kingdome hee and his sonnes in the middes of Israel Deut. 17. I frame my argument thus The king is commaunded to reade the lawe of God that hee may learne to feare God and decline pride therefore the reading of the law of God doth edifie In king Iosias time the booke of the lawe was found by Hilkiah the Priest This booke was read in the Lordes house The king was present so were all the men of Iuda the inhabitants of Ierusalem and the Priests and the Leuites and all the people from the greatest to the smallest c. 2. Chron. 34. I make my argument thus The booke of the lawe was not read in vaine in the Lordes house c. 2. Kings 22. therefore it did edifie All the wordes of my mouth are righteous there is no lewdnesse nor frowardnesse in them They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande and streight to them that would find knowledge Prou. 8. Therefore the holy Scriptures both read and preached doe edifie His salubriter praua corriguntur paruanutriuntur magna oblectantur ingenia Aug. Epist 3. The holy Scripture hath in it milke for babes and stronger meate for them that are of age Heb. 5. The holy Scripture is a shallowe water where in the lambe may wade and a great sea wherein the Elephant may swimme The Lawe and the Prophets were read in the Churches of Antiochia and Ierusalem Act. 13. and in Nazareth Luke 4. If the reading of the holy Scriptures doe not edifie why were the law and Prophets read in the Temple and Synagogues The Apostle writeth thus to the pastours and people of Colosse Let the worde of Christ dwell in you plenteously c. Coloss 3. Therefore Gods people are not to be barred from the reading of the holy Scripture If it doeth not edifie they were iustly barred by the Popish Cleargie Victorinus was an Oratour in Rome By reading the Scriptures he became a Christian Mirante Roma gaudente ecclesia that is Rome marueyled at Victorinus conuersion Gods Church was glad of it Aug. Confess lib. 8. cap. 2. Gods speach vnto vs I am sure doth edifie when the Scriptures are read God speaketh vnto vs. The holy Scriptures are Dei Epistola c. that is Gods Epistle vnto vs. By reading the Scriptures Gods people do more easily receiue Gods holy truth and espie Popish absurdities and Anabaptisticall fancies They which mislike the reading of the scriptures are Zwingfildians that is absurde heretikes What then is master Penry which writeth that the worde barely read and to no other purpose then to edifie by reading is not wholesome doctrine If any shall gather of this I haue set downe that I am an enemie to the preaching of the word hee deserueth no answere My iudgement is If the reading of the holy scriptures doeth edifie that sounde preaching doeth edifie much more By sound preaching I vnderstand the giuing of the true sense of the scripture and applying it to the profite of the auditours Thus did Ezra Christ the Apostles preach This course I am sure doeth highly please God and bringeth many sheepe into the Lordes folde The Lorde increase the number of such teachers that Gods religion may flourish as Aarons rod did and that Popish and Anabaptisticall errours may be deuoured as the roddes of the Egyptian sorcerers were Ille huic doctrinae inimicus est animus qui vel errando eam nescit esse saluberrimam vel odit aegrotando medicinam Agust Epist. 3. CHAP. 5. A DEFENCE OF THAT which hath bene written in the questions of the ignorant ministerie and the communicating with them By IOHN PENRY THere be two things M. D. SOME wherein you by oppugning that trueth which out of the worde of God I had set downe concerning the two former questions haue bene wanting both vnto your selfe and to the cause the defence whereof you vndertooke The former want of the two appeareth by your spare dealing in a matter of such great weight wherin you haue dealt with so illiberal a hand that what hath bene written by you might seeme to proceede rather from any then from a man whose gifts and learning seemed to promise the affording of greater and more weightie matters then any set downe in that treatise R. Some Your beginning is full of courage I do not wonder at it He that runneth alone is alwayes formost You accuse me to withstande Gods trueth A sore charge If true I must reuerse my iudgement if vntrue true you haue dealt iniuriously with me When Ioas was aduanced to the Imperiall Crowne of Iuda Athalia cried Treason Treason 2. Chron. 23. A hard speach against king Ioas Iehoiada c. But Athalia her selfe was the Traitour You shall apply this I haue dealt you say verie sparingly in a matter of great importance If I haue so your aduantage is greater If the seede sowen in my booke were like yours I might be iustly thought to bee verie prodigall My treatise I perceiue is not for your tooth it is simple in your eye Aquila non capit muscas It hath pleased many I thanke God of excellent learning and wisedome to like of it That is my comfort Instar mille Platonis calculus I make very meane account as yet of your iudgement You are not read you are to seeke in the principles of diuinitie you haue broched grosse errours you know not your ignorance For that knowledge which Almightie God hath giuen me I thanke his Maiestie verie humbly It is more I confesse then I am worthie of God giue me grace to vse it to his glorie I. Penry The number of my reasons were many you onely haue touched two of them the rest are not dealt with And therefore the cause as yet remaineth whole For be it you had answered these two as you haue not yet had you not satisfied the doubtfull conscience of those that know not in these points which way to turne them as long as any one of my reasons remayned vnanswered R. Some Your reasons I confesse haue number but they want weight I haue confuted three of them The first of the three is accompted by you a pillar of marble But I haue not you say dealt with the rest Content yourselfe I haue made no fault I answered such and so many as were deliuered to me by some of your faction When I had finished my treatise your booke was brought me before I knew not that you were the father of them You denie that I haue answered any of your reasons It is easie to say so and you might worst haue sayde it A partie is vnfit to be a Iudge Your reasons are all of one stampe therefore the ouerthrow of the principall is the ouerthrow of all Your followers vvhich knowe not which way to turne them may thanke both you and themselues you for sowing themselues for reaping such giddie fancies It is an easie thing to leade and fall into an Anabaptisticall maze They will not bee satisfied you say before
A GODLY TREATISE containing and deciding certaine questions mooued of late in London and other places touching the Ministerie Sacraments and Church Whereunto one Proposition more is added After the ende of this Booke you shall finde a defence of such points as M. Penry hath dealt against And a confutation of many grosse errours broched in M. PENRIES last Treatise Written by Robert Some Doctor of Diuinitie Ephes 4. verse 15. Let vs follow the trueth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ c. Imprinted at London by G. B. Deputie to Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie 1588. ¶ To the Reader TWo sortes of Recusantes are in this land the one Popish the other Anabaptisticall They giue out that wee haue no ministery no Sacraments no visible Church These men labour of two diseases the one is great pride the other grosse ignorance Their pride appeares in their behauiour which is voide of humilitie their ignorance in their Arguments which hang together like a sicke mans dreame That her Maiestie may and ought to compell these Recusants to frequent our Church assemblies I make no question There is an other sorte which either deny or doubt whether vnpreaching ministers doe deliuer a Sacrament vpon better aduise some of them confesse that ignorant ministers doe administer a Sacrament but they adde this that such as receiue any Sacrament at their hands doe sinne grossely and pollute thēselues I will hope well of these men for they erre onely for want of iudgement The holy Sacrament is one thing the ministers ignorance is an other thing the Lordes Sacrament brings singuler comfort to the worthie receiuer the ministers ignorance can neither peruert the Sacrament nor pollute the receiuer The Donatistes taught otherwise in the former time and the Anabaptistes in our time but they are notably confuted by two famous men Augustine and Caluine What account I make of ignorant ministers appeareth in this treatise It pleased God to direct my heart and penne in this holy labour therefore I assure my selfe of his gracious blessing London Maij. 6. 1588. R. S. A Table of such points as are conteiin this Treatise 1 A Godly Prince may and ought to compell his subiects if any refuse to the externall Seruice of God 2 A godly Prince may not suffer any Religion but the true Religion either publiquely or priuately in his Dominions 3 Able teachers ought to be prouided so much as can be for the Churches 4 The teachers of religion must haue maintenance 5 Almightie God blesseth those kingdomes with peace which promote and embrace his Religion 6 The childe of God is not polluted though hee be present at and partaker of the publique Prayers Sacraments c. at such time as wicked men are present at and partakers of them 7 They which were baptized in the Popish Church by Popish Priestes receiued true Baptisme touching the substance of Baptisme 8 They are the Sacraments of Baptisme and the holy Supper which are deliuered in the Church of Englande by vnpreaching Ministers 9 The godly are not polluted which receiue the Sacrament at the handes of an vnpreaching Minister 10 The Church of England is the visible Church of Christ 1. A GODLY PRINCE may and ought to compell his Subiects if any refuse to the externall Seruice of God IT is the Princes duetie to prouide able men to teache the Lordes Religion in his dominions So did Iosaphat the king of Iuda 2. Chro. 17. and Artaxerxes the king of Persia Ezra 7. therefore it is the Princes duetie to prouide that his Subiects doe heare and learne the Lords religion Teachers and learners are relatiues Great outrages were committed against both the tables of the commandements as appeareth in the booke of Iudges for euery man did that whih was good in his owne eyes Iudg. 17. 19. cha The reason of these absurdities is set out liuely and often in these words There was no king in Israel Iudg. 17.18 19. Chap. by which words it is manifest that if a religious Prince had bene in place Idolatrie and wicked behauiour had bene suppressed and the Israelites pressed to serue the Lorde That Princes doe not passe their bounds in this it is cleare by that which Augustine reporteth of and commendeth in the King of Babylon Contra Cresc gram lib. 3. cap. 51. The Prince is bound to sanctifie the Sabboth so are his subiects the Lords commaundement is flat for this Remember the Sabboth day to keepe it holy Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy worke But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruant nor thy mayd nor thy beast nor thy stranger that is within thy gates c. Exo. 20. If none are exempted by almightie God none can be dispensed with by man for all are charged to present themselues in the holy assemblies And least any either prince or subiect should forget this duetie the Lord himselfe is their remembrancer in these wordes Remember that thou sanctifie the Sabboth c. that is the sanctification of my Sabboth is a matter very important it concerneth my honour but thy comfort therfore remember and forget it not If any refuse they may and ought to bee compelled for the breach of the Sabboth is a hainous sinne Iere. 17. Nehem. 13. Faith commeth by hearing of the word Rom. 10. therefore refusall to heare hinders both the beginning and growth of faith The Samaritanes heard Philippe in Samaria they beleeued Actes 8. Lydia heard Paul at Philippos she beleeued Act. 16. Augustine was a Manichee nine yeeres he heard Ambrose the Bishop of Mediolanum and was conuerted August confess lib. 4. cap. 1. and lib. 5. cap. 13. and 14. If any shal aske me why all that heare beleeue not I answere Arcana Deisunt adoranda non scrutanda That is Gods secrets are not to be searched but adored and that vnlesse Gods spirit touch the heart as the worde doeth pearce the eare Gods holy Trueth is a dead letter vnto vs. Asa Iosias were famous kings of Iuda Asa commāded Iuda to seeke the Lord God of their fathers and to do according to the law and cōmandement 2. Chron. 14. Iosias compelled his subiects to serue the Lord their God 2. Chron. 34. So did Manasses after his conuersion 2. Chron. 33. If it were lawfull for these Kings of Iuda to cōmaund and compell their subiects it is not vnlawfull for ours to do the like If it be not lawfull to compell recusants why are Asa Iosias Manasses commended by the holy Ghost for this excellent course Ezra was a learned Scribe he was authorized by the King of Persia to teache them beyonde the riuer Euphrates the Lavve of God vvhich did not knowe it and to punish such as refused to learne Artaxerxes vvarrant is set dovvne in this sort And thou Ezra after
the wisdome of thy God that is in thine hand set Iudges and arbiters which may iudge all the people that is beyonde the riuer euen all that knowe the Lawe of thy God and teache yee them that knowe it not And whosoeuer will not doe the Lawe of thy God and the Kings lawe let him haue iudgement without delay whether it be vnto death or to banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment Esra 7. verse 25 26. And least any should take exception against Artaxerxes commaundement Ezra cleareth it of all suspition of vnlavvfulnesse in these vvordes Blessed bee the Lorde God of our fathers which hath inclined the Kings heart to beautifie the House of the Lorde that is in Ierusalem Ezra 7. verse 27. Augustine the Bishoppe of Hippo in Africke vvas a very famous man hee vvas sometimes of opinion that heretiques vvere to bee pressed by argument and not by the Magistrate his reason then vvas Ne fictos Catholicos haberemus quos apertos hereticos noueramus That is least vvee should haue them counterfait Catholiques whome wee knewe to bee notorious heretiques But after weightie consideration hee chaunged his former opinion and is very resolute that Recusants may and ought to bee compelled by the Magistrate August Epist. 48. 204. Siterrerentur non docerentur improba quasi dominatio videretur Sed rursus Si docerentur non terrerentur c. August Epist. 48. that is to punish and not to teach were tyrannie againe to teach and not to punish were to harden them in their auncient custome and to make them slowe to enter the path of saluation Exi in vias sepes compelle intrare Luke 14. Qui compellitur quò non vult cogitur sed quùm intrauerit iam volens pascitur August Epist 204. that is Go out into the high wayes and hedges and compell them to come in he that is compelled is compelled to enter against his will but when hee is entred hee is fedde willingly Ad caenam tanti patrisfamilias si sponte non vultis intrare compellimus August contra 2. Gaudentij Epist lib. 2. cap. 28. that is to the supper of so great an householder if you wil not of your owne accord we compell you to enter Quod autem vobis videtur inuitos ad veritatem non esse cogendos c. August contra 2. Gaudentij Epist lib. 2. cap. 17. That is where as yee thinke that men are not to bee compelled to the Trueth against their vvilles yee erre not knovving the Scriptures nor the povver of GOD vvhich maketh those vvilling though they bee compelled against their willes Qui phreneticum ligat lethargicum excitat ambobus molestus ambos amat Aug. Epist 48. That is he that bindeth a frantike man and awaketh him that hath the lethargy loueth both though he be grieuous to both 2. A GODLY PRINCE MAY not suffer any religion but the true religion either publikely or priuately in his Dominions THe exercise of false religion is directly against the sanctification of the Lords Sabboth Exo. 20. therefore the Prince may not at any hande suffer it The Morall lawe as it teacheth the worship of Almightie God in the first and honestie of life in the second table of the commandements is perpetuall and bindeth vs vnto the worldes ende The Israelites being in captiuitie in Egypt were required by Pharao to sacrifice to Almightie God in Egypt Moses refused c. Exod. 8. The Israelites being in captiuitie in Babylon were required by the Chaldeans to sing one of the songs of Sion They refused and answered thus How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land Psal 137. Of these places I gather my argument thus It was not lawfull to sacrifice in Egypt and to sing the Lords song in Chaldea which were polluted landes therefore it is not lawfull to suffer Idolatrous popish seruice in Englād which is a holy land That professed papists are Idolaters it is manifest first they worship false gods for they worship Angels and Saintes deceased which are no gods Secondly they worshippe not the true God aright for they doe not worship him according to his written worde Confession consent in the true religion is Vinculum ecclesiae the chaine and bond of Gods Church for the Apostle saith there is but one faith Ephe. 4.5 therefore dissension and difference in religion is a dissolutiō of Gods Church But no prince may haue any either hand or litle finger in dissoluting Gods Church for Kings and Queenes are the nursing fathers and mothers of the Church Esai 4.9 It is the Princes duetie to prouide for the safetie of the bodies therefore much more for the safety of the soules of his subiects If for the safetie of their soules then they may not suffer them to poyson their soules True religion is the foode of the soule It is but one To swarue from that is the bane of the soule It leadeth to hell The Shipmaster and shepheard must keepe his shippe and sheepe from rocke and wolfe Qui non scruat si potest periturum occidit The prince is bounde to serue the Lord in feare Psal 2. therefore he may not suffer almightie God to be dishonoured by any of his subiects God is notably dishonoured when false worship is suffered either publikely or priuately The Angel of the Church of Pergamus is reproued by Christ for hauing such in Pergamus as maintained the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which God hated The Angel of the Church of Thyatira is reproued by Christ for suffering Iezabel c. to teach and to deceiue Apocal. 2. therfore Princes sinne grieuously which suffer the exercise of a false religion A godly prince may not suffer a wilfull breach of his owne lawes therefore not of Gods lawes Almightie God is greater then all Princes His lawes doe as farre passe the princes as the gold of Ophir the clay in the street Besides they which hate Gods religion and consequently sinne against the first table are easily induced to disobey their prince which is a sinne against the second table It was a famous speech of the Emperour Constantius the father of Constantinus the Emperour Howe can they bee fast and true to the Emperour which are Traitours to Almightie God Euseb lib. 1. de vita Constant King Asa deposed Maachah his mother from her regencie because she had made an idoll in agroue Asa brake downe her idoll and stamped it at the brooke Kidron 2. Chron. 15. Ezechias and Iosias were famous Kings of Iuda They destroyed the groues and temples of the idols They destroyed the groues and temples of the idols They tooke a direct course for Gods religion Almightie God may not bee dalied with in his seruice There must be no parting of stakes Hee will either haue all or none Ezech. 20. The Lordes Altar and Baals Altar must not stand together Iudg. 6. Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon made a decree that euery
the souldier or the merchāt aduenturer which in their places are a singular defence to their countrey by sea and land therefore it is a heinous sinne to robbe Churchmen which as Elias are the Chariots and horsemen of the common wealth The weapons of our warrefare saith the Apostle are not carnal but mighty through God to cast downe holdes casting downe the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captituitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ and hauing ready the vengeance against all disobedience c. 2. Cor. 10. The repairing of Churches is to bee performed carefully So was it in king Ioas time therefore much more prouision for the teachers the Priestes maintenance in Ioas time neither was nor might be abridged for repairing of the Churches the reason of it is conteined in these wordes The money of the trespasse offering and the money of the Sinne offring was not brought into the Lordes house for it was the Priests 2. Kings 12. Skilfull teachers doe plough the Lords field and are the Lords both mouth and hands to deliuer his blessings and treasure vnto vs therefore they ought to haue defence and maintenance and not to wander as Michas Priest did Iudg. 17. Students cannot liue of the ayre as the Chamelion doth Church pollers shut vp the kingdome of heauen before mē for they themselues goe not in neither suffer they them that would enter to come in therefore the woe denounced by Christ against the Scribes and Pharises seazeth vpon them Matth. 23. Ezechias the King of Iuda commanded that the Priests and Leuites should haue maintenance and that their wiues children and families should bee prouided for 2. Chron. 31. vers 4 18. Thus did Hezekiah throughout all Iudah and did well and vprightly and truely before the Lord his God And in all the works that he began for the seruice of the house of God both in the Law and in the Commandements to seeke his God he did it will all his heart and prospered 2. Chron. 31. vers 20 21. Diuers famous Princes haue had some Church-men to be of their honorable Councel Iehoiada was in King Ioas Court 2. Chron. 24. Zadok and Abiathar in Dauid and Salomons Court 2. Sam. 20. 1. King 4. Daniel in Darius Court Dan. 6. It is Queene Elizabeths pleasure that the worthiest men should bee aduaunced for the gouernement and seruice of the Church That very meane choise hath bene made of diuers Churchmen the land sees feeles and cries out of Question Whether such thinges as were giuen for the maintenance of idolatry may and ought to be conuerted to the seruice of God Answere They may and ought My reasons are If men should conuert them to their priuate vse it might be iustly thought that in abolishing superstition priuate gaine is the marke which is shot at and not the aduancing of Gods religion August epist. 154. When such things are conuerted not to priuate but common vses or to the honour of God that falleth out in them which in men themselues when of Church robbers and wicked men they are conuerted to true religion August epist 154. Eleazar the Priest tooke the brasen censers which they that were burnt had offered and made broad plates of them for a couering of the Altar Numb 16. The gold siluer the vessels of brasse and Iron in Iericho were brought into the Lordes treasury Ios 6. Gedeon did offer vnto the Lorde a bullocke which had bin fed for Baals seruice and did vse the wood of the groue a dioyning Iudg. 6. If such thinges as were giuen to the maintenance of Poperie may not be conuerted to the seruice of God then pull downe Churches and Vniuersities take away their landes c. And let Atheisme be in steade of Gods religion and Macciauell in the place of the new Testament 5. ALMIGHTIE GOD blesseth those kingdomes with peace which promote and embrace his religion THe holy host setteth out in liuely colours the cōsequents of teaching and embracing the Lordes religion They shall breake their swordes into mattockes and their speares into siethes they shall sit euery man vnder his vine and figge tree without feare of the enemie Mich. 4. The prophet Esay singeth the same song The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe The Leoparde shall lie with the kidde the Cowe and the Beare shall feede together Esay 11. That is wicked men which in cruell affections resemble the Wolfe the Leoparde the Beare shall cast off the chaine of pride and the garment of crueltie and shall goe hand in hand with the godlie who for their innocencie are compared to the Lambe the Cowe the Kidde The reason is For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lorde Esay 11. The Egyptians and Assyrians were deadly enemies they denied traffique one to an other and all passages were shut vp betweene Egypt and Assyria Esay describing a great alteration of minds in them of Egypt and Assyria sayth that There shall be apath from Egypt to Assur and Assur shall come into Egypt and Egypt into Assur The reason of their agreement is set downe in these words The Egyptians shall worship the Lord with Assur Esay 19. Where idolatrie is aduanced no peace can bee looked for They chose newe gods saith Deborah Then was warre in the gates Iudg. 5. The Israelites for a long time were without the true God without Priest to teach In that time saith the Prophet Azariah there was no peace for nation was destroyed of nation and citie of citie 2. Chron. 15. The Reubenites Gadites and halfe tribe of Manasseh transgressed against the God of their fathers and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the lande whome God had destroyed before them The God of Israel stirred vp the spirit of the kings of Assyria who caryed them away captiue c. 1. Chron. 5. Iehoram the king of Iuda did forsake the Lorde God of his fathers the consequents were Edom Libnah rebelled the Lorde stirred vp against Iehoram the spirit of the Philistines Arabians 2. Chron. 21. King Ahaz was a notable idolater He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus the Edomites and Philistines inuaded the cities of Iuda and preuailed Yea the king of Aslyria whose helpe Ahaz desired and accounted greatly of did trouble and not strengthen him 2. Chron. 28. Iehoiakim the king of Iuda did euill in the sight of the Lorde his God The king of Babel came vp against him and bound him with chaines to carie him to Babel 2. Chron. 36. They which dissent in religion cannot bee knit fast together The Samaritanes and Iewes differed in religion they contended about the Temple Ioh. 4. The stirre betweene them was very great Some in the Apostles times after Christ ascensiō vrged circumcision as necessary vnto saluation other condemned it as an absurd grosse error The stirre was great in the Churches of Antiochia and Galatia Arius erred blasphemously about the godhead
haue beene greatly disquieted and the good course of religion hath beene greatly hindered The cause of this sore is intollerable pride and grosse ignorance in these bad companions and want of care in the Magistrates If any shall aske mee what the true causes are why so many vnfitte men are the Churches Ministers I answere either great want of iudgement or great corruption in such which doe ordeine and preferre them The sinne of these men is very great for they dishonour Almightie God and do grosly abuse the people of the land This disease will bee healed when the Churches maintenance is not disposed of by them which haue the golden dropsie but is freely giuen to worthie and painefull students which will neither fish with the siluer hooke nor open the Church doore with a siluer key 9. THE GODLY ARE not polluted which receiue the Sacrament at the handes of an vnpreaching Minister THE Sacramentes are Gods ordinance the Ministers ignorance cannot peruert the nature of Gods ordinance A Sacrament can neuer be without promise of saluation therefore the worthy partaker of the Sacrament receiues a blessing if a blessing then no pollution That he receiues a blessing the Apostle teacheth vs We are buried with Christ saith S. Paul by baptisme into his death c. Rom. 6. verse 4. The cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which wee breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ 1. Cor. 11. verse 16. The parents of Christ went to Ierusalem euery yere at the feast of the Passeouer Luk. 2. vers 41. their going to Ierusalem was to testifie their religion to be partakers of the sacrifices There were at that time in Salomons Temple manifold corruptions the high Priesthood was solde for money many of the Iewish Priests were ignorant yet Ioseph the virgine Mary were not polluted Calu. Luc. 2. vers 41. The godly which receiue the holy Supper of an vnpreaching Minister are not partakers of the Ministers vnworthinesse but of the holy Sacrament which is a pillar of our faith therefore the vnworthinesse of the Minister doth not defile the Communicāt Alterius siue Pastoris siue priuati indignitate non laeditur pia conscientia c. Calu. Institut lib. 4. cap. 1. Sect. 19. that is A godly conscience is not hurt by the vnworthinesse of an other either Pastor or priuate man neither are the mysteries lesse pure and healthfull to a holy man because they are then handled of such as be impure Ille qui accipit si homo bonus ab homine malo si fidelis à perfido si pius ab impio perniciosumerit danti non accipienti Illud quippe sanctum malè vtentem iudicat bene accipientem sanctificat Aug. contra Cresc gram lib. 2. cap. 28. that is he which receiueth if a good of an euill man if a faithfull of a faithlesse man if a godly of a wicked man it will be hurtful to the giuer not to the receiuer for that holy thing he meaneth the sacrament doth iudge him which vseth it ill but doeth sanctifie him which receiueth it well Circumcision was one of the Lords Sacraments in the Iewish Church The Iewes which were circumcised of impure priestes and Apostates receiued no hurt therefore no pollution Calu. Institut lib. 4. cap. 15. Sect. 16. The Sacraments neither are nor can be the worse for the ignorance or vnworthinesse or better for the learning or worthinesse of any man whatsoeuer Whosoeuer thinketh otherwise is a Donatist Touching this point of the Sacrament I rest wholy in Augustines iudgement his wordes are these Ego dieo meliùs per bonū ministrū quà m per malū dispensari sacramenta diuina verùm hoc propter ipsum ministrum melius est vteis rebus quas ministrat vita moribus congruat non propter illum qui etiam si incurrerit in ministrum malum dispensantem veritatem securitatem accipit à domino suo monente ac dicente Quae dicunt facite quae autem faciunt nolite facere dicunt enim non faciunt Addo etiam ad hoc esse melius vt ille cui ministratur ministri boni probitatem ac sanctitatem diligendo faciliùs imitetur Sed non ideo veriora sanctiora sunt quae ministrantur quia per meliorem ministrantur Illa namque per seipsa vera sancta sunt propter Deum verum sanctum cuius sunt ideo fieri potest vt accedens ad societatem populi Dei alium inueniat à quo facilè baptizetur alium eligat quem salubriter imitetur Certus est enim sanctum esse Sacramentum Christi etiamsi per minùs sanctum vel non sanctum hominem ministratum est se autem eiusdem ipsius sacramenti sanctitate puniri si indignè acceperit si malè vsus fuerit si ei non conuenienter congruè vixerit August contra Cresc Gram. lib. 4. cap. 20. The summe of Augustines wordes is that the Sacrament is administred better by a good then by a bad Minister yet that the Sacraments of themselues are true and holy c. by what minister so euer they be deliuered c. If any shall aske mee whether it be lawful to omit the partaking of the holy Sacrament in such Churches ouer which ignorant ministers are set and to present our selues and our infants to the holy Sacrament in other Churches my answere is that I referre them to the Magistrate and Gouernours of our Churches c. Obiection By whome a thing ought not to be deliuered by another it ought not to bee receiued but ignorant ministers ought not to deliuer the Sacraments therefore c. Answere The Maior is false My reason is An euill man ought not to deliuer the worde of God but wee ought to receiue it An euill man ought not to giue almes but a poore man may receiue it An absurde minister ought not to deliuer the Sacrament but they are not polluted which receiue it Obiection They of whose ministerie there is a Nullitie before God although they haue an outwarde calling ought not to bee accompted ministers therefore not to bee communicated with I. Penry pag. 43 44. Answere I denie your Antecedent My reasons are First there was a Nullitie before God of Caiphas Priesthoode for hee entred by money and the Priesthood was deuided betweene him and Annas against the Lords order Calu. Luc. 3. yet Caiphas is called the high Priest by the Euangelists Mat. 26. Ioh. 18. Secondly there was a Nullitie before God of the ministerie of some in Philippos which preached Christ of contention and to adde more affliction to Pauls bandes Philip. Chap. 1. verse 15 16. But these are accompted ministers by the Apostle vers 15 18. If any shall deny that there was a Nullitie before God of their ministerie I prooue it thus They had not an inward calling M. Penry saith that an inward calling is contained in the
page 84. They amongst vs which are vnbaptized doe sinne grienously if they doe not present themselues to baptisme Chap. 8. page 88. They which are once baptized must not be baptized againe Chap. 19. page 156. They which were baptized of Popish priestes in the Popish Church receiued true baptisme c. chap 7. page 79. and chap. 8. page 88 89. and chap. 20. page 156. 157. The false profession of Christ in popery doth not proue that the true Christ is not in popish baptisme cap. 23. pa. 174. Whether infants ought rather to be kept vnbaptized then to be presented to popish baptisme chap. 23. page 180. The infāts of papists may be baptized in a reformed church if some of the religion do present them to baptisme do vndertake the godly education of them cha 17. pag. 150. There hath bene may be true baptisme out of the church chap. 21. page 158. Though true baptisme was amōgst the Donatists out of the Church August did not giue leaue to any of the church to presēt their infāts to be baptized there cap. 21. pa. 159. They are the Sacraments of Baptisme and the holy Supper which are administred by vnpreaching ministers in the church of England chap. 8. page 88. 89. 95. 98. None vnbaptized may receiue the holy supper chap. 8. page 90. 91. 92. It is lawful to administer the holy supper in a priuate house if some cautions be obserued chap. 15. page 141. 142. Euery legall vncleannes was not ioyned with sinne chap. 9. page 113. The regenerate cannot fulfil the law of God cha 26. pa. 199 A TABLE OF DIVERS grosse errours and Anabaptisticall fancies conteined in M. Penryes Treatise c. Master Penry saith That the life of the Magistracie is neither prescribed in the worde for so there could be no Magistrates out of the Church nor any in the Church but such as are prescribed in the word which were impious to thinke nor conteined in the gifts of the Magistracie nor yet separated from his outwarde calling For the very outward calling is it that giueth life vnto the Magistracie though the person susteining it want gifts to discharge the same The reason hereof is euident because the Magistracie being an humaine constitution as the holy Ghost saith 1. Pet. 2.13 is appropriated vnto his possession vpō whomsoeuer man bestoweth the same if hee be capable to possesse though vnfit to execute what is a lotted vnto him In his addition page 48. This speach of M. Penryes is very grosse His first reason is this there may be Magistrates out of the Church therefore the life of the Magistracie is not prescribed in the word M. P. Antecedent is true For Pharao Nero Iulian were magistrates out of the Church I deny his argument My reason is the gifts of courage fearing God dealing truly hating couetousnes which are the life of the Magistrate are prescribed in Gods booke Exo. 18.21 Deu. 1.13 If you say they are not the life of the magistracie you dissent from all the learned and therfore must set downe what God requireth of him that should be his Magistrate His second reason is this There are and may be magistrates within the Church which are not garnished with the aboue named gifts therefore the life of the Magistracie is not prescribed in the word My answere is I confesse that absurd Magistrates haue bene and are many times aduanced in the Church I graunt they should not either by the corruption or errour of the electours But I deny your argument My reason is It is great wickednes to thinke because grosse Electours preferre vnfit men and so faile in their duetie that Almightie God hath failed in prescribing what kinde of men he would haue to be his lieutenants M. Penry addeth that the life of the Magistracie is not conteined in the gifts of the magistracie I dissent from him in this If he had said that the birth of the magistracie is not conteined in the gifts of the magistracie he had hit the white M. Penry writeth that the life of the magistracie is not separated from his outward calling for the very outward calling saith he is it that giueth life vnto the magistracie If this were true then the life and birth of the magistrate are idem tempore that is twinnes and consequently whosoeuer hath the outwarde calling which is the birth hath the inwarde calling which is the life of the magistrate So is Gods furniture tyed to the electours voices as to the chaire and the inward outward calling of the magistrate confounded which is a palpable errour If there bee an outward calling to the magistracie without the which no man howsoeuer furnished within may presume to execute the office of the magistrate I am sure there is an inward calling to the magistracie For the outwarde calling doeth import an inward If there be an inward calling which is by God himselfe what I beseech you is it but such furniture and gifts as are prescribed and required in the holy word The foundation whereupon M. Penry hath built his former absurdities is a very rotten post that is a grosse deprauing of a text of Scripture viz. The Magistracie is an humaine ordinance 1. Pet. 2.13 that is a deuise of man and not an Ecclesiasticall constitution prescribed in the worde That the magistracie is not any deuise of man but Gods ordinance for the benefite of man is a cleare trueth in Gods booke None doubt of it vnlesse they be Anabaptists or extremely ignorant M. Penry saith that the word barely read and to no other purpose then to edifie by reading is not holsome doctrine Chap. 8. pag. 99. This is a blasphemous absurditie M. Penryes reasons for it are most absurd and childish I referre you to my answere Chap. 8. pag. 100. 101. and to a proposition which I haue handled Chap. 4. pag. 62. c. M. Penry writeth that it is false to say that the recitall of the summe of Christes Sermon that is the word of institution c. is an edifying word he saith it mainteyneth charming Chap. 8. pag. 88. 89. This is a blasphemous absurditie If euery part of the Canonical Scripture doth edifie I trust the summe of the Lord Iesus Sermon ought to haue singuler allowance If it ought to haue singuler allowance it may not be indited and arraigned for maintenance of charming M. Penry saith that the people cannot sanctifie a Sabboth without a Sermon His words are these They are no ministers whose flocks by their ministery can not sanctifie the Sabboth our Readers are such c. In his addition pag. 60. M. Penry accounteth the publique reading of the holy Scripture and publique prayers no part of the sanctification of the Sabboth If he had said that the Sabboth is not so well sanctified without as with a godly Sermon I woulde haue agreed vnto him M. Penry maketh the person to giue credite to the holy word His wordes are these The word of God vttered is not an
he was a papist euer professed the trueth My answere is that they did and doe erre in very many things but yet they did and doe professe some trueth and I doubt not but that many which liued and died in the time of popish darkenesse died Gods seruants If you thinke that a man being wide in many things is wide in all things then because you M. Penry haue deliuered manie blasphemous Anabaptisticall and other errours I might iustly conclude that you hold nothing soundly but I wil not offer you such measure If I did I should deale absurdly with you Howe professed papists are Idolaters appeareth in my second proposition which is newly added to my former treatise Thither I referre you I. Penry Antichrist I grant should sit as God in the temple of God but it was neuer the temple of God since he planted his pestilent chaire therein Poperie in deed hath inuaded the seates and possessions of true religion and began first where the trueth was professed For the mysterie of iniquitie first appeared within the Church and not else-where where true religion flourished and not among the heathen neither could he bee that aduersarie whose beginning shoulde bee in Paganisme But although Poperie tooke roote in the soyle where the true Churche was planted yet it so grewe there that it still continued to be the synagogue of Satan and could neuer as yet be the Church of God howsoeuer it hath ouergrowen the possession thereof And what though their fathers who now are Papists were within the couenant as professing true religion shall it therefore followe that their Idolatrous sonnes should be so too If they returne the Lord hath mercie in store for them I denie not But what is there in this poynt saide for the Papists which the Iewes cannot with farre more shewe of reason pretend for themselues The profaning of Baptisme among the Papistes can make them no more be within the Church then the continuance of the profanation of Circumcision among the Ishmaelites and Edomites could keepe them vnder the couenant And why should popish Baptisme any more tye the Lords couenant to an Idolatrous race then an Ishmaelitish or Edomitish cutting off of the foreskinne linke him to be the God of those adulterous generations Oh but the Lord himselfe hath said in Isaak shall thy seede be called and Iaacob haue I loued and hated Esau Why the same Lorde in respect of his reuealed will for with his secrete election men must not meddle hath sayd the professours of true religion do I loue but the Idolatrous papists my soule abhorreth It will be here demaunded whether I make no more account of popish baptisme then of an Edomitish circumcision I see no reason why I should For a circumcised Edomite being receiued to be a true worshipper at Ierusalem should as well content himselfe with that circumcision circumcision being not a thing inuented by man or done in respect of man but ordeyned by the Lord and done in regard of the couenant made vnto Abraham as we doe with popish baptisme which is not called in question And yet that which is spoken concerning the profession of the trueth by the forefathers is not altogether true in popery for there bee many large regions nowe professing poperie where not so much as the name of Christ was heard vntill they were become grossely popish So that their first step was out of paganisme vnto poperie And this is the estate of all those poore oppressed vassals the west Indians who now in great numbers professe Romish Idolatrie For at such time as the Spanyard inuading their land brought vpon them the most miserable slauerie of the body soule that are vpon any people vnder heauen they had not so much as hearde whether there was any Christ but were most heathnish and sencelesse Idolaters as may appeare by the popish hystoriographers themselues who wrote the stories of those tymes And therefore to omit whose posterities many of the nations within Europe are that haue refused the light of the Gospel though it were granted that the rest of the popish rable were within in the couenant yet these miserable heathen papists can be said to be vnder no couenant but that which is made vnto popery and paganisme I hope M. Some howsoeuer you may be perswaded that other popish shauelings can deliuer a sacrament yet that you will doubt whether any man could be assured to receyue those holy seales at the hands of the heathen massemongers remayning in Cuba Hyspaniola Mexico or any other the Easterne parts And thus much concerning the assumption I am not ignorant that famous and worthie men haue otherwise written concerning the popish Church and therefore I am not to be pressed with their authoritie R. Some If your writings were as sounde as they are absurde they would giue many times great aduantage to the Papist Anabaptist c. If the popish church was neuer the temple of God since Antichrist planted his pestilent chaire there then in your iudgement the Pope is not Antichrist for Antichrist doth and must sit in the Temple of God that is in the Church of God I haue handled this argument before I rest in that I haue written there You say that a circumcised Edomite being receiued into the Church of Ierusalem should content himselfe with his circumcision in Idumea because circumcision was the Lords ordinance c. I agree with you in this If the Edomitish circumcision was the Lords ordinance then it was a seale of Gods couenant to the Idumeans and consequently the Edomites in your iudgement were not Aliens from Gods couenant for the seale of the couenant doth import and presuppose a couenant Besides if the Edomitish circumcision was true circumcision and the Edomitish Church no Church then a Sacrament was out of the Church c. How like you this M. Penry You knowe my meaning You adde that you call not popish baptisme in question Here I grant you doe not but a little after you vse these wordes viz. where there is no true Christ wherunto men can be engraffed by baptisme there true baptisme as touching the substance cannot be gotten c. But in popery there is no true Christ c. mendacem oportet esse memorē Your memory is very short You would neuer I thinke haue vēted such motley stuffe as this if you had thought it would haue bin looked on I can assure you that besides me whom you haue put to a litle paines your treatise hath beene viewed and reuiewed by very many learned men who condemne it for a foolish and fantasticall bable If the west Indians after profession of their beliefe in the holy trinitie were baptized as you say by popish shauelings I assure my selfe that they receiued true baptisme were therfore engraffed into Christ We in the Church of England neede not saile thanks be to God to the massemōgers in Cuba Hispaniola Mexico or any other part of the Indians we haue Gods holy
popery a Church a Ministery a true Christ into whom very many haue bene and are engraffed by Baptisme it is a sure consequent first that you haue keptstrāge coyles in comptrolling all the Churches of God and in setting downe arguments as cleare as midnight Secondly that your conclusion viz. that there is in popery no Church no ministery no Christ is nothing else but an Anabaptisticall flourish which will melt as waxe before the fire and vanish as smoke before the wind CHAP. 24. R. Some BEfore that I set downe M. Penries proposition reasons touching vnpreaching Ministers I must tell the godly reader first that my iudgement is that Almighty God neuer called any to the holy ministerie either in the old or new Testament but he gaue them gifts fit for that holy function Secondly that by vnpreaching Ministers I vnderstand such as haue gifts in no measure for the discharge of that holy function Such are M. Penries ignorant Leuiticall priests whom he warranteth notwithstanding their extreeme ignorance to be lawfull priests though not good priests Such are some in our dayes which are fitter for the belfray then for the bodie of the Church That such as these are and they which admitted them sinned grossely I make no question That such ignorant men ought to bee thrust out of the holy ministerie and sent to some occupation is a cleare and ruled case in Gods booke I haue handled this argument before I rest in that which I haue written there I. Penry That vnpreaching ministers are no ministers They are affirmed to bee no Ministers not because they are euill ministers but because their Ministerie is an euil and profane ministerie So that in this point the fault is not found with the euill minister but with the euill ministerie Their ministerie is prophane and euill because there is no mention made of it in the worde And a ministery not mentioned in the worde is no ministery but a prophane constitution For the Lord hath expresly set downe euery ministery of the newe Testament that should be in the Church vnto the worlds ende Whereas he hath not once mentioned the Ministerie of our Readers because it is not a preaching Ministery The summe of this whole controuersie is conteined in these three axiomes 1 Euery ministery is expresly set downe in the word 2 Euery ministery of the newe Testament is a preaching ministery 3 The ministery of our vnpreaching ministers is not a preaching Ministery If you can shewe either of these 3. points to be false I am ouerthrowen if neither you must yeelde The trueth of all three I haue shewed out of the Worde in the last edition of my booke The two former are confirmed by the places quoted on the margent R. Some My answere shall be so briefe as may be Wherein I dissent I will giue my reasons If the ministerie as you say of vnpreaching ministers be an euil and profane ministerie it is a good consequent that vnpreaching ministers are euill and profane ministers The argument foloweth à coniugatis To proceede you write that the ministerie of ignorant ministers is not mentioned in the word therefore it is no ministerie in your iudgement but a profane constitution I am sure you thinke this argument to be a sure one but you are fowly deceyued I deny your antecedent My reason is By Ministerie in your antecedent I vnderstand the reading of the holy Scriptures the deliuering of the publikee prayers the administration of the Sacraments all which are the cōstitution of Almightie God therefore no profane constitution as you verie profanely doe imagine He that misliketh the reading of the holy Scriptures is a Zwing fildian heretike He that misliketh the administration of the Sacraments is a Messalian heretike He that mislyketh the inuocation of our gracious God is a filthie Atheist that is of no religion If you tell me that you thinke excellently of the administration of the Sacraments publique prayers c. But that your meaning is that it is not Gods pleasure that ignorant men shoulde administer such precious iewels I assent vnto you but I must adde this that as you and I doe mislike the entrance of vnfit men into and the continuance of them in the holy ministerie so neither of vs can iustly mislike their ministerie that is the reading of the holy Scriptures c. Nowe I come to your propositions which you call Axiomes The first is this viz. Euery ministerie is expressely set downe in the worde I graunt that the substance of euery ministerie is expresly set downe in the holy word By Ministerie I vnderstand not onely the ministerie of the word Sacraments as you doe in this place but that ministerie which concerneth the reliefe of the poore and the ciuill gouernement For the Magistrate is the minister of God Rom. 13. If Magistracie is Gods ministerie and the substance of it expressely set downe in Gods booke it is a good consequent that Magistracie is not a deuice of man but an ecclesiasticall constitution prescribed in the worde Your second Axiome is this viz. Euerie ministerie of the newe Testament is a preaching ministerie If you meane as I thinke you doe euery ministerie of the worde in the new Testament I dissent not from you Nowe sir to come a litle neerer you I must tell you that which either you knowe not or dissemble viz. that the lawes of this lande doe barre ignorant men from entring into the holy ministerie they are flat against it I offer you a branch of an Act of Parliamēt to be considered of The wordes of the Act are these viz. That none shall be made minister or admitted to preach or minister the Sacraments being vnder the age of 24. yeeres nor vnlesse he first bring to the Bishop of that Diocesse from men knowen to the Bishop to be of sound religion a testimoniall both of his honest life and of his professing the doctrine expressed in the said Articles nor vnlesse he bee able to answere and render to the Ordinarie an accompt of his faith in Latine according to the said Articles or haue speciall gift and habilitie to bee a preacher nor shall bee admitted to the order of Deacon or ministerie vnlesse he shall first subscribe to the said Articles Anno. 13. Reg. Elizab. cap. 12. You see by this that the lawe of the lande requireth in him which is to be admitted to the holy ministerie soundnesse in religion gifts in some measure and honestie of life They must to together Learning without godlinesse is as a gold ring vpon a swines snoute Godlinesse in a minister without learning is as a faire colour without light to shew it by and as a goodly bell without a clapper Your third Axoime is this viz. The ministerie of our vnpreaching ministers is not a preaching ministerie No man doubteth of this vnlesse he bee voyde of common sense Thus you haue my resolution briefly for these poynts and yet you are no conquerour as Caesar was nor I