yet such as would seem in zeale to the present state to desire a resolution in some points that might otherwise giue offence It may be peraduenture the worke of some one who desirous to gaine an opinion amongst his followers vndertaketh to speake as from the minds of many hoping those demaunds how idle soeuer will gaine answer being to satisfie a multitude which no doubt M. Hooker in his wisdome patience and grauity would easily haue contemned if they had but beene the priuate cauils and obiections of some one For there is no man but thinketh manie how light so euer in themselues being vnited may haue that weight to chalenge euen by a ciuill right a direct answer from one euerie way farre better then had beene fitting for their modestie weaknesse to prouoke Well whosoeuer they are as I cannot easily coniecture so I am not curious to knowe this age hath affoorded an infinite number whom superstitious feare for want of true vnderstanding and an ignorant zeale not directed with discretion haue made violent in matters of Religion vsing the razor in steed of a knife and for hatred of tares oftentimes pulling vp good corne But with these we will deale with that temperate moderation as may serue to giue true worthinesse a iust defence and impatient and furious spirits vnlesse desperately violent no iust cause to find themselues to be grieued with vs. This which wee are to answer is tearmed by them A Christian letter of certaine English Protestants vnfained fauorers of the present state of religion authorised and professed in England vnto that reuerend and learned man M. Richard Hooker Thus the humilitie and mild temper of their superscription may peraduenture gaine the reading at some mens hands through an opinion that Protestants and manie and in a Christian letter would hardly be caried with violence so far to make demaunds seasoned with so little modestie learning or vnderstanding These men they may be as we take the word largely Protestants for anie thing that I know that is men outwardly of the Christian religion who liue and professe a doctrine for the most part opposite to the Church of Rome but I can hardly be perswaded that the Letter being wholy an vnciuill Ironie is either Christian or that themselues are vnfained fauourers of the present state of religion or that they thinke M. Hooker to be either reuerend or learned in their opinions For whatsoeuer they may pretend in vrging the reuerend Bishops of our Church against his assertions as though they ascribed much vnto them yet their desire is to make an opposition appeare and in that shewe of contradiction to make themselues sport in the end proudly and maliciously to contemne both But Saint Iames telleth these that if anie man seeme religious and refraine not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart this mans religion is vain And in this I appeale to the censure of the most modest and discreet amongst themselues by what shew of reason they could tearme that Letter to bee Christian wherein were contained so many vnseasoned and intemperate speeches or that man to be either reuerend or learned whom they haue vsed with so little respect and accused of so manie defects But doubtlesse as they neuer thought him to be either reuerend or learned whom all that knew him whilest he liued knew to be both so they little desired that their Letter should be such a one as might worthily be accounted Christian. Else what meane these accusations to account his goodly promises meere formall and great offers to serue only to hoodwink such as mean wel as though by excellency of words and intising speeches of mans wisedome he ment as they say to beguile and bewitch the Church of God A little after they call him a goodly Champion and by the sweet sound of your melodious stile almost cast into a dreaming sleepe which stile notwithstanding afterwards they account not vsual but long and tedious far differing from the simplicity of holy scripture and a hard and harsh stile for the manner of the stile we shall make our defence when we answere that Article But in that you scoffingly account him a goodly Champion giue me leaue to tell you that if our Church were throughly furnished with such men the holy function of our calling had not growne in contempt by ignorant and vnlearned ministers our peace had not bin troubled with furious and violent spirits worldly men had not seazed vpon the Church with such eagernes through an opinion of the vnworthines of the clergie they of the Church of Rome had not thus long remained obstinate through the violent proceedings of vndiscreet men whose remedies were worse then the disease it selfe nor last of all the generall amendment of life the fruite of our preaching had not bin so small if these turbulent heads had not more desired to make Hypocrits then truely religious It is much safer to praise the dead then the liuing hauing seene the period of their dayes expired when neither he that is praised can be puffed vp nor he that doth praise can be thought to flatter hee was as Saint Austine sayd of Saint Cyprian of such desert of such a courage of such a grace of such a vertue that as Theodosius sayd of S. Ambrose I haue known Ambrose who alone is worthy to be called a Bishop of whom I dare giue that iudgement though he were in true estimation great already which Antigoras gaue of Pirrhus that he would haue bin a very great man if he had bin old Great in his own vertues of great vse in the Church in al appâ—rance though these times be vnthankefull of great authoritie I let passe those other tearmes which shew your letter to bee vnchristian vntill we come to their particular answers and thus much for the title It hath bin no new thing in all ages that reprehension hath waited vpon those books which zeale from a vertuous minde hath written to support the truth for the nature of man is much apter to reproue others then reforme it selfe seeing to see faults in others is an act of the vnderstanding if they bee and of a frowardnes of the will if they be not but to rectifie them in ourselues must be the worke of a cleare vnderstanding and a reformed will therfore vsually men practise themselues what they punish in others so that no man can directly conclude that all men hate what they do accuse Therefore Saint Hierom of whome saith S. Austin no man knew that whereof S. Hierom was ignorant oftentimes complaineth of the detractions slaunders and vntrue accusations of euill men These for the most part are vnstaid violently caried with the current of the present time sometimes bitterly either vpon discontentments or to please others inueighing against those whom themselues before out of flattery not iudgement haue highly praised Thus Libanius the sophister who was eloquent against
of God then the word Church Somtimes it is taken for any assembly somtimes for a faithful religious assembly and theÌ„ it sometimes noteth out the whole bodie of the elect in all ages times places both in heauen earth and only them So it is in the article of our faith I beleeue the catholike church that is all those who are or shal be saued both Angels men so it is taken in that speech of our Sauior VpoÌ„ this rock will I build my church that is the whole catholike church Somtimes it is taken for that part only which is in heauen as when it is said that the church is without spot or wrinckle which can be verified of no part whatsoeuer the Anabaptists dreame but of that which triumpheth Sometimes it is taken for that part of the catholike church which is militant that thou maist knowe howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God which is the church of the liuing God the piller and ground of truth So feare came vpon all the church Sometimes it is taken for the pastors and gouernours onely of the church as when it is said Tell the church that is the heads and gouernours of the church Sometimes for the people Take heede therefore vnto yourselues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the church of God which he hath purchased with that his owne bloud Somtimes for particular churches professing the doctrine and religion of Christ as To the Angell of the church of Ephesus so we say the church of Rome the church of Corinth the church of England now from the mistaking of this worde Church doubtlesse much harme and needlesse contentions haue come vnto the church of Christ. For in the first great contention of what persons the Church consisteth in my opinion wee dispute of one Church namely the true Catholike all which must be saued they dispute of the visible wherein are hypocrites also So that the reasons that are brought on both sides are smally to the purpose seeing both sides directly mistake the question Thus in the iudgment of those of the Church of Rome persons excommunicate though vniustly are cut off froÌ„ the particular Church but not froÌ„ the catholike excommunication being only the censure of a particular Church Therfore saith our Sauior Christ many are called with an externall calling to the society of the â—isible Church but few are chosen that is to the Cathoâ—icke For though both be a folde yet of the visible Church saith Saint Austin In the Church there are many wolues and out of the Church there are many sheepe but in the Catholicke without any other mixture are sheepe only Now visible and inuisible maketh not two Churches but the diuers estate condition of one the same Church Hence coÌ„meth it to passe that in this question of the visibility of the Church there is the like mistaking as in the former for they of Rome say we haue made this distinction because our Church hath not bin alwaies visible but we say if our Church had bin as glorious and as famous as any Church in the world we would haue accounted the Catholicke Church inuisible Which no doubt of it they of Rome doe vnderstanding Catholick and visible as we meane For the Church of Christ which we properly tearme his mystical body can be but one neither can that one be sensibly discerned by any man in as much as the parts therof are some in heauen already with Christ and the rest that are on earth albeit their natural persons be visible yet we cannot discerne vnder this property wherby they are truly and infallibly of that body only our minds by internal conceit are able to apprehend that such a real body there is a body collectiue because it conteyneth a huge multitude a body mystical because the mystery of their coniunction is remoued altogether from sense Whatsoeuer we reade in scripture concerning the endles loue and the sauing mercy which God shewed towards his Church the only proper subiect therof is this Church They who are of this society haue such markes and notes of distinction from al others as are not subiect vnto our sense only vnto God who seeth their harts and vnderstandeth al their secret cogitations vnto him they are cleere and manifest In the eie of God they are against Christ that are not truly and sincerely with him in our eies they must be receiued as with Christ that are not to outward shew against him to him they seeme such as they are but of vs they must be taken for such as they seeme Al men knew Nathaniel to be an Israelite but our Sauiour pearsing deeper giâ—eth further testimony of him then men could haue done with such certainty as he did behold indeede an Israelite in whom is no guile Now as those euerlasting promises of loue mercy and blessednes belong to the mystical Church euen so on the other side when wee reade of any duty which the Church of God is bounde vnto the Church whom this doth concerne is a sensible knowne company and this visible Church in like sort is but one continued from the first beginning of the world to the last end which company beeing deuided into two parts the one before the other since the comming of Christ that part which since the comming partly hath imbraced and partly shal hereafter imbrace the Christian Religion we tearme as by a proper name the Church of Christ. For all make but one body the vnity of which visible body and the Church of Christ consisteth in that vniformity which al seueral persons thereunto belonging haue by reason of y e one Lord whose seruants they all professe theÌ„selues to be that one faith which they al acknowledge that one baptisme wherwith they are al receiued into the church As for those vertues y t belong vnto morall righteousnes honesty of life we do not speake of them because they are not proper vnto Christian meÌ„ as they are Christian but do concerne theÌ„ as they are men True it is the waâ—t of these vertues excludeth from saluation so doth much more the absence of inward beleefe of heart so doth despaire and lack of hope so emptinesse of Christian loue and charity but we speake now of the visible Church whose Children are signed with this marke One Lord one Faith one Baptisme In whomsoeuer these things are the Church doth acknowledge them for her children them only she holdeth for aliens and strangers in whom these things are not found For want of these it is that Saracens Iewes and infidels are excluded out of the bounds of the Church others we may not though you doe denie to be of the visible Church as long as these things are not wanting in them For apparant it is that al men are of necessity either Christians or not Christians if by externall
the Christians to please Iulian was noted with this marke of leuity for writing Panegyricks or orations of praise to commend Constantius while he liued against whome afterward he wrote most bitter inuectiues when he was dead Thus some small discontentment serued to turne the heart and open the mouth of Porphyry against the Christians what cause of griefe these zealous professours haue I know not but in my opinion the whole tenor of that vncharitable and vnchristian letter argueth some inward discontent either enuious that other men should be excellent or that themselues being excellent are not more regarded Wherein though they dislike the dim eie of gouernment that loketh not cleerely into mens vertues and the niggardly hand that doth not bountifully reward such as deserue well yet they mighte out of patience and charity worthily haue forborne to haue inueied against his honour which consisted in no other wealth but in his religious contentment and in that true commendation which was the due merit of his own vertues For the world had not much to take from him because hee had not taken much from the world for he neuer affected flatteringly to please her nor she neuer cared fauninglie to please him For as all that Scipio brought from Africa after his danger and trauell to be called his was only a Surname so the greatest recompense that his labours had was the iust commendation that he was a very reuerend learned and graue man For his iudgement taught him out of a Christian patience the resolution of Cato if I haue anie thing to vse I vse it if not I know who I am And seeking to profit in knowledge and that this knowledge might profit the Church he shewed that hee was borne for the good of many and few to bee borne for the good of him For as S. Hierom speaketh of Nepotian despising gold he followed learning the greatest riches But peraduenture his learning had puft him vp and his pride had made his writings impatient and full of bitternes and this moued you to vndertake this vncharitable and vnchristian letter for you say if we beleeue them meaning the Bishops we must thinke that Master Hooker is verie arrogant and presumptuous to make himselfe the onely Rabbi That you had no cause to prouoke him in these tearmes all men know that do reade his writings for dealing in an argument of that kinde with aduersaries of that nature and in a time growne insolent by sufferance hee hath written with that temperat moderation rather like a graue father to reforme the vnstayed errors of hot young violent spirits then seuerelie correcting them with the vntemperat bitternes of their owne stile and sighing at the scurrilous and more then satyricall immodesty of Martinisme he feared with a true sorrow least that honourable calling of Priesthood which was ruinated by slaunder amongst ourselues could not long continue firme in the opinion of others Well for all this the gouernment of his passions was in his owne power as Saint Bernard speaketh of Malachie the Bishop And he was able to rule them for he was truly of a milde spirit and an humble hart and abounding in all other vertues yet he specially excelled in the grace of meekenes for the grauity of his lookes as Saint Bernard speaketh of Humbers was cleered by those that did sit or conuerse with him least he should be burdensome vnto them but a ful laughter few euer discerned in him Some such our Church hath had in all ages a few now aliue which are her ornament if shee can vse them well but moe that are dead whome she ought to praise For all those were honourable men in their generations and were well reported of in their times there are of them that haue left a name behind them so that their praise shall be spoken of for whose posterity a good inheritance is reserued and their seede is conteined in the couenant their bodise are buried in peace but their name liueth for euermore the people speake of their wisedome and the congregation talke of their praise In this number vertue hath placed him whom you accuse and are not afraid being now awaked out of a dreame to account a deceiuer As though in his labours he had meant by intising speech to deceiue the Church or as though by a colourable defēce of the Church discipline he purposed as you say to make questionable and to bring in contempt the doctrine and faith it selfe beating against the heart of all true Christian doctrine professed by her Maiestie and the whole state of this realme Therfore you haue made choice of the principall things conteined in his bookes wishing him to free himselfe from all suspicion of falshoode and trechery accounting your selues to rest contented if he will shew himselfe either all one in iudgement with the Church of England or else freely and ingenuously acknowledge his vnwilling ouersight or at the least shew plainely by good demonstratiō that al our reuerend Fathers haue hitherto bin deceiued To this you craue a charitable direct plaine sincere and speedy answeare this is the summe of the preface to your Christian letter It is too true that al ages haue had deceiuers and that the most dangerous deceiuers haue strongly preuailed vnder pretence of Religion and therefore whereas all bodies are subiect to dissolution there are vndoubtedly mo estates ouerthrown through diseases within themselues which familiarly do steale vpon them then through violence from abroade Because the maner is alwaies to cast a doubtfull and a more suspicious eie towards that ouer which men know they haue least power therfore the feare of apparant dangers causeth their forces to be more vnited it is to all sorts a kind of bridle it maketh vertuous minds watchful it holdeth contrary dispositions in suspence and imployeth the power of all wits and the wits of all men with a greater care Whereas deceits couered with good pretenses are so willingly interteyned so little feared so long suffered vntill their cruelty burst forth when it is too late to cure them vice hath not a better meanes to disperse it selfe nor to gaine intartainment and fauour then by borrowing the counterfeit name and habit of seeming vertue Thus that rebellious Sandracot vnder pretence of liberty mooued the Indians against the officers of Alexander the Great which when they had slaine he that was the author of their liberty turned that into a more cruell bondage oppressing the people whom he had freed from strangers vnder the cruell tyranny of his owne gouernment But of all deceits there is none more dangerous then when the name of God or religion is pretended to countenance out heinous crimes And howsoeuer euen in this kinde this age hath not wāted examples who beeing dangerous vnder holy pretenses the hand of Iustice hath cut off yet the imputation of this fault can in no reason cleaue to him who hath so
far hazarded himselfe for the iust defence of religion and Church gouernement If hee had broched any new fancies or proudly opposed the wise established discipline there had bin some reason to haue suspected that by intising speech he had meant to deceiue the Church But seeing hee hath laboured in a waighty cause with reasons against those whom the Magistrats seuerity could not easily suppresse seeing he hath vndertaken it by appointment and performed it with allowance and seeing he hath made no other shew of supporting popery but only by resisting Puritans the slaunder must needs be too light and the accusation without color to say that he hath beaten against the heart of al true Christian doctrine professed by her Maiestie the whole state of this Realme as though which you desire the world might beleeue the hart of Christian religion were only amongst such whom the affectation of singularity hath tearmed by the name of Puritans And that the rest who are not of that temper are dangerous and close hereticks Thus Appollinarius the yonger who wrote so much in defence of the Christian faith that Saint Basil said of him that with his volumes he had filled the whole world and wrote against rauing and frantick Porphury thirty bookes more excellent then any other of his workes was afterward accused that he held the error of the Millenaries that into the trinity he had brought Great greater and greatest of all that he thought not right of the incarnation of Christ but seeing Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria who was an enemy vnto him diuers other Authors besides report that he was vehement to confute the Arrians Eunomians Origenists and many other hereticks in many volumes it may be thought whatsoeuer his other errors were the malice of his aduersaries had forged this to diminish the authority of those bookes which hee had written against them So that this practise is no new thing to diminish the soundnes of their religion whose iudgements and reasons we are vnable to withstand But I doubt not by that which followeth but it shall easily bee made to appeare that he is of the same iudgement with the Church of England that he hath not committed any ouersight nor that he goeth not about to contradict the reuerend fathers of our Church which things in al likeliehood are matters by al you much desired and therefore I hope you will accept as you desire this charitable direct plaine and sincere answere which no doubt of it from himselfe had bin far more learned and more speedy if he could either haue resolued to haue don it or after he had resolued could haue liued to haue seene it finished But first of all he was loth to entermeddle with so weake aduersaries thinking it vnfit as himselfe said that a man that hath a long iourney should turne backe to beate euerie barking curre and hauing taken it in hand his vrgent and greater affaires together with the want of strength weakened with much labour would not giue him time to see it finished Yet his mind was stronger then his yeares and knew not well how to yeeld to infirmitie Wherein if hee had somewhat fauoured himselfe he might peraduenture haue liued to haue answered you to the benefite of the Church and the comfort of a great number But death hath done what hee could it hath killed his bodie and it is laid vp in the heart of the earth it hath taken from vs and from the Church of God a sweete friend a wise counsellour and a strong Champion so that I may say as it was sometimes said of Demosthenes Demosthenes is meete for Athens Demades ouergreat Others fit enough to liue in the midst of errour vanitie vnthankfulnesse and deceit but hee too good For he was as the morning starre in the middest of a cloud and as the Moone when it is full and as the Sunne shining vpon the Temple of the most High and as the rainebowe that is bright in the faire cloudes when he put on the garment of honour and was clothed with all beautie hee went vp to the holy Altar and made the garment of holinesse honourable But this ought to content vs that the soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and no torment shall touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeared to die and their end was thought grieuous and their departing from vs destruction but they are in peace ARTICLE I. Of the Deity of the Sonne of God AL points in Diuinitie are not of the like easinesse of apprehension For in some the dimme light of nature not wholy darkened can giue a reason of that wee doe as well as faith out of precept doth warrant what wee doe beleeue And therefore the Gentiles both before and after the Lawe were to themselues a kind of Lawe euen by the light of nature not to doe all those thinges that they did desire but they had a thing in their hearts equiualent to the law in respect of forbidding because they could accuse and excuse themselues hauing the witnesse of their conscience present with them Thus the effect of all the commandements was in the Iewes before the lawe and in the Gentiles who had not the law giuen vnto them Thus the first commuandement was in Terah Abrahams father which was the reason of his departure from Vr of the Chaldees to goe into the land of Canaan And afterwards in Iacob when hee departed out of Labans house aboue foure hundred yeares before the Lawe was giuen so the second commandement in Rachel the third in Abraham to his seruant the fourth had a precept in the creation the fift for honouring his parents euen in Esau the sixt in Cain who knew the greatnesse of that euill which hee had committed that slew his brother feare making him out of a guiltie conscience to denie that which loue before had not power enough to teach him to forbeare The seuenth in the hatred of the sinne of Sichem which Iacob though he allowed not to be rightly punished yet he did not approue as to be well done The eight euen in Egypt which made Ioseph to say What act is that you haue done when the cup of Pharaoh was found in the sacke of Beniamin The ninth when Iudah feared the witnesse of Thamar The last in Abimelech for taking the wife of Abraham where the vision did not so much tell him it was a sinne which hee knew by nature as that she was another mans wife Now in these things which were obserued before the morall Law some were of more apparant dislike euen in the opinion of the heathen who had no other direction but the light of nature as the third fift sixt seuenth eight and ninth commandements For the Egyptians had a lawe Sweare not least thou die And this was punished in the twelue tables of the Romans For the fift Homer saith of
thou shalt not kill so thou shalt not marie for those are exacted this is offered This if it bee done it is praised those vnlesse they bee done they are punished For saith Saint Hierome where it is but aduise there is left a freedome but where there is a precept there is a necessitie Precepts are common to all counsel the perfection of some few The precept being obserued hath a reward being not obserued a punishment but a counsell or aduise not obserued hath no punishment and being obserued hath a greater reward In these points all haue not holden the same opinions some thought these counsels to be of the same necessitie with precepts as those heretikes called Apostolici mentioned by Saint Austine and Epiphanius Others esteemed them as things indifferent and of no greater perfectâ—on Others as things forbidden which errour is accuseâ— by some of our aduersaries to bee an opinion of our Church He that amongst vs of learning is most earnest in this point is Peter Martyr and all that anie of them say is but this that these counsels are sinne if we esteeme them as meritorious of theÌ„selues that they are not sinful but sometimes foolish these men rather looking at the folâ—ies which hath accompanied the superstition of some few then the vertuous perfection which attendeth vpon the thing it selfe Nay there is none of any sound iudgement in our Church which doth not thinke that willing pouertie humble obedience and true chastity are things verie commendable and do bring with them great aduantage to the true perfection of a Christian life not that we can supermerit by these more then we ought but that by these we do more then without these we should for nature common wealths and religion as they haue a being so they refuse not a perfection and a being well ARTICLE IX None free from all sinne IT caÌ„not chuse but seeme strange that this should bee an act of many which in the most fauourable construction commeth far short of that wisdome which should be in one But it may be peraduenture that as it falleth out in things naturall actions are then best done when one doth but one distraction being a let to a finite power and vsually arising from diuersitie of iudgements For all not looking with the same eyes nor following the like principles of vnderstaÌ„ding though they agree in the generall to reprehend yet for the most part they faile in a particular resolution of what they thinke worthie to bee reprehended And therefore as in elections whilest two of the worthiest are competitors stiffe factions vnite themselues in allowance of a third inferiour to both It seemeth that you haue dealt so in this article wherein either all your consents made a hindrance to what you meant or a diuisioÌ„ made you agree to mislike a thing of the least importance Wherin if you had not discouered a weaknes to be pitied you might iustly haue expected an answer of more learning but as men failing eueÌ„ in those things wherein it is no great vertue not to faile ad little vnto any maÌ„ y t shall direct theÌ„ because it is smal praise to teach that which is ashame not to know so to omit our direction eueÌ„ where we wonder that any man should need it must needs be esteemed in a high degree an vnexcusable neglect of a necessarie duty No man I thinke not of those that are thought to be out of the compasse of the Church maketh a doubt whether all men sin leauing the redemptioÌ„ of man so the freedome from sin to him only who was eternally the Son of God It was as necessary that he should be without sin as it is certaine that except him in many things we offend all This is our frailty that all of vs doe amisse which we know and the best of vs do offend when we know not and therfore Dauid with an humble hart desired to be cleÌ„sed from his secret faults making that euen a step to keepe him from presumptuous sins As it is therfore an infirmity that we doe amisse in many things so it is a vertue that we would do amisse in nothing this being the perfection of our country that the desire of our way which because clothed with corruption we cannot attaine we say daily as we are taught forgiue vs our trespasses And they pray in vaine to haue sin pardoned which secke not also by prayer to haue sin preuented yea euery particular sin except men can haue some transgression wherwith they ought to haue truce For although saith Maister Hooker we cannot be free from all sin collectiuely that is generall for so none was free sauing only Christ in such sort that no part therof shal be fouÌ„d inherent in vs yet distributiuely at the least al great and greeuous actuall offences as they offer themselues one by one both may and ought by all meanes to be auoided so that in this sense to be preserued from all sin is not impossible This assertion seemeth in your opinions to be vntrue and for proofe you alledge that we which are baptized and regenerated in many things do offend all did euer Maister Hooker denie this Nay in the very same place are not these his words In many things we doe all amisse But say you if that be so how can we auoide all great and greiuous sins Or if we can why may we not be preserued also from all small sins and so being free from both small and great preserue our robe pure to the coÌ„ming of our Sauiour Christ In these few words in my opinion are three of the most strange and most violent conclusions that I haue euer read and those which are by no meanes agreeable to any Church First we say In many things we offend all therfore say you in all things we offend all SecoÌ„dly we say we may auoid some particular great greeuous sins therfore fay you why not lesse also as if it were all one not to small not to sinne at all Thirdly we say y t we are to pray and hope to be preâ—erued froÌ„ any euery speciall sin therfore say you we may keep our robe pure to the coÌ„ming of Christ. I would be loth to make euill arguments worse by repeating and therfore I haue vsed a direct sincerity in rehearsing your own words wherein I shall not need to bestow any labour to ouerthrow a ruinous building of such weakenes but only to tell you in these points what is the iudgement and sentence of the whole Church First no man doubteth but that all men are sinners for all the imaginations of the thoughts of mans hart are only euill continually In iniquity are we borne and in sin are we conceaued who can vnderstand his faults For the hart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know it For vnlesse a man bee borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into
perswade Valens the Emperor that the variety of sects was a thing much pleasing to God seeing by that meanes he was worshipped after diuers manners This though Constantine the great did at the first whose fact we will not at this time examine yet afterward he commanded all the temples of the Idols to be shut vp and the Christian religion to be only vsed whose sonnes Constantius and Constantinus so far followed as Saint Austin saith the example of their Father that Constantine threatned banishment to al those who rested not in the determination of the Nicene councel The contrary was practised by the Emperors Iouinian Valens and Iulian who giuing a liberty to all heretickes sought nothing more then the ouerthrow of the vnity of the Church But wisemen haue euer seene that the peace and tranquilitie of the common wealth seldome or neuer ariseth but out of the concord and agreement of the Church it selfe The dissentions whereof as they serue to hinder religion so they kindle that flame wherewithall doubtlesse in the end the common wealth it selfe must needs perish But how farre all sides are from allowance of reconcilement both the times present can testifie too well and the ages to come must needs witnesse which shall possesse a Church as sonnes doe the inheritance of contentious parents the best part whereof is wasted in vnnecessarie sutes The sound knowledge of religion as well perishing in the middest of dissention as the true practise doth faile by the plentifull abundance of too much peace There haue beene in the world from the verie first foundation thereof but three religions Paganisme which liued in the blindnesse of corrupt and depraued nature Iudaisme embracing the law which reformed heathenish impietie and taught saluation to bee looked for through one whoÌ„ God in the last dayes would send exalt to be lord of al finally Christianisme which yeeldeth obedience to the Gospell of Iesus Christ and acknowledgeth him the Sauiour whom God did promise Now the question is whether the dissenting parties in this last religion be so farre not in opinion but in the obiect differing as that there is no hope of reconciliation and the one part only hath but the priuiledge to be tearmed the Church For the matter of reconcilement it is no businesse which lieth within the compasse of this labour and whether and how it may be done we are willing to referre it to the iudgements of men who haue better abilitie to decide the cause A booke in Latine was published in the first beginning of these bitter contentions without name bearing the title of the dutie of a godly man but since Bellarmine saith that the Author was one George Cassander this booke perswading that Princes ought to make an agreement betwixt the Catholikes the Lutherans and Caluinists as he tearmes them which whilest they cannot find out the meanes to performe they should permit to all men their seuerall religions so that they held both the Scripture and the Apostles Creed for all saith he are the true members of the Church howsoeuer in particular doctrines they seeme to differ This booke was first confuted by Caluin on the one side and then by one Iohn Hessels of Louaine on the other side that all the world might see how loth both sides were to be made friends This hath since beene esteemed by others a labour much like to those pacificants in the Emperour Zeno his time or the heresie of Apelles who held as Eusebius writeth that it was needlesse to discusse the particulars of our faith and sufficient only to beleeue in Christ crucified But least any man should thinke that our contentions were but in smaller points and the difference not great both sides haue charged the other with heresies if not infidelities nay euen such as quite ouerthrowe the principall foundation of our Christian faith How truly both haue dealt those that are learned can best iudge but I am sure that in the greatest differences there are great mistakings which if they were not it is like their dissentions had beene much lesse Now for the second whether both parts may bee called the Church this is that which concerneth the cause that wee haue in hand The Church of England confesseth that the Church of Christ is a company of faithfull people among whom the pure word of God is preached and the sacraments rightly administred according to Christs institution so that as our reuerend Fathers say without Christ there is no Church and those particular Churches are more perfect which in their religious worship haue lesse failed in both these now when enemies become iudges sentences are often partiall and each side with bitternesse of tearmes doth condemne other whilest neither part is willing to confesse their errour or amend themselues Wee haue not suffered the contemptible reuiâ—ings of the Church of Rome without telling her aloud that her faults are not so few as she imagineth that her chastitie and puritie are not so great that she need to boast and that if she will needes bee proud and confidently striue to be the chiefe and the onely Church wee must tell her in zeale that what she was she is not that pride and prosperitie haue corrupted her as other Churches This though we speake out of zeale seeing her faults and knowing her contempt of vs yet out of iudgement we say which Maister Hooker doth that with Rome we dare not communicate concerning sundrie her grosse grieuous abominations yet touching those maine parts of Christian truth wherein they constantly still persist wee gladly acknowledge them to bee of the familie of Iesus Christ therefore wee hope that to reforme our selues if at anie time wee haue done amisse is not to seuer our selues from the Church wee were before in the Church we were and we are so stil as also we say that they of Rome notwithstanding their manifold defects are to bee held and reputed a part of the house of God a limme of the visible Church of Christ. This is that whereat your hote spirits haue taken offence speaking out of the same ignorant zeale against our Church as ye wish our Church to speake against the Church of Rome accounting vs for perfection of a Church as farre short of you as Rome is of vs or your selues of the Angels that are in heauen and therefore you affirme that our statute congregations of England are no true christian churches Which error as you haue at last beene from an vnresistable wisedome taught how to recant so no doubt at length vpon better aduise you wil learne in iudgment how to censure of the Church of Rome And yet mistake me not to giue her her due is not to grant more then shee ought to challenge nor to account her a part of the Church is not to affirme that shee is absolutely perfect There is no one word that from the varietie of acceptation hath bred greater difference in the Church
what there I receiue from him without searching or inquiring of the manner how Christ performeth his promise let disputes and questions enemies to piety abatements of true deuotion and hitherto in this case but ouer patiently heard let them take their rest Let curious and sharpe witted men beate their heads about what questions themselues will the very letter of the word of Christ giueth plaine security that these mysteries doe as nailes fasten vs to his Crosse that by them we draw out as touching efficacy force and vertue euen the blood of his wounded side that this breade hath more in it then our eies behold that this cup hallowed with solemne benediction auaileth to the endlesse life and welfare both of soule and body i◠that it serueth as well for a medecine to heale our infirmities and purge our sins as for a sacrifice of thanksgiuing which touching it sanctifieth it inlightneth with beleefe it truly conformeth vs vnto the Image of Iesus Christ. What these elements are in themselues it skilleth not it is enough that to me which take them they are the body and blood of Iesus Christ his promise in witnesse hereof sufficeth his word he knoweth which way to accomplish why should any cogitation possesse the minde of a faithfull communicant but this Oh my God thou art true oh my soule thou art happy To dehort then from violence of disputing and curiosity of seeking in a matter needlesse to know being as Maister Caluin saith incomprehensible what fault can you finde in Maister Hooker Doth he not disswade from this in zeale only to draw vs to a better contemplation Can this in reason be termed any gentle construction of popishe opinions or priuily to rob the truth of our English creede of her due estimation thinke not so vncharitably of one whose principall care was in the midst of all his knowledge only to follow that truth soundly and vncorruptly which was auaileable and sufficient to saue himselfe Many itch with curiosity they are not few that doe blow contentions to make them kindle some desire to know only that they may know some others that they may be knowne he doubtles with humble sobriety both in this and in all other points to comprehend that which was most auaileable for the true direction of others and the saluation of his own soule And therefore to your obiections in this article which are neither great nor many I haue framed my answere most out of his mouth who fulliest vnderstood this cause and ought to be esteemed the best interpretor of his owne meaning ARTICLE XVIII Of Speculatiue doctrine AS wise Phisitians in the curing of some diseases neglect not that habit of the body which when the disease is cured may threaten a relapse because euils past leaue a disposition for the like to come and by returning are so much the more daungerous by how much the strength of the sick is lesse able to make resistance so fareth it with vs in the labour imployed about these articles that follow wherin if you had wel considered the serious superscription of your letter that it was for resolution in matters of doctrine those of no small moment but such as seeme it is wel you said seeme to ouerthrow the foundation of Christian religion and of the church amongst vs these articles that follow might very fitly haue bin omitted by you For though all that you obiect be far frō that mature iudgment which ought to bee in such as you desire to seeme yet these concerning speculatiue doctrine the naming of Maister Caluin Schoolemen or Maister Hookers stile how can they bee called matters of doctrine or in any construction be thought to weaken the foundation of the Church amongst vs But seeing in the former we haue done somwhat to cure that distemper the effect of too much choler which being suffered to increase might grow dangerous it is not amisse gently to apply some thing euen to these which wanting the malice of any dangerous discase yet are infallible tokens of a distempered habit Neither neede we in this to make anie other defence for the right vse of those sentences which you reprehend sauing only to set downe to the readers eye the sentence at large which you haue maimed by seuering and challenging him in those things which are incomparably excellent you haue manifestly discouered your weaknesse of vnderstanding But as in anie curious workmanship where the parts are not disiointed there appeareth the admirable effects of a skilfull hand which rudely being seuered and rashly pulled in peeces blemish the beautie of the former work and make manie things seeme in the eye of ignorance to be idle and of no vse so fareth it with those speeches which in this Article so vnseasonably are distasted by you which if any indifferent reader will but compare with the places from whence you tooke them he must needs be amazed that things set downe with so much eloquence and iudgment should be called in question by so great a weakenesse of vnderstanding The sentences by you alleaged of speculatiue doctrine as you call them are onely eight which if you had set downe at large with that coherence that hee did doubtlesse you could not haue deuised to haue done Maister Hooker a greater honour but being pretermitted by what reason I know not you haue hazarded the suspition of intolerable ignorāce And vndoubtedly this Article alone giueth full assurance that this Letter could not possibly be the act of many nor of any one that had either charitie leasure or learning in any great abundance The first Theorem so you terme them in derision not familiar to you common Christians is this Ten the number of natures perfection In which place Maister Hooker speaking of paying of tythes saith as Abrahā gaue voluntarily as Iacob vowed to giue God tithes so the law of Moses did require at the hands of al mē the self same kind of tribute the tenth of their corn wine oyle fruit cattell and whatsoeuer encrease his heauenly prouidence should send Insomuch that Painims being herein followers of their steps paid tithes also Imagine we that this was for no cause done or that there was not some speciall inducement to iudge the tenth of our worldly profits the most cōuenient for Gods portion are not all things by him created in such sort that the formes which giue their distinction are number their operations measure and their matter weight three being the mysticall number of Gods vnsearchable perfection within himselfe seuen the number whereby our perfections through grace are most ordered and ten the number of Natures perfections for the beauty of nature is order the foundation of order is number and of number ten the highest we can rise vnto without iteration of numbers vnder it could nature better acknowledge the power of the God of nature then by assigning vnto him that quantity which is the continent of all that she possesseth Now let the
flattery to acquite them frō al imperfections in that kind euen vpon the religiō it self which had no more affinity with the faults that were in them then they had with the framing of that religion which proceeded first from no weaker author then God himselfe The last is y e wrong which our church hath euen frō those who vndoubtedly would seem in their zealous affection exceedingly to fauour both The ground of which wrong proceedeth only from hence that those persons y ◠gouernment which place time and other necessities caused them to frame ought without exception to be an absolute patterne to al the Churches that were round about them In so much that that gouerment which was at the first so weake that without the staffe of their approbation who were not subiect vnto it themselues it had not brought others vnder subiection began now to challenge an vniuersal obedience and enter into open conflict with the most Churches of Europe but especially with those which in desperate extremity had bin releiuers of it Thus because some few who neither in quality nor place were much distant from Geneua in opinion of Maister Caluin were content to follow their forme of gouernment others not weighing the riches of that mercy which had made their own Church too great and honorable to be framed to so narrow poore ascantling began stormingly to repine that presently al things were not so bared to y e patterne of those Churches which in their opinions were most reformed So that whatsoeuer any man spake or wrote in disallowance of that to be our modell to beframed by or truly to the laying open of those conflictes conquered with great policy which Maister Caluin had in the first establishing of that gouernment all sounded harshly in the eares of these men and was plainly construed to be a direct disgracing of Maister Caluin which could be nothing else as you say but a discouery of a popish and vnsound affection Where before I answere to this I must first tell them that if they should with the like importunity seek to frame vs to the exāple of the primitiue church in respect of gouernment we should tell them that Israel are not bound to the same things in Canaan that they were in the desert nor that those reuerend Fathers 〈◊〉 Bishops who succeed in that apostolick charg are not for their maintenance and state though the authority be all one to be framed to that pouerty which was the portion of those who planted and gouerned the first Churches This being then no such necessity but that the Church may lawfully vse euen those benefits wherwith God hath blessed her setting her feete in a large roume why should men without cause recall her back againe to her daies of mourning or feeding her with the bread of teares coupe her vp in those narrow limites of subiection and want seeing God in his mercy hath prouided for her now the same gouerment to be administred in a richer manner Now how far all men are bounde to speake of those whom they reuerence and loue and yet in some cases do thinke not safe to follow this is that error that hath deceiued many For from hence the priuate ouersights of those who how famous and excellent soeuer were but men haue growne by the violence of some of their followers to be stifly maintained as vndoubted truthes as though there were no difference betwixt being a man not alwaies erring and not erring at all The one is a worthy happines graunted to some few the other a speciall priuiledge not permitted to any meerely man no not to Maister Caluin himselfe This serueth to teach vs that for those things which we doe and beleeue wee haue better warrant then mans inuention and that no man how excellent soeuer except Christ may or ought precisely to be followed in all that he doth For thus while we ad vnto men that honor a great part whereof peraduenture they deserue we detract frō that truth which we make no where to be found but in those who inseparably are followers of their steps That Maister Caluin who is made by you the vnpleasing subiect of this article was as Maister Hooker termeth him the wisest man incomparably that euer the French Church did inioy since the hower it inioyed him I thinke there is no man of any reading that much doubteth and surely for learning and vnwearied paines in his calling men of best iudgement and vnderstanding would be ready enough to giue him that which belonged vnto him if some priuate men out of their loue and zeale did not too greatly ouerlode him with it For doubtlesse we should be iniurious to vertue it selfe if we did derogate from them whom their industry hath made great Two things there are of principall moment which haue deseruedly procured him honor throughout all the world the one his exceeding paines in composing the Institution of Christian religion from which most haue gleaned that haue written since the other his no lesse industrious trauailes in the exposition of holy scripture in which two things whosoeuer they were that after him bestowed their labour he gained the aduantage of preiudice against them if they gainsaide and of glory aboue them if they consented Now out of this so hardly are we taught to keepe a meane proceeded this intollerable fault that many were desirous in an opinion of his worth that all Churches together with his learning shoulde swallow vp without making choice whatsoeuer other imperfections remained in him So that of what account Peter Lumbard was in the church of Rome whom for singular reuerence they called the Maister of the Sentences of the same and more amongst the Preachers of reformed Churches Maister Caluin was And they onely were iudged the perfectest diuines which were skilfullest in Caluins writings His bookes almost were reputed the very Canon for controuersies to be iudged by To this extremity and far greater the partiall affection of loue caried a number of wise men who from approbation growing to strong praises frō praises to admiration frō admiration to a tyrannous opinion that it was wholy vnlawfull in any thing to dissent from him So that now it was almost as necessarie to dispraise him as to commend him because what with discretion the Church before might haue vsed with much profit she scarce now could admit without a generall suspition thorough all Christendome that we durst not in any thing dissent from him And doubtlesse in some weake minds that which at first was but praise in the end was not many steps short of idolatrie So that the practise of Ezechias in breaking to peeces that serpent of brasse wherunto the children of Israel had burnt incense was not altogether vnfit to bee vsed in this case For in kingdomes it is high time either to cut off or disgrace those whom the multitude are willing to puffe vp when neglecting their owne ruine they are content to burie