Turpiter atrū Desinit in piscem mulier formosa superne and lower parts of an ugly fish was joyned to a faire and beautifull womans face Or like some Apothecaries boxes which bearing the inscription of a Cordiall or pretious antidote containes nothing in it but some banefull drugge or deadly poyson I confess I have knowne men of his straine to start strange doctrines from texts where a man would never have dreamed of any such matter as if their texts were but a colour serving onely to bring in their owne fancies As one that preaching upon the parable of the Prodigall Luk. 15. 15. from that where it is said Hee joyned himselfe to a Citizen of that country which hee did constrained by necessity and to avoid starving observed this doctrine That it is the duty of Christians in choosing their calling to make choyse of men eminent for religion and piety Another that in that of S. Iohn Hee is the propitiation for our Iohn 15. 15. sins and not for our sins onely but for the sins of the whole world found this That Christ did not dye for all men but onely for the elect But yet Mr. Burton passes them all in that having such a Text could in all the parts of it so directly contradict it as if he had learned of the Canonist to expound constituimus by abrogamus But I go on The pretended ground of all these clamours calumniations and contumelies against the Bishops and Hierarchy we find by him set downe p. 111. in these words According to our text we are professedly against all those usurpations and innovations which the Prelates of latter dayes have haled in by the head and shoulders being besides and against the law of the Land and much more against the Law of God And indeed the summe of all these declamatory sermons and of his libels and Epistles c. is briefly this There are divers Innovations lately brought into the Church and State and that with a strong hand and strange persecution of those that yeeld not to them by the Archbishop of Cant. and some other Bishops of dangerous consequence as tending to the subversion of the religion and government established and the bringing of us back againe to idolatry and union with the Church of Rome and therefore that the Bishops ought to bee severely punished and their orders abolished So that if it appeare that this is false in every part of it As namely that the innovations which he raves upon are injuriously so termed That they are not popish or tending to the overthrow of the religion established and reconciling us to Rome That the Bishops urging these supposed innovations have kept within the bounds of their lawfull power and not exercised any tyrannie nor persecuted Gods people or the Kings good subjects If I say these severals shall be made to appeare and this by Gods assistance I doubt not but I shall be able to do to the conviction of such as are not wilfully blinded then the iniquity of his clamors the falsehood odiousness and impudency of his calumniations will without more adoe be discovered and it will be easie to judge who they are that have troubled Israel And therefore that I may not leade my readers through the maze of his manifold tautologies nor tyre my selfe and them in the wilde and pathless thicket of his impertinencies nor take the paynes to wipe off every spot of dirt which he hath cast upon his opposites My purpose is to examine this Grand crimination and to speake of the severall supposed innovations and that according to that division and in that order that wee finde them ranked by him in that forenamed place Where he thus writes And these Innovations or changes wee may reduce to eight generall heads 1. Innovation in Doctrine 2. Innovation in Discipline 3. Innovation in the worship of God 4. Innovation in the civill government 5. Innovation in the Altering of bookes 6. Innovation in the meanes of knowledge 7. Innovation in the rule of faith 8. Innovation in the rule of Maners CHAP. V. Of the supposed Innovations in Doctrine Of King James his Order to the Vniversities for reading the Fathers done long since unjustly charged upon the present Bishops By whomsoever procured upon just grounds Not Popish but against Popery King James's other Order for preaching of Election c. justified FIrst saith he they the Prelats have laboured to bring in a change of Doctrine as appeareth by these instances 1. By procuring an Order from King James of famous memory to the Vniversities that young students should not read our Moderne learned Writers as Calvin Beza and others of the reformed Churches but the Fathers and Schoolemen This first crimination is farre fetcht being if I mistake not a thing acted above twenty yeeres agoe so that it seemes hee meanes to take him compasse enough the times present not affording him sufficient store and if hee had gone backe but twice as many more hee might have found the reading of Calvin and Beza accounted as great an Innovation as now he holds the debarring of men from reading of them and that by those that were as good Protestants as Mr. Burton and as farre from Popery But secondly being so long agoe done I cannot see how hee can lay it upon the present Prelates especially upon those whom hee most strives to make odious none of them being Bishops at that time But if they must inherit the guilt and punishment of their Predecessors faults In the third place how doth it appeare that it was the Bishops doing Marry because King Iames approved and magnified those Orthodox Authors and gave the right hand of fellowship to those reformed Churches which those Authors had planted or watered calling that the Orthodox faith which those Churches did professe and in particular did commend Calvin as the most judicious and sound expositor of Scripture And therefore it were impious to imagine that King James should doe any act in prejudice of Calvin c. Well But might not that judicious King or any man else approve the Authors in the general and yet dislike some things in them for which hee might thinke them not so fit for young students in Divinity to lay them for the foundation of their studies It is no prejudice to the best of them nor indeed to any man as being a common infirmity of humane nature to say that in some things they erred Much lesse can it wrong them to have the ancient Fathers from whose torches they lighted their candles preferred as the more worthy And it is one thing to give the right hand of fellowship to a particular Church which we willingly doe to all the reformed Churches beyond the Seas and another to like and approve every Tenet that any man in that Church shall hold or deliver I suppose Mr. Burton is not so uncharitable as to deny the Lutherane Churches the right hand of fellowship and to exclude them from being
Burtons endeavour to excuse Ap-Evans Mr. Burtons opposites not censorious What they thinke of those whom he calls Professors and the profession it selfe True Piety approved and honoured in all professions The answere to this crimination summed up The censured partiall Iudges of their own censures How offences are to be rated in their censures THe next is Innovation in Discipline which saith he in a word is this That whereas of old the censures of the Church were to be inflicted upon disordered and vitious persons notorious livers as drunkards adulterers c. Now the sharpe edge thereof is mainly turned against Gods people and Ministers even for their vertue pag. 127. and piety c. A man that reads this charge and were ignorant of the language that is spoken among those of M. Burtons tribe would verily beleeve if it were but halfe true that the State of our Church were metamorphosed into a very Babel of disorder and confusion and sinck of profanenesse and iniquity But the comfort still is we may fitly answere him as Nehemiah did Sanballat There are Nehem. 6. 8. no such things done as thou sayest but thou fainest them out of thine owne heart For first let the records of Ecclesiasticall Courts and as that hee most aimes at of the High Commission bee searched and compared with the now highlymagnified times of the raigne of Queene Elizabeth of famous memory and it will appeare that there is not now the least Innovation either in the manner of their proceedings or in the crimes and persons censured but that it continues in the old and troden steps of religious justice and useth the same severity against vitious persons and inordinate livers in all kindes as ever it was wont to doe And that if there bee any change at all it is that the edge of their censures is not now so sharp or so mainly turned against Gods people and Ministers for their vertue and piety as it was in those happy times For had it beene now as it was then perhaps Mr. Burton had beene prevented for ever comming to this height and his vertue and Piety had beene nipt in the bud which now hath enlarged her branches loaden with goodly fruits suitable to the stocke on which they grow And many of his vertuous friends and Candidates of Martyrdom in the Sabbatarian cause would not have thus long have waited for their sentence of condemnation for their godly and right Christian resistance of his Majesties unquoth commands But I must not goe farther with this vizor and therefore before I proceed I le pull it off and expound the termes and then reade this part of his charge in plaine English Here then by Gods people and Ministers understand People and Ministers of Mr. Burtons party Their vertue and piety their disobedience to their Soveraigne their repining and murmuring at his government their inconformity to the Orders of the Church their contempt of Ecclesiasticall power and authority and other strange insolencies whereof M. Burton hath given us a full patterne in this booke and his long practices The summe and plaine truth is That some people and Ministers that have a better conceit of themselves than they have cause for have beene lately censured for their not conforming to his Majesties commands and the Churches orders This is all and when was it otherwise in this Church nay in any Church since the beginning of Christianity was it ever knowne that any Church or any civill government did or could subsist without inflicting censures upon the wilfull violators of their orders and constitutions Hath not ever the edge of discipline been justly sharpned against those that shall to their disobedience adde contempt of the authority and that with contumelious reproaches and slanders against the persons invested with it If men for the maintenance of their selfe will'd humours and for exalting of their private fancies against the publick Orders of the Church and the authority Ecclesiasticall shall presume so farre Sipro errore homines tanta prasumunt quanto magis aequ◠est et oportet eos qui pacis et unitatis Christianae asserunt veritatem omnibus etiā dissimulantibus et cobibentibus manifestam satagere instanter atque impigrè non solùm pro eorum munimine qui jam Catholici sunt verū etiam pro corum correctione qui nondū sunt Nam si pertina cia insuperabilis vires habere conatur quantas debet habere constātia quae in eo bono quod perseveranter atque infatigabiliter agit et Deo placere se novit et proculdubio non potest hominibus prudentibus displicere Aug. Ep. 167. How much more is it fit and behoves those who stand for the truth of peace and Christian unity which is manifest even to those that dissemble and oppose it to endevour with all earnestnesse and diligence not onely for the securing of those which are Catholicks but also for the correction of those that are not For if stubbornnesse seeke to get such strength what ought constancy to have which in that good which uncessantly and unweariedly it doth both knowes that it pleaseth God and without doubt cannot displease wise men So Saint Augustine once Apologized for the Church in his dayes proceeding against the Donatists and a fitter I cannot use for our Church at this day nor need I adde more in this case But this will not haply be contradicted by any that thus viewes things in their true notions and if any should be so void of reason and grace as to declaime against it every man would cry shame of him But the cunning maske that is put upon it makes it passe current and to be entertained as a just and a great grievance when it shal be presented under the names of persecution and unjust censures inflicted upon Gods people and Ministers and that for their vertue and piety who then can but pitty and commiserate the sufferers and condemne their persecutors of notorious injustice and horrible impiety It is an old and a cunning stratagem used by some expert Captaines to march disguised and to beare the Colours of those against whom they fight that they may finde the more easie passage And this practice hath beene long in use with the disturbers of the Churches peace to usurp the name and priviledges of the true Church and to appropriate that to themselves which of right belongs to those whom they oppugne But never any Vos enim dicitis remansisse Ecclesiam Christi in sola Africa partis Donati Aug. Ep. 166. were better Artists in this kinde than the Donatists in S. Augustines time who were wont to circumscribe the Church within the bounds of their party and to account all other Christians as Pagan and to call the repression of their turbulencies persecution and boast of Martyrdome as appeares out of S. Augustine and Optatus Milevitanus Optat. Milevit l. 3. prope finem And these Donatists were never better parallel'd than in these
in the worship of God Ceremonies no substantiall parts of Gods worship The crimination and a generall answer Of standing at Gloria Patri What will-worship is Standing at the Gospell Bowing at the name of Jesus Of the name of Altar and what sacrifice is admitted Of the standing of the Altar Of Communicants going up to the Altar to receive Of the railes Of bowing toward the Altar and to the East and turning that way when we pray Of reading the second Service at the Altar Chap. 15. Fol. 121. Innovation in the civill government slanderously pretended without proofe His slander of my Lords Grace of Canterbury about Prinnes Prohibition confuted Other calumnies against His Grace c. answered The Bishops falsely charged with dividing the King and His Subjects Chap. 16. Fol. 132. Of the altering of the Prayer-books The putting In for At. The leaving out of Father of thine elect c. no treason Master B. rather guilty His pretty shift about it and how he and some of his use the Prayers of the Church Of the Prayers for the fifth of November altered Those Prayers not confirmed by act of Parliament The Religion of the Church of Rome not Rebellion Of the alterations in the last Fast-booke The restraint of preaching Fasting-dayes no Sabbaths Chap. 17. Fol. 150. Of the sixth pretended Innovation in the meanes of Knowledge The Knowledge of God necessary The Scriptures the key of Knowledge Impious to take them away or hinder the knowledge of them The difference between the Scriptures and Sermons How faith is begotten of Rom. 10. 17. The Word of God must be rightly divided what it is so to do Chap. 18. Fol. 162. Of the seventh pretended Innovation in the Rule of Faith What matters of Religion are submitted to the Bishops decision The Doctrine of our Articles The properties of the Bishops decisions Master Burtons clamors against the Bishops in this particular odious and shamefull Of that speech which he ascribeth to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury concerning the Catholick Church What is justly attributed to the Church and how wee ordinarily come to know the Scriptures to be Scriptures Chap. 19. Fol. 170. Of the jurisdiction of Bishops how far of Divine right given by Christ to his Apostles and from them derived by succession The power given to the Apostles divided into severall orders What power Ecclesiasticall belongs to the King and the intent of the Statutes which annexe all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to the Crowne Of Mr. Burtons Quotation of the Iesuits direction to be observed by N. N. M. B. and the Iesuite confederates in detraction and ignorance Chap. 20. Fol. 182. The last Innovation in the Rule of manners The Scriptures acknowledged to be the sole rule of manners and how Old Canons how in force The Act before the Communion-booke doth not forbid the use of ancient and pious customes Master B. incurring the penalty of that Statute Of Cathedrall Churches The argument from them frees the rites and ceremonies there used from novelty and superstition Of the Royall Chappell His dangerous insinuations referred to the censure of Authority The Close Chap. 21. Fol. 193. A briefe Discourse of the beginning and progresse of the Disciplinarian Faction Their sundry attempts for their Genevian Dearling Their Doctrines new and different from the true and ancient tenets of the Church of England and they truly and rightly termed Innovators REcensui librum hunc cui titulus est Innovations unjustly charged c. in quo nihil reperio quô minùs cum utilitate publicâ imprimatur Iune 17. 1637. Sa. Baker R. P. Episc Londin Cap. domest INNOVATIONS UNJUSTLY CHARGED UPON THE PRESENT CHURCH and STATE CHAP. I. An Introduction to the ensuing Discourse containing the reasons inducing the Author to undertake it and his aime in it IT is better in the judgement of St Melius errantis imperitiam silentio spernere quaÌ„ loquendo dementu insaniam provocare Nec hoc sue â—â—gistâ—â—ii diviniâ—eâ— nominis aucteritate faciebam c. Cypr. ad Demetrian Cyprian by silence to condemne the ignorance of the erroneous than by speaking to provoke the fury of the enraged And for this judgement of his he had the warrant as hee saith of divine authority And certainly it must needs be a great point of folly to grapple with those who as that Father of Demetrianus by the noyse of clamorous words seek rather to get vent and passage for their owne than patiently to hear the opinions of others it being more easie to still the waves of the troubled sea than by any discourse to represse the madnesse of such men To undertake such a task therefore is but a vaine attempt and of no more effect than to hold a light to the blinde to speake to the deafe or to instruct a stone Foule-mouth'd railers and barking dogs are soonest still'd by passing on our way in silence or by severe and due correction Yet notwithstanding this rule is not without some exception and therefore Solomon who giveth this counsell not to answer a foole according Prov. 26. 4 5. to his folly addes in the next words as it were a crosse-proverb to it bidding us Answer a foole according to his folly lest he be wise in his owne conceit In that case an answer to clamorous and slanderous railers whom the Wise-man comprises under the name of fooles is not unfit or unseasonable And there are no doubt other cases in which without deserving the imputation of folly a man may yea and it is expedient that he should make answer to the envenomed railings of imbittered spirits And if at any time surely then when such detractors are not onely wise in their owne conceits but which is more have enveigled many simple and perhaps otherwise well-meaning people and drawne them to an opinion of their wisedome and beliefe and approbation of their false and wicked calumnies Much more when they levell their poisoned arrows of detraction against the Soveraigne Power and against the Fathers of the Church which if they should prevaile would wound and endanger the setled government and peace of both Church and State In such case it cannot be accounted rashnesse for any true-hearted subject and sonne of the Church to breake an otherwise resolved silence to prevent what in him is the growth of so great a mischiefe I will adde one other particular When men shall be so impiously presumptuous as to break into the secrets of the Almighty and peremptorily to pronounce of his unscrutable judgements as if they had beene his counsellors and to cast the causes of the present plague and all the evills that have lately threatned or befallen us upon those men to whom next under God we owe and in duty ought to acknowledge our preservation hitherto and that the plague and other evils have no more raged amongst us yea and upon those meanes which God hath sanctified for the removall of his judgements It is high time then to speake lest silence
but to assert the Doctrine of St. Paul commanding Phil. 2. 12. us to Work out our salvation with feare and trembling and of St. Peter who tells us 2 Pet. 1. 11. That thus an entrance shall bee ministred into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ And I beleeve for I have not the Booke at hand if Mr. Shelfords justification by charity be well examined it will proove to bee no other than this at least no other than in St. Iames Iam. 2. 24. sense when he saith Yee see how that by works a man is justified and not by faith onely And I would demand of any reasonable man whether the expresse words of that Apostle may not without aspersion of Popery be even openly and publikely maintained if there be no sense obtruded upon them which may crosse St. Pauls doctrine which Mr. Burton can never prove that they did whom hee chargeth with that assertion But the the truth is such is the humour that possesses many men of Mr. Burtons straine that they cannot endure any glosse upon that place of St. Iames but such as shall both make the Text like themselves full of non-sence and to turne the seeming and verball into a reall and direct contradiction of St. Paul To the third That the Pope is not Antichrist I answere that though many of the learned in our Church especially at the beginning of the ReformatioÌ„ when the greatest heat was strickeÌ„ between us and Rome have affirmed the Pope to be Antichrist and his whole religion Antichristian and that some exceeding the bounds of moderation in this point have passed abroad that with the license of authority wherein yet they are to be excused in that they have beene so intolerably provoked by the odious criminations of the adversary yet to them that calmely and seriously consider it it may not without good reason bee disputed as doubtfull whether the Pope or any of them in his person or the Papall Hierarchy bee that great Antichrist which is so much spoken of And which way soever it be determined it makes not the religion any whit the better nor frees the practises of the Popes and Court of Rome from being justly accounted and stiled Antichristian For Mr. Shelfords second Book I have not seene it and therefore will say nothing but onely that if hee seeme to set as they thinke too light by preaching and pulpits hee doth at the worst but pay them in their owne coine who have magnified it to the vilifying and contempt of publick Prayer the most sacred and excellent part of Gods worship Neither have I seene that other Booke called the Female glory nor will I spend words by way either of censure or defence of it upon sight onely of those fragments which here hee presents us with as well knowing his art and at what rate to value his credit in quotations Yet in all those panegyrick straines of Rhetorick for such for the most part they seeme rather than positiue assertions he hath not deviated so much to the one extreme as Mr. Burtons marginall hath to the other in scoffingly calling her the New great Goddesse Diana And if it bee true that hee hath not digressed in any particular Lo here the new great goddesse Diana whom the whole Pontifician world worshippeth H. B. p. 125. from the Bishop of Chichester as Mr. Burton makes him affirme I dare boldly say Mr. Burton will never bee able to finde the least point of Popery in it For it is well known that Bishop whom he as if hee had bid adieu to all civility yea and shame too termes a tried Champion of Rome and so a devout votary to the Queene of heaven hath approved himselfe such a Champion against Rome that they that have tried his strength durst never yet come to a second encounter Beside we have elsewhere other points of Pag. 67. Popish Doctrine which he saith are preached and printed of late As Auricular Confession Prayer for the dead and praying to Saints Which because I finde onely mentioned by him without any proofe to evidence the truth of his assertion I might with one word reject till hee produced the Authors which have so Preached and Printed and what it was that they have delivered touching those points But because there are many that by reason of their ignorance of the truth in these points are apt to beleeve what he affirmes and to entertaine a sinister opinion of the Churches Doctrine in them I will briefly adde some of them in this place First for Confession It cannot bee denied Of Confession but that the Church of England did ever allow the private confession of sinnes to the Priest for Booke of Common Prayer Exhortation before the Communion the quieting of mens consciences burdened with sinne and that they may receive ghostly counsell advice and comfort and the benefit of absolution This is the publike Order prescribed in our Church And it were very strange if our Church ordaining Priests and giving them power of absolution and prescribing the forme to bee used Forme of absolution in the Visitation of the sick for the exercise of that power upon confession should not also allow of such private confession To advise then and urge the use and profit of private confession to the Priest is no Popish Innovation but agreeable to the constant and resolved Doctrine of this Church and that which is requisite for the due execution of that ancient power of the Keyes which Christ bestowed upon his Church And if any shall call it auricular because it is done in private and in the eare of the Priest I know not why hee should therefore bee condemned of Popery But if Mr. Burton by Auricular Confession meane that Sacramentall Confession which the Councell of Trent hath defined to bee of absolute necessity by Divine ordinance and that which exacts that many times impossible particular enumeration of every sinne and the speciall circumstances of every sinne This wee justly reject as neither required by God nor so practised by the ancient See Bishop Ushers answer to Iesuites â—chall Church And if Mr. Burton knowes any that hath Preached or Printed ought in defence of this new pick-lock and tyrannicall sacramentall Confession hee may if he please with the Churches good leave terme them in that point Popish Innovators For the second point Simply to condemne Of prayer for the dead all prayer for the Dead is to runne counter to the constant practise of the ancient Church of Christ Prayer for the dead it cannot bee denied it is ancient saith the late learned Bishop of Winchester That the ancient Church had Commemorations Oblations and prayers for the dead the testimonies of the Fathers Ecclesiasticall Histories and ancient Liturgies in which the formes of Prayers used for that purpose are Cannon 55. found doe put out of all question and they that are acquainted with the Canons and Liturgy
is too heavy 2. Without warrant For 1 will no less censure serve the turne then suspension excommunication deprivation and the like I answer No especially for those that after admonition instruction and long forbearance remaine not onely refractary but adde thereto many intollerable affronts to Authority by publick invectives private whisperings and false suggestions buzzing into the people I know not what dangerous issues meere fictions of a pettish fancy to follow for these men these censures are milde enough And I dare appeale to that conscience which Mr. B. hath yet left him whether if hee did erect his new discipline and godly government pag. 110. hee would not exercise as harsh censures upon them that not onely wilfully but thus turbulently oppose the commands of those in authority and wee may easily guesse what hee would doe if hee had once the upper ground when being on the lower hee can so severely censure those that are above him with deprivation not of living but of life and turne suspension Ips News p. 6. into plaine English hanging And that the Churches where that purer discipline is in place for matters of lesse moment hath inflicted as heavy censures is better knowne than to need rehearsing But not the example of others like dealings but the proceedings themselves are the best justification For with how slow a pace did justice march to these punishments that have beene three yeeres space in the execution and yet of delinquents in that kinde how few are they that have suffered And what admonitions were spent upon them what paines in information what patience in expectation of their conformity is sufficiently knowne and remaines upon record and will justifie themselves before any indifferent Judges So that I may truely say of these proceedings as S. Austine of the Churches in his time against the Donatists that it was a most mercifull discipline that was used upon Misericordissima disciplina them And what other censures hath the Church to inflict but these except it be an admonition and if they would onely have that used and rather to bee misused upon them to no purpose they might then have just ground for their usuall practise in contemning the whole power of the Church 2 But what warrant have they There is no Canon Statute Law or precept extant that requires Div. Trag. p. ult it I grant it if he meane particularly requiring it for since at least the last setting forth of the booke there have beene no Canons or Statutes made But it were very hard if the Kings Majesty should not have power to command men to declare his pleasure in any thing and to punish such as refuse without the assistance of new Canons and Statutes for every new occasion God be thanked his owne Royall right and the Lawes and Canons already made do abundantly enable him to doe farre more than this Well perhaps hee doth not deny the Kings right or power but what power have the Bishops for their proceedings If saith he they alledge the Kings p. 57. authority as they do where shew they this authority Where do they shew it Marry where they are by duty bound to doe it to those that have authority to demand it to whom they are ready to give a just account of their proceedings but not to Mr. Burton For what authority hath hee to demand a sight of their Authority Or who made him Inquisitor generall over the Bishops to examine their actions and so imperiously to require their warrant as here he doth and in like maner in another place hath dealt with my Lord Bishop of Norwich for his proceeding in his owne Diocesse And all this hee presumes to doe meerely of himselfe without and against all Law and Canon yea and reason too hee not having the least occasion offered him as not having been so much as questioned for the things nor touched by the authority whereof hee complaines If hee had beene suspended excommunicated and deprived for not reading the Booke or for not conforming to the new Ceremonies as he calls them he could have done no more nor indeed could hee justly have done so much It belongs not to any man that is questioned for any crime or cause before any subordinate Magistrate Civill or Ecclesiastick in such manner to question their Authority if haply they think them to have no warrant for what they doe they who are questioned have the benefit of Appeale Ad praesidium innocentiae est Apellationis remedium institutum Lancellot Perusin instit jur Can. l 3. tit 17. which was instituted for the reliefe of innocency as the Canonists speake and by this meanes the Iudge à Quo shall bee compelled to transmit both his proceedings in the cause and his authority by which he so proceeded to bee scanned by the Iudge ad Quem But for the parties questioned to doe it is an unsufferable insolency and affront to Iustice And if Mr. Burton 1 Pet. 4. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alienas Curas agens S. Cypr. ad Quirin Curiosus nemo est qui non sit malevolus Plau◠now suffer for this hee cannot bee said to suffer as a Christian but as a busie body or Bishop in anothers Diocesse And certainly every man that is such is an evill member in the Common-wealth and ill-affected to the Government under which he lives for as the Comick once said well No man is a busie-body which is not malevolent But beside this the Book expresly commanding the Bishops to take order for the publication of the Book doth whatsoever Mr. Burton saith to the The book orders no such severe and wicked censures to be inflicted upon any in that behalfe No nor yet gives the Bishops any expresse order or power at all to punish any Ministers in this case p. 56. contrary sufficiently warrant them to punish such as refuse otherwise they doe but poorely discharge the trust committed to them To send it to the severall Churches and there to leave it to be read or not at the pleasure of the Minister is not to take order for the publication of it but to permit the publication of it to the discretion of every Minister which if his Majesty had onely intended hee would have imployed some inferiour persons but intending to have it done to purpose His Majesty committed it to the Bishops whose power he knew to bee sufficient to take order in that case without any new warrant or express order in the booke for the punishment of offenders against his Royall pleasure And thus much of that Book and of the first kind of supposed Innovations viz. in Doctrine CHAP. XIII Of the Innovation pretended to bee in Discipline The Courts Ecclesiasticall have continued their wanted course of Iustice St. Austines Apology for the Church against the Donatists fitly serves ours The cunning used by delinquents to make themselves pitied and justice taxed Their practises to palliate and cover their faults Mr.
68 69. royall prerogative and much more to the same purpose Here not to meddle with Doctor Bastwicks case against whom there are other crimes objected than that which hee here mentions I will onely lay downe some briefe conclusions and their consectaries declaring the truth in these points and referre those that desire further satisfaction to such as have purposely treated of this subject And my first conclusion shal be That the Kings Conclu 1 and Queens of this Realme neither have nor doe See the Queens Injunctions challenge in right of their Crownes any authority or power of the ministration of Divine Offices in the Church Wee give not to our Princes saith the thirtie seventh Article the ministring of Gods Word or of the Sacraments neither doe they claime the power of the Keyes for remitting or retaining of sins either privately or publickly From this I inferre these consectaries First Consect 1 That it is no derogation or intrenchment upon the Prerogative Royall to deny the Kings Majesty the power of administration of the Word and Sacraments of ordination excommunication or any other act belonging to the personal execution of the Episcopall or Priestly function And this is so evidently deduced froÌ„ the former that it being granted as it must be by those that will not deny the Articles of our Church this cannot be denied That no man can reasonably imagine that the Consect 2 Statutes which annexed Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to the Crowne intended to give the King any power of this nature which Queene Elizabeth in her injunctions and all other godly Kings and Princes ever disclaimed That it can bee no deniall of his Majesties just right nor violation of Statute nor danger of Consect 3 Praemunire for Bishops to exercise their jurisdictions thus farre in their owne names or to say they have them not from the King My second conclusion is This Ecclesiasticall Conclu 2 power was given by Christ to his Apostles both for preaching and administring the Sacraments Matth. 28. 29 30. and for the power and use of the Keyes Iohn 20. 21. Matth. 18. 18. Thirdly Our Saviour giving this power intended Conclu 3 that it should continue in the Church to the end of the world as it is most evident First in regard of the equall necessity and use of it in the Church aswell afterwards as in their times Secondly in regard of his promise of his assisting presence or being with them alwayes even to the Mat. 28. ult end of the world From which will follow First the necessity of the power of ordination for the transmitting this power by the Apostles to some others in whom the same power though not in the Apostolicall latitude should remaine when they who were not alway to continue should bee translated out of this world Secondly the necessity of an un-interrupted succession in the Church of those who shall bee lawfully invested with this power which can at no time bee wanting in the Church without the ruine of that building for the edification of which Ephes 4. 12. it was first given Our Saviour together with this power given Conclu 4 to his Apostles did give the grace to enable them to exercise that power and discharge that function which hee had imposed upon them This is manifest First because God never useth to call Vactio antiquitus olâ—o ficbat quod quia secundum naturalem efficientiam tum fragrantia reddebat corpora tum agilia accummodum erat duabas rebus supernaturalibus significandis quarum una est personae ad munus aliquod divinum obeundum sanctificatio consecratio altera adoptatio seu donorum ad illud necessariorum collatio Armin. Disp pub any to a charge without furnishing them with grace to discharge it and therefore in the Old Testament annointing with Oyle was used which because naturally it made mens bodies both fragrant and active was to signifie both the consecration and designation Gods worke and the fitting of those upon whom it was imposed with gifts necessary thereto required Secondly it is manifest from the plaine words of our Saviour in that giving them their Commission hee breathed on them and saith unto them Receive the Holy Ghost And from hence we may inferre That in the transmission of this power and function there is necessarily required a continuall supply of grace though not in the same measure as in the Apostles nor for all those operations which were usefull in the first foundation of the Christian Church yet in the same kinde and for the discharge of the function so farre as it should be necessary ever to continue in the Church and that therefore in the consecration and ordination of those who are called to this function and to whom this power is committed God doth ordinarily confer this grace as appeares by that of S. Paul putting Timothy whom he had consecrated Bishop at Ephesus in mind to stir up the grace that was given him by the laying on of his hands and that God doth in the same way still give the like grace is out of all question unlesse men shall thinke either that the grace is not now necessary or that God is wanting to his Church or that the Apostles did faile in prescribing the right way for the conferring of it So that of this Saint Ambrose truly said Man Homo imponit manus Deus largitur gratiam Sacerdos imponit supplicem dextram Deus benedicit potenti dextra Episcopus mitiat ordinem Deus tribuit dignitatem Ambros de dign Sacerd c. 5. layes on his hands God gives the grace the Priest layes on his right hand in supplication and God blesseth it by his powerfull right hand The Bishops mitiates into the Order and God bestowes the dignity Lastly the Apostles who from Christ received both the Priestly and Episcopall power in one did divide the same and made distinct orders and degrees of them in the Church in which they appointed Bishops Priests and Deacons all which wee finde mentioned by Saint Paul in his Epistles and in the Acts of the Apostles and in the most ancient Writers and records that are extant in the Church And these orders thus by them distinguished were subordinate in such sort as the whole remainder of the Apostolicall Office that is so much as the perpetuall necessity of the Church required was in the Bishops who besides that which they had in common with Priests as power to preach administer the Sacraments and of absolution had also power of jurisdiction and ordination and both Priests and Deacons were by them ordayned and subjected to their authority All which may be proved out of Saint Paul prescribing to Timothy Titus whom he had ordayned See Mason de Minesterio Eccles l. 1. c. 2. l. 4. c. 1. c. D. Field of the Church l. 5. c. 25. Bishops how to exercise their jurisdiction and to use the power of ordination or laying on of hands which he
eum qui Deum Patrem per filium ejus ante aram rogaverit And a little after Si aliquid Christianus deliquerit peccator dici potest Paganus iterum dici non potest And it is as verified of these men which the Father after addes Ille vobis videbitur Christianus qui quod vultis fecerit non quem fides adduxerit Optat. Milevit l. 3. Pagans or heathens baptized with outward Baptisme which as one of them once expressed it in a Sermon though I tremble to relate it did no more to the making of them Christians than the washing of a dogges legge Their usuall names by which they use to note out those that are not of their Tribe are The Wicked Carnall Men of no Religion Vnconverted Wretched beasts And when they are most charitable Civill-honest-men which yet is no commendation because with them civill-honestie is no better than a smooth devill Men that have good naturall parts some common gifts of grace which a reprobate may have or if their charity haply doe enlarge it selfe more than ordinary Men that have some good things in them or some small beginnings of grace But for Preachers that sute not their humour that is all that are throughly conformable who subscribe and practise not grone murmur and complain their best termes of them are Formalists Time-servers Men pleasers Enemies of grace and sincerity c. As for the Bishops let Master Burton tell you under what names they use to cloak their conceit of their persons and places And here for the better demonstration of their reall separation wherewith I charge them and that it may appeare that though they are with us they are not of us give mee leave briefly to instance in some of the most remarkable points in difference betweene us wherein I shall desire my reader to expect no accurate or elaboratelymethodicall discourse my intent being onely to make a rough draught of them in such order as they shall offer themselves to my present memory The ordination of Priests and Deacons in our Church as ever in the Church of Christ belongs to the Bishops which because they cannot otherwise choose they are contented to accept from their hands that their seale may protect them from danger of Law but yet think themselves not rightly called to that Function unlesse they have withall gotten the approbation of the people of God and of the godly Ministers and for this end they must give triall of their gifts in some private conventicle or adventure up at some Lecture without the Churches ordination where some of the Fathers of their Order shall be present and after with the people at a Feast pronounce sentence of their gifts and abilities Which if it happen for them they doubt not but they are rightly called In like manner for their calling to a Benefice or Pastorall charge taking the Patrons presentation and Bishops ordination only for their safe standing and security of enjoying it they must be called of the people too the cure of whose soules they undertake For which end their course is because they cannot openly put it to election to shew themselves by preaching to the Congregation and then to withdraw themselves as unwilling or at least unresolved to accept of the place expecting whether they shall bee desired of the people either the major part or for they vary as it shall make most for their purpose the better as they account them that is the Professors of the Parish or neere adjoyning wherof if they have but three or foure for them though all the Parish beside be against them they take their calling to be from God Or if haply this shall faile them then they will have their calling scand and approved by some of the best Ministers or perhaps by some one of them which shall for a need serve the turne to make good their calling rather than part with the Living unlesse some better hopes shew themselves So that upon the point we may say of them as Saint Austine once of his Donatists They have ordained Bishop against Bishop Episcopum contra Episcopum ordinaverunt altare contra altare erexerunt August Epist. 171. or rather because they like that name better a private Presbytery against the Bishops yea and they have though that name offend them too erected Altar against Altar setting up a new religion a new faith and forme of Gods worship 1. I say their faith is new being as they imagine a firme perswasion of Gods speciall love to them in Christ or an assurance of their election and consequently of salvation which is nothing else but to have a good conceit of a mans selfe in regard of Gods favor to beleeve themselves to bee his dearlings 2. It is new in the instrument all cause of it being not wrought by the word of God as it is left written for our learning by the holy men of God moved by the Holy Ghost that hath no power to worke conversion but preached that is not alwaies out of the pulpit a tables end will serve expounded and applyed as they call it by them with this helpe the word of God otherwise insufficient becomes able to worke their conversion and salvation and which is more strange to doe it in an instant for they admit no preparatory acts to proceed and that so powerfully that it is impossible to resist or to deferre the worke of it for a moment and so sensibly that every man may yea and if hee be rightly must know the time of his conversion 3. It is new in the effects of it For first it frees a man from the feare of him that is able to cast body Luke 12. 5. and soule into hell fire so that they are exempted from that precept given by our Saviour commanding us to feare him They looke at Hell as a danger past and at Heaven as if they were in possession of it already holding the hope of reward a poore incentive to performe duty or endure affliction a reprobate may goe so farre as to abstaine from evill and doe good for feare of hell and with an eye to the recompence of reward so that a man must goe farther than this or otherwise he can have no assurance that he is the childe of God Secondly it gives them a right not to heaven onely but even to the things of this life which if others that want this faith chance to have they are in Gods sight usurpers and shall as theeves and robbers be arraigned for them at the dreadfull barre of Gods severe judgement seat and bee condemned not for the abuse but for the having of whatsoever creatures of God they have had any part in their whole lives insomuch as every bit of bread they eat shall helpe to increase their score and aggravate their condemnation Whereas they having by vertue of their faith this right and faculty granted them may use them securely and without all feare I had almost said and abuse
and disobedient sons and servants that shall dare to take upon them to be their owne Carvers in their liberty with contempt of those whom the Law of God and Nature commands them to honour and obey But this plaister seemes too narrow for his sore for he addes gladly would they restraine them but they may not they dare not for feare of being brought to the Assizes there to be punished No may not dare not Surely a man by this may sweare Mr. Burton never read the Declaration or if hee did is very dull of understanding or very willing to mistake For I would demand when ever Mr. Burton or any man else knew a father or master bound over or brought to the Assizes for restraining his sonne or servant or where this danger is intimated It saith indeed That the Iustices of Assize shall see that no man doe trouble or molest any of his Majesties loyall and dutifull people in or for their lawfull recreation having first done their duty to God and continuing in obedience to his Majesty and his Lawes c. But what is all this to parents and masters shall they lose their authority and government over their children and servants God forbid Were that true then indeed farewell all obedience to Superiours whose first modell and foundation is laid in private families But God bee thanked there is no such thing Neither 1. in the Book wherein the names of servants or children are not once mentioned but the persons for whom the liberty is granted supposed to be sui juris Nor 2. in the intention of it for all that is spoken is of publike hindrance and molestation by the publike Magistrate or Officer whose office ordinarily and in such cases is not exercised inter privatos parietes within private walls at least not without expresse order to that purpose So that every man is still free and hath as full power to order his family and to prescribe bounds to his children and servants liberty as before Yea they may if they please as too many use to doe in this case notwithstanding the Declaration prove Tyrants in the exercise of their authority But why doe I bring reason to the confutation of so grosse a slander when it is reason enough to convince it of false-hood that in all this noise hee cannot bring the least shew of reason for it That which he brings of a story of three Apprentises upon the occasion of reading the Book so M. p. 62. Burton will have it and I list not to contradict him in such trifles going to a Taverne spending sixe shillings there and concluding to runne from their Masters and after executing it All this if malice did not make men ridiculously blind might be and yet the Book or the reading of it no cause of it otherwise than the Gospel that perfect law of liberty whereby men are freed Iam. 1. 25. from the bondage of the ceremoniall Law may Gal. 5. 13. be used as an occasion to the flesh and cloake of maliciousnesse that is not by any defect or fault in 1 Pet 2. 16. it but by the corruption and perversenesse of men And there may and be some no doubt that in like manner doe abuse this Booke and turne the liberty granted into licentiousnesse which was piously and charitably intended for the honest comfort and refreshment of labouring persons For where doth the Book give liberty to any much lesse to servants and such as are under others of tipling or drunkennesse or of going to Taverns or Alehouses on Sundayes Declar. p. 8. When the preventing of filthy tiplings and drunkennesse was one end of giving liberty of the use of more honest and manly refreshments If any shall say that the Wakes and setting up of May-poles are not without drunkennesse and disorders My answere is that however the Book is not in fault which expressely commands all Iustices and other Officers to whom it belongs to prevent and punish those and all other disorders among which we may reckon that for one For servants to turne rebels to their Masters under pretence of this liberty granted And if they to whom this charge by His Majesties Royall Command is given faile in their duty the blame must bee laid upon them and let Mr. Burton in such case turne his invectives a Gods name against them and not against the Booke to the blasting of His Majesties pious and Christian intentions who is farre from robbing either God of his worship or his subjects of the obedience which is due to them from their servants and children and so no violater either of the fourth or fifth Commandement And so I passe to my fourth Proposition CHAP. XII Ministers commanded by His Majesty to reade the Book They may and ought to obey The matter of the Book not unlawfull Things unlawfully commanded may sometimes be lawfully obeyed What things are required to justifie a subjects refusing a Superiours Command Refusers to reade the Book justly punished The punishment inflicted not exceeding the offence Not without good warrant THat the reading of the Booke by Ministers in their severall Congregations was enjoyned and intended by His Majesty and that it is a thing that may lawfuly bee done by them Both these are denied by Mr. Burton and the p. 55. latter brought as a reason to the former thus The thing is unlawfull As tending to the publike p. 56. dishonour of God c. Therefore the King did not nor can any honest man imagine that he should ever intend to command it This is a common fetch of his and it is very prety to passe a false sentence upon his Majesties just and pious actions and then to charge those actions upon others that so hee may the more freely vent his invectives against them and yet seeme in the midst of this his great seeming-zeale to retaine his dutifull and loyall respect of his Majesties honour If a man should deale with Mr. Burton in the like kinde and say he did not traduce his Majesties government incense the people to sedition and raile upon his Superiours the Governours of the Church for that were against the duty of a Christian of a subject of a Minister and against his Oath of Allegiance and his often protestations of loyalty to his Royall Majesty c. Therefore though such things have gone abroad under his name surely they were none of his hee never intended nor was Authour of so foule and wicked practises If I say a man should speake thus as any man might do and yet not as he hath his Sacred Majesties falsely censure his actions in the least there is Argumentum ad hominem no man of reason and discretion but would think this to be no excuse but rather an aggravation of his fault so long as the evidences of that wherewith he is charged are so plaine and convincing that they leave no place for doubting for what other construction can bee made of
such maner of speech but onely this That Mr. Burton hath done contrary to the duty of a Christian of a subject of a Minister and violated his oath of Allegiance and often protestations of boyalty But I answere briefely That his Majesty as his Royall Father had also done commanding publication Declar. in fine of the Declaration by order from the Bishops through all the Parish-Churches of their severall Dioceses respectively did implicitly command that Ministers should reade it For 1. how doth publication use to bee made of such things in the Church otherwise than by the Ministers reading of them But 2. I know no man of common sense but will confesse that what order any man to whom the making of such order is committed shall make that order what ever it bee is his who gave the Commission His Majesty in his Declaration authorized the Bishops to take order for the publication of it and seeing their order was that it should be read and that by the Ministers Then may it without presumption bee said That His Majesty commanded Ministers to reade it unlesse it might some way appeare that His Majesty did restrain them from making that kinde of order or limit them to doe it in some other way which hee did not in the Booke I am sure and I am confident Mr. Burton cannot prove hee did otherwise and therefore it is ridiculously false that M. Burton saith His Majesty did command no such thing as that Ministers should reade the Booke I say further that Ministers may lawfully and therefore ought to obey his Majesty in reading the Booke For 1. The matter of the Booke is not unlawfull nor against any Commandement of God as hath beene already proved 2. Supposing not granting that the things declared in that Book to be permitted were not lawfull and such as cannot be used without offence to the Divine Majesty and transgression of his Commandements and that therefore his Majesty which is sinne to imagine had unjustly granted such liberty yet will it not follow that it is unlawful to read the Declaration publish his Majesties pleasure For Ministers by reading it doe not justifie but declare what is done nor do they thereby ipso facto approve the liberty granted or the granting of it but make knowne his Majesties pleasure what ever it be which for ought I could ever learne is not by God forbidden any man to doe It is lawful somtimes for Subjects to obey their Superiours in that which by them is not lawfully commanded David sinned in causing the people to be numbred but no man can with reason say that Ioab sinned in numbring them but that on the contrary he had sinned if he had not numbred them For there the sinne was not in the act but in the motive which in David was pride and vain-glory in Ioab obedience to his Soveraigne So also and much rather in this case where the acts are not the same and what ever the other is the act required to be done by Ministers without all question is of the same nature with those in which as S. Bernard saith a Inter summa vero mela summa bona quaedam meclia sunt ad alterutruÌ„ se habentia et boni malique nomeÌ„ assumunt Media sunt ambulare sedere loqui tacere comedere jejunare vigilare dormire et si qua sunt similia In â—is mediis sc ambulare sedere loqui tacere c subditi esse et obedientes debemus ad nutum praepositorum nihil interregantes propter conscientiam quia in his nullum praesixit opus Deus sed Praelatorum dereliquit iperio disponenda S. Bern. de virt obed p. 1713 Mal. 2. 7. Subjects must be obedient to the beck of Superiours asking no questions for conscience sake because in these God hath not prefixed any worke but left them to be disposed by the commands of Superiours Againe The error of Superiours is not alwaies a dispensation to the obedience of those that are under them b Sed homines inquis sacile sallâ— in Dei voluntate de rebus dubiis praecipienda et in praecipienda fallere so pussunt Sed enim qâ—id hoc refert tua qui conscius non es praesertim cum teneas de Scripturis quia labia sacerdotis custediunt scientiam et legem ex ore ejus requirunt quia Angelus Domini exercituum est S. Bern. de praecep dispens c. 12. Superiours may erre in their judgement sometimes of the will of God in things doubtfull and may erre in commanding What is that to thee saith S. Bernard speaking of obedience to spirituall governors who art not conscious of such error especially having beene taught in the Scriptures that the Priests lips preserve knowledge and they shall seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts And the like may be said for obedience to Soveraigne Princes and the Magistrates that are subordinate to them To whom we may apply that which the same Author after addes in that place c Ipsum proinde quem pro Deo habemus tanquaÌ„ Deum in his quae a pertè non sunt contra Deum audire debemus S. Bern. ibid. Him whom we have in Gods stead we must heare as God in those things which are not manifestly against God That the error then of Superiors be such as shall justifie the Subjects refusall of obedience it must according to S. Bernard and according to the truth too 1. be known to be so for he that shal be by his lawfull Superiour commanded to worship an Idoll though it be a trangression of an high nature yet if he that is commanded do not know it to be such nor that God hath forbidden it he sins if he deny his obedience 2. It must be against Gods will and Word nothing but that doth limit our obedience to Gods Vice-gerent whom God hath commanded us to obey and that for conscience sake in all things onely for him not against him If they come in opposition once then the inferiour must give place but till then he must not be denied his obedience 3. It must be apertè manifestly knowne to be against the will of God and past all doubt and peradventure The Subject may not deny his Soveraigne his obedience because he feares that which is commanded is not agreeable to Gods will or because he cannot see the word of God for it or because some doubt of the lawfulnesse of it He that will doe nothing at the command of his Superiours which is doubted of by any whether it be lawfull or no will pin up his obedience within very narrow bounds and prove but a bad subject It is our own conscience not anothers that must be our guide in matters of obedience to the Powers ordained by God In things left to our liberty we may yea we must have respect to the conscience of another That is S. Pauls doctrine For why saith he
is there that will say that Christians have not their sacrifices Nay who is there that knows the nature of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper or the Heb. 13. 15 16. Doctrin of Antiquity concerning it but will confesse it to be a true and rightly so called sacrifice 2 Neither can all this be accused of superstition for confessing a Sacrifice and an Altar wee intend not either the reviving of the Leviticall bloody sacrifices of the old Law nor the unbloudy propitiatory sacrifice offered in the Popish Masse for the quick and the dead we hold with the subscribed Articles Transubstantiation Artic. 28. 31. a bold and unwarranted determination of Christs presence in the Sacrament and thinke such sacrifices no better then blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits We beleeve that our blessed Saviour upon the Crosse by his owne oblation of himselfe Communion book Heb. 10. once offered made a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world and that he needeth not to be often offered nor can without impiety and imposture be said to be made of bread by the Priests and dayly offered in the Masse The sacrifice which we admit is onely 1. Representative to represent to us visibly in those elements the all-saving sacrifice of Christs death and to behold him crucified before our eyes and his body broken in the bread and in the wine his blood powred out 2. It is spirituall offered and participated by faith 3. It is Commemorative done according to our Saviours institution in remembrance of him and of his death and passion This is all the sacrifice we acknowledge and we desire no other Altar than what may suit with it and serve for the offering of such sacrifices A spirituall Altar for a spirituall sacrifice It may bee still and must bee a Communion-Table and yet neverthelesse an Altar that properly this mystically A Table it is for the Lords Supper and an Altar for the memoriall sacrifice of the Lords death And both a Table and an Altar it is what ever the matter of it bee whether of stone as sometimes and in some places they have beene or of wood as among us in most places they usually now are Yea and wheresoever they be placed whether in Of their standing the West end as sometimes in the Church at Antioch in Syria as Socrates reporteth or to the East which Ecclesia Antiochiae Syriae contrarium ab aliis Ecclesiis sitam habet nam altare non ad orientem sed ad occasum spectat Socrat. hist eccl l. 5. c. 21. was the custome in other places as the same Author intimates and with what site soever whether it stand Table-wise as they call it with the ends to the East and West or Altar-wise with the ends from North and South whether upon a plain levell or mounted by steps These are but accidents which alter not the nature and use of it but that though these vary yet still it remaines both a Table and an Altar in the sense that I have mentioned And that it may be placed at the East end of the Church according to the ancient and most received fashion of the Christian world Queen Elizabeths Injunction for that purpose Injunction for Tables in the Church is warrant sufficient which appointeth it to be set in the place where the Altar stood and not thence removed except at the time of the Communion for more conveniency of hearing and communicating Which if it may be as well there as in some places without question it may as in any other part of the Church or Chancell for ought that I can see it may stand there still And however the placing of it as of appointing the place for the rest of the Service of Morning and Evening prayer and the decision of all doubts about Ceremonies is left to the discretion of the Ordinary as is evident out of the Rubrick before the beginning of Morning prayer and the Preface prefixed to the Booke of Common prayer In case then that the Ordinary which is every Bishop in his Diocese shall appoint it to be so placed hee doth no more but what he hath pattern for from the Ancient Church and by warrant from the Injunctions mentioned and Booke of Common prayer it selfe that I say nothing of the Episcopall power which was never abridged of liberty to take order in things of this nor of farre higher nature I will adde one thing more That that place is of all others the most fit for the standing of the Lords Table because as S. Iustine Martyr saith Quia corum quae apud nos sunt meliora praestantiora ad Dei honorem secernimus hominum autem opinione sententia ea pars in qua sol oritur caeteris naturae partibus praestantior est orientem cum precamur omnes intuemur S. Iust Mart. ad orthodox quaest 118. Communicants going up to the Altar to receive Ips new p 7. Those things which are the best and most excellent with us we set apart for the service of God and for that in the opinion and judgement of men that part where the Sunne riseth is the chiefe of all the parts of created Nature wee looke to the East when wee pray for that cause And as that part of the Church hath beene ever accounted the chiefest so it is great reason that our best services should thence be tendred unto God and that his Table should have the highest place in his owne house and no man suffered to perk above it and him And if it may bee there placed and in case the Ordinary shall think that place convenient for ministration there remaine Then can it not as some think and as the Ipswich-libell glancingly intimates be unlawfull for the Communicants to goe up thither when they receive As for the custome which in too many places is of late crept in of the Priests carrying of the holy Bread and Cup to every person in their seats it is both unseemly and derogatory to the Majesty of those sacred Mysteries and I am sure beside the intention of our Church expressely commanding all those that intend to cōmunicate to draw neere to thē And this is also the intention of the often mentioned Injunction when it appoints the removing of the holy Table from the place where the Altar stood that the Communicants more conveniently and in more number might communicate with the Minister For what need any removing for that if the Minister must carry the Sacrament to every man Who sees not but that the whole Congregation though never so great may communicate with the Minister and the Table stand still at the East end or any where if communicating with him were understood in that sense But without all doubt the intent of the Injunction was that Communicants should goe out of their places and draw neere to the Table when they did receive and care was thereby taken that
restored to the singular benefit of Christian soules CHAP. XVIII Of the seventh pretended Innovation in the Rule of Faith What matters of Religion are submitted to the Bishops decision The Doctrine of our Articles The properties of the Bishops decisions Master Burtons clamors against the Bishops in this particular odious and shamefull Of that speech which he ascribeth to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury concerning the Catholick Church What is justly attributed to the Church and how we ordinarily come to know the Scriptures to be Scriptures THe seventh Innovation he makes to be in pag. 151. the rule of Faith for whereas the perfect and compleat rule of faith is the holy Scripture as 2 Tim. 3. Our new Doctors cry up the dictates of the Church to wit of the Prelates to bee our only guides in Divinity as in Reeves Communion booke Catechisme expounded pag. 20. 206. where as he saith that authour affirmes all Ministers must submit to the judgement of the Prelates in all matters pertaining to Religion and all Prelates must submit to the judgement of the Arch-prelate And then addes his owne glosse as having a Papall infallibility of spirit whereby as by a Divine Oracle all questions in Religion are finally determined My Answer to this shall bee very briefe for that the same crimination is by Master B. objected in his Lawlesse Pamphlet intituled An Answer to a late Treatise of the Sabbath day and since by the Reverend Author of that Treatise that venerable masse of solid learning the L. Bishop of Ely so profoundly answered that my poore endeavours In his Treatise intituled An Examination vid p. 17 18 19 20 c. seeme to me altogether needles it being abundantly sufficient to referre my Readers thither for satisfaction Yet somewhat I will say for their sakes that have not that Booke at hand First it is confest that the holy Scripture is the sole and compleat Rule of Faith This is the constant and subscribed Doctrine of our Church Artic. 6. And therefore it were strange that they who themselves have so often subscribed and who exact subscription from others should goe against so confessed a truth and certainly if hee had had but the least graine of ingenuity in interpreting the writings of other men or rather if malice had not wholly filled him with ignorance and confidence hee would never have dream't of any contradiction to this Doctrine in the words by him alledged or to have stretched matters of Religion subjected to the Bishops determination to the substantiall points of Faith which no Protestant ever affirmed But somewhat sure there is in it that is in matters of Religion submitted to the Bishops judgement True and so it ever was in the Church of God But this extends not to matters of Faith or manners to be believed and done of necessitie to salvation so as to coine new articles in either kinde The power which by them is challenged and by all understanding Christians in all ages of the Church ascribed to them is no other but that which is given them by the tenth Article of our Religion whose words are That the Church hath power to decree rites and ceremonies and authoritie in Controversies See Preface to the Booke of Common-Prayer referring parties doubting of any thing that is conteined in that Booke to the Bishop and the Bishop doubting to the Arch-Bishop of Religion Where by the Church whoever Master B. understands is meant the heads and Governors in the Church to whom the right of direction and government doth peculiarly belong and therefore they are called Bishops or Overseers and Rulers or Guides and Leaders as being by their Office to judge of things needfull and to direct those that are under their charge Now this power of theirs hath these properties 1. It is not supreme but ministeriall not ruling but ruled by the Scriptures by which rule they are to square their determinations in all matters of Religion being altogether unlawfull for them to define any thing contrary thereunto 2. The things wherein they have power to decree ordaine alter and change any thing touching Religion in the Church is onely in matter of Ceremonie which are in comparison of the points of Faith onely circumstantiall as concerning time place gesture order and the like to bee observed in the service of God 3. In these things which they thus order and ordaine they must keepe them to those generall Rules 1. That things be dâ—â—e decently and in order 2. That nothing bee ordained contrary to the Scripture 3. That things beside the Scripture ordained be not inforced to be believed of necessitie to salvation as our Article speakes 4. Their decisions in matters of Religion are not infallible neither did they ever challenge nor any that ever I heard of among us ascribe unto them no not to the Arch-prelate any Papall insallibilitie of Spirit Neither did they arrogate any other abilitie of right and true judgement in things than is attained by ordinary meanes nor any immediatly Divine Inspiration or Assistance annexed to their Chaire all which the Pope doth Lastly the submission that is required by those that are under them Ministers and people is not absolute and such as no inferiour Priest or Christian can without sinne dissent from their judgements but in regard of externall order and for the avoiding of confusion and sects in the Church as it is not left free for every man to appoint or judge of matters of Religion or to have them after their owne way so it cannot but be a great disorder and consequently a sinne for any man out of his private humour openly to reclaime or to disobey those who are invested with the power of Judicature This being the power that is given or challenged by the Bishops it cannot but be a wonder to thinke that any man should bee so past all shame as so odiously to clamour upon this ground against the Bishops and Fathers of the Church and to deride and scorne the most Reverend Arch-Bishop of Cant. calling him the Oracle and one that hath a Papall infallibilitie of Spirit and the like But for a Priest to doe it puts it beyond all wonder and astonishment especially if wee consider these two things First which is also observed by the Reverend Bishop of Ely that See the Booke of Ordination at his Ordination he promised yea swore that hee would reverently obey the Bishops and with a glad minde and will follow their godly admonitions and submit to their godly judgements 2. That every Priest hath a power of directing those that are under his charge in matters of Religion and that the people ought to inquire the Law at their Mouthes and to submit to their judgements which to take away from them were to robbe them of a maine part of the Priestly function and yet I suppose neither challengeth any Papall infallibilitie of Spirit nor requireth any blind obedience and therefore how he can
charge these things upon the Bishops for clayming the same power over the inferiour Clergie and people which himselfe as a Priest hath over the people committed to him is more than wonderfull Well but for all that here is a strange piece of Poperie which hee addes uttered by the Chiefest Prelate of England in the High Commission p. 152. viz. That in matters of Divinitie wee are not tyed to the Scriptures but to the Vniversall Catholicke Church in all ages for how said hee so Master Burton affirmes shall wee know the Scriptures but by the Church But that this man hath set his faith to sale for popular breath so that his testimony is of no value I should here runne aground and miscarry in my undertakings How not tyed in matters of Divinity to the Scriptures surely His Grace did much forget himselfe and what himselfe hath both subscribed and publickly maintayned against the Romanists Or rather Master Burtons zeale hath farre over-reached in imputing so grosse an error so insulsly expressed to so learned and every way accomplisht a Divine Yet somewhat perhaps there was said which might minister occasion to malevolence thus to traduce him Perhaps if occasion were offered Hee might make the consentient testimonie of the Catholicke Church in all ages the best interpreter the best rule to follow for the setling of the understanding in the true meaning of holy Scripture Yea he might perhaps say in all matters in Divinity taking it to include Doctor Field of the Church l. 4. c. 20. matters of ceremony and other things in which consist not the substance of faith or manners necessarily required to salvation we are not tyed Perkins refor Cath. to the Scriptures It is no innovation to admit traditions which was ever granted in our Church and never denyed by any learned Protestant We baptise infants Chemnit exam Concil Trid Sess 1. 4. receive the Apostles Creed acknowledge the number names and authors of the Bookes of Canonicall Scripture that I mention not for feare of displeasing Master B. the observation of the Lords day all which besides a number of rites ceremonies and observations whereof we have neither irrefragable precept nor example in the Scriptures onely wee doe not admit any traditions contrary to the Scriptures nor doe wee as the Councell of Trent receive them with the same reverence and pious affection or advance them to an equality of authority with Scriptures but as subservient unto them Further though Master B. startle at it it is no innovation neither to make the Churches testimonie to bee the meanes of our knowledge the Scripture to bee the Scripture which is no more than our Articles allow calling Artic. 20. the Church a witnesse and a keeper of holy writ I wish Master B. would have given us his answer to the question and have told us how hee came to know the Scriptures seeing he will not seeme to bee beholding to the Church for that peece of learning surely hee had it by revelation or received that booke as Saint Iohn did from the hand of some Angel for I will not bee perswaded hee brought that knowledge into the world with him Revel 10. 9. But whatsoever hee shall perswade himselfe and others it is an undoubted truth that we come to know the Scriptures by the Testimony of the Church and that secluding that wee cannot ordinarily bee perswaded that they are the word of God But withall we must know that it is one thing to suspend the authority of the Scriptures upon the Church and to make the Churches testimonie the foundation of our beliefe of those things which are conteyned in the Scripture and another to make the Churches proposall and testimony a necessary meanes and condition without which ordinarily men cannot know them to be those divine oracles whereon our faith is to be builded And because Master B. may thinke the better of this tenet if it be delivered by others he shall heare the same from the late learned Deane of Glocester whom I know he will not count any D. Field Appendix l. 2. sect 8 Popish Innovator who answering a Popish Treatisor that would needs fasten a Popish absurd doctrine upon this assertion writes thus If Protestants receive the number names of the Authors and integrity of the parts of bookes divine and Canonicall as delivered by Tradition as I say they doe and if without tradition we cannot know such divine bookes he The Popish Treatisor thinketh it consequent that tradition is the ground of our faith But indeed there is no such consequence as he imagineth For it is one thing to require the Tradition of the Church as a necessary meanes whereby the Scriptures may be delivered unto us and made knowne and another to make the same Tradition the ground of our faith c. Thus that judicious Doctor with much more to that purpose evidently proveth his assertion Briefely the authority of the holy Scriptures depends onely upon the author God himselfe the Church receiving them as delivered by God and so approving publishing preaching interpreting and discerning them from other writings doth not adde any thing to the authority of them which by her meanes beeing made knowne of themselves they are able to perswade and to yeeld sufficient satisfaction to all men of their divine truth And this authority thus made knowne is that into which as into their highest and utmost cause and end our faith and obedience is resolved And this may serve for answere to this false and groundlesse crimination CHAP. XIX Of the jurisdiction of Bishops how farre of Divine right given by Christ to his Apostles and from them derived by succession The power given to the Apostles divided into severall orders What power Ecclesiasticall belongs to the King and the intent of the Statutes which annex all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to the Crowne Of Master Burtons Quotation of the Iesuites Direction to be observed by N. N. Master B. and the Iesuite confederates in detraction and ignorance BVt there are two things here which I am unwilling to passe over The first is that here he saith that the words which he ascribes to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury were by him spoken at the censure of Doctor Bastwick for oppugning the jurisdiction of Bishops Iure Divino as being no where found in the Scripture c. This is one thing which though here brought in upon the by I cannot passe because I finde him else where much harping upon the same string Hee will not have the Bishops derive their succession from the Apostles cryes out upon Dr. Pocklington for delivering pag. 41. Ips Newes pag. 4. Appeal p. 7. 1. that doctrine affirmes their authority and jurisdiction to be onely from the King that not to derive it thence is against the law of the Land and I know not what danger besides and that Doctor Bastwick is imprisoned for defending his Majesties Ips N. p. vult See pag. 67
no where doth to the Priests or Deacons but more clearely by the ancient Canons and writings of the Fathers in the primitive B. Andrewes Resp ad Epist Moâ—inaei 1. 3. Tortur Terti p. 151. Church That which results from all this is That to affirme the Episcopall order or authority as it is meerely spirituall to bee received not from the King but from God and Christ and derived by continuall succession from the Apostles is no false or arrogant assertion nor prejudicall to the Kings prerogative royall and so not dangerous to those that shall so affirme or that challenge and exercise their jurisdiction in that name For the further demonstration hereof I will also briefly set downe what power in causes Ecclesiasticall is due and challenged by the King and other Soveraigne Civill Magistrates what Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction is annexed to the Crowne of this Realme which the Bishops must acknowledg thence to be received and exercised in that right My first conclusion shall be in the words of Conclu 1 our thirty seventh Article where the power of Artic. 37. Kings in causes Ecclesiasticall is described to bee only That they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiasticall or Temporall and restraine with the Civill Sword the stubborne and evill doers other authority than this as Queene Elizabeth in her Injunctions His Majesty neither doth ne ever will Qu. Eliz. Injunct challenge nor indeed is due to the Imperiall Crowne either of this or any other Realme Where I observe two things wherein the Soveraigne authority of Princes in causes Ecclesiasticall doth consist First in ruling Ecclesiasticall persons under which are comprised 1 their power to command and provide that spirituall persons do rightly and duly execute the spirituall duties belonging to their functions 2 to make and ordaine Lawes to that end and for the advancement and establishing of piety and true Religion and the due and decent performance of Divine worship and for the hinderance and extirpation of all things contrary thereunto Secondly in punishing them as well as others when they offend with the Civill Sword Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall persons being offenders are not exempt from the coercive power of the King but that he may punish them as well as others but it is with the Gladium spiritualem stringere est Episcoporum non Regum quan quam hic licet Episcoporum manu piorum tamen Regum sancto monitu et evaginari in vaginam recondi solet Mason de Minist Ang. l. 4. c. 1. Civill Sword as that only which he beareth not with the Ecclesiasticall or by the sentence of Excommunication It belongs to Bishops and not to Kings to draw the Spirituall Sword yet that is also wont to be unsheathed and sheathed at the godly command and motion of religious Kings And they may as pious Princes use second yea and prevent the spirituall Sword and with the Civill as namely with bodily and pecuniary punishment compell his subjects as well Ecclesiasticall as Temporall to the performance of the duties of both Tables My second conclusion or as I may rather Conclu 2 terme it my inference upon the former is That the Bishops having any civill power annexed to their places and exercising the same either in judging any civill causes or inflicting temporall punishments whether bodily or pecuniary have and use that power wholly from the King and by his grace and favour in his right That the Episcopall jurisdiction even as it is Conclu 3 truly Episcopall and meerely spirituall though in it selfe it be received only from God yet in asmuch it is exercised in his Majesties Dominions and upon his subjects by his Majesties consent command and royall Protection according to the Canons and Statutes confirmed by his Authority nothing hinders but that thus-farre all Ecclesiasticall Authority and jurisdiction may bee truly said to be annexed to the Crowne and derived from thence And this onely is the intent of those Statutes which annex the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to the Crowne Which notwithstanding it may truly bee affirmed that the Bishops have their function and jurisdiction for the substance of it as it is meerely spirituall and so properly Ecclesiasticall by Divine right and only from Christ and that it is derived by a continuall and uninterrupted succession from the Apostles But if Master Burton conceive that the Bishops affirme that they have power to exercise this their spirituall jurisdiction within His Majesties Dominions and over His Subjects of themselves and without licence and authoritie from His Majestie Or that their temporalities their revenewes their Dignities to bee Barons of the Parliament c. or the authority that they have and use either to judge in Causes temporall or to inflict temporall punishments belong to them by Divine right or otherwise than by the favour of his Majesty and his predecessors hee makes them as absurdly ignorant and presumptuous as himselfe The other thing which I cannot let passe is that which he here cites out of the Iesuites pamphlet intituled A direction to be observed by N. N. c. wherein the Iesuit it seemes applauds the present state of our Church as comming on towards Vnion with Rome The temper and moderation of the Arch Bishop and some other learned prelates and the allowance of some things in these dayes which in former times were counted superstitious as the names of Priests and altars and the acknowledging the visible beeing of the Protestant Church for many ages to have beene in the Church of Rome c. My purpose is not here to enter the lists with the Iesuite who I doubt not ere long will bee more sufficiently answered than I have either leisure or ability to doe All that I shall say for the present is First that Master B. is willing it seemes to take dirt from any Dunghill to cast in the face of his Mother the Church of England and that though hee professe such mortall hate to Rome that the last affinity with her though many times but imaginary makes him breake forth into strange expressions of his abomination Yet hee can bee content to joyne hands with the worst of the Romanists the Iesuites and use their aide to slander and make odious the Church in which hee was bred But it is no Innovation this it hath beene a long practise of the Faction whereof he is now ambitious to become a captaine both to joyne with them in their principles and to make use of their weapons to fight against the Church wherein they live Secondly It is manifest from hence that the Iesuite and he are confederates in detraction and ignorance of the Doctrine of our Church which both of them judge of not by the authorised Doctrine publikely subscribed or the regular steps of those that have continued in the use of her ancient and laudable customes rites and ceremonies but by their owne humours and uncertaine reports of some
the exercise of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction at last the Statute concludes with this proviso Provided also that such Canons Constitutions Ordinances and Synodalls provinciall Stat. 25. Hen. 8. 19. being already made which be not contrariant nor repugnant to the Lawes Statutes and Customes of this Realme nor to the damage or hurt of the Kings Prerogative Royall shall now still be used and executed as they were afore the making of this Act till such time as they be viewed searched or otherwise ordered and determined by the said two and thirty persons or the more part of them according to the tenour forme and effect of this present Act. It followes then that till those thirty two persons determine otherwise old Canons may bee still executed and retaine their ancient vigor and authority and when that will be I know not but as yet I am sure it hath not been done As for that which he saith he heard a Popish Canon alledged in the High Commission in opposition to a Parliament Statute unlesse he had brought us the Particular I will crave leave to put that among the rest of his incredible fictions which hee hath foisted upon that Honorable Court and those that sit Iudges in it And whereas heads that the Act of Parliament prefixed to the Communion-booke restraines Rites and Ceremonies to bee used in our Church to those only which are expressed in the same booke under the penalty of imprisonment c. I grant that the Statute doth forbid the use of any other rite ceremonie order forme or manner of celebrating of the Lords Supper Mattens or Evensong c. than is set forth in the said booke But this doth not hinder the retaining of any laudable and pious customes then and of a long time before in use in the Church which are no way contrary to the forme or rites prescribed in the booke of Common prayer For where is it said in that booke that men during the time of Divine Service or of prayer and the Letany shal sit with their hats off and uncovered and yet that ceremony is piously observed by all that have any religion in them * Sine scripto jus venit quod usus approbavit nam diuturni mores consensu utentium comprobaâ—i legem imitantur Iustin Instit l. 1. Tit. 2. Consuetudo est jus quoddam moribus institutum quod pro lege suscipitur cum deficit lex Gratian. Distinct 1. c. 5. In his rebus de quibus nihil certi statuit diving scriptura mospopuâ—i Dei vel instituta maâ—orum pro lege tenenda sâ—nt Aug. Ep. 86. Custome not contrary to Law or good reason hath ever obteined the force of a law and in things of this nature the pious customes of Gods people as Saint Aug speakes are to be held for lawes And being so must or at least may lawfully be observed till some law expressely cry them downe which I am sure the Common-prayer-book nor any Statute yet hath done And if Master B. shall not allow this for good reason he will doe himselfe more prejudice by it than those whom hee opposeth for besides that he will bee at a stand what gesture to use in many things which are yet left there undetermined His present practice in many things must needs be condemned as having no warrant or prescription in that booke For I would for instance faine know where in that booke his rite of carrying the blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ up and downe the Church to the receivers pewes is to be found Where hee hath any allowance of singing a Psalme while hee is administring where or by what Statute those meetred Psalmes were ever allowed to be sung at all in the Church And if he can plead custome or however practice these and many others like them which might bee reckoned up without the warrant of the Common Prayer-book Why may not the same plea hold as strongly for those which he oppugnes which saving that hee hath called them all to nought are neither against the Word of God nor booke of Common-prayer but most decent and religious and venerable for their antiquity in the Church of God Nay if the not being in the booke of Common-prayer shall bee enough to exclude all rites and ceremonies from being used in the Church and that upon so great a danger as imprisonment c. Therâ— surely such as are contrary to the expresse orders there prescribed must much more be excluded their practice expose men more deservedly to the same danger And certainely Master B. by this meanes would be but in an ill case many others especially of his faction For how could they justifie their not reading of Gloria Patri at the end of every Psalme their addition of those words to the Lords Prayer for thine is the Kingdome the power c. when they finde it not there printed Their Christening of children after divine Service and the Sermon is ended their consummation of the whole forme of Marriage in the body of the Church without going to the Communion-Table and their churching of women other where than by that table and many other things which are contrary to the expresse words of the * If any person c. shall c. speake any thing in derogation depraving of the same book or of any thing therein contained c. every such person beeing thereof lawfully convicted shall forfeit for the first offence 100. markes for the second 400. for the 3. all his goods and chattels and suffer imprisonment during his life Stat. 1. Eliz 2. Rubrick yea which is more than all this how can Master B. bee excused from the penalty imposed by that Statute for depraving speaking against the reading of the second or Communion service at the Communion Table beeing so appointed in that booke These things considered it may justly be wondred at why the Statute should bee so strait-laced to some as not to admit any ceremony to be used but those that are prescribed and mentioned in the Common-prayer booke though commended by antiquity and the practice of the most judicious and of greatest authority in the Church and yet so indulgent to others as to suffer them freely to use what they thinke good and to wave the orders there prescribed and to deprave and speake against them at their pleasure But let us heare what more he hath to say Besides all this saith he these men have one speciall Sanctuary to fly unto and that is their Cathedrall Churches Well what then nay stay and give him leave first to empty his stomack for we may well thinke he cannot name Cathedrall Churches without moving his vomit which hee utters plentifully both against those places and those that belong to them with all their furniture vestments yea and the divine Service that is used in pag. 160. them And having thus cleared himselfe of that cholericke and bitter stuffe which I loath to pudle in he propounds
in which they take it yet is the sanctification expressely referred not to the day but to the Fast which in regard of the religious ends and uses of it may bee truly called an holy or sanctified work and so cannot inferre any Sabbaticall sanctification of a day much lesse of every such day for that worke 2. Neither doth the solemn assemblie necessarily import it the word being of more generall signification and some times applyed to such assemblies as are farre from holines and however as I said before being onely a particular command cannot be drawne into Ier 9. 2. an Assemblie of treacherous men a perpetuall rule As is judiciously observed by that Reverend Divine Master Hen. Mason in his pious Treatise of Fasting or Christian humiliation where this point is more largely and learnedly discussed I leave this then as an opinion built upon a sandy and tottering foundation which whatever shew of pietie it seemes to carry with it hath no ground in reason or Scripture to support it And I shall crave leave likewise that I may not trace him any more in his wilde vagaries that hee here makes bringing fire saucie and presumptuous Arguments to prove that His Majestie never intended to restraine Preaching on the Fast dayes when the Proclamation which is vox Regis speakes it Some men but none goes beyond Master B. have a dainty facultie this way if a thing like them they will have Scripture for it or it shall goe hard and if they can finde none they will yet bring reasons to shew that it must and ought to bee there as some Ames med Theol. l. 2. c. 5. have done for the establishing of the Lords Day If they like it not then plaine words are not enough to prove it spoken as here His Majesties Proclamation is not sufficient to declare his Royall meaning but hee must be forced by multitude I cannot say weight or force of Arguments to meane otherwise yea cleane contrary to his expresse words But this is but his old fetch to put the Bishops betweene when hee levels his envenomed shafts of detraction against His Sacred Majestie thereby hoping to procure them envie and to get a starting hole to avoyd the danger of broad-mouthed Treason The Bishops prohibited Preaching and not the King But whoever did it naught it was and that which made the Fast to bee neither grave nor religious and if it prove to bee His Majesties I suppose it is not Mr. Burtons saying he had rather dye than conceive such an opinion of his King that will save him from the just reward of his audaciousnes But I passe by this and those nine reasons that follow moving him had the season served for his accesse to have becom'n an humble petitioner to His Majestie for the taking off of that restraint that preaching at the Fasts in places infected might bee permitted partly because of their vanitie and weaknesse and partly because I would not prevent my selfe being to speake of preaching in Generall under the next head where I must touch upon some of these particulars of which I now come to speake CHAP. XVII Of the sixth pretended Innovation in the Meanes of Knowledge The Knowledge of God necessary The Scriptures the key of Knowledge Impious to take them away or hinder the Knowledge of them The difference betweene the Scriptures and Sermons How Faith is begotten of Rom. 10. 17. The Word of God must be rightly divided and what it is so to doe THE sixth Innovation he tells us is about the meanes of the Knowledge of God and of the mysterie of our salvation where in hee charges the Prelates as our Saviour did the Scribes and Pharisees That they shut up the Kingdome of Heaven against men and neither goe in themselves Matth. 23. 13. nor suffer them that were entring to goe in Which saith he in Luke 11. 52. is expressed thus Yee take away the key of knowledge And then hee declares his meaning after a confused clamorous manner The summe whereof is but this They hinder and disgrace preaching and will not suffer men to preach or Catechise as they desire For answer to this I say first That it is a certaine truth and granted by all that understand any thing in religion That the knowledge of God and of the mysteries of salvation is most necessary for every Christian so as without a competent measure thereof by some meanes attained it is impossible for any man come to yeares of discretion to be saved Secondly It is also as certaine that it is not in the power of nature to attaine unto this competencie of knowledge in those things especially that concern the mysteries of our redemption without the helpe of a key reached out unto us from God himselfe who alone can make knowne what is that his good acceptable and perfect Will by beleeving and doing whereof hee hath determined to bring men to happinesse Thirdly It is agreed upon by all Protestant Divines that this key of knowledge is the Word of God contained in the Canonicall Scriptures of the old and new Testament which containe all things necessary to salvation Now it cannot but bee a most hatefull and odious sinne and impiety to take away from Christians this Key of knowledge and to barre them any way from the use of it and this kinde of persecution which was used by Iulian the Apostate is the most cruell of all others as tending not to the destroying of the bodies but both of bodies and soules for ever in hell fire and therfore we justly condemn the Church of Rome as envious of the salvation of mens soules in not permitting the Scripture to be had or read in a vulgar and known language And if any of our Prelates should doe the like I think Mr. B. might justly complain and in an orderly way seek redresse of so great a mischief But this he cannot say for hee that hath said so much I doubt not if he could have had the least colour for it but he would have said that too All the businesse that he moves this stir about is The putting downe of some Lectures and Sermons and regulating of Catechising And this he would have the people beleeve to bee the taking away of the key of knowledg and the means of the knowledg of God and of the mysteries of salvation And this hath beene an old deceit with which many Ministers of his faction have cosened if not themselves the people For whatsoever is spoken concerning the efficacie or necessity of Gods Hook Eccl. Pol. l. 5. §. 21. Word the same they tie and restraine only unto Sermons howbeit not to Sermons read neither for such they also abhor in the Church but Sermons without booke Sermons which spend their life in their birth and may have publike audience but once And hence it is that these great cryes are raised that a Minister shall not for any irregularity be suspended or his extravagant fancies restrained
or any order for the time or manner of preaching prescribed but presently they cry out that the Word of God the Gospel ordinary means of salvation are taken away or hindered The truth is we have no Word of God but the Scripture Apostolike Sermons were unto such as heard them his Word even as properly as unto us their writings are Howbeit not so our owne Sermons the expositions which our discourse of wit doth gather and minister out of the Word of God And much lesse every fond opinion which passion or misguided zeale shall utter out of the Pulpit To dignifie these with the name of Gods Word is both a grosse taking of Gods Name in vaine and a dangerous delusion of Gods People And yet so farre are some transported and carried away with this mis-perswasion that they attribute more to mens expositions than to the pure and infallible Word of God it selfe For they deny that any power to save soules though read or otherwise published in a knowne tongue and so plainely expressed that it cannot transcend the capacity of a meane understanding as indeed it is and we confidently and upon sure and infallible grounds mantaine it to be so against our adversaries of Rome in those things that are absolutely necessary to salvation Which opinion of theirs if ever any were is most senselesse and contrary to all reason For wee read that the Scriptures are able to make men wise unto salvation That the Word of God received 2 Tim. 3. 15. Iam. 1. 21 with meeknes ingrafted is able to save our soules and that they thus commended the Scriptures as availeable to this end for certaine had no secret conceit which they never opened to any a conceit that no man in the world should be that way the better for any sentence in it till such time as the same might chance to bee preached upon or alledged at the least in a Sermon There is no such coherence between Sermons and faith that ordinarily a Christian mans beleefe should naturally grow from thence and not possibly from any other kinde of notification of the Word of God The Apostle indeed faith that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. But is not the Word as well heard when it is read as when it is preached upon in Master Burtons precise acception of the word The begetting of faith in mens hearts commeth from the concurrence of two things First the Word of God which is the object of faith Secondly the notification of this object to the understanding by such meanes as it may bee able to apprehend it and this notification or conveighing of the word of God to the understanding is that which the Apostle calls hearing and comprehends in it both reading of it by a man's selfe hearing it read by others or any other way whereby it may come to be understood and assented unto as preaching in that sense to which it is by these men restrained by way of Sermons and yet we must give preaching even in that sense it 's due and farre be it from any yea and I dare confidently say it is farre from any of those whom Master B. taxeth to deny it it 's just honor onely let it not be lifted up to an unjust competition with the Scriptures and immediately inspired Word of God it selfe and much lesse preferred before it in power and efficacie or to have the word of God to borrow and fetch its power and saving vertue from it neither let it not bee opposed to or bring in contempt that which it ought chiefely to labour to promote the publicke prayers of the Church which is the true and proper worship of God With these Cautions whatsoever honour men shall give not to every vaine babling venting of fables newes corantoes out of the Pulpit but to preaching rightly so called that is the sober and solid explication application of any portion of the word of God will never offend the Prelates of these times nor any other piously affected Christian Let them dignifie this if they please in a secundary sense with the title of Gods word Let them call the Ministers of it even in respect of this as the Apostle hath done in regard of their whole office co-workers or joynt-labourers with God than which what greater dignity can be imagined yet they shall not be gaine said by any Prelate or feare the censure of the High-commission for it Men doe not we know bring the saving knowledge of God into the world with them it must be instilled by some meanes and among the rest it is Gods ordinance That the Priests lips which should Mal. 2. 7. Deut. 32. 2. preserve knowledge should in this way let their doctrine drop as the raine and their speech distill as the dew and that the people who have not the like opportunity or ability of knowledge might seeke the law at their mouthes who even in this are the messengers of the Lord of Hosts Yea if this bee not enough let them preferre this above all other meanes and it will easily be granted in regard they are more apt to make impression upon the hearers more powerfull incentives of good affections than other wayes of teaching are But all this notwithstanding though there be so much of God in this work yet there is somewhat of man still in the best of them and that where ever it be is not priviledged from error imperfection and vanity and hence it comes to passe that many Jer. 23. 31 32. times men with those in the prophet use their tongues and say The Lord saith when God sent them not nor commanded them but they prophesie false dreames and cause the people to erre by their lightnesse Yea too often as these sermons here before us men make the Pulpit but a stage to act their passionate distempers and spleene to ransack the affaires of state and to pick out thence such things as may claw the peoples itch who ever are content to heare those above them taxed or if men doe not shew themselves to bee men in so grosse a manner yet it cannot bee expected but that discretion will bee sometimes wanting to know what meate is fittest for the strength of their auditory and when and how to administer that which is sufficient for their due nourishment without the over laying of their stomackes to the ingendring of spirituall crudities and corrupt humours It is a misconceit that some have who because the Apostle bids his scholer Timothy to preach in season and out of season there can be no 2. Tim. 4. 2. time or measure unseasonable and so no bounds without injury set to preachers or preaching When wee know the nature of the duty it selfe the end of it the necessity of other duties to succeede and all shew that there is an out of season and an out of measure too which the Apostle never intended to urge his