such thing will follow for although the inferiour Clergie are to be guided by the Bishops in matters of Religion so farre as the Bishops instruct them according to the common rule of faith collected out of Holy Scripture and confirmed by the Vote of Primitive Antiquity and which is approved and ratified by the Church whereof they are members yet they are not absolutely or altogether to be directed by the Bishops for they have liberty to dissent if by waighty and substantiall arguments they shall be able to demonstrate that the Bishops determination or doctrine is repugnant to Orthodoxall Verity a Aug. ep 28. Contra Cypriani aliquâ—m opinionem ubi quod videnduÌ„ fuit fortasse non vidit sentiat quisque quod libet tantum contra Apostolicam manifestissimam fidem nemo sentiat Id de Trin. li. 3. Prooem In omnibus literis meis non solum pium lectorem sed etiam liberum correctorem desidero c. But now againe on the contrary if any of the inferiour Clergie proceed as the Dialogaster hath done and be able to produce nothing waighty effectuall firme or solid but that which is meerely schismaticall declamatory and verball Then there is just cause that the inferiour Clergie in due obedience should submit themselves to Episcopall sounder judgement Object 2 A Bishops Rotchet cannot conferre Grace ex opere operato Ergo The inferiour Clergie are not bound to submit themselves to the Bishops judgement c. Answ The ground of this objection is apparently false for if inferiours are not bound to submit themselves to the judgement of any buâ— of such onely as have received extraordinary grace ex opere operato b Causare Gratiam ex opere operato idem est atque eam causare in omni suscipiente sufficienter disposito non per modum meriti sed prout consideratur secundum entitatem suam quatenus habet rat oneÌ„ entis quodammodo naturaliter operantis Coenick Cabrera Gregor Valent. Hosius Bosius c. Then it wil be consequent that Parochians are not obliged to submit themselves to the instruction of thâ—ir godly and lawfull Pastors Neither are Children bound to submit themselves to their Parents directions because holy order and paternity conferre not extraordinary grace to Priests or to Parents ex opere operato to instruct their Parochians or their Children as the Holy Prophets and Apostles instructed the Church to wit by a miraculous power of inspiration Object 3 Bishops have not such infallibilâ—ty as the Pope challengeth for we deny the Popes infallibility or that it can convey it selfe as from the Head and confine it selfe within the Veines of the body of the Prelacy Ergo the inferiour Clergy are not bound to submit themselves to the Bishops judgement Answ 1. If none may instruct and guide others in matters of Religion but they onely which have such infallibility as the Pope claimeth a Aug. Triumph Sum. de potest Eccles q. 6. ar 1. Nullus potest appellâ—re à Papa ad Deum quia una sententia est una Curia Dei Papae and is conveyed from him as the head into them as Veines Then neither Saint Augustine nor any other of the Fathers nor any other man since the Apostles might guide and instruct others in matters of Religion for none of these had such infallibility as the Pope challengeth c. Secondly If none may be guides to others in things Divine and Religious but such only as have the same infallibility which the Pope claimeth How comes it to passe that the Author of this Dialogue having neither extraordinary wit nor wealth of learning presumeth to make himselfe a Iudge b H. B. Tr all of privat devot Praef. I heare alas pooâ—e BurtoÌ„ he is crackt discontentment or hope of preferment have embarked him in this perilous adventure What shall I say Am I crackt Wherewith Not I am sure either with too much lâ—arning as FESTUS charged Paul or too much living And if I am mad I am not the first and Instructor of others not only in his owne Cure but of all men learned and unlearned in the kingdome c Cyprian ad Iubaian Novatianus simiarum more quae cum homines non sint homines imitantur vult ecclesiae catholicae authoritatem vendicare quando ipse in ecclesia non sit and if any man vary as all Wise men doe from his placits contained in certaine irregular and unlicensed Pamphlets Hee forth-with stigmatizeth them d Hier. Apol. c. Ruff. Quicunq te offenderit quamvis simplex quamvis innoxius sit ilico fiet criminosus in print threatneth to publish Books in Latine against them He turnes White into Blacke e Plea To the Appeale pag. 5. The Puritans stick not to cast him D. Wh. in the teâ—th with White died bâ—acke He casteth durt in their faces f Tertul. c. Hermog Maledicere singulis officium bonae conscientiae judicat and flings about with his heeles like a netled â—ade Now what partiality is this to make the Reverend and learned Bishops of the Church Veines of the Pope because they by lawfull authority guide and instruct the Clergie subject to their Episcopall jurisdiction and in the meane time that this Scripturient having received no authority from God or men and being destitute of all abilities for so great a worke should constitute himselfe a Iudge Paramount even in the most profound and obscure questions of Theologie g Greg. Nazian Apolog fugae stulte tâ—mâ—reque faciunt qui priusquam ipsi satis doctrina instructi sunt aliorum se magistros profitentur Figlinamque ut vulgo dici solet in dolio discunt A. Brother such a resolution had need have a good ground to stand upon and being a matter of such moment it requires our best zeale strength especially to vindicate the Doctrine of our Reverend Mother the Church of England which wee have sucked from her purer Breasts nor onely so but to vindicate her name from reproach for if it be so as you have said that the Doctrine of our Church is by that book overthrown then consequently as I conceive she must deepely suffer and be wounded through the sides of those whom he so often in his Book brandeth with the odious name of Novell Sabbatarians B. Brother you conceite aright for in truth all those Calumnious and odious Termes which he gives to those whose opinions except Brabournes only he impugneth in his Treatise as venomous Serpents Noysome Tares Pestilent weedes and Vncleane Beasts termes to bee abhorred of all true Christians and in a word Novell Sabbatarians they all result upon our deare Mother the Church of England c With lye and all For who are the most of those or rather all whom he thus stigmatizeth are they not or were they not in their time the true-bred Children of the Church of Engl. all unanimously professing and maintaining her Orthodox Doctrines Can therefore the Mother
it 2 It is granted that the fourth Commandement is expresse for a certaine day for a particular day Namely for Saturday But if it be expresse for Saturday and for that Individuall day only Then it is not expresse for Sunday and the observation of Sunday must either be grounded upon the naturall equity of the fourth Commandement or else it cannot be grounded upon that Commandement at all 3 Brother B. saith in this passage of his Dialogue The fourth Commandement is expresse for a certaine day But in another of his treatises hee delivereth the contrary to wit The Commandement saith not Remember the Seventh day to sanctifie it but Remember the Sabbath whatsoever it be to sanctifie it Now a certaine day is definite and a Sabbath day whatsoever it be is indefinite Therefore if the fourth Commandement enjoyneth a Sabbath Day whatsoever it be it commandeth a day indefinite and not a particular and certaine day 4 If the fourth Commandement is expresse for the Lord's-Day then it either nameth this day in particular or it describeth the same by some Characters by which it is distinguished from other dayes But the Commandement neither nameth the Lord's Day in particular nor yet describeth it by any speciall Characters but on the contrary it both nameth the Seventh day and describeth it by a speciall Character whereby it is distinguished from other dayes to wit by God's resting from his grand worke of prime Creation Therefore the fourth Commandement is not expresse for the keeping holy of the Lord's-day but if wee will have the day expressely commanded we must observe the Old Sabbath Day according to Theoph. Brabourne's Tenet 5 Whereas the Objector saith the Commandement must determine the particular time and day in Individuo because otherwise if the same be lef◠indetermined man should forget God and himselfe and allow no time at all for God's service The answer is there can be no just reason for people to forget God and to allow no time at all for his service if a sufficient and convenient time be indefinitely commanded by the Law of Nature and a definite and particular day and time be appointed by the Pastors of the Church For the precepts of the Church being godly and holy and subservient to God's glory and being grounded upon Apostolicall example oblige Christian people to their particular duty in observing time and place and many other circumstances concerning God's service and Christians are obliged to observe all such godly precepts when the same are meanes to execute God's generall Law which is Let all things in the Church be done decently and in good order and to edification c. pag. 99. B. It is a Law of nature that every Lord and Master should have the power in himselfe to appoint not only the kinde of service but the time when it should be performed of his servants As Alexander d. Ales a Alex. Hal. part 3. quaest 32. saith upon the fourth Commandement The time of this Rest it is not in Man's power to determine but God's Answ The chiefe Lord and Master of the family hath the supreme authority to determine the time and circumstances of his owne service But hee may delegate subordinate power to his Steward or other Officers to performe the same In the Old Law God Almighty prescribed the particular day and place of his publike worship to wit the Saturday of every weeke c. and the Tabernacle c. But in the Evangelicall Law he hath not expressely or literally appointed either a particular day or a particular place But Christian Kings being nursing Fathers and the Bishops being Pastors and Governours in the Church and Stewards of this great Lord by a delegate and ministeriall power may lawfully performe this pag. 187. I desire the judicious Reader to consider that the former Objection is a pestilent drug borrowed from Schismatickes and from Separatists pag. 95. and if the same bee admitted it takes away all power from the Kings Majesty and from the Church to appoint any set place for God's publike service or to ordaine any holy dayes or festivall solemnities or to determine the houres of the day for peoples resorting to Church and their continuance at the Church Lastly it denies the Churches power of composing any externall forme or Liturgy for God's publike and solemne worship B. Againe the Adversary acknowledgeth an equity in the fourth Commandement What equity If as it bound the ancient people of God to one day in the weeke it doe not also binde the Christian People to keep one day in the Weeke And if it be the equity of the fourth Commandement to prescribe one day in seven then they are very unjust that deny the keeping of the Lord's-Day to be grounded upon the equity of the fourth Commandement It were well if they would stand to equity But this doth our Adversary flye from for he saith in the next words The particular forme and circumstances of resting are prescribed unto us by the precepts of the Church our spirituall actions according to that which is maine and substantiall in them are taught by the Evangelicall Law Their modification and limitation in respect of rituall and externall forme and in regard of place duration gesture habit and other externall circumstances are prescribed by the Law of the Church So He. Thus you see how hee limits the prescription of circumstances which comprehend time and place persons and duration when and how long God shall bee served unto the prescription of the Law of the Church which he expresseth more fully pag. 270. saying It was in the free election of the Church to appoint what day or dayes or times she thought good or found convenient for religious duties a P. Martyr in Genes 2. Quod hic dies magis quam ille eligatur ad Dei cultum liberū fuit ecclesiae per Christum ut id consuleret quod magis ex re judicaret Bulling Cō in Apoc. 1.10 Sponte vero Ecclesiae receperuntillam diem non legimus eam ullibi praeceptam Hospin de Orig. Fest ca. 8. Et si ex hijs constet Dominicum diem jam tum Apostolorum temporibus Iudaici Sabbathi loco fuisse solennem non invenitur tamē vel Apostolos vel alios lege aliqua aut praecepto observationē ejus instituisse sed illam fuisse liberam c. In primitiva Ecclesia ipsius quoque Dominicae diei observatio nulla certa lege praecepta sed libera fuerit c. For the Evangelicall Law hath not determined any certaine day or time And those actions or circumstances which are not determined by divine precept are permitted to the liberty and authority of the Church to be determined and appointed So He. But cleare it is that the Church of England disclaimeth all such power a Reade the words of the Statute recited in the Preface to the Reader and it will be evident that Br. B. is a deceiver but ascribes all authority
Verball discourse it is answered that the Bishop hath already received approbation of his worke from his sacred Majesty and as much thankes and respect from the Lord's Grace of Canterbury as a faithfull person can expect or desire from a Superior and continuing as he hath begun he is in no danger to lose either his Majesties or the Arch-Bishops or any other worthy Persons lawfull favour 2 The Author with thankfulnesse to God protesteth that He having bestowed above two hundred of his bookes upon Persons among which many were of great worth and quality hath never as yet received so much as one check or affront from any one since a three fold impression of the Book And the Dialogue deviser is the first Satan so far as the Bishop is hitherto informed who hath fomed out his gall and venome against it Sed quamvis libraverit accusationis suae hastas totis adversus nos viribus interserit credimus in Deo salvatore quod scuto circumdabit veritas ejus cum Psalmista cantare poterimus Sagittae parvulorum facta sunt sagittae eorum although he hath with all his might bent his Speare and darted his Weapons against us yet wee trust in God our Saviour that the shield of veri y shall protect us so that we may say with the Psalmist Their arrowes shall be as the arrowes of children Hier. adv Ruffin lib. 1. 3 The Treatise is so farre from distracting the Kings loving Subjects which are of a loyall and peaceable disposition that many intelligent persons who have diligently read and examined the same having in former time been doubtfull are now setled in a firme resolution never to bee distracted with Sabbatarian fancies any more A. You know what is said in a late book allowed by Authority Communion Booke Catec expounded by Reve. That the holy Fathers in God the Bishops are to be guides in Divinity to the whole Clergie of inferiour Order So as all Priests are to submit to their godly judgements in all matters appertaining to Religion And the reason is given because the Fathers of the Church now and alwayes do in the great mystery of godlinesse comprehend many things which the common people doe not Yea also some things which Ministers of the inferiour Order doe not apprehend So as it is expected of those Holy Prelates that we must lay our hand on our mouth when they speake and be altogether regulated by their profound dictats B. I remember well the Booke and I cannot but wonder that those passages were not expunged with many others when the Book was called in and then the second time published You know we live in a learned age a One of whom it may truly be spoken None so bold as blinde Bayard may live in a learned age and we deny the Popes infallibility or that it can convey it selfe as from the head and so confine it selfe within the Veines of the body of the Prelacy Or that a Rotchet can confer this grace Ex opere operato And beleeve me Brother when we see such a Papall spirit begin to perk up in this our Church is it not high time trow you to look about us Shall we stumble at the Noone day and in the Meridian of the Gospell close our eyes and become the sworne Vassals of blinde Obedience b Cusan Exercitat l. 6. Obedientiâ— irrationalis est consummata obedientia scilicet quando obeditur sine inquisitione rationis sicut jumentuÌ„ obedit domino suo No no In this case therefore were Goliah himselfe the Champion I would by Gods grace try a fall with him Answ If bold Bayard were armed with Davids spirit and fortitude what Gyant were able to stand before him But if his whole strength consisteth in wording and facing onely Quid prodest Simiae si videatur esse Leo c Greg. Nazian in sentent What can it availe an Ape to conceive himselfe to bee as strong as a Lion But passing by this vaine ostentation let us take the matter delivered by him into examination 1 He censureth a moderne Writer for affirming that the Bishops of the Church are Guides to the inferiour Clergy to direct them in matters of Religion 2 He disputeth against this Position in manner following The Pope is not infallible Ergo the Bishops being Veines of the Body whereof the Pope is Head cannot be Iudges or Guides to instruct the inferiour Clergy 3 He saith that the Author whom he opposeth is guided with a Papall spirit Now this as I conceive is the Summe and marrow of the Dialogaster his argumentation In answer hereunto the Bishop saith that if this Objecter had intended to proceed in a right method of Disputation he must first of all have stated the Question and considered what Iudiciall power the Bishops of the Church of England challenge concerning regulating and deciding matters of Controversie in Religion and then he might have framed Arguments made Inferences and used his Invectives and Declamations and not before But being bold and blinde and not regarding and considering the Churches Tenet concerning Episcopall power he disputeth in a rude and deriding manner rather venting his malice against the Order of Bishops as Hereticks c Cyprian l 3. Ep. 9. Haec sunt initia Haereticorum ortus atque conatus SchismaticoruÌ„ male cogitantium ut sibi placeant praepositum superbo tumore conteÌ„nant in ancient times were wont to do than delivering any thing true substantiall or to the purpose 1 The Question is whether Bishops lawfully called and qualified according to the Apostles rule 1 Tim. 3. have any power of judicature in matters belonging to Religion or in questions Theologicall 2 Whether they bee Veines of the Pope and guided by a Papall spirit if they challenge or exercise any such power 3 Whether they can have no such power unlesse they be endued with Divine Grace Ex opere operato Now to these Questions our Answer is 1 That Bishops lawfully called and qualified according to the Apostles Rule have a ministeriall and subordinate power and authority to determine Theologicall Controversies by the Rule of holy Scripture and by the consentient Tradition and testimony of the ancient and orthodoxall Catholike Church For Timothy and Titus being Bishops lawfully ordained b Euseb hist Eccl. l. 3. c 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercised such power in the Church c Habiles idonei ad ecclesias quas â—â—i Apostoli fundaveranâ— pascendâ—s regendâ—sque estimâ—ti fuerint c Hieron c. Ruffin li. 2. Vtrum recipi debet EpiscoporuÌ„ relinquitur judicio Iren. lib. 4. cap. 43. lis qui in Ecclesus sunt Presbyteris oportet obaudire quicunque cum Episcopatus successione charisma veritatis acceperunt The Bishops and Fathers in the foure first generall Councels d Euseb vit Const l. 3. c. 18. Quicquid in sanctis EpiscoporuÌ„ Conciliis decernitur id universum divinae voluntati debet attribui did the like
So likewise did S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Ireneus S. Athanasius and all other orthodoxall Bishops in their times and the inferiour Clergie and other Christian people submitted themselves unto them 2 To enable Bishops to exercise this power of judicature in such manner as they assume it it is not necessary that they be endowed with miraculous inspiration as the Holy Apostles were but they may attain ability to perform this by diligent study and meditation of holy Scripture and of the learned writings of the godly fathers and by helps of good learning and by the assistance of ordinary grace And this appeareth by the Bishops in the Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon and by Irenaeus Cyprian Ambrose Augustine Athanasius Hilarius Cyrillus c. Thirdly The Romane a Iacob de Graff Decis Aur. part 1. li. 2. Omnia agit disponit judicat prout sibi placet c. Apud eum est pro ratione voluntas quod ei placet vigorem habet legis Baron Annal. An. 373. n. 21. Bosiuâ— de sign Eccles li. 5. ca. 9. Greg. Val. in Tho. to 3. disp 1. q. 1. punct 7. Pontife claimeth a twofold power of judicature in questâ—ons Theologicall 1. Such an infallible unerring and binding power as that no Church or Creature may appeale from his sentence or Tribunall in any case whatsoever But the Bishops of the Church of England challenge no such power but they maintaine that the inferiour Clergie or any other Christian people upon waightie and substantiall grounds of veâ—â—â—le may dissent from their sentence b August de unit Eccles cap. 10. Nec catholicis episcopis consentieÌ„dum est sicubi forte falluntur ut contra canonicas scripturas aliquid sentiant Id. de persev sanct ca. 21. Neminem velim sic amplecti mea omnia ut me sequatur nisi in eis quibus me non errare perspexerit 2. The Pope groundeth the infallibility of his sentence upon immediate divine inspiration and because He is the supreme visible head of the universall Catholicke Church succeeding Saint Peter not only as a Bishop but as an Apostle c Apud Gratian. dist 19. Sic omnes sanctiones Apostolicae sedis accipiendae sunt tanquam ipsius divina voce Petri firmatae Aug. Triumph Sum. de pot Eccles q. 6. ar 1. Sententia Papae sententia Dei est una Ib. quaest 18. ar 4. Papa quantum ad dognitionem gratuitam revelatam est major Angelis Gretser def Bellar. to 1. ca. 1. Id Solum pro verbo Dei veneramur suscipimus quod nobis Pontifex ex cathedra Petri tanquám supremus Christianorum magister omniumque controversiarum judex definiendo proponit Gulielm Rubeo â— dist 19. qu. 2. Papa Christi vicarius habet tantam potestatem in spiritualibus quantam habuit Christus non ut Deus sed ut homo verus But the Bishops in our Church make not themselves Apostles but are called to be Pastors of the Church by ordinary meanes and likewise they attaine ability of true and right judgement by ordinary helpes of learning and by ordinary assistance of divine Grace Now if it shall be objected that the inferiour Clergie and many other good Christians may equall Bishops and sometimes exceed them in Learning Piety Vertue and therefore Bishops may not be judges of the inferiour Clergie Our Answer is 1. That by the lawes of our kingdome and the Canons of our Church many learned Persons are appointed to be Assistants unto Bishops and in our Nationall Synods in which all waighty matters concerning Religion are determined nothing is or may bee concluded but by the common Vote and consent of the Major part of the Convocation which consisteth of many other learned Divines besides Bishops Secondly to the end that order may bee observed discord prevented and Heresies condemned it is necessary that there bee a power of judicature in some able and worthy persons and our State walking in the way of pious Antiquity a Cyprian Epist 27. Inde per temporum successionum vices episcoporum ordinatio Ecclesiae ratio decurrit ut Ecclesia super episcopos constituatur omnis actus ecclesiae per eosdem praepositos gubernetur Aug. Epist 86. Episcopo tuo noli resistere quod ipse facit sine ullo scrupulo vel disceptatione sectare Hieron ad Nepotian Esto subjectus pontifici tuo quasi animae parentem suscipe Id. adv Luciferian Ecclesiae salus in summi sacerdotis dignitate pendet cui si non exors quaedam ab omnibus eminens detur potestas tot in Ecclesiis efficientur schismata quot sacerdotes hath setled this power in the Bishops of our Church for if it shall bee left free to every singular and private person to frame a rule of faith and to judge and determine matters of Religion and Theologicall questions and Controversies by his owne private skill and spirit it will then be consequent that there shall bee no common Ecclesiasticall rule of faith to settle unity in Religion but the people of the land will be divided into as many Sects and factions as themselves please b Cyprian li. 1. ep 2. Neque aliunde haereses abortae sunt aut nata sunt schismata quam inde quod sacerdoti non obtemperatur Nec unus in Ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos ad tempus judex vice Christi cogitatur cui secundum magisteria divina obtemperaret fraternitas universa Idem li 4. ep 9. Vnde schismata haereses obortae sunt nisi dum episcopus qui unus est ecclesiae praeest superba quorundaÌ„ praesumptione contemnitur homo dignatione Dei honoratus ab indignis hominibus judicatur and a greater confusion must be among Christians than there was in old time among Pagans and Infidels Lastly it appeareth by the forme of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons authorized in this kingdome that the inferiour Clergy are obliged to submit themselves to the Bishop being their Ordinary and to whom the charge and government is committed over them The words of the booke of Ordination are these which follow BISHOP Will you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chiefe Ministers unto whom the government and charge is committed over you following with a glad minde and will their godly admonitions and submitting your selves to their godly judgements Answer I will so doe the Lord being my helper Having thus farre proceeded in declaring both the quality of Episcopall authority in judging the inferiour Clergie and also how necessary it is for preservation of verity and unity in Religion that this authority be respected and maintained In the next place we will examine the waight of the Dialogaster's objections Object 1 If Bishops are to be guides to the inferiour Clergie in matters of Religion then the inferiour Clergie must lay their hands on their mouth and be altogether regulated by their Dictates But this is unreasonable c. Answ No
to say there is a world in the Moone consisting of Land and Sea and inhabitants because there are some blacke spots in it which is yet not a more Lunaticke opinion than that is presumptuous and absurd Hath not the profane world found by woefull experience and that of late dayes within these two yeares last past wherein men have taken a liberty to prophane and pollute but a part of the Lord's-Day that this is a most horrible sin And a sin it cannot be but as a breach of one of God's Holy Commandements for where there is no Law there is no transgression The profanation I say of the Lord's Day is clearely shewed to bee an horrible presumptuous sin and in speciall a bold breach of the fourth Commandement by those many remarkeable judgements of God which have fearefully fallen upon fearelesse Sabbath breakers and that I say within these two yeares last past the like whereof cannot be parallell'd in all the Histories of all the Centuries since the Apostles times Which alone if men were not altogether possessed with the spirit of stupidity and of a croced conscience were sufficient to teach their dull wits that the fourth Commandement is still in force commanding the Sabbath-day to be sanctified the profanation whereof we see so terribly punished by divine revenge A point also which our Homily hath noted which were sufficient to admonish the Adversary of his presumptuous oppositions thereunto Answ 1. Divine Lawes being generall or indefinite oblige to obedience in particulars when the speciall Object commanded or prohibited by any other just Lawes is reduced to the Divine generall Law by lawfull consequence For example Thou shalt not steale is generall Therefore thou shalt not without license from the Owner or without other lawfull authority take away thy Neighbours Oxe or his Asse and yet Meum and Tuum thy Neighbours Oxe and his Asse are made his owne by humane Law So likewise in this present Question the generall equity of the Divine Law is Christian people must observe a convenient and sufficient time for Divine Worship c. And Christian Princes and the Bishops and Pastors of the Church having lawfull Authority to appoint such Observations as are subservient to true Religion have ordained Christmasse Easter and the Lord's day of every Weeke for Divine Worship and Religious Duties Ergo Christians are obliged by the generall Equity of the Divine Law to observe Christmasse Easter and the Lord's-day after that the Rulers and Pastors of the Church have appointed the same to be done to God's glory It is a frantick Paradox to maintaine That Christians are obliged to nothing but such things only as are definitely and in particular commanded by some expresse written Law of GOD in holy Scripture For many things which are in Nature and kinde indifferent when they are commanded by Parents Masters Magistrates or any other lawfull authoâ—ity come within the compasse of God's generall Law and that generall Law obligeth people to performe them Mediante Praecepto Parentis Heri Magistratus Ecclesiae c. by a mediate precept of Parent Master Magistrate or Church pag. 93. 2 To the Objector's Argument the answer is Where God's Law commandeth not either in particular or in generall there is no sin but if God's Law command in generall That we must obey every lawfull ordinance of the Church being subservient to God's glory and the edification of his people and the Church commandeth us religiously to observe the Lord's-day Christian people are bound in conscience to obey a Bernard d. Praecept Dispens cap. 12. Sive Deus sive homo viâ—â—rius Dei mandatum quodcunque tradiderit pari profecto obsequendum est cura pari reverentia deferenduÌ„ ubi tamen Deo contraria non praecipit homo and if they doe otherwise they transgresse God's Commandement and are guilty of sin pag. 93. 3 Whereas this Scribler affirmeth that no man is able to define a convenient and sufficient time for God's worship c. and compares the undertaking thereof to the imagination of the being of a World in the Moone c. I doubt not but that this quaint conceit makes him prick up his eares but upon due examination it will prove as ridiculous as the Man in the Moone For if any one presume to define things which are remote from humane cognisance not having sufficient meanes to prove his affirmation he justly deserves to be condemned of rashnesse and folly But the Governours in the Christian Church want not compleat and sufficient meanes to enable them to set downe and determine convenient and sufficient time for God's publike worship for they have many generall Rules laid downe in holy Scripture for the ordering of Ecclesiasticall affaires they have likewise Presidents of the Divine Law in ancient time they have the practise and example of the Saints of God to direct and leade them and Christian prudence hath enabled them in former ages to appoint sufficient and convenient dayes and times for God's solemne worship and in these dayes they have both understanding and authority to do the like 4 God's vengeance upon malicious profaners of the Lord's-day is no sufficient argument to prove that this day is expressely or literally commanded to bee observed in the Christian Church by the particular Precept of the fourth Commandement For wilfull transgression of the Precepts of the Church commanding such actions and offices as are religious holy and subservient to God's glory brings God's heavie judgements upon profane and disobedient people 5 In the close of the former Argument Brother B. casts dirt in the Face of him whom he stileth his Adversary saying This were sufficient to admonish the Adversary of his presumptuous oppositions thereunto But where or when hath his Adversary delivered any Position in his late Treatise or elsewhere in defence of profanenesse upon the Lord's-day or upon any other day For honest and sober recreation upon some part of the Holy-day is farre more remote from profanenesse than the factious and viperous deportment c Aug. c. Petilian li. 2 Idipsum vipereum est non habere in ore firmamentum veritatis sed venenum maledictionis of this Roarer against such as comply not with him in his presumptuous Dictats B. Mr. Hooker Eccles Pol. lib. 5. Sect 70. hath these words If it be demanded whether we observe these times to wit Holy-dayes as being thereunto bound by force of Divine Law or else by the only positive Ordinances of the Church I answer to this That the very Law of Nature it selfe which all Men confesse to be God's Law requireth in generall no lesse the sanctification of times than of places persons and things unto God's honour For which cause it hath pleased him heretofore as of the rest so of time likewise to exact some parts by way of perpetuall homage never to be dispensed withall nor remitted againe to require some other parts of time with as strict exaction but for lesse continuance
though not expressed For prophane Atheisme is more unlawfull at least more hainous than the worshipping of false Gods yet this last only is expressed in the very letter of the Law So Perjury is more hainous than meere taking the Name of God in vaine in ordinary discourse and common swearing Sodomie Incest and Buggery more odious sinnes than Adultery or Fornication though the other bee only within the intention of the Law and by way of consequence prohibited by the 1. 3. and 7th Commandements the latter by the expresse letter and words thereof Answ That which is directly formally expressely literally or by a necessary and immediate inference prohibited by any Law is ordinarily more unlawfull than those things which by a remote probable inference only are concluded to be repugnant to the Law The sins mentioned by the Objector Atheisme Perjury Buggery c. are not only prohibited by necessary inference and by the intention of the speciall precepts of the Decalogue but also by the Law of nature and by other expresse Negative Precepts delivered in the Old and New Testament But whereas corporall labour was expressely and in literall termes prohibited the Iewes upon the Legal Sabbath-day Honest and sober Recreation upon some part of the Lord's-Day in such manner as the Bishop maintaineth the same is prohibited neither by the expresse words of the 4th Commandement nor by any formall and necessary illation from the words and sentences of that Commandement nor yet by the Law of nature nor by any negative precepts of the Old or New Testament Therefore if bodily labour expressely and literally prohibited by the fourth Commandement was notwithstanding that prohibition in many cases lawfull among the Iewes Then honest and sober recreation such as is neither vicious in quality nor in circâ—mstances being neither expressely nor virtually prohibited or condemned by any Divine Law naturall positive or Evangelicall must be held to bee lawfull untill the Opposers thereof shall bee able to make it evident by demonstrative reasons that the same is repugnant to some divine Law according to all or some of those formes which are before expressed A. There remaineth yet one thing to be cleared and that is about the judgement of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas which the Opposite Author pleadeth to be all for him B. It 's true and I cannot but smile when I thinke of it That they which make no bones even in open Court to vilifie the prime pillars of those Churches yea and to nullifie the Churches themselves as if they were no true Churches as having no lawful Ministers because in Prelates to put them in orders should notwithstanding daigne to grace them so much as to call them in and to account them competent witnesses in the cause But a bad cause a How can that be esteemed a bad cause which is confirmed by the common and consentâ—eâ— testimony of the most godly learned Divines both Aâ—elent and moderne is glad of any Patron or Advocate to plead for it though the Clyent have openly stigmatized him for a Rascall But what stead will the reformed Divines stand him in Certainly in the point of sports and Recreations they will utterly faile him yea and disclaime him too In the point of the Institution of the Lord's-Day indeed and the Obligation of it to Christians a great part is for him though the better part b Br. B. Should have named some of those which he accounteth the better part for he is so precipitate and impudent in his affirmations that judicious persons can give no credit to his own bare word is for Vs this is confessed of Vs. Answ The Bishop in his Treatise hath made cleare ostension that his Tenet concerning the Sabbath and Lord's-Day is consonant 1. To the Vnanimous sentence of Primitive Antiquity 2. To the Doctrine of the Church of England testified and authorized by statute Law 3. To the common Vote of the best learned Doctors of the reformed Churches c The Augustane and Helvetian CoÌ„fessions Melancton Calvin Bucer Bullinger Peter Martyr Musculus Beza Zanchius Chemnitius Visinus Brentius Hospinian Hemmingius Pareus Herbrandus Marbachius Zepperâ— Battus Wolaeus Rivetus Poliander Gomorus Thysius Gualter Pâ—scator Zegedinus Steckelius Isenmánus alii beyond the Seas The former Remonstrance hath produced two effects 1. I hath givâ—n 〈◊〉 all wound to Br. B. and to his Assistants by declaring that they are solitary and singular in their Sabbatarian Tenet 2. It hath yeelded full satisfaction to all judicious honest and godly Readers concerning this question But the Dialogue-Barker perceiving his cause to be desperate in his obstinacy neverthelesse spurneth against the prickes and proceedeth rudely and wildely in manner following 1 He introduceth his interlocutory Assistant one Br. A. who scratcheth his fellow Mule a Mutuû muli scabunt dictum ubi improbi illaudati se vicissim mirantur praedicaÌ„t and prateth in manner following You have so fully cleared this point about Recreation from all the Subterfuges of him that hath so moyled himselfe to make something of nothing c. But wherein hath Br. B. cleared the point c Hee hath alleadged some Decrees of Foraine States and Churches which nothing concerne the Bishop's Tenet for they doe not so much as intimate that all bodily exercise and Recreation and namely such as is neither vicious in quality nor in circumstance nor yet prohibited by the present state wherein people live is simply unlawfull or morally evill upon some part of the Holy day 2 Br. B. Himselfe to manifest his gravity saith I cannot but smile c. But besides his merriment the ridiculous man uttereth no word or sentence savouring of truth or sounding to reason For 1 Vpon the matter he confesseth that the positions of the Sunday Sabbatarians here in England are singular and different from the common sentence of other Churches for otherwise to what purpose serveth his speech pag. 6. The Church of England to wit Br. B. himselfe and his owne Sabbatarian Allies is more cleare and sound in the point of the Sabbath than any Church in the world for it is as cleere as the Noone-day that the Orthodoxall part of the Church of England accordeth with the Primitive Fathers and with the Schoole Doctors and with the best learned in the Reformed Churches and renounceth the temerarious Doctrine of H. B. and of other Novell Teachers concerning the Sabbath 2 Whereas this Objector denies us the suffrage of Reformed Churches pretending that some amongst us have vilified their prime Pillars c. Our Answer is That this man doth not alwayes write or preach Gospell a Hâ—â—â—on ad Iulian Diacon Mendacia faciunt ut nec vera dicentibê° credatur for quite contrary to his report we reverence and much respect all learned and godly Divines in what Church soever they live or teach yea although in some Theologicall Questions wee take liberty upon just reason to dissent from them But