and people and would deuide all liuings among their Elders Decons whom they appoint to be paymasters of their Pastors if either I charge them with vntruth or any indifferent vnderstanding can thinke this not danngerous to the Church and the Commonwealth let their petitions haue successe their complaints haue audience their cause finde fauor and in that one Act let Religion the Prince peace and all vtterly perish I omitt first fruites Tenthes subsides cōtributions of Ecclesiasticall persons all which are graunted by the lawes vnto the Prince of this Land all which by thē are accounted sacriledge and robberie and left wholy to the disposition of their polliticke Consistorie and where as as wee shall haue occasion to handle heareafter some special men in particular cases both in equitie and conscience are to be exemted by priuiledge from those lawes that doe binde all a power only reserued to the Prince himselfe These hould all dispensations vnlawfull and howsoeuer they fauour it in themselues no lesse than superstitious and Antichristian in others A thing doubtlesse of much vse and great necessitie in all kingdomes and of no daunger at all where the King is vertuous Whilst the true consequēts of their false opinions haue taught the world that these and such like derogations of the Kings authoritie haue beene maintained in that vnlearned Schoole they labour to make all men beleeue that Princes haue not more honest Religious and loyall Subiects than they are A thing surely by experience neuer to be found so longe as they haue entered vnder pretence of Religion to become abbaters and disposers of the Kings Reuenewes as if he that were gouernor of the Church and the Commonwealth were bound in dutie by power and reuenewe but to haue care of the Church only a Diminution of all greatnesse is affected by thē that by the disposition of that which they esteeme to be the superfluitie of all States necessarie defences and moderate Ornaments may all faile to make them rich CHAP. II. The Church visible of all other Societies is fittest to haue a Discipline but neuer the same that some men desire TO thinke that either the Church how putrified soeuer the Religion be be in so good a case for gouernment that nothing can either be added or taken away to make it better or that the same societie how much soeuer disordered be to be altered by priuate warrāt is very daungerously and apparantly to erre in both The first being the effect of too much flattery and self loue the latter the daungerous attempt of an insolent presumption both hazardous to that holy Societie whom either they thinke for gouernment to be absolute or absolutely to be gouerned by their owne fancies In these two Errors the difference is this that they first may easily erre in thinking that to be best which Experiēce hath taught them to be good in the latter there is lesse excuse because they mislike all whatsoeuer may not be esteemed to proceede from their owne deuice that there is a gouernment requisite for that Societie which we call the Church the wisdome of God hath made knowen vnto vs both by proportion of those naturall and Ciuill Societies to which the Church is compared and by the perfection of that fellowshippe which the Saints in all ages and places where the true worship of GOD hath preuailed haue had from the foundation of the worlde amongst themselues The first roote of humane Societie as being impossible to continue without order is distinguisht by God himselfe into seuerall degrees and prerogatiues of Husbands Parents Maisters aboue Wife Children and Seruants and yet all linked in the mutuall agreement of like dueties The greater Branches that rise out of these rootes Cities countries and kingdomes are neither destitute of lawes to prescribe nor Magistrats to execute for the common good all receiuing dignitie and strength from this fountaine that by the benefit of Good lawes they are well gouerned If men were of themselues either willing or constant in that which were good It were needles to haue a discipline for all where euery mans vertue were a lawe to himselfe but seeing our corruption is such that we are easily deceiued by our selues more easily seduced by others but most and most daungerously peruerted through feare and desire the one to spurn vs that we goe not too flowe the other to bridle vs that we runne not too fast there is a line both to direct and to amend necessarily limited to all sorts and this in due season lest disorder indured bread confusion the fore-runner of all ruine Seeing then the Church of Christ is the house of God the Citty of the liuing God the kingdome of his beloued Sonne can wee thinke that he is careful for others and carelesse or negligent for his owne or that disorder is lesse daungerous or lesse to be feared in the Church than in the Common-wealth surely hee that in all places is the Author not of confusion but of peace will haue all thinges performed decently and in order for the Gouernment of his Church To this ende hee appointed Stewardes oouer his houshold Watchmen and leaders ouer his flocke laborers in his haruest Husbandmen in his Tyllage and being proportioned to a bodie maketh some to bee Eyes Eares Tongues Handes that is principall members for directing and assistance of the whole without which in all reason it must needes be vnable to prouide for the safetie and securitie of it selfe so that the Honour or happinesse had beene small to haue made it a Church vnlesse this likewise had beene added To haue made it a Church that is well Gouerned for the vnitie of of the Spirit is not kept but in the bande of peace This Regiment of the Church is as well Extelternall as Internall The latter is that gouernment which God hath by his holy Spirit and truth in the hearts of the faithfull which as it is neuer varied so it is not questioned amongest vs in the Church of Englande By this which is the Kingdome of his Sonne all men confesse that GOD inwardly and effectually worketh in his Saintes the Faith of his truth the feeling of his grace and other spirituall blessinges according to the purpose of his will for the praise of his owne Glorie in which no earthly creature is able to ioyne or to concurre with him sauing only in this that the Word and the Sacraments being left as externall meanes there must be fitte persons for both and a power in them to admitte and reiect lest happily holy thinges be defiled whilst Pearles are cast vnto Dogges and Swine From hence ariseth a necessitie of externall Gouernment in Gods Church which respecteth the appointing of meete men and the due approbation of such as are to be credited with the free dispensation of such inestimable Treasures committed to their Charge In this whilst all men agree that it ought and many that are religious are desirous that
are worthie men enough why doth he complaine of the silencing of some as a great wrong to the Church which in this great scarsitie of good and lawfull Ministers did much want their seruice Secondly that the Apostle described the qualities required in men of this calling doth not say that if none can bee found or not a sufficient man in whome all these qualities concur that then the Church shal rather be destitute of Ministers then haue such For there were in the Apostles time that swarued froÌ„ this rule and yet he was glad that they preached the Gospell Heerein we differ not from the confession of the Heluetian church which it is like our aduersaries in this cause doe more reuerence then they doe our owne who say wee condemne all vnmeet Ministers not indued with guifts necessarie for a shepheard that should feed his flock how bee it wee acknowledge that the harmlesse simplicitie of some shepheards in the ould Church did sometime more profit the Church then the great exquisit but a little to proude learning of some others Wherefore we reiect not now a daies the good simplicities of certaine so that they bee not altogether vnskilfull of God and his word and yet for all this let no man think but there are as many learned godlie graue and worthy Ministers of the word in this Church of England at this day bee it spoken without pride to Gods honour and the ioy of our whole land as in any one realme or perticuler Church in all Christendome that either is now or hath beene before vs. But for the scarsetie not of our owne in comparison of others but rather in respect of the multitude of our parish Churches I hope they will giue vs leaue to render them better and truer reasons then as yet wee haue receiued at their hands who onely with out cause to make it the Bishops fault are willing to tell the world that if these vrging of order and obedience which it pleaseth them to teaâ—â—â—e beggerlie trifle of mans deuise were not that then learning and religion would not bee of so little account and estimation amongst vs. But I hope all men see that the defect of prouision in this kind and yet I wish that most reformed Churches were but so well furnished is neither from religion professed nor from the gouernment that is vsed nor from the gouernours of the Church but the crueltie of the times past wherein numbers of meete Ministers haue beene consumed the vnwillingnesse of manie at this present who seeing the contentions amongst our selues and by reason of these the contempt of the Clergie are vnwilling to enter into this calling the schismes and deuisions which haue made a number renounce this office others worthilie to bee suspended and depriued from all which the Church which ought to haue had the vse of the labour and learning of men of abilitie is forced to craue a supply at their hands who are not altogether so sufficient to performe that charge But the greatest occasion of this euill is where law and reason haue giuen authoritie to some to be patrons to present their consciences haue beene corrupt and they haue failed of that trust which former times haue iustlie reposed in them Wherein if the people complaine that their authoritie to choose is defeated by this meanes surely it is but vnthankfulnesse in them to mislike a thing begun with so great reason for their good continued now more then a thousand yeeres warranted by lawes and practised with the liking of all nations the beeginning of patronages is not expreslie mentioned in the lawes of this land Aduocations Presentations are remembred in Magna Charta as currant by the lawes before that time the plea of Quare Impedit when Bishops refuse the patrons clarke is mentioned long since for this custome was most vsuall that the patron might not place a Clarke without the Bishop nor the Bishop refuse the Clarke of the patron if hee were such as were alowable by the Canons of the Church In Spaine before that time the councell of Toledo made this Canon wee decree that so long as the founders of Churches remaine in this life they shall bee suffered to haue the chiefe and continuall care of the said place and themselues shall offer meete Rectors vnto the Bishop to bee ordained in those Churches and if the Bishop neglecting the founders shall presume to place any other let him know that this admission shal bee voide and to his shame others shal be placed in their steads euen such as the founders shall choose beeing not vnworthy Long before this the like was determined by the Roman lawes strictlie to bee obserueÌ„d through the Roman Empire If any build a Church or house of praier and would haue Clarks to bee placed there hee or his heires if hee alow maintenance for those Clarks and name such as are worthy let them bee ordained vpon his nomination but if such as they choose bee prohibited by the Canons as vnworthy then let the Bishop take care to promote some whom hee thinketh to bee more worthy It seemeth this law had two reasons for the patronage which doubtlesse are not the least ground of that intrest which they now haue The first the building of the Church a work which while the world was in loue with religion gaind greatest reuerence to those of whom it could point and say these are the men that haue built vs Sinagogs Heerein if any fraudulentlie discharge that vertuous trust which through many discents is deriued vnto them I hope God will looke vpon them in mercie to amendment as the carefull Phisition vpon sick persons in the meane time I must tell them what I heare that the church by their meanes is like the body of the Amalekite sicke and vnlesse it bee refreshed like spedily to die for famine For whilst meaner men content with lesse alowance hauing beene important suters for places in the Church obtaine them the Patrons haue deuided the maintenance of the Clergie and the small alowance hath depriued them peraduenture of a better teacher And howsoeuer good lawes haue beene made to auoide the corruptions of Patrons in this kinde yet the couetous desires of such as hardly satisfied are able to finde meanes to escape the danger and yet falselie notwithstanding to defraud the Church For humane lawes how vertuous or religious soeuer where the vprightnesse of conscience is wanting serueth for the most part not to make the sinne to bee lesse common but the sinner in the fact to bee more secret seeing betwixt God and man this is the difference that the law of man what it seeth doth account sinne but God punisheth as a fault what no man can reueale sauing onely the conscience of him that sinneth In the one Confession is a way to obtaine pardon but in the other a meanes to procure punishment They onely are vertuous who without all respects
A Modest and reasonable examination of some things in vse in the Church of England sundrie times heretofore misliked and now lately in a Booke called the Plea of the Innocent and an Assertion for true and Christian Church policy made for a full satisfaction to all those that are of iudgement and not possessed with a preiudice against this present Church Gouernment wherein the principall poynts are fully and peaceably aunswered which seeme to bee offensiue in the Ecclesiasticall State of this Kingdome The Contentes whereof are set downe in the Page following By William Couell Doctor of Diuinitie Eccles. Chap. 3.1 The children of wisedome are the Church of the righteous and their ofspring is obedience and loue AT LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes for Clement Knight and are to be solde at his shop at the Signe of the holy Lambe in Saint Paules Churchyard 1604. The Contents of this Booke Chap. 1 KIngs and Princes haue authoritie and ought to haue care for the Church gouernment page 1 2 The Church visible of all other Societies is fittest to haue a Discipline but neuer the same that some men desire page 13 3 The Censure of a booke called The Plea of the Innocent pa. 25 4 The proceeding of the Reformers wholly vnlawfull pag. 32 5 Of Contention pag. 46 6 Of Ceremonies pag. 55 7 Of Subscription pag. 75 8 Of Discipline pag. 94 9 Of Archbishops and Bishops pag. 103 10 Of Ministers their Office and learning pag. 124 11 Of the maintenance of Ministers and of Tithes pag. 142 12 Of Non Residencie Pluralities and Dispensations pag. 159 13 Of publike prayer and of the defectes supposed to be in the Liturgie of the Church of England pag. 174 14 Of Tolleration of diuers Religions and how farre dissenting opinions from the true Christian faith may and ought to bee permitted in one and the same Kingdome pag. 196 15 An humble conclusion to his sacred Maiestie and the Right Honorable Lords of his Highnesse priuie Councill together with the rest whom it may concerne to defend this Church page 206 Deo omnis Potestas Gloria To the Right Honourable and most Reuerend father in God c. my verie good Lord the Lord Bishop of LONDON ⸫ THe word Right honorable is in great trauell with much euill when she shall be deliuered he onely knoweth who measureth al times with his hand and before whose eye lieth open that bottomlesse aeternitie it selfe The faces of Kingdomes and States according to the prosperitie and aduersitie of the Church amongest them sometimes looke heauily and sometimes chearfully as refreshed with more good Man whose Reason and Religion serueth to number these things feeleth in himselfe a true diuinitie manifested by that pure ambition of being greater than hee yet can bee whilest notwithstanding in the sence and feare of these things hee stoopeth as to a burthen that is too heauâ—e Religious and mature wisedome the safest builders of true greatnesse assureth men in prouidence to preuent the worst things or at least by foresight growing familiar with theÌ„ teacheth how to beare them with much patience fewe Kingdomes there are which haue not eyther more scarres in the Church not fully cured or else greater signes of greater insuing euils than our owne I am loth to be thought to flatter a fault whereunto I am not vsually subiect and a thing needlesse being the greatest hatred from the greatest loue which euerie beareth to himselfe but I may say truly and I doubt not but what I say the world thinketh the greatest part of this good next our dread Souereigne is now without enuie bee it spoken your owne The consideration whereof hath made me out of that infinite loue and duty which I owe to his Grace being dead and your Honour yet aliue to dedicate these labours to you both in the defence of that Church which truth experience her aduersaries haue proued for gouernment the most absolute since the Apostles time That it is vndertaken by me is the greatest disaduantage to this cause that it is continued and daily receiueth strength from authority is amongst infinite blessings the greatest and most vnspeakable of this Church I haue dealt as your Honour well knoweth in this cause with a threefolde disaduantage one that it hath so fully beene handled by so many of great learning heretofore so that at this time a defence was rather requisite to tell those that hope for alteration that our Church is still of the same iudgement and spake not heretofore onely to please that State a second is that the things disliked are not differences of any great learning seeing wee deale with aduersaries whose chiefest hope dependeth vpon the allowance of vnlearned followers so that Demonstrations of reason are more requisite than proofes from authoritie Last of all they are a generation apt and skilfull to speake euill I haue carefully and according to my naturall disposition auoided all occasion that might prouoke them to it yet I looke for no other neither by the grace of God so that this paines may benefit the Church do I much care the strongest tyrant of things and men is fancy the truest gouernour Religion hallowed follies when they are vnmasked are but at the best the weake opinions of simple men of whom notwithstanding if they had learned humilitie and obedience this Church might haue much vse your Lordship is besides that particular duty and thankefulnesse which I owe vnto you executor of his Testament and Inheritour of his vertues that was the true owner and possessor of these labours which if it please your Honour to accept with their vnworthie Author into your more priuate and inward affection It shall bee my happinesse to be your seruant and their credit by your Lordships meanes to doe seruice to this Church Thus in the assurance of this hope crauing pardon for my boldnesse I humbly take my leaue desiring God to blesse you with all Graces fit for so high a place and with contentment and long life to my singular comfort and the especiall benefit of this Church May 27. 1604. Your Lordships in all dutie WILLIAM COVELL To the Christian Reader IF the immoderate desire of reformation in some men had not extended it selfe further than eyther Religion or reason would wel permit and especially at that time when thankfulnesse exacted from vs all something like a Sabbath for that blessed Rest continued to this Church by the meanes of our dread Souereigne this cause and some others not yet published had with their vnworthy authors slept in a long and a charitable silence and whereas the miraculous blessings bestowed and continued vpon this land could no otherwise rightly be vnderstood than the true effectes of that Church which was planted in it seeing as S. Ambrose saith That is Charitie to be expected that is Charitie greater than the Empire if that faith bee inuiolate which preserueth the Empire I thought it vnfit to let these men vnderstand that
the peace of this Church was litle beholding to their paines who in the middest of an vniuersall ioy sounded a seditious Alarum to a second warre which as it could be no lesse than inconsiderate Zeale in some of the Tribe of Leui to drawe their swords against their Reuerend Religious Fathers as if with Aaron they had beene guiltie of erecting a Golden Calfe so we hope in the opinion of the most seuere our defence shall neither be thought needlesse nor out of season wherein peraduenture our labour is of lesse vse because we encounter in particular men of no greate authoritie in this Church whom our directions were first to haue answered in another manner but finding that to follow their steps had beene onely but to tread often in the same pathes which were wearisome in themselues and could haue brought little aduantage to this publike cause we rather resolued hauing the approbation of authoritie to giue allowance to defend a necessary weighty â—ighteous and publike Church gouernment than onely to reproue and confute some particular obscure and priuate men for accusing gaineth not that admittance in the eares of indifferent Readers which defending doth and herein I may safely protest I looked at no other scope in the labour and cost of this vnpleasing imployment than the discharge of my particular dutie and the performance of that seruice which I owed vnto this Church yet if I had known which I vnderstand since that some more of Master Hookers works had bene recouered from the iniurie of men and time once againe to speake in the defence of this truth I woulâ— most willingly haue obserued the praecept of the Sonne of Sirach Thou that art yong speake if need be and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked for the same things but who is able to speake the same things that he did being spoken by diuers are not the same and for my selfe if any man thinke this defence a presumption I may boldly say as Eâ—â—u did Behold I did wait vpon the words of the auncient and hearkened to their knowledge But seeing wee are children of that Church whose prosperitie was enuied and peace hindered by the aduersaries of this cause wee could not but let them vnderstand that the voyces of Angels of men and of time and all against them and if wee were in the comparison of them as they boâ—st of number but like the children of Ruben and the children of Gad and the Tribe of Manasses in respect of all Israell besides yet if they will needes send vs a message by Phyneas the sonne of Eleazar and ten Princes with him saying What transgression is this that ye haue transgressed against the God of Israell to turne away this day from the Lord in that ye haue built you an Altar for to rebell this day against the Lord Haue wee too little for the wickednesse of Peor whereof wee are not cleansed this day though a plague came vpon the congregation of the Lord Wee must aunswere them as they did The Lord God of Gods the Lord God of Gods he knoweth and Israell himselfe shall know if by rebellion or by transgression against the Lord we haue done it saue thou vs not this day If wee haue built vs an Altar to returne away from the Lord eyther to offer burnt offerings or meat offerings or to offer peace offerings thereon let the Lord himselfe require it And if wee haue not rather done it for feare of this thing c. vnto vers 30. Wee hope they will giue vs leaue if their Zeale make them iealous of any thing vsed or admitted in our Church to tell them that these are witnesses betwixt them and vs. c. Betweene our forefathers and our generations after vs to execute the seruice of the Lord before him in our Lyturgie in our prayers in our Sacraments and that neither their children nor the children of any Idolatrous Church should say to our children in time to come Yee haue no part in the Lord and if for all this they cease not the heape reproaches vpon that Church whose absolute gouernment they ought with thankfulnesse to imbrace and with loue to honour we must tell them as Saint Hierom doth that amongest ChristiaÌ„s not he that suffereth but he that offereth reproach is wretched Wherein surely of all that euer laboured in this cause he endured most with most patience whom vertue crownd with much Honour in this life and according to his owne propheticall word ouercame whilest he suffered and now triumpheth And for my selfe Gentle Reader I resolue humbly to endure whatsoeuer it pleaseth the vsuall impatience of their furie to lay vpon mee saying with Saint Austen In a good conscience I speake it Hee that willingly doth detract from my good name vnwillingly doth add to my reward For I lay with Saint Ambrose Let no man thinke that there is more weight in the slaunder of another than in the testimonie of his owne conscience Farewell CHAP. 1. Kings and Princes haue Authoritie and ought to haue care for the Church gouernment WWhere right hath no other aduantage but Fortune and Weaknesse hath got strength from opinion of Zeale there it is no lesse safe to maintaine error than amongst better dispositions to defend a trueth The Circle of time the best discouerer of mens secret ends and not the least nor the least violent circumstance ouer the means must at length make knowen to the weakest eye that is able to discerne least who haue beene thought wicked and prophane in humilitie for maintayning a truth and who proudly haue beene opposites to this end that being ignorant and vnhonest they might bee thought to bee learned and seeme righteous As there is not any one action since the time that this Land first embraced true Religion wherein more violent and vnnaturall dispositions haue discouered themselues than in and for the Church gouernment so is there nothing wherein the Wisedome Vertue and Souereigntie of Kings doth and ought more to appeare than in the well ordering of that Societie where vnto the most vsuall and greatest harmes haue commonly proceeded from too much Zeale For that which man once apprehendeth as vertuous to bee done without great iudgement and moderation hee seldome tempereth himselfe from doing it eyther ouer-eagerly or ouermuch This as it swayeth with Inferior persons who for the most part haue no easier and speedier meanes to become eminent so it is hardly tempered in those Princes being eminent alreadie whose vertuous education hath made them religious this being in one action to the people the best assurance they can expect for themselues the best testimony of a good conscience and toward God a demeanour least vnthankfull for any straunge or miraculous deliuerance that they haue receiued All these being made stronger when a new people are become subiects when all men are disposed to giue strength to their hopes and make collection from Signes and when deliuerances are
this Consistoriall Gouernment may take place the benefit whereof as they magnifie little weighing those yet vnexperienced Euils which must needes follow so the harmes of it are at large set downe by diuers others who with learning and iudgment haue labored in this point There is doublesse no Societie deerer vnto God than his Church in the gouernment whereof he hath made choice of two sorts of men to be imployed vnder him The first are Ministers of his word and Sacraments whose calling is perpetuall and necessary in the Church for so long as the Church is in this world it caÌ„not possible be coÌ„tinued without these of wihch we shall more fitly speake heereafter The other are Kings and Magistrats whom to the happy estate of the Church we hold with all reuerence of such vse that those are worst that mislike their gouernment that Church in all reason like to be most happy which God in his mercy hath blessed with the best King This appeareth in the Kings of Iuda who being vertuous Religion that was decaied was restored and what the Idolatry of others had corrupted the vprightnes of some which followed did purifie againe God in his loue performing that promise vnto his Church that Kings should be her Nursings-fathers and Queenes her Nursing-mothers In this respect more specially than others they are called Gods seruants not only because they serue him in the gouernmeÌ„t of the coÌ„monwealth a thing common with them and the worst Princes but because he vouchsafeth to vse their meanes as the fittest Instruments to aduance his Church vpoÌ„ earth And surely a double seruice God expecteth from them the one Common with all Christians the other peculiar to serue him in that place as Kings Princes To haue performed the first is an action of praise and may giue great hope but to faile in the second is staynd with reproch vsually accompained with much daunger Euill Princes seruing oftentimes to Act but the ruines of that Kingdome by the fall of the Church in whose misery theselues for the most part doe perish In the first dutie as Christians they are not priuiledged aboue other men they are tyed to same obedience bound to as many vertues nay moe for exaÌ„ple must in the end being called to the same account be iudged with as much seuerite as the meanest subiect Be wise now therfore O ye Kings be learned ye that are Iudges of the Earth Serue the lord with feare reioyce vnto him with Reuerence In the latter the seruice of Princes hath two parts the one concerning the Commonwealth the other Religion and the Church to the first they are tyed as Kings to the latter they are bound as they are vertuous and Religious Kings The first in dooing mercy and iudgment in defending the fatherlesse and poore in seeing that such as be in neede and necessitie haue right in bestowing duely punishment and reward and in all those other polliticke vertues they are happy Instruments to make a prosperous and flourishing Commonwealth The second concerneth his Religion a duty as it lyeth vpon all for all ought to be Religious so especielly vpon the Prince who must not only be but be the meanes to make all other to become Religious a thing though not euer true vnder vertuous Kings whose holy examples sometimes preuaile no farther but to make Hypocrits but seldome or neuer to be expected where the Princes theÌ„selues delight to seeme opeÌ„ly prophane If man had no other light but the light of Nature would not so willingly beleeue what were done with as without the Scripture yet euen this point will appeare to be most true being the practise of those men who had no other guide for their Actions than the vnchangeable directions of the light of Nature for whatsoeuer the Religion was as in most it was nothing but Idolatrous Superstition yet the transgression thereof was esteemed worthy to receaue punishment and the appointment of this punishment was thought to be peculiar to those who had principall authoritie to gouern the Comonwealth Thus the Athenian tooke vpon theÌ„ the power to condeÌ„ne Socrates a man peraduenture wiser thaÌ„ any of the rest but faulty as they thought in ReligioÌ„ therefore to be censured by the Authoritie which they al had The like we read of the RomaÌ„s Tyberius would make Christ a God without the authority of the Senat wher though the Act was needles to Christ little honor yet it sheweth that both the care of Religion belonged to the Roman Emperor that men euen Heatheâ—s were not hastily carried to performe any actioÌ„ of that nature without the aduice of others iudgmeÌ„t neither euer the Apostles or Prophets repreheÌ„d this care in the Rulers in any age It was easie to erre what ReligioÌ„ was but all men saw to whom the care did principally belong neither should any maÌ„ deserue coÌ„mendation for performing that which were wholy exempted from the limits of his owne calling But al Antiquitiâ— hath giueÌ„ in this kind honorable Testimony to CoÌ„stantine and Theodosius two Emperors of much vertue Nay Religiâ—n it selfe which giueth the best Rules to preserue Religion being contained in the Two Tables expresly commandeth who ought to be the ouerseer the keeper and preseruer of both Inwardly the strongest moÌ„tiue is Religion and they are most for the most part Religious who are Religious for conscience but there is a feare from the hand of the Maiestrate able to restraine those at least from outwarde being euill whom neither Conscience nor Religion could make honest Christian Emperours haue with their Zeale gained much honor for this in the eye and Iudgement of Gods Church This made them when contentions arose to call Councells as that of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon to purge the Temples both from Heathenish Idolatry and Christian superstition to make lawes the better to keepe men in obedience towardes God the irreligious contempt of whose worshippe though in the Subiects themselues haue brough a iust ruine euen for not forbidding both vpon the Prince and the Commonwealth Reason then which tyeth Princes to procure the prosperitie of that land ouer which they gouerne exacteth froÌ„ them a principall care of the Church and of Religion the decay and the contempt whereof are the originall causes of pestilence dearthes wares and such like For where humors are infected a little it is like that the maners are first distempered a great deale the most of the Fathers are plentifull in this point This made Saint Austine learnedly to confute the Donatists whose Haerecy was like the error of some in our days holding that Princes ought to permit euery man to enioy what Religion he likes and to persecute no man for Religion at all this serueth to confute the two great Errors of our time the one of the Anabaptists the other of the Church of Rome The first holding it vnlawfull for a Christian to be a Magistrate much lesse to vse his
authority in matters that coÌ„cerne Religion the other that the care of Princes to maintaine Religion ought only to be with these word but to coÌ„fute errors to reforme Churches to call Synods These they thinke to be peculiar to the Pope himselfe The contrary to both these wee are taugh by Scriptures by Historie by Fathers and by Testimonie of some of the Popes themselues who haue earnestly intreated the Christian Emperours to call Councels This then being in the opinion of all that are of sound iudgement both the greatest care and honor to a Christian prince let vs consider a little those pointes that are absolutely requisite for the Religious performing of this duty the person whom wee call the Prince is hee that hath supreame authoritie according to the forme of that kingdome wherein he ruleth In humane actions that they may be performed aright it is requisite that we are willing that we haue knowledg that we haue power with out the first our knowledge abilitie do want motion without the second our motion ability shal want skill without the third our motion and skil shal want strength The first is an vnestimable benefit bestowed vpoÌ„ religious princes from the powerfull Author of all pietie in this respect all men are bound to commend them to God more especially in their prayers assuring our selues that vnlesse wee or they faile hee that hath giuen them to will shall inhable them at length to performe it likewise The best assurance to discerne the Author of this wil is the considerations of the ends which are only two Gods glory and the good of others which being not the scope of their actioÌ„ it is no more possible that God should bee the Author of that will than that goodnes is possible to bee the Author of much euill Ends of doing which lye in the hart of man and are onely discerned by God himselfe are the true discouerers what is the originall fountain of that we doo For the same things are not alwaies of the same nature though the maner of performing be all one if the ends be diuers The second thing is knowledge not of much lesse necessitie than the former wherby hee may bee truely assured what things are vnfit and what are warrantable to bee reformed neither this onely in general and by others but if it bee possible in euery particular and of himselfe A happines wheresoeuer it is neither least worth nor least power to make happy both the Church CoÌ„monwealth This only was thought to bring greatnes ruine both at once into the Church of Rome whilst Emperors being busied with other affairs left the gouernment to the Bishops the Bishops to the Suffragans these to the Monks whose authority knowledge being much lesse all things were ruled with greater corruption lesse truth To auod this Moses coÌ„mandeth the Princes day night to be exercised in reading the holy Scripture next to haue those about theÌ„ who are lerned honest it is a maime to a Prince to be assisted by any that do want either For to be learned without Zeal is to make aduaÌ„tage to theÌ„selues by a publick losse to be Zealous without skil is to couÌ„sel ofteÌ„times to matters that do much hurt As the former maketh a King coÌ„monly to be ouer dissolute so these other do make him to be too rigorous it is a memorable exaÌ„ple of Ioas the King of Iuda whilst he had Ieboida the priest assistaÌ„t to him al things happily succeeded to him to his whole Realme but with his death the King being destitute of such all things as speedily came to great ruine To further the Kings knowledge it is a means neither of least honor nor vse to call Synods of those Churches that imbrace the truth and in them to asemble men of best learning moderation and least partiall whose consultatioÌ„ for disputatioÌ„ is a means both to conteÌ„tious insolent to finde a truth may serue for resolution of such points as weaknes in humility would be glad to learn It is lost labour in any farre vnbefitting the honour of Kings to vndertake with Curiositie pride to get knowledge seeing the one is not desirous to learne the other desirous for to learne too much This hath bin the Care of all religious Emperors Constantine the great in the case of Arrius called the Councell of Nice Thus Theodosius the great in the case of Nestorius the Councel of Ephesus Valentinian and Martian the Councell of Chalcedon against Eutiches Iustinian the Councell of Constantinople against Seuerus the Patriarch of Antioch which renued the error of Eutyches Constantine the fift The sixt Synod against the Monothelyts George the Patriarch of Constantinople Macharius the Patriarch of Antioch their followers the third thing is ability which shall easily receiue greatest strength from hence if all lesser differeces remoued a perfect concord agreement be made with those of the same ReligioÌ„ If Israel and Iuda be at variance both shal be caried into Captiuity the one into Assyria the other into Babilon Thus the Eternall power punisheth our pride the fountaine of our dissention with captiuity to learn vs amitie friendship in a strange land Oh that IerusaleÌ„ were built as a City at vnitie in it selfe If any man yet doubt of the authority of kings in Ecclesiasticall causes ouer sâ—ch persons let them know that inâ— al ages with good warrant Princes haue displaced and iudged men of the Church as ReligioÌ„ reason desert haue moued them Salomon displaced Abyathar and placed Zadock Theodosius Valentinian made a decree that those which were infected with the impiety of Nestorius should be deposed Iustinian is coÌ„mended for deposing Silueirus Vigilius Ieremy his case was heard of the Princes Cecilian Athanasius being wronged appealed to ConstaÌ„tine seeing theÌ„ this cloud of witnesses against theÌ„ let theÌ„ hereafter not so vnreuerently as some haue done account those persons Bauds to al maner of sins in Princes who maintain theÌ„ to be free froÌ„ excoÌ„munication neither need they to fear as some of them say thaâ— this opinion proceedeth froÌ„ a worse cause than froÌ„ simple error But the boldnes of some to excoÌ„municate the Prince at their pleasure hath both giuen incouragement to seek alteration without reuerence pereÌ„ptorily to call that reformation which is but their own fancies hereunto I might add which is obserued by others that this Consistory taketh appeals or the right of redresse for all wrongs offered in Ecclesiasticall Courts from the power of the Prince for they themselues sitting in Christs Tribunall seat it can be neither lawful nor warrantable to appeale from them besides the law giueth vnto the Prince the Nomiuation of Bishops some other Electiue dignities in the Church the custody of Bishops Temporalties during the vacation And patronage paramoÌ„t or right to present by the last lapse but these giue election of Church Offices to their Consistories
as much as may bee to mitigate the euils that when the best things are not possible the best may bee made of those that are Wisedome will rather tollerate some euill in A forme of gouernment that is tryed Than in a Gouernment vntryed to stand to the hazard of a farre greater It is the honour of all Kings that which is the Title of the Princes of this Land to bee as they are called Defendours of the Faith and this not onely in regard of Enemies abroad but in respect of those also which desire alteration at home oftentimes A hope of ease giueth men that iustly suffer occasion to complaine whose discontentments how lamentably soeuer diplayed are not alwaies the euidences of true griefe nor euer the argumentes of a iust wrong For doubtlesse let a Church bee as well gouerned as euer was any eyther in or before the Apostles time Let Moses and Aaron both labour to make it Excellent Let Dauid and all his Counsellours aduise for the good of it yet she shal neuer want those within the bosome of her who eyther wearie with that which is auncient or in loue with some newe deuise of their owne are readie to depraue that Gouernment which they ought for to reuerence as being the Orders of that Societie wherevnto in all dutie they doo owe obedience There will euer bee some Corah Dathan and Abiram to tell Moses and Aaron that they take too much vpon them Such is the frailtie of humane nature and so great our vnwillingnesse to liue in subiection to the gouernment of other men That wee will rather hazard an opposition to God himselfe than haue our Zeale to bee guided by the limits of any Lawes doubtlesse those that are thus proud may iustly suspect that GOD hath not placed them as workmen in the reformation of the External gouernment of that Kingdome whose foundation was first laid with so much humilitie This if the first authors of these troubles had well considered they would not in a matter of so great Consequent haue allotted the power and authoritie of alteration vnto the violent and vnlimited passions of the rude multitude a thing in it selfe as without warrant so incredible almost to haue proceeded from men that were furnished but with common sence Could any thing sound more pleasing to the lowest and worst parts of a Kingdome Could any thing moue sooner to rebellion than to tell them that Reformation of Religion belongeth to the Communaltie that the Communaltie may lawfully require of their King to haue true Preachers and if he be negligent they iustly may themselues prouide them maintaine them defend them against all that persecute them and may detaine the profit of the Church-liuings from the other sorte If these strange opinions which must needes sound harshly in the eares of all Kinges had not dispersed themselues like a poyson into the veynes of this Kingdome the Authors might haue slept in silence and their hallowed treasons haue remained vntouched But seeing those who were sollicitours abroad are now so neere that they be daungerous perswaders at home it is a consideration not of small importance as well to looke at the Authors and the meanes with what pretences soeuer they are ouershadowed as at the thing it selfe neither much needfull nor verie safe And howsoeuer in humane reason we haue now lesse cause than euer to feare the daunger of this euill yet seeing no harme in a religious Kingdome with a vertuous Prince findeth as little resistance as that which is couered with the name of Zeale all men haue cause both to pray aduise and assist that the misteries of this euill the iust punishment for the contempt of his truth light not vpō vs in our dayes nor in the dayes of our Children that shall succeede after There is not any fancie grounded vpon so little truth that hath so speedely growne to that greatnes as the discipline of Geneua hath It is like in our Kingdome yet fit inough peraduenture for them vnto the Gourd that shadowed Ionas but of a small continuance and yet some great Prophets are content to rest vnder the shadowe of it wee shall easily forgett the Author of greater benefits vnlesse some Worme in mercie be sent for to eate it downe at the first in the Auncient Disputations against the Papists and Anabaptistes both in Fraunce and Geneua there could bee found but two essentiall notes of the Church The true preaching of the word and the right administration of the Sacraments but when some of ours were returned from Geneua they were not affraied to tell vs a strange opinion to be publisht by learned wise men That Maister Beza helde the Geneua Discipline the third note of the Church and of as much necessitie as the Sacramentes or the worde it selfe which thing if it were as soundly proued as it seemes it is constantly beleeued by them all men had reason to acknowledge them the Authors of much good and to aduenture themselues farre in the defence of it Out of this stronge opinion haue proceeded these vnreuerend speeches against our Land Englande with an Impudent forehead hath said I will not come neere the Holy one wee are neuer the better for her Maiesties reformation seeing the Walls of Sion lye euen with the Ground Rome is come into our gates Antichrist reigneth amongst vs Infinite are the speeches collected out of their owne writings by others in this kinde and yet for all this they would seeme both to flatter the Prince if so worthie a Prince could bee flattered and highly to commend her happie gouernment so many waies profitable both to the Church and the Common-wealth but whilst we charge them with Innouation a thing whereunto wise Gouernors must haue good regard One commeth forth with great boldnesse yet one of the weakest that hath laboured in this cause and saith wee craue no alteration in Religion but only that the things which are standing as they doe may be brought to the order of the Apostles vse and to the Canon of Gods holy word in those circumstāces which remain yet vnreformed Do you speake cōsideratly in this plea were all things that are desired by you and others vsed in the Apostles time Are they all warranted by the Canon of Gods word Doubtlesse if you had perused with any indifferency all the learned discourses of those that haue laboured in this you should easily haue found that most things demaunded and so much desired are new and that wee are not now absolutely tied to all these things that were in vse in the Apostles time It shall not be amisse howsoeuer it hath beene alreadie most learnedly performed by others to let them Vnderstand that the orders of the Church haue beene at times diuers Whereof some haue beene added some ceased and that wee are not absolutely tied to imitate the times that haue beene before in euerie particular the Church as it is Militant heere on earth liueth
if we finde both the words and the deedes of the best amongst them to haue been such as no man hath reason to allow it cannot choose but seeme strange that any one carefull of what he vttereth should become a patron to that proceeding which is no sooner barely rehearsed but must vnto all men of necessitie appeare to be without warrant For iffailing in Cmilitie of tearmes their actions had beene more milde or if ouer seene in their Actions their words had beene of a better temper some colorable snow might haue been their excuse which now is wanting seeing they doe faile in both and therefore euen to discouer their proceedings is to ouerthrow theÌ„ As few Societies are or can be hoped to be without some euill so the principall remedies in the iudgement of wise men haue been thought to be three First that all things corrupted by time should with discretion be brought to their first Institution SecoÌ„dly if this were not to be hoped for they might vtterly be abolished Thirdly that no InnocatioÌ„s were permitted to begin and being begun immediatly by the hand of Authoritie to be cut of The first of these was called Reformation which is a repetion or Restitution of the auncient deede So that to Reform is not to make new but to restore to his former well being what time and corruption by continuance had made euill Now as authoritie and wisedome are both requisite to performe this so must it needs be a disorder in those that would reforme and doe want both And it cannot bee but a great ouersight in them Who hauing thus erred ought to bee silent and craue pardon dare aduenture notwithstanding to plead this cause and to publish Apologies in there owne defence Wee will not touch the first Authors and Originalles of this euill being deriued from those who then both for scituation and gouernment were straungers to our state But only make it appeare that since the beginning of our last Soueriegnes reigne what holinesses so euer was pretended the whole proceeding in matters of Reformation both in worde and deede was altogether vnlawfull and without warrant A thing howsoeuer obserued by diuers heeretofore yet not vnfit to be handled in this place and at this time The ground of that euill which followed was layd in Queene Maries time in whose Zealous gouernment a Zeale in others of our Countrie from other forreigne places in both peraduenture a like euill sowed the vncleane seede of those immoderat growing tares which since haue daungered our whole Church Neither can the goodnesse of Religion bee any warrant for euill doeing seeing what is lawfull where true Religion doth seeme to giue leaue must of necessitie bee as Lawfull being permitted by a Religion or don for a Religion though it be false So that it was no more fit for priuat and Inferiour persons at that time by violence to remoue Idolatrie the contrarie whereof was their Doctrine than in times much purer which haue since followed it was or could be lawfull for any of the Church of Rome by inuasion or treason to establish the Doctrine of that Sea This euer remaining a true rule That good then deserueth the name of euill when being good it ceaseth to bee well done and no Religion can warrant to pull downe Kings when true Religion doth commaund that whatsoeuer their Religion is wee must obay them either in suffering with patience what they impose or in dooing with obedience what they doe commaund So that the iust hatred of Idolatrie seruing to giue warrant to what they did then in times when the Church was much polluted hath been not the least occasioÌ„ since to attempt the like and farre worse when by many degrees the times the Religion was more pure And I am sorie so good a man by name should publish to the world a Doctrine so false and daungerous that it should be lawfull to kill wicked Kings and Tyrants Neither had this being but the priuat error of one been in all respectes so daungerous if an other for his place a Deane and not meanely esteemed had in not his preface to that Booke affirmed it to be the doctrine of the best and most learned in those partes meaning as I thinke Caluin and the rest So that all thinges being duely weighed the practise of those in that time for religion was neither more honest nor lawfull than the late practises of those of the Church of Rome neither let any man thinke that Religion can be a warrant for that deed which must remaine an euerlasting blemish to that Religion that caused it to bee doone Others our countrie had at that time men of famous and worthie memorie which liued in Zuriech Basâ—ll and Franckefort these discretly obserued without Innouation the reformation established in King Edwardes dayes Nowe when those that had liued in Geneua and obserued with what policie Caluin and others swayed the whole gouernment a thing peraduenture neither much contradict seeing the worthinesse of the man nor Difficult to effect considering the forme of that state they began sayling in both repects being equal only in a violeÌ„t Zeale to attempt the like discipline in their owne Countrey A thing so much the lesse sufferable by how much the parties were meaner the gouernment of their Countrie farre better and the alteration not safe in so great a Kingdome And yet at that time the Zeale of these contented it selfe little to meddle in shew with the matters of disciplie but rather was busied about the apparell of Ministers Cerimonies prescribed and amendment as they thought of the Communion booke But after so hardly are those things limited which are but the workes of a strong fancie those that succeeded made their discipline an essentiall Note of the true Church were as ready as they said to become Martyrs in that quarell as for the defence of any Article of the Christian faith of whom I may say as Saint Austine doth of some such they were Martyrs if they had died of a foolish Philosophy Out of this strong and vehement perswasion of well doing and from a desire of goodnes peraduenture in some although it is like that those who were most earnest had not the best conscience were published sundrie Dialogues able to haue iniured a good cause complaints petitions to her Maiestie and the Parliament in the name of the Comunaltie their appellations their exhortations fiue or six seuerall supplications to the Parliament Martyns vnhallowed Imitations of Passauantius The humble motion to the Lords of the Councill and diuers other of the like nature in manner of Register collected into one volume These many such for it were infinit and of small vse to reckon all were the chiefe and the best meanes their learning wisedome and holinesse thought fit for the gaining of Authoritie to this new discipline but if these immodest libelles had beene the worst fruites
of those times and the Art to speake euill had extended it selfe no further but to the infinite iniurie of the worthiest in this Church their error peraduenture might haue had pardon and that which was indeed the malitious consultation of a number would haue beene thought to haue beene but the madnesse of some fewe but after all this as either desiring themselues a sedition or being misledde by some politicke Atheist to be the actors of the Churches ruine they assemble in diuers places they make lawes despise Authoritie and leaue nothing that is violent vnatēpted In the midst of all which the happinesse of the Church was this that malice had not so much force as shee had Endeuour I am sorry that men endued with vnderstanding and making Religion to be the ground of what they did could so farre deceiue themselues and delude others as to thinke a practise so disordered so inconsiderat so vnciuill could possibly be allowed in an vnderstanding and well gouernd Kingdome only because it seemed to be masked with an Idle shadowe of a pure Zeale Now these proceedings that seeme to bee warranted by Religion are most easily spread abroade because all men presume themselues to haue an interrest in Religion and they are for the most part more hotly pursued than other strifes for as much as coldnesse which in other contentions may bee thought to proceede frō moderatiō is not in this so fauorably cōstrued This made them that if all other meanes fayled them they hoped to effect their desire by force of Armes To this end they write that in this quarrell for reformation a hundred thousand hands would be gotten and then say they you may easily think what stroke so many would strike togither Doubtlesse there is nothing that could sauour of greater sedition especially vnder so gratious a gouernment than being so violently addicted to their owne fancies what they could not obtaine by any quieter meanes rather than faile to seeke to establish it with th◠hazard of so much bloud Nay all seditions almost and the open Rebellions of all times haue proceeded at first from this ground that what in the beginning was but weakly thought vpon grew afterwardes to bee affected with more violence and in the end rather than to fayle to bee attempted by open warre I confesse the part against whom wee striue was a long while nothing feared the wisest contented not to call to minde how errors haue their effects many times not proportioned to that little appearance of reason wherupon they would seeme built but rather to vehement affection of Fancie which is cast towardes them and proceedeth from other causes And surely if a sparke of errour lightening in those dispositions which in all mens thinking were farthest from any inclination vnto furious attemptes was in all reason like to bee verie daungerous must not the perill thereof bee farre greater in men whose mindes are of themselues as drye fewell apt before hand vnto the tumults For surely in a cause of Religion men will strayne themselues vnto desperate aduentures for the reliese of their owne part though Lawe and authoritie bee both against them This then will bee a consideration of importance at this time both for the King and the high Court of Parliament when as it is like those humours will growe strong through confidence in their cause and a hope of friendes how vnsafe in reason it must needes bee to suffer the sparks to bee blowen that are almost quenched or to hazard an Established forme of Church Gouernment by experience found profitable with much peace in exchaunge with any newe imaginarie forme lesse warrantable in trueth and in all reason lesse possible to stand with the safety of the Commonwealth Now that wee haue laid open some part of their proceeding for this Discipline a poynt handled by vs sparingly and with great vnwillingnesse for hee that desireth to see more of their practises may read some Bookes written alreadie to that ende wee will briefely examine whether any man and vpon what reason doth endeauour to iustifie the proceeding of the Reformers in this kinde The Booke which wee Censured in the former Chapter called the Plea of the Innocent vndertaketh verie straungely in my opinion the defence of the proceeding in this whole cause For although the Author himselfe might haue assurance of his owne sinceritie whereof I can not accuse him though some doo yet surely hee could not bee so ignoraunt of what had past since the beginning of her late Maiesties Reigne nor so charitable to excuse the maner of it but that a defence of the whole Storie might haue beene better spared than written at that time and doubtlesse if all other meanes of opposition had fayled their owne dealing was an ouerthrow sufficient to that cause The first thing that hee misliketh is that they are called Puritanes and in the clearing them from all effectation of this name hee spendeth the whole Chapter making other of his brethren that seemed to bee lesse Religious and the Vniuersities places which in duetie hee ought to haue more honoured to bee the principall Authours of this name for to tearme them Puritanes But seeing the end of names is but to distinguish and those who first vsed it amongst vs did rather showe what their owne followers did esteeme of them and what themselues affected than what they were It cannot in reason bee an imputation to any that they were tearmed by that name Neither doo I thinke although diuers of them did glorie to bee so tearmed that this name first proceeded from vs but rather that the Church of Rome seeing vs to reforme our selues to a purer Religion than they professed and that diuers amongest vs not content with that desired yet to be more pure accounting all of vs to bee Heretikes these by a speciall name as affecting to seeme more holy than others a common practise of the Heretikes in olde time they tearmed by the name of Puritanes so that the fault which hee layeth vpon vs doubtlesse had his originall from those of the Church of Rome and therefore one Rishton in a Table dedicated to Cardinall Allen then Gouernour of Doway maketh Puritanisme an Heresie which began in the yeare 1563. neither do I thinke it can easily bee found that any Protestant in England before that time in any publike writing vsed the name of Puritan for no man can bee ignorant but that hee who was the strongest first opposite to this new discipline and handled this argument with greatest learning was himselfe in all precisenes farre purer than those that most gloried in that name and was neuer an aduersary to any of this cause that was not eyther malitious arrogant or an hypocrite neyther is it fit to lay that distinction vpon the Vniuersitie of youthes and Prescisians as this pleader doth as though all that were not for this new Reformation were like one Athacius who bending himselfe by all
It is now at the least three and thirty yeares since our troubles began to be beauie vpon vs let them shew how wee haue moued our finger against our dread Souereigne and in defence of all those who haue laboured in this cause he is not affraid to say Was not all our doings by humble Supplications honest and Christian Apologeticall writings and by lowly and earnest suing by our friendes And further In this wee haue done no otherwisâ—â—han all Christian Ministers may and ought to doe And if any man maruell how the Bishops became their enemies he aunswereth Bishops were our enemies by the Papists meanes Could any man Imagine that either so much without cause against the Bishops or so many things without truth for theÌ„selues could haue beene vttered if an opinion peraduenture of that wherein theÌ„selues were Innocent did not carrie them with ouermuch charitie both to thinke all which was against them to be too vehement too much and all for them ouer modest and too little Can it be thought that the Author of the plea of the Innocent should be perswaded that the Papists had made any of the Bishops to be their enemies or that those libels which past vnder the name of Admonitions SupplicatioÌ„s Demonstrations Martin Dialogues and such like should by any indifferent reader be thought to be either huÌ„ble honest or Christian or that they had done nothing in this cause more than all Christian Ministers may ought to haue done no surely the Christian part of the world to whom our vnnaturall violent and vnholy contentions haue coÌ„men are able to witnes too wel that he who hath brought a willingnes to speake euill and hath performed it in howe vnseemly a manner soeuer hath beene thought by the patrons of that cause to haue merited sufficiently the name of a brother and to haue beene a deserued partner of their liberall contribution This to many yong men hath beene a daungerous temptation I meane those of the meanest sort who in themselues naturally haue a double aduaÌ„tage to giue strength to this daungerous weakenes The one a disposition to reproue wherein their owne innocency is thought greatest when they dare in vnseemely tearmes take vpon them to controule others The other a hastie desire to seeme of some account which in an ordinary course without great labour is not easily attained where as euil speaking and vnseasonable raylings Commonly called Zealous preaching bringeth them at least among their partiall followers into an opinion of learning innocency and purified Zeale But let these men vnderstand that where readers are of Indifferenâ—y as some times their Bookes fall into the hands of such though for the most part they are dispersed amoÌ„gst the Breathren of the cause they gaine this Iust Censure That that cause cannot be good which hath not other patrons to support it than those who haue learned nothing but only to speake euill I am sorie the inferiour sort of our Clergie are both so ignorant themselues and haue possessed their auditors with the same error that we may not allow any thing vsed in the Church of Rome no more than any thing vsed in any assembly of the Heathen whatsoeuer So that whilst ouer bitterly we distast euerie thing which is in vse in that Church whose greatest part is infected with much error we breed an opinioÌ„ in those who are not fully resolued that we rather mislike many things because they vse them than for that we are able to giue a reason why we doe mislike them The best course in this had beene first to haue made Demonstration that the same things being vsed by diuers are all one or that those things conteÌ„ded for by authority in our Church were not in the better and former times of the Church or are not of an indefferent nature neither can be made lawfull by any circuÌ„stance These things being neglected and other meanes vsed lesse reasonable and lesse honest we conclude that the proceeding of the Reformers hetherto hath beene altogether vnlawfull and without warrant CHAP. V. Of Contentions THere was neuer any thing more fatal to the prosperitie of Gods Church thaÌ„ the violeÌ„t nourishing of contentioÌ„ within her Bowells and especially by their meanes who ought to haue been the principall Authors to procure her peace for where euery man is violent for that which himselfe likes and partiall affection through stronge humors becommeth the best reason to plant a Religion a falt most vsuall in those Kingdomes that are most vertuous euery man becommeth so great an opposite that in the ende they are in hazard to be depriued of all truth There is nothing safer to a Kingdome than that the Religion professed be but only one and this safetie then shall bee accompanied with much honor when those of the same Religion are desirous and carefull to preserue the Vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace otherwise it must needes come to passe that those small and first beginnings which receiued life and increase from an holy Vnion must in the end by discord and discention al perish And therefore not vnwisely the Cities of Greece receiued of their Citizens no other oath sauing only this to preserue Vnion That Satan hath had apt instruments to hinder this in all ages those Scarres in the Church which are not yet throughly cured shall witnes well to the ages that succeed after and the hatefull note of reproch shall remaine as a blemmish vnto their names who rather than they would yeeld haue been conteÌ„t in the midst of these flames that the Church perish This being the blessing annexed to the coÌ„mandement of the holy Prophet Pray for the peace of Hierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee As though the happines of prosperitie could not light vpon their heads whose Tongues haue been the principall actors of contentioÌ„ in Gods Church this being an euil by so much the lesse cureable by how much the oppositions for ReligioÌ„ be more violent This made the Apostle to frame that most EloqueÌ„t Exhortation to humilitie and peace If there be any Consolation in Christ If any comfort of loue if any fellowshippe of the spirit if any compassion and mercy fulfill my ioy that yee be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord and of Iudgement that nothing be done through contention or vaine Glorie This being the meanes to attaine vnto this perfection if in meekenesse of minde euery man esteeme better of others than of himselfe for saith the wise man as the Cole maketh burning Coles and woode a fier so the Contentious man is apt to kindle strife In the case of the Church wee ought to haue remembred long since the great reason of that attonement betwixt Lott and Abraham Wee are Breathren vnlesse they in discreatioÌ„ of some few haue caried them so farre that they can hardly afforde those to be tearmed by that name who because their Iudgements and wisedome are farre greater Their Religion
an oâ—her mans seruant He standeth or falleth to his owne Master And yet as that morall wise man saith It little skilletâ— with what minde that is dâ—â—â— which is euill done because thâ—â—â—ede is seene but the minde is not It is no praise not to doe thâ—â—â—â—ich thou canst not And if the best excuse bee allowed both to him and others which can be afforded in so euill a cause wee must needes say That centention in the Church is the hurtfull effect of indiscrete Zeale And howsoeuer men bouldly apply that to themselues which was spoken by our Sauiour Christ. The Zeale of thine house hath euen eaten mee yet they little consider that with this Zeale of Gods honor which eateth them they haue no warrant that Gods house should be eaten by them true Zeale saith S. Austine desireth in his place to amend what is a misse but if he cannot he doth tollerate it and sigh for there is a Zeale that proceedeth from rancor and malice but not from loue Extraordinarie Zeale which exceedeth the limits of our priuate calling is then only no sinne when it proceedeth from the power of the spirit and not a priuate motion the same spirit warranting that Zeale by giuing an extraordinarie power as also an vnresistable strength all which were found in our Sauiour in the sonne of Eleazer in the Sonnes of Leuie in Elias and diuers others And if the Pleader hath performed any thing either more powerfully or more effectually than other men we are readie to confesse that this newe Contention arose from a holy Zeale But under this colour daungerous attempts haue beene committed in Gods Church Thus Anabaptist in Germanie cut off his brothers head in the sight of his Parents perswading them that the holy Ghost was the Author of that fact But because he could not make the Magistrate to beleuee so much hee himselfe by their sentence indured the same death And it were fitt all these Zealous murderers of their bretheren by their hot contentions were examined by the Magistrate of their lawfull calling for it is great pitie that Religion and Zeale and sometimes peraduenture a good cause all which are most innocent should suffer the reproach of a shamefull Act but such Zealous persons haue beene in all ages who vnder pretense to reforme Religion haue been the worst meÌ„ and the greatest enemies that Religion had when Claudins Nero gouerned there were some that called themselues Zealatours and vnder that name were earnest for Religion vntil theÌ„selues had brought fier to consume the Temple for which they stroue and surely if humane reason haue leaue to coniecture what is like to be the euent of these euils Atheisme propanenes and sacrilege must al enter at the dore of Contention to burnvp Religion to robbe the Church And howsoeuer peace be best built vpoÌ„ redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of wrongs for otherwise to make an Vnitie without repeting the causes of discord is but rather to please vs with the name than with equitie to compound the wrongs wherein if we had beene the first yet it may appeare that we are not willing to vrge the Authors of these Contentions too farre in giuing a beginning to his euill surely their fault must needes be the greater which will not suffer it to haue an ende alter principium malo dedit alter modum abstulit neither can we excuse the bitternesse of some whose paines were little required to haue laboured in this cause as the former in the impure coÌ„tentions of Martinisme defaced the gouernment of the Church in the persons of Bishops and Prelates so the other sort did lead into conteÌ„pt the exercises of religion in the persons of sundrie Preachers disgracing as one well noteth the higher matter though in the meaner person we can be coÌ„tent to thinke that in many the beginning of these euils was a detestation which they had to the Church of Rome But we wish such men to know that first they haue iniured greatly the Church of Christ by hindering that increase which Religion in this Land might haue had if these violently had not beene ouer willing to contend with all men and then that as there is nothing of more vse so nothing in respect can be of greater daunger in ReligioÌ„ thaÌ„ Zeale is for this if it be directed aright is mother of much â—olines but being mislead is the Adulterous stepmother of much Hypocrisie and doubâ—lesse the corrupt fountaine of the greatest and most daungerous contentions that haue troubled this Church haâ—â— bin the faise opinion of vndiscret Zeale and when our contentions growe strong they spoyle saith Soloâ—â—â— a house full of facrifices and lest they should thinke wee are willing and esteeme it an honor to contend with them we say we haue taught the truth the auncient and perpetuall gouernment of the Church we haue maintained the reformed discipline by the example of the first and best Churches after the time of persecution we teach nothing but the pure Gospell of Christ wee administer the Sacraments as wee ought we are and haue learned to bee obedient to those that rule ouer vs we wish and prouide that the Ministerie of England may be learned that men may be diligent in that honorable fruction committed to them that all Idolatrie and superstition may be banished in one word that the Church may be cured from all their infirmities by the hand of authoritie and those lawfull meanes prouided for her safetie that noe rayling and contentious speeches to the disgrace of any mans person may be vsed by vs and if any man teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholsome words of the Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to Godlinesse hee is puft vp and knoweth nothing but doateth about questions strife of words whereof commeth enuy strife raylings euill surmisinges froward disputation of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth which thinke that gaine is godlines for doubtlesse the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse God for where enuy and strife is there is sedition and all manner of euill workes but wisedome that is from aboue is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to bee entreated full of mercy and good fruits without iudging and without Hypocrisie and the fruit of righteousnesse is sowne iâ— peace of them that can make peace Wee therefore beseech you breathren by the mercies of Christ Let vs be all of one minde let vs seeke peace and ensue it let there be noe strife I pray you betwext you vs neither betwext your beardmeÌ„ nor our beard-men for we are Breatheren But if they will needes proceede in this intemperat manner to nourrish the flame of these vnhallowed Contentions which both strengthen the aduersaries and weaken our selues we can but wish that authoritie may cause their writings to bee abortiue and not see the Sunne but if their policies in this doo preuent lawes
our next desire is they may bee censured by all that haue Vnderstanding and Conscience as the intemperate and extrauagant conceits of some giddie headed persons and that men beware except they meane to aduenture to depriue themselues of all sence of Religion and to paue their owne hearts and make them like the high way how they bee consuersant in them and giue credit or beliefe vnto them Therefore to conclude this poynt seeing contentions are of that daunger and that zeale is no warrant to ouerthrow the Church let vs all follow the counsaâ—le which the Angel gaue vnto Agar Returne vnto thy dame and humble thy selfe vnder her hands There is no vertue that better beseemeth vs that are inferiors than Patience and Humilitie Therefore we exhort with the Apostles But God be thanked that ye haue beene the seruants of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the heart vnto the forme of the doctrine whereunto ye were deliuered Being then made free from sinne ye are made the seruants of righteousnesse Let vs not bee desirous of vaine glory prouoking one another enuying one another For where enuying and strife is there is sedition and all maner of euill workes But the wisedome that is from aboue is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to bee intreated full of mercie and good fruits without iudging and without hypocrisie And the fruite of righteousnesse is sowen in peace of them that make peace CHAP. VI. Of Ceremonies WHere men are apt to mislike things of necessarie vse the entrance for the most part into that contempt is through the distasting of those things which are of a meaner nature and serue but in the opinion of wise men onely to make the act of deuotion to be more solemne Solemnitie in some measure being a necessarie adiunct to all publike seruice And whilst it stirreth men with greater holinesse to become outwardly religious whilst it stayeth men from wauering in that they do and others from contempt of that which is done all being by these outward SoleÌ„nities better prepared we cannot but account them the hedge of deuotion and though not the principall points yet as some of the fathers call them the second Intentions of the law Intermeditate meanes not to be despised of a better and more religious seruice This whilst some in our Church haue either not vnderstood or not much regarded they haue earnestly laboured as for a matter of great moment that because the Iews had a religioÌ„ ful of Ceremonies the most part whereof being types are in their particular so far ceased beâ—â—use the Church of Rome hath not limited the infinit burden in this kind partly idle partly needles the greatest part through the corruption of â—lme being growen superstitious these in opposition to all the rest onely misunderstanding the time of Grace are desirous to haue Religion without any Ceremonies at all As if the same God who seeing the weakenesse of his owne people and therefore ledd them as if it were by Ceremonies to that worship which was fittest for them and for that time and who euer since hath beene the Author and approouer of solemne order especially in the publike action of Religion did now eyther see vs to bee so absolute as that these outward helpes were of no vse or that all Ceremonies were but shadowes of things to come not ornaments and helpes to things present did meerely with the passion of his Sonne cancell all kinde of worship that had any solemnities or Ceremonies how vertuous soeuer annexed to it But as to think that Ceremonies without true and inward holinesse could cleanse them from their sinne were to erre and to be Iewish and superstitious so to account them of no vse were to be meerely prophane Wee call them Ceremonies properly all such thinges as are the externall act of Religion which haue their commendation and alowance from no other cause but onely that in Gods worship they are vertuous furtherances of his honour For Religion which is the height and perfection of all Morall vertues conteyneth in it three actes as all other vertues doo the first the Internall which is the willing desire to giue vnto God his due worship and honour secondly the externall aunswering to this which is no otherwise good or commendable than that it vertuously serueth to this end thirdly the commaunded act that is the act of euery vertue ordained by religion to Gods honour so fasting almes and such like are tearmed the Actes of Religion when they are done for Gods worship howsoeuer otheâ—â—ise they are properly the actes of other vertues This the Apostle calleth pure Religion and vndfiled bofore 〈◊〉 the Father to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their adâ—â—rsity and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Saint Austine saith that God is worshipped with Faith Hope and Charity of these three the first is no way Ceremoniall The third likewise is no Ceremonie but as it is an act inioyned by Religion but the second is properly that which concerneth the Ceremoniall part of Gods worship All antiquitie was euer so farre from misliking of those that they had almost placed Religion in them onely The name which the Hebrewes gaue vnto Ceremonies signifieth not so much the externall act as the law and the precept by which is was commaunded so that in the new Testament euen those which had no longer continuaÌ„ce but vntill Iohn for then began the Iewish Ceremonies to decline are tearmed by our Sauiour by the name of the Law and the Prophets Saint Paule calleth them Iustifications because they were Rites instituted ordayned to that end With them they were the Images of heauenly things opposite to the Images of the Heathen howsoeuer we follow neither of them in the particular the one being the Idolatrous prophanation of an Heathenish superstition the other but the externall seruice appropriate to that people and to that time yet wee dare not seeing no Religion can want all Ceremonies fall so headlong to the error on eyther side as to embrace or refuse all those Ceremonies that the Church hath Now as it is the vnhappinesse of Religion to bee ouerloaden with Ceremonies so in those that haue authoritie not to establish by law such as are needefull is a defect to neglect them in those that ought to bee obedient is a fault but to contemne them in any that liue in the bosome of the same Church must needs bee the manifest argument of their pride and in the end the vtter ruine of Religion it selfe For in the Ceremonies of the Law there were three things to bee obserued first that they were all ordayned for the expressing of the inward and morall worship to serue to true holinesse Fayth Hope and Charity without which all the rest were reiected euen as a burthen by him that commaunded them saying I will haue mercy but not sacrifice for obedience is better than sacrifice and to hearken
house that the Rafters the Beames the maine timber might with the violence of tempests more speedily perish The third end was to make knowne vnto men by an externall worship that holinesse which in hart they professed vnto him that man hauing two parts and he the Author of both it might not be his fault to be defectiue in either of them Yet as wholy to depend vpon outward Ceremonies is but Hypocrisie so altogether to neglect them vnder pretence to worshippe him in spirit is but to sinne with more libertie vnpunished and vncontrouled Lastly the comlinesse of order and the preseruation of humane Societie are not the contemptiblest ends for the vse of Ceremonies For seeing order is the ornament of all Societies and seeing the Church of all Societies is most excellent it must needes follow that those things which Ciuilie done doe adorne others vnciuilly neglected or continued doe disgrace the Church And I am sorrie that in the earnest contention for Church gouernment men are so backeward in the allowance of Church Ceremonies seeing wise men of found iudgment haue made them a part of the Church discipline Yet Ceremonies are not all of like nature some being absolutely necessarie and common to all others not so necessary and to some it is fitte that for all men in the furtherance of Gods worshippe there should bee a sanctification of persons times and places which if either they were not done at all or done without Ceremonie the corruption of mans nature would easily esteeme them to be vnholy For although God be to be worshipped at all times and that as Christ saith the Kingdome of Heauen commeth not by obseruation either of time or place yet because whole Churches must assemble which cannot be done without these nor these rightly be thus seuered without Ceremonies all antiquitie hath allowed the distinction of these and the vse of sober and moderate Ceremonies in the separation of them that being rightly to be tearmed Religious which for the holines we leaue to imploy vnto common vses And howsoeuer it may be not altogether vnfit at least it ought not to be offensiue that Churches though all reformed are in this different for so in the obseruation of Easter the East and the Weast were diuers Africa and Italie Rome and Millaine in which our Rule must be with humilitie and loue to be all things to all yet it is many waies conuenient to haue an vnitie if it were possible of Ceremonies for the whole Church First that all may abstaine from that worshippe which is Heathenish Secondly not to inuent a peculiar worship of our owne a thing neither safe to be done nor easily without better directions to be left vndone Thirdly to remoue offence for weakenesse not able to discerne that the meanes often are diuers where the end is but one from the differing in Ceremonies haue thought a contrarietie and difference to be in Religion it selfe Lastly to let vs know that God will be worshipped externally and with order this being the best witnesse and nourishing of that worshipp which is within And doublesse the Ceremoniall worship in generall is from the lawe of nature although some specials doe proceede from the lawe positiue so that both respecting the vse which is manifolde the practise both before the lawe vnder the law and since for the Church of God vpon earth did neuer want Ceremonies it must needes seeme strange that the peeuishnesse of some few and they none of the greatest vnderstanding should preuaile so far that things of more necessarie vse as the word of Sacraments should be amongst the people distasted only for the obseruation of some few Ceremonies and yet these neither many nor the fancies of priuate men as if the obedience of inferiours with humilitie in this case were like the sinne of the sonnes of Elie for which men abhorred the offerings of the Lord. All men confesse that the Ceremonies of the Iewes prefiguring are to be remoued but not those in the Church which established by Authoritie serue onely for order and the better worship Yet all men of sound iudgment must needs graunt that for their vertue they are all inferior to the word and the Sacraments for their number they ought to be so limited that with their vnseasonable multitude they ouerwhelme not that worshippe which with their order and comlinesse they ought to further For as husbandmen are content the Branches of the Vine so long to growe and spread vntill thereby they procure the grapes to become fewer so in the Church the admission and retaining of Ceremonies are so farre lawfull vntill by their error and defect either in substance or number religion and deuotion become colder And if the opinion of them who hold the Church may ordaine Ceremonies for instructions ornament and order had extended it selfe likewise to account them a bond of diuine worshipp so farre as positiue lawes may serue to increase deuotion their assertion doubtlesse had beene much sounder and the people had excercised religion with greater holinesse and more peace but in this we haue dealt as in our religious seruice where few things can be rightly ordered that are carried with a doubtfull and headlong course The originall of this euill is as a wise man noteth That wee haue numbred the opinions of others but not weighed them a sweete error seruing but to make vs to loue that wherein at length wee must needs perish But if any man thinke as surely it is the opinion of some that those Ceremonies ordained by Christ or his Apostles are fit inought to be retained in the Church but the rest as being made without warrant haue no warrant to remaine still we answere that of all which Christiā Churches how much soeuer corrupted doe or shal vse there is by vs noe defence vndertaken for them yet wee doubt not that euery particular Church may our Church hath lawfully ordained some Ceremonies which ought religiously to be obserued more also if the church so thought fit not hereby to iustifie any to make him righteous but for ends that are spiritual and many waies behouefull to Gods worship First for ornamēt a thing which I wōder in al other cases should be accounted a vertue in religion only should be esteemed a vice Herein whilst we haue shūned iustly the glorious vanity of superstitious worship we haue familiarly fallen to despise the persons the place the times and almost that dutie which we would honor and all onely through the neglect of some due Ceremonies Secondly to stirr vp deuotiō a thing apt inough through our vanities to become small vnlesse some externall helps may be added for to make it greater Neither can the accesse of Coremonie in the consecration of new times or new places be otherwise vnderstood than the faithfull acknowledgment of special new extraordinary fauours that we haue receiued Neither ought the memorie of the resurrection
so to swallow vp in vnthankesfulnesse all other benefits of a lesser nature as if the obseruation of other times were to be accounted an vnhallowed prophanatioÌ„ of the Lords Sabbath And surely those Rites which before lawfull ordination were left free after in conscience doe binde to the obseruation of theÌ„ So that what priuate opinions may fancie vnto them selues are but slender exemptions for the breach of lawes these imposing a restraint with their due Ceremonies established by authoritie from vsing respects and behauiours that are common towarde persons places and times which are all solemnly appointed to a holy vse If this had been throughly weighed by a number iâ— our Church neither would the contempt of them haue beene so vsuall and so pardonable a fault nor the defence haue beene thought ouer violent loue to superstition onely But in these things with some amongst vs can neither diffent with their good fauour nor consent with them with a good conscience And if any man thinke that Ceremonies are of that nature that the obseruation of them is onely indifferent and lesse free let him consider the great and violent discentions in the Church that haue risen for them and how Councills haue condemned them as heretikes onely for being stifly opposite in this kinde The first dissention allmost in the Church was for legall Ceremonies which afterward was determined with this word these necessaries to abstaine from blood and froÌ„ strangling The second great dissention was for Easter day neither was it thought then a small matter for which Pope Victor the first of that name would haue separated all Asia from the vnitie of the faithfull onely for being disobedient in that point which afterwards was not the least occasion for assembling the counsell of Nice the councel of Antioch not long after excommunicating all such as for the obseruation of Easter rested not in the determination of the Nicen Councell To conclude all that were willing to obserue it otherwise by Epiphanius Austin and Theodoret are accounted heretikes After this some such dissentions arose about baptisme not for the essence but the ceremonies in it the violence of which resisting was not the least impuratioÌ„ to al the Donatists After these succeeded hotter contentions but for matters of lesse moment in al which the oppugners of established order euen in the lowest parts of religion were little better accounted of the fathers than plaine heretikes The beginning of things saith Seneca proceede slowly but losses runne headlong the causes of euill are vsually in a tumult and breake out as in this from whence they are oft feared for whatsoeuer either person or place or custome hath many admirers for the holines must needes for the holines haue many to be enuiers of it but in things whereunto men doe easily fall discipline by authoritie must restraine such when singularitie is in daunger to make a schisme for where to make alteration in this kinde is allowed to all men a dissolution saith Caluin must needes follow in the sinewes of that Church neither doe we make as in precepts of a higher nature euery defect to be a great sinne but neglect in ceremonies is then no small fault when disobedience and contempt are ioyned with it Our care in religion appearing by so much the greater that wee are loth to neglect the adherents of it For the contempt which willingly is offered vnto these will easily without resistance extend it selfe to the ouerthrow of all religion There is nothing can be a surer preseruer of religion than to keepe it from contempt a thing not easily done where it is left destitute and depriued of holy ceremonies For the principall excellencie of our religion being spirituall is not easily obserued of the greatest number which are carnall and therefore we propound not naked mysteries but cloth them that these offering to the sences a certaine maiestie may be receiued of the minde with a greater reuerence And therefore some of the fathers accounting them as the shell to the kernell haue said that no religion either true or false was possible to consist without them So that amongst the auncient to be a diuine was nothing else but to know what deities were to be worshiped with what ceremonies And amongst the Iewes as a thing of greatest importance Ierbro wisheth Moyses to referre ciuill iudgements to others and himselfe to instruct them in the ceremonies and rites of Gods worship the ignorance whereof as it hath brought much harme into the Church so it is sharpely reproued by some of the Fathers that haue been before vs. These if they had serued to no other vse yet were they manifest and honorable distinctions betwixt them that were heretikes and those of the true Church in whom howsoeuer we cannot iudge of their sinceritie and religion that is inward yet by the vse of these we may easily discerne what Church in her worship they would seeme to follow for to cast away in time of persecution the badge and signes of their warfare was to discouer vnto the world that they were cowardly souldiers Tertâ—llian reporteth of one who chose rather to die then with the rest of the souldiers to be crowned with lawrell onely in this respect that the christians had a ceremonie not to doe it Now if any man aske me a rule whereby to discerne in this varietie of cerimonies which are to be reiected and which alowed we say with the Apostle Let all things be done honestly and by order for true wisedome teacheth sobernes and prudence righteousnesse and strength which are the most profitable things that men can haue in this life But if any man shall thinke that cerimonies being externall things in religion are not to be exacted with such violence that their carefull refusing should depriue them of performance of greater good these in my opinion first erre in the ouer slight estimation of ceremonies and then if they were but of that nature as contemptibly they thinke of them the alteration of such belongeth not to them neither haue they where obedience is commaunded reason to refuse conformitie with so much stomacke especially in matters which by them are accounted of that nature But because some of them thinke that ceremonies are but small things and yet that a small thing may trouble the eye as these the conscience I am sorry that they haue so farre weighed the hurt which themselues might receiue by doing of them and so lightly valued the harmes they haue offered by their wilfull disobedience to the lawfull ordinations of a reformed member of Christs Church If the Church of England retained any ceremonies that were vnholy and superstitious demonstration should haue been made in this kinde What they are how many of what nature why daungerous to which doubts being the sober demaunds of a weake conscience if due satisfaction could not haue been giuen doubtlesse those who had
the execution of such lawes would haue giuen tolleration for a time that they might be resolued if by their humilitie they manifested a desire that they had to learne but seâ—ing they confesse that by the late Queenes Iniunctions all superstitious ceremonies are taken away â—s shrines tables pictures and such like a testimonie not vnworthely giuen to the reformed gouernment of so good a Prince it is but a slender exception annexed such doe we take the surplesse to be A weake eye surely would haue seene a difference and an humble minde would haue indured much more rather then by such violent oppositions to haue so farre troubled the Churches peace I cannot well obserue in the tennor of that last defence the Plea of the innocent what their constant opinion is concerning the cerimonies misliked in our Church vnlesse they meane that they are idle indifferent and humane ordinations whilest they are commaunded but being disobeyed by them they are waightâ—i and great causes able to warrant resistance and rebellion in the highest measure I wish they would either account them as trifles and so being commaunded not so stifly refuse to vse them or else esteeme them matters of great moment and so thinke the gouernors of the Church haue reason and warrant so much to vrge them But the things say they in controuersie which wee desire to bee reformed and others earnestly maintaine are but accessarie additaments brought into the Church by humane constitution and without these the religion would stand But we are sure that once being brought in they are to be obeyed for conscience and surely the religion that would stand without them with them shall be able to stand much better Many things which are not requisâ—t for the being are notwithstanding required to the well being But afterward speaking of themselues as desirous to be iustified for their dealing in this cause they call it a good iust and waâ—ghtie cause founded in Gods word iniuriously reputed and tearmed an accidentall fancie and deuise I hope wise men from their owne wrytings will obserue the dealings of these men that they may not be vrged by authoritie to obedience a poynt of religion I wish they had well learned they call these things but additaments fit enough to bee contemned because they are humane constitutions and yet after to approue their obstinacie for refusing of them they call them waightie causes this contrarietie may peraduenture deceiue some but truth at the length will discouer it selfe Falsehoode is slight and shines through if we looke into it These onely mislike what they are not authoâ—s of themselues and euer labour for excuses as reasons to warrant what they doe mislike They thinke and say it is pitrie necessarie seruice wherein I thinke they vnderstand their preaching should be houlden backe by these vnnecessarie ceremonies But if vnnecessarie whereof it is not fit for them to be iudges why doe they not rather yeeld vnto them by conformitie then depriue themselues by their obstinacie of doing that good which by obedience they might and if any man thinke these ceremonies vnlawfull as weaknes may stumble in the plainest way why doe not they who haue cast these doubts show which they are the daungers of them and aduer tise those as becommeth them that make lawes seeing we vse none but those which the law doth warrant besides if abuses had crept in with these ceremonies and things tollerated first for good ends could not afterward be retained but with great abuse these only had been to be remoued by authoritie and not from the fancies of priuate men It is their error who thinke it the act of reformation to take things away and not onely the abuse for reformation is properly the repetition and restitution of the auncient vse neither can that be said to be reformed which is made new far be it from vs faith an auncient Father that things which are good and lawfull if through the corruption of some few they become hurtfull that this should be imputed to vs as our fault For thus the vse of all things were daungerous and vnlawfull seeing nothing can be so profitably imployed from whence daunger may not arise vnto those that snall vse them otherwise Doubtles they haue done much in this that haue been before vs yet some thing may be added by those which follow wherein if we alter or dissent from them it can be no blemish to their names which are not mentioned by vs but with much honor It is sufficient Rome knew not Cato but when she lost him And the innocencie vertue of Rutilius had laine secret if he had not receiued iniurie But diseases as a wise man noteth sometimes ouertake those that are most temperate punishment those that are most innocent tumults those that are most secret But to conclude this point and to iâ—stifie the Church of England in the matter of ceremonie wherein she hath heard euil by some of her owne children without cause I doubt not to affirme that few men haue euer red any iudgement or censure of ceremonies written with greater moderation and learning then that which is published next after the preface in the communon booke out of which it shall not bee amisse to note the iust reprehension of the intemperat affectours of innouation as also the lawfull defence of such ceremonies as soberly they are vsed in our Church Cerimonies there are which though they haue been deuised by man yet it is thought good to reserue them still as well for a decent order in the Church for the which they were first deâ—ised as because they pertaine to edification whereunto all things done in the Church as the Apostle teacheth oâ—ght to be referred and although the keeping or omitting of a cerimonie in it selfe considered is but a small thing yet the willfull and contemptuous transgression and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence before God let all things be done among you saith Saint Paul in a seemely and due order the appoyntment of which order pertaineth not to priuate men therefore no man ought to take in hand nor presume to appoint or alter any publike or common order in Christs Church except he be lawfully called and authorised thereunto And as concerning those persons which peraduenture wil be offended for that some of the old cerimonies are retained still if they consider that without some cerimonies it is not possible to keepe any order or quiet discipline in the Church they shall easily perceiue iust cause to reforme their iudgements and if they thinkâ— much that any of the old remaine and would rather haue all deuised anew then such men graunting some cerimonies conuenient to be had surely where the old may be well vsed there they cannot reasonably reproue the old onely for their age without bewraying their owne folly For in such a case they ought rather to haue reuerence vnto them for their
antiquitie if they will declare themselues to be more studious of vnitie and concord then of innouations and new fanglnes which as much as may be with the true setting sorth of Christs religion is alwaies to be eschewed In these our doings we condemne no other nation nor prescribe any thing but to our owne people onely An excellent censure and graue moderation fit to be considered by al that are desirous to alter our church cerimonies And surely it must needes seeme strange that when all opinions how false so euer haue had this happinesse that some of their maintainers haue had the coullorable helpes of learning to defend their cause the chiefe aduersaries in this haue dealt at all times so weakely as if all of them purposely had ment to haue betrayed it For to speake without partiallity what truth requireth in this poynt the principall and first opposites that I reade of vnto our Church cerimonies were those that in Queene Maries time got the libertie to plant a Church at Franckford where first ioyning with the French afterward out of their humors strengthned with some counsell from Geneua so farre dissented from their religious and learned countriemen which hauing left their countrie for the profession of the Gospell lay then at Zurick Strausborugh Wezell and Emden that some bookes and the greatest part of christendome was filled with the vnreuerent vnholy and vnnaturall contentions of that time This vnwise and inconsiderate dislike yet then much more tollerable where they had some showe of authoritie to plant a Church kindled that fire which hath burned euer since and without great resolution and wisedome of some in authoritie doubtles long agoe had burst fourth into a daungerous flame within the very bowels of our Church and all onely from this head that whilest the greater part was loth to yeeld to the wiser and more learned some sparkes of that opposition notwithstanding their showe of reconcilement when they heard of Queene Maries death daungerously brake out when they returned home They from Franckeford wrote to them of Zuricke by Maister Grindall after that reuerent Archbishop and maister Chambers that they thought not that any godly man would stand to the death in the defence of cerimonies which as the booke specified vpon iust occasions may be altered and changed accounting it an argument that they are slenderly taught which for breach of a cerimonie will refuse such a singular benefit as to ioyne with the Church They likewise from Strausgburgh onely desired such vse of the communion booke as no reasonable man shal iustly reproue a graue moderation doubtles in them and a iust censure against all those as being vnreasonable men which reproue it at this day Some of those that fledde vertously out of their owne countrie which was then for the most part an aulter for y e bodies of y e dead or a prisonâ—â— the soules of the liuing vnaduisedly were content to make a schisme as the Donatists from the Romane Church for the keeping of Easter and onely through the dislike of a few ceremonies which in a letter that they wrote after Queene Maries death for ending of these contentions they call trifles and superfluous ceremonies I cannot enough wonder how men of learning and iudgement as most of them surely had both could in time of banishment in a strange citie and amongst themselues for the space of foure or fiue yeares nourish a contention with that bitternes for things of that nature which the most eager amongst them did account but trifles It had been surely a great honour to them and a greater happines to this Church if they had remembred themselues though in exile to haue been a part of it and so haue framed their orders to the gouernment and those ceremonies which were established by law and vsed by them in King Edwards time To this letter they of Franckeford make a wiser and farre more reasonable answere that it shall be to small purpose for them to contend for ceremonies where it shall lie neither in your hands nor ours to appoint what they shall be but in such mens wisedomes as shall be appoynted to the deuising of the same and which shall be receiued by common consent of the Parliament and a little after All reformed Churches differ amongst themselues in ceremonies and yet agree in the vnitie of doctrine we see noe inconueniences if we vse some ceremonies diuers from them so that we agree in the chiefe points of our religion If all of them at their returne home had obserue the moderation that was in some few such clamorous inuectiues had not been vsed against those whose places inioyne them to see an obseruation for the vniformitie of the Church of those few modest and comely ceremonies which the law appointed But at their returne one of them a man otherwise in the opinion of some vertuous and learned chargeth vs that we make these Antichristian ragges for so it pleaseth him in his heate to call them causam sine qua non in Christs holy ministerie so that these make an english priest be he neuer such a doult or villane and without these Romish reliks not Paul himselfe should preach What could any of our aduersaries haue spoken more bitterly against our cleargie and surely in the eares of any temperate and wise man it must needes seeme a strange and inconsiderate speech to slaunder a whole Church with so little reason especially that Church whose honor and peace should haue been maintained by him We dare in this take their owne offer to rest vpon melancholie iudgement a thing peraduenture not so fit in another case that when the opinion of holinesse of merit of necessitie meaning a religious necessitie not a necessitie of obedience is put into things indifferent then they darken the light of the Gospell and ought to be taken away But they are with vs as all other things of that nature of comlines of order of obedience And the same which was the reason to those in authoritie to remoue others was likewise their reason to retaine these wherein if their wisedomes saw not so much as others peraduenture would haue done if they had been in their places we dare not take vpon vs to censure their doings but where scripture is not against it we are desirous to be obedient vnto those that doe rule ouer vs. And where some thinke it is as lawfull if the Prince commaund to weare Aarons garments as these and if not Aarons much lesse the Popes first we say not that these are the Popes howsoeuer peraduenture by them vsed before vs neither are we bound for any thing that I know so precisely in all things to dissent from them We are willing to retaine of theirs what we may that those amongst vs which superstitiously are addicted to them may see that it is not of malice that we are parted and themselues may haue lesse couller of excuse for dissenting from
vs But for any Prince to commaund the wearing of Aarons grrments in that manner and to that end that Aaron ware them were to erect that priesthood which is abolished and those ceremonies which were types and ended at the passiō of Christ in despight of his passion to call againe Neither can there be a comparison more inconsiderately made then betwixt these two seeing for the one not to be vsed their reasons are neither many nor of great waight and for the other to be vsed there is none at all For if the lawe be taken away whose priestly apparrell and garments were onely a figure and shadowe of Christ to come he then which doth vse such garments of Aaron doth heretically with the Iewes confesse that Christ is not yet come and doth as much as in him lyeth renew the shadowes by him abolished and receiuing againe his schoolemaster Moses doth forsake Christ. Therefore stand in the libertie wherewith Christ hath deliuered you and be not wrapped againe in the yoake of bondage wherefore seeing these ceremonies are neither the dregges of poperie nor cannot in reason offend the weake nor haue any religion actually placed in them we see no cause as yet why they may not be continued in our Church CHAP. VII Of Subscription AS there is little hope of peace in the outward gouernment of that Church where the leaders of others are not willing or thinke it not lawfull to be obedient so there is no one act in the obseruation of al wise mā more auaileable and in reason more likely to procure this then that which tyeth the tongue and hands from any way resisting these lawfull ordinances that preserue peace A thing doubtles if it had been well wayed by those holy disturbers of the Churches rest who notwithstanding all this are desirous to seeme innocent surely themselues would haue been formost both to haue done and suffered whatsoeuer would haue serued to haue furthered the offices of deuotion and to haue blessed the Church with so much happinesse Neither can they be excused in this as men wholie ignorant seeing all know that the best times for performing religious duties is when the Church is at vnitie in it selfe and the meanes to attaine this is for inferiours to be subiect to those reasonable directions that others giue Both because submission in them is a part of dutie and few that haue authoritie to commaund if they want reason for that they doe a thing not to be thought in men of that wisedome and in a matter of so great importance yet seldome they want resolution seuerely to exact dutifull obedience where they doe commaund Mildnes which in some other cases may be a vertue being in this a vice opposite to that courage required in those who are to rale ouer vs. So that whilest some men haue published to the world what others haue done and they suffered in this kinde a hard censure of reproch for willfull resistance will blemish them to the worlds end and a memorable testimonie of the others courage shall follow amongst all posterities their blessed names euen from the writings of such as doe most dispraise them The frute of their righteousnes being the Churches peace whilest the peeuish refusall in others serued onely but to make a schisme And as the glorious Saints in heauen those blessed spirits freed from the troubles of this life enioy in Gods presence an eternall peace who before in their flesh were comforted with the peace of the holy Ghost so if against outward enemies both at home and abroade they might haue obtained peacefull dayes and nights this threefould cable should be hardly broken and the Church might sing as we haue cause and more might haue had if these men would that God hath done great things for vs alreadie whereof we reioyce for that blessing which is the happinesse of all other societies cannot in reason but be a singular aduantage for the better performance of our religious duties in Gods seruice This being the principall end of that great benefit of peace that all men inioying those particular things without daunger which God hath giuen them haue stronger motions to giue him praise and better meanes without disturbance to glorifie that name which is great wonderfull and holy And surely if it had not been for the ouerheadie disobedience of some men wee might haue giuen this glorious testimonie of the happines of this land that peace was within our walles and plentiousnes within our pallaces and that all the daies of Queene Elizabeth the Church had rest A blessing doubtles so long continued such as our fathers neuer sawe the like and when it shall be tould to our childrens children that are to come they will not beleeue it I haue euer in my weake opinion so farre honored the holy instruments of peace that I did alwaies thinke that their could not be a surer argument of an euill cause then in a Church reformed to resist authoritie and to disobey those that should rule ouer vs. All other things obserue that law which their maker appointed for them for he hath giuen them a law which shall not be broken This must needes bee the reproofe of man saith Saint Ambrose but most of all unto such who being the children of the Church nay which is more ministers to serue in it are notwithstanding disobedient vnto those lawes which in great wisedome for her owne safetie the Church hath made As if she now might complaine as Saint Bernard did out of the Prophet Esay behold for felicitie I had bitter griefe bitter before in the death of Martyres more bitter after in the conflict with heretikes but most of all now with my owne house Vnlike in this to that maister whose schollers they desire to seeme who chose rather to loose his life then to disobey We had rather all of vs inuent and teach then heare and follow for our reason is but an euill lackey but our will is worse Seeing we want not reasons as we think to warrant vs in that we do accounting the commaundements of others to be against right and what wee will our selues that to be most holy Whereas true obedience hath nothing of his owne but is wholy anothers it is daungerous when we say desperately surely we will walke after our owne imaginations and doe euery man after the stubbornes of his wicked heart This vertue of obedience maketh good things vnlawfull as the eating of the forbidden tree to Adam and euill things to be good and lawfull as to smite the Prophet the one because he did what he was forbidden was punished with death and the other was deuoured of a Lyon because he did it not That which at another time ought to haue been omitted and could not be done without a great sin now being commaunded without a great sinne could not be omitted Neither is the fault much lesse though the parties be diuers
For in all societies authoritie which cannot be where all are equall must procure vnitie and obedience if vertue will not Now seeing that all men may easily erre that no errors are so daungerous as those which concerne religion the Church should be in a far worse case then the meanest common-wealth nay almost then a den of thieues if it were left destitute of meanes either to conuince heresies or to suppresse them yea though there were neither helpe nor assistance of the christian magistrate without which it were not possible for truth equitie any long time to harbour amongst the sons of men The remedie which in these cases the primitiue Church had when occasion was offered vsed against heresie and iniurie she deriued as well from the promise made by Christs owne words as from the Apostles example in the like case Christ willing them that were grieued by their brethren after the first and second admonition to tell it to the Church And addeth for direction and confirmation of all religious assemblies and conferences where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them and whatsoever you shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Now whatsoeuer is ment here by the name of Church in the reasonable exposition of any to me it is all one to prooue this order that from priuate admonitiō they went to witnesses and from them to assemblies and seeing there must be an end of controuersies amongst men vnlesse we will plucke vp by the rootes all charitie and right when neither priuate perswasion not frendly mediation can appease parties that violently contend what other order could be prescribed but a iudicial hearing and determining of things in question Now because Christ did not set the sword to be the generall and perpetuall rule to gouerne his Church for then without a Prince there could be no Church so consequently there was none either in the Apostles time or three hundred yeeres after though where they beleeue the defence and maintenance of the Church is committed to their charge it must of necessitie follow that either there is no iudge which were the vtter subuersion of all peace when the christian magistrate is wanting or els the pastors and stewards of Christs Church to whom this care is committed must assemble together and with mutuall conference performe those duties to the Church in generall which otherwise they are bound to do to each particular place and person By Gods law what obedieuce and reuerence the father may expect from his owne childe the same or greater must all beleeuers yeeld to the fathers of their faith the one begetteth vs to this life the other to a life that is much better Those then whom Christ hath placed to be watchmen and leaders the light and salt of his Church must not onely warne and guide but also lighten and season in their measure that whole body for when all other failes this onely is left to clense the house of God from vessels of dishonour yea when there were no beleeuing Magistrates to assist the Church this onely was left as the best meanes and after when christian Princes began to protect the truth they neuer had nor can haue safer direction amongst men then by the Synods of wise and godly Bishops Thus a Synod at Antioch about threescore yeeres before the councell of Nice condemned and deposed Paulus Samosatenus for heresie and when he would not yet yeeld to the Church but keepe it by violence vpon complaint to Aurelianus the Emperor though he were a heathen Samosatenus was with extreame shame driuen from the Church by the worldly Prince All countries in all ages haue had the benefit of this not as a thing arbitrarie and left free to those that peraduenture were careles of the Churches welfare but prescribed by sundrie councels as Nice Antioch Constantinople Chalcedon and commaunded by the imperiall lawes in this manner That all the Ecclesiasticall state and sacred rules may with more diligence be obserued we require saith the Emperor euery Archbishop Patriarch and Metropolitan to call vnto him once or twise euery yeere the Bishops that are vnder him in the same prouince and throughly to examine all the causes which Bishops Clarkes or Monkes haue amongst themselues and to determine them so as whatsoeuer is trespassed by any person against the Canons may be reformed So that wee must either cleane reiect Synods a thing doubtles of no small daunger as the times may fall out and make the presbyters in euery parish supreme iudges or else admit some which be no other but the Bishops both to call and to moderate these meetings for in all those Synods which continued in the Church euen when she mas most sharpely pursued by the sworde from the death of the Apostles to the raigne of Constantine they were assembled and gouerned by the Bishops of the chiefe and mother Churches and Cities in euery prouince who by the auncient councels were called Metropolitanes And after when Princes came to imbrace the faith the best meanes they could deuise to procure peace and aduance religion was by their lawes to referre Ecclesiasticall causes to Ecclesiasticall Iudges And least they should be long in strife they charged the Metropolitane to assemble the Bishops of his prouince twise euery yeere there to examine and order what matters of doubt should arise which happely might disturbe the Churches peace Thus the Synode of Rome called by Cornelius against Nouatus consisted of threescore Bishops and many others of the clergie In the councels of Rome vnder Hilarius and Gregorie where foure and thirtie presbyters subscribed after two and twentie Bishops infinit are the examples in this kind which teach vs that neither the Church at any time was or in deed◠can safely be without tempests if Synods want nor Synods can be tightly ordered if the Metropolitans and Bishops should be wanting in them Seeing then they haue this vse if this were all to make that societie able with order to suppresse heresies and redresse wrongs without which doubtles the Church of all assemblies were worst gouerned it ought not to seeme vnreasonable to any that a thing so necessarie and auncient should with honour and reuerence be retained amongst vs. But least the name of Bishops should be offensiue to any as some haue thought it onely the ambitious title of a tyrannous gouernment these that would seeme moderate aduisers to equalitie and humilitie in this case must giue vs leaue to tell them that the name is auncient the office needefull and both so warrantable that they must needes be thought at the least malicious enuiers of the peace and prosperitie of Gods Church who are desirous or can be content that order obserued in the Apostles time and those Churches which were purest and next vnto them should be banished
Saints many things might bee alleadged in this kinde if it were any vertue to rippe vp their faults whom we ought to honor where as I hope the aduersaries to our Bishops will confesse that neuer any companie of Bishops since the Apostles time taught and held such sound doctrine in all points as the Bishops of England at this day For the second which is honestie of life euery age hath some imperfections amongst all conditions the most worthie are not free from the slanderers tongue In the councell of Nice in the presence of the Emperor the Bishops libeld one against another contentions ouer eager bitter were betwixt Epiphanius and Chrisostome both very worthy and very reuerend Bishops betwixt S. Austin and S. Hierom whereas doubtles if some zealous for discipline had held their peace the Church of England had beene as Hierusalem a Citie built at vnitie in it selfe Now for the last which is the moderate Imployment of externall things vve recken it amongst the greatest felicityes of our time that when the expectation of greedy cormorants was big with hope of the deuouring the riches and reuenews that the Church had that euen then the conscionable zeale of the prince by vertuous and wise lawes manacled their hands whose desires were vnsatiat and their harts vnhallowed and left vnto the church a rich and honorable patrimony for Indowment whereby worthy rulers may not want double honor labour may haue her merit and religion may bee able to releeue the poore Heerein if any couetously doe retaine or riotously mispend what vertuous authority confirmed vnto better vses a thing which I hope no man can accuse in the Bishops of our church let them amend their faults and not their offence be made a cloke to those monsters that thirst with desire for to robbe the church More perticulerly amongst the rest of him who being the worthiest amongst the clergie and worthylie in the highest place is by an vntemperate spirit with vnholy sacriledge said of all the Bishops in the sea of Canterburie to haue done most harme and that none had so ambitious and aspiring a minde as hee no not Cardinall Wolsey none so proud as he no not Stephen Gardiner none so Tyrannicall as hee no not Bonner I may say truely of him that if the church gouernment of this land which he defended with great Iudgement with his pen hee had not with as great authority protected for the space of this twenty yeres in the place of an Archbishop which God graunt for the good of his church may continew still doubtles Contention Ignorance and Atheisme long since had ouer-runne the Church Of whom because it is neither honour to him to bee commended by mee nor disgrace to bee reproched by them I will say considering his iustice in gouernment his care in prouiding for the Clergie his wisedome in Counselling his Integritie in preferring his Diligence in Preaching his grauitie in behauiour his humilitie in conuersing his care to the Church his zeale to religion his courage to the truth as Theodosius spake of S. Ambrose I know onelie Ambrose who is most worthy to beâ— called a Bishop But not to labour any further in this cause which hath had so many of singuler worthy men abâ—e to defend it much better wee say this calling so much misliked serueth to a greater perfection to a fitnes in action and to a singuler ornament in gouerning the Church For the first the fulnes of grace which is in the heads of the Church distilleth as by seuerall wayes to the singuler benefit of all parts whilst hee hath giuen some to be Apostles some to bee Prophets some to bee Euangelists some to bee Pastors and Doctors for the consummation and Perfection of his Church for the fitnes in action the Church hauing diuers Imployments as well for gouernment as doctrine requireth and alloweth seuerall ordinations to serue these Let no man therefore presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand but that he vnderstand according to sobrietie as God hath delt to euery man the measure of faith For as wee haue many members in one bodie and all members haue not one office so wee being many are one bodie in Christ and euery one anothers members Last of all for Ornament that Atheists vnbeleeuers may wonder and bee in loue with the comely and beautifull gouernment of Christs Church as the Queene of Saba was with the order of Salomons house for in a great house are not onely vessels of gold and â—f siluer but of wood and earth some for honour and some vnto dishonor vnitie and varietie are the ornaments of the church of Christ Vnitie of Faith Charitie and Peace Varietie of Offices and degrees and these saith the Apostle for the repairing of the Saints for the work of the Ministrie for the edification of the body of Christ for if the whole body were ancare wher were the seeing if the whole were an eie where were the heating but now hath God disposed the members euery one of them in the body at his owne pleasure for if they were all one member where were the body And who are these that they should mislike what Example Authoritie and Experience haue found sufficient CHAP. X. Of Ministers their office and learning IF the passage from earth to heauen were either not needefull at all or possible to bee performed ordinarilie by any other meanes then a vertuous meditation betwixt God and man then peraduenture Instruments of best vse for the defects of this life were wholly to bee regarded and the vtter want of the Clergies seruice were as lawfull in the best kingdomes as the contempt of their persons is vsuall and common with the worst subiects But seeing vniuersall Corruption is the truest inscription of mankinde and holinesse to the Lord is the great title that God hath that man by that power may bee made like vnto him that did first make him hee hath appointed for the performance of this worke holy times holy places holy things and holy persons all chiefely to this end that as hee is himselfe so man likewise by these might bee made holie As if the same puritie which could not endure those blessed spirits once stained to continew in a place of blisse but cast them down did lesse reasonablie allow that creature whose greatest happines peraduenture was but vpon earth to be carried vp to heauen into those ioyes vnles redeemed by his Son and sanctified by his holy spirit and by both these by the seruice and ministerie of men and not Angels darkenesse were made light rebellion obedience the children of wrath the sonnes of an infinit loue enmitie reconsiled and made peace and lastly sinfull men were become holy So that the summe of their dutie whose labours are imployed in this kinde is onely to honour God and to saue mâ—n And their difference from all the world besides is principally this that being
our errour or defect bee the burden of that euill must in the end fall vpon our owne heads In which respect euen the heathen themselues thought it vnmeete to offer that vnto God which was impure or vnsound or alreadie giuen or else not truely their owne to bestow Now concerning the vse of those riches whether in moueables or lands which out of mens deuotions were consecrated to holy ends their bestowing is not for God who hath no neede of any thing that is ours seeing the earth is the Lords and all that therein is but because it is our good and aduantage to bee exercised with donations of that kinde he accepteth them to no other end but to haue them imployed to the endles continuaÌ„ce of religion it selfe So y e inexcusable is the sacriledge of those men who robbing the Church seeke by that pollicie to ouerthrow religion and their opinion is not altogether sound who think no more fit to bee the possession of the church then may serue by a false proportion of theirs to make a naked and bare allowance to some inferiour worthlesse men of the Clergie to whom notwithstanding whilst necessitie want of due prouision inforceth them to beg their maintenance from the Layetie they vnproportionably commit the greatest weightiest authorities in the church wholly or principally to be ruled by them as if naturall and politick wise men did not think that they might iustly challenge an ouerswaying of their Counsells whose verie liuing food rayment must be deducted out of their coffers to whome they will be content so long to be beneficiall and liberall as nothing by the Clergie either in doctrin or discipline shal bee performed contrary to the liking of these men So that the complaint of the pride authoritie in church-men is onely from hence not that in deede their riches are too great but that the maintenance which they haue alotted from antiquitie and happely by good lawes confirmed vnto them is a free and absolute right and possession no wayes depending vpon the courtesie and fauour of laye men who for the most part expect obedience and seruice where they are voluntarily content to afford alowance Men seldome being willing to be reprooued by those men whose condition is absolutely to depend vpon their maintenance This being the ordinarie effect of liberalitie in this kinde beesides that patrons to the Clergie may grow poore that all men at the length become wearie to be continuall giuers Seeing then we can haue no exemption from publishing of that gospel without a woe by which the earth hath men vertuous and the heauen glorious and that without maintenance all the fathers are of opinion it is lawfull to substract our labour and that this maintenance can neither bee conuenient nor perpetual if it be Almes wisdom hath found it out which our Fathers beefore vs haue practised that it was not thought a great honor to those that did it enough onely to build churches to furnish them with rich ornaments not so much to further deuotion as to bee a treasurie for what want soeuer the church might haue as also because these moueables were subiect to casualtie to prouide that the church might haue for perpetuitie a large indowment of inheritance in lands so that seeing wee goe not a warfare vpon our owne expence nor plant not those vineyards wherof wee are or can be debarred to eate the fruit nor feed not those flocks whose milk ought not to bee our foode and seeing all that wee doe is accompanied with a hope which seldome faileth to aunswere the sowing the reaping of other men It were a thing vnreasonable and vnhonest to crie so much for either learning or paines extraordinarie in the Clergie vntill first we had in all parts of the land sufficiently prouided for the maintaining of them For doubtlesse seeing their function deserueth honor whâ—ch seldome amongst men is performed what worth soeuer bee in the persons where their abilities are small this beeing the common fault of our corruption to think a want of desert whersoeuer there is a want of reward It is fit that the maintenance for all though not for all alyke were such that the reuerent and estimation which many desire ouergreedely hunt after Cato might not aske but the common wealth should bestow it vpon him for his vertuous merit without sute And doubtlesse without conuenient liuing vertue shall want honor and contempt must needs follow wher that is wanting For howsoeuer the best preachers ought to shun it to auoide pride yet they are willing to be honored that they may be followed and though wee preach not to receiue reward or recompence which wee ought to bee willing if wee were able to doe without others yet wee receiue recompence and reward that wee may preach Neither in this doe wee demaund what nature and reason can deny vnto vs for the labourer is worthie of his hyer Now seeing the Clergie ought to haue a fit maintenance and that some cause ther was in all ages why besides sundry other more rare Donations of vncertaine rate the tenth should be thought a reuenew so natural to be alotted out vnto God let vs consider a litle without offence both the conueniencie of this proporcion and what some reformers displeased with the name of Tythes a thing in their opinion Iewish and Cerimoniall haue in stead thereof offered by way of aduise vnto the church as a conuenient meanes of allowance for her Where seeing maintenance for the Clergie is all that wee stand for wee hope their indifferencie cannot but graunt vs this fauour that it may arise out of that proportion and in that manner as all antiquitie before vs haue thought fit vntill they shall finde out some other meanes whereby the allowance may be certaine and much better And herein though wee make not the practice of Abraham who gaue the tithes of what hee had taken in war vnto Melchisedech to bee a rule of an absolute necessitie to all men that any way are increased and shall liue now yet seeing it was then done by him who it is like knew better what was fit then wee doe and paraduenture was to bee an example to the faithfull as well in this as in other things who therefore amongst other reasons are called the sonnes of Abraham and at that time when the cerimoniall law was not commaunded with so great strictnesse it may bee a better warrant for the children of the Church to prouide for her allowance by example then to hazard such new inuentions of our owne as beeing reiected in this respect onelie that they are new wherein they are subiect to much preiudice are not altogether so like to afford vnto the Church a maintenance either of that indifferencie or continuance as tithes doe For doubtlesse euen these would bee much diminished and detaind if antiquitie and custome did not tell vs that were fit which
reason why now their seruice being more honorable and the benefits more singuler their maintenance and allowance should be made lesse In all things surely this being the rule of our sauiour Christ that our righteousnesse should exceede theirs so that though Christians now be all freed from the burthen of ceremoniall precepts yet from oblations and tenths they are not And whereas in S. Austins time some part of Africa were not accustomed to pay Tithes hee exhorteth them to this dutie from the consideration of those blessings which came vpon their labours whilst they were not slack in these which once beginning to faile they found by experience that they lost all A dutie as tribute vnto Kings not onely to bee paid there where the Prince is vertuous but also with as much conscience where they are not for duties belonging vnto callings are not dispensable for the vnworthinesse of the persons seeing Gods ordinations must not be altred without his warrant neither are these therefore to bee retained or diminished because the abilities of some persons is able to liue without them which hath beene the heresie of some men but being the recompence of their charge labour to those that are appointed whether poore or rich they are due vnto both alike Whereunto though we leane not either so strōgly as some Canonists to make ten an absolute neccessitie of the maintenance for the Clergie or so weakely to make Tithes as some doe either Almes or Ceremoniall◠yet we thinke as a mainetenance for the Ministerie is necessarie so the Tithes are the fittest from whence this maintenance may arise vnto them which being in many places either small or otherwise imploied so that a conuenient allowance can not arise from thence to maintaine the Clergie some other meanes must bee thought of by those whom it may concerne fitlie and without iniurie to supplie that want And if Counsell to that purpose may seeme needefull this Church God bee thanked is not destitute of men in both the Vniuersities and else where indued with ripe iudgement whensoeuer any such thing shall bee thought necessarie who as their care is originally the greatest for the continuall supply of a learned Ministrie the rest without them for the most part being but troublers of the Churches peace it shall be a consideration if so it may stand with his maiesties most Royall vertuous Princelie wisedome in all reason fitest to bee thought of by their care For which end at this present to propose any speciall inuentions of my owne might argue in a man of my place and calling more presumption perhaps then wit But seeing there are some who though they can bee content that the Clergie should haue a maintenance yet think notwithstanding that the tenth is no fit proportion because the reason for the Leuites and our Clergie is far different they being the twelfth or the thirtenth part of the people ours not the hundreth it is fit though all men see that this proportion is to many but a meane liuing to giue some reason to satisfie these men why with equall conuenience the tenth is a number as proportionable to vs as it wasto the Leuites in the old time To omit then what some of the schoolmen write that the Clergie are to maintaine the poore which are without number a burden now wee are not vnwilling but vnable to beare yet wee answere further first that the Leuites were not the thirtenth part of the Iewes and ours the hundred for the Hebrewes are numbred without Leuites from twenty yeeres olde vpward Sixe hundred and three thousand fiue hundred and fiftie men fit to goe to warre children and olde men not reckoned all which being added to the former it may bee thought likelie that the number might arise to a million and three hundred thousand Now the Leuites all from the infant to the old men were but two twentie thousand so that adding these to the rest and deuiding the whole by two and twentie thousand the parts deuided are threescore Which was much about that proportion which the Leuites were in respect of the other people which number peraduenture some thinke when all religious places did stand as now in other countries was not any great difference from the proportionate number betwixt the Clergie and the Laitie at this day But this is not the whole reason for seeing the christian Clergie are liable to greater labour and more cost then the tribe of Leuie amongst the Iewes then but one Temple one high Priest and a few priests of the house of Aaron which in their course serued in the Temple the rest being allotted to inferiour vses whereas now the temples are innumerable to bee maintained from the Church many Bishops and prelates whose places are more needfull to the benefit of religion then the inferiour Clergie many Ministers and learned deuins whose labour and expences are infinit to gaine knowledge and afterward they serue not by turns but continuallie attend vnto their charge where it is fit they should liue able to maintaine hospitalitie in a bountifull manner which is not so much for their owne families as for the entertainment of strangers the former being House keeping the latter Hospitalitie wherevnto if wee add that manie are free from tithes and that tenthes and other payments are a part of the Clergies cost wee see no great reason but as a maintenance is fit for the Clergie now so this proportion of tenne if it bee not too little is as agreeable to vs as it was to the Leuites in old time Neither doe we heereby bring vnto all parishes that superfluous charge which they of the new discipline doe as first besides in euerie parish a Pastor or two there must bee a Doctor at the least manie Elders two and twentie some say though Geneua haue but twelue certaine Deacons a colledge of widowes and all these as they say must bee found by the parish charge Now what were conuenient seuerallie to bee allowed vnto their maintenance though wee cannot finde an Vnitie in their diuersitie of opinions yet for the Pastor they are cleare two hundred pound yeerelie in chieffer places more and in none lesse then two hundred marks this with the rest amounting to so great a summe and all from the maintenance of the Church which yet experience telleth vs is scarse able to maintaine one learned diuine in euerie parish we demaund without offence at their hands from whence they can hope or imagin such maintenance to arise to bee the strength and the sineues of their new discipline but because in this to follow any other coniectures then their owne words were perhaps to wrong them which willingly we would not it shall not bee amisse to consider that aduice which they haue giuen how for the expence of all this in their wisedomes the maintenance of the Church may bee made sufficient First one saith if it were but the act of
lament for them because they are with God This stoicall age need not this doctrine it is sinne to forget that wee are friends and christians 20 The Priest praieth for the Prince and the people answere of another matter That praier which wee offer vp for that power vpon earth which doth rule ouer vs if the people answere with this voice and mercifully heare vs when wee call vpon thee is no fault to bee done and peraduenture were a fault not to bee done Litle things will offend them who can bee so curious to mislike this 21 Crossing in Baptisme Popish And yet to Baptise vsing the signe of the Crosse is not popish Wee are not of their mind who thinke the crosse whereupon Christ suffered was like Pithagoras letter neither is this crossing a sacrament though it put vs in mind of our manfull fight vnder the banner of Christ crucified wee vse it not as bestowing a grace vpon vs but thankfullie remembring what was done for vs a Signe that may be vsed amisse wee can forbeare if it please the Church but in the meane time wee can and doe vse it with obedience beecause wee doe know how 22 That all may bee saued all trauailing by land or by water It were pittie but their mouthes were stopt who forbid vs to pray that all men may bee saued It is the reuealed will of God and although wee know that all are not yet beecause wee know not exactly who are and that our desire is extended without exclusion equally to all in that sence as our sauiour willeth so wee wish and desire that all men may bee saued for those that trauell if a blessing come vpon them whilst they trauel to good ends by land or by water and this for our prayer the church hath an interest by the communion of Saints if they trauel to euil ends and finde successe this mercie serueth to make them better and therfore as wee pray that God would strike through the loynes of those who rise vp against him and against his annoynted so whilst wee know not definitiuely who are such Indeffinitly wee pray for his defence to all those which trauell by land or by water where politick respects or Gods reuealed will particularly forbid not ther Charitie commandeth for to pray for all 23 Bells and Organs are from Popes To refuse them for that reason were rather mallice then wisdome for seeing the one calleth by the sound the people to the Temple the other by sounding furthereth the prayse of God in the temple it is not their author that can be a reason to make vs mislike either they ayme at some other end whom so harmelesse inuentions can so much displease That wee worthely lamenting our sinnes may obtaine of thee perfect remission they tell vs not in this what they doe mislike and therefore wee will accept of their gentle allowance wherein they say this requireth a fauorable exposition that the words were well ment as they were appointed for vs. 24 On Christmas day it is said thou hast giuen vs thy Sonne this day to bee borne of a Virgin the same words wee vse all the weeke after as if Christ vpon euery day had bene borne a new I hope it is not the memorie of his Natiuitie that doth displease them If this day when perhaps it was not be that which in this they do mislike the Church tyeth no man to so strict an acception of this day as if it were ment this verie particuler day but that it may without offence bee vnderstood of the solemnitie of that feast if they haue learned to think and to speake otherwise wee haue no such custome neither the Church of God 25 Scripture openly abased to shew a necessitie of Baptisme from that place except a man be borne againe of water and of the Spirit Wee hope a necessitie they will not deny of Baptisme and if this place bee not sufficient to proue it wee will be readie to afford them other if this be that which offends them our interpretation of it other haue told them concerning this wherein their negatiue is all that is alledged that in expositions of Sacred Scripture where a litterall construstion will stand the farthest from the letter is commonly the worst 26 That wee pray for the dead when wee say remember not O Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers No but because God punisheth temporallie sonnes euen for the iniquities and transgressions of their fathers as the infants in the flood in Sodome which they well knew who asked our Sauiour who had sinned this man or his father and that wee goe on for the most part to fill vp the measure of our fathers sinnes which must fall heauie vpon vs when it commeth with a double force therefore not for them but our selues wee say Remember not O Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers 27 Out of the Collect vpon Sainct Michaels day prayer is made for the help of Angells And why not doth any man think that they doe not help vs beeing ministring spirits and seeing he hath giuen his Angells charge ouer vs may not wee pray to haue their assistance wee onely aske them as Christ thinkst thou that I cannot pray to my father and hee will giue moe then twelue legions of Angells If any thing bee misliked beesides these these being but small occasions of so great a difference our Church doubtlesse hath many which are able and wil be willing to giue them what satisfaction they can demaund but if it offend them beecause it is auncient or solemne or sober or charitable wee are sory for their weaknesse but wee had rather offend them then the whole Church of God CHAP. XIIII ¶ Of Tolleration of diuers Religions and how far discenting opinions from the true Christian faith may and ought to bee permitted in one and the same kingdome THere are few kingdomes in the world which haue not at some times diuersities of religion nourished and brought vp in the bosome of them for the enuious man whilst others sleep is watchfull and diligent to sow Tares these vsually either in mercie or for their nearenesse to that which is good are suffered to grow till the time of haruest If naturall bodies of men either had no diseases or that rest were not sometimes auaileable to procure their health Wisdome were a vertue in Phisitions of litle vse and vndoubtedly patience would bee thought Sloth But seeing the eyes of councell in all euills that are looke not so much what they be as what they may bee and that the best perfection which humane indeuours doe or can receiue is from that leysurable maturitie that times affoord moments and instants being onely fit either for powres infinit or for weaknesse that is furthest from them all men haue as much reason not ouer hastely to censure what the wisest doe as the wisest haue warrant and example not ouer hastelie to performe
what they doe intend Few doe or can doubt but that the foundation of all happinesse to a realme is true religion it is the wals of defence to the greatest kingdomes Princes haue their best securitie from this both for Crowne and Scepter and their aduersaries shall all faile in the iustice of the highest that doe rise against it The power how to ordaine that worship which God requireth and man oweth which wee call Religion is neither in our weaknesse to inuent nor being taught and instructed in it haue wee willingnesse or strength to yeeld an outward obedience without lawes As the care then of this in all kingdomes chieffly concerneth the Prince so the best enterance and assurance to the well performing of this dutie is the sanctification of of the Lords Rest. Without this the slumber of peace shall bee no prosperitie health shal be but a sweet poison to make vs distaste what doubtlesse would be better for vs and in the end the felicitie of such states shall but resemble the grasse vpon the house top which withereth before it be pulled vp and their faire day shal bee suddenlie ouer cast or concluded and shut vp with a blacke and a long night Where it is easie to erre seldome doe men looke at vices with so much seueritie as where it is not custome haueing both the Priuiledge of a multitude to bee without shame and the lenitie of a pardon because few men think it a dutie to bee honest where the most are not or that to bee an offence in one which is the fault of all Now the persons of men being swaied many times to error by lighter occasions then meere fancie and all men desâ—ring a Religion yet most carelesse of the meanes that doe lead vnto it and nothing surer to finde more resistance then that counsell that crosseth affection or custome it must bee a consideration of great consequence to further by an absolute vnitie the true Religion no examples being suffered that doe lead from it and all men to bee truelie taught that they neither can with happinesse want this nor without miserie think this to bee any other sauing onelie one But because all men traduse euen without respect of nature that deuotion which they see in others who looke not the same way that they doe it shall not bee amisse to consider who and what they are that vsuallie dissent in religion in any kingdome And from the Prince and the state what fauour tolleration or respect is to bee had towards them for seeing all men though their Religion bee false haue reason both to loue and to bee earnest for the religion which they proâ—esse it cannot bee in a realme where diuers stand diuersly affected towards this but that all wil looke with a iealous eie at the state and either obtaine or procure equall freedome of that which they call their conscience to themselues or complaine as suffering a harder persecution and paraduenture bee readie when oportunitie shall serue to become Traitors But because euen the most absolute Monarchs haue not an vndependant libertie to incline with mercie towards these in this case as much and as far as their princely Grace could bee content to yeeld it shall not bee amisse for the satisâ—action of those who importune hope for fauour in this kinde if wee let them vnderstand who they are that doe hold diuersitie of opinion concerning Religion in any kingdome and what fauour and tolleration may and ought by the Prince to bee graunted toward them And because wee haue heard the greatest Prince in the world tell vs that Kings are Phisitions in this kind wee may safely resolue that where Patients Diseases are not all one ther the remedie the cure is not all alike There may be in a kingdome for we are not now to speake either of Hippocrits or open prophane persoÌ„s HeatheÌ„ Idolatours Heretickes those that erre and faile in some points of Religion publickly professed in that state and lastlie vpright and true Christians Toward all these if all happen to bee in one kingdome as paraduenture Poland can tell they are the state is to carry a diuers respect both for the curing of them that are thus sicke and for the safegard of those that are yet whole Heathens or Infidels wee call them who professe not at all the Christian Faith as Iewes and Turks Idolatours such as haue in doctrine and worship Superstitiously fallen backe from the true Religion of Christ in place wherof either Saints or reliquies haue a great part of that honor which is due vnto God onelie such are a great number of the Church of Rome these vsuallie wee call by the name of Papists and so wee must tearme them in this Chapter Hereticks are they who strike through the verie foundation of religion and directlie gainsay some article of our faith and are or haue beene condemned by some generall councell as Arrians Eunomians Seruetians Anabaptists and such like Yet in these all are not alike some beeing Seducers and others by them simplie seduced The next are those that erre beeing or seeming to bee infected with some errour but such a one as yet is not condemned as an heresie as betwixt the Lutherans and the Zwinglyans about the Sacrament both holding each other to erre wheras neither sentence as yet hath bene lawfullie condemned To these may bee referred all those erronious opinions which take not away the foundation of faith Lastlie those whom the Prince knoweth to be vertuous and sound not infected with any heresie or error a seuerall respect is fit to be carried toward all these Concerning the Iewes a Prince may lawfullie permit them to dwell in his Kingdome and to traffick in it so that marriages with Christians communicating with their religion and all nearer familiaritie betwixt such bee denied vnto them these were the limitations which were set betwixt them and the heathen by the law of Moses the lawes of Emperours haue permited the like some of the fathers but especiallie S. Austin was so fauourable toward them that hee alledgeth seuerall reasons for the doeing of it first that aboue others they had the promise of Saluation and though their case bee lamentable yet it is not desperate for euen at this present there is a remnant according to the election of Grace for God is able to graft them in againe For I would not brethren that you should bee ignorant of this secret least ye should bee arrogant in your selues that partly obstinacie is come to Israell vntill the fulnesse of the Gentils bee come in for that prayer sayth Sainct Austin was made for them Slay them not least my people forget it but scatter them abroad among the people put them downe O Lord our defence There cannot bee doubtlesse and so they are dispersed in most kingdomes better obiects to coÌ„sider the iustice the mercie of God then they are Iustice to them mercie to vs and that wee vnlesse wee
repent wee shall likewise perish But concerning the permission of Sinagogues vnto them all men are not of one minde seeing dayly in them blasphemies are vttered against our sauiour Christ yet wee doubt not to affirme that these may be graunted with some cautions as onely to reade the Scriptures and to pray but not to teach where the reason for them and the Turks to haue Temples is not all one seeing these both haue the promise Call vpon God reade the Byble but the Turks doe not If Kings for intollerable exactions as hurtful to their state banish them out of their realmes it is lawfull and yet if otherwise they permit them surely in neither they offend God Charitie ought to make vs carefull to instruct them in the way of truth but vnwillingly wee dare not compell either them or their children to be Baptised 2 The next are Idolatours to whom wee denie not but permission if it please the state may lawfullie bee graunted to liue amongst vs. Yet euen these with the same limitation as the former were neither that wee communicate in their Idolatrie nor bee of too great a familiaritie and nearnesse with them nor bee suffered as some think with such to contract marriage for seeing the Infection of Idolatrie creepeth as a contagious disease and that all neere conuersing must gaine at length if wee cannot alter them an approbation or tolleration of what they like it is not euer safe though to permit them in a kingdome yet to conuerse any nearer with them then with meere strangers But I see not how this can be the opinion of those men who thinke it vnlawfull to shun the plague But we thinke not as they doe who hold it lesse safe to haue any nearenesse with an Idolatrous Church than with Turkes or Iewes Imitating the blindnesse of the Israelites in times past which had the Iewes in greater detestation than the Idumaeans the Aegiptians or the Assyrians but the wrath of God was kindled against them for this sinne and the comparison betwixt these is not all one where the disstance from true Religion is not all alike Now a greater question concerning Idolatours is this Whether a Prince may tollerate and graunt Churches to Idolatours for Idolatrous worship One of the best learned in our age thinketh that to say it might so that they abstaine from balsphemous Doctrine and Idolatrous worshippe were in his opinion not to aunswere ill but seeing the custody of both the tables is committed by God vnto vertuous Kings and that pure Religion is or ought to be the principall part of their care seeing they beare the sworde of authoritie to make such to feare as doe euill and that few euils are worse than Idolatrie we say it is not lawfull to permit Churches to Idolatours but rather to ouerthrowe their Idols superstitious worship yet not their TeÌ„ples but to conuert them to a holy and a better vse a duâ—tie surely well performed as it hath and shall be the honor and happinesse of vertuous Kings so it is not a worke to bee permitted to the audatious violent and vnruly multitude Neither doe we thinke all ouerthrowing of Idolatrous Temples to be vnlawfull seeing those which vertuously Constantine the great did only shut and Iulian afterward did set open Valentinian and Theodosius did worthely pull downe It was fatall To Dauids house Salomons promission of two religions and we will require no better testimonie to disproue this thaÌ„ the eloquent oration of the league to the King of Fraunce a speech surely as fit for vs if either there were daunger or feare of so much euill Your Maiestie saith hee looking into the memorie of things past may sufficiently perceiue that as long as France hath been vnited vnder one ChristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ she hath made her glory renoun spread through all countries she hath caused her valour in armes to be proued felt in all places of the world she hath alwaies been victorious ouer all the enemies of Catholicke religion and hath done so many honorable actions and atchiued so great and happy conquests against Infidelâ— that it 〈◊〉 such glory among the Asians Africans Indians Persians Tartarians Moores Sarrazins and others that al the Christians in Europe by them are called Frenchmen for that because those strange Nations haue only felt the armes of FrenchmeÌ„ they haue also coÌ„prehended all the Latin Churches vnder the name of France FrenchmeÌ„ But since France hath been diuided and rent with two Religions let vs see how much it hath lost of her auncient renoun she that commanded a great part of Europe that coÌ„quered countries fâ—r distant froÌ„ her that at her only name made diuers warlike nations to tremble is found since this vnhappie and vnfortunat diuiâ—iâ—n to be reduced into such extremity that in the middle of her brest she hath receiued forraine powers she hath in a manner receiued the law of her neighbours and of her enemies that cruel turning her sword against her own Intrayles although she was Inuincible in respect of all other NatioÌ„s she is now her self so Imbased vanguished ouerthrown which is the fruit that this venemous plant of new opinion hath Induced which seemeth to be at the poynt ready to giue more dangerous thrusts if according to to the expectation which we all haue conceiued of your wisedome piety It pleseth not your Maiesty spedely to take order therein much more was vttered to this effect showing the opinion which they haue for any TolleratioÌ„ of diuers religions which since some of theÌ„ in other places haue been well content earnestly to sollicit that they might obtaine it was the error of S. Austin to thinke that men by violence ought not to be coÌ„pelled to the faith But after seing many cities of the Donatists conuerted by the Imperiall lawes and returning to the true Church he thought seuerity fit to be vsed where linity and mercy would doe no good The next are Heretikes who are neither simple Infidels nor Idolatours but obstinately erring in some fundamental point these neither faile all alike nor fall all at once For the beginnings to slide in this case are easie thought to be without daÌ„ger whereas in the end it is deadly such proue Apostataes froÌ„ the whole Church The Arrians the Nouatians the one denying the diuinite of Christ the other Repentance vnto those that sin were not hoth a like dangerous although both by the Church were condemned as Hereticks â— Cyprians opinion some other in Africa who held such as were Baptised by Heretickes that they ought to be Baptized againe and some peraduenture amongst vs whose errors concerning our Church are not lesse dangerous are to be respected by the Magistrate in a different manner from such Heresies as Arrius held with these perswasions conferences are to be vsed after which if they continue obstinate Excommunication the censure of the Church is to cut them off wherein notwithstanding
to auoide tumults if their number were dangerous like the Nouatians in S. Chrisostomes time It were lawfull conuenient for the Gouernors of the Church to be at peace with them the ecclesiasticall authoritie ayming at this scope rather to build than to pull downe Concerning the fourth which only doo or seeme to erre in some point that commeth not so far to be thought an heresie doubtlesse a greater moderation is befitting such and violent condemnations are vnlawfull vntill both haue bene heard with indifferēt tryal Inuectiues alienations of minde partaking such like are both scandalous to the Church enemies to peace and in the end are little auaileable to find the truth It were fit al to be of one mind vntil more warrātable proceedings might resolue our doubts let vs therfore as many as be perfect be thus minded if ye be otherwise minded God shal reueile euen the same vnto you after this whosoeuer he is that seeketh further hauing found a truth laboureth but with paines to inuēt an error Their diligence if it were vpright the church cold not refuse of whom now it is like shee may say as one doth of the accusers of Priscillian their desire to ouerthrowe Heretikes I could not reprehend if they had not contended more thā was fitting to ouercōe What mildnes they haue vsed we take it as the speech of the Donatists who as S. Austin reporteth said they wold not be cruel but I think they could not no mā coūteth that beast meekest which hurteth not bccause teeth claws are denied him but if any man be ignorant and desire to know what courses haue beene taken with these men whom we cannot defend and the state of our Church hath supposed to erre whilst ouer eagerly they haue sought a Reformatiō of some things we are content for defence of our selues in not yeelding to all which they demanded of vs and most earnestly frō the purified example of some other Church to let them know that the Church of England being to enter into a considetion of those lawes which were thought fit to bee altered concerning matter of Religion knew by experience both at home and abroad that howsoeuer the best humane lawes haue much imperfection annexed to them yet ouergreat or ouerspeedy alteration could neither argue much wisedome nor be thought safe For to alter lawes of continuāce and especially in this kinde must needs with the common sort Impaire and weaken the force of those grounds whereby lawes are esteemed to haue greatest strength For if we haue neither voyce from heauen the ground of the first alteration in the Apostles time that pronounceth them fit to be thus chaunged neither sentence of wise men built vpon manifest euil nor cleare proofe that they in whose hands it is to alter them may likewise infallibly euen in hart and conscience iudge them so vpon necessitie to vrge alteration is without necessitie to trouble and to weaken the whole stare But such is the lot of all that deale in publike affaires whether of Church or commonwealth that which men list to surmise of their doings be it good or ill they must before hand arme their minde to indure it with much patiēce Now if it were a fault in the Church of Rome through a loue to some thing that is harmles obstinately to maintaine what is not lawfull had it not been an Imputation to our church frō the dislike of those things which were neither warrantable nor iust to proceede to an alteration of such as in the iudgement of the best vndoubtedly were both But when experience shal haue showed the seueral fruits of both kinds of reformatiō as well moderate with vs as violent rigorous and extreame in other Churches it is the voice of truth wil expresse it selfe euen from their consciences we are they that haue hindered the happinesse of the Church of England for the way of peace haue we not knowne In the meane while not to aduise those whose authoritie is powerfull and their wisedome excellent wee canne but wish suspence of iudgement and exercise of charitie to those that doe thinke otherwise adutie much safer and seemelier for Christian men than the ouer hote and violent pursuit of these controuersies wherein they that are most feruent to dispute be not alwaies the most able to determine now for the last of those which we tearmed professours of Religion in a sound manner as honor and respect is their merit so doubtlesse in this Kingdome at this time if they be humble obedient and patient they can want neither Thus much we haue written not that we take vpon vs either to prescribe vnto the Prince what he may or to direct the State what they ought to performe in this case but plainely to deliuer our owne weake opinion which very willingly in all humilitie we submit to the Censure of this Church An humble conclusion to his Sacred Maiestie and the right Honorable Lords of his Highnes priuie Counsell together with the rest whom it may concerne to defend this Church CHAP. V. IT is not the least happines to a kingdome if it be not of temporal felicities the greatest to haue a King euery way so inabled that euerie mans particular case is like enough to come to his particular view for nature hath made all men to beare with greater moderatiō that done which proceedeth from those who doe and ought to gouern than frō others grace euen that grace that cōmeth frō aboue hath inspired a greater feeling of each mans particular want a better vnderstanding of some mens eminent worthines than can be expected from those how wise soeuer who act but the parts of politicke men in the habits of obedient and moderate aduisers where it is like no man will be ouerforward to benefit any priuate man two much seeing the commendation of whatsoeuer is well done must of necessitie be equally diuided amongst many neither hath vertue howe well soeuer deseruing in all kingdomes found alwaies that equal fauour at vertuous mens hands which both she might haue expected in reason was due vnto her because a timorous disposition in al maketh euery man feare that nothing can be added to another mans greatnes which must needs serue at the length to make his seeme lesse because of lesse vse Now the greatest burden vpon earth Gracious and right Honorable next the burden of a troubled conscience lyeth as ye well know vpon his shoulders who gouerneth a Nation rich wise valiant and by reason of all these peraduenture proud surely howsoeuer wisemen haue thought all authoritie a care because many must of necessitie want many helpes both to relieue things past to satisfie things present to preuent things to come which no man without care can doe and few with it yet surely ouer those who are either simple or poore or seruile or cowardly the gouernment cannot be troublesome seeing he commandeth those ouer whom a litle reasō is much
weaknes feare haue denied thē libertie to examine what is well or ill done this alone made that easie passage of the Portingales and the Spaniards into the Indiaes which against a nation of lesse wealth or circuit furnished with more vnderstanding had doubtles been vnpossible if the forces of both kingdomes had been vnited such is the willingnes to resist in the defence of auncient libertie where the reason of man by ciuill education hath power to discern the qualitie of that which it doth defende But in those who are of a contrarie nature will dare to do much because they would seeme not to vnderstand little there to take a Crowne is to take a heauie burdē to gouerne is to rule men where euerie particular danger of moment must haue a remedie vnlesse they will hazard by the contēpt of some few the ruine of the whole state this consideration made Dioclesian who was neither the best nor the happiest that euer gouernd thinke truely that there was nothing harder than to rule well For if they shall either commit all to others which no King whose Nation was happie euer did or take all vpon themselues in both they shall finde if not equall yet the like certaine vnresistable danger therfore well said Saturninus to those that put on his kingly ornamēts frends ye know not what an euil it is to rule many dāgers hang ouer our heads for where in other cases feare maketh mē watch in this men vsually feare those that watch ouer them I know not a better securitie in this for the kingdom God make vs all thankefull that it hath beene our happines than a good Prince nor for the Prince than a good Counsell nor for all than profitable and religious lawes These only are left vppon earth from men to be the strength and supporters to those that Rule ouer greate Kingedomes It is true which Tacitus saith that the most weightie labours of a Prince stand in need of the greatest helps therefore as tyrāts in al ages haue loathed nothing so much as good counsaile bestowing the greatest honors riches the iust recōpence of vertue vpon the worst persons whose vices serued only to make them forget thēselues and to ruinate the kingdome ouer which they gouernd so the best wisest haue euer made choise of such as were fit to be eies eares nay tongues hands all to be imployed for the common good for seldome saith one shall we see great men not to haue the assistance of great Counsaile to gouerne a great fortune nay there cannot be in a Prince a greater argument of wisedome nor a greater safetie to the Church and the common-wealth than in making his choice of a wise Councill some are of opinion that the chiefest reason why Rome florished so long was principally this because they that gouernd her followed not their owne but the Counsaile of the whole Senate Neither saith Augustus could any of these thinges meaning the troubles of his house that break out haue happened vnto me if Agrippa or Maecenas two wise Counsellours had now liued for doubtles there is not a better instrument of a happie kingdome than a wise and vertuous Counsellour who not vnfitly may be tearmed as Tacitus calleth him the ornament of peace Surely no lesse necessarie to a state that would florish than the soule to a bodie that would liue The consideration of this happines at this time maketh both the Church the Cōmonwealth dread Souereigne right honorable Lords to cast themselues at your feet and to lay open before your eyes the daungers which they feare without your gracious assistāce may fall vpon them And howsoeuer many other things of vse moment are like wheeles in this kingdome to stirre at your Honors motion yet Religion it selfe in the habit of the Church Religion that hath infinitely blest you this kingdome doth earnestly intreat that against all her enemies publike or priuate shee may rest florish and be fruitfull by your meanes and howsoeuer the Common-wealth may now be an humble suppliāt for redresse of those grieuances that offend her yet aboue all other the Church had most cause to feare that the time of a second consultation either through violence importunitie and sleight might haue beene fatall to her or that the contempt of his voyce in the dayes of peace might haue in iustice procured a scourge from the almightie to cause her to remember whom shee had despised the seuerall times for all states either to vse or to knowe their strength are peace and warre and the two professions that are the safetie of both are the militarie and the gowne It is no small care nor wisedome for a Realme to knowe when and with whom to fight and to thinke not onely vpon defence which were enough had it as much honor as safetie but vpon victorie surely in a kingdome carelesse of these men the King may oftener fight than ouercome and in his best successe peraduenture be more beholding to fortune than to his good Counsaile who surely of all other howsoeuer the warre be ended is most innocent and furthest from all blame yet it is strange to see how all men lay the faults of their inconsiderate folly rather vpon any thing than vpon themselues So that ignorance of true causes giuing the name to fortune men are willing to hide that with obscuring the cause calling it chaunce which only proceeded frō their want of Counsaile which wheresoeuer it is it leaueth no power either in peace or warre vnto that which they call Fortune I confesse sometimes there is a higher cause that Iustice which our sins awake which taketh strength from the best meanes and maketh the errors of Princes their Counsell the foundatiō of publike calamities but our purpose is not at this time to pleade for any other sauing onely for this Church for the happinesse whereof it seemeth that good lawes heretofore haue not beene so much wanting to vs as wee to them In penall lawes surely there is the greatest wisedome of those that make them and the greatest presumption of those that breake them so that for the safetie of all states but especially of the Church there are few things of greater aduantage thā the seueritie of Iustice in the strict execution of penall lawes for it is straunge that some inconueniences should first cause them seeme fit to be made and no disorder make them seeme necessarie to be obserued I thinke no other reason can be giuen but this that those lawes doe hire men with halfe the allowance to be informers which makes that good seruice to the commonwealth only in that respect odious as being not the effect of iustice and zeale but the vnconscionable desire of some couetous promoter the best remedie in this will be to referre the benefit of these to some publike vse for it is meete that vertue be maintained from the penaltie of vice and that
such be seruants to the state in the executioÌ„ of these lawes as are furthest from partialitie and pittie yet least to be suspected for vnsatiable desiring of their own gaine But there is a greater defect in most kingdomes wherein this Church is an humble suter to your Highnesse that it would please your Grace a thing absolutely hoped for at your Maiesties hands as well to reward those that deserue well as to punish those that are dangerous to the Church or the commonwealth doubtlesse there is no politike consideration of greater vse in a kingdome that all parts of it may florish than the iust bestowing of these two reward and punishment seeing they are the spurre and the bridle absolutely requisit for the right commanding of a whole Realme And surely it is a great question whether to the happinesse of a state it be safer to want punishment for the euill or rewards for the vertuous But seeing all kingdomes haue greater feeling and can better iudge of what is euill than well done therefore punishments are by the lawe due to the one whereas the other is many times a matter of great suit fauour and sometimes of infinite corruption which the best and most worthy obseruing they are in al likelihood furthest from being preferred because least subiect to such corruption It was an Honorable farewell the last Deanry that was giuen by Queene Elizabeth Honorabâ—e to him that procured it freely as I heard of his owne motion Honorable to him that had it without al corruptioÌ„ neither in acquitting of him do I condeÌ„n al others and most Honorable to her who no sooner heard of a man worthy but was most willing to preferre him There are few things of a greater aduantage to the Church than to haue the eyes of the Prince if sometimes his occasions diuert him otherwise drawne to looke at men of very speciall and singular deserte who peraduenture are neither so corrupt so fortunate so seasonable so well frended nor indeed so any thing sauing only worthy that they can obtaine that which men of farre meaner deserts if not easily yet commonly doe And surely for vs of the Church there is not out of the Vniuersitie excepting the Kings Chappell a better stand for the nobilitie to take â—ew of such than the Sermons at Pauls Crosse this being sincerely lookt at vertue shall haue incouragment to take paines because vertuous paines shall be sure to haue recompence a thing where it wanteth that want must of necessitie fill all places with the worst and the worst disposed So shall men that are worthy and very excellent be preferred either slowly or not at all whilst euery ignorant vnhonest vnprofitable flatterer shall depart loaden with the best preferments the due recompence that belongs to vertue for redresse whereof I dare not take vpon me to aduise only I wish that they especially the Honorable and reuerend Bishops Fathers of the Church who haue any stroake in the disposition of such preferments as appertaine vnto learned men would be thinke themselues what it is to respect any thing either aboue or besides merit considering as one well noteth how hardly the world taketh it when to men of commendable note and qualitie there is so little respect had or so great vnto them whose deserts are very meane that nothing doth seeme more straunge than the one sort because they are not accounpted of and the other because they are It being euery mans hope and expectatioÌ„ that the only purchase of greater rewards should be alwaies greater deserts that nothing should euer be able to plaÌ„t a thorne where a vine ought to growe or to commit that to a Fox or an Asse which requireth the strength the toyle of the painful Ox the careful obseruatioÌ„ of this which the Church humbly intreateth at your Graces hands shal roote out all Idolatours from your lands banish all Heretikes from Christs fold which steale in like rauenous wolues discouer those Anabaptists who stirre vp contentions to hinder Religion labour to haue magistrates contemned inueying against the lawfull ordination of our Clergie accounting them to be but Scribes and Pharisies Idle haue too great liuings flatterers of the Ciuill Magistrate saying the reformation of the Church is not spirituall enough perfect and their vnhallowed priuate conuenticles are more holy making their pretence of all the puritie of the Gospell these pretend grauitie reprehend seueritie speake gloriously and all in Hypocrisie these dayly inuent newe opinions and run from error to error their wilfulnes they account constancie their deserued punishment persecution their mouthes are euer open to speake euill they giue neither reuerence nor titles to any in place aboue them in one word the Church cannot feare a more dangerous and fatall enemie to her peace and happines a greater cloud to the light of the Gospell a stronger hand to pull in Barbarisme and pouertie into all our Laâ—d a more furious monster to breed contempt and disobedience in all states a more fretting Cankar to the very marrowes and sinewes of this Church and kingdome than the Anabaptist who is proud without learning presumptuous without authoritie Zealous without knowledge holy without Religion in one word a dangerous and malicious Hypocrite Sundrie of these mâ—nifest and violent disturbers of the peace of this Church and the Common-wealth were banished from amongst vs in the dayes of out late Souereigne we heare they are returnd they make petitions they hope for fauour Consided great and mightie Prince right Honorable Lords and all yee whom it may concerne to defend this state that now is the time to make and execute lawes against them for these are more daungerous than other Heretikes because they are transformed into the shapes of some amongst vs The Church of England which lyeth prostrate at your Graces feet desireth not to be fauoured in her errors not to haue her corruptions warranted by authoritie to haue staines not washed because shee hath had them long to haue idolatrie and superstition harbored in her bosome to be loadeÌ„ in her ReligioÌ„ with the inuentions of man and vnhalowed Ceremonies to be supported with a prophane Hierarchie an vsurping dominion to bee poysoned with humane learning to be murdered with Idle and vnpreaching Ministers but she humbly intreats showing her wounds with teares in her eyes sights in her hart humilitie in her whole behauiour that she may be defended protected and armed in that truth which Christ and his Apostles haue taught her which Queene Elizabeth hath Cherished maintained in her which the earth hath wondered at heauens haue blessed that her beautie may not be defaced vnder pretence of washing that she may not be left naked of her comely decent and Religious ceremonies that the gouernment of her Bishops auncient warrantable and safe may not be taken from her that her schooles may florish with all sacred and Heathen learning that her Ministers may be painefull and liberally maintained and last
of all that the Liturgie so vertuous so holy for which so many Martyrs of hers haue dyed restored in the dayes of King Edward continued in the gratious and happie dayes of Queene Elizabeth may by your Princely authoritie seeing all the learned of your kingdome are readie in the defence of it be strongly and vnresistably maintained against her enemies so shall we account it a second birth day to our countrie a day of grace and saluation wherein God hath sworne by his holinesse that hee will not faile you and therefore to this ende hath preuented you with the blessings of goodnesse and set a crowne of pure gold vpon your head a day wherein the Nations that are round about vs shall say as Hyram when hee heard the words of Salomon blessed be the Lord this day which hath giuen vnto Dauid a wise Sonne ouer this mightie people Vnto Queene Elizabeth an Heire of her owne house and linage full of Religion wisedome and vnderstanding so that we may truely say as they did doubtlesse we haue seene straung things this day straunge to our countrie to ourselues to our enemies to haue neighbours to our prosteritie for which our harts burne within vs and shall for euer with feruencie of deuotion for your highnesse safetie our mouthes are filled with laughter and our tongues with ioy and we must needes confesse with the Prophet Dauid The Lord hath done great things for vs alreadie whereof we reioyce for which we intreate the heauens to reioyce with vs the earth to be glad and the Sea to make a noyse and all that therein is the compasse of the round World and they that dwell therein for by this means innumerable benefits are common vnto them to the Heauen a multitude of Saints to the earth peace to the Sea Treasure to the fields plentie for God hath broken the rod of the wicked and the whole land is at rest and surely if euer NatioÌ„ of the world had cause either to hope for happines to this Church and Commonwealth or to giue thankes vnto the Lord and to that ende to fall low vpon our knees before his footestoole it is we to haue a King but which is greater happinesse of the same blood nay more than that of the same Religion but most of all without bloodshed and especially Then when all the politikes of the world had set our period rung our passing Bell euen theÌ„ by your Highnesse meanes the Lord himselfe for we must al acknowledge that it was his worke deliuered our soule from death our eyes from teares and our feet from falling our soule from bodily and spirituall death our eyes from teares arising from our daunger nay from our holy teares for our late Souereigne our feete from falling into troubles which then were present into sinne which then was likely into blindnesse which then we feared into shame which we all deserued into misery which many hoped but we say againe the Lord hath done great things for vs alreadie and greater and far greater shall doe if we be not vnthankefull and therefore howsoeuer thou art either Iesuite or Preest Anabaptist Protestant or Atheist which sayst in thy heart let vs make hauocke of them altogether thou shalt so dianly consume and perish and come to a fearefull ende and the Church shall continually intreate at the hands of the Lord of heauen and humbly before the Throne of your gratious Maiestie for protection against her and all your aduersaries saying O deliuer not the soule of the Turtle Doue vnto the multitude of the enemies and forget not the congregation of the poore for euer looke vpon the couenant for al the earth is full of darkenesse and cruell habitations O let not the simple goe away ashamed but let the poore and needy giue praise vnto thy name A rise O God maintaine thy own cause remeÌ„ber how the foolish man blasphemeth thee dayly forget not the voyce of thy enemie the presumption of them that hate thee increaseth euer more and more Amen FINIS This Epistle following is here annexed and thought fit to be Printed because the Dedication of this booke was first intended vnto the late right Honorable and right Reuerend Father the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace To the most Reuerend Father in God my very good Lord the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace Primate and Metropolitan of all England WHat benefit Right Reuerend this Church hath receiued by your Graces meanes God bessing your Counsell vnder the gouernment of two great Princes as this age present doth sensiblie perceiue so the memorie thereof shal be honorable in the time to come For when the vertuons Gouernment of our late Souereigne had banished from all parts of her Kingdome the Tyrannie and superstitioÌ„ of the Church of Rome some men fit instruments to disturbe the peacefull happinesse of this Land fearefull as it seemed of the dangers that might follow and impatient of that forme of gouernment which mercy and wisedome had planted for the Churches safetie laboured by meanes ouer violent and vnholy to bring in perhaps from the partiall loue to the orders of those Churches which comfortably refresht them in the time of banishment a presbiteriall Discipline both of them notwithstanding following a diuers shape of the Ecclesiasticall state in diuers times the one in peace the other in persecution neither of them both doubtlesse circumstances being weighed either warranted by truth or answerable to these times The one labouring to ouerload vs with an intollerable burden of humane traditions polliticke inuentions to make an outward greatnesse whilst inwardly Religion must needs â—aile the other to strippe her as naked as the day wherein shee was first borne discouraging her teachers by robbing them of honour and maintenaunce traducing that learning wherein many of our Reuerend Fathers were equall to any in any part of the world besides and in steade of these making the Church to doe Pennance for her wontonnesse in the dayes of superstition being left vnpitied desolate ignorant and without honour all their purposes tending to this end to make vs had in dirision of all those that were rounde about vs Thus these two enemies in our owne bosome looking both of them with enuie at your happinesse and with Ielosie at that fauour which we might be suspected to beare towards either of them their discentions were not so violent to each other as they both were cruell and daungerous to our peace as if Ephraim and Manasses had made a truce and both of them concluded to deuour Iuda At this time your Lordship for lawes and authoritie had restrayned the one vndertooke the defence of this Church Gouernment against the other wherein doubtlesse if your great wisedome and moderation had not like another Athanasius indured the furie and rage of this vnbridled multitude Wee might â—â—stly haue feared that disorder and barbarisme would haue tyrannously possest long since the worthiest and most beautifull