 28. 19 Act. 2. 22. 20. 7. and the Apostles who continually ioyned the word and the Sacraments together It is true it may be a true sacrament without a sermon at the instant because the Sacraments doe not onely seale that which we learne then but all the mercifull and good promises of life and grace which we haue heard before yet because the Sacrament Rom. 4. 11. is more fruitfull and effectuall unto us when it hath the ministery of the word annexed to quicken it and to giue life to it by renewing the promises of God and stirring us up to lay hands upon them Therefore in consideration hereof it is earnestly to be wished that the word and the Sacraments may still go hand in hand together VVe hope nay we know Vniversity men bee not to learne to know That aliud est sacramentum aliud est vis sacramenti The sacrament is one thing and the vertue of the sacrament is another Or as Augustine speakes in another Aug. tract 26. in Ioan. lib. 4 de Bapt. c. 17. place Aliud est habere aliud est utiliter habere And therefore though it be a sacrament without a sermon yet the preaching of the word makes it a more profitable sacrament more fruitfull and more effectuall to the receivers Except He that readeth our Communion Answ to the petit p. 11. sect 4. booke shall see that therein the whole manner end and use of that holy institution is so excellently described as may be in stead of many sermons Answ That which was reached us with the right hand is here pulled away from us with the left The communion booke say they may be insteed of many sermons The learnedst divines in this Land and wee as they say haue the best in Christendome can preach but one sermon at once and therefore if this be so that the booke may be in stead of many sermons the dumb minister with his Communion booke shall bee better able to prepare a people for the Sacrament the the learnedst divine in all Christendom with his sermon And is not this goodly stuffe Our Reuerent Bishops as it seems were not so deeply conceited of the booke and therefore they decreed in their Synode si tempore sacrae communionis Synod Lond. anno 1571. nulla erit concio de scripto è pulpito pronuntiabit unam aliquam ex homilijs c. here there must bee a sermon or an homily to helpe out the booke a sermon if it may bee and therefore in the iudgement of these learned men the booke may not suffice in stead of many sermons Godly Bucer one of their owne authors would Bucer de reg Christ. l. 3. c. 7. p. 57. haue King Edward establish it as a Lawe in this Land that before the communion the Scripture be not onely read but also expounded to the people and sure as we take it there is reason for it for howsoever there be some good things in the booke yet they may not bee matched with preaching 1. because preaching is the most effectuall means whereby God worketh conversion in his people as the Apostle saith It pleased God through 1. Cor. 1. 21 the foolishnesse of preaching to saue the beleevers 2. The doctrine of the booke is alwayes one and the same but the doctrine Mat. 15. 39 of the preacher may bee varied The doctrine of the booke is generall but the doctrine of the preacher may bee fitted 2. Tim. 2. 15. in particular as hee sees occasion and therefore howsoeuer the booke may be good yet in the iudgement of any reasonable man preaching must needs be better VVherfore most noble king we trust your highnesse so well acquainted with the wayes of God and all the means of life and comfort will establish that which in the iudgement of any feeling Christian is the fittest 8 Against the name of Priests 1. THat distinction which the holy Ghost hath constantly retained in all the new Testament between the Priests of the law and the ministers of the Gospel that distinction must we retain if we will speak the language of Canaan and Esay 19. 18 Neh. 13. 24. not as the children did in Nehemias time halfe in the speech of Ashdod and halfe in the language of the Iewes But the holy Ghost hath constantly retained this distinction in all the new Testament between the Priests of the Law and the ministers of the Gospell Therefore if we will speake as the holy Ghost hath taught us we must retaine this distinction The assumption or second proposition hath all authoritie to confirme it 1. the Phil. 1. 1. Ex. 4. 11. Doct. Fulk answ to the hand c. 6. Scripture it selfe 2. the iudgement of our best divines Doctor Fulke because saith he the Scriptures calleth the ministers of the new Testament by divers other names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priests wee thought it necessary to observe that distinction which wee see the holy Ghost hath so precisely observed And again shewing why the ministers of the Gospell be neuer called Priests in any one translation of our Bibles It is reason saith he we should retaine that disserence of names of the ibid. ministers of both
not that is good so neither in our freinds commend wee that which is euill as he well sayth nec bonis aduersariorum si quid honestum Hierom Pammach Ocean habuerint detrahendum est nec amicorum laudanda sunt vitia 4. Obiect Those men might haue better performed their obedience to God c what are these men they should assume so much Answ 1. wee haue assumed nothing Iust cōplaints not disloyall which becommeth not good subiects to lay open our complaynts to our gracious Soveraigne as the members send vp their greifes to the head 2. Neither doe wee seeke to abuse the Clergie but to honor them when wee desire they might in everie congregation shine as lampes both in life and doctrine 3. VVhat greater obedience to God then to bee found faithfull what better service to his Maiesty then to acquaint him with the wants of that body wherof he is the head what truer loue to the Church then to desire her perfection 4. VVee trust his Maiesty counteth it no trouble to heare his honest subiects complaynts as by his owne princely words wee are incouraged weary not to heare the complaints of the oppressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 92. aut ne Rex sis Preachers and ministers that humblie sue for redresse trouble not the Church but idle non residents dumb ministers couetous pluralists are the men which are setled in their dregges and will not haue their sowre lees drawne forth As for vs wee blesse God for our externall peace and heartily desyre the true internall peace that we may be all according to the Apostles rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 15. following the truth in loue and louinge in the truth and so we say with Hierome ad Theoph vnto our brethren that seeme to stand so much upon peace and quietnesse nihil grande est voce pacem praetendere opere destruere c. it is nothing to pretend peace in word and destroy it indeed VVee also would peace and we wish not onely but entreat peace the peace of Christ true peace pacem quae not ut adversarios subijciat sed ut amicos iungat such peace which may not subdue us as enemies but ioyn us as friends 5. Obiect They must prooue that those Vntruth 7. These are the peccant humors are the peccant humours of the Church which in truth is the least peccant of any other c. Ans 1. If these such like be not the Who come neerest the Catharsts peccant humors in the body of the Church there are none at all thus these men seem to come neerer to the Puritans Catharists then those whom they in their answer haue traduced that acknowledge all things pure in the Church and no thing amisse how farre are they from redressing that are so farre of from confessing their wants Ambrose well saith sensus vulneris est sensus vitae the sense of griefe is the sense of life 2. VVe wish even in our hearts it were as they say that our Church were least peccant in the world then should we haue no contention about humane rites Non-residents dumbe ministers Commendams faculties abuse of Excommunication and such like which are strange in other reformed Churches 3. Reverend Bishop Iewel where he saith we are come as neere as possibly we could to the Church of the Apostles neither meaneth How we are come neere the Apostles the abuses and peccant humors of our Church which he would never haue iustified nor yet all the ceremonies for else were he alledgeth out of Valafridius Abbas that in the beginning the cōmunion was ministred without any difference of apparrell and sheweth that it was so in Hieroms time defence Apol. 401. Neither yet doth hee meane that the discipline of the Primitiue Church is exactly restored for the booke it selfe confesseth that the godly discipline of the Primitiue Church is now wanting and besides In the commination hee sheweth in this place wherein the Church of England is departed from the Church of Rome which is not in the administration of discipline received from them and else where he reproveth Harding Defenc. apol 41. for saying Christ and his Apostles never ruled the Cburch in better order then it is now ruled by the Pope his Cardinais Our brethren say as much in effect that it is ruled as well by Bishops VVherefore his meaning must needes be that in doctrine and in the substance of the Sacraments we are come neere it and for the rest as neere as possibly we could that is as the times would permit and suffer And we desire our brethren to tell us in good sooth whether in the Primitiue Church of the Apostles the crosse in Baptisme the surplice in the Communion were used whether they read of any Chancellours officials c. Non-residents dumbe Ministers in those times It is all we desire that the discipline of our Church may be reduced to the forme of the Apostles government Lastly haue our brethren no more chariry then to wish that the petitioners whom they untruely call unquite and mal-contended humors were purged out of the land If they proceed on in such wishes they will giue us cause to complaine as Hierome doth of an uncharitable adversarie of his talibus institutus Apol. 3. advers Ruf. es disciplinis ut cui respondere non poteris caput auferas linguam quae tacere non potest seces You haue learned that whom you cannot answer his head you would chop off and cut out the tongue that you cannot silence but we wish better unto them with the Apostle if yee bee otherwise minded that God would reveale it unto you in his good time 6. Obiect To subscribe to that in respect Of subscription upon protestation c. of the times which in it selfe is vnlawfull proveth little lesse then hypocrisie c. Answ In these petitioners which subscribed to the booke in which terme is no disdaine at all there was neither dishonesty nor hypocrisie so to doe although they simply allow it not 1. They subscribed with protestation some with condition other some upon expositions giuen them which is no meere falsity but a cleere verity as some of our Bishops and their Registers do know and some of the subscribers are able to shew Fox p. 118. But this argueth no sincerity say our brethren VVhat would they then haue said of Reverend Cranmer who was sworne to the Pope upon protestation acknowledging his authority no further then it Zanch. Miscel p. 35. agreed with the expresse word of God Or what would our brethren haue thought of Zanchius that with some exceptions and interpretations subscribed to certaine Lutheran points of doctrine who aledgeth the iudgmēt of Calvin in the same matter to Gulielmus Holbracchus likewise urged by the Lutherans to subscribe praecise ut recuses non cōsulo c. nunc ergo exceptiones interponere necesse est quae
Idolo si in Idoleio recumbere Tertul. de corou milit alienum est à fide quid ni Idolei habitu videre c. Nothing is to be given to the Idol so neither to be taken from the Idol if to sit down in the Idol-temple be strange from the faith why not to bee seen in the Idols habit 2 That simplicity and plainnesse which Christ and the Apostles and the Fathers in the best time of the Church used is fittest and meetest for the ministers of Christ according to that From the beginning it was not so where our Saviour Mat. 19. 8. Christ teacheth us to reduce and bring things backe to their first originall But our Saviour Christ and the Apostles and the Fathers in the best and purest times of the Church had neither cap nor surplice to minister in Therfore that ancient use is fittest to be retained still That Christ and his Apostles Luc. 4. 16. had no ministring garments it appeareth Luk. 4. where our Saviour Christ entred into the Synagogue and stood up to read the minister brought him not a surplice but a book And when Paul and Barnabas entred into the Synagogue and Act. 13. 36. the Ruler sent to them to preach they stood up without any more ado P. Martyr Pet. Mart. clas 4. c. 1. is cleere for this Papists saith hee despise us because wee haue no priestly garments when Christ his Apostles had none neither So likewise Epi. ad Hooper Defence of Apol. p. 401 Walfr de exord in ca. Eccles c. 24 B. Iewel brings authorities to proue it Walafridus and others to shew that the Massing garments came in by little and little So at first men celebrated in common apparrell as certaine of the East Churches are said to doe at this day M. Fox Mart. p. 5. Fox likewise saith That in the Apostles time little regard was had of dayes or meates or apparrell c. And therefore seeing Christ used no distinction of apparell herein wee desire but to bee like our master 3. That which doth not add grace and comelinesse to the ministery of the Gospell but maketh it ridiculous is to be removed But so do the Cap and Surplice it makes the minister of the Gospell ridiculous for first it brings him in like a Popish priest Elias was known to be a 2. King 1. 8. Prophet because he went like a Prophet i. in a Prophets garment so if men would haue the people take us for Ministers of the Gospell why bee wee still apparrelled like Popish priests Secondly this kinde of white apparrell is now grown into disgrace in our Churches because none but harlots that doe penance come so attired into the congregation and therefore seeing the surplice doth not add any grace unto the Minister of the Gospell but maketh him ridiculous it is therefore cleare that it is to be removed 4 That kinde of garment which procureth scruple of conscience to divers that weare it offence to many good Christians that behold it comfort to the Papists that loue it losse to the Church of the labours of many worthy men ought not to be used But such is the surplice as daily experience teacheth Therfore it is not to be used 1. Obj. To leaue every man to his owne Answ to the Petit. p. 11. sect 3. liberty implies confusion Answ No confusion at all for if our brethren will hold them to their owne grounds if the surplice be not urged by Princely authority they may not use it for when the learned man whom they tearme T. C. had demanded why the Bishop Thomas Cartwright Synod Loud anno 1571. cap. de Decanis Doct. Whit. p. 283. in the Synod Anno 1571. had taken away the gray Amice as a garment spotted with superstition and left the surplice which had been more filthily abused in Popery the Reuerend Archbishop replies that the Bishop took it away because it was not established by any law of this land And sith herein in our mind the Bishop did well in it that they will not suffer any rite or ornament to be used in this Church but such onely as are by publike authority established and therefore as we say if they will sticke to their owne grounds if the king do not urge the surplice by law they must not use it 2. Obj. Doe not their own words import Answ to the petit p. 11. that they may bee well used so they bee not urged Answ 1. That they may be used is one thing that they may be well used is another Many things may bee tolerated which cannot be iustified 2. The consequent is not good for if they be not urged by authority then they may not bee used as before is shewed 3. Obj. What is there in the Cap or Surplice Answ ibid. that should offend any man of iudgement Bucer P. Martyr Augustine Calvin Answ Then be like our brethren take all that be offended at the surplice to bee men of no iudgement Rev. Iewel a man as of more learning so of more modestie Defence Apol p. 399. loue confesseth that there were godly learned men that refused the apparell and that they had their grounds and reasons from authoritie to do so and our present Arch. BB. professeth there were some that never received the apparell whom saith ibid. p. 400. Doct. Whit. pag. 289. he I for my part haue alwayes reverenced and do reverence not onely for their singular vertue and learning but for their modestie also Peter Martyr their own author Pet. Mart. ep 3. amico cuidam resolveth that though the surplice may bee tolerated till things become to some stay yet it were much better that it were removed I saith he writing to a friend in England thinke as you doe that these things being indifferent of themselues make not a man either good or bad but as you also thinke so I thinke it more convenient that that garment and many things of that kind cum fieri commode poterit auferuntur i. that when conveniently it may bee done they be removed in the same epistle here quoted I like well saith he if you desire that Christian religion should aspire again to chaste simple purenesse for what should all godly men more wish for and to speak of my selfe I hardly suffer my selfe to be drawn frō that simple pure use which we all long used at Strasburgh where differēce of apparell in regard of the ministrie was taken away that manner as being the plainer and especially savouring of the Apostolike Churches I haue alwayes approved above all others and I pray God that it may be long continued there and wheresoever the Church of Christ is restored it may at length be received and therfore if the matter may passe upon this worthy mans verdict we shall soone agree Hemingius shewes that the ministers Clas 3. c. 16 of the Gospell in these parts utterly refused the
then severity cohortation then commination charity then authority but they which seeke their own not Iesus Christs doe swarue from this Law which seek rather to rule then counsell their subiects for while honour pleaseth pride puffeth up that which was provided for a remedy to a malady Leo epist 82. distinct 45. 6. In the urging of subscription they forget Christian compassion stripping Ministers and some of them aged of their livings to the undoing of themselues their wiues and children Iosias shewed more compassion to the Chemarims that were idolatrous Priests who though they were not permitted to come up to the altar yet did not eate unleavened bread among their brethren 2. Reg. 23. 9. they had their maintenance from the temple The Popes Canons herein were more equall that pittied old age as Gregory thus decreeth sed quia simplicitatem tuam cum senectute novimus interim tacemus the penall sentence was ready to be inflicted but because wee know your simplicity ioyned with old age we hold our peace Caus 1. q. 7. can 11. 7. This forcing of subscription to Ceremonies not warranted by the word is contrary to the Scriptures and practise of the Church In Nehemiahs time Subscription was required and an oath of the chiefe of the people but it was onely to walk in Gods Law Neh. 10. 29. not to keepe any traditions not written VVhen Victor would haue forced the East Churches to keep Easter as the Latine Churches did and was resolved to excommunicate them certaine Christian Bishops and Irenaeus among Euseb lib. c. 22. the rest did reproue him tanquam inutiliter Ecclesiae commodis consulentem as unprofitably regarding the Churches good There arose in Gregory the first his time a Tolet. 4. c. 5 great difference in Spaine about the thrice dipping in baptisme some doing it but once Leander a Spanish Bishop sent to Gregory about it who determineth that the Infant was baptized sive trina sive simpla mersione whether with thrice or once dipped hee would haue no contention about that ceremony But his successours more rigorous then charitable one decreed that it was Evangelicum praeceptum Part. 3. dist 4. c. 82. an Evangelicall precept to dip thrice Another that hee was not a perfect Christian that was not thrice dipped Lastly Pelagius it was decreed in the 8. generall Councell at Constantinople that whereas Photius the Can. 8. 9. concil general Constantinop usurper of that sea did extorquere chyrographas c. extort from clergie handwritings promising thereby to cleaue unto him and he againe gaue them by his hand writing faculties to preach And certaine Catholicke Bishops had taken up the like custome to urge subscription The contrary was decreed by that Councell ut Episcopi nullus chyrographas c. that Bishops should no more exact such subscription sed tantummodo fierent solennitates de more but to be content with the old use they should enforce no new subscriptions but keepe the old customes solennities The Bishops then in urging new subscriptions to combine the Clergy to cleaue unto them not otherwise to grant them licenses to preach did reviue the corrupt use of Photius the pseudo-Patriark condemned in this Councell 8. To require absolute subscription to the booke is to make it almost equall to the Scripture as freed from all errour but this properly the holy writings onely haue viz. to bee perfect right pure Psal 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect the statuts of the Lord are right VVhat could be required more then to subscribe absolutely to the word of God as pure perfect and without any errour Augustine well distinguisheth between divine and humane writing de Scripturis canonicis non licet dicere c. of the Canonicall Scriptures it is not lawfull to say the Author was deceived but in other books which are written by us not with authority of precept but exercise to profit though there be found the same verity yet are they not of the same authority which kind of writing must be read not with necessity of beleefe but liberty of iudgement Aug. cont Faust l. 11. 5. But there is now no liberty of iudgmēt left but necessity of beliefe imposed in this absolute subscriptiō 9. Beside this violent course of subscription hath bred a great scandale in the Church disturbed the peace thereof that whereas quietly before Ministers ioyned together in building the Lords house after the same began to be urged then suspensions imprisoning silencing depriving of many profitable ministers followed Saint Paul saith Would to God they were cut off that disquiet you Gal. 5. 12. They were disquieters of the Church that urged the ceremonies not they that refused them Conscience forced not the one to urge subscription for they themselues hold these Ceremonies not to bee necessary but conscience moved the other in not subscribing unto them VVho were then disturbers they which urged those things which with a good conscience might be left or they which refused those which with a good conscience they thought they could not use There is a rule in the law In rebus dubijs pars tutior sequenda In doubtfull matters the safer way is to be followed Not to use such rites and ceremonies is no sin but to yeeld unto them in him that is not resolved is sinne The law resolveth that the lesse doubted course should be taken not to use them at all Cyrillus thus writeth to Gemadius Sicut ij qui mare navigant c. As they which saile in the Sea when a tempest ariseth and the ship is in danger doe disburden it of some things to saue the rest so seeing it is not in our power to saue all despicimus ex ijs quaedam ne cunctorum patiamur dispendia Wee seeme to neglect or winke at some things lest wee should leese all So it had been better to haue cast out such burthenous ceremonies then to put the ship of the Church in hazard and disturbe the peace thereof 10. The forme of subscription is contrary Subscription contrary to law to the law of the land as may appeare by these reasons 1. The Law requireth subscription onely to the Articles of Religion in these words He shall declare Anno 13. Eliz. c. 12. his assent and subscribe to all the articles of Religion which onely concerne the confession of the true christian faith and the doctrine of the Sacraments But to subscribe to the booke of common praier doth not onely concerne the confession of true Christian faith Ergo by the lawe it is not to be subscribed unto 2. That which Ministers doe subscribe unto by law must appeare under the seal testimoniall of the Bishop and bee publikely declared in the Church within two moneths of induction but neither doth the testimoniall make mention of subscription to the booke neither is the Minister bound to declare his assent thereto in the Church Ergo it is not agreeable to the law 3. The
farme Ne Laici Ecclesias ad firmam teneant Neither part 27. c. 3 vntruth We doe not content our selues with a 7. part only Reasons of the Petitioners motion conceruing lay mens tythes Synod Colō part 8. c. 5. need it offend our brethren that we seeme to be content with a sixt or seventh part not a seventh part onely as they charge us of such impropriations wee could wish the whole were restrained But seeing that some hold them by inheritance and some by purchase some of good place are wholy maintained of them such a motion would haue seemed unreasonable we say as not long since a provinciall Synod complained Decimas potissimum Ecclesiarum ministris deberi non est dubium That tythes are principally due to the Ministers it is not to be doubted but now they are every where so usurped of lay men that they cannot easily bee pulled out of their hands And this was one cause of so qualifying our motion as also lest we might haue seemed to be partiall while we wish Ecclesiasticall impropriations to stand for the maintenance of their corporations and aime at the dissolution of them of the lay sort as further fearing lest such a motion for these might haue been prejudiciall and dangerous for the other that serue to the maintenance of learning 16. Object It is possible that the men vntruth We despise them not whom they so much contemne would bee able to propose some other course c. Answ This course to be taken for impropriations tendeth not to the alteration or iniury of any state And if the confuters who it were to be wished did no more despise their brethren then they are despised could haue proposed any other course for the maintenance of the Church they might haue done well so to doe But it may be worthily suspected that they can hardly giue counsell to others that will not take it themselues that they which take upon them the defence of Non-residents pluralists impropriations can speake for the maintenance of the Church Ambrose saying may well fit such Quis vtilem causae alienae iudicet quem inutilem Lib. offic 2 12. videt vitae suae quommodo eum iudicare potes superiorem consilio quem vides inferiorem moribus supra me esse debet cui me committere paro an eum idoneum putabo qui mihi det consilium qui non dat sibi Hee cannot giue counsell to another that will take none himselfe neither can hee bee superiour in advice that is inferiour in life And to conclude nothing can bee objected of any weight or moment to hinder so good a worke and so princely a motion which the Kings Maiesty by his letters hath first made whose Christian zeale ought to make others forward Let every man laying aside his owne private respects further the common cause and seeke the generall good of Christs Church that S. Pauls complaint be not renewed All seek their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs Phil. 2. 27. And Hierome well saith Ne lucra saeculi in Christi quaeras militia c Seeke not the worldly gaine in Christs service THE DEFENCE OF THE FOVRTH PART OF THE PETItion concerning Church Discipline 1. Obj. VVE haue been taught heretofore Ans p. 20. that Discipline is an essentiall part of the Gospell c. and matter of faith Ans That the Discipline of the Church being generally understood is a matter of faith and an essentiall marke of the Church I hope our brethren will not deny For Discipline comprehendeth not onely the administration of the keyes but Perpetuall governmēt of the Church p. 208. ordination and imposition of hands but without ordination there are no preachers How shall they preach unlesse they bee sent Rom. 10. 15. And without preaching there is no beliefe ibid. vers 14. VVherefore without some part of Discipline it cannot bee denied but that the Church is no Church faith no faith but generally of euery part it cannot be so affirmed Cyprian is very peremptory for the necessitie of discipline thus writing Apparet non aliter Lib. 2. ep 7. Ecclesiasticae saluti consuli posse c. It appeareth that the safety of the Church cannot otherwise bee provided for unlesse they which are against it as contrary floods bee repelled and the ordor of Discipline as the stirring oare in a tempest be kept safe 2. Obj. It is now come to be so indifferent c. that it will suffer an OR ELS or AT THE LEAST Ibid. Ans And what haue the petitioners here moved which the kings most excellent Maiesty hath not first written That the Discipline of the Church bee preserved in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 44. purity according to Gods word VVhat needed our brethren then to haue carped at this petition Neither is that disiunctiue clause or else at the least any contradiction or repugnance to the former but an exception and qualifying thereof which giveth the adversary no advantage as the Law saith Exceptionem obijciens non videtur de intentione adversarij confiteri Reg. Iuris 63. And it is a condescending to the time that where the perfection desired can not be had reformation be sought that may be attained VVherefore as the rule is in the Law In Argumentum trahi nequeunt quae propter necessitatem aliquando sunt concessa Reg. Iuris 78. That which is yeelded to the necessity of time must not bee urged as the integrity of the thing If Christs institution were exactly kept many things shold be amended that are here not named but the Petitioners haue onely mentioned those things which in reason they thought would not be denied or gainsayd 3. Obj. Were we perswaded that their discipline were of Christs institution could we be without it c. Answ VVhat our brethren will be perswaded wee know not but if these things which are mooved bee not proved to bee agreable to the word of God and the practise of the primitiue Church wee desire not to bee heard but to be reiected with our cause VVee will not obtrude our owne fansies but measure our iudgment by the scriptures as Origen sayth Exhibeo sensus mei testem scripturam Homil. 1. in Ierem. Homil. 9. in Ierem. sensus nostri enarrationes sine ijs testibus non habent fidem I yeeld the scripture a witnesse of my sence my exposition without the scripture let it bee of no credite 4. Object His excellent Maiesty hath had Ans p. 20. experience of the manifold mischeifes that attend their pretended discipline c. Answ This discipline and reformation intended by vs is not attended vpon by any such mischifes other mens ouersights wee iustifie not neither approue any vnaduised proceedings Neither hath his Maiestie so euill opinion of the Scottish Discipline as they insinuate The right vse of a thing must not bee condemned for the abuse as the Law sayth vtile non debet per inutile vitiari Neither the
servare nec usurpare regnum sed vereri Wee haue learned to bee faitbfull to the Prince not to usurpe any kingdom but to reverence the king c. 6. They further vntruely charge the Petitioners Vutruth No such thing will ensue That povertie and lack of learning would creepe into the Clergie if their desire take place Answ p. 29. VVhereunto we answer 1. what though there be not sufficient maintenance left in some reformed Churches VVee pittie their estate and as much condemne the embeazelers of Church revenues as these censurers And it is an vncharitable speach that wee would haue our Churches reduced and made conformable to the calamitie of those places Neither is the povertie of those Churches the fruit of their reformation but of some mens couetousnes that are ready to Vntruth We would not haue our Church so reduced take any occasion to enrich themselues neither do the Petitioners urge the alteration of the ecclesiasticall state according to their platforme the Petitioners stand for the maintenance of a learned Ministerie as it may appeare by their motion of impropriations and wee say with Origen Nisi dederit oleum populus extinguetur lucerna in templo Hom. 13. in levit 2. That there are not many men brought up among them they meane in Scotland and other reformed Churches worthy of that honorable maintenance is not far from a defamation of so worthy a Church neither had that land ever more learned men both preachers and writers then are at this time The Kings own Testimony shall cleare this point There is presently a sufficient number of good men of the ministry of this kingdom How may his Maiesty take it to haue such an evill report brought up of his countrey 3. Of like truth it is that the petitioners Vntruth here called at their pleasures evill malicious ungrateful men can see nothing in the Church but defects deformities VVee neither condemne that which is good for the evill nor yet iustifiy the evill as they do together with the good that were to use too little a measure and this too large as one saith Mensura maior est quando plus donatur rebus quam merita deposcunt minor cum subtrahitur meritis Apol. pamph quod debetur 4. VVe wish also that all which professe the truth were in our condition but with S. Pauls exception Excepting these bonds our Act. 26. 29. state were most happy if this servitude under humane constitutions were removed 5. And we wish with all our hearts it were as they say That our Reverend Prelates did contayne themselues within such bounds as preserue that state from creeping to any papall corruptions But how can this be truly sayd when as the discipline of the Ecclesiasticall courts is altogether the same setting the supremacy aside which was exercised under the pope The corruption is not reformed being by an other authority maintayned the Canon saith Cum quid una via prohibetur alieni ad id alia non debet admitti That which is forbidden one way ought not to be admitted an other The corruptions of the Ecclesiasticall state as by the papall supremacy are not now practised so by his Maiesties princely authority we trust shall bee purged to whom the honour of this worke must be left not to the Bishops themselues to chaine them with such bonds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 44 as may preserue that state from creeping to corruption 6. That there is yet remaining to Colledges Cathedrall Churches Bishops such sufficent and honorable maintenance the Ans to the Pet. p. 31. Petitioners which are vniustly traduced as impugners of the state doe therein reioyce and wish together with the continuance good employment of them Such as do prey vpon the Church tithes and inheritance and they which assent vnto them we hould guiltie of great impietie Ambrose well saith in Orat. in Aâ—xent an other case Naboth vineam non tradidit suam nos trademus Ecclesiam Christi si ille patrum haereditatem non tradidit ego tradam haereditatem Christi i. If Naboth would not forgo the inheritance of his fathers much lesse should any betray the inheritance of the Church 7. If it be admited that there were more Ans to Pet. p. 31. learned men in this kingdome then among all the Ministers of the religion in all Europe beside that doth not proue that there are no dumb unlearned Ministers in the Church 1. And where will our brethren find so many learned men if they exclude all those preachers which desire reformation whom at other times they will hardly afford the name of learning 2. And it need not to be marvailed at if England may compare in number of learned Pastors with most reformed countries though the comparison bee too large to set it alone against all Europe seeing in this one land there are more parish Churches which are occasions of learned Ministers then in all the Protestant reformed nations 4. But considering the whole number of Parishes which riseth to not so few asten thousand as we may compare for learned Ministets so we feare wee exceed them for unlearned Scotland hath not the third part of that number nor the tenth of our maintenance but there are few Churches which haue not a preaching Minister therein we wish we could compare with them 5. As this Church of England aboundeth with many learned men so it would abound much more for every learned minister wee should haue two if that course might be taken which the humble Petitioners desire but now as wee haue many bright shining lamps so there are more dim twinkling stars The third part of the land is darkened with unpreaching ministers that we may say with Origen Alij sunt quorum pars aliqua observatur ut in Revelatione percussa est tertia pars lunae alij qui penitus cadunt ut stellae à draconis cauda Tractat. 30. â—â— Mat. tractae Though the dragons taile of Rome thankes bee to God hath not smitten our starres to the ground yet a third part of our morne is obscured 8. And true it is that as our brethren say our inferiour Clergie even the thousand preachers Petitioners with their fellow labourers so dispised not the dumb idle ministers and Non-residents haue been the most effectual meanes to settle the tranquilitie of the land by inducing mens mindes unto piety towards God loyalty to their King and to use their own words as the Apostle gaue his detractors to understand that he was not inferiour to the chiefe Apostles nay that he laboured more then they all In like case we doubt not but a truth may be be averred of our selues even by our selues without any ostentation at all when it is so iniuriously impeached and troden under feet to the high dishonour of God the disgrace of his Gospell and to the slander of this most Christian Common-wealth Thus haue we answered our brethren for this matter with their owne words but much more truely without any ostentation of vanity but in the plaine declaration of verity and we say with Ambrose Non est Ambr. ser 15 in Psal 129. hoc ulla virtutum iactantia sed vita innocentis assertio aliud est dignum se praemia dicere aliud indignum iniuria It is not to boast of our vertues but to avow our innocency and one thing it is to say that wee are worthy of reward and another that we are unworthy of iniury And thus for this time haue we ended our iust plea and reply for the truth leaving the iudgement thereof to your Christian Maiesty wherein to our knovvledge we haue maintained nothing which is not consonant to the Scriptures and agreeable to the ancient practise of the primitiue Church In handling wherof we humbly craue pardon if we haue been too tedious Our intendment was not so much to confute the gain-sayers as to confirme the truth and we herein follow Cyprians counsell Semel laboravimus ne alij Ad Fortunat. semper laborarent We haue taken this paines at once to ease other of continuall paines That where they doubt they may bee resolued where they are wavering they might bee setled and wherein they haue not yet travelled they may be further informed Now to your excellent Maiesty we hartily wish the compassion of David the wisedom of Salomon the faithfulnesse and zeale of Moses both tenderly to pitty wisely to discerne and uprightly to determine these causes and controversies of the Church according to these excellent graces of Clemencie Prudencie and Piety wherewith God hath enlarged your Princely heart to the honour of Christ the comfort of his Church your Maiesties immortal renown in earth everlasting reward in Heaven FINIS