House of Peers carried for them by far the major part of Lords Yet after five repulses contrary to all order and custom it was by tumultuary instigation obtruded again and by a few carried when most of the Peers were forced to absent themselves In like manner was the Bill against root and branch brought on by tumultuary clamours and schismatical terrors Bill against Episcopacy which could never pass till both Houses were sufficiently thinned and over-awed To which partiality while in all reason justice and religion my conscience forbids me by consenting to make up their Votes to Acts of Parliament I must now be urged with an Army and constrained either to hazard my own A cause of the War defence of Episcopacy and my Kingdoms ruine by my defence or prostrate my conscience to the blind obedience of those men whose zealous superstition thinks or pretends they cannot do God and the Church a greater service than utterly to destroy that Primitive Apostolical and antiently Vniversal government of the Church by Bishops And the King hath the like complaint * Kings declaration to all his loving subjects Aug. 12. 1642. p. 8. print Cambr. else-where So that we see what was the mind and affection the scope and intent of the King and the two Houses as then when that Act passed touching Episcopacy Whence it will follow that as they had no intention nor ever consented to the Bill for it to destroy the office so neither did the Commons think that it was so by that Act of taking away their votes or by recalling of the former clause of 1 Eliz. 1. touching Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction for then they would not have prepared another Act for it which never passed the Houses whilst full nor the Kings assent afterward and so is no Law It remaineth therefore that the intention of the Parliament in the repealing of that clause was onely in reference unto the High-commission Court or other excentrical from the legal jurisdiction of Bishops and raised onely by the Kings prerogative yet of use whilst established but removed not for its unprofitableness as to prevent some greater inconvenience It was their jurisdiction in those cases and upon such special commission from the King that there ceased not their ordinary legal and per se Episcopal power of government in this Church * By Act of this present Parliament for restoring Episcopal jurisdiction As hath been of late more authentically evidenced Answ 4 even before this was printed As for the Ordinance that especially at that time as it could at no time cannot countervene a setled Law Neither have the Houses power to declare any thing against Law as we heard above Lord Cant. speech ubi suprà For close therefore I repeat that suit of his and do humbly in the Churches name desire of his Majesty that it may be resolved not onely by all the Reverend Judges of England A supplication to his Majesty and the two Houses of Parliament but by his Majejesty and both Houses of Parliament and then published by them that the Doctrine and Articles of Religion the Liturgy and Worship the Discipline and Government are not against or besides the Laws of this Realm That so the Church-Governors may go on cheerfully in their duty and the peoples minds be quieted by this assurance that neither the Laws nor their Liberties are infringed as Subjects thereby SECT VII Of the Obligation of the League and Covenant AGain it is objected that there is an engagement for the Reformation of the Doctrine Worship Assemblies Discipline and Government in the solemn League and Covenant therefore they are not to be adhered unto Subsect 1. That the Covenant obligeth not OMitting the elaborate and excellent pains of the University of Oxford in this argument Reasons of the University of Oxford concerning the Covenant 1647. Duplies of the professors of Aberdeen to the Brethr. concerning the Covenant 1638. Dr. Lesly Bish of Down in his Visitation speech Lond. 1638. 1. Argument Because it is opposite to after other Oaths c. Gal. 3.14 18. as also that of the Professors of Aberdeen in Scotland And of the Bishop of Down in Ireland the testimony of the three Kingdoms against it I shall propound only four Arguments to evince first the nullity of its obligation and then from thence collect what it binds yet unto The Arguments touching the former are First from the nature and order of this Oath The second from the power imposing of it The third from the matter of the oath it self The last from the scope and end of its framing and imposing First from the nature and order of this Oath When there are two oaths touching the same things and they contradictory one to another if the former be lawful and obliging the latter cannot be so too but void and null ipso facto Hence it is that our Apostle proveth the invalidity of the Ceremonial Law and Covenant being different from and in some sort opposite to the Covenant of Grace because it was made four hundred years after and so could not make the other void So this Oath and Covenant whereof we now speak being contradictory as shall be seen and is evident of it self to former lawful Oaths and Engagements confirmed by the Laws of the Kingdome as the Oath of Allegiance Supremacy Canonical Obedience Subscriptions to the three Articles and Protestations cannot make those former of none effect and is therefore void being taken as it was unlawful to take it unless the Obligation of the former Oaths and Engagements had been by the same or superiour power relaxed As was done by Hermannus Archbishop of Cullen to his subjects Sleid. Com. l. 18 Ad Ann. 1547. when he was no longer able to protect them Which was not our case Our former Oaths and Engagements were agreeable to Law and Equity both in their matter and authority injoyning them This contradictory to them and by an inferiour power yea by such a power as had not authority to do it which brings me to the second Argument 2. Arg. Because it was in posed by unsufficient power in opposition to the lawful authority namely taken from the power or rather the impotency of the imposers as to this act It is proved above that in the Government the King is Supreme by the Laws But if he were but equal yet in a coordinate power if when one desires to do his duty and is well able thereunto the other shall exclude him and act in opposition not only to him but also to the Laws established by all and impose upon the Subjects who are not obliged but as it proceeds from all to submit and to accept of such impositions if voluntarily is a threefold iniquity and injustice First Unto the person excluded against his will and right Secondly Against the liberty of the Subject who is not liable to injunctions proceeding from some but all Thirdly Against the priviledge
of that body and government which is that every member and state of it is to act together with the rest For the person now excluded may perhaps afterward by power or policy get the power to him and then exercise that arbitrary power on the other and the people without the tother Now apply this If the two Houses supposing them to be such have power to impose Oaths under penalties upon the people then hath the King and Lords without the Commons and the King and Commons without the Lords By which it appeareth that voluntary taking of such an Oath doth betray the Prerogative of the King the priviledge of Parliam and the liberty of the people Seeing two powers if coordinate cannot countervene what is done and established for Law by all much less where one is Supreme to the other two So that the former Oaths and Protestations engaging for the maintenance of the Kings Prerogative the priviledges of Parliam and the liberties of the Subject makes this Oath and Covenant come clearly within the Verge of Perjury so far as I can understand as well as Treachery to all the three premised interests Yea and is expresly against the great Charter which provides 9 H. 3. Magna Charta Jud. Jenk Vindic. pag. 6. Aquin. 2.2 Q. 104. Art 6. ad tertium that no Act of Parliament binds the Subjects of this Land without the assent of the King either for person lands goods or fame To conclude this argument from the power imposing it Principes si non habent justum Principatum sed usurpatum vel si injusta praecipiant non tenentur eis subdita obedire nisi fortè per accidens propter vitandum scandalum vel periculum Governours if they have not a lawful power but an usurped one or if they command unrighteous things the people are not bound unto obedience unless perhaps by accident for the avoiding of scandal or of danger saith Aquinas The former part of which cases hath been evidenced here the latter shall be proved in the next Thirdly 3. Arg. Prouâ— the matter of the Covenant 1. Doubtful From the matter of this Oath and Covenant And first the doubtfulness of it not to insist upon that clause of swearing to preserve the Religion of the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government whereas very few do understand what these are in Scotland and so swear to they know not what For it may be there are errors in their Doctrine Superstition in their Worship defect or tyranny in their Government for ought many know which if so they sweâ—l here to preserve them so it be against the common enemy The same might be said for the priviledge of the Parliam both theirs and ours and liberties of the Kingdoms Secondly the equivocation of it For this I shall insist only on that clause in the same first Article According to the Word of God and example of the best Reformed Churches For it intends either that Scotlands Reform is according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches or is it self such an example But Englands not 2. Equivocation Now to colour this it equivocally put in that clause as representing that they meant only according to the Word of God For proof of this When the Covenant was first published and began to be pressed my self having with many others doubt that the intention was to oblige us to the Discipline and Government of Scotland I addressed my self to two persons most eminent in their several relations Mr. Th. G. Mr. Al. Henders and as I thought best able to resolve me The former acknowledged that his own scruples were the same with mine but that he had given himself up unto the Protestant Religion and thereupon had taken it The other told me that they did not particularly engage unto any Discipline or Government but according to the Word of God as it was in the Covenant with this gilding the pill went down But soon after the Scotish Government c. was pressed by vertue of the Covenant which made me then or since reflect on that of the Apostle whatsoever is not of faith Rom. 14. ult that is of a mans own perswasion some way is sin According to that of one of the Rabbins Although thou hast six hundred advisers Apud Drusium in Proverb Rabb yet neglect not the counsel of thine own soul And that of our late Soveraign to His Majesty that now is Never saith he repose so much upon any mans single counsel Icon Basilic M. dit 27. fidelity and discretion in managing affairs of the first magnitude that is matters of Religion and Justice as to create in your self or others a diffidence of your own judgment which is likely to be alwaies more constant and impartial to the interest of Your Crown and Kingdoms than any mans And a grave Divine Dr. Sibbs Souls Conflâ—ct cap. 17. pag. edit 1. 366. and good Casuist of our own hath in giving direction for light in difficult cases this expression Where we have cause to think that we have used better means in the search of grounds and are more free from partial affections than others there we may use our own advice more safely otherwise what we do by consent from others is more secure c. Not amiss therefore did he complain that Sym. Grynaeus Ep. ded ante novum orbem Basil 1555. plerique mortales animi sui naturam ingenium parvipendentes c. est enim sapientis solius Spiritum Dei in se invenisse Most men are ignorant of and do undervalue their own endowments and judgments because it is the part only of a wise man to find the mind of the Spirit of God which is in him and what he prompts us to 3. Injuriousness to the Church of England A third evil in the matter of the Covenant is its injuriousness unto the Church of England and that in three respects First in regard of its honour It being not only the Mistress Kingdom to that of Scotland this being a feudatory of it and the Kings of England having a just title thereunto as amongst others Nic. Nich. Bodrugan alias Adams of the King of Engl. title to the Crown of Scotland Lond. 1546. Though denyed by Will. Barclay Contr. Monarcbomach Bodrugan proves unto Edward the sixt But also is the elder sister and perhaps in some sort a mother to it in Christ As having been in the Faith before it And not only receiving it first but sealing it with ten bloods of its Martyrs to one in Scotland so far as I have learned But now as it seems being old must step as the younger sister or daughter shall please to lead it Secondly it eminently injureth the Ch. of England in respect of truth of Doctrine Worship Government and Discipline insinuating plainly that it is rotten in the head and foundation of Doctrine in the heart and life
As objecting them to suspition of their Princes as hath appeared in the horrid Massacres of the poor brethren in Piedmont the Duke of Savoy's Dominions since Then by animating of them by this example to attempt the like which hapned also since in Holland where an insurrection being made in Rotterdam or some Town thereabout against the Magistrate the seditious cryed out that they were slaves but the English-men brave fellows This is known and I received it from a grave Minister several years since of one of the Dutch Congregations in England And thus much of the third argument taken from the matter of the Covenant I come now to the last from the scope and end of it 4. Argument that the Covenant binds not taken from the scope and end of it from whence the nullity of its obligation will be further evidenced The purpose was to strengthen and foment an unnatural civil war in the State and Schism in the Church to maintain the body a great part of it against the head to unsettle the doctrine of Religion the Worship Discipline and Government of the Church to ruine all those honest and upright-hearted brethren that were more tender of their duty to God and the King Now had the Oath been good in it self and the authority sufficient that imposed it yet such a design being visible and declared it were void by the very purpose of it much more when failing in those and other particulars as hath been evidenced It was forbidden to swear Jer. 4.2 The Lord liveth unless in truth in righteousness and in judgment that is for righteous purposes though the words were good Paul would not circumcise there Gal. 2.5 1 Cor. 1. where he saw the ill use they meant to make of it nay he would not Baptize But it may be objected that granting all this Ob ect Yet so far as it is good it binds and that from thence it follows that it should not have been taken or being taken that though in all things it binds not yet in those that are lawful and good it being taken and God solemnly invocated as we shall answer at the dreadful day of judgment that we took it with a true intention Distinction 1 to perform the same in those it binds Answ Not as any part of that Covenant To which I answer by a two-fold distinction First The Covenant is to be considered either per se and of it self as a publick National Covenant imposed by the power that then was Or else per accidens as there was occasionally joyned with it a personal and particular stipulation and oath of every man for himself Now in the former sense and as the National publick Covenant imposed by such Power in regard the Oath it self was contradictory to former lawful Oaths imposed by unsufficient power in opposition to the Legal and in the matter of it seditious schismatical and injurious as also in the scope and end It is wholly void in the obligation of it But in the latter sense as there was conjoyned accidently therewith a particular and personal swearing of each man for himself it may have an obligation in the sense of the next distinction which is That this Covenant must be Distinction 2 considered also first formally and entirely as such an Oath and Covenant in concreto Any Record or Deed vitiated in any one part makes void the whole in Law say the Brethren Necessity of Reform p. 36. and in the whole containing such a body of Articles Secondly materially and as having in it some particulars that taken thence and by themselves might not be unlawful to swear unto Now in the former sense as any thing in the Covenant is a part of it as that publick Covenant proposed by such Power and containing such illegal matter as a whole and body so it all and every thing therein contained is void invalid But accidentally Bonum ex inintegris causis malum ex quolibet defectu Dr. Sanders de juram and unlawful to be kept Because if in a body of an engagement any part be unlawful the whole is so But in the other sense as there happened by accident to be in it some things lawful to be sworn unto as to preserve what is good in one Church and to endeavour orderly to reform what may possibly be found amiss in the other c. may and doth bind but not as parts of that Covenant imposed by that Power c. but as a private and personal Engagement Ezek. 16.61 And as a private Oath Oath and Covenant and as made by a man in his chamber obliging only by the matters the invocation of the Name of God upon them whereunto each man was accidentally drawn by that occasion The same obligation lying upon him if on any other occasion he had in his closet sworn to those things and no otherwise nor with any reference at all to that Covenant I conclude therefore in reference to the Covenant as that Covenant and Oath it binds not neither in whole nor in part But it may be further objected Object 2 out of Josh 9.19 That when Joshua and the Princes had sworn though in a thing forbidden they took themselves obliged to keep it First it would be a good answer ad hominem Answ 1 Calvin in loc Videmus itaque ut Nomen Dei bis prosanaverint dum praetextu juramenti pertinaciter desendunt quod stultum promiserant Tremel in loc Deut. 20.10 Aug. Q. in Josh cap. 14. to return unto these persons the exposition of Calvin whom in this Covenant particularly about Church-discipline they do perversly imitate himself being of another spirit who saith in this place That the Princes did rashly to swear and foolishly to keep it because the Oath was void ipso facto being against express prohibition of God himself But others more agreeably judge the thing was not unlawful seeing though deceitfully they did seek peace which the Lord else-where alloweth to be granted Or as St. Austin For the honor of Gods Name and the commendation of clemency and on Gods part the reward of their faith I shall for close propound the greatest examples opposite in this argument of an Oath and about killing both of them as this Covenant is for that 's the scope to maintain the War against the King and the Church namely of two Kings David and Herod the one after Gods own heart the other after Sathans Of the first Video pium hominem sanctum Aug. de decollat Joh. Bapt. Tom. 10. pag. ed. lovan 438. cap. 2. in temerariam jurationem cecidisse maluisse non facere quod juraverat quam jurationem suam fuso hominis sanguine implere I see a good and holy man fallen into a rash oath and adjuration and choosing rather not to perform what by oath he had pre-ingaged than by the effusion of human blood to perfect it Saith St. Austin And
the Ecclesiastical Concerning the first 1. In the Civil Controversie I closed with the one party in the civil contest for these causes whereof the one is General and Privative the other Positive and Particular The former was the grieving or resisting the Spirit of God from whom I received no small concussion about this matter especially at the coming forth of * The resolving of conscience c. Edit Cambr. 1642. Dr. Fearn's first book in opposition to the Lords and Commons in their taking up Arms against the King The authority of Scripture there urged unto which God had given me ever to bear an awful reverence the Spirit setting it on exercised me more than all his arguments But 1 being in heart enclined unto the good things the other side proposed to be contended for and 2 judging his reasons might all be answered and 3 apprehending it much concerned the cause of God and of his servants and 4 my own reputation also being pre-engaged 5 and lastly my place seeming to call for it I holding then the publick Lecture in Cambridge I took all the former reluctancy of spirit to be onely a temptation and accordingly resolved to reply On Judg. 5.23 on which Mr. St. M. had preached before of whose notions that I know of I made no use Mr. J. B. which I did the next Lords day after the publishing of that Book wherein I answered all that seemed material in that Book and so answered it That some who were of the other judgment were pleased to say that so bad a cause could not be better pleaded Upon this I was sollicited to the publishing of my Answer But coming to London and finding another had done it before but especially my spirit working too and fro betwixt resolution and fear I did suppress it But that of Zachary hath been fulfilled in me since In that day the Prophets shall be ashamed Zach. 13.5 every one of his vision when he hath prophesied And blessed be God who hath verified another also towards me viz. Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying Isa 30.21 This is the way walk in it when thou turnest to the right-hand and when thou turnest to the left And blessed be his Name that although I have been a rebellious child as it is in the first verse of that chapter that would not take counsel of him nor cover with the covering of his spirit yet he hath not cast me away from his presence Psal 51.11 nor taken his holy Spirit from me Deliver me from bloods O Lord thou God of my salvation A Prayer and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise And Vphold me O Lord with thy spirit then will I teach sinners thy ways and transgressors shall be converted unto thee Lastly Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar Amen Sed irrideant nos fortes potentes Aug. confess l. 4. c. 1. nos autem infirmi inopes confiteamur tibi But let great and oveâ—-grown spirits laugh at this let us that are infirm and poor in heart confess to thee Tota palea areae ipsius irridet eum Aug. in Ps 21. in Prefat in Expos 2. gemit triticum irrideri dominum All the chaff of Christs own floor laughs at him and the good corn laments its Lords derision Thus of the general and privative cause SECT II. Particular Motives 2. THe particular follow and they were such as these 1. 1. Propounded The excellency and necessity of the things held forth to be contended for the Laws namely and the Liberties of the Nation and that which made them both most precious Religion Protestant by them established and secured 2. Next the credit that I gave unto the persons that did propound them both for their ability and for their faithfulness 3. A third was the awful opinion that I conceived of the power and authority of that place from which they seem'd to issue to wit the Parliament 4. That the exigences being such there was a virtual bond by all Laws to use remedies that were not usual 5. and lastly That examples of the like had been in Scripture among the Jews in the Primitive Church the former against Antiochus by the Maccabees the latter of the Christians against Maximinus Also in the Reformed Churches as the French Holland Scottish and owned by our former Princes and then present King defended also by our own Divines and Bishops as Jewel Abbot Bilson c. 2. Replies unto them But all these and such like as applyed to our case being put into the ballance of the Sanctuary in my eye seem much too light As touching the first my opinion and veneration of the Protestant Religion 1. Religion the Laws and Liberties of the Nation I hope is greater now than it was as I know them somewhat better But touching Religion to be defended by Arms especially of Subjects well spake the Dantzikers A notable speech of the Dantzikeâ—s in their material Letter to the Duke of Croy exhorting them to the like May 27. 1656. Evidently it doth appear say they how much the Roman-Catholicks are incensed through this war and that from thence no small persecutions yea the greatest danger may befall the Reformed Churches Vid. Mercurius Politicus Jul. 3. 1656. if God do not prevent it in his mercy We do confidently believe that no body can think or impute it to us as if God took pleasure in Apostates and Hypocrites and as if he would have Religion promoted in casting off the lawful Magistrate Note and in the slender esteem of a well grounded government Call to mind how at all times by Warrs the spirits of men grow more barbarous and inhumane Note and how the wars for Religion use commonly to extinguish Religion Thus they Note Now I call God to witness upon my soul that the sense of the dishonor done unto the Protestant Religion 2 Cor. 1. working upon my heart hath been one main occasion of further examining the grounds of those transactions and of altering my thoughts Homil. of disobedience part 4. pag. 300. And particularly one passage in the doctrine of this Protestant Church expressed in the Homily of disobedience did much affect me of which anon This for Religion 2. Then for the Laws and Liberties seeing first 2. Laws and Liberties that both Houses of Lords and Commons in all their solemn addresses to the King and that in Parliament and as such a Parliamentary body 1. Style of the H. H. do usually style themselves thus Your Majesties most humble and loyal subjects the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled In that Remonstrance which the King saith Kings Declaration Aug. 12. 1642. Remonstr of the State of
lost the Revenues of a good part of a Bishoprick as 't is said which he had purchased And it may be others of these Brethren are ejected as they had ejected others For these times are like those Ruffin Hist eccl l. 1. c. 21. Ea tempestate foeda facies ecclesiae admodum turpis erat non enim sicut prius ab externis sed à propriis vastabatur Fugabat alius alius fugabatur uterque de ecclesia erat praevaricatio erat lapsus ruina multorum Similis poena sed impar victoria similiter cruciabantur sed non similiter gloriabantur quia dolebat ecclesia etiam illius casum qui impellebat ad lapsum At that time the face of the Church was foul and uncomely indeed for not now as formerly the Church was destroyed by enemies but by her own One is driven the other drives him away and both of them of the Church Offences and falls and ruines there were of many All were like sufferers but not all like conquerors All were tortured alike but all could not glory alike for the Church did lament even his fall that forced another to miscarrry saith the Historian But to leave the men and to come unto the matter 3. Their matter The premises are not established they say because there is Addition Detraction and Alterations made in them since the Originals and first establishment For Answer Object 1 Addit Substract Alterat Answ we may note here a twofold distinction 1. Of persons private or publick 2. Of things lighter or more material to apply these If the Alterations Additions or Detractions alledged be done by private hands and in things of lesser moment Misprisions in lesser things by private hands the main continuing unviolate It would be better thought on whether such a misprision be it casu or consilio unwittingly or willingly ought to invalid a publick act For then perhaps neither the Brethren have an authentick Bible nor any Lawyer a true Statute-Book because there are many faults do happen by the pen and by the press which may have happened in the things we speak of But secondly if such alterations In more material ones and by publick persons c. be made by publick persons or in things material it must be considered what powers the Laws do give unto them in these affairs now it is certain and the Brethren acknowledge it that until 17 Carol. 11. The King had freedome by Law to appoint under his Broad Seal Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical Reasons for Reform p. 51. to amend whatsoever might be reformable in the Church And in the Act for uniformity of Common-Prayer Act for uniformity of Com. Prayer at the end of it it is granted unto the Queen that if there shall happen any irreverence in the service of God by the mis-using the orders appointed in the Common-Prayer-Book she may by her Commissioners or by the advice of the Metropolitan ordain further rites or ceremonies for the advancement of the glory of God c. Several Acts in K. Hen. 8. Edw. 6. Q Eliz particulaâ—ly that of 1 Eliz. cap. 1. Necessit of Reform p. 50. Now by this and other particular Acts that restored all Ecclesiastical power from the Pope unto the Crown And particularly by the Act of 1 Eliz. cap. 1. wherein having first united and annexed all Spiritual and Ecclesiastical jurisdiction to the Imperial Crown of this Kingdom they are the words of the Brethren it addeth what power shall be given by commission under the Great Seal to exercise the same in this following clause viz. And that your Highness your Heirs and Successors Kings or Queens of this Realm shall have full power and authority by vertue of this Act by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England to assign name and authorise when and as often as your Highness your Heirs and Successors shall think meet and convenient and for such and so long time as shall please your Highness your Heirs or Successors such person or persons being natural born Subjects to your Highness your Heirs or Successors as your Majesty your Heirs or Successors shall think meet to exercise and use occupy and execute under your Highness your Heirs and Successors all manner of jurisdictions priviledges and preheminencies in any wise touching or concerning any spiritual or ecclesiastical jurisdiction within these your Realms of England and Ireland or any other your Highness Dominions and Countries And to visit reform redress order correct and amend all such errors heresies schismes abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoever which by any manner spiritual or ecclesiastical power authority or jurisdiction can or may lawfully be reformed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended to the pleasure of Almighty God the increase of vertue and the conservation of peace and unity of this Realm Now howsoever the Brethren would make this Act void after the Act of 17 Car. 1. of which anon yet the things we speak of being transacted before remain in force by vertue of that Act. And certain it is that not only the Kings themselves but the Parliaments also the Judges the Ministry have always thought that by the King some alterations might be made by vertue of these Acts without violation of Law provided nothing were done contrary to any thing in the Book contained Preface to the Com. Prayeâ— Book especially when the King shall be supplicated by his people thereunto Hence the King in his Proclamation for the Authorizing of the Book of Common-Prayer by occasion of the Conference at Hampton Court which having reflected on saith Kings Proclamat for establishing the Book of Com. Prayer And for that purpose namely to satisfie the scruples of some tender consciences gave forth Our Commission under Our Great Seal of England to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and others according to the form which the LAWS of this Realm in like case prescribe to be used to make the said EXPLANATION c. And it is also certain that the same not only Kings successively but also Parliaments and Judges with all the other Magistracy have taken all the premises viz. The Doctrine or Articles of Religion the Worship or Common-Prayer-Book The Discipline and Government to be established by Law Or else how will the Brethren or how can any other free the Kings from Arbitrary Government the Parliaments from betraying the publick liberties the Judges from perjury and perverting Law and other Magistrates from oppressing of the people if men have been punished for disobedience to these if not established by Law But surely we may more safely confide in the judgment of so many Acts of Parliament and Laws of so many Princes By divers Ministers of sundry Counties so in the title K. Ja. Instructions to Preachers 1622. Artic. 4. Parliaments Judges Magistrates then in the conjectures of certain Country or County Ministers what is Law The rather because this being a Prerogative Ecclesiastical
this Vine that it may grow up and flourish and as a sense unto this Vineyard full of choice plants both from breaking in upon it by odious calumnies and from others breaking out and making it but a stalking-horse to shoot at further game That they would preserve it sarta tecta which hath for its matter the sacred Doctrine for form the divine Worship for use both a Sanctuary for a godly soul and a Bulwark against the lesser Vermine and greater beasts of Separation and Popery And in a word hath been consecrated unto us and came swimming in the bloood of Martyrs and sealed by the holy Ghost unto our hearts and by the presence of God on our outward blessings Finally Act. 5.6 Edw. 6. 1 Eliz. 1. That they would please to reflect on and revive that wherein the Kings most excellent Majesty the Lords Temporal For establishing the Book of Common-prayer and all the Commons in this present Parliament assembled doth in Gods Name earnestly require and charge all the Arch-bishops Bishops and other Ordinaries that they shall endeavour themselves to the uttermost of their knowledge that due and true execution hereof for establishing the Liturgy may be had throughout their Diocesses and Charges Note as they will answer before God for such evils and plagues wherewith Almighty God may justly punish his people for neglecting this good and wholesome Law I have done with the two first the Doctrine and Worship the Articles and Liturgy CHAP. VI. Of the Assemblies their matter and mixture SECT I. The means of preserving them from corruption COme we to the third that is the Assemblies the impurity whereof is a grand motive unto Independents and Separation wherein the Church is clear the guilt must lie either on the negligence of persons entrusted or the necessity of times and the condition of the Church The Laws The Laws do meet with all both criminal and penal offences and evils if these be executed there can be no notorious offendors And there are but two things necessary to preserve an Assembly pure Instruction and Correction or Discipline upon offendors Now the Church hath strictly appointed Catechism through all the grounds of Christian Religion prohibiting any to come unto the Lords Table Rubrick after the Confirmation who cannot give an account of them and for the better ripening thereunto hath ordained confirmation as a preparative And for Discipline to preserve the Congregation pure the Rubrick before the Order of the Holy Communion hath these words So many as intend to be partakers of the Holy Communion Rubrick before the Communion shall signifie their names to the Curate c. And if any of those be an open and notorious evil liver or have done any wrong the Curate having knowledge thereof shall advertise him in any wise not to presume to the Lords Table until he have openly declared himself that he hath repented truly and amended and that he have recompensed the party whom he hath wronged or at the least declare himself to be in full purpose so to do The same order shall the â—urate use with those betwixt whom he perceiveth malice and hatred to reign NOT SVFFERING them to be partakers of the Lords Table until he KNOW them to be reconciled Wherein you see there is full provision made for the purity of the Church The Authors of necessity of Reformation pag. 48. say of this Rubrick for its fulness in point of Discipline What is this but as much and as high Jurisdiction as any Bishop can use in that particular Object But I am not ignorant that this Rubrick hath not served for a Plea at all seasons Cases may so fall out Respons that summum jus may be summa injuria and as in the Civil so in the Ecclesiastical Judicatories there may be cause to fly to the Courts of Equity for the moderation of the rigor of the letter of the Law But the intention of the Church is plain and if it can not always attain its end yet Est aliquid prodire tenus Independents Acknowledgement si non datur ultra Yea and the congregational Brethren themselves acknowledge That whatsoever defilements they apprehended in the Worship or Government of the Church yet it did never work in them any other thought much less opinion but that MULTITUDES of the Assemblies and PAROCHIAL Congregations Apologet. narrat pag. 6. were the true Churches and Body of Christ And again in the same page We always have professed and that in these times when the Churches of England were the most either actually overspread with defilements or in the greatest danger thereof that we both did and would hold a COMMUNION with them as CHURCHES of Christ Which reminds me of a speech of one in his dealing with persons of these Principles Aug. contr Parmen lib. 1. cap. 8. Et adversum nos loquuntur nobiscum loquuntur cum eos obmutescere compellat veritas silere non permittit iniquitas that is They speak against us and they speak for us and when truth constraineth them silence yet their iniquity will not let them hold their peace But touching the purity of the Assemblies it is no doubt with the Church in this life as it is with every member of it who if sensible hath cause deeply to cry out with the Apostle under the sense of the mixtures of corruption Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7. Would we have mixtures born with in our selves if Hanc veniam petimus demus vicissim let us yield it to the Body especially seeing we have for our warrant not onely the state of the Jewish Church which in its greatest Apostacy was owned by the Lord as his Spouse and the Members of it for his Children Where is the bill of your mothers divorcement Isa 50.1 Ezek. 16.20 And thou hast taken my children which thou hast born unto me and offered them to idols Neither is it sufficient here to say Robins Apol. for Separat cap. 12. That this Church was holy in Abraham and also a typical one for it was to be holy in it self and a real Church too as well as typical for they did eat the same spiritual meat c. 1 Cor. 10. And the Catholick Church comprehends the Jewish as well as that which is Christian properly as is truly asserted in the seventh Article of the Confession of the Church of England We have not onely this president but also the example of our Lord and Saviour who communicated with that Church and did not gather another out of it till the consummation of that Polity and till they had declared themselves open adversaries to the scope of Scripture both in Doctrine and Worship In the mean time both going up to their feasts and commanding his Hearers to attend upon the Doctrine of their Teachers Mat. 23.2 3. and himself living and dying a member
be read at the consecration of a Bishop Pag. 46. that was read at the Ordination of Priests therefore they infer that the compilers of the book never dreampt of a distinction of orders between Bishops and Presbyters Surely the Brethren are somewhat confident Answ that their readers are very easie either to be perswaded or to be deluded For may not the same Scripture contain matters common to both and peculiar more specially to one of those orders When they have expressed themselves sufficiently before must the appointing of a chapter that containeth precepts for both joyntly yet for the one more eminently argue they meant thereby to confute themselves The next exception is That there is no warrant Except 2 in Scripture for Archbishops Not indeed for the very word as there is not for many other things Answ as for the Trinity Justification by Faith onely Baptism of Infants Women coming to the Lords Supper But for the thing there is The Evangelists as Timothy and Titus had power over other Ministers And the Apostles had power over them If the state of the Church then needed such Superintendents over Bishops and the state of the Church now have the same use and exigency of them There is warrant in Scripture And so there is in Law and Reason viz. to constitute such officers in the Church as well as in the Common-Wealth as whereby the government of it may bee the more conveniently managed The commendation of the wisdome of the Church in this institution of Archbishops wee heard above out of Bucer and Zanchy And may further out of Calvin Calv. Instit. l. 4. c. 4. s 4. Quod autem singulae Provinciae unum habebant inter Episcopos Archiepiscopum Quod item in Nicaena Synodo constituti sunt Patriarchae qui essent ordine dignitate Archiepiscopis superiores id ad disciplinae conservationem pertinebat Si rem omisso vocabulo intuemur reperiemus veteres Episcopos non aliam regendae Ecclesiae formam voluisse fingere ab eâ quam Deus verbo suo prescripsit Now that saith he every province had among their Bishops one Archbishop Archbishops and Patriarchs approved by Calvin and that in the councel of Nice there were ordained Patriarchs which should be in order and dignity superiour unto Archbishops this was done for the preservation of Discipline and Government But if wee will omitting contention about the Word consider the thing it self wee shall finde that the ancient Bishops intended not to frame any form of Church-Government which was in kinde different from that which God had appointed in his Word Thus far hee Go to now yee that pretend to be followers of Calvin and see whether Archbishops yea Patriarchs have not warrant from the Word of God The Brethrens third Exception is against the Except 3 consecration of an Archbishop but upon the former ground that it is but a humane creature Consecration of Archbishops which ground is confuted But if hee were Answ yet consecration may be requisite as a solemn separation of a person to an office in the Church of so much influence of so much consequence As though Kings themselves bee in some sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an humane creation 1 Pet. 2. though by Gods secret appointment yet no man ever quarrelled with their solemn inauguration by prayer other ceremonies suppose them such as are not superstitious into their office That they say our Church seeth no necessity of the consecration of an Archbishop Inst. because it appointeth the same form for both Answ is to stumble at the same undutiful stone to indeavour to make the Church contradict it self To appoint a consecration for an Archbishop and yet to make it a thing of no necessity That it hath not appointed a different form for this is to let the Brethren and all men understand that they did not count this a different order but degree onely in the same order and therefore the same form of consecration might serve for both Because the Church would not multiply services without necessity To the last Exception which they infer from Except 4 the former viz. That seeing the Archbishop is but of the Churches constitution Oath of common obedience therefore they see no reason why he should receive an oath of Canonical obedience from the Bishop But of the Antecedent wee saw above Answ as to the consequent it is untruly gathered For though an Archbishop bee but of Ecclesiastical constitution what hindereth but that having so great an influence upon the Church the welfare whereof doth so much consist in the obedience of the several Governours thereof unto their Superiours and this by men in place so hardly oftentimes performed without more solemn obligation of conscience what impedeth either in Religion or Reason that for the securing the peace of the Church and the exercise of Government an oath may not be exacted of an inferiour degree But that here 's the cramp it argues too much inferiority and subjection unto the Archbishop of a Bishop with whom the Brethren do count themselves equal who are men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such as cannot bear the yoak especially having now as Caesar once so long ruled that to obey they knew not how But they should remember that a levelling spirit is as dangerous in the Church as in the Common-Wealth and tends to Anarchy and no Government at all What made Diodate else at Geneva come so rarely to the consistory but this that hee said Young men perked up and every one having an equal power there was no place for gravity in the Government which hee expressed to one I know to this effect And thus I have done with their Exceptions against Episcopacy the Government and the solemn initiation thereunto its consecration SECT V. Episcopal Jurisdiction THeir next is against its Right of Jurisdiction Against Episcop Jurisdiction And Except 3 first of sole Jurisdiction Or the exercise of Government alone Where first their assertion not onely that Bishops have not the onely power of Government but also that all Presbyters have a share therein Next their proof of it First to their assertion First Because my scope is onely to vindicate Answ so far as I am able The Doctrine Worship and Government of the Church as agreeable to the Scripture and as received publickly established and practised in this Nation if any do break this fense let the Serpent bite him Eccles 10.8 if hee remove these stones let them fall upon him if hee willingly violate these holy and sacred bonds of Law how weak a Patron soever I am hee shall have no advocate of mee Next the Terms perhaps would bee explained For sole Jurisdiction may bee taken either for sole Right of Government Sole Jurisdiction so that no man else hath any thing to do to govern but himself or by delegation from him or else for the sole Right of the exserting exercise and putting
1538. p. 283. The summe is he distinguisheth betwixt miscarriage by errour ignorance and negligence which he acknowledgeth and the Lords correction of him for it and wilful guilt and intentional mischief which he denyeth to have been in that affair but retracting and lamenting we have him in the former Adde to these Mr. Ridley Bishop Bishop Ridley of Lond and one of the Learnedest of the Martyrs in Q. Marys time Whom his Answer to the Q. Commissioners April 2. 1554. hath these words His notable expression and protestation of Liberty to Retract These things I do rather recite at this present because it may happen to some of you hereafter as in times past it hath done unto me God may open it unto you in time to come Therefore I b] Fox Act and Mon. in Q. Mary protest here publickly that it may be lawful for me to adde or diminish whatsoever shall seem hereafter more convenient and meet for the purpose through more sound judgement better deliberation and more exact tryal of every particular thing Nay even Bellarmine himself that wrote against all Errants of his time whether real or imagined as if himself had been without errour and whom our c] Contro 1. Epist Dedic ad D. Cecil Whitaker styleth Virum sanè doctum ingenio foelicem judicio subtili lectione multiplici praeditum and to whom being a Cardinal and a Pillar it might be scandalous to alter any thing Yet he hath also the Recognition of his Works wherein he retracts several things he had formerly asserted Bellarmine and this formally Not to insist on his retractations real and in effect who whilest he writes for Recognit oper prefix Editionibus recent Cynthius aurem vellit admonuit undermines the main foundations of his own cause as might be shewn Yea and the five Independent Br. themselves that I may have them the more exorable Judges do profess and say In a jealousie of our selves Independents Apologetic Narrat p 11. we kept this reserve to alter and retract though not lightly whatever should be discovered to be taken up out of a misunderstanding of the rule c. Now Coronidis loco to set a Crown with the conclusion upon the ingenuity of the former Company His late Majesty We have His Royal Majesty our late Soveraign condescending unto Retractations yea even once and again We must saith he without endeavouring to excuse that Kings Answ to the Remonstr of May 19. 42. p. 10. which in truth was an errour Our going to the House of Commons Again elsewhere having spoken of his consenting to the deposition of Episcopal Government in Scotland he saith If any shall impute My yielding to them as My failing and sin I can easily acknowledge it c. Icon Basilic Medit. 17. p. 156. Seeing therefore imperfection and obnoxiousness unto errour is not only as the shadow to this body of death always following of it but also that the best and wisest of men in all Ages have judged it their parts to retract and denie their former judgements if found erroneous I shall conclude this first point touching the right causes and instances of Retractations with that of the great example in this kind so often quoted n] Aug. de Dono perseverantiae cap. 21. Bonae quippe spei est homo si eum sic proficientem dies ultimus vitae hujus invenerit ut adjiciantur ei quae proficienti defuerunt perficiendus quà m puniendus potiùs judicetur There is good hope of that man saith he whom the last day of his life shall find going forward in the pursuit of truth that there may be added to the thriving man what he yet wants and he may be counted worthy rather to be perfected then punished CHAP. II. How farre only the Authour declined how he behaved himself therein and what awakened him unto recovery Sect. I. How far the Authour lapsed in the Church Affairs IT follows next to represent in short how far only I proceeded in my lapse what was my carriage therein and by what means it pleased God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stir up the sparks of light for my arising Of the first 1 Sam. 2. Psal 37. There is a promise that God will keep the feet of his Saints so that though they fall they shall not be cast off for the Lord will put under his hand And that they shall hear a voice behind them Isa 30. saying this is the way walk in it when they turn to the right hand and when they turn to the left according to that of the wise man Eccles 5. ult He that feareth God namely in sincerity shall come out of them all 1 Joh. 3. chap. 5. For he that is born of God cannot sin to wit that sin unto death and of final Apostacy The reason is first his seed remaineth in him Job 19. even the root of the matter as Job speaks And then again 1 Pet. 1. he is kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation as S. Peter uttereth it All which like as we have heard Psal 48. so have we seen in the City of the Lord of Hosts in the City of our God the Church that God will establish it for ever Matth. 16. so that the gates of Hell shall not for ever prevail against it For at my receding from the Church the many Conflicts of my spirit brought forth this protestation at my very first * At Colch Apr. 15. 1644. Artic. 3. admission into that Company The Authors protestation atentring into Indepency Which he noteth not as owning every expression in it but as to evidence his opposition even then to Separation viz. Causes and Motives of my present motion First Of coming off from the way I have been in 1. Negatively what they are not Not because the Congregations of England are all false Churches and the Ministers false ones and the Ordinances none For I conceive first that where any number of visible Christians have chosen expresly or by consent a fit Pastor and joyn in spirit with him and one with another in the things of God according to his Word though there be no express Covenant nor Separation from the multitude for want of light in these things they become a true Church they having thereby all the essential◠of one Secondly where God ordinarily and plentifully works to edification there must be something of a Church for he is not ordinarily present to edification but in his house 2. Positively what they were namely an apprehension of more purity in Assemblies and Ordinances Secondly Under what condition I desire to be taken on scil of a profession 1. Of my acknowledgement of the Authority of Magistracy over all persons in Civil Causes 2. In Church matters for the point of publick exercise so as not to raise tumults and by force to obtain the exercise of Religion 3. Of my
Habet jam quicunque haec legent ut ìn contentionem pertractus sim in eâ me gesserim ab eâ Domini ope ereptus sim quaeque ratio sit consilii mei quae causae quod retractare in animum induxi Thus have you as saith mine Author how I was drawn into this contestment how I behaved my self in it and how by the mercy of God I have been delivered out of it upon what grounds also and reasons I thought fit to retract The Chapter following was published in May 1659. verbatim in the entrance of a Book written by the Author in defence of Infant-Baptism entituled The Pastor and the Clerk * when there was neither appearance abroad nor apprehension in his own thoughts of that change of publick affairs which Providence hath effected since with this Inscription A Retractation or Recalling c. CHAP. III. What the Author doth retract both in General and in Particular 1. THere having hapned two very great alterations in the body of this Nation the one in the Church the other in the Common-weal and my self having been not onely involved and active in them publickly but also in print engaged my self for the defence of both And having since that had my work brought to be tried by the fire of what sort it was and perceiving it to be burnt and my self to have suffered loss yet saved through the mercy of God and holding of the foundation yet so as by fire through afflictions without and the spirit of conviction and bondage within and having digested these considerations now about ten years because nescit vox missa reverti a word past cannot be unspoken when we will being now also in age beyond half a Century the season of attaining to some prudence as the wise have thought Aristot polit lib. 7. cap. 16. And lastly being now again to appear in publick after some twelve years silence I thought it my duty to follow his example who having spoken words that he understood not Job 42.6 did abhor himself and repent in dust and ashes Hieron epist 8. T. 4. Erasm And his who was contented rather to take shame before sinners on earth than to be confounded before the holy Angels in heaven And * Irrideant me arrogantes nondum salubriter prostrati elifi à te Deus meus Ego tamen confitear tibi dedicora mea in laude tua Aug. Conf. lib. 4. cap. 1. his also who was willing to be derided of arrogant men and such as were not savingly dejected and humbled whilst he confessed his own sin unto Gods praise 2. Having therefore been excited to consideration of causes by that method which our great Master hath directed us to viz. to discern the tree Matth. 7.20 and search the root by the proper fruits and effects of it I have found as to my self that I had indeed a zeal of God but not according to knowledge and I do hereby retract and recall repent of and bewail whatsoever I have either spoken or written for the fomenting of the late unnatural divisions in the State and Church And particularly What I have said of the one in a Sermon before the House of Commons Febr. 22. Anno 1642. 1. The sole path to a sound peace 2. Vindiciae Catholicae as also what I have disputed for the other in a book entituled Vindiciae Catholicae in Answer to Mr. Hudson's Essence of the visible Church Although I do not hereby declare my self for his opinion This Book was published Anno 1647. 3. My Engagement hereunto is that having done more in the former than my spirit can now own and knowing Aug. Ep. 7. that he loves himself too perversly that is willing another should still erre that his own wandring should remain undiscerned I thought it my part to acknowledge where I have been mistaken Quanto enim meliùs utiliùs ubi ipse erravit alii non errent quorum admonitu erroris careat Quod si noluerit saltem comites erroris non habeat id Ibid. to those that have erred by me that they may either return with me or have no longer a companion of me 4. My encouragement is the promise of him who cannot lie namely that he who confesseth his sin Prov. 28.13 and forsaketh it shall find mercy And the prudence and piety of his Spouse and my indulgent Mother Gal. 6.1 who if any man be overtaken in a fault is ready to restore such an one in the spirit of meekness 2 Cor. 2.7.10 To forgive also in the person of Christ and confirm her love toward such with tenderness 5. And my suit unto her is in all humility of mind that she would strive together in prayer unto God for me Rom. 15.30 Phil. 1.6 that he that hath wrought this good work in me would stablish strengthen me and perfect it until the day of Christ 6. My scope in this is not to prescribe or define unto other men but to discharge my own soul Neither to gratifie any persons or partie farther than they approve themselves unto God Not to make way for any thing unto my self but peace with God and my own spirit as also with those who call upon God with a pure heart Jer. 45.4 5. in other things having perhaps more uncomfortable aspects of future issues than to expect much setling Neither is my scope to imply that there was nothing in the State or Church that needed Reformation but to signifie onely that the Physick my stomach could not bear whatsoever purging might be needful Caution 7. By the premises I would not be thought either so void of Ingenuity or Religion as not to acknowledge that I do enjoy both the exercise of my Ministery an unspeakable liberty * Ejusque praedicationis plena libertas tantum est bonum ut nullius vel lingua dicendo vel mens cogitando satis assequatur Tremel prefat dedic ad R. Eliz. prefix ante suam Syr. T. version and the maintenance of my family thereby through the favour of the persons late in power both Civil and Ecclesiastical Besides considerable engagements from certain others different in their opinion from my self in these affairs All which I resent with gratitude and observance yea and with prayer also 8. If it be objected that I build again the things that I have destroyed I grant it freely but add withal that whosoever destroys so in the Margin the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and endeavours not to build it up again him shall God destroy RoM 13. As the resisting of the Ordinance of God in the Civil State procures to a mans self condemnation 9. Finally What is here but briefly and jejunely touched may if God permit be more fully opened in convenient season John Ellis Thus far was then published Touching the two former Tractates Vindiciae Catholicae or The Rights of particular
Christian Churches asserted in Answer to Mr. Hudson I may add this caution That for substance they are both of them Orthodox and useful and such in the composing whereof industry was used somewhat more than ordinary A few passages at the latter end of the Sermon in reference of the defence of the War against the King I do here retract And though I suppose I have evinced in the other Tractate that there is no Catholick or universal visible Governing Church and so laid ground for the Independency of the Church of England and other National Christian Churches yet that new practised Independency beginning at Separation and collecting themselves thence into small bodies and afterward assuming a right of non-subjection to any Juridical Superior Power Ecclesiastical I do also recal by these presents and retract CHAP. IV. The Causes of the Authors falling and first the Negative and such as were not AS in the Creation Gen. 1. Negations did precede the formation of things darkness before light and emptiness before repletion And as in Procreation privation goeth before So the Apostle writing to the Churches 1 Thess 2.3 begins at Negatives and what were not the causes of his preaching Our exhortation saith he was not of deceit nor guile Give me leave therefore to imitate both Nature and Religion here and to represent what were not the motives of my falling Lest any man should think that corrupt designments either in respect of persons or of things have tempted me And first for persons both those I have departed from as also those I now adhere unto No personal offence at the one or flattering notion of the other have at all provok'd me Neither despair of gaining by those now gone nor hope of vintage by these rising Luminaries do attract or draw me For I do not now begin my Retractations having then published them as we saw above when neither clowd from heaven nor vapour from the earth did seem to promise any shower of blessing When neither Sun nor Moon nor Star appeared but all hope that we should be saved was even vanished Sect. 1. Neither distaste of nor affection unto persons And first for persons To which I shall the rather speak because there is danger of falling into Scylla whilst we would avoid Charybdis and that a * Matth. 23.18 Proselyte may by Pharisaism and hypocrisie become two-fold more the child of hell than he was by profaneness Therefore that I may not seem to commit the same error against some now that was admitted against others before I shall represent my spirit and opinion touching persons of the side I have deserted and then of those whom in these cases I return unto Matth. 5. 1 Pet. 2.17 Gal. 6. First We are obliged to love and honor all men though especially the houshold of faith St. Austin not onely styles the persons he wrote against or had departed from sometimes * Dominis praedicalibus dilectissimis fratribus medaurensib ep 42. Dilectâ—ssimo fratri vinientio epist 48. honored or reverend or beloved brethren but also expresses his ' spirit toward them which I desire may be mine also in reference unto those I have now reflected on Illi in vos saeviant qui nesciunt cum quo labore verum inveniatur quam difficile caveantur errores Illi in vos saeviant qui nesciunt quà m rarum arduum sit carnalia phantasmata piae mentis serenitare superare Illi in vos saeviant qui nesciunt cum quantâ difficultate sanatur oculus interioris hominis ut possit intueri solem Illi in vos saeviant qui nesciunt quibus suspiriis gemitibus fiat ut ex quantacunque parte possit intelligi Deus Aug. contr epist q. voc Fundam cap. 2. Pastrento illi in vos saeviant qui nullo tali errore decepti sunt quali vos deceptos vident Ego saevire in vos omnino non possunt quos sicut meipsum illo tempore ita nunc debeo sustinere tanta patientiâ vobiscum agere quantae mecum egerunt proximi mei cum in vestro dogmate caecus errarem Let them saith he rage against you who do not know with what labour truth is found 1. The difficulty of Truth and how difficult it is to avoid errors Let them rage against you who know not how rare and hard a thing it is to scatter fleshly fancies by the light of a pious heart Let them rage against you who understand not how choice a thing it is so to cure the eye of the inward man that it may be able to behold the Sun Let them rage against you who know not with what sighs and groans it is effected that even the back-parts of God may be known Lastly Let them rage against you who have not been deceived with any such error as they see you to be deceived with For my self I can by no means be violent against you he means their persons and the persons of those that were not turbulent whom I ought now to bear as I did then my self and to deal with you in the same degree of patience that my friends did with me when I blindly wandred in your opinions 2. Besides the persons and worth of some 2. The worth and unworthiness of persons on both sides R. Hooker presat ad Pol. Eccles n. 2. from whom I now decline challengeth all due respect and some of those whom I now adhere unto as little We should be injurious to vertue it self saith Mr. Hooker if we did derogate from them whom their industry hath made great Bucer acknowledgeth both the usefulness of the labours even of the very Heathens toward Religion and highly predicates the Religion and piety of some of them Neminem verò offendat Bucer in Joh. 4.31 c. quòd Philosophorum laborem profuisse ad Evangelium puto omnis enim veritas à Deo est veritas sanè plurima in scriptis Philosophorum Poetarum legitur Jam quantulumcumque id fuerit quod de veritate Philosophi tradiderunt ad Deum certè animos hominum attraxerunt eosque ad Evangelium praepararunt sed quid opus est verbis Qui vel non in Cicerone Cicero miram Dei solidaeque pietatis cognitionem agnoscit eum necesse est ignorare quid sit Deus pietas Let no man saith he be offended that I judge the labours of the Philosophers to have been useful unto the Gospel for all truth is of God and verily there are many truths in the writings of the Philosophers and of the Poets Now how little soever it were of truth that they delivered surely it drew the minds of men unto God and by that did prepare them unto the Gospel But what need words he that doth not acknowledge even in Cicero a wonderful knowledge of God and of sound he meaneth serious not saving piety it must needs be that he knoweth neither what God nor piety
they were the judgment of the Kingdom He replyed Shew me such a body of people in the Nation as the Army is that have not forfeited their liberties and so implying that they might assume unto themselves the judgment of the Kingdom though in that case the Kingdom it self could not judge as was shewed above out of Mr. St. Johns speech because the Royal Person is exempt from vindicative justice So here in this speech all Government being as he said dissolved the Army were a considerable part of the Nation Nay by what follows that there was left nothing to keep things in order but the sword he might have said as before That they were the onely judgment of the Nation But this by the way though not out of it Again in the former speech The Judges saith he thinking pag. 21. that there was a dissolution of the Government did declare one to another Note The Judges that they could not administer justice to the satisfaction of their consciences untill they had received Commissions from me pag. 33. The Parliam And as touching the Parliament and the Militia the great Helena of our Trojan War The Militia whether to be in Parliament whether it should remain in the King or the Parliament have power of it he saith Whether the Parliament have not liberty to alter the form of Government to Aristocracy to Democracy to Anarchy to any thing if this THE MILITIA be fully in them Note yea unto all CONFVSION and that without remedy Lastly The Kings Negative voice pag. 34. as touching the Supreme Magistrate whose Person then he had usurped he saith I shall be willing to be bound more then I am in any thing that I may be CONVINCED of may be for the good of the people which point was like the Armour of Hector betwixt Ajax and Vlysses at the beginning of the War Corollaries from the former speech Now from these expressions we may observe 1. That the ends of the War Religion and Law were not attained but perverted 2. That the government of the Nation was dissolved in their judgment and not setled 3. Note That we were under an absolute arbitrary power 4. That in his judgment the Parliament ought not to have the Militia in them 5. And lastly That the Supreme Magistrate must be convinced in his own judgment before he yield to alter what by right he is possessed of in reference unto all which the War was undertaken But to close this point 4. Testimony of the Parl. grounds of the war declar Aug. 3. 1642. of the grounds of the war and to leave it with some further authentick demonstration and evidence The two Houses of Parliament in their Declaration setting forth the grounds of their takiâ—g up Arms published August 3. 1642. do represent onely three sorts of them viz. 1. either some former miscarriages of the Kings Government or 2. some preparations on his part to War with the incidents thereunto or lastly his refusal to grant their petitions especially that of July 16. 1642. containing their desire of the Militia the leaving Delinquents to their tryal the Kings return and concurrence with the Houses Together with the result of all these the danger to the Kingdom in Laws Liberty and Religion Now for the first of these the King had not onely acknowledged some of them as the dissolution of the Parliament before of the unhappy dissolution of the last Former errors in Government saith the King by the uninformation and advice of some persons looked upon now under another character Where they should remember that some miscarriages in government is incident unto all Princes yea all Governors whereof Dioclesian maketh a very serious complaint Vopiscus in vitâ Aurelian cit à Bucholc Chronol ad Anx. d. 304. Nihil est inquit difficilius quà m benè imperare Nam quatuor vel quinque viri se colligunt atque unum consilium c piunt ad Imperatorem decipiendum dicunt quod probandum sit Imperator qui domi clausus est vera non novit Cogitur hoc tantum scire quod illi loquuntur Facit judices quos fieri non oportebat amovet à Republicâ quos retinere debebat Quid multa Bonus cautus optimus venditur imperator There is nothing more difficult saith he than to rule well Four or five men associate themselves and take counsel together to delude the King they advise what is to be done A Note for Princes The Prince who is shut up at home knows nothing of the certainty of things but is constrained to know onely that which they acquaint him with He makes hereupon those Judges whom he ought not and removes those from government that he should not To be short a good provident and excellent Prince is bought and sold Thus he And the Parliament themselves were not a little abused by their informers Again the King acknowledges his failing in coming in person to the house of Commons to seize the five Members Kings answer to the Declation of May 19. 1642. p. 10. Edit Cambr. and saith As if by that single casual mistake of ours in form onely we had forfeited all duty credit and allegiance from our people We must without endeavouring to excuse that which in truth was an error our going to the House of Commons But besides these acknowledgments the King made real both amends and security for the future not onely by solemn promise but by passing such Acts of Parliament that did not onely remove the former grievances but also secure the subject for the time to come as we saw above both by the acknowledgment of the Commons in the Remonstrance of the state of the Kingdom among other things these The Monopolies are all supprest That which is more beneficial than all this is pag. 22 23 24. that the root of those evils is taken away which was the arbitrary power pretended to be in his Majesty of taxing the subject or charging their estates without consent in Parliament which is now declared to be against Law by the judgment of both Houses and likewise by an Act of Parliament now the Kings consent was there The evil Counsellors so quelled the Star-chamber the High-commission the Coâ—rts of the President and Council in the North are all taken away The immoderate power of the Council-Table is ordered and restrained we may well hope that no such things will appear in future times but onely stories Note to give us and our posterity more occasion to praise God for his Majesties goodness and the faithful endeavours of this Parliament The Canons and power of Canon-making are blasted by the vote of both Houses the exorbitant power of Bishops and their Courts are much abated the Authors or many Innovations in Doctrine and Ceremonies terrified the Forrests are by a good Law reduced to their right bounds the oppressions of the Stannary Courts the extortions of
intra quorum nos consortium non aestimatur meriti sed veniae quaesumus largitor admitte That is first O God which seest that we trust in no act or work of ours Again Where we have no help of merits do thou succour us with thy assistance Again Admit thou us into their the blessed Saints company who art not the esteemer of merit but the vouchsafer of mercy Thirdly It having been often evidenced by * Jewel in defence of the Apolog. and others ours that our Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government is much more antient than Popery properly so called although also usurped in some things by Papists what hindreth but as the vessels of the Temple defiled by Belshazzar both in drunkenness and idolatry Dan. 7. might return to their pristine use so those things that were Christs before De doctr Christ l. 2. c. 40. but usurped by them we may tanquam ab injustis possessoribus in nostrum usum vendicare take our own goods out of theevish hands as Austin Austin of the truths uttered by the Heathen But lastly because the victory over Goliah was the more remarkable the last blow being given by his own sword we shall retort the argument viz. 4. Because the Liturgy destroyeth Popery and Superstition That there ought to be no separation from the Worship and Liturgy because whilst the Common-prayer-book is of force and neither deserted nor transgressed Popery and that superstition on the one hand as a flood nor Anabaptism and Separation as a rotting distillation on the other can ever come in upon the Church And for this though I have neither strength nor armour so specious or so massy as they perhaps may have yet I shall not doubt to cast the Gantlet to any Champion of the Philistines Such was the judgment of that learned Prince King James related to by the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury Lord Abbot Arch-bishop of Cant. Letter with K. James instructions concerning Preachers Sept. 3. 1622. in these words His Majesty therefore calling to mind the saying of Tertullian Id verum quod primum That is true which is first And remembring with what doctrine the Church of England in her first and most happy Reformation did drive out the one and keep out the other c. He had nam'd before Popery Anabaptism and Separation I am not ignorant that Sancta Clara hath endeavoured to reconcile even our Articles of Religion with the doctrine of the Church of Rome But what communion hath light with darkness 2 Cor. 6. and what concord hath Christ with Belial and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols The new Jerusalem is four square the Harlot sits upon Circles * Apoc. 17.9 seven hills can they quadrare circulum But to return to the former For proof at present touching Anabaptism and Separation there is no doubt of that And for Popery the chief points thereof as opposite unto the Protestant Religion are countervened there as may appear by the Council of Trent by Bellarmine and our Rhemists the true Interpreters of that Council as our a] De S. Scripturâ in presatione Quia novus Papismus â vetere multum differt quod de omni causa Tridentinum concilium statuerit imprimâ—s quaeramus tum hujus concilii fideliss interpretes Jesuitas nostros etiam Rhemenses quia Bellarminus has causas accurate tractavit illum quasi scopum proponemus Whitaker hath it if compared with it To instance in a few particulars The first shall be that Traditiones ipsas pari pietatis affectu reverentiâ suscipit reveretur That the Traditions of the Church are to be received with the same affection and reverence b] Concil Trid. Sess 4. decret 1. as the holy Scriptures themselves And so the worship of God may be farced with them 1. Traditions as well as with the reading and preaching the holy Scripture Now the Liturgy assigneth nothing to be put into the worship but the Scriptures either those that are undoubtedly so or else such as have been of great veneration and antiquity in the Church though not received into the Canon R. Hook Eccles pol. l. 5. § 19. and which in regard of the divine excellency of some things in all and of all things in certain of them have been thought better to stand as a list or marginal border unto the Old Testament yet with this liberty that where the Minister shall perceive some one or other chapter of the Old Testament to fall in order to be read Admonition to all Ministers Ecclesiastical prefixed before the second Tome of Homilies 2. Intercession of Saints which were better to be changed with some other of the New Testament of more edification he may do it As was noted above The next may be the Medium or Mediator of our worship by whom it is to be commended unto God The Church of Rome joyn in commission with Christ the blessed Virgin the holy Apostles the Angels and the Saints departed Our Common-prayer as our Saviour in another place Luk. 1. Apoc. 5.8 Heb. 5. shuts out all this crowd and with the High-Priest when he was to offer Incense which represented the prayers of the Saints suffers no man to take this honor to himself but Christ alone in the close of the prayers adding this basis to the support of all and naming no where any other and sometime expresly excluding them by that bar only affixed unto Christ through our only Mediatour and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. Second Collect in the Letany and elsewhere 3. Merits A third the merit of our prayers and worship The Papists we know do attribute so much to that such a kind and number of them being said at such a place they shall merit the very merits of Christ and properly deserve a reward And that not ex congruo and of conveniency only but ex condigno and of strict justice Good works say the Rhemists On Heb. 6.10 and prayer and divine worship is a principal one even with them also be meritorious and the very cause of salvation so far that God should be unjust if he rendred not Heaven for the same But our Liturgy teacheth us that when we have offered our alms our prayers yea and have performed the very highest of divine worship the celebration of the holy Communion in the close of all to say Thanksgiving after the Communion And although we be unworthy through our manifold sins to offer unto thee any sacrifice yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service NOT WEIGHING OUR MERITS BUT PARDONING OUR OFFENCES c. and many the like passages 4. The Sacrifice of the Mass Concil Trid. Sess 6. sub pio 4. c. 2. A fourth particular shall be the Mass wherein is pretended that the Bread after Consecration being transâ—ubstantiated into the very flesh of Christ and that elevated by the Priest with
a reason is demanded seeing every Lords day is celebrated upon the same account that Easter is viz. the memory of the Resurrection of our Lord. Lastly It is non-sense or worse say these sensible men to require that the people should receive the Sacram. and other Rites thrice a year as implying the Popish Sacraments or else Superstitious ceremonies Antique Answ 1 Crossings c. When the Lord did three times enjoyn his Antient people to appear before him three times in the year Deut. 16.16 Exod. 23.14 and 34.24 with Levit. 23.38 whereof Easter was one yet he did not forbid their free-will-offerings much less do they that make this trine-appearance with an ad minimum and at least More they desire and exhort unto less they will nor permit They dispence not with Gods own invitation who hath set no precise time do exhort the people often in his name and bind them to some frequency if exhortation will not serve 1 Cor. 1. Next They that were not sent to baptize but had Answ 2 work of more necessity and haste their silence must not be construed to a Prohibition Gal. 4. explain'd And when they do reprove those that observed times and days and moneths and years As part of Moses Law obligatory to Christians and upon some opinion of righteousness thereby in derogation to the All-sufficiency of Christs righteousness Gal. 2. chap. 3. chap. 5. 6. 1 Tim. 6. they do no more thereby forbid the observation of times as invitements and advantages unto piety then when they exhort to be rich in good works and lay up for our selves a good foundation that we may lay hold on eternal life Rom. 3. do therefore forbid us to believe that a man is justified by the faith of Jesus Christ and that we are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 6. ult but for eternal life it is the gift of God When our Saviour forbad to call any Answ 3 man father upon earth he meant not to confute the Law Matth. 15.4 nor his own reproof of the Pharisees who made all things whereby they might gain to be Corban and so suffered not a man to help his father or his mother from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but a fresh mans consequence To conclude That because our Saviour in one sense forbad to swear at all Matth. 5. interpreted upon viz. the Pharisees exposition and dispensation and that whatsoever was more proceeded of evil he ever meant to condemn himself when he added Amen Amen 2 Cor. 1.21 Revel 10.6 which is literally more or the Saints or Angels both which we find to have taken deep oaths upon great occasions is a Quakers Logick Again Such is the frailty of our memories that Answ 4 without some standing memorials we should not seriously mind the things that do belong unto our peace The use of solemn Festivals And such is the hardness of our hearts that unless these times be solemn and therefore can be but seldome for familiaritas parit contemptum we should have little impression of them Hence ever since we read of any instituted Church we find they had their stata tempora not only hebdomadary but yearly also Yea nature did thus much dictate unto the Heathen that besides those days of the week wherein they did some special worship unto their Idols the footsteps whereof remain still in the appellations of them yet they had also their Annua solennia yea and Olympiads also more rare and solemner Now it is not unknown I suppose unto the Brethren that why Easter to be one seeing every Lords day is in memory of the Resurrection It is a question that should have been put first to our Fathers yea our Universal Mother who were more concerned to answer for they have told us Illa autem quae non scripta sed tradita custodimus Aug. ep 118. ad Januar. c. 1. quae quidem toto terrarum orbe observantur datur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel plenariis conciliis quorum est in ecclesia saluberrima authoritas commendata atque statuta retineri The antâ—quity of the four solemn Feastivals sicuti quòd domini Passio Resurrectio Ascensio in Coelum Adventus de coelo Sp. Sancti anniversaria solennitate celebrantur That those things which are not written in the Scriptures but kept by tradition and which are observed throughout all Churches we are thereby given to understand that they were instituted and commended unto us either by the Apostles themselves or by some General Councils who have a Soveraign Authority in the Church as the yearly celebration of the Passion and the Resurrection and the Ascension of our Lord and the coming down of the H. Ghost Thus that Father of whom as was noted above out of Calvin we must learn if we would know the certainty of the judgment of Antiquity and of our Mother the Primitive Church And particularly for Easter The same Author gives us to understand Chap. 1. Aug. ib. cap. 7. Nonnullos probabilis quaedam ratio delectavit ut uno certo die per annum quo ipsam coenam Dominus dedit tanquam ad insigniorem commemorationem post cibos offerri accipi liceat corpus sanguis domini That some are of opinion that the body and blood of our Lord should be offered namely by the Minister to the people and received upon one certain day in the year namely that whereon he himself received it which they do on a very probable ground viz. that the commemoration might be the more solemn Which ground holds with us in celebrating the Communion both upon the day that Christ himself did as also upon that whereon we commemorate that action of his whereby he applyed the efficacy of all his sufferings Easter day his Resurrection for he was delivered for our sins and was raised again for our justification We do it therefore upon these daies specially Hom. 4. ult as well as on others more ordinarily viz. That the commemoration might be the more solemn But they aim at the root whilest they strike at one of the branches and are offended at the genus Festival times besides the Sabbath as well as at Easter specially Of which to that of the Antient Church related by S. Austin I shall only add that They are the splendour and outward dignity of our Religion R. Hook Eccles pol. l. 5. § 72. in fine forcible witnesses of antient truth provocations to the exercises of all piety shadows of our endless felicity in Heaven on Earth everlasting Records and Memorials Wherein they which cannot be drawn to hearken to that we teach may only by looking upon what we do in a manner read whatsoever we believe The last thing they object against this Rubrick is a meer calumny and yet they raise a great tragedy upon it
Act as not extending to Queen Elizabeths Successors in Ecclesiastical Affairs and the Kings Proclamation till confirmed by Act and reproaching the Doctrine Pag. 62. quer 4 Worship Discipline and Government of the Church publickly These are not sons of peace but of those who as Solomon speaks separate very friends Pro. 16.28 or as others read it Separate the Captain or the Princes For Sunt qui intelligant principem a suo populo ut hic in illum rebellet aut ille in hunc alienore sit animo Mercer in loc vid. et R. Kavenak ibid. There are saith mine Author that by these words understand the separation betwixt the Prince and the People that they should rebell against him and he be disaffected toward them This for the Ministers Next for the godly and sober people Sober Christians Their calamity lyes in following rather those that delight to goe over Hedge and Ditch Answ then to keep the Kings High way But for their suffering though the Father and Mother and Children cannot but be much grieved to afflict or see afflicted a Childe or Brother yet we know some Members must suffer to preserve the whole And sometime the Parents are commanded to bring the sonne forth to justice not only for his vitiousness but for his disobedience Deut. 21.20 And the Magistrate is sometime forced to punish those that have much good worth in them only for some disorder unto Government And let no man reply that these are for vitiousness Inst but remember Answ that heresie and schisme are reckoned among the fruits of the flesh as well as drunkenness and whoredom Gal. 5. And that those whom Paul wished were cut off were not vitious persons for ought appears but schismaticks Ibid. And that our Saviour was much more facile to the Publicans and sinners then to the religious but hypocritical Pharisees Which is not written to discountenance Religion but to make it appear that if we look not well to it strictness may be mixed with much hidden evil as theirs was Col. 2. 1 Tim. 4. who yet were guilty some of Will-worship others of Doctrines of Devils Howsoever no mans piety must patronize his irregularity and disorder Jam. 3.17 for the Wisdom from above is pure peaceable c. The fifth exception against the Ceremonies is That they are burdensome for number insinuated by the citing a place of the Preface of the Common-prayer Book which quoteth * Ep. 119. Januar. cap. 19. The number of Ceremonies in the Com-prayer Book Austin complaining of this evil in his time and saying it was worse then the Jewish Paedagogy But this no way comports with ours which as they are innocent and simple and well explained so are they few in number as kneeling in Prayer and at receiving the Sacrament standing at the Creed for that at the Epistle and Gospel is not in the Common-prayer Book though not against it the Crosse in Baptism the Ring in Marriage the Imposition of hands upon Children to be confirmed and in ordination of Ministers in the Book of Ordination Besides which five I remember no other I am sure there is none material else appointed And but two of these in the ordinary service kneeling and standing and but one in any of the other Some few others there are in Vestiments and Bowing at the Name of Jesus established by Canon and others by custome as the reading the Epistle Gospel standing and at the Communion-Table with some the Vaylings of the Women to be Churched out of use Psal 64.6 which all amount to no considerable number So that after they have searched out or searched for iniquity if they could finde any in this particular and accomplished a diligent search as the Psalmist complains yet all these men whose hands are mighty in these kinde of catchings have found upon the matter nothing Ps 76.5 they have not found their hands able to fasten upon any number to make good the proof of this accusation Their last Exception is that they ought to be removed by the consequence of the 34 Article of the Church Except ult P. 32 33 35 39. Ought to be removed and of the Preface to the Common-prayer-book it self also of the second Homily of the time and place of prayer yea and by the practise of the Bishops themselves Wherein as before they prevaricate and play false For because the Article saith That it is not necessary that Ceremonies be in all places one and that they may be changed 1. By Artic. 34. therefore the Brethren infer they must be changed Answ But they should remember a posse ad esse nedum à posse ad necesse non valet consequentia That from what may be to what is much leâ—s to what must be is no good consequence Again for the Preface to the Common-prayer-book 2. By the Preface of the Com. prayer because it saith That many Ceremonies were removed because some were abused Answ so as that they could not be reformed without the removing of them That others were superstitious others unprofitable others obscured the glory of God others by their multitude were burdensome Hence the Brethren infer That therefore those Ceremonies which the Compilers of the Prayer-book left and were in their judgments profitable innocent clear few in number must be removed also To make the Composers of the Book so simple as they did the Parliament that established the Book as to confute themselves And to the third the second part of the Homily of the time and place of prayer they handled this word also deceitfully 3. By the Homily Answ as no doubt but their conscience might have told them For the Homily having complained first of those who having prophaned and defiled their Churches with Heathenish and Jewish abuses with Images and Idols with numbers of Altars with gross abusing and filthily corrupting of the Lords Supper with an infinite number of toys and trifles of their own devices to make a goodly outward shew and to deface the plain simple and sincere Religion of Christ Jesus Then the Homily saith ' Gods vengeance as for the former so hath been and is provoked because people pass not to come to the Church either through blindness or else for that they see the Church altogether scoured of such gay gazing sights as their gross phantasie was greatly delighted with because they see the false Religion abandoned and the true restored which seems an unsavoury thing to their unsavoury taste As may appear by that a woman said to her neighbour Alas Gossip what shall we do now at Church since all the Saints are taken away since all the goodly sights we were wont to have are gone since we cannot hear the like piping singing chanting and playing upon the Organs that we could before But dearly Beloved we ought greatly to rejoyce and give God thanks that our Churches are delivered out of all those things which
this Nation soon after the publishing of the Gospel in the Apostles times as may be seen in Tertullian and others of the Ancients And that Popery was rather as a scab or disease that came upon it long after as may be seen by the Writers on our sides particularly in the learned Defence of the Apology of the Church of England by Bishop Jewel and in Doctor James Vssher Archbishop of Armagh his Succession of the Churches his Religion of the ancient British his Answer to the Jesuite and other Writers Secondly We must note Answ 2 That even the Church of England whilest Popish yet held the Articles of the Faith and so the substance of Christianity though much obscured and countervened by other Doctrines they were also baptized and did partake of the Body of Christ in the Sacrament and therefore were Christians not nothing in Religion nor yet Heathens or Jews or Turks and therefore in some respect right matter as we heard before Now the Reformation and the Laws then were not to constrain them to a positive Confession or Profession of Christianity which constitutes the matter of the visible Church Note as we saw above but to reject those Doctrines and Corruptions that had obscured it it was rather a restraint then a constraint Now for the forcing those who own a Profession to perform their Duty in it as to come to Sacraments c. this is not a forcing men to be of a Religion but to answer the Profession of it Thirdly Grant it were so they had at first been Answ 3 forced yet being now under no force they still own it why might not that force occasion true conversion as it did in the Gibeonites Josh 9. and did in many of the Ancient Separatists Aug. Epist 48. ab initio the Donatists in Saint Austins time Nam de multorum jam correctione gaudemus qui tam veraciter Unitatem Catholicam tenent atque defendunt à pristino errore se liberatos esse laetantur ut eos cum magna gratulatione miremur qui tamen nescio quâ vi consuetudinis nullo modo mutari in meliùs cogitarent nisi hoc terrore perculsi solicitam mentem ad considerationem veritatis intenderent ne forte non pro justitia sed pro perversitate praesumptione hominum ipsas temporales molestias infructuosâ vanâ tolerantia paterentur apud Deum postea non invenirent nisi debitas poenas impiorum qui ejus tam lenem admonitionem paterna ftagella contempserint That is We do already rejoyce in the correction of many who holding now Truth and Unity with the Church are glad that they are delivered from their former Error who by reason of custom would never have thought of changing unless being terrified by their sufferings did begin to bend their minds to the consideration of Truth lest they should both suffer here these afflictions fruitlesly and afterward finde with God the punishment of wicked men because they did despise his gentle correction by the hand of the civil power Thus he Object 2 Touching that other Objection That there is no distinction between the Civil and Ecclesiastical Bands Civil and Ecclesiastical Bands Robins Apol. cap. 12. p 81 82. but those that are in a Parish they are all of the Church and have right to Ordinances yea and compelled thereunto And no formal Covenant to constitute them Members of such a particular Church or Parish It is answered That where a whole Nation is of the same Religion as was the Jewish of old and by the mercy of God many others have been and are of which number our own there needs no other Formality to make a Christian a Member of this and that particular Body but their accepting him among them and his practising of communion with them in the Ordinances and Worship of God A free-man of the Nation may inhabit any where without a new Formality and enjoy the liberties of a Subject So he that is a member of the National Church The distinction of Parishes being by publick Order both Ecclesiastical and Civil for the preservation of mens civil Rights And the better conveniency of Edification And the preservation of Peace and Concord in both And he which shall contemptuously violate such Distinctions and refuse communion in the Parochial Church wherein he lives the Word and Sacraments being rightly therein administred cannot avoyd the crime of a Perturber of the Peace in Church and Commonwealth and as liable unto punishment as he that makes a Hedge upon a Common which is both disorderly and injurious SECT III. Apostolical Christian Church vitiated but no Separation NExt come we to the Apostolical Christian Church wherein the Doctrine was more vitiated than in ours till this late Apostacy since the War the Worship defiled Manners corrupted Discipline neglected and Tyranny by the Governors of the Church exercised And no Separation that we hear of 1. Touching Doctrine 1. In Doctrine In what Parish of ours is the Resurrection of the dead denyed as was by many in the Church of Corinth In what Parishes of ours is the Doctrine of Justification by the Works of the Law maintained generally as in the Churches of Galatia Then for Worship 2. Worship 1 Cor. 10. Do ours partake of the Lords Table and the Table of Devils as did many among the Corinthians Are our Assemblies so confused as theirs were so far 1 Cor. 14. that one might have thought them mad as the Apostle saith Do ours come to the Communion drunk 1 Cor. 11. And are so malicious one against another that they will eat the Lords Supper together as at Corinth 3. Manners Next for Manners and life Have we worse than Incest Fornication Covetousness Malice Contentions 2 Cor. 12.21 unrepented of as was in the Church of Corinth And biting and devouring one another exercising the works of the flesh Gal. 5. and Chap. 6. Rev. 2. and Chap. 3.4 Defrauding the Minister of his due as in the Churches of Galatia Permitting of Idolaters boasting of Gifts being neither hot nor cold as it was in the Asian Churches 4. Discipline As touching Neglect of Discipline First In the Apostles own Company The Ministers that should exercise Discipline Philip. 2. they all sought their own and none the things of Jesus Christ And the grossest vices winked at and fomented as we saw before in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 5. And should have been so still had not the Apostle been living and exciting them to their Duty 5. Government Lastly Concerning Tyranny We see what oppression the false Apostles used Ye suffer saith the Apostle if a man take of you 2 Cor. 11.10 if a man bring you into bondage if a man devour you if a man exalt himself if a man smite you on the face By which words he toucheth the Tyranny though out of malice against the Apostle willingly submitted unto by
the Church of Corinth And we know that Diotrephes exercised his Government with such insolency that he cast out whom he would 3 Epist John vers 9 â— Cor. 11. admitted whom he would opposed the Apostle John himself yet no news of Separation And all this which much excuseth our Churches even whilest the Church was as it were a Virgin and newly espoused to Christ and in the midst of company viz. the Heathen and under the Rod of Persecution and the Apostle yet living what Degeneration followed we know And yet those that then separated are noted with the highest characters of Heresie and Sedition that can be which leads me to the next the primitive Churches SECT IV. The Primitive Churches TOuching which I shall produce onely a witness or two whereof the first shall be Cyprian a man of rare sanctity who preserved the integrity of his conscience with the loss of his life yet a severe enemy to Separation First He acknowledgeth the corrupt mixtures of the Churches of his time and place and acknowledgeth the just hand of God in the Persecutions of those times for it His words are Studebant augendo patrimonio singuli Cypr. Serm. de lapsis 5. prope ab initio obliti quid credentes aut sub Apostolis antefecissent aut semper facere deberent insatiabili cupiditatis ardore ampliandis facultatibus incubabant non in sacerdotibus religio devota non in ministeriis fides integra non in operibus misericordia non in moribus disciplina Corrupta barba in viris in foeminis formafucata adulterati post Dei manus oculi capilli mendacio colorati ad decipienda corda simplicium callidae fraudes circumveniendis fratribus subdolae voluntates Jungere cum infidel bus vinculum matrimonii prostituere cum gentilibus membra Christi Non jurare tantum temere sed ad hoc etiam pejerare Praepositos superbo tumore contemnere venenato sibi ore maledicere odiis pertinacibus invicem dissidere Episcopi plurimi quos ornamento esse oportet caeteris exemplo divina procuratione contemptâ procuratores rerum seculorum fieri derelictâ cathedrâ plebe desertâ per alienas provincias oberrantes negotiationis quaestuosae nundinas aucupari Esurientibus in Ecclesia fratribus habere argentum largiter velle fundos insidiosis fraudibus rapere usuris multiplicantibus foenus augere Quid non perpeti tales pro peccatis ejusmodi mereremur 1. The state of the primitive Church before Persecution in Cyprians time That is Every one set their minds to increase their means and forgetting what Beleevers either did in the Apostles times or should do at all times they felt themselves with an incredible thirst of covetousness to increase their estates No serious Religion in the Ministers no faithfulness in discharge of their places no Mercy in Works no Discipline in Manners Men through pride new-fangled their beards Among the women the face was painted Their eye-brows after God had done his work adulterated with colours Crafty plots devised to deceive men in bargaining that meant plainly Cunning shifts to circumvent their brethren The marriage bond entred into with Infidels and the Members of Christ prostituted unto the Heathen Not only was there swearing rashly but moreover forswearing The Governors with swelling pride contemned and with a venomed tongue reviled The Bishops and Ministers who should be both an ornament to the rest and an example they neglecting their Spiritual Work their Seats their People flew up and down the Countreys to Fairs and Markets for Gains sake When the Brethren were empty with poverty and hungry they would have full Bags they studied to catch by fraud and force Lands and Livings Use upon Use to increase their Principal We that were such for such Sins what did we not deserve Thus far he as to the first point of corruptions in the Church 2. Bâ—â— no Seâ—â—â—â—n 2. Next for his distance from Separation notwithstanding all this Various are the Allegations that might be brought out of him I shall mention one or two Si videntur in Ecclesia esse zizania non tamen impediri debet aut fides aut charitas nostra 〈◊〉 pâ—t 3. 〈◊〉 ut quoniam zizania esse in Ecclesia cernimus ipsi de Ecclesia recedamus nobis imò laborandum est uâ— frumentum esse possimus c. i. e. It should not hurt our Faith and Charity that we see Tares in the Church so as that we should depart from the Church but we must labour that we our selves be Wheat Again elsewhere Quantus arrogantiae tumor est â—â—b 4. Ep. â— pâ—â—pe sinem quanta humilitatis lenitatis oblivio à rrogantiae suae quanta jactatio ut quis aut audeat aut facere posse se credat quod nec Apostolis concessit Dominus ut zizania à frumento putet se posse discernere aut quasi ipsi paleam ferre aream purgare concessum sit paleas à tritico conetur separare cum que Apostolus dicat In domo autem magnâ non solum vasa aurea sunt argentea sed lignea fictiliae aurea argoâ—tea vasa videatur eligere lignea verò fictilia conterere abjicere Cùm non nisi die Domini vasa lignea divini ardoris incendio concrementur sictilia ab eo cui data est ferrea virga frangantur That is How great a swelling of pride is it how great forgetfulness of humility and gentleness how great a boasting of their arrogancy that any man should dare or beleeve that he can do that which was not granted no not to the Apostles to do namely That a man should think that he is able to separate the Tares from the Wheat or as if it were given to him to carry out the chaff and to purge the Lords floor and so endeavor to separate the chaff from the wheat And whereas the Apostle saith But in a great house there are not onely Vessels of Gold and of Silver 2 Tim. 2. but also of Wood and of Clay he would seem to select the golden and silver ones but to contemn and cast away the wooden ones and those of clay whereas those of wood are not to be burnt but in the Day of the Lord by the flame of divine scorching and those of clay to be broken by him to whom is given a Rod of Iron Thus far Cyprian The other witness both to the mixtures of Church Assemblies and to the opposition of Separation notwithstanding it is Saint Austin who as he wrote whole Volumes on this Argument so for the first 1. Corruptions of the Church in S. Austins time Epist 64. namely the Corruptions of the Members of the Church we have him often among the rest In an Epistle unto Aurelius where he thus writeth Multas carnales foeditates aegritudines quas Africana Ecclesia in multis patitur in paucis gemit consiliorum gravitate tua possit
religionem nobiscum profiteantur cum alioqui nihil minus revera sint quà m fratres propter innumerabilia quibus scatent vitia i. e. We do not deny saith he but that there are very many that for this cause onely are counted brethren because they profess the same pure Religion with us whereas otherwise they are indeed nothing less than brethren by reason of the innumerable vices wherewith they swarm Thus he It is then the Profession of the true Faith that makes a Brother from whom then till ejected from and by the Church we may not in matters of Religion and Worship withdraw and separate although in private converse we may because as Austin notes this may be done without danger of Schism but that cannot Nam in domibus suis quique boni fideles ita disciplinam suorum moderantur Aug. contr Parmen l. 3. cap. 2. regunt ut ibi quoque obtemperent Apostoli praecipienti cum ejusmodi nec cibum simul sumere sed non tam facilè malorum multitudo non potest à bonorum commixtione separari i. e. For in their houses all the Faithful do so order the government of those that belong unto them that they obey the Apostles Precept commanding with such a one no not to eat but not so easily a multitude of bad men are separated from the mixture with the good as to wit a bad member of a family may The next shall be Calvin whom some would make a Patron in their way of separating he discoursing of this point among other vehement expressions hath this Instit lib. 4. cap. 1. s 9. Vbi reverenter auditur Evangelii praedicatio neque sacramenta negliguntur illic pro eo tempore neque fallax neque ambigua Ecclesiae apparet facies cujus vel authoritatem spernere vel monita respuere vel consiliis refragari vel castigationes ludere nemini impunè licet multo minus ab ea deficere ac ejus abrumpere unitatem c. i. e. A true Church Wheresoever the preaching of the Gospel is reverently heard and the Sacraments are not neglected there for that time there appears neither a deceitful nor a doubtful face of a Church whose authority they that despise or contemn its counsels or reject its advice or make sport with its chastenings they shall never escape unpunished much less if they fall off from it and rend the Unity of it And afterward Sect. 16. Quanquam autem ex inconsiderato justitiae zelo haec tentatio bonis etiam interdum oboritur hoc tamen recipiemus nimiam morositatem ex superbia magis factu falfâque sanctitatis opinione quà m ex vera sanctitate veroque ejus studio nasci The Cause of separation That is Although this temptation doth arise sometimes even in good men by an inconsiderate zeal of Righteousness yet this we shall finde That too much strictness doth grow rather of pride and height and a false opinion of Holiness than of true Holiness or a true zeal for it Thus he And he doth in that Chapter Sect. 14 15 17 18 19. by examples not onely of the Church of the Jews and in the time of our Saviour Christ but also in the Apostolical Churches demonstrate That greater Vices in Manners and fouler Errors in Doctrine to have been tolerated than are in those Churches that Separation is now made from And adds this memorable Note viz. Quondam autem sacrum unitatis vinculum solvunt nemo justani impii hujus divortii poenam effugit quin se pestiferis erroribus ac teterrimis deliriis fascinet The punishment of separation i. e. But because they dissolve the sacred bond of Unity no man shall escape this just punishment That he shall intoxicate himself with most pestilent Errors and most pernicious fancies Thus he The truth whereof with horror we see at this day in the Anabaptists and Quakers who first began with Separation But the whole discourse in that Chapter is well worth the serious perusal The last Witness from these Churches shall be his Vide Sleid in lib. 15. Ad Ann. 1543. unto whom as the Forreign so our own Church ows much of its Reformation As besides his other Writings appears in that excellent Liturgy of the Church of Colen composed by him Melancthon and Pistemus of which before As also in his censure of our own Common Prayer Book he as I said Bucer Script Anglic. in his Commentary on Zephany Chap. 3. it is at the end of his Exposition on the Evangelists and the Psalms hath a vivide practical and experimental Discourse most effectual to this purpose part whereof is as followeth Indubiè haud temerè factum est Bucer in Zeph. 3.15 c. ut nullum ferè pietatis exemplum scriptura paulo magnificentius praedicet in quo non uno Christo excepto simul insignem lapsum notavit Quà m foede lapsus fuit Aaron David Petrus sed ne Moses quidem perpetuo stetit aut quisquam sanctorum alius Vult enim Deus ex suorum infirmitate bonitatis suae gloriam illustrare Equidem al quot novi qui proximo sexennio quo Evangelium Christi mundus iterum coepit persequi pro Christo mortem fortissime oppetierunt in quibus paulo ante vitam severiorem nemo non desiderabat ita tamen corda eorum timor Dei possederat ut licet plus nimio carni per omnem fere vitam indulsissent ubi eo ventum fuit ut vel negandus illis Christus erat vel semeltota caro igni tradenda alacri vultu confidenti pectore mortis durissimos cruciatus vitae admodum lautae delicataeque quam eis mundus promittebat protulerint That is Doubtless it is not without cause That the Scripture doth not make mention scarce of any great example of piety Christ onely excepted who is not noted for some remarkable failing For how fouly did Aaron David and Peter fall Yea Moses himself did not always stand no nor any other of the Saints For God will by the infirmity of his Saints take occasion to illustrate the glory of his goodness Truly I have known some within these six last years wherein the world hath begun again to persecute the Gospel who have couragiously undergone death for Christ in whom a little before there was no man but could have wished a more sober life But the fear of God had so possessed their hearts that though they had too much indulged the flesh almost all their life yet when it came to that point that they must either deny Christ or else deliver the whole flesh to the fire at once they did with a chearful countenance and a confident spirit prefer the most cruel torments of death before a dainty and delicate life which the world proffered them Thus he And having mentioned others such who at that time of his writing did undergo most grievous sufferings for the Truth he adds Vt enim
after excusing himself and calling God to witness that he doth not hereby in the least intend the countenancing of a loose or discouraging of a strict life and praying that God would enable him and all his people to more exact Holiness he gives account farther of this discourse Scripsi haec novit Dominus nullâ aliâ causâ quam ut monerem fratres quibus datum est frugalius severius vivere atque extrariis morbis esse liberis primum ut diligenter Satanam observent ne cos internis interim infestet dum sinit externas istas vanitates delicias fugere faciat eos internis atque adeo longe nocentioribus addictos hoc est sibiipsis placere condemnatione aliorum sese oblectare tum inaniter in dogmatum novitate deliciari ex quibus postea aperte simultates odia tum factiones sectae ac indicibilia Ecclesiae scandala Deinde ne qualibet labecula offensi timorem Domini negligant apud quoslibet pervestigare I have written these things saith he the Lord knows These things not written to reproach Religion for no other cause but that I might admonish my Brethren to whom it is given to live more frugally and strictly and to be free from outward vices First That they diligently observe the Adversary lest he infect them with inward ones And whilest he suffers them to fly from these outward vanities and delicacies he make them addicted unto inward and so far more dangerous evils that is to please themselves and to delight themselves in condemning others and then to be wanton in novelty of Opinions from whence afterwards do break forth open malignities and hatred then Sects and Factions and unspeakable scandals in the Church Next that they be not offended with every small fault and so neglect to enquire for the fear of God even amongst any sort of men he goes on Non paucis hodie cum damnato illo Pharisaeo justificaetos publicanos horrendo supercilio rejiciunt tantum quod eos vident cum externis quibusdam morbis conflictari You shall see saith he not a few who as the condemned Pharisee do with an horrid and supercilious pride despise the justified Publicans onely because they see them conflict with certain outward vices He concludes Postremo ne ob Ecclesiae infirmitatem quae in omnibus proh dolor nimia est dona Dei exhibita nobis parum aestiment eoque ingrati erga Deum studio emendandi quae jure offendunt tardiores reddantur Lastly I have written this to admonish left men should because of the weakness of the Church which alass is too much in all little esteem the gifts of God bestowed on us and so become both ingrateful towards God and more unfit and slow to remedy what is indeed offensive Longè quoque satius foret centum hoedos pro ovibus habere monendo eos operam ludere quà m unicam oviculam pro qua Christus mortuus est ob peccatorum inquinamenta in errore negligere nedum Satanae adjudicare For it were better saith he to count an hundred Goats for Sheep and lose our time in the admonishing of them than for the defilements of sin to leave in its errour the poorest Sheep of Christ much less adjudge it over unto Satan Ne quenquam filiorum Dei quantumvis pusillum contemnamus unquam sed omnia nostra intentissimo studio diligentia ad instaurationem sanctorum maxime vero eorum quos infirmiores aliis videmus instituamus sic referemus Christum servatorem nostrum qui erga eos qui deterrimis morbibus laborabant praecipuâ semper benignitate sedulitate medicum sese exhibuit Sic gratificabimur unice patri nostro coelesti qui nullâ re aliâ nos se imitari aeque postulat atque miserecordia benignitate Illi sit gloria in secula Amen Let us not at any time despise any of the children of God saith he although they be never so feeble but let us improve all our endeavour with most earnest study and diligence to the building up of the Saints especially those whom we observe to be more weak than others So shall we represent our Saviour Christ who in a special degree of kindness and industry shewed himself a Physician to those who laboured of the most loathsom diseases So shall we also in a singular measure gratifie our heavenly Father who doth require our imitation in nothing so much as in mercy and benignity To him be glory for ever Amen Which is his close and as to this particular shall be also mine I come now to the last Evidence touching the Matter and Members of the Church Assemblies of England viz. to evince 7. Arguments Experiences and Effects That they are such as ought not to be separated from taken from our own experience testified even by those of forreign both Habitation and Discipline relating both to our Ministers and People They say Praesat Annot. â—â—â—dâ— Dieu in V. T. praefix our Divines as to the practical Exposition of Scripture do palmam caeteris praeripere bear away the Garland from others And for our People That they are florentissimae Ecclesiae most flourishing Churches is testified Letters of the Princess of Turenne and some Ministers testifying his Majâ—sties constancy in Religion Loâ—d 1660. after many other of former date now newly by certain of the French both Princes and Ministers in their Letters to some of note in London of both ranks And if we credit the report of Travellers even those that think our Hedge is worse yet they confess our Fruit is better But I must remember that the old Courtiers were not wont to lay Wagers nor make comparisons Yet let me add the Elogy of Diodate the famous Professor of Geneva in his Letter to the Assembly at Westminster printed An 1647. where having represented and bewailed the Calamities in those last years faln upon almost all the Reformed Churches he adds pag. 3. One onely thing was wanting namely That flourishing England the very Eye and Excellency of all the Churches Christs own choyce purchase and peculiar the sanctuary of the afflicted the Arcanal of the faint-hearted the magazine of the needy the royal standard of good hope And again pag. 11. ' May God restore your Kingdom and restore your Churches to that high pitch of Holiness and of Glory in which on the Theatre of the Universal Church they have hitherto excelled and out-shined ALL the CHURCHES upon EARTH It would be endless to alledge all that have spoken to this purpose I therefore here cease This Argument from Experience Mr. Brightman useth against the Separatists and those who withdraw from the Lords Table Brightman in Apocal. 3.20 An pudebit eos illic discumbere ubi vident Christum non pudere An illo sanctiores mundiores erunt sed quare se non convincunt suo ipsorum usu non possunt inficiari quin priùs in Christum
crediderint quà m fecerunt à nobis divortium Vnde haec fides An non ex praedicatione in nostra Ecclesia nunquid autem praedicare quis potest nisi mittatur Rom. 10.13 Quid ergo verbum propter labem aliquam externae vocationis tam perverse respuunt cujus vim divinam in cordibus sentiunt c. Are they ashamed saith he to sit down there where they see Christ is not ashamed Will they be holier and purer than he But why do they not convince themselves by their own experience They cannot deny but that they did beleeve in Christ before they made this divorce from us Whence had they their Faith Was it not by the preaching in our Church But can any man preach except he be sent Rom. 10.13 Why do they therefore so perversly despise the Word for some defect supposed in the outward Call the heavenly force whereof they feel upon their hearts What he there immediately adds Object Etiamsi fructus iste non magis culpa liberat depravationes nostras quà m vera proles adulterium That is Resp Notwithstanding this fruit of conversion doth no more excuse our Corruptions he means in Church Government especially than a true Childe doth Adultery This passage was both inconsiderately and as it implyed untruly spoken Inconsiderate it was for the Separation against whom he there writes do acknowledge That they had their Faith and Grace indeed in the Church of England but according to his own expression Jo. Robins Apol. for Separation cap. 12. p. m. 94. that did no more excuse the Church or prove it to be a true Church than a true Childe doth excuse Adultery or prove that the Woman is a true Wife They retort his own Metaphor upon him But again it was an unproper similitude and untrue in the implication of it for it implieth That there may be a true Conversion where there is no Church as there may be a true birth where there is no wedlock But we must remember That Christ doth not stand in relation to a Church In what relation Christ stands unto his Church as a man doth unto a woman by conjunction of whom there issues a natural birth whether their meeting be matrimonial or no God therein operating according to that course which he hath setled in Nature without respect unto his positive Law in that case provided but Christ stands in relation to his Church as a Husband to the Wife in spiritual and legitimate Matrimony the bond whereof is the Covenant of Grace according to that of the Apostle I have espoused you as a chaste Virgin unto Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 And again Ephes 5.23 The Husband is the head of the Wife even as Christ is the head of the Church wherein he implies that he is the Husband also Now the Childe is not the Husbands unless begotten in Matrimony To imply therefore That there may be Conversion by those who are no Church were to make as it were the Spouse of Christ an Harlot a thing horrid to imagine But to return to our Evidence from the Fruits of our Church and Ordinances There is a demonstration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from effects if they be so properly and not consequences accidentally onely which I say to prevent that crambe non saepius cocta and why was it not so of late when great proof was taken from success and issues careat successibus opto c. To this therefore we may add those speeches both of our Saviour and our Apostle in this way of reasoning from the proper effects unto the causes You shall know them by their FRUITS Mat. 7.16 saith our Saviour Do men gather Figs of Thorns 1 Cor. 9.2 or Grapes of Thistles And the Apostle If I be not an Apostle unto others yet doubtless I am unto you for the seal of my Apostleship are ye in the Lord That is Your Conversion proves me a true Minister of Christ Gal. 3.2 And elsewhere This onely would I learn of you Received you the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith It was good consequence in our Saviours and S. Pauls Logick to prove a true Church and Ministry by the effect of Conversion and why not in ours On the contrary the Assemblies of the Separation 1. None or rare conversion in the Separation Independency Anabaptism First negatively No conversion is found or rarely in them from prophaneness to grace but it is confessed by themselves Salvificam fidem veram pietatem multorum cordibus in Ecclesia Anglicana Robins Apol. cap. 12. p. m. 93. per Evangelii praedicationem ingenerari foveri absit ut vel negemus nos vel non eo nomine ingentes gratias Deo opt max. NOSTRUM ipsorum aliorum respectu debitas fateamur God forbid saith Mr. Robinson of whom we may well say Contr. Parmen l. 1. cap. 1. as Austin once of Tichonius viz. ' That he was a man acri ingenio praeditum uberi eloquio sed tamen Donatista i. e. endued with a sharp wit and good utterance but yet a Donatist a Separatist God forbid saith he that we should deny but that saving Faith and true Piety is both generated and maintained by the preaching of the Gospel in the Church of England yea we give most vehement thanks to the great and gracious God in this respect both for OUR SELVES and others They are generally converted before they fall to those ways and have an actual sense of Religion upon them Habitual Conversion for their habitual Conversion was in their Baptism and in their relation to the profession of Faith under which they were born upon which ground they have a right unto Baptism as we saw above out of Calvin Epist 285. Secondly Positively There grow such sowre Grapes 2. The sowre grapes of Separation such Rents Contentions loose practices especially these three noted above out of Bucer Pride Contempt of others and Opinions Add also what my self by long and much experience have observed of which above Whose Prayers are oft-times Prefaces to other matters as our Saviour hath it Mat. 23.14 Not but that there are such among us also but yet as the Lord noteth A proselyte unto such persons becomes twofold the Childe of Hell more than he was before Vers 15. as adding and colouring his corruptions with Religion and yet perhaps himself not seeing his hypocrisie as he did clearly see his prophaneness and his danger before They indeed do neither enter into the Kingdom of God themselves that is the Church nor suffer others to abide quiet in it Vers 13. as our Saviour in the same place And may in this be compared unto Beggars that steal the children of others and carry them about as their own Object Answ To conclude this point then Seeing Conversion is fully and plentifully had in the Church of England seeing it cannot be shewed to any
Vide Epist l. 2. Tom. 8. with all his Titles and hath other Epistles also wherein hee stiles him and Bishop Jewel likewise Bishops and Prelates 5. Melancthon often Valde reprehendimur à nostris quod jurisdictionem Episcopis reddidimus Nam vulgus assuefactum libertati Epist. l. 5. Ep. 15. Lutheâ—o semel excusso jugo Episcoporum aegre patitur sibi rursum imponi illa vetera onera maximè oderunt illam dominationem Civitates Imperii De Doctrina Religionis nihil laborant tantum de Regno libertate sunt soliciti Again Cives tui ex Norico valde succensent nobis quod reddimus jurisdictionem Episcopis Fremunt alii socii indignantur Regnum Episcopis restitui Lib. 3. Ep. 178. Vito Theodoro Ego tamen etiam duriores conditiones arbitror nobis accipiendas esse propter publicam Ecclesiae tranquillitatem concordiam sed FATALIS aliqua necessitas urget Germanos Again Utinam utinam possim non quidem dominationem confirmare sed administrationem restituere Episcoporum Lib. 4. Ep. 104. Camerario video enim qualem simus habituri Ecclesiam dissolutâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastica video postea multo intollerabiliorem futuram tyrannidem quà m antea unquam fuit adhuc nihil adhuc concessimus adversariis praeter ea quae Lutherus censuit esse reddenda re bene ac diligenter considerata ante conventum Again Quo enim jure licebat nobis dissolvere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiasticam si Episcopi concedent illa quae aequum est eosco c dere ut liceat certè non expedit semper ita sensitipse Lutherus Quem nulla de causa quidam ut video amant nisi quia beneficio ejus sentiunt se Episcopos excussisse adeptos libertatem minimè utilem ad posteritatem Again Velim hoc tibi persuadeas de me deque multis aliis nos optare Ep. ad Episc Augustin Dupl Aberd. 12. P. 115. ut pace constitutâ Episcoporum potestas sit incolumis hanc plurimam prodesse Ecclesiis judicamus We are saith hee much reproved by men of our own side because wee have restored their jurisdiction unto the Bishops For the people being accustomed to liberty and having once shaken off the yoak of Bishops can hardly indure those old burdens to be laid on their shoulders again But those who especially hate that Government are the Cities of the Empire As for the Doctrine of Religion they minde it not only of Lordship and Liberty they are solicitous Again Thy Towns-men of Noricum saith hee to another are very angry with mee for restoring jurisdiction to Bishops other of our friends are in a rage also and are highly offended that the Government is restored to the Bishops But for my part I think that even harder conditions should be accepted by us for the publick peace and tranquillity of the Church But there is a kinde of FATAL necessity that hurries on the Germanes Again O I would to God I would to God I were able to restore unto the Bishops not indeed their Lordly domineering he means such as were exercised by some Popish Bishops but their jurisdiction and government for I perceive what kinde of Church wee are like to have when the Church Politie and Discipline is dissolved Note And I perceive moreover a much more intollerable tyranny in the Church like to arise than hitherto hath ever been we have as yet yeelded nothing to the adversaries Note more than Luther himself judged fit to be restored after hee had weighed the matter with diligence and care before the Convention Again By what right can we lawfully dissolve the Church Government whilst the Bishops will yeeld unto us what they ought to yeeld And if it were lawful yet surely it is not expedient And so Luther ever thought whom I perceive some do love for no other cause in the world but for that they see by him they have shaken off Episcopacy and gotten a liberty no way useful unto posterity Again I would have thee think saith hee to the Bishop of Ausburg and perswade thy self concerning mee and many others that wee desire that peace being settled the power of Bishops may continue unshaken And this their power wee judge to be specially useful for the Churches Thus hee as for the Tyranny hee speaks of it happens to the Church as to the State sometimes For Example The Keepers of the Liberties of England was a specious title yet wee know they left us not a dram of Liberty indeed So it is easie for Tyranny to arise in the Church under a new name and a Wolf in a sheeps clothing But as the former Author saith in the same place Zanch. ubi supra Why contend wee about Names when as hee hath truly noted the Necessity and Use of Episcopacy as to the thing and office is acknowledged and improved in all Christian Churches I have done with Zanchy Let mee subjoyn one more and hee of special note and which wee should the more observe him for Bucer de Regno Christi lib. 2. cap. 12. pag. 67. one of the English Reformers though a foreiner it is Bucer whose praises wee heard above lib. 1. cap. 1. Hear him once and again First Note in that book which hee wrote and dedicated to King Edward the sixth for the special use of this Church and Nation and it were well it might be a little looked into the more whose Title is of the Kingdome of Christ Hee saith Jam ex perpetua Ecclesiarum observatione ab ipsis jam Apostolis videmus Visum hoc esse Spiritui sancto ut inter Presbyteros quâ—bus Ecclesiarum procuratio potissimum est commissa Unus Ecclesiarum totius sacri Ministerii curam gerat singularem eaque curâ solicitudine cunctis praeat aliis Qua de causa Episcopi nomen hujusmodi summis Ecclesiarum Curatoribus est peculiariter attributum Tametsi hi sine reliquorum Presbyterorum Consilio nihil statuere debeant Qui ipsi propter hanc communem Ecclesiae administrationem Episcopi in Scripturis vocentur Hi enim sicut dignitate demandata primaria Ecclesiarum solicitudine reliquos omnes sancti Ministerii ordines antecedunt ita debent voluntate studio Ecclesias rite administrandi prae omnibus aliis flagrare omnique facultate eas aedificandi praepollere Now saith hee by the perpetual observation of the Churches Note Episcopacy from the Holy Ghost from the very Apostles it seemed good to the Holy Ghost that among the Presbyters to whom the care of the Church is chiefly committed there should bee One who should specially sustain the cure and Government of the Churches and of the whole sacred Ministery and in that care and burden to be before all other For which cause the name of Bishop is attributed more peculiarly to these chief highest Rulers of the Churches although they without the counsel of the
admit all those to govern whom in that very question and the answer to it they did intend to oblige to subjection and obedience So gross is the Brethrens conscience to dare to utter and their confidence to think that so palpable a Calumny would pass undiscerned yea so ridiculous their hopes as to fancy it would bee beleeved To the third viz. that out of the Liturgy Proof 3 Because it is said in the Rubrick before the Communion Liberty given to the Minister by the Liturgy touching Communicants that the Minister is authorized to restrain notorious offenders from the Sacrament till they have openly declared themselves to have repented The Brethren query What is this but as much and as high jurisdiction as any Bishop can use in that particular Answ But first how shall wee make a coat for the Moon sometime they struggle as even lately if not at present for more power about the Sacrament and when my self mentioned this Rubrick unto one Mr. J. Cas that is no Cypher among them hee said it was not sufficient Again if the Brethren are by Law already instated in as much jurisdiction as any Bishop can use about the Sacrament and that is the greatest point why rest they not in it why blaspheme they the Common-prayer-book wherein it is contained why do they so wrestle imponere pelio ossam And make the Church and State as blocks to be For steps to mount unto their Prelacy But thirdly There are some Acts common in all governments and some proper A petty Constable may charge any man upon a warrant to assist him as well as the Sheriff of the County upon a writ Some kinde of share in government and exercise of Discipline was never denyed to a Minister as a Minister no more than a share with the Bishop in Preaching of the Word But Jurisdiction is a word of a louder sound than Discipline and the Government of the Church than some kinde of restraining a particular communicant Although those Acts belong to Government and are exercised by private Ministers yet they are about lesser things And also it is by concession and delegation not to bee challenged I think of right otherwise than as the officer of the Church appointed in her name to do that which of himself and as a private Minister hee could not do For then there must bee not as the Brethren say if the Bishops have sole Jurisdiction so many Popes that is six and twenty but sixty times six and twenty Popes in England For every Minister might then exclude whom hee pleased from the Communion and exercise an absolute tyranny upon the people And so much of their third proof Their last is from Law Proof 4 which because I do not understand it much that it belongs unto the Judges to determine Answ That the Bishops have appealed thereunto that my self have said above something to that point That * Vid. Tract of the R. Bp. Linc. now published of the Legality of the Bishops Courts c. Wherein the Kings Proclam and Judges sentence are recited it is declared already by the sentence of all the Judges Enrolled in the Courts of Record and by his late Majesties Proclamation and that it is like shortly to be further determined I supersede from further answering although I could Onely I may not pass the great inconsideration of the Brethren with so much virulency resisting the useful restitution of the Bishops into Parliament which is the interest of Christ himself of the Ministry and of the Kingdome First Though we are blessed be God all Christians yet our masters cause will probably bee minded a little more intently by those whom hee hath commissioned for that purpose the Ministry the honour and flower whereof are the Prelacy Again other persons have a vote in Parliament more immediately by their proxyes Why England should observe Episcopacy the Clergy none but in the Bishops Lastly The publick interest to bee concerned may well bee thought from not onely that engagement of thankfulness that lyes upon it unto Prelacy under whose Government and by whose Influence and through the effusion of the blood of whose members Religion hath been restored nor onely in regard they were by the Antient Laws even the first members next the head for the form was The Kings Majesty the Lords Spiritual and Temporal Nor onely in respect perhaps of some higher ingagements But from our experience the Mistress of fools For first neither King Lords nor Commons continued in power long after the Bishops ejectment And next hitherto wee have had no face of a Church no certainty of Doctrine no observation of Worship no exercise of Government to speak of but all things have gone to Babylonian confusion and antique Chaos Discite justitiam moniti The Phrygians will not learn till lasht they be If that amend us not then worse are wee I shall for close touching the Civil honour annexed unto Episcopacy in this Nation Zanch. confess cap. 25. Aph. 21. subjoyn the conclusion and judgement of the learned Zanchy and that in the confession of his Faith The conclusion is Episcoporum qui principes sunt politicam authoritatem non negari That the Civil Authority of Bishops which are also Magistrates or Princes is not denyed The explication follows Interim non diffitemur Episcopos qui simul etiam principes sunt praeter autoritatem Ecclesiasticam sua etiam habere jura politica Secularesque potestates quemadmodum reliqui habent principes jus imperandi secularia jus gladii nonnullos jus elegendi confirmandique Reges Imperatores aliaque politica constituendi administrandi subditosque sibi populos ad obedientiam sibi praestandam cogendi c. That besides their Ecclesiastical Authority they have also Civil Rights and SECULAR Powers and may constrain obedience unto such their powers c. which hee contradicts not in the observations Neither doth hee contradict it in his explication of that Aphorism And that place Mat. 20.25 It shall not bee so among you is understood by some to concern all Christians saith hee neither doth hee refute it SECT VI. The close of the Church-Controversie HAving thus far passed through all the five heads of motives unto Separation viz. The Doctrine the Worship the Assemblies the Discipline and the Government with replies unto them and having also vindicated them according to my weak arm by the sword of the spirit against the opposers of them I come now to close this whole dissertation His present Majesty hath indulged to the Brethren and their adherents very much in all the Premises May it prove successeful But his Grandfather King James having tasted of this Solunne geuse and wilde fowl whilst in Scotland and being pressed at his first coming as His Majesty now to the like here hee utters his judgement upon observation of Gods presence with this Church and Nation in these words We have seen the Kingdome under that form of Religion