of means to the neglect of another Because there are so many Arguments which may sufficiently satisfy any of their Authority because some are convinced by some others by others We are encouraged in our Church to receive the Holy Scriptures as the word of God both from inward and outward motives both of divine and moral consideration But for our greater certainty and safety in a matter of so great concern our Church doth not lay the weight of so great a cause on slight or uncertain Foundations as the infallibility of the Church much less demonstration from the evidence of oral tradition or the testimony only of the Divine Spirit held by some so absolutely necessary to convince every one of the Divine Authority of Scriptures that without such an inward testimony there can be no kind of certainty whatsoever The Moderation of our Church excellently governs her judgment herein neither refusing the just Authority of Gods true Church nor denying any necessary influence of the Holy Spirit of God according to which Moderation guiding our selves we shall have occasion elsewhere to justify the real certainty of our Faith ch 6. § 8. In convincing also those of the Authority of Holy Scripture who do deny the same the wisdom and temper of our Church prudently hath omitted a twofold medium as improper to confute obstinate Adversaries The one is of proving the Divine Authority of the Scriptures by Scriptures themselves which though it be a sufficient proof among them who have received them as divine yet to others it can never stop the objection from returning infinitely if the objector please to be dissatisfied The other method is alledging the Testimony of the Spirit for though the Church of God hath the Holy Spirit yet those that dispute this point may not have the Spirit neither can any ones saying so be a proper Argument to convince another Thirdly Our Church avoids the Circle of proving the Scripture by the Church and the Church by the Scriptures again because our Church doth first acknowledge the Holy Scriptures as superiour to it self o Article 6. 20. as one of the first principles of its Doctrine and against those who deny that principle of the Holy Scriptures veracity it doth dispute no otherwise than by reasons convincing the certainty of Tradition But as Archbishop Laud in his Preface against Fisher takes notice While one Faction cries up the Church above the Scripture and the other the Scripture to the neglect of the Church According to Christs Institution the Scripture where it is plain should guide the Church and the Church where there is doubt should expound the Scripture § 9. Whereas many run into very immoderate extravagancies concerning the interpretation of Holy Scripture our Church contains it self within very wise and just proportions in its judgment and practice concerning this matter 1. Concerning Holy Scripture it doth own what the Ancient Fathers p S. Chrys Hom. 3. in â— Thess S. Aug. in Ps 8. V. Second Part of the Homily of the knowledge of H. Scrip. have testified That what is absolutely necessary unto Salvation of all either for knowledge or practice is so fair and intelligible and plain to be understood of any that there needs no interpreter of the meaning of the sense to them who understand the words 2. For the understanding other places in Holy Scripture which are more obscure our Church doth suppose and acknowledge plentiful means allowed of God both to the Church and by and in the Church to all particular persons as much as is necessary that such places be understood For those which are mysterious and intricate are for the curious and wise to enquire into They are not the repositories of Salvation but instances of labour and occasions of humility and arguments of mutual forbearance and an endearment of reverence and adoration as the Archbishop of Spalato and our Bishop Taylor use to speak Such means for the interpretation of Scripture are the ordinary assistances of the Holy Spirit of God The instructions of the Church the use of our Reason especially in comparing one Scripture with another which excellent means of finding out the sense of Holy Writ our Church her self doth often use and recommends the same to those of her Communion according to the ancient practice of the Church Yet if we speak properly we do not call the Scripture the interpreter of it self nor properly a Judge of matter of Faith q S. Scripturam Judicem qui sentiunt rectè sentiunt sed siguratè â—oquuntur Gro. de Impâ—rio sum pot Though it be the Rule according to which the judgment which is of Doctrines is made and in Analogy with which Interpretations of Scripture also are to be govern'd But because of the danger of the vulgars being misled our Church doth send them frequently to their Pastors and Ministers for publick instruction and private advice and counsel and inferiour Ministers it refers to their Bishop r Exhortation to the Holy Communion Canon 53. The same method our Church directs for resolution of doubts which may arise referring to the Liturgy Preface concerning the Service of the Church Forasmuch as nothing can be so plainly set forth but doubts may arise in the use and practice of the same to appease all such diversity if any arise and for the resolution of all doubts concerning the manner how to understand do and execute the things contained in this Book the parties that so doubt shall alway resort to the Bishop of the Diocess who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasing of the same And if the Bishop be in doubt he may send for the resolution thereof to the Archbishop 3. Our Church doth not attribute more or less authority to the means of interpreting Scripture or any part thereof than God hath given it for that purpose and here the Moderation of the Church might be illustrated from the manifold extravagancies others have run into in this matter on all sides 1. Some make the Holy Spirit of God the only immediate interpreter of Scripture unto all persons whatsoever that at any time understand any thing thereof Others run into another extreme of slighting the illumination and assistance of the Holy Spirit 2. Some assert the Church of Rome only to have an infallible and absolute Authority herein others deny both the Church Universal and all parts thereof all authority to teach those under her Discipline or interpret any Scripture to them 3. Some have maintained that the publick Magistrate is the only interpreter of Scripture others deny him any kind of authority over or about the Church 4. There are those who make humane reason the only interpreter of Scripture Others reject all use of reason in divine matters Among these and many more extravagancies of men The Moderation of our Church keeps on one hand from the Tyranny of those who make such Authorities the Rule of interpreting Scripture which
principal motives why we rejected the Papacy was the constant Tradition of the Vniversal Church § 5. Concerning our Churches own Testimony Her Modesty and Moderation hath been always exemplary so far from assuming the Title of Catholick to her self only as St Austin tells us the Arians did and since them the Romanists c S. Aug. Ep. 48. ad Vincen. That she hath counted it a sufficient honour to be an humble and nevertheless for that eminent Member of the Universal Church and with her a Witness and Keeper of Holy Writ and though she vindicates to her self an authority to interpret the Holy Scripture within the bounds of her own Discipline for the edification of her own Family in Truth and Love and also asserts to her self an Authority in Controversies of Faith Article 20. namely for the avoiding diversities of opinions and for the establishing consent touching true Religion yet I cannot well omit to observe the wise modesty of our Church in her asserting her own authority in Controversies of Faith which expression I may have leave to illustrate from such another instance of Wisdom and Moderation in the recognition required to be made of the Kings Supremacy in our subscription according to the 36. Canon and in our Prayers wherein we acknowledge Him Supreme Governour of this Realm in all Causes and over all Persons It is not said over all Causes as over all persons forasmuch as in some Causes Christian Kings do not deny some spiritual power of Gods Church distinct from its temporal Authority which yet refers to the King as their Supreme Keeper Moderator and Governour Even so the Church declares her Authority in Controversies of Faith not that the Church of England or any other Church no not the Universal Church hath power to make any thing which is in controversy matter of Faith which God hath not so made The Church owns that she hath no power against the truth but for the truth Neither may it expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another Article 20. But she hath power to declare her own sense in the Controversy and that I may express my own meaning in better words than my own d Pref. of Bishop Sparrow's Collection of Eccl. Records c. To determine which part shall be received and profest for truth by her own Members and that too under Ecclesiastical penalty and censure which they accordingly are bound to submit to not as an infallible verity but as a probable truth and rest in her determination till it be made plain by as great authority that this her determination is an error or if they shall think it so by the weight of such reasons as are privately suggested to them yet are they still obliged to silence and peace where the decision of a particular Church is not against the Doctrine of the Vniversal Not to profess in this case against the Churches determination because the professing of such a controverted truth is not necessary but the preservation of the peace and unity of the Church is is not to assert infallibility in the Church but authority Wherefore Mr Chilingworth e Chilingw Pres §. 28. had very just reason to declare Whatsoever hath been held necessary to salvation either by the Catholick Church of all Ages or by the consent of Fathers measured by Vincentius Lirinensis his Rule or is held necessary either by the Catholick Church of this Age or by the consent of Protestants or even by the Church of England That against the Socinians and all others whatsoever I do verily believe and embrace Whereas the Pope and Church of Rome do challenge to themselves an authority supreme over all Causes and Persons by their Infallibility by which they exclude all others from their peace and themselves from emendation Neither are their followers much in the way thereunto by what Card. Bellarmine doth assert of this supreme Authority If the Pope saith he f C. Bellarm de Pontif. Ro. l. 4. c. 5. should err in commanding any Vices or forbidding any Vertues The Church is bound to believe those Vices are good and those Vertues are evil unless it would sin against Conscience g In bono sensu dedit Christus Petro potestatem saciendi de peccato non peccatum de non peccato peccatum c. Bell. c. 31. in Barklaium However in his Recognitions h Locuti sumus de actibus dubiis viâ—tâ—tum aut vitiorum Recogn operum c. B. p. 19. he minceth the matter in a distinction of doubtful and manifest Vices and Vertues O Blessed Guides of Souls How did the Illustrious Cardinal miss being Canoniz'd for that glorious Sentence and to help him for a Miracle to qualify him for an Apotheosis why did not some cry out of it So many words so many Miracles Thus many of the Romanists make the Pope such a Monarch in the Church as Mr Hobbs doth his Prince in the State i Hobbesius de Cive c. 7. art 26. c. 12. art 1. The interpretation of Holy Scripture the right of determining all Controversies to fix the rules of good and evil just and unjust honest and dishonest doth depend on his authority in the power of whom is the chief Government But this Doctrine is as bad Philosophy as that of the Cardinals is Divinity Among these excesses let us not forget the Moderation of our Church which holds she may revise what hath slipt from her wherefore in her 19. Article she declares As the Church of Jerusalem Alexandria and Antioch have erred so also the Church of Rome hath erred a charge agreeable to the Moderation of our Church considering what might have been further said which by the same proportions of reason she supposeth true of her self and of all others viz. That they are fallible and may erre § 6. Of the use of Reason with Reference to divine matters there may be elsewhere occasions in this Treatise to discourse * Ch. 6. §. 9 10. Yet here it is to be observed our Church doth not make its own reason a rule of Faith nor the sole Interpreter of Scripture much less the reason of private men yet because mankind hath no reasonable expectation of Miracles especially when ordinary means are sufficient and abounding and because the Holy Spirit of God in the testimony of his Church hath all along certainly conveyed to us the sense of many places beside That what is most needful to be heeded is very plain our Church doth allow and suppose rational mens perceiveing the sense of Scripture by the due use of their understanding which practice must also necessarily engage such to a high regard of what was anciently received in the Catholick Church For as nothing is held among us more agreeable to reason than our Religion so in expounding our Religion and in interpreting Scripture our Church makes use of the best and the truest reasons as is manifest in what she declares and enjoins and
say O but how shall I know that the Holy Ghost is within me Some man perchance will say forsooth as the tree is known by the fruit so is also the Holy Ghost The fruits of the Holy Ghost according to the mind of St Paul are these Gal. 5. Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faithfulness Meekness Temperance c. Contrariwise the deeds of the flesh are these Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Wantonness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Debate Emulation Wrath Contention Sedition Heresy Envy Murder Drunkenness Gluttony and such like Here now is the Glass wherein thou must behold thy self and discern whether thou hast the Holy Ghost within thee or the spirit of the flesh If thou see thy works be vertuous and good consonant to the prescript rule of Gods word savoury and tasting not of the flesh but the Spirit then assure thy self thou art endued with the Holy Ghost otherwise in thinking well of thy self thou dost but deceive thy self The Holy Ghost doth always declare himself by his fruitful and gracious gifts b 2d Part of the Hom. for Whit-sunday But to conclude ye shall briefly take this short lesson Wherever ye find the spirit of arrogance and pride the spirit of envy hatred contention cruelty c. Assure your selves that there is the spirit of the Devil and not of God albeit they pretend to the world outwardly ever so much Holiness for as the Gospel teacheth us The Spirit of Jesus is a good holy sweet lowly merciful Spirit full of charity and love full of forgiveness and pity not rendring evil for evil extremity for extremity According to which rule If any man live uprightly of him it may be safely pronounced That he hath the Holy Ghost within him if not there is a plain token he doth usurp the name of the Holy Ghost in vain As for the manner and measure of the operations of the Holy Spirit The modesty and Moderation of our Church doth not decree any thing lest as St Austin saith Humane infirmity proceed beyond what is safe Yet our Church gives a right account in sundry places of its Homilies c Second Part of the Homily of Falling from God How the Holy Spirit comes to be withdrawn from men By all these Examples of Holy Scripture we know that as we forsake God so shall he even forsake us When he withdraweth from us his word the right doctrine of Christ his gracious assistance and aid which is ever joined with his Word and leaveth us to our own wit and will and strength He declareth then he beginneth to forsake us d First Part of the Homily of falling from God which is as it follows after any do neglect the same if they be unthankful to him if they order not their lives according to his Example and Doctrine c. From whence we see also that our Church judgeth the promise of the spirit is as the blessings of the Gospel are generally conditional For as God for his part delivered his Son to suffer death for us so again we for our parts should walk in a godly life as becometh his Children so to do e 2. Part of the Homily of Alms-deeds He that is first made good by the Spirit and Grace of God afterward bringeth forth good fruits As for those who affirm a supernatural and immediate illumination necessary without which other ordinary means are insufficient either to give us certainty of the authority or interpretation of Divine Writ 1. They affirm that which no where is declared 2. That which we have little reason to credit from them that affirm so We having neither experience of their extraordinary knowledge or goodness but have found them most mistaken of any in their interpretations of Scripture and also by the notes of having the Spirit delivered in Scripture what is quite different hath appear'd 3. The holding such an opinion tends to lessen the authority of the written word of God and to make the dictates of the humane spirit if not sometime the Diabolical equal with the Holy Canon And those others who lay the stress of the proof of the authority of Scripture and the certainty of Faith and the interpretation of Scripture upon such uncertainties as only the internal testimony of the Spirit as is yet neither proved necessary or real however of which there is no proof unto others verily such labour unprofitably to overthrow Christianity and render all our Faith uncertain 4. Their Doctrine leads to such Enthusiasm as is not consistent with the peace of Kingdoms much less the peace of Gods Church But such is the constant Moderation of our Church though it doth reject and oppose all fanatical and ungrounded pretences to the Spirit Yet our Church most frequently and with all humble reverence owns the necessity of the gracious aids and assistance of the Spirit as the phrase is in our Homilies several times used as without which we can do nothing pleasing to God For in the power and vertue of the Holy Ghost resteth all wisdom and all ability to know God and to please him f 3d Part of the Homily for Rogation Week Therefore we pray that in all things he will mercifully direct and rule our hearts we pray to God to grant us his Spirit that those things which we do may please him g In the Absolution Collect after the H. C. Hom. of falling from God To prevent us in all our doings c. because of the ill condition of those who are not governed by the Spirit of God CHAP. VI. The Moderation of the Church in its judgment of Doctrines § 1. Our Church doth wisely distinguish between what is necessary for Salvation and what is not § 2. Her Articles are few § 3. Which are generally exhibited not as Articles of Faith but consent Concerning subscription § 4. Our Articles are propounded so as to avoid unnecessary controversy § 5. The wise Moderation of the Kings of England in their Injunctions to Preachers and Orders taken to preserve Truth Vnity and Charity § 6. The Controversies of the late Age are well moderated by the determinations of our Church § 7. As our Church requires our consent in nothing contrary to sense or reason so it hath also contain'd it self from immoderate curiosity in treating of venerable mysteries § 8. Our Church doth not insist upon such kinds of certainty as others without just cause do exact § 9. Doctrines are so propounded to those in our Churches Communion as not to render useless their own reasons and judgments The reasonableness of which is proved and the Objections answered § 10. The use which we are all allowed of our private judgments is requir'd to be menag'd with a due submission to the Church The duty of which submission is laid down in sundry Propositions § 1. BEcause all things in Divine Revelation are alike true but not alike necessary for furtherance of Faith and Piety and establishing Union among Christians
5. In her Orders also for dispensing the Holy Scripture to all within her Communion § 6. In governing the reading of the Scripture and communing on the same § 7. In her judgment of the Canonical and Apocryphal Books § 8. The Divine Authority of the Holy Scripture our Church rather doth take for granted than prove too laboriously or uncertainly § 9. All immoderate extravagancies concerning interpretation of Holy Scripture avoided by our Church p. 48 Chap. V. Of the Moderation of the Church in applying the Rule of Faith to it self § 1. Avoiding extremes on either hand in relation to the authority of the Vniversal Church § 2. The Decrees of Councils § 3. The Testimony of the Fathers § 4. Other Traditions § 5. Our Churches own Testimony § 6. The use of Reason § 7. The Testimony of the Spirit § 8. Of the testimony and operation of the Holy Spirit the judgment of our Church according to great Moderation more largely declared p. 77 Chap. VI. The Moderation of the Church in its judgment of Doctrines § 1. Our Church doth wisely distinguish between what is necessary for Salvation and what is not § 2. Her Articles are few § 3. Which are generally exhibited not as Articles of Faith but consent Concerning subscription § 4. Our Articles are propounded so as to avoid unnecessary controversy § 5. The wise Moderation of the Kings of England in their Injunctions to Preachers and Orders taken to preserve Truth Vnity and Charity § 6. The Controversies of the late Age are well moderated by the determinations of our Church § 7. As our Church requires our consent in nothing contrary to sense or reason so it hath also contain'd it self from immoderate curiosity in treating of venerable mysteries § 8. Our Church doth not insist upon such kinds of certainty as others without just cause do exact § 9. Doctrines are so propounded to those in our Churches Communion as not to render useless their own reasons and judgments The reasonableness of which is proved and the Objections answered § 10. The use which we are all allowed of our private judgments is requir'd to be menag'd with a due submission to the Church The duty of which submission is laid down in sundry Propositions p. 114 Chap. VII Of the Moderation of our Church in what relates to the worship of God § 1. Our Prayers are not mingled with controversy § 2. They are framed according to a most grave and serious manner with moderate variety and proper length § 3. In the zeal of Reformation our Church did not cast off what was good in it self § 4. In all our Churches there are the same Rules § 5. Common Prayers for the vulgar required in English To Ministers and Scholars a just and moderate liberty allowed § 6. The obligation of the Church leaves the method of private Devotions to a general liberty § 7. Of the Moderation of the Church in appointing her hours and times of Prayer § 8. In her use and judgment of Sermons § 9. In what is required of people with reference to their Parish Church § 10. The excellent Moderation of the Church in her Orders for the reverent reading of Divine Service and Consecrating the Sacraments in such a voice as may be heard § 11. In her Form and use of Catechizing § 12. The interest of inward and outward worship are both secured according to an excellent Moderation in our Church § 13. The Moderation of the Church in what relates to Oaths p. 166 Chap. VIII Of the Moderation of the Church in relation to Ceremonies § 1. In the Ceremonies of our Church which are very few and those of great antiquity simplicity clear signification and use our Church avoids either sort of superstition § 2. They have constantly been declared to be in themselves indifferent and alterable but in that our Church avoids variableness is a further proof of its Moderation § 3. They are professed by the Church to be no part of Religion much less the chief nor to have any supernatural effect belonging to them § 4. Abundant care is taken to give plain and frequent reasons and interpretations of what in this nature is enjoined to prevent mistakes § 5. The Moderation of our Church even in point of Ceremonies compar'd with those who have raised so great a dust in this Controversy § 6. Many innocent Rites and usages our Church never went about to introduce and why § 7. The Obligation of our Church in this matter is very mild § 8. The Moderation of our Church in her appointment of Vestments § 9. The Benedictions of our Church are according to great Piety and Wisdom ordered § 10. The Moderation of our Church in her appointments of Gestures § 11. Of the respect which is held due to places and things distinguished to Gods Service our Church judgeth and practiseth according to an excellent Moderation p. 201 Chap. IX Of the Moderation of our Church with respect to Holy-Days namely both the Feasts and Fasts of the Church § 1. The Feasts of the Church are few and those for great reason chose with care to avoid the excesses of the Romanists § 2. The further behaviour of the Church in her Feasts most useful and prudent § 3. We celebrate the memory of Saints but of none whose existence or sanctity is uncertain § 4. The excellent ends of our Churches honour to Saints are set down § 5. That they are Festivally Commemorated not out of opinion of worship or merit or absolute necessity thereof to Religion § 6. Our Church runs not into any excess in any Prayer to Saints § 7. Nor with reference to Images § 8. Whether our Church in any of these practices be justly charged of Popery by those who Canonize among themselves those who are of uncertain sanctity § 9. The Moderation of our Church in its honour given to Angels § 10. And to the Blessed Virgin § 11. Our Church hath taken great care that a special honour be had to the Lords Day and that the Lords Day nor any other Festival be abused to Luxury and Impiety § 12. The Moderation of the Church with reference to its Musick and Psalmody § 13. The Moderation of our appointed Fast The Lenten or Paschal Fast how far Religious by the Precept of the Church p. 234 Chap. X. Of the Moderation of the Church in reference to the Holy Sacraments § 1. The Moderation of our Church raiseth no strife about words relating thereunto § 2. Her Moderation in what is asserted of the number of Sacraments § 3. In that her Orders for the Administration of the Sacraments are most suitable to the ends of their appointments § 4. In that our Church doth not make the benefit of the Sacraments to depend upon unrequired conditions In reference to Holy Baptism § 1. Our Church doth make nothing of the essence of Baptism but the use of the invariable Form § 2. The Moderation of our Church toward Infants unbaptized
for reading the holy Scripture is made agreeable to the mind and purpose of the old Fathers and a great deal more profitable and commodious It is more profitable because there are left out many things whereof some are untrue some uncertain some vain and superstitious and nothing is ordained to be read but the very pure word of God the holy Scriptures or that which is agreeable to the same and that in such a language and order as is most easy and plain for the understanding both of the Readers and the hearers It is also more commodious both for the shortness thereof and for the plainness of the order and that the rules be few and easy Since the Reformation those who love not to be contain'd in any good bounds when they read the Bible chuse to do it out of all Canonical Order or generally snap upon the Chapters fortuitously or affect for their most common reading the most difficult Books and Chapters The wisdom of our Church hath provided that the Old Testament may be read out every Year once f Tale aliquid audio esse nunc in Ecclesiâ Anglicanâ in quâ Psalterium singulis mensibus al solvitur totum utrumque Testamentum unico anno continuatâ lectione percurritur Vtinam reliquae Ecclesiae reformatae c. Spalaâ—ensis l. 7. c. 12. All the Psalms once every Month and the New Testament thrice every Year g V. The Order how the Holy Scripture is appointed to be read Yet with this Moderation some difficult and very mysterious places are excepted Yet so that the Church declares Though the rehearsal of the Genealogies and Pedigrees of the Fathers be not so much to the edification of the plain ignorant people Yet there is nothing so impertinently uttered in all the whole Book of the Bible but may serve to spiritual purpose in some respect to all such as will bestow their labours to search out the meaning h Homily of certain places of Scripture 2d Part. Thus manifest is it that our Church doth really intend edification in her Institutions and can the wit of man i B. Jer. Taylor Pref. to his Collection of Offices conceive a better temper and expedient than this of the Church of England that such Scriptures only and principally should be laid before them in daily Offices which contain in them all the mysteries of our Redemption and all the Rules of good Life That the people of the Church may not complain that the Fountains of our Salvation are stopt from them nor the Rulers of the Church that the mysteriousness of Scripture is abused And further to prevent the inconvenience of the vulgars use of Scripture there was a wholsome Injunction of Queen Elizabeth k 1559 §. 37. fit here to be mentioned That no man should talk or reason of Holy Scripture rashly or contentiously nor maintain any false doctrine or errour but shall commune on the same when occasion is given reverently humbly and in the fear of God for his comfort and better understanding For as it is in the Homily against contention Too many there be which upon Ale-benches and other places delight to set forth certain Questions not so much pertaining to edification as to Vain-glory whence they fall to chiding and contention With reference to which Injunction it was that some Bishops in their Articles of enquiry had this for a Question Whether any were known in their Diocese who profaned the Holy Scripture in Table-talk which was captiously misunderstood by many in their intemperate heats against the Bishops as if they thereby did forbid all sober Conference on any places of Holy Scripture whereas the Injunction of the Queen which ought still to have effect should reasonably interpret their enquiry which certainly was the ground thereof Besides many of those Bishops themselves when Masters of Colledges in the Universities observed and caused to be observed those Statutes which in most Colledges require reading of Scripture at Meals Ordering that Communication which is thereon to be such as in the Queens Injunction was before-mentioned § 7. Our Church according to great wisdom hath received such Books as Canonical of whose authority there was never any doubt in the Church l 39. Article 6. Scio tamen Vualdensem tenere quod declarandi approbandi Libros sacros sit in serie Patrum omnium fidelium ab Apostolis succedentium Fr. S. Clara. ad Artic. Confess Angl. 6. rejecting what truly are not of the Canon which the Church of Rome thrusts in of its own head and doth not leave out any which are as many have done in other times and places In relation to those Books whose Title is the Apocrypha the Moderation of our Church expresseth an excellent temper 1. In that in their Title as of uncertain Writings they are distinguisht from Canonical 2. All the Apocryphal Books are not recommended to be read in the Church 3. Nor on all days particularly not on the Lords Day as such 4. Those our Church doth use together with other Canonical Scripture as it plainly and publickly declares in her sixth Article of Religion and as St Hierom saith m S. Hier. Pres ad â—ild V. Eâ—â—phan c. 〈◊〉 for example of life and instruction of manners as Clemens Romanus to the Corinthians and other such Writings were read in the ancient Church n Sunt alii libri qui leguntur quidem sed nonscribuntur in Canone H. de S. Vic. Cap. 6. de scripturis c. but doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine as if they had such authority alone by themselves Our Church indeed doth prefer them before any other Ecclesiastical or private Writings because of the many excellent and sacred instructions in them for which good and religious use which may be made of them by all we do them the honour to bind them up with our Bibles though we make them not of equal authority thereby or of divine inspiration as we do not also either the English Meeter of the Psalms or the Epistle of the Translators of the Bible § 8. The Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures our Church according to great wisdom doth rather take for granted than labour much to prove such an undoubted principle of Religion justly supposing there is no reason either to question that the Church hath surely received those Divine Oracles or surely delivered them and therefore our sixth Article speaks of them as of whose authority there was never any doubt in the Church Our Church justly thus supposing immediately therefore applies her self in an Exhortation to a diligent reading the Holy Scriptures Homily 1. and so long as those of her Communion are by any just means convinced of their authority our Church according to a great Moderation leaves it to the Providence of God by what particular arguments of the many which lie before us we may come to this satisfaction Not causing the satisfaction of any to depend upon one sort
Religion than the Holy and Divine inspired Scriptures with Melancthon and the Church of England I wish all Doctrines of Faith were brought to us derived from the Fountain of Scripture by the Channels of Antiquity otherwise what end will there be of innovation And thus our King James of Happy Memory did declare in the words of St Austin That what could be proved the Church held and observed from its first beginning to those Times That to reject He did not doubt to pronounce to be an insolent piece of madness So that the counsel and judgment of the Church of England seems to be moderated according to the Sentence of St Hierom in his Epistle to Minerva My purpose is to read the Ancients to prove all to hold fast what is good and never to depart from the Faith of the Catholick Church and conformably King Charles I. h His Majesties fifth Paper to Mr. Henders My Conclusion is That albeit I never esteemed any Authority equal to the Scriptures yet I do think the unanimous consent of the Fathers and the universal practice of the Primitive Church to be the best and most authentical Interpreters of Gods word For who can be presumed to understand the Doctrine and practice of the Christian Religion better than those who lived in the first and purest times Wherefore i Of Heresy §. 14. Dr Hammond reckons it among the piè Credibilia that a truly general Council cannot erre § 3. And because the Catholick Church is and hath been so much divided and the Monuments of the ancient Church Universally accepted do contain but a few determinations Therefore the Church of England moderately remits her Sons to the first four general Councils as in the 28th year of K. Henry 8. k Fullers Eccl. Hist ad An. 1536. it was Decreed That all ought and must utterly refuse and condemn all those opinions contrary to the said Articles contained in the three Creeds contained in the four Holy Councils that is to say in the Council of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon and all other since that time in any point consonant to the same So in the Institution of a Christian Man set forth 1537. and approved by the Convocation 1543. 't is there said A true Christian man ought and must condemn all those opinions contrary to the twelve Articles of the Creed which were of a long time past condemned in the four Holy Councils that is to say c. Isaac Casaubon also in the name of King James to Cardinal Perron saith l Primo R. Eliz. c. 1 The King and the Church of England do admit the four first Oecumenical Councils and following the judgment of the Church the Law of the Kingdom doth declare m Dicimus Ecclesiam Britannicam adeò venerari Concilia generalia ut speciali statuto caverit nè quisquam spirituali jurisdictione praeditus praesumat censuras suas Ecclesiasticas aliter distringere vel administrare aut quicquam Haereticum pronunciare quod non à scripturis Canonicis quatuor Conciliis generalibus aut alio quocunque Concilio pro tali judicatum fuerit J. B. de antiq libertate Eccl. Brit. Thes 4. That none however Commission'd shall in any wise have authority or power to order or determine or adjudge any matter or cause to be Heresy but only such as heretofore have been determin'd ordered or adjudged to be Heresy by the authority of the Canonical Scriptures or by the first four general Councils or any of them or by any other general Council wherein the same was declared Heresy by the express and plain words of the said Canonical Scriptures or such as hereafter shall be ordered judged or determined to be Heresy by the Court of Parliament of this Realm with the Clergy in their Convocation Thus the authority of the four first general Councils are placed by our Church in the superiour order of Tradition forasmuch as Spalatensis according to St Austin n A plenariis Conciliis tradita Quarum est in Ecclesiâ salubrâ—â—ima authoritas S. Aug. Ep. 118. speaks of such Councils they have obtained a wholsom authority because from the Apostolick Declarations faithfully received they have explained the Holy Scriptures and beside because they have been approved by the Universal Church which with great reason contradicts what Curcellaeus p Curcell Rel. Christianae Instit l. 1. c. 15. hath delivered to depreciate the honour even of the first four Oecumenical Councils So that Mr Cressy in Answer to Dr Pierce might very well cite the Protestant acknowledgments of the Authority of Councils as that of Ridley Acts and Mon. p. 1288. Councils indeed represent the Vniversal Church and being so gathered together in the name of Christ they have the promise of the gift and guiding of the Spirit into all truth To the same purpose are named Bishop Bilson Hooker Potter c. Instead of all these he might have owned if he had pleased the judgment of our Church it self giving all due honour to general and Provincial Councils whose wholsome Decrees she hath accepted and imitated Yea our Church maintains the right of Provincial Synods taken away by the See of Rome q Tertullianus veneratur Provinciale Concilium quasi esset Oecumenicam assentiente sc universali vel iis decernentibus secundùm universale quomodo fit repraesentatio totius nominis Christiani virtualiter tota Ecclesia Neither is this honour diminisht by the further Moderation which our Church hath shown in not taking those for Councils or general Councils which are not such as neither the Council of Florence nor Lateran nor of Trent and we know that our Articles though they are very moderately framed are many of them directly oppos'd to those of Trent being in those points of Doctrine wherein the Church of Rome hath departed from the Catholick Church and made her Doctrines of design more than truth the unjust conditions of Communion A truly free and general Council we look upon as the best expedient on Earth for composing the differences of the Christian World if it might be had but we cannot endure to be abused by meer names of Titular Patriarchs but real Servants and Pensioners of the Popes with Combinations of interested parties instead of general Councils r Dr. Stillingfleet's first Part of an Answer c. 284. When Pope Paul III. call'd a Council then to be held at Mantua and King Henry VIII refusing thither to send He defended his Protestation in a Letter to the Emperour and other Christian Princes 1538. In which the King declares t Acts and Monuments p. 11â—2 Truly as our Forefathers invented nothing more holy than general Councils used as they ought to be so there is almost nothing that may do more hurt to the Christian Faith and Religion than general Councils if they be abused to lucre to gains to the establishment of errors And verily we suppose that it ought not to be called a General
spiritual effect tast comfort and consolation of them which Doctrine of our Church is most intelligible and sober and different from what some others mystically have discoursed of concerning spiritual gusts which they attribute to unaccountable Communications The ordinary means to which the interpretation of Scripture is generally annexed our Church judgeth the same which Dr Hammond mentions in his Postscript concerning Divine Illuminations Study search Meditation the Collation of places of Scripture or bringing one place together with another ſ Homily 1. the use of reason and learning and skill in original Languages the help of our spiritual guides the Declarations of Gods Church the analogy of received doctrines constant Prayer for Gods blessing the necessary assistance and gracious aids of Gods Spirit Our Church indeed teacheth us that Carnal reason is an enemy to God and to perceiving the things of the Spirit which carnal reason some do expound the Article 9 wisdom some the sensuality some the affection some the desire of the flesh But our Church esteems it a great reproach to humane nature and the Creation of God to call that carnal reason which is our rational perception and use of what is delivered us to understand or a comparing and as we said out of the Homily a bringing together one place with another and drawing easy and plain consequences from Scriptures which we are to search whereas the Scriptures are propounded to the reasons of Men and the belief of them is an act of the greatest reason that can be Indeed in the things revealed when any thing exceeds the comprehension of our reason our Church adviseth us to sequester our reason In such cases saith the Homily t Hom. of Places of Script 2. Part. Reason must give place to Gods holy Spirit From the Doctrine of our Church it is also very plain That no more supernatural and immediate operation of the Holy Spirit is necessary to the interpretation of the Scriptures than what is necessary to make us faithful and good Christians Wherefore our Church lays down the same means for improvement in divine knowledge as it doth for obtaining the Holy Spirit namely u 1 2d. Homily of Scripture The love of God and Godliness the having a care of being drown'd in worldly vanities leaving sin and the world Our forsaking the corrupt judgment of fleshly men x 3d Part of the Homily for Rogation Week Let us endeavour our selves saith our Church diligently to keep the presence of the Holy Spirit Let us renounce all uncleanness for he is the Spirit of purity Let us avoid all hypocrisy for this Holy Spirit will flee from that which is feigned Cast off all malice and evil will for this Spirit will never enter into an evil willing Soul Let us cast away all the whole lump of sin that standeth about us for he will never dwell in that body which is subdued to sin If we do our endeavour we shall never need to fear And the Holy Spirit will suggest to us what is wholsome and confirm us in all things To attain also the spiritual Wisdom of the Scriptures Our way saith the Church is to attend the time and win the time with diligence and apply our selves to the light and grace which is offered us Lastly Let us meekly call upon that bountiful Spirit the Holy Ghost which proceedeth from our Father of mercy and from our Mediator Christ That he would assist us and inspire us with his presence That in him we may be able to hear the goodness of God declared unto us to our Salvation for this cannot be obtained but by the direction of the Spirit of God and therefore it is called spiritual wisdom 2. Our Church doth not judge that the particular immediate Testimony of Gods Spirit is necessary to every Christian for his comfortable assurance of Salvation but supposeth that the best assurance of Salvation is from the sure trust and belief of Gods promises and a certain consciousness of our own sincerity according to what is required of us * Homily of Salvation V. Homily of Almes-deeds 2. Part. V. Homily of falling from God 1. Part. If you would be sure of your Faith try it by your living the true Christian Faith is no dead vain or unfruitful thing Therefore let us by such Vertues as spring out of Faith shew our Election to be sure and stable 3. Our Church doth not judge an immediate gift of the Spirit necessary to every Christian to furnish them with words in Prayer but doth rightly suppose that the Holy Spirit doth effectually assist every sincere devout person using a good form of Prayer because he by whom the Spirit is given to the Church did teach his Disciples and in them all Christians a form of Prayer requiring them to use the same Our Church also hath furnished those of her Communion with general Prayers according to their occasions judging also that such common Prayers Homily of Prayer are most available before God And the means of obtaining the Holy Spirit to be most assisting us in our Prayers our Church declares is for us to humble our selves in his sight and in all our Prayers both publick and private to have our minds fully fixed on him so that our Church supposeth those that are thus humble to pray by the Spirit How far the testimony of the Holy Spirit is necessary to convince us of the certainty of our Faith and of the authority of Holy Scriptures See Chap. 6. § 8. From which few passages already cited in comparison of those very many to the same purpose which abound in the Homilies for Whit-sunday the Homily of good works of Salvation of falling from God of Alms-deeds It is most evident that our Church judgeth rightly concerning the Holy Spirit of God and lays down the best Rules for discerning who have the Holy Spirit for according to the Doctrine of our Church believing and obeying the Gospel and having the Spirit are all one y Homily of Salvation 3. Part. For how can a man have true faith when he liveth ungodly and denieth Christ with his deeds contrariwise he is most inspired with the Holy Ghost who is most changed in his life So then this is to be taken for a most true lesson taught by Christs own mouth z Homily of good works 2. Part. That the works of the moral Commandments of God be the very true works of Faith which lead to the blessed life to come Our Church also doth suppose that those who receive most of the Spirit are such as are most truly vertuous and good such have most of the divine grace to confirm and strengthen them in all goodness as it is in the Office for the Holy Communion If with a true penitent heart and lively faith we receive the Holy Sacrament then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us c. a 1. Part of the Sermon for Whitsunday Wherefore if any
are innumerable arguments which convince us of the certainty of the Divine Testimony in the matters we have received yet such is the Moderation of our Church she doth not require every one in her Communion necessarily to know and receive all the reasons of certainty which are and may be given nor yet to rely on one to the neglect of another but leaves us to be satisfied according to the means and opportunities which we have abundantly offered unto us justly supposing there are so many reasons perswading the truth of what we believe that some are convinced by some others by others as the Providence of God disposeth things 3. Our Church no where makes infallible certainty of assent a necessary condition of Faith it being sufficient to make our Faith certain if our Rule be infallible and that applyed with moral evidence that is such an evidence as we can have of things and actions past as is sufficient to guide and govern our manners and behaviour Some of late have contended with very ill success that an infallible certainty of assent is necessarily wrought by demonstration and what they love to call scientific Evidence in every Believer which doctrine of J. S. is condemned by his Adversaries even of Rome p Animadv P. Talboti Arch. Dubl in Prop. 2. p. 54. as the pith of Manicheism because it lays this burden on the Church or an Oecumenical Council evidently to demonstrate its own infallibility If destroying the first foundation of the Roman infallibility were all we might dispense with that inconvenience as it renders their motives of credibility insufficient which before the doctrine of infallibility is received used to be the only way they had to recommend the Church of Rome to the approbation of Proselytes but to affirm that all certainty of Christian Faith is generally wrought by such demonstration in case that doctrine proves false the consequence is If Christian Faith have no other certainty Christianity it self is left uncertain in its very foundations Others there are who deliver that an infallible certainty of assent wrought only by the immediate extraordinary operation of the Spirit of God is necessarily in every true Believer Now though our Church doth as much as any can do own the necessity of Gods Grace and holy Spirit to prevent assist and follow us especially in what concerns divine matters yet our Church is not so bold with the Holy Spirit of God to affirm that such an inward testimony of the Divine Spirit working together in our Spirits an infallible assent is so necessary to assure us of the certainty of Faith and of the authority of Holy Scriptures and of the truth of other Doctrines in question as without which we could have no such belief as is required to Salvation Which precarious presumption tends to render useless all those sufficient evidences we have of Divine truth by the gracious means which God hath appointed ordinary in his Church and whereas the assertors of this extraordinary spirit exclude all other means of real certainty as insufficient such a Doctrine being false must needs tend also to overthrow all Christian Religion Such is the sad consequence of the Doctrines both of Dr I. O. and Mr I. S. in making though on differing grounds an infallible assent necessary to a true belief They agree together also in the injury they do Christian Religion by traducing our Faith as a probable fallible humane natural Faith which are the very words they q V. Dr I. O. Reason of Faith p. 72. Mr I. S. Faith Vindicated both unite in to expose our belief to contempt which is grounded on such evidences as God hath abundantly afforded us to assure us of the truth of his Divine Testimony Which evidences especially in matters of Faith necessary to Salvation since they are so plain and certain Our Church hath always held needless such an infallible guide as the Romanists would impose upon us And for the same reasons that we do not expect any new Revelations nor any ostentation of new miracles necessary to a true Church or true Faith they being superseded by the ordinary means of Faith which are sufficient for the same reasons we cannot presume to expect much less to make necessary to every true belief such extraordinary illapses of the Divine Spirit which makes those who only think they have it think themselves only infallible And thus we may discern how many are led to Popery by the way of Enthusiasm For it is usual for those into whose head Enthusiasm is flown to reel from one extream to another 4. To preserve us from these uncertainties among the very many reasons which we have from rational and moral evidence whereby the truth of the Divine Testimony is confirmed to us abundantly Our Church owns no one greater since the miraculous gifts than the testimony of Gods Church now and in all Ages since Christ and his Apostles time because of the sundry Evidences also which confirm to us the truth of the Churches testimony All which amount to more than high probability for as r â— Lomini Hiâ—l Consul haeres Blacklo P. 2. c. 4. §. 5. Lominus tells J. S. Probability on one side doth not exclude probability also on the opposite side but the reason of moral evidence and certainty doth exclude any probability on the contrary part and that so manifestly that only grievous ignorance and pertinacy can incline a man thereunto § 9. As the Moderation of our Church allows us to be reasonably satisfied of the certainty of our Faith much more are other doctrines so propounded to those of our Communion as not to render useless their own reasons and judgments Notwithstanding our Church doth sufficiently vindicate her own just power and the authority of what she testifies and determines Article 20. 34. c. and by her Canons requires a just submission All care being also taken by the Church to prevent error and dissentions and wresting the Scriptures Canon 34. 49. 139. Yet all is performed among us with a most excellent and golden mean And in that nothing in our Church is determin'd contrary to truth nor the judgment of the Catholick Church nor right reason the Church of England can the better allow her Sons their right to search examine and discern what they must approve Which Bishop Davenant and Bishop Bramhall and some others understand by their judgment of discretion though the word sounds not so pleasing to some Religious Ears because it seems by the use of the phrase in English to incline private persons to a power of refusing what the Church rightly determines which is not to be allowed For as the suffrage of our Church hath been constantly unanimous with that of the Apostle We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth much more ought private persons to be bounded thereby if the Apostles and the Church are The Moderation of the Church will appear the more remarkable if we
given which are allowed with which such may be contented as in some cases where some present resolution and practice is required in other matters of less concern where an indifferent variety is allowed but more instances there are of what is left to the discretion of the Ordinary n See the Preface concerning the Service of the Church Canon 53. Second Rubrick before the Preface of the Ceremonies Admon to Min. Eccles before the second Part of the Homilies Sundry Rubricks § 11. Having spoken of the Moderation and Wisdom of the Church in what relates to Sermons because Catechising o Canon 59. 1603. Lib. quor Canonum 1571. is an useful sort of Preaching I cannot but note the Moderation of the Church in framing such a Form of Catechism as the ancient Fathers p S. Aug. de Catechizandis rudibus S. Ambros de iis qui S. Mysteriis initiantur commended So full and comprehensive is the Exposition of the foundations of our Religion and yet without those curious questions which are not needful to trouble the green heads of those who are to be Catechised however which are not to be set forth as fundamental This was the excellent judgment of King James q Conference at Hampton-Court who approved of one uniform Catechism in the fewest and plainest affirmative terms that may be all curious and deep questions being avoided not like the ignorant Catechisms in Scotland set out by every one who was the Son of a good Man Thus the judicious r Pax Ecclesiae p. 54. Bishop Sanderson for the Peace of the Church and to preserve Unity and Charity his third direction is That Catechisms should not be farced with School points and private tenets but contain only clear and undoubted Truths Whereas the Church of Rome and many other Sects have stuft their Catechisms with some of their private opinions even so much that sometimes their Catechisms are not only to contain the sums of Christianity but they are the distinctive notes of their party in maintaining which some of them place so great a part of Religion and therefore no wonder if according to their great wisdom in other things they enamel their Catechisms with what is to them so pretious I shall only here add what Dr Hammond saith of this our Church Catechism ſ Vindication of the ancient Liturgy of the Church of England §. 40. If we would all keep our selves within that Moderation and propose no larger Catalogue of Articles to be believed by all than the Apostles Creed as 't is explain'd in our Catechism and lay greater weight upon the Vow of Baptism and all the Commands of God as they are explain'd by Christ and only add the Explication and use of the Sacraments in those commodious and most intelligible expressions and none other which are there set down I should be confident there would be less hating and damning one another more Piety and Charity and so true Christianity among Christians and Protestants than hitherto hath been met with § 12. This Chapter ought not to be dismissed before we take notice how the interest both of the inward and outward worship of God is according to a just Moderation secured in our Church For 1. In all the Instructions and Precepts of the Church Her designs and intent appear very sincere to promote the worship of God according to his Will Wherefore our Church makes none else partakers of the Divine Worship as neither Saints nor Angels nor the Blessed Virgin The Ceremonies as will be further shewed are not held by our Church as any part of the Divine Worship but only outward signs and helps of Devotion Our Church lays also greatest stress upon the inward affection and intention of the mind as the most necessary and principal part of the Divine Worship as that which only can render all outward expressions of our Honour of God acceptable Because in the affection of the Heart is the consummation of all moral goodness t Actus exterior nihil addit bonitatis aut malitiae actui interiori nisi per accidens D. Tho. 1. 2◠q. 20. Art 4. especially in the worship of God For the best Being is to be served with the most excellent operations of our best Faculties Therefore God who is the most Excellent most Infinite and most pure Spirit must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth in due regard to which just consideration all the Offices of our Church are framed so as to promote chiefly a due sense of God and of the Divine Attributes a Heavenly and spiritual disposition of Mind a real and unaffected Piety a sincere and hearty Devotion For as the Homily saith u Of Holy Scripture first Part. Without a single eye pure intent and good mind nothing is allowed for good before God But notwithstanding the inward worship of the Heart is held most necessary and principal in our Church is instantly required the outward worship of God also as in all acts of outward as well as inward obedience in many of which the affection cannot be sincere without the outward exercise of such acts when they can be performed as in consecrating also a just portion of our time and Estates to the honour of God the humble service of our bodies reverend gestures and behaviour which are but proper and fit to encrease in our selves and others the inward honour of God also In respect to both these parts of worship those who duly honour God may be fitly denominated devout persons But the probable reason why many who call themselves Saints do disdain the name of Devout is because the Attribute of Devotion seems to intimate also the outward reverent behaviour of body as the necessary Companion of the inward integrity of the mind which outward reverence such judge too meanly of Lastly In our Church the worship of God is supposed to proceed not so much from a principle of fear and dread as of love and thankfulness Whereas some in a way to overthrow all Religion have given out That the fear of God is only the dread men have of some unknown arbitrary and uncontroulable power Such a fear they suppose the only motive to the worship of God the only foundation and bond of Justice An Experiment taken up to keep men obedient to Laws The Moderation of our Church governs it self very justly in this matter accounting the due fear of the Soveraignty and power of God very useful to the good as well as the bad to make all heedful and careful in their duty Therefore in the Office of Commination as in many other places also the threats of God against impenitent Sinners are by our Church denounced Yet the first and the chief reason of our worship of God is frequently owned in the Offices of our Church and supposed to be a sense of the Infinite Divine Excellencies and his constant bounty and benefits and gracious goodness to mankind especially in our Lord Jesus
Churches Moderation The Ceremonies of our Church are but very few and those of great antiquity simplicity decency and clear signification hardly to be wrested to the prejudice of inward piety wherefore they are neither unprofitable nor burdensome of which they are charged in the Preface to the Directory Our Church avoiding extreams on one hand of the Church of Rome a Concil Trid. Sess 7. Can. 13. whose Ceremonies are so cumbersome for their number b Quia ad aures ipsorum totius sermè orbis justissimae querelae pervenerint de moderandâ corrigendâ onerosâ multitudine quorundam rituum Chemnit Examen ib. p. 34. that they make no end of commanding and forbidding till they come to the other extremity of moroseness of which humour St Austin c S. Aug. Ep. 118. in express words complains Religion which God in his mercy hath made free with few and clear Sacraments is made more burdensome than ever was the Jewish Wherefore our Church is most careful lest by any excess of Ceremonies Religion should be any wise obscured and by outward and sensible things the minds of people should be diverted to the neglect of what is inward and spiritual Therefore our Church in its Preface of Ceremonies why some be abolished complains That the excessive number of Ceremonies was so great and many of them so dark that they did more confound and darken than declare and set forth Christs benefits unto us On the other hand our Church avoids that other kind of superstition of those that consider not the frame of men nor the use and experience of having some Rites for comeliness and edification d V. Pref. to the Liturgy and for exciting Piety and Devotion in the publick worship of God Let me for the sake of those who rather will accept such a truth from Mr Perkins e Reformed Catholick 7. §. of Traditions repeat his words We hold that the Church of God hath power to prescribe Ordinances Rules or Traditions touching time and place of Gods worship and touching order and comliness to be used in the same and in this regard Paul 1 Cor. 11. 2. commendeth the Church of Corinth for keeping his Traditions and Acts 15. 29. the Council at Jerusalem decreed that the Churches of the Gentiles should abstain from blood and from things strangled this Decree is termed a Tradition and this kind of Traditions whether made by general or particular Synods we have a care to maintain and observe these Caveats being remembred f Ritus pauci numero sine sumptu minimè graves Grot. in Cassand Artic. 15. 1. That they prescribe nothing childish or absurd to be done 2. That they be not imposed as any part of Gods worship 3. That they be severed from superstition or opinion of merit Lastly That the Church of God be not burdened with the multitude of them And indeed a worthy instance of the prudent Moderation of the Church of England is that in her reformation from Rome she hath delivered her self from such an Endless g Europae Speculum p. 3. multitude of Superstitions and Ceremonies enough to take up a great part of a mans life to gaze on and peruse a huge sort of which are so childish and unsavoury that as they argue great silliness and rawness in their inventors so can they naturally bring no other than disgrace and contempt to those exercises of Religion wherein they are stirring Yet after the fashion of a modest and prudent Matron though our Church doth not appear tawdry drest with too great a variety of ill placed cost yet doth she endeavour always to appear discreet and comely in her attire On purpose retaining some Rites in respect to the practice of the antient Church and to vindicate her self from the imputation of moroseness and not to side with the other extreme of those who in the exercise of their Religion affect carelessness and neglect of any good Form The Church of England doth retain some Ceremonies in her Offices thereby also to vindicate real Christian Liberty namely the publick liberty of Gods Church one part of which as Bucer in the beginning of the Reformation well noted is for the Church to chuse its own Rites and also to vindicate the Liberty of private Christians who by the Orders of the Church have their choice directed for their own edification and the better order of Divine things For Diversity of Ceremonies in divers Churches do serve to testify the Christian Liberty and doth greatly conduce to teach the true judgment of Ceremonies namely that all men by this diversity may understand That those things which are not delivered in Holy Scripture are not necessary to Salvation but may be altered as the time and circumstance of edification doth require h Sprint's Necessity of Conformity in case of Deprivation p. 115. It a Forbesius in Irenico l. 1. c. 7. Harmon Confess p 194. Which reason of them though it hath been frequently repeated yet hath not sufficiently been taken notice of by those who pretend to be such Assertors of Christian Liberty who fall foul into another servile and unquiet sort of Superstition Yet when we consider the horrid stiff superstition of such Precisians whom the Moderation of the Church of England in point of Ceremonies doth affright We cannot think them so moped but others appear to have run into a greater excess of madness when we behold the exceeding number of Ceremonies and observances which the Roman Rubricks appoint in their Rituals Missals and Pontifical c. We may bless our selves who within the Communion of our Church are freed from such a bondage more grievous than the Jewish especially since their Rites many of which are so ridiculous and trifling i Vi. Pontificale Rom. de Ecclesiae Dedicatione p. 237. Vi. Rituale Rom. in absolvendo excommunicatum jam mortuum c. k Quando primò Clericis barbae tondentur dici debet Pontifice sedente cum mitrâ Antiphona Sicut Ros Hermon c. Pontificale p. 550. are not only approved but required by the Council of Trent under the pain of Anathema l Conc. Trid. Sess 7. Can. 13. and that for surer notice repeated in the first page of their Ritual Wherefore as Plutarch well saith of Religion it hath its place between contempt of divine things on one hand and superstition on the other So the Moderation of our Church is excellently tempered to keep Christians from Enthusiasm in one extreme and from what some call Rituality on the other m D. H. Mori Ethic. c. 5. p. 105. Of our Churches care in this last particular Bishop Taylor thus endeavours to satisfie some Consciences There is reason saith he to celebrate and honour the wisdom and prudence of the Church of England which hath in all her Offices retained but one Ritual or Ceremony that is not of Divine Ordinance or Apostolical practice and that is the Cross in Baptism which
of God Bishop Hall in his Remains Wise Christians sit down in the mean now under the Gospel avoiding a careless and parsimonious neglect on the one side and a superstitions slovenliness on the other the painted looks and lascivious gaudiness of the Church upon the Hills and the careless neglected dress of some Churches in the Vally Far be it from me saith c ◠1. Disc 2. Mr Mede to be a Patron of Idolatry or Superstition in the least degree yet I am afraid lest we who have reformed the worship of God from that pollution and blessed be his name therefore by bending the crooked stick too much the other way have run too far into the contrary extreme To observe the just mean in practice is somewhat difficult nevertheless our Church in its rules doth no more favour Sacriledge than Idolatry If the personal faults of any have caused a scandal on us for either the Church laments the same and that there may be the less publick temptation to Sacrilege among us as it hath been in other Nations the immoderate bounty of exorbitant Donations is limited as by Statute of Mortmain lest the secular state should become impoverished Though that which was heretofore said of those things that were given that they were in a dead hand may more justly be said of those things that are taken away d View of Civ and Eccl. Law Part. 3. c. 4. §. 1. The Monuments of our Church are also full of instances of our Churches observing the mean between superstition and profaneness The horrible abuses saith e Hom. of repairing of Churches the Homily and abominations they that supply the room of Christ have purged and cleansed the Church of England of taking away all such fulsomness and filthiness as through ignorance and blind devotion hath crept into the Church these many hundred years The Homilies also condemn such sumptuousness as put people in peril of Idolatry yet They require all convenient cleanness and ornament where we cannot attain to an honourable magnificence For as the Homily saith When Gods House is well adorned with places convenient to sit in f Canon 83. 1603. with the Pulpit for the Preacher with the Lords Table g Canon 82. for the Ministration of the Holy Supper and the Font h Canon 81. to Christen in also is kept clean comely and sweetly the people are more comforted to resort thither and tarry the whole time appointed them i Hom. of Idolatry ◠Part. Thus the 85. Canon provides That the Church be well and sufficiently repaired and so from time to time kept and maintained that all things be in such orderly and decent sort without dust or any thing that may be noisome or unseemly as becometh the House of God That there be a terrior of Glebe Lands and other possessions belonging to the Churches Canon 87. That the Churches be not profaned Canon 88. That the Bible and Common-Prayer Book and the Book of Homilies be had in every Church c. Can. 80. Unto all this I wish some would add the Consideration of what Mr Baxter hath writ Temples Vtensils c. devoted lawfully Christian Direct p. 915. Qu. 170. separated by man for holy uses are holy as justly related to God by that lawful separation Ministers are more holy than Temples Lands Vtensils as being nearlier related to holy things and things separated by God are more holy than those justly separated by man And so of Days every thing should be reverenced according to the measure of its Holiness and this expressed by such signs gestures actions as are fittest to honour God to whom they are related and so to be uncovered in Church and use reverent carriage and gestures there doth tend to preserve the due reverence to God and to his worship 1 Cor. 16. 20. CHAP. IX Of the Moderation of our Church with respect to Holy-Days namely both the Feasts and Fasts of the Church § 1. The Feasts of the Church are few and those for great reason chose with care to avoid the excesses of the Romanists § 2. The further behaviour of the Church in her Feasts most useful and prudent § 3. We celebrate the memory of Saints but of none whose existence or sanctity is uncertain § 4. The excellent ends of our Churches honour to Saints are set down § 5. That they are Festivally Commemorated not out of opinion of worship or merit or absolute necessity thereof to Religion § 6. Our Church runs not into any excess in any Prayer to Saints § 7. Nor with reference to Images § 8. Whether our Church in any of these practices be justly charged of Popery by those who Canonize among themselves those who are of uncertain sanctity § 9. The Moderation of our Church in its honour given to Angels § 10. And to the Blessed Virgin § 11. Our Church hath taken great care that a special honour be had to the Lords Day and that the Lords Day nor any other Festival be abused to Luxury and Impiety § 12. The Moderation of the Church with reference to its Musick and Psalmody § 13. The Moderation of our appointed Fasts The Lenten or Paschal Fast how far Religious by the Precept of the Church § 1. COncerning Holy-Days in general it may suffice here only to repeat the words of our Bishops in answer to the Presbyterian Brethren 1661. N. 6. The observation of Saints days is not of divine but Ecclesiastical Institution and therefore it is not necessary that they should have any other ground in Scripture than other Institutions of the same nature so that they be agreeable to the Scripture in the general end for the promoting of Piety and the observation of them was ancient as appears by the Rituals and Liturgies and by the joint consent of Antiquity and by the ancient Translation of the Bible as the Syriack and Aethiopick where the Lessons appointed for Holy-Days are noted and set down the former of which was made near the Apostles times Besides our Saviour himself kept a Feast of the Churches Institution viz. The Feast of Dedication S. Jo. 12. 22. The choice end of these dayes being not Feasting but the exercise of Holy Duties they are fitter called Holy-Days than Festivals and though they be all of like nature it doth not follow that they are equal The exceeding number of Festivals in the Roman Church that they have neither mean nor measure in making new Holy-days as Mr Latimer saith a Sermon to the Convocation hath been the frequent complaint not only of many Learned Protestants b Vetus querela est de nimis magnâ festorum multitudin◠Chemn Exam. Pars 4. p. 162. but also of very many of the Roman Communion as might be instanced Who have thought that the Salvation of men would have been better consulted if there were fewer Solemnities and greater Devotion alledging that of St Bernard c Patriae est non exilii frequentia haec
fidem sanctis vocibus pascimus spem erigimus fiduciam figimus c. Tertull Apol. All manner of persons within this Church of England that from henceforth they celebrate and keep the Lords Day commonly called Sunday and other Holy-days according to Gods holy will and pleasure and the Orders of the Church of England prescribed in that behalf that is in hearing of the Word of God read and taught in private and publick Prayers in acknowledging their offences to God and amendment of the same in reconciling themselves charitably to their neighbours where displeasure hath been in oftentimes receiving the Holy Communion of the body and blood of Christ in visiting of the poor and sick and using all good and sober Conversation Much to the same purpose is largely insisted on in the Homily of place and time of Prayer All persons saith the late Statute q Car. 2. 29. shall on every Lords Day apply themselves to the observation of the same by exercising themselves in the duties of Piety and true Religion publickly and privately and no Tradesman shall do or exercise any worldly labour c. Works of necessity and Charity only excepted r Cunctarum artium officia venerabili die solis quiescant l. 3. Cod. Tit. de Feriis Which Statute of the Kingdom seems to have taken its Rule of Moderation from our excellent Homilies Which do reprove those who ride Journeys buy and sell and make all days alike who profane such holy times by pride and other excesses Albeit the same Homily declares the Commandment of God doth not bind Christian people so straitly to observe the utter Ceremonies of the Sabbath Day as it was given to the Jews Å¿ Audimus apud Bohemos exoriri novum Judaeorum genus Sabbatarios appellant qui tantâ superstitione servant sabbatum ut si quid eo die inciderit in câ—â—lum nolint eximere Erasm de amab Concord as touching forbearing of work and labour in time of necessity and so the Injunctions of King Edw. 6. and Queen Eliz. § 20. conclude Notwithstanding all Parsons Vicars and Curates shall teach and declare unto their Parishioners that they may with a safe and quiet Conscience after Common-Prayer in time of Harvest labour upon the Holy and Festival Days and save that thing which God hath sent So by King Edw. 6. it was ordered that the Lords of the Council should upon every Sunday attend the publick affairs of the Realm The Church also and the Laws of the Kingdom have taken the same wise care to set such Holy-Dayes in every term t Taceat apparitio advocatio delitescat nihil â—odem die sibi vendicat scena theatralis l. 3. Cod. Tit. de feriis V. Act for abrogation of Holy-dayes 1536. R. Hen 8. V. R. H. 8. Injunctions Hist of Reform Collection of Records l. 3. p. 161. Legum conditores festos instituerunt dies ut ad hilaritatem homines publicè cogerentur tanquam necessarium laboribus temperamentum Sen. de Tranquill. c. 15. that beside the ordinary Vacations there may be some days of respite from secular businesses and contests of Law for the exercises of Peace Charity and Devotion So careful have our Laws in Church and Kingdom been to avoid profaneness on one hand and on the other hand all sorts of superstition that is either Heathenish or Jewish usages as such For as the Homily of Prayer earnestly blames them who abuse holy times and places with intolerable superstitions as hath been in use in the Church of Rome so on the other hand it doth not countenance those opinions which tend to establish among us such observances as were peculiar to the Jews After the recital of the fourth Commandment in the Decalogue our Church prays That our hearts be inclin'd to keep that Law therein rightly acknowledging a moral equity that Christians should observe such a proportion of time as hath been the practice of the Church in which time all impediments to sacred and religious duties publick or private are to be avoided according to the equity of the Divine Law and the Precept of Gods Church The Moderation of our Church in its judgment of the Lords Day Bishop Bramhall hath observed from the Homily of the Church as concurrent with his own judgment u Discourse of the Sabbath or Lords Day p. 932. 1. That the Homily denieth not the Lords Day the name of Sabbath That it finds no Law of the Sabbath Gen. 23. That the Homily finds no seventh Day Sabbath before Moses his time The Homily gives no power to the fourth Commandement as it was given to the Jews to oblige Christians but only as it was and so far as it was a Law of nature The Homily makes the first day of the week to signify the Lords Day The Homily makes the end of changing the Weekly Festival of the Church to have been in honour of Christs Resurrection The Homily derives the Lords Day down from the Ascension of Christ immediately But the Homily doth express that p. 916. the fourth Commandment doth not bind Christians over-streightly Not to the external Ceremonies of the Sabbath not to the rigorous part of it to forbear all work As to the question By what authority this change was made I find no cause to doubt saith the Bishop but that it was made by the authority of Christ that is by divine authority 'T is true we find no express precept recorded in Holy Scripture for the setting a-part the first day of the Week for the service of God Neither is it necessary that there should be an express Precept for it founded in Holy Scripture to prove it to be a divine right The perpetual and universal practice of the Catholick Church including all the Apostles themselves is a sufficient proof of the divine right of it that at least it was an Apostolical Institution and Ordinance not temporary but perpetual § 12. With the Festivals it may not be improper to join the notice of the Moderation of our Church in reference to her Musick and Psalmody wherein the Constitution of our Church sheweth us the true temper of Religion which as it is the most serious so it is the most pleasant of all performances and is most suited to the nature temper and condition of man in which joy and sorrow have a very interchangeable interest therefore S. James saith Is any afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing Psalms Jam. 3. 13. Accordingly in our Church Prayer and praise fill up the measures of Divine Worship and can there be any performance more pleasant than to join with and imitate the Heavenly Host in the high praises of God Neither doth our Church judge it enough for us to make melody in our hearts to the Lord but doth require us to serve God also with our x Omnes affectus spiritûs nostri pro sua diversitate habent proprios modos in voce cantu quorum occultâ
the late History of the Irish Affairs Which most remarkable Story is a strange proof of the dangerous influence on Kingdoms which is to be expected from the propagation of the Roman Faith and is also a great Instance of the Moderation of our Governments and how ineffectual the same is on such § 8. The Rules and Orders of our Church are mildly and moderately framed Our Church being ever most remov'd from the guilt or humour of Domineering over the Consciences of any She teacheth and enforceth the Divine Commands and useth her Liberty in those things which are left undetermin'd and are within her own just Compass The Precepts of the Church which are very few are justly affirmed to bind by virtue of the Command of God yet their Obligation which is declared not to be Universal only to her Sons and that but so long as she judgeth expedient is intended or remitted as just reason of the Case requires No Councils Evangelical are any where made into Laws in our Church or set up as a Fund for Merit and Supererogation but are left free for our further exercise and endeavour after Christian Perfection Which because it cannot be thorowly attained in this imperfect state therefore the Moderation of our Church no where pretends to this perfection either of Knowledg or of Grace So K. James affirmed to the Cardinal He never should boast of this Church as being perfectly without spot or wrinkle § 9. For Illustration sake if we would compare the moderation of our Laws with the Laws of the Roman Church we cannot better do it than by taking into Consideration a Chapter of Card. Bellarmine's * C. Bellarm l. de Pontif. Ro. cap. de comparatione Legum wherein he useth very neat Sleights to elevate the heaviness and number of the Pontifical Laws and to make them fewer and lighter than were the Ordinances among the Jews For saith he the Laws absolutely impos'd upon all Christians by our Church are scarce found any more than four viz. To observe the Feasts of the Church And the Fasts and to Confess once a Year and to Communicate at Easter Indeed the Men of that generation are so wise that until any be a through Proselyte there is all shew of Moderation that may be to entice them into their Communion But first what Bondage was there ever among the Jews comparable to that one Obligation among the Romanists to believe the Church and Pope of Rome infallible with the Consequences of that in practice which are heavier than all the Jewish Observances set together 2ly On the Supposition that there were only those four general Precepts of the Church we may consider how great Burdens any one of them singly do contain 1. In that their Feasts are so excessive in their number and the observation of them have so many Superstitions V. Ch. 9. The same 2. is to be said of their Fasts 3. In that Auricular Confession of all Mortal Sins with all their Circumstances is enjoyn'd as by Divine Right V. Ch. 11. 4. The slightest Precept of the four is the last of Communicating at Easter But considering therewith the round belief of Transubstantiation which all are required to have we may truly say with our Bishop Hall * Remains p. 30. The Pope's little Finger is heavier than Moses 's Loins But perhaps one reason why the Cardinal saith there are so few Precepts of the Church is because he will say that many of the rest are Divine Commands as Extreme Unction c. The rest saith he of which the Tomes of Councils and Books of Canon Law are so full are not Laws but Admonitions only or pious Institutions without obligation to Fault However there are great store of them of a great Bulk But it is strange that so many Canons of Councils and other Laws enforced with Anathema should have no intended obligation to a Fault in case of Transgression Why were such Laws made or why were such Anathemaes annexed Or saith he They are Conditional Laws as of Celibacy in case any enter into sacred Orders which are not to be accounted burdensome because the Law leaves them to their choice as also in case of Vows How many and how strict observances are contained under such conditional Obligations is too well known to be largely insisted on The Purifications the choice of Meats among the Jews had not all of them comparably so many Rites and Orders and Laws as the Pontifical Oeconomy hath But to make the Precepts of the Church show very light and easie indeed The four Laws of the Church saith Bellarmin are rather a determination of the Divine Law than any new Law for by the Divine Law we are bound to dedicate some time to the Worship of God sometimes to Fast to Confess to Communicate True indeed But then the general Rules of Scripture the edification of Christian People the practice of the Primitive Church the ends of Religious Actions themselves ought to give measure to Laws as in the Church of England is practised and not to let their Commands run out into such lavish extremity where God hath left us at so large and safe freedom Lastly he saith The Commands of the Church have a most moderate Obligation for in their Fasts those who are Sick and Aged are accepted And for Festivals their observation also is dispensed with upon a just Cause So that in conclusion the Church of Rome is the most moderate Governour that ever was for there it is the easiest matter to get off from the strictest Precepts that are if you have Money but the Poor cannot be comforted * Nota diligenter quod hujusmodi gratia dispensationes non conceduntur pauperibus quia non sunt ideo non possunt consolari Taxa Cancel Apostol So great is the moderation of the Church of Rome so large are her Indulgences whether for Commission of Sin or for Omission of Duty § 10. Having mentioned the mildness of the Churche's Power It is meet for the further shewing her Moderation to note That our Church in the Government of her Ecclesiastical Courts in their manner of Process Sentence Appeals doth make use of the Law of Equity moderating even the practice of that also with all due Subordination to other Superiour Laws According to Equity our Church desires all its Laws may be interpreted ¶ Benignius leges interpretandae sunt quo voluntas earum conservetur Capienda est occasio quae praebet benignius responsum She admits of a mitigation of a rigid Sentence She doth sometimes dispense with her General Rules upon the exception of a particular Case Just reason requiring she admits a commutation of her Censures When there is sufficient Cause she is ready to abrogate any such Laws as are found inexpedient and inconvenient The reason of her Laws ceasing they are made to cease also And to take cognizance of their desires who ask a relaxation of strict or rigid Law there
Bull against Queen Elizabeth they will cry out God hath set them over all Princes and Nations to pluck up and destroy and to scatter to plant and to build They will presently be for binding Kings in Chains and our Nobles in Fetters of Iron that the Saints may rule and that the mountain of his Holiness may be exalted 9. In the mean while they have among them such a political and artificial dependence on their principal Leaders and the administration of their Body is cast into such a method for communication of News and * Tantum vaferrimi veteratores ex solâ correspondentiâ utilitatem ad unioâ—em tuendam sentiunt Hospin de Jesuitis l. 4. intelligence of their Affairs and Interests as we may be sure is contrived and menaged and directed by more subtil Wits than their own being so very like the same method which the Agents of Rome use themselves for the propagation and disposition of their Matters To mention nothing now further of their Agreements with the severest Emissaries of Rome in their pretences to all mortification of Spirit and mildness In their pretences to extraordinary and miraculous Gifts in their many kinds of Superstitions and Pharisaicalness in their clamours also of Persecution in their grievous Anathema's and Curses they use against us too like the Roman Curses by Bell Book and Candle which sheweth what is the Light within them § 9. It might be no difficult thing to shew some of those steps and degrees by which some commonly advance to Popery who separate from Communion with our Church The first step to Division is When what is amiss in Government and Governours in Church or State is set forth to the full advantage of dissatisfaction as may make withal the most lamentable out-cry that may be unto which there shall never be wanting arch and cunning Instruments who by all plausible means shall stir up the humour and Passions and Zeal of the People under such pretences as shall most inflame and excite them Then in the next place are made such immoderate pretences to Purity and profession of Saintship as when poor simple People experience upon trial the same to be false and not to answer their expectation they run and seek from one Sect to another till they come to be Quakers and so as we see in the next preparation to Popery 3. Having thus cast off all Forms as dangerous and unlawful being raised to expect every-where the effects of a Spirit extraordinary they are made so Enthusiastical 't is hard to contain them within ordinary bounds till they arrive at the perfection of Enthusiasm the Light within 4. By the way we must note there is no one Principle which hath bin the Original of all this Enthusiasm and Division more than that Nothing is lawful to be done but for which there is an express Example or Precept in the Scripture Which attributing to the Holy Scriptures that Perfection which is beside the end of them doth tend by consequence to take away the true perfection of them which they have which hath bin considered in the 4th Chapter which hath bin found true for all these sub-divisions of Sects have tended in the conclusion to cast off Holy Scripture as a Rule By the consequences of this Principle is come to pass what Arch-Bishop Whitgift and Hooker and others foretold If Puritanism should prevail it would soon draw in Anabaptism From them we have had Quakers and Seekers and other Sects which divide us and are ready to destroy us and to bring in Popery as it were at the back door I may not dissemble my own fears saith Bishop Sanderson * Pref. to his Serm V. Arch. Bp. Laud's dying Speech if things still go on as they have hitherto proceeded the application that some have made of that passage John 11. 48. The Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation will prove but a true Prophecy and Popery will over-run all at the last 5. But when they are run out of all possibility of pretending any Scripture to justify their Actions they then warrant them by Providence and such a necessity as God hath called them unto by extraordinary Revelations and Impulses which in the next remove comes to be Light within them 6. And when once they are off from our legal Establishments what can stop the Divisions of several Sects from ending in confusion and being made a prey of by designing Men whose business is when the Public is on fire to make out their Spoils And who think we are most cunning and industrious to make the advantage by all this but they whose greatest Business and industrious Design is to have our Church ruined Who make use of our Divisions to cry up also the necessity of an Infallible Judg of Controversy The Infallible private Spirit is a fair preparation thereunto and when they have broken and discredited the Authority of our Church they have that taken away which gives them most hinderance and opposition § 10. What hath bin in so many Instances proved is most agreeable 1. To the Art Industry and Design of the Romanists to make use of the Prejudices and Passions the divided Principles and Interests of Men to serve their purposes which are by any means whatsoever to multiply Proselytes and enlarge their Party Wherefore the Thesis of Bishop Bramhall out of Nilus was worthy such an Assertor That the Papacy as it was challenged and usurped in many places and as it hath bin usurped in our Native Country was either the Procreant or Conservant Cause or both Procreant and Conservant of all the Ecclesiastical Controversies in the Christian World * Bp. Br. Gro. Rel. p. 74. 2. This is no more than what is agreeable to most common experience since the Reformation and hath bin noted with great authority and remark In the Preamble of the Act of Parliament 27. Hen. 8. 1536. The Public Authority of the Kingdom took notice how many of the Pope's Emissaries were practising up and down the Kingdom and persuading the People to acknowledg his pretended Authority In the Homily against Rebellion it is observed That the Bishops of Rome by the Ministry of their disguised Chaplains creep into Houses in Laymens Apparel and raise Rebellion The same Comenius relates was practised by them in the Bohemian Church †Admiscebant se personati quidam qui Papa causam promoturi dissentines mutuas promovebant Histor §. 36. Our English History tells us of sundry seditious Motions soon after and about the time of the Reformation which received their Impressions and Continuance from the influence of Romish Agents as * V. Acts and Monuments p. 1086. 1087 1306. in the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire and Devonshire Commotions and Rebellions which were actuated by Monks Priests and Papists And how the like Game hath bin played ever since especially from the beginning of our Troubles in England Scotland Ireland c. Mr. Fowlis gives sundry proofs in
last Will. Walton in his Life the Superstition which the Puritan on the other hand lay to our charge are very justly chargeable on themselves respectively It is the Church of England in its legal Constitution which I defend and not the Assertions and Practices of particular Persons Neither have I undertaken to commend the Church in all her equal Constitutions nor shewn all the Proportions and Instances of her Moderation neither have I illustrated the same from all the extremes and immoderate extravagances of other Professions in Religion which would have bin a boundless and an infinite task But if I have made out this excellent Vertue to be truly conspicuous in our Church If I have fairly wrested out of our Adversary's hands that glorious Calumny in which so many have cheared and vaunted themselves in their fond Hopes strange Demands and very dismantled Confidences That our Church is devoy'd of all true Moderation I am sure I have done reason to our most indulgent Mother to defend her from the imputation of unjust Rigour which our Church justly disdains as in her 8th Canon Whosoever shall affirm that their pretended Schismatical Church hath a long time groaned under the burden of certain Grievances imposed upon them by the Church of England let them be Excommunicate § 5. But whereas some forward to censure will be apt to judg of our justifying the Moderation of the Church as an endeavour to prevent any Reformation or Union such may consider That admit our Superiors should think fit to remit or at any time change any thing in our present Order The so doing doth not necessarily infer that our Constitution is not very moderate as it is For Concessions which are for the future ought not to be an accusation of the Church in what is past But may our sins never bring upon us such a wretched condition of the Church when every one shall judg he hath a right to think and speak in Religion what he pleaseth * In liberâ Repub. unicuique sentire quae velit quae sentiat liberè dicere Tractat. Theologo Pol. Unto this state of things or unto Popery those hasten us whether they know it or no who are in no wise satisfyed with the Moderation of our Church How far our present establishment may be any way moderated to compass a more general and lasting uniformity we hope if ever there should be occasion God will guide our Governors to determin but I am sure as the present Moderation of the Church is most justifiable so I suppose the change may more easily be allow'd when ever the generality of Dissenters shall be agreed and resolv'd of their own Reasons among themselves In the mean while if any will undertake to disprove the Proposition which this Treatise principally doth ovince Namely That the great Moderation of the Church of England doth rightly argue those who are in separation from the same to be the more unjust and guilty in their Schism * Et refellere sine pertâ—nacâ—â refelli sine iracunâ—iá paraâ—i sumus Tuscul 9. l. 2. I hope such will menage their Exceptions with respect to the Rules of Moderation especially as they have bin laid down in the second paragraph of this Chapter Neither I conceive is it enough to excuse their Schism nor to render our Church so immoderate as not to be communicated with for any to give some Instances which according to some Judgments they would have otherwise since it is most impossible to have any constitution of things free from all manner of exception and also against the most perfect things great enmities may be raised for want of equally considering the Principles Rules and Ends for which those things were established Neither is it enough to except against what is faulty in particular Persons when the same is no vice of the public Constitution Sure then it may be judged a very unreasonable manner of sundry sorts of Men answering such Discourses as pinch them namely by catching at some little scattered parts of the Skirts and Margent of the Cause Or when they cannot by unbiassed Reasons have victory in their Contest then they readily fall off to Personal Matters which in no sort tend to the Merits of any Cause and by these methods they hope to buoy up the Party which is the main thing they generally aim at § 6. Such was the Moderation of our Church when she had any hopes to reduce any of the Romish Profession unto our Communion she left out of the Public Litany that Clause From the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestible Enormities Good Lord deliver us Yet it may be very proper now to make the same our Petition here adjoining thereunto another seasonable Prayer of Isaac Casaubon's O Lord Jesu preserve this Church of England and give a sound mind to those Nonconformists who deride the Rites and Ceremonies of it * Faxit Deus ut ad sanâ—orem mentem redeant Amen Lud. Capellus Thes 51. Salmur de moresis in Angliâ And since I have named the Learned Casaubon 't is most suitable here also to add some of his words to King James * Exercit. in Baron Ep. Dâ—d Sir You have a Church in these Kingdoms partly so framed of old and partly by great labours of late so restored that now no Church whatsoever comes nearer than yours to the form of the Primitive flourishing Church having taken just the middle way between those that offended in excess and defect In which Moderation the Church of England hath obtein'd this first of all that those very Persons who envyed her happiness yet by comparing one with the other have bin compelled to praise Her As for any of those who think it their Interest to decry the Moderation of our Church We wish first that the Roman Church would once take advice of her own Cassander * De nimio â—â—origore aliquid remâ—â—â—ant Ecclesiae paci aliquid concedant Consult ad Artic. 7. To remit of their immoderate rigour and hearkning to the Admonitions of Pious Men would set themselves to correct manifest abuses according to the Rule of Divine Scripture and of the Primitive Church from which they have swerved And that those of the other extreme would practise the Counsel which * Vt vos ultra modum rigidos esse nolim ita rursus altos monitos esse cupio ne sibi in suâ inscitiá nimis placeant Ep. 200. Calvin gave the English Brethren at Frank fort As I would not saith he have you beyond measure rigid so again the rest I desire they will be advised not to please themselves too excessively in their own ignorance * Offâ—â—sions suae modum statuere nesciunt nam ubi Dominus clementiam exigit omissâ illâ totos se immoderatae severitati tradunt Calv. Inst l. 4. c. 1. For I suppose that according to the best Reason it may be made out very probable that as the overthrow of Popery may as probably be wrought by the growth of its own rigour and immoderate claims as any way we can imagin †Inde exitium imminere Pontificiâ— imperio A. Sall. votum prâ—pace so if any thing in the mean while endanger the Protestant Reformed Interest it will be the immoderate behaviour of those of the Separation in their Schism against our Church Between both taking auspicious hopes from the Moderation of our Church We trust its Constitution being most Primitive will be also most lasting ¶ Eâ— demùm tuta est potentia quae viribus suis modum imponâ—t Val. Max. de Animi Moder l. 4. c. 1. in the esteem of the Church Universal and in the approbation of wise and good Christians And while our Church continues thus moderate it must needs argue the Separation which is from it to be the more unequal and sinful For the same Moderation which exonerates the Church of England from the guilt of Schism with respect to the Romanists doth aggravate also the Schism of other Separatists and however some dissenting Brethren while they remain drencht in their Tinctures will not be forward to acknowledg the Moderation of our Church yet we are assured that nothing would more tend to bring People in love with happy Peace and blessed Order nothing would contribute more to the quieting Mens Minds to reconcile all Parties and to accommodate the most and greatest differences which are among us than a right and full persuasion of the excellent Temper and Constitution of our Church I cannot close a Treatise of the Moderation of the Church of England more properly than with some of the mild and pathetical Soliloquies of our late Blessed Martyr King Charles I. Most merciful God stir up all Parties pious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 §. 19. 16. Ambitions to overcome each other with Reason Moderation and such self-denial as becomes those who consider that our mutual Divisions are our common Distractions and the Vnion of all is every Man's chiefest Interest Keep Men in a pious Moderation of their Judgments in Matters of Religion Give us wisdom to amend what is amiss within us and there will be less to mend without us Evermore defend and deliver thy Church from the Effects of blind Zeal and over-bold Devotion Glory to God in the highest on Earth Peace Good Will toward Men. FINIS
Churches hath plentifully instanced but so far forth as they judge the same Moderation found among themselves they seem to mention it with a great joy p Retinemus ex singulis regiminibus exquisitam temperaturam J. A. Comenius de Ord. Eccl. apud Bohem. and count the same worthy of imitation q Atque hîc Commemorare libet ad Exemplum quantâ sapientiâ quantoque temperamento compositae fuerint precationum formulae quibus Gall. Genev. utuntur Amyrald de secess ab Eccl. Rom. p. 225. § 3. Wherefore the most general and inartificial but most plain proof of the Moderation of our Church such a proof as is sufficient to evince the whole enquiry is the consideration of the condition of our Church among her Adversaries that is as the 7. Canon 1640. hath it between the groundless suspicions of the weak and the aspersions of the malicious r Pref. to the Liturgy conc Cerem between those addicted to their old Customs and the new-fangled who would innovate all things the Church of England hath been a patient sufferer And as the true Religion hath always been tryed by real persecution of its extreme Adversaries and thereby hath become more approved and more glorious so by the wonderful Providence of God this temper and Constitution of the Church of England hath had its Essayes in two very refining Tryals 1. Immediately after the Reformation in its persecution from those of the Romish Communion and lately in its second Tryal from other Domestick Adversaries from both which sufficient proofs the Moderation of our Church may be known unto all 'T is a hard condition The Church of England professeth the ancient Catholick Faith and yet the Romanist condemns her of Novelty in her Doctrine She practiseth Church Government as it hath been in use in all Ages and places where the Church of Christ hath taken any rooting both in and ever since the Apostles times and yet the Separatist condemns her for Anti-Christianism in her Discipline The plain truth is she is betwixt these two Factions as between two Milstones And it is very remarkable that while both these press hard upon the Church of England both of them cry out upon Persecution t Arch-Bishop Laud against Fisher Pref. among whom she is placed as an humble representation of her Blessed Saviour for as he was Crucified amidst Criminals so the Church of England hath most constantly suffered betwixt such Factions and Sects of Men as have run into the utmost extremes from the judgment and practices of the Universal Church of Christ such are the Romanists and other Sectaries and Schismaticks amongst us Thus Manasseh vexed Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh and both against Judah Is 9. 21. Thus Herod and Pontius Pilate otherwise at variance became Friends to be but the worse Enemies to our Saviour thus both the Jews and Gentiles opposed the Christian Religion and afterward the later Jews and the Circumcellions joined against the Catholick Christians and since Judaism and Gentilism have been overcome by the light of the Gospel the corruption of the Christian Religion hath arisen from its own Professors which is the corruption of Christianity into Popery and other Sects amongst us for what is best in it self is worst when corrupted and as the Christian Religion is the perfection of other Philosophies so these corruptions of Christianity have in them much of the very dregs of Judaism and the worst imitation of Gentilism And now how earnestly do the several Factions from Rome and the whole gang of Sects among us oppose our Church whose wise Moderation and excellent Constitution do place her amidst such extremes Between the Ignes fatui pretenders to new lights on one hand and the Boutfeaus the male-contented Incendiaries on the other hand Between both these we must be served as the Guests of Procrustes t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch in Theseo were in his famous Bed the Romanists think us too short and deficient in most of our measures and therefore they would needs have us stretcht if not upon the rack the Sectaries count us redundant in many superfluities and would fain have us cut precisely according to their Models so their mutual testimony rightly applyed may thus far be accepted that indeed we are guilty of neither extreme but really do bear the Test to be in the golden Mean To this purpose the Excellent Hammond begins his Preface to his View of the Directory There is no surer evidence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which to discern the great excellency of Moderation in that Book of the Liturgy of the Church of England and so the apportionateness of it to the end to which it was designed than the experience of these so contrary fates which it hath constantly undergone betwixt the Persecutors on both extreme parts the Assertors of the Papacy on the one side and the Consistory on the other The one accusing it of Schism the other of compliance The one of departure from the Church of Rome the other of remaining with it Like the poor Greek Church our Fellow Martyr devoured by the Turk for too much Christian Profession and damn'd by the Pope for too little It being the dictate of natural reason in Aristotle That the middle vertue is most infallibly known by this that it is accused by either extreme as guilty of the other For as S. Greg. Nazianzen in his third Oration of Peace u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Whatsoever is peaceable and moderate doth suffer much of both the extremes and either is despised or resisted of which sort while we are now who blame what is amiss we therefore are placed as in a seat of strife and envy and no wonder if we are bruised in pieces between both Neither is there any more certain Argument of the equal and just Constitution of the Church of England than that the Factions among us are so ready to join with the Romanists in the very same accusations It follows now that we give more particular instances of the real Moderation of the Church CHAP. IV. Of the Moderation of our Church in respect to her Rule of Faith § 1. In holding to her true and just measure as is proved from her Articles and Canons and other Monuments of the Church § 2. In her avoiding the extremes of those who take away from the due perfection of Holy Scripture and of others who seem officiously to add thereunto § 3. In her judgment of the letter and sense of Scripture and in the use of such consequences as are duly drawn from thence § 4. In reference to the Versions and Translations of Holy Scripture several instances of Moderation in our Church § 5. In her Orders also for dispensing the Holy Scripture to all within her Communion § 6. In governing the reading of the Scripture and communing on the same § 7. In her judgment of the Canonical and Apocryphal Books § 8. The Divine Authority
of the Holy Scripture our Church rather doth take for granted than prove too laboriously or uncertainly § 9. All immoderate extravagancies concerning interpretation of Holy Scripture avoided by our Church § 1. WHereas Moderation hath its name and being from the equal measures observed by it the first instance of the Moderation of our Church is most properly to be taken from the right rule and measure in Religion which this Church of ours constantly receives and holds close to by which she is safely preserved from all undue extremes having to her self the same rule and measure of her Moderation which the universal Church of Christ in all Ages hath had such a rule as is beyond all exception and is of undeniable Authority namely the Holy Scriptures which are the same right and just measure by which she measures out to others and desires to be measured by her self in whatever she receives and delivers out as matter of Faith and required practice in the necessary parts of Religion and the worship of God Whereas next to the extreme of them who have no Religion nor no Rule the vanity and extravagance of those is very notorious who set up themselves to be their own Rule which is done in the pretences of infallibility on one hand and enthusiasm on the other between that Rock and this Gulf the Moderation of our Church doth safely conduct its own judgment and practice and all that follow her In the Sixth Article of Religion see how our Church doth own the perfection of Holy Scripture as a Rule Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation and the reason why the Church of England doth require her self to be acknowledged of her own a Canon 3. 1603. as a true and Apostolical Church is because she teacheth and maintains the Doctrine of the Apostles and in the fourth Canon the Church censures all Impugners of the worship of God and whosoever shall affirm her Form containeth any thing in it repugnant to the Scriptures In the 36. Canon Article 2. All who are to subscribe are willingly and ex animo to affirm That the Book of Common-Prayer and of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth in it nothing contrary to the word of God and Article 3. That he acknowledgeth all and every of the 39. Articles to be agreeable to the word of God In the 19th Article of Religion The visible Church of Christ is defined a Congregation of faithful men in the which the pure word of God is Preached and the Sacraments be duly administred according to Christs Ordinance And in the ordering of Bishops and Priests it is asked Be you perswaded that the Holy Scriptures contain sufficiently all Doctrine required of necessity for eternal Salvation through Faith in Jesu Christ And are you determined with the said Scriptures to instruct the people committed to your Charge and to teach nothing as required of necessity to eternal Salvation but that you shall be perswaded may be concluded and proved by the Scriptures The Answer is I am so perswaded and have so determined by Gods grace In the 20th Article of Religion it is declared It is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing contrary to Gods word written neither to expound one place that it be repugnant to another From all which passages and many more which might be repeated out of the Monuments of our Church it is evident that as our Church is formed in her whole Constitution with an uniform respect to this Rule and hath framed her Articles Liturgy Homilies and Orders thereby so it doth require her self to be acknowledged in those but in subordination to this Rule and measure as before and superiour to it self which doth manifest the exceptions of many of the Separation to be very unreasonable who seem to give such deference to the Holy Scriptures and at the same time renounce Communion with the Church of England which doth so religiously hold to the Sacred Scriptures of which our Church in union with the whole Church of God is a sure Keeper a faithful Witness a zealous Defender and a most sober Interpreter § 2. The Moderation of the Church of England further appears in avoiding the extremes of those who take away from the true perfection of Scripture and of others who seem officiously to add thereunto Of the first sort of those who detract from the true perfection of Scripture are they who frame an additional Canon of their own as the Church of Rome doth who declares that the Apocryphal Writings and Traditions of men are nothing inferiour nor less Canonical than the Sovereign dictates of God as well for the Confirmation of doctrinal points pertaining to Faith as for ordering of Life and Manners and that both the one and the other ought to be embraced with the same affection of Piety and received with the like religious Reverence b Concil Trid. Sess 4. Decr. 1. not making any difference between them Thus as it is in the second part of the Homily of good works Christ reproved the Laws and Traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees because they were set up so high as though they had been equal with Gods Laws and above them They worship Me in vain that teach for Doctrines the Commandments of men For you leave the Commandments of God to keep your own Traditions Yet He meant not thereby to overthrow Mens Commandments for He Himself was obedient to the Princes and their Laws made for good order On the other extreme They of the Separation among us are busy to attribute to the Holy Scriptures such a perfection as God never intended them namely particularly to determine of all actions of Mankind and every matter of order and decency in Religion Between these two see by how even a thred our Church divides the controversy first asserting the real perfection of Scriptures as a Rule to be as much as need to be to be as great a perfection as God hath given it in order to its end namely to guide our belief and practice in things needful to Salvation Article 20. Besides the same namely Gods word written ought not the Church to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation and in the same Article It is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing contrary to Gods word written Yet the Article begins thus The Church hath power to Decree Rites and Ceremonies and hath Authority in controversies of Faith Wherein according to an accurate Moderation the Church doth behave itself in attributing to the Holy Scriptures their just and full perfection On the other hand our Church doth thankfully accept of that Christian Liberty which God hath left her and indeed which he hath given all particular Christians according to their
and Peace in the Church Our Church hath wisely distinguished between what is necessary absolutely and what only in some circumstances is necessary to Salvation Those things saith the Homily a 2d Part of the Homily of Scriptures that be plain to understand and necessary for Salvation every mans duty is to learn them and as for dark mysteries to be contented to be ignorant in them till such time as it shall please God to open those things unto them b Hom. 1. If it shall require to teach any truth or to do any thing requisite for our Salvation All those things saith St Chrysostom we may learn plentifully of the Scripture And in the 19. Article of the Church The Preaching of the pure word of God and the Administration of the Sacraments are made indispensable notes of the visible Church namely in all things that of necessity are requisite to the same and the 8th Article declares The three Creeds ought throughly to be believed and received for that they may be proved by most certain warrant of Holy Scripture where our Church gives the reason of her Faith and sheweth her earnestness in contending for it But the Moderation of our Church contains her self within the bounds of what is before made necessary The principal and essential points of the Doctrine of Salvation such as are fit to make up the unity of the Faith and constitute a Church are no other among us than what Christ and his Apostles at first made necessary which also the ancient Church received as necessary unto Baptism and for distinction of Heresy which fundamental Maxims of Christian Science are frequently and plainly repeated in Scripture and by our Church were first of all insisted on at the reformation of our Church as we see in the Institution of a Christian Man 1537. in the first Injunctions of our Kings and our Form of Catechism Whereas the Catechisms and Systems which have been set up in opposition to the Catechism and Articles of the Church of England have abounded with many doubtful and unnecessary definitions yet so insisted upon by some as if the Hinges of the Gate of Heaven turn'd upon those Propositions whereby many have agreed with Pope Pius the Fourth who by his Bull set out the Apostles Creed in a larger Edition of about as many more Articles without belief of which is declared no Salvation c Extra quam Nemo salvus esse potest Bulla Pii quarti super formâ Juramenti professionis fidei sub finem Concilii Trid. Unto such a strange Circumference is the body of their unnecessary belief extended whereas the Religion of our Church tends to the Center Which distinction of things necessary from what was not so King James according to the sense of our Church declares of great use to lay a foundation for the publick peace of the Church d Vt de necessariis conveniat omnis opera insumatur in non-necessariis libertati Christianae locus Rex Jacobus ad Card. Perr and of particular mens minds and the furtherance of true Faith and Piety § 2. Those Articles which are delivered by our Church for the avoiding of diversities of opinions and establishing consent touching true Religion 1. They are few especially those of positive Doctrine and the other negative positions were necessary to assert our liberty from the abuses and encroachments of the Romanists in their contrary affirmatives few if we consider either the time or the occasion of their being framed it being just about the meeting at Trent made it necessary for our Church to declare her sense of many Doctrines for the better satisfaction and directions of her Sons and to testify her equal conditions of Communion Especially also if we consider the cruel number of Articles which either the Westminster Divines or the Trent Councellors have imposed on their followers e Bishop â—ramball fol. p. 1018. Indeed the Romanists do call our Religion a negative Religion because in all the Controversies between us and them we maintain the negative that is we go as far as we dare or can with warrant from holy Scriptures and the Primitive Church and leave them in their excesses or those inventions which they themselves have added but in the mean while they forget that we maintain all those Articles and truths which are contained in any of the ancient Creeds of the Church which I hope are more than negative The Church of England saith Archbishop Laud f Archbishop Laud against Fisher 5. 14. comes far short of the Church of Romes severity whos 's Anathema's are not for 39. Articles but for very many more above one hundred in matter of Doctrine and that in many points as far remote from the foundation though to the far greater rack of Mens Consciences they must be all Fundamental if that Church have determined them Whereas the Church of England never declared that every one of her Articles are fundamentals in the Faith For it is one thing to say no one of them is superstitious or erroneous and quite another to say every one of them is fundamental Besides the Church of England prescribes only to her own Children and by those Articles provides but for her peaceable consent in those Doctrines of truth but the Church of Rome severely imposeth on all the World her Doctrine and that under pain of damnation § 3. These Articles of Religion are generally exhibited as Articles of Peace and consent not as Articles of Faith and Communion and as such they are propounded to all the Communicants in our Church g Schisin guarded p. 150. Bishop Lanies Sermons p. 48. in general For the avoiding Diversities of Opinions as the Title of the Articles is Not such a consent as Curcellaeus h Curcellaeus Religionis Christianae Institut C. 15. means where he supposeth some in the dregs of the Age of the Reformation obtrude their Confessions and Catechisms as a secondary rule if not of truth yet of consent such as ought to be urged only to an infallible truth 't is likely he might know many who did so But the consent designed to be established by our Articles is such a consent as may keep the Peace of our Church undisturbed according to the sense of the fifth Canon Where the Prohibition is directed against such as should speak against the 39. Articles as superstitious and erroneous such as may not with a good Conscience be subscribed to Whosoever shall hereafter affirm i Quicunque in posterum affirmabit c. Ecclesiae Anglic. Canon 5. not as the Council of Trent k Si quis contrà senserit Anathema sit Concil Trid. de peccato Originis directs its Anathema against those that shall so much as think diversly Wherefore our Church no where delivers our Articles as necessary to be believed neither by vertue of their own necessity or her own Command as several with Bishop Bramhall have noted For which reason subscription unto them is