point there should not neede any question to growe and that which is growne might presently ende if they did yeelde but to these two restraints the first is not to extend the actions whereof they speake so lowe as that instance doth import of taking vp a strawe but rather keepe themselues at the least within the compasse of morall actions actions which haue in them vice or vertue the second not to exact at our hands for euery action the knowledge of some place of scripture out of which we stand bound to deduce it as by diuerse testimonies they seeke to enforce but rather as the truth is so to acknowledge that it sufficeth if such actions be framed according to the lawe of reason the generall axiomes rules and principles of which lawe being so frequent in holy scripture there is no let but in that regard euen out of scripture such duties may be deduced by some kinde of consequence as by long circuite of deduction it may be that euen all truth out of any truth may be concluded howbeit no man bound in such sort to deduce all his actions out of scripture as if eyther the place be to him vnknowne whereon they may be concluded or the reference vnto that place not presently considered of the action shall in that respect be condemned as vnlawfull In this we dissent and this we are presently to examine 1 In all parts of knowledge rightly so termed thinges most generall are most strong Thus it must be in as much as the certaintie of our perswasion touching particulars dependeth altogether vpon the credite of those generalities out of which they growe Albeit therefore euery cause admit not such infallible euidence of proofe as leaueth no possibilitie of doubt or scruple behind it yet they who claime the generall assent of the whole world vnto that which they teach and doe not feare to giue very hard and heauie sentence vpon as many as refuse to embrace the same must haue speciall regard that their first foundations and grounds be more then slender probabilities This whole question which hath bene mooued about the kinde of Church regiment we could not but for our owne resolutions sake endeuour to vnrip and sift following therein as neare as we might the conduct of that iudiciall method which serueth best for inuention of truth By meanes whereof hauing found this the head theoreme of all their discourses who pleade for the chaunge of Ecclesiasticall gouernment in England namely That the Scripture of God is in such sort the rule of humane actions that simply whatsoeuer we doe and are not by it directed thereunto the same is sinne wee hold it necessarie that the proofes hereof be waighed be they of waight sufficient or otherwise it is not ours to iudge and determine onely what difficulties there are which as yet withhold our assent till we be further and better satisfied I hope no indifferent amongst them will scorne or refuse to heare First therefore whereas they alleage that wisedome doth teach men euery good way and haue thereupon inferred that no way is good in any kind of action vnlesse wisedome do by scripture leade vnto it see they not plainely how they restraine the manifold wayes which wisedome hath to teach men by vnto one only way of teaching which is by scripture The boundes of wisedome are large and within them much is contayned Wisdome was Adams instructor in Paradise wisdome indued the fathers who liued before the law with the knowledge of holy things by the wisedome of the lawe of God Dauid attained to excell others in vnderstanding Salomon likewise to excell Dauid by the selfe same wisdome of God teaching him many things besides the law The waies of well-doing are in number euen as many as are the kindes of voluntarie actions so that whatsoeuer we do in this world and may do it ill we shew our selues therein by well doing to be wise Now if wisedome did teach men by scripture not onely all the wayes that are right and good in some certaine kind according to that of S. Paule concerning the vse of scripture but did simply without any maner of exception restraint or distinction teach euery way of doing well there is no art but scripture should teach it because euery art doth teach the way how to do some thing or other well To teach men therefore wisedome professeth and to teach them euery good way but not euery good way by one way of teaching Whatsoeuer either men on earth or the Angels of heauen do know it is as a drop of that vnemptiable fountaine of wisdom which wisdom hath diuersly imparted her treasures vnto the world As her waies are of sundry kindes so her maner of teaching is not meerely one and the same Some thinges she openeth by the sacred bookes of Scripture some things by the glorious works of nature with some things she inspireth them frō aboue by spirituall influence in some things she leadeth and traineth them onely by worldly experience and practise We may not so in any one speciall kinde admire her that we disgrace her in any other but let all her wayes be according vnto their place and degree adored 2 That all things be done to the glory of God the blessed Apostle it is true exhorteth The glory of God is the admirable excellencie of that vertue diuine which being made manifest causeth men and Angels to extoll his greatnes and in regard thereof to feare him By beeing glorified it is not meant that he doth receiue any augmentation of glory at our hands but his name we glorifie when we testifie our acknowledgement of his glorie Which albeit we most effectually do by the vertue of obedience neuerthelesse it may be perhaps a question whether S. Paule did meane that wee sinne as oft as euer wee goe about any thing without an expresse intent and purpose to obey God therein He saith of himselfe I do in all things please all men seeking not mine owne commoditie but rather the good of many that they may be saued Shall it hereupon be thought that S. Paule did not moue eyther hand or foote but with expresse intent euen thereby to further the common saluation of men We moue we sleepe wee take the cuppe at the hand of our friend a number of thinges we oftentimes doe onely to satisfie some naturall desire without present expresse and actuall reference vnto any commaundement of God Vnto his glory euen these thinges are done which we naturally performe and not onely that which morally and spiritually we doe For by euery effect proceeding from the most concealed instincts of nature his power is made manifest But it doth not therefore follow that of necessitie we shall sinne vnlesse we expressely intend this in euery such particular But be it a thing which requireth no more then onely our generall presupposed willingnesse to please God in all things or be it a matter wherein wee cannot so glorifie
requireth of a Christian man I hope we shall not seeme altogether vnnecessarily to doubt of the soundnesse of their opinion who thinke simply that nothing but onely the word of God can giue vs assurance in any thing wee are to doe and resolue vs that we doe well For might not the Iewes haue beene fully perswaded that they did well to thinke if they had so thought that in Christ God the father was although the onely ground of this their faith had beene the wonderfull workes they saw him do Might not yea did not Thomas fully in the end perswade himselfe that he did well to thinke that body which now was raised to bee the same which had bene crucified That which gaue Thomas this assurance was his sense Thomas because thou hast seene thou beleeuest saith our Sauiour What scripture had Tully for his assurance Yet I nothing doubt but that they who alleage him thinke hee did well to set downe in writing a thing so consonant vnto truth Finally wee all beleeue that the Scriptures of God are sacred and that they haue proceeded from God our selues wee assure that wee doe right well in so beleeuing Wee haue for this point a demonstration sound and infallible But it is not the worde of God which doth or possibly can assure vs that wee doe well to thinke it his worde For if any one booke of Scripture did giue testimonie to all yet still that Scripture which giueth credite to the rest would require another Scripture to giue credite vnto it neither could we euer come vnto any pause whereon to rest our assurance this way so that vnlesse besides scripture there were some thing which might assure vs that we do well we could not thinke we do well no not in being assured that scripture is a sacred and holy rule of well doing On which determination we might be contented to stay our selues without further proceeding herein but that we are drawne on into larger speech by reason of their so great earnestnes who beate more and more vpon these last alleaged words as being of all other most pregnant Whereas therefore they still argue that wheresoeuer faith is wanting there is sinne and in euery action not commaunded faith is wanting Ergo in euery action not commaunded there is sinne I would demaund of them first for as much as the nature of things indifferent is neither to be commaunded nor forbidden but left free and arbitrarie how there can be any thing indifferent if for want of faith sinne be committed when any thing not commaunded is done So that of necessitie they must adde somewhat and at leastwise thus set it downe In euery action not commaunded of God or permitted with approbation faith is wanting and for want of faith there is sinne The next thing we are to enquire is what those things be which God permitteth with approbation and how we may know them to be so permitted When there are vnto one ende sundrie meanes as for example for the sustenance of our bodies many kindes of foode many sorts of rayment to cloathe our nakednesse and so in other things of like condition here the end it selfe being necessary but not so any one meane thereunto necessarie that our bodies should be both fed and cloathed howbeit no one kinde of foode or rayment necessary therefore we hold these things free in their owne nature and indifferent The choice is left to our owne discretion except a principall bond of some higher dutie remoue the indifferencie that such thinges haue in themselues Their indifferencie is remoued if eyther wee take away our owne libertie as Anantas did for whome to haue solde or helde his possesions it was indifferent till his solemne vow and promise vnto God had strictly bound him one onely way or if God himselfe haue precisely abridged the same by restraining vs vnto or by barring vs from some one or moe things of many which otherwise were in themselues altogether indifferent Many fashions of Priestly attire there were wherof Aaron and his sonnes might haue had their free choice without sinne but that God expressely tied them vnto one All meates indifferent vnto the Iewe were it not that God by name excepted some as swines flesh Impossible therefore it is we should otherwise thinke then that what thinges God doth neither commaund nor forbid the same he permitteth with approbation either to be done or left vndone All thinges are lawfull vnto mee saith the Apostle speaking as it seemeth in the person of the Christian Gentile for maintenance of libertie in thinges indifferent whereunto his answere is that neuerthelesse All thinges are not expedient in thinges indifferent there is a choice they are not alwayes equally expedient Now in thinges although not commaunded of God yet lawfull because they are permitted the question is what light shall shewe vs the conueniencie which one hath aboue another For answere their finall determination is that whereas the Heathen did send men for the difference of good euill to the light of reason in such things the Apostle sendeth vs to the schoole of Christ in his word which onely is able through faith to giue vs assurance and resolution in our doings Which word Only is vtterly without possibilitie of euer being proued For what if it were true concerning things indifferent that vnlesse the word of the Lord had determined of the free vse of them there could haue bene no lawfull vse of them at all which notwithstanding is vntrue because it is not the Scriptures setting downe such thinges as indifferent but their not setting downe as necessarie that doth make them to be indifferent yet this to our present purpose serueth nothing at all Wee inquire not now whether any thing be free to be vsed which scripture hath not set downe as free but concerning things knowne and acknowledged to be indifferent whether particularly in choosing any one of them before another we sinne if any thing but scripture direct vs in this our choice When many meates are set before me all are indifferent none vnlawfull I take one as most conuenient If scripture require me so to do then is not the thing indifferent because I must do what scripture requireth They are all indifferent I might take any scripture doth not require of me to make any speciall choice of one I doe notwithstanding make choice of one my discretion teaching me so to doe A hard case that hereupon I should be iustly condemned of sinne Nor let any man thinke that following the iudgement of naturall discretion in such cases we can haue no assurance that we please God For to the author and God of our nature how shall any operation proceeding in naturall sort bee in that respect vnacceptable The nature which himselfe hath giuen to worke by he cannot but be delighted with when wee exercise the same any way withâ—ut commaundement of his to the contrarie My desire is to make this cause so manifest
We may not giue our selues this liberty to bring in any thing of our will nor choose any thing that other men bring in of their will we haue the Apostles themselues for authors which themselues brought nothing of their owne wil but the discipline which they receiued of Christ they deliuered faithfully vnto the people In which place the name of discipline importeth not as they who alleage it would faine haue it construed but as any man who noteth the circumstance of the place and the occasion of vttering the words will easily acknowledge euen the selfe same thing it signifieth which the name of doctrine doth and as well might the one as the other there haue bene vsed To helpe them farther doth not Saint Ierome after the selfe same maner dispute We beleeue it not because we reade it not Yea We ought not so much as to knowe the things which the booke of the Lawe containeth not sayth Saint Hilarie Shall we hereupon then conclude that we may not take knowledge of or giue credit vnto any thing which sense or experience or report or art doth propose vnlesse we find the same in scripture No it is too plaine that so farre to extend their speeches is to wrest them against their true intent and meaning To vrge any thing vpon the Church requiring thereunto that religious assent of Christian beliefe wherewith the words of the holy Prophets are receiued to vrge any thing as part of that supernaturall and Celestially reuealed truth which God hath taught and not to shewe it in Scripture this did the auncient Fathers euermore thinke vnlawfull impious execrable And thus as their speeches were meant so by vs they must be restrained As for those alleaged words of Cyprian The christian religion shall find that out of this scripture rules of all doctrines haue sprâ—ng and that from hence doth spring and hether doth returne whatsoeuer the Ecclesiasticall discipline doth coÌ„teine surely this place would neuer haue bin brought forth in this cause if it had bene but once read ouer in the author himselfe out of whom it is cited For the words are vttered concerning that one principall commaundement of loue in the honour whereof he speaketh after this sort Surely this commaundement containeth the Law and the Prophets and in this one word is the abridgement of al the volumes of scripture This nature and reason and the authority of thy word O Lord doth proclaime this we haue heard out of thy mouth herein the perfection of all religion doth consist This is the first commandement and the last thing being written in the booke of life is as it were an euerlasting lesson both to men and Angels Let Christian religion reade this one word and meditate vpon this commaundement and out of this scripture it shall find the rules of all learning to haue sprung and from hence to haue risen and hither to returne whatsoeuer the Ecclesiasticall discipline containeth and that in all things it is vaine and bootelesse which charity confirmeth not Was this a sentence trow you of so great force to proue that Scripture is the onely rule of all the actions of men Might they not hereby euen as well proue that one commandement of Scripture is the onely rule of all things and so exclude the rest of the Scripture as now they do all meanes besides Scripture But thus it fareth when too much desire of contradiction causeth our speech rather to passe by number then to stay for waight Well but Tertullian doth in this case speake yet more plainely The scripture sayth he denieth what it noteth not which are indeed the words of Tertullian But what the scripture reckoneth vp the Kings of Israell and amongst those Kings Dauid the scripture reckoneth vp the sonnes of Dauid and amongst those sonnes Salomon To proue that amongst the Kings of Israell there was no Dauid but only one no Salomon but one in the sonnes of Dauid Tertullians argument will fitly proue For in as much as the scripture did propose to recken vp all if there were moe it would haue named them In this case the scripture doth deny the thing it noteth not Howbeit I could not but thinke that man to do me some peece of manifest iniury which would hereby fasten vpon me a generall opinion as if I did thinke the scripture to deny the very raigne of King Henry the eight because it no where noteth that any such King did raigne Tertullians speech is probable concerning such matter as he there speaketh of There was saith Tertullian no second Lamech like to him that had two wiues the scripture denieth what it noteth not As therefore it noteth one such to haue bene in that age of the world so had there beene moe it would by likelihood as well haue noted many as one What infer we now hereupon There was no second Lamech the scripture denieth what it noteth not Were it consonant vnto reason to diuorce these two sentences the former of which doth shew how the later is restrained and not marking the former to conclude by the later of them that simply whatsoeuer any man at this day doth thinke true is by the scripture denied vnlesse it be there affirmed to be true I wonder that a cause so weake and feeble hath bene so much persisted in But to come vnto those their sentences wherein matters of action are more apparantly touched the name of Tertullian is as before so here againe pretended who writing vnto his wife two bookes and exhorting her in the one to liue a widdow in case God before her should take him vnto his mercy and in the other if she did marry yet not to ioyne her selfe to an infidel as in those times some widowes Christian had done for the aduancement of their estate in this present world he vrgeth very earnestly Saint Paules words onely in the Lord whereupon he demaundeth of them that thinke they may do the contrary what Scripture they can shew where God hath dispensed and graunted licence to do against that which the blessed Apostle so strictly doth inioyne And because in defence it might perhaps be replied seeing God doth will that couples which are maried when bothe are infidels if either party chaunce to be after conuerted vnto Christianity this should not make separation betweene them as long as the vnconuerted was willing to reteine the other on whom the grace of Christ had shined wherefore then should that let the making of mariage which doth not dissolue mariage being made after great reasons shewed why God doth in Conuerts being maried allow continuance with infidels and yet disallow that the faithfull when they are free should enter into bonds of wedlocke with such concludeth in the end concerning those women that so mary They that please not the Lord do euen thereby offend the Lord they do euen thereby throw themselues into euill that is to say while they please him not by
heare the wisdome of their speech be so much the more attentiue vnto their teaching They studied for no toong they spake withall of theÌ„selues they were rude knew not so much as how to premeditate the spirit gaue them speech eloqueÌ„t vâ—terance But because with S. Paul it was otherwise then with the rest in as much as he neuer conuersed with Christ vpoÌ„ earth as they did and his education had bin scholasticall altogether which theirs was not hereby occasion was taken by certaine malignants secretly to vndermine his great authoritie in the Church of Christ as though the Gospell had bin taught him by others then by Christ himself as if the cause of the Gentiles conuersion beliefe through his meanes had bin the learning and skill which he had by being conuersant in their books which thing made theÌ„ so willing to heare him him so able to perswade theÌ„ wheras the rest of th' Apostles preuailed because God was with them by miracle froÌ„ heauen confirmed his word in their mouthes They were mightie in deeds As for him being abseÌ„t his writings had some force in presence his power not like vnto theirs In summe coÌ„cerning his preaching their very by word was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Addle speech Emptie talke His writings full of great words but in the power of miraculous operatioÌ„s his presence not like the rest of the Apostles Hereupon it riseth that S. Paul was so often driuen to make his apologies HerevpoÌ„ it riseth that whatsoeuer time he had spent in the study of humane learning he maketh earnest protestation to them of Corinth that the Gospell which hee had preached amongst them did not by other meanes preuaile with them then with others the same Gospel taught by the rest of the Apostles of Christ. My preaching saith he hath not bene in the perswasiue speeches of humane wisdome but in demonstratioÌ„ of the spirit of power that your faith may not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God What is it which the Apostle doth here denie Is it denied that his speech amongst theÌ„ had bin perswasiue No for of him the sacred history plainely testifieth that for the space of a yeare a half he spake in their Synagogue euery Saboth and perswaded both Iewes and Graecians How then is the speech of men made perswasiue Surely there can be but two waies to bring this to passe the one humane the other diuine Either S. Paul did onely by arte and naturall industrie cause his owne speech to be credited or else God by myracle did authorize it so bring credit thereunto as to the speech of the rest of the Apostles Of which two the former he vtterly denieth For why If the preaching of the rest had bene effectuall by miracle his onely by force of his owne learning so great inequalitie between him the other Apostles in this thing had bin enough to subuert their faith For might they not with reasoÌ„ haue thought that if he were sent of God as wel as they God would not haue furnished theÌ„ not him with the power of the holy Ghost Might not a great part of them being simple happily haue feared least their assent had bene cunningly gotten vnto his doctrine rather through the weaknes of their owne wits theÌ„ the certaintie of that truth which he had taught them How vnequall had it bin that al beleeuers through the preaching of other Apostles should haue their faith strongly built vpon the euidence of Gods own miraculous approbatioÌ„ they whoÌ„ he had coÌ„uerted should haue their perswasion built only vpon his skill wisdome who perswaded them As therfore calling froÌ„ men may authorize vs to teach although it could not authorize him to teach as other Apostles did so although the wisdom of man had not bin sufficient to inable him such a teacher as the rest of the Apostles were vnles Gods miracles had strengthned both the one the others doctrine yet vnto our habilitie both of teaching learning the truth of Christ as we are but meere ChristiaÌ„ meÌ„ it is not a litle which the wisdome of man may adde 6. Yea whatsoeuer our harts be to God to his truth beleeue we or be we as yet faithles for our conuersion or confirmatioÌ„ the force of natural reason is great The force whereof vnto those effects is nothing without grace What then To our purpose it is sufficient that whosoeuer doth serue honor obey God whosoeuer beleeueth in him that maÌ„ would no more do this then innocents infants do but for the light of natural reason that shineth in him maketh him apt to apprehend those things of God which being by grace discouered are effectuall to perswade reasonable mindes and none other that honour obedience and credit belong aright vnto God No man coÌ„meth vnto God to offer him sacrifice to poure out supplications praiers before him or to do him any seruice which doth not first beleeue him both to be to be a rewarder of them who in such sort seeke vnto him Let men bee taught this either by reuelation from heauen or by instruction vpon earth by labor studie and meditation or by the onely secret inspiration of the holy Ghost whatsoeuer the meane be they know it by if the knowledge therof were possible without discourse of natural reasoÌ„ why should none be fouÌ„d capable therof but only meÌ„ nor meÌ„ til such time as they come vnto ripe full habilitie to work by reasonable vnderstanding The whole drift of the scripture of God what is it but only to teach Theologie Theologie what is it but the science of things diuine What science can be attained vnto without the help of natural discourse reasoÌ„ Iudge you of that which I speake saith the Apostle In vaine it were to speake any thing of God but that by reason meÌ„ are able somewhat to iudge of that they heare by discourse to discerne how coÌ„sonaÌ„t it is to truth Scripture indeed teacheth things aboue nature things which our reason by it selfe could not reach vnto Yet those things also we beleeue knowing by reason that the scripture is the word of God In the presence of Festus a Romane and of King Agrippa a Iew S. Paul omitting the one who neither knew the Iewes religion nor the books wherby they were taught it speaketh vnto the other of things foreshewed by Moses the Prophets performed in Iesus Christ intending therby to proue himselfe so vniustly accused that vnlesse his iudges did coÌ„demne both Moses the Prophets him they could not choose but acquite who taught only that fulfilled which they so long since had foretolde His cause was easie to be discerned what was done their eies were witnesses what Moses the Prophets did speake their bookes could quicly shew it was no hard thing for him to coÌ„pare them which knew the one beleeued the other King
not loosely through silence permitted thinges to passe away as in a dreame there shall be for mens information extant thus much concerning the present state of the Church of God established amongst vs and their carefull endeuour which would haue vpheld the same At your hands beloued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for in him the loue which we beare vnto all that would but seeme to be borne of him it is not the sea of your gall and bitternes that shall euer drowne I haue no great cause to looke for other then the selfesame portion lot which your maner hath bene hitherto to lay on them that concur not in opinion and sentence with you But our hope is that the God of peace shal notwithstanding mans nature too impatient of contumelious maledictiō inable vs quietly and euē gladly to suffer al things for that worke sake which we couet to perform The wonderful zeale and feruour wherewith ye haue withstood the receiued orders of this Church was the first thing which caused me to enter into consideration whether as all your published bookes and writings peremptorily maintain euery Christian man fearing God stand bound to ioyne with you for the furtherance of that which ye tearme the Lords Discipline Wherin I must plainly confesse vnto you that before I examined your sundrie declarations in that behalfe it could not settle in my head to thinke but that vndoubtedly such nūbers of otherwise right wel affected most religiously enclined minds had some maruellous reasonable inducementes which led thē with so great earnestnes that way But when once as near as my slender abilitie would serue I had with trauell care performed that part of the Apostles aduise counsel in such cases whereby he willeth to try al things and was come at the length so far that there remained onely the other clause to be satisfied wherein he concludeth that what good is must bee held there was in my poore vnderstanding no remedie but to set downe this as my finall resolute perswasion Surely the present forme of Church gouernment which the lawes of this land haue established is such as no lawe of God nor reason of man hath hitherto bene alleaged of force sufficient to proue they do ill who to the vttermost of their power withstand the alteration thereof Contrariwise The other which instead of it we are required to accept is only by error misconceipt named the ordinance of Iesus Christ no one proofe as yet brought forth whereby it may clearely appeare to be so in very deede The explication of which two thinges I haue here thought good to offer into your owne hands hartily beseeching you euen by the meeknesse of Iesus Christ whome I trust ye loue that as ye tender the peace and quietnesse of this Church if there bee in you that gracious humilitie which hath euer bene the crowne and glory of a christianly disposed minde if your owne soules hearts and consciences the sound integritie whereof can but hardly stand with the refusall of truth in personall respects be as I doubt not but they are things most deare and precious vnto you Let not the faith which ye haue in our Lord Iesus Christ be blemished with partialities regard not who it is which speaketh but waigh onely what is spoken Thinke not that ye reade the wordes of one who bendeth himselfe as an aduersary against the truth which ye haue alreadie embraced but the words of one who desireth euen to embrace together with you the selfe same truth if it be the truth and for that cause for no other God hee knoweth hath vndertaken the burthensome labour of this painefull kinde of conference For the plainer accesse whereunto let it bee lawfull for mee to rip vp to the very bottome how and by whom your Discipline was planted at such time as this age wee liue in began to make first triall thereof 2. A founder it had whome for mine owne part I thinke incomparably the wisest man that euer the french Church did enioy since the houre it enioyed him His bringing vp was in the studie of the Ciuill Lawe Diuine knowledge he gathered not by hearing or reading so much as by teaching others For though thousands were debters to him as touching knowledge in that kinde yet he to none but onely to God the author of that most blessed fountaine the booke of life and of the admirable dexteritie of wit together with the helpes of other learning which were his guides till being occasioned to leaue Fraunce he fell at the length vpon Geneua Which Citie the Bishop and Cleargie thereof had a little before as some doe affirme forsaken being of likelihood frighted with the peoples sudden attempt for abolishment of popish religiō the euent of which enterprise they thought it not safe for themselues to wait for in that place At the comming of Caluin thither the forme of their ciuill regiment was popular as it continueth at this day neither King nor Duke nor Noble man of any authoritie or power ouer them but officers chosen by the people yearely out of themselues to order all things with publique consent For spirituall gouernment they had no lawes at all agreed vpon but did what the pastors of their soules by perswasion could win them vnto Caluin being admitted one of their Preachers a diuinitie Reader amongst them considered how dangerous it was that the whole estate of that Church should hang stil on so slender a thred as the liking of an ignorant multitude is if it haue power to change whatsoeuer it selfe listeth Wherefore taking vnto him two of the other ministers for more countenance of the action albeit the rest were all against it they moued and in the end perswaded with much adoe the people to bind themselues by solemne oath first neuer to admit the Papacie amongst them againe and secondly to liue in obedience vnto such orders concerning the exercise of their religion and the forme of their ecclesiasticall gouernment as those their true and faithfull Ministers of Gods word had agreeablie to Scripture set downe for that end and purpose When these thinges began to bee put in vre the people also what causes mouing them thereunto themselues best know began to repent them of that they had done and irefully to champe vpon the bit they had taken into their mouthes the rather for that they grew by meanes of this innouation into dislike with some Churches neare about them the benefite of whose good friendship their state could not well lacke It was the manner of those times whether through mens desire to enioy alone the glory of their owne enterprises or else because the quicknesse of their occasions required present dispatch so it was that euery particular Church did that within it selfe which some fewe of their owne thought good by whome the rest were all directed Such nūber of Churches thē being though free within themselues yet smal commō conference before hand
all kind of furtherances vnto his cause could espie in the whole Scripture of God nothing which might breed at the least a probable opinion of likelihood that diuine authority it selfe was the same way somewhat inclinable And all which the wit euen of Caluin was able from thence to draw by sifting the very vtmost sentence and syllable is no more then that certaine speeches there are which to him did seeme to intimate that all Christian Churches ought to haue their Elderships indued with power of excommunication and that a part of those Elderships euery where should be chosen out frō amongst the laitie after that forme which himselfe had framed Geneua vnto But what argument are ye able to shew whereby it was euer prooued by Caluin that any one sentence of Scripture doth necessarily enforce these things or the rest wherein your opinion concurreth with his against the orders of your owne Church We should be iniurious vnto vertue it selfe if we did derogate from them whom their industrie hath made great Two things of principall moment there are which haue deseruedly procured him honour throughout the world the one his exceeding paynes in composing the Institutions of Christian Religion the other his no lesse industrious trauailes for exposition of holy Scripture according vnto the same institutions In which two things who soeuer they were that after him bestowed their labour he gayned the aduantage of preiudice against them if they gaine said and of glorie aboue them if they consented His writings published after the question about that discipline was once begunne omit not any the least occasion of extolling the vse and singular necessitie thereof Of what accompt the Maister of sentences was in the Church of Rome the same and more amongest the Preachers of reformed Churches Caluin had purchased so that the perfectest diuines were iudged they which were skilfullest in Caluins writings His bookes almost the very Canon to iudge both doctrine and discipline by French Churches both vnder others abroad and at home in their owne Countrey all cast according vnto that mould which Caluin had made The Church of Scotland in erecting the fabricke of their reformation tooke the selfe same paterne Till at length the discipline which was at the first so weake that without the staffe of their approbation who were not subiect vnto it themselues it had not brought others vnder subiection beganne now to challenge vniuersall obedience and to enter into open conflict with those very Churches which in desperate extremitie had bene relieuers of it To one of those Churches which liued in most peaceable sort and abounded as well with men for their learning in other professions singular as also with diuines whose equals were not elsewhere to be found a Church ordered by Gualters discipline and not by that which Geneua adoreth vnto this Church the Church of Heidelberge there commeth one who crauing leaue to dispute publiquely defendeth with open disdaine of their gouernement that To a Minister with his Eldership power is giuen by the law of God to excommunicate whomsoeuer yea euen kings and princes themselues Here were the seedes sowne of that controuersie which sprang vp betweene Beza and Erastus about the matter of excommunication whether there ought to be in all Churches an Eldership hauing power to excommunicate and a part of that Eldership to be of necessitie certaine chosen out from amongest the laity for that purpose In which disputation they haue as to me it seemeth deuided very equally the truth betweene them Beza most truly maintaining the necessitie of excommunication Erastus as truly the nonnecessitie of layelders to be ministers thereof Amongest our selues there was in King Edwards dayes some question moued by reason of a few mens scrupulositie touching certaine things And beyond Seas of them which fled in the dayes of Queene Mary some contenting themselues abroad with the vse of their owne Seruice booke at home authorised before their departure out of the Realme others liking better the Common prayer booke of the Church of Geneua translated those smaller contentions before begun were by this meane somewhat increased Vnder the happy raigne of her Maiesty which now is the greatest matter a while contended for was the wearing of the Cap and Surplesse till there came Admonitions directed vnto the high Court of Parliament by men who concealing their names thought it glory inough to discouer their minds and affections which now were vniuersally bent euen against all the orders and lawes wherein this Church is found vnconformable to the platforme of Geneua Concerning the defendor of which admonitions all that I meane to say is but this There will come a time when three words vttered with charitie and meeknesse shall receiue a farre more blessed reward then three thousand volumes written with disdainefull sharpnes of wit But the maner of mens writing must not alienate our hearts from the truth if it appeare they haue the truth as the followers of the same defendor do thinke he hath and in that perswasion they follow him no otherwise then himselfe doth Calvin Beza and others with the like perswasion that they in this cause had the truth We being as fully perswaded otherwise it resteth that some kind of tryall be vsed to find out which part is in error 3 The first meane whereby nature teacheth men to iudge good from euill as well in lawes as in other things is the force of their owne discretion Hereunto therefore Saint Paule referreth oftentimes his owne speech to be considered of by them that heard him I speake as to them which haue vnderstanding iudge ye what I say Againe afterward Iudge in your selues is it comely that a woman pray vncouered The exercise of this kind of iudgement our Sauiour requireth in the Iewes In them of Berea the Scripture commendeth it Finally whatsoeuer we do if our owne secret iudgement consent nor vnto it as fit and good to be done the doing of it to vs is sinne although the thing it selfe be allowable Saint Paules rule therefore generally is Let euery man in his owne minde be fully perswaded of that thing which he either alloweth or doth Some things are so familiar and plaine that truth from falshood and good from euill is most easily discerned in them euen by men of no deepe capacitie And of that nature for the most part are things absolutely vnto all mens saluation necessarie either to be held or denied either to be done or auoided For which cause Saint Augustine acknowledgeth that they are not onely set downe but also plainely set downe in Scripture so that he which heareth or readeth may without any great difficultie vnderstand Other things also there are belonging though in a lower degree of importance vnto the offices of Christian men which because they are more obscure more intricate and hard to be iudged of therefore God hath appointed some to spend their whole time principally in the studie of things diuine to
things Charity Faith the true feare of God the Crosse the mortification of the flesh All their exhortations were to set light of the things in this world to count riche◠and honors vanitie and in token thereof not onely to seeke neither but if men were possessors of both euen to cast away the one resigne the other that all men might see their vnfained conuersion vnto Christ. They were sollicitors of men to fasts to often meditations of heauenly things as it were cōferences in secret with God by prayers not framed according to the frosen maner of the world but expressing such feruēt desires as might euen force God to hearken vnto them Where they found men in diet attire furniture of house or any other way obseruers of Ciuilitie and decent order such they reprooued as being carnally and earthly minded Euery word otherwise then seuerely and sadly vttered seemed to pierce like a sword thorow them If any man were pleasant their manner was presently with deepe sighes to repeate those words of our Sauiour Christ Wo be to you which now laugh for ye shall lament So great was their delight to be alwaies in trouble that such as did quietly lead their liues they iudged of all other men to be in most dangerous case They so much affected to crosse the ordinary custome in euery thing that when other mens vse was to put on better attire they would be sure to shew thēselues openly abroad in worse the ordinary names of the daies in the weeke they thought it a kind of prophanes to vse therefore accustomed thēselues to make no other distinction then by numbers The First Second Third day From this they proceeded vnto publike reformatiō first Ecclesiasticall and then Ciuill Touching the former they boldly aduouched that themselues only had the truth which thing vpon perill of their liues they would at all times defend that since the Apostles liued the same was neuer before in al points sincerely taught Wherfore that things might againe be brought to that auncient integritie which Iesus Christ by his word requireth they began to controule the ministers of the Gospell for attributing so much force and vertue vnto the Scriptures of God read whereas the truth was that when the word is said to engender faith in the heart and to conuert the soule of man or to worke any such spirituall diuine effect these speeches are not thereunto appliable as it is read or preached but as it is ingrafted in vs by the power of the holy Ghost opening the eyes of our vnderstanding and so reuealing the mysteries of God according to that which Ieremy promised before should be saying I will put my law in their inward parts and I will write it in their hearts The booke of God they notwithstanding for the most part so admired that other disputation against their opinions then onely by allegation of Scripture they would not heare besides it they thought no other writings in the world should be studied in so much as one of their great Prophets exhorting them to cast away all respects vnto humane writings so far to his motion they condescended that as many as had any bookes saue the holy Bible in their custody they brought and set them publiquely on fire When they and their Bibles were alone together what strange phantasticall opinion soever at any time entred into their heads their vse was to thinke the Spirit taught it them Their phrensies concerning our Sauiours incarnation the state of soules departed such like are things needlesse to be rehearsed And for as much as they were of the same suite with those of whom the Apostle speaketh saying They are still learning but neuer attaine to the knowledge of truth it was no maruaile to see them euery day broach some new thing not heard of before Which restlesse leuitie they did interpret to be their growing to spirituall perfection and a proceeding from faith to faith The differences amongst them grew by this meane in a maner infinite so that scarcely was there found any one of them the forge of whose braine was not possest with some speciall mysterie Whereupon although their mutuall contentions were most fiercely prosecuted amongst themselues yet when they came to defend the cause common to them all against the aduersaries of their faction they had wayes to licke one another whole the sounder in his owne perswasion excusing THE DEARE BRETHREN which were not so farre enlightned and professing a charitable hope of the mercy of God towards them notwithstanding their swaruing from him in some things Their owne ministers they highly magnified as men whose vocation was frō God the rest their maner was to terme disdainfully Scribes and Pharises to accompt their calling an humaine creature and to deteine the people as much as might be from hearing them As touching Sacraments baptisme administred in the church of Rome they iudged to be but an execrable mockery no baptisme both because the Ministers thereof in the papacy are wicked idolaters lewd persons theeues and murderers cursed creatures ignorant beasts also for that to baptise is a proper action belonging vnto none but the Church of Christ whereas Rome is Antichrists synagogue The custome of vsing Godfathers Godmothers at Christnings they scorned Baptising of infants although confest by thēselues to haue bin continued euē sithens the very Apostles owne times yet they altogether condemned partly because sundry errors are of no lesse antiquity and partly for that there is no commandement in the Gospell of Christ which sayth Baptise infants but he contrariwise in saying Go preach and Baptise doth appoint that the minister of Baptisme shall in that action first administer doctrine thē Baptisme as also in saying whosoeuer doth beleeue and is baptised he appointeth that the party to whō baptisme is administred shall first beleeue then be baptised to the end that belieuing may go before this sacramēt in the receiuer no otherwise then preaching in the giuer sith equally in both the law of Christ declareth not only what things are required but also in what order they are required The Eucharist they receiued pretending our Lord Sauiours example after supper for auoiding all those impieties which haue bin grounded vpon the mysticall words of Christs This is my body This is my bloud they thought it not safe to mention either body or bloud in that Sacrament but rather to abrogate both to vse no words but these Take eate declare the death of our Lord drinke shew forth our Lords death In rites ceremonies their profession was hatred of all cōformity with the Church of Rome for which cause they would rather indure any tormēt then obserue the solemne festiuals which others did in as much as Antichrist they said was the first inuentor of thē The pretended end of their ciuill
the name of God as we should without an actuall intent to doe him in that particular some speciall obedience yet for any thing there is in this sentence alleaged to the contrarie God may be glorified by obedience and obeyed by performance of his will and his will be performed with an actuall intelligent desire to fulfill that lawe which maketh knowne what his will is although no speciall clause or sentence of scripture bee in euery such action set before mens eyes to warrant it For scripture is not the onely lawe whereby God hath opened his will touching all thinges that may be done but there are other kindes of lawes which notifie the will of God as in the former booke hath beene prooued at large Nor is there any law of God whereunto he doth not account our obedience his glory Doe therefore all thinges vnto the glory of God saith the Apostle be inoffensiue both to the Iewes and Graecians and the Church of God euen as I please all men in all thinges not seeking mine owne commoditie but manies that they may be saued In the least thing done disobediently towardes God or offensiuely against the good of men whose benefite wee ought to seeke for as for our owne we plainely shew that we doe not acknowledge God to be such as indeede he is and consequently that we glorifie him not This the blessed Apostle teacheth but doth any Apostle teach that we cannot glorifie God otherwise then onely in doing what wee finde that God in Scripture commaundeth vs to doe The Churches dispersed amongest the Heathen in the East part of the world are by the Apostle S. Peter exhorted to haue their conuersation honest amongest the Gentiles that they which spake euill of them as of euill doers might by the good workes which they should see glorifie God in the day of visitation As long as that which Christians did was good and no way subiect vnto iust reproofe their vertuous conuersation was a meane to worke the Heathens conuersion vnto Christ. Seeing therefore this had beene a thing altogether impossible but that Infidels themselues did discerne in matters of life and conuersation when beleeuers did well and when otherwise when they glorified their heauenly father and when not it followeth that some thinges wherein God is glorified may be some other way knowne then onely by the sacred Scripture of which Scripture the Gentiles being vtterly ignorant did notwithstanding iudge rightly of the qualitie of Christian mens actions Most certaine it is that nothing but onely sinne doth dishonour God So that to glorifie him in all things is to do nothing whereby the name of God may be blasphemed nothing whereby the saluation of Iew or Grecian or any in the Church of Christ may be let or hindered nothing wherby his law is transgrest But the question is whether onely Scripture do shewe whatsoeuer God is glorified in 3 And though meates and drinkes be said to be sanctified by the worde of God and by prayer yet neither is this a reason sufficient to prooue that by scripture wee must of necessitie be directed in euery light and common thing which is incident into any part of mans life Onely it sheweth that vnto vs the worde that is to say the Gospell of Christ hauing not deliuered any such difference of thinges cleane and vncleane as the law of Moses did vnto the Iewes there is no cause but that we may vse indifferently all thinges as long as wee doe not like swine take the benefite of them without a thankefull acknowledgement of his liberalitie and goodnesse by whose prouidence they are inioyed and therefore the Apostle gaue warning before hand to take heede of such as should inioyne to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiued with thankes-giuing by them which beleeue and know the truth For euery creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing because it is sanctified by the word of God and praier The Gospell by not making many thinges vncleane as the lawe did hath sanctified those thinges generally to all which particularly each man vnto himselfe must sanctifie by a reuerend and holy vse which will hardly be drawne so farre as to serue their purpose who haue imagined the word in such sort to sanctifie all thinges that neither foode can bee tasted nor rayment put on nor in the world any thing done but this deede must needes be sinne in them which do not first knowe it appointed vnto them by scripture before they do it 4 But to come vnto that which of all other things in scripture is most stood vpon that place of S. Paule they say is of all other most cleare where speaking of those thinges which are called indifferent in the ende he concludeth that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne But faith is not but in respect of the worde of God Therefore whatsoeuer is not done by the worde of God is sinne Whereunto wee aunswere that albeit the name of faith being properly and strictly taken it must needes haue reference vnto some vttered worde as the obiect of beliefe neuerthelesse sith the ground of credite is the credibilitie of thinges credited and things are made credible eyther by the knowne condition and qualitie of the vtterer or by the manifest likelihood of truth which they haue in thēselues hereupon it riseth that whatsoeuer we are perswaded of the same we are generally said to beleeue In which generalitie the obiect of faith may not so narrowly be restrained as if the same did extend no further then to the onely scriptures of God Though saith our Sauiour ye beleeue not me beleeue my workes that ye may know and beleeue that the father is in me and I in him The other Disciples said vnto Thomas we haue seene the Lord but his aunswere vnto them was Except I see in his hands the print of the nailes and put my finger into them I will not beleeue Can there be any thing more plaine then that which by these two sentences appeareth namely that there may be a certaine beliefe grounded vpon other assurance then Scripture any thing more cleare then that we are said not onely to beleeue the thinges which we knowe by anothers relation but euen whatsoeuer we are certainly perswaded of whether it be by reason or by sense For as much therefore as it is graunted that S. Paule doth meane nothing else by Fayth but onely a full perswasion that that which we doe is well done against which kinde of faith or perswasion as S. Paule doth count it sinne to enterprise any thing so likewise some of the very Heathen haue taught as Tully that nothing ought to be done whereof thou doubtest whether it be right or wrōg wherby it appeareth that euen those which had no knowledge of the word of God did see much of the equitie of this which the Apostle
in that one to proue not onely that we may do but that we ought to do sundry things which the Scripture commaundeth not out of that verie booke these sentences are brought to make vs belieue that Tertullian was of a cleane contrary minde We cannot therefore hereupon yeeld we cannot graunt that hereby is made manifest the argument of Scripture negatiuely to be of force not only in doctrine and ecclesiasticall discipline but euen in matters arbitrary For Tertullian doth plainely hold euen in that booke that neither the matter which he intreateth of was arbitrary but necessarie in as much as the receaued custome of the Church did tye and bind them not to weare garlands as the Heathens did yea and further also he reckoneth vp particularly a number of things whereof he expresly concludeth Harum aliarum eiusmodi disciplinarum si legem expostules scripturarum nullam inuenies which is as much as if he had sayd in expresse words Many things there are which concerne the discipline of the Church and the duties of men which to abrogate and take away the scriptures negatiuely vrged may not in any case perswade vs but they must be obserued yea although no scripture be found which requireth any such thing Tertullian therefore vndoubtedly doth not in this booke shew himselfe to be of the same mind with them by whom his name is pretended 6 But sith the sacred scriptures themselues affoord oftentimes such arguments as are taken from diuine authoritie both one way and other The Lord hath commaunded therefore it must be And againe in like sort He hath not therefore it must not be some certainty concerning this point seemeth requisite to be set downe God himselfe can neither possibly erre nor leade into error For this cause his testimonies whatsoeuer he affirmeth are alwaies truth and most infallible certainty Yea further because the things that proceed frō him are perfect without any manner of defect or maime it cannot be but that the words of his mouth are absolute lacke nothing which they should haue for performance of that thing whereunto they tend Wherupon it followeth that the end being knowne wherunto he directeth his speech the argumēt euen negatiuely is euermore strōg forcible cōcerning those things that are apparātly requisit vnto the same ende As for example God intending to set downe sundry times that which in Angels is most excellent hath not any where spoken so highly of them as he hath of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ therefore they are not in dignitie equall vnto him It is the Apostle Saint Paules argument The purpose of God was to teach his people both vnto whom they should offer sacrifice and what sacrifice was to be offered To burne their sonnes in fire vnto Baal hee did not commaund them he spake no such thing neither came it into his mind therefore this they ought not to haue done VVhich argument the Prophet Ieremie vseth more then once as being so effectuall and strong that although the thing hee reproueth were not onely not commaunded but forbidden them and that expresly yet the Prophet chooseth rather to charge them with the fault of making a lawe vnto themselues then with the crime of transgressing a lawe which God had made For when the Lord hath once himselfe precisely set downe a forme of executing that wherein we are to serue him the fault appeareth greater to do that which we are not then not to do that which we are commaunded In this we seeme to charge the Lawe of God with hardnesse onely in that with foolishnesse in this we shew our selues weake and vnapt to be doers of his will in that we take vpon vs to be controllers of his wisedome in this we faile to performe the thing which God seeth meete conuenient and good in that we presume to see what is meete and conuenient better then God himselfe In those actions therefore the whole forme whereof God hath of purpose set downe to be obserued we may not otherwise do then exactly as he hath prescribed in such things negatiue arguments are strong Againe with a negatiue argument Dauid is pressed concerning the purpose he had to build a Temple vnto the Lord Thus sayth the Lord thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in Wheresoeuer I haue walked with all Israell spake I one word to any of the Iudges of Israel whom I commaunded to feed my people saying Why haue ye not built me an house The Iewes vrged with a negatiue argument touching the ayde which they sought at the hands of the King of AEgypt Woe to those rebellious children sayth the Lord which walke forth to go downe into AEgypt and haue not asked counsell at my mouth to strengthen themselues with the strength of Pharao Finally the league of Ioshua with the Gabeonites is likewise with a negatiue argument touched It was not as it should be And why The Lord gaue them not that aduise They sought not counsell at the mouth of the Lord. By the vertue of which examples if any man should suppose the force of negatiue arguments approued when they are taken from Scripture in such sort as we in this question are pressed therewith they greatly deceiue themselues For vnto which of all these was it said that they had done amisse in purposing to do or in doing any thing at all which the Scripture commanded them not Our question is whether all be sinne which is done without direction by scripture and not whether the Israelites did at any time amisse by following their owne minds without asking counsell of God No it was that peoples singular priuiledge a fauour which God vouchfafed them aboue the rest of the world that in the affaires of their estate which were not determinable one way or other by the scripture himselfe gaue them extraordinarily direction and counsell as oft as they sought it at his hands Thus God did first by speech vnto Moses after by Vrim and Thummim vnto Priests lastly by dreames and visions vnto Prophets from whom in such cases they were to receiue the aunswere of God Concerning Iosua therefore thus spake the Lord vnto Moses saying He shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall aske counsell for him by the iudgement of Vrim before the Lord whereof had Iosua bene mindfull the fraud of the Gabeonites could not so smoothly haue past vnespied till there was no helpe The Iewes had Prophets to haue resolued them from the mouth of God himselfe whether Egyptian aides should profite them yea or no but they thought themselues wise enough and him vnworthy to be of their Counsell In this respect therfore was their reproofe though sharpe yet iust albeit there had bene no charge precisely geuen them that they should alwayes take heed of Egypt But as for Dauid to thinke that he did euill in determining to build God a Temple because there was in scripture no commandement that he should build it
marke it the key which openeth the dore of entrance into the knowledge of the scripture The scripture could not teach vs the things that are of God vnlesse we did credite men who haue taught vs that the words of Scripture do signifie those things Some way therefore notwithstanding mans infirmitie yet his authority may enforce assent Vpon better aduise and deliberation so much is perceiued and at the length confest that arguments taken from the authority of men may not onely so farre forth as hath bene declared but further also be of some force in humaine sciences which force be it neuer so smal doth shew that they are not vtterly naught But in matters diuine it is still maintained stifly that they haue no manner force at all Howbeit the very selfe same reasoÌ„ which causeth to yeeld that they are of some force in the one will at the length constraine also to acknowledge that they are not in the other altogether vnforcible For if the naturall strength of mans wit may by experience and study attaine vnto such ripenes in the knowledge of things humaine that men in this respect may presume to build somewhat vpon their iudgement what reason haue we to thinke but that euen in matters diuine the like wits furnisht with necessary helpes exercised in scripture with like diligence and assisted with the grace of almighty God may growe vnto so much perfection of knowledge that men shall haue iust cause when any thing pertinent vnto faith and religion is doubted of the more willingly to incline their mindes towards that which the sentence of so graue wise and learned in that faculty shal iudge most sound For the controuersie is of the waight of such mens iudgements Let it therefore be suspected let it be taken as grosse corrupt repugnant vnto the truth whatsoeuer concerning things diuine aboue nature shall at any time be spoken as out of the mouthes of meere naturall men which haue not the eyes wherwith heauenly thinges are discerned For this we contend not But whom God hath indued with principall giftes to aspire vnto knowledge by whose exercises labours and diuine studies he hath so blesâ— that the world for their great and rare skill that way hath them in singular admiration may wee reiect euen their iudgement likewise as being vtterly of no moment For mine owne part I dare not so lightly esteeme of the Church and of the principall pillars therein The truth is that the minde of man desireth euermore to knowe the truth according to the most infallible certaintie which the nature of thinges can yeeld The greatest assurance generally with all men is that which we haue by plaine aspect and intuitiue beholding Where we cannot attaine vnto this there what appeareth to bee true by strong and inuincible demonstration such as wherein it is not by any way possible to be deceiued thereunto the minde doth necessarily assent neither is it in the choice thereof to do otherwise And in case these bothe do faile then which way greatest probabilitie leadeth thither the mind doth euermore incline Scripture with ChristiaÌ„ men being receiued as the word of God that for which we haue probable yea that which we haue necessary reason for yea that which wee see with our eyes is not thought so sure as that which the scripture of God teacheth because wee hold that his speech reuealeth there what himselfe seeth therefore the strongest proofe of all and the most necessarily assented vnto by vs which do thus receiue the scripture is the scripture Now it is not required or can bee exacted at our handes that we should yeeld vnto any thing other assent then such as doth answere the euidence which is to be had of that we assent vnto For which cause euen in matters diuine concerning some thinges we may lawfully doubt and suspend our iudgement inclining neither to one side or other as namely touching the time of the fall both of man and Angels of some thinges we may very well retaine an opinion that they are probable not vnlikely to be true as wheÌ„ we hold that men haue their soules rather by creation then propagation or that the mother of our Lord liued alwaies in the state of virginitie as well after his birth as before for of these two the one her virginitie before is a thing which of necessitie we must belieue the other her continuance in the same state alwaies hath more likelihood of truth then the contrary finally in all things then are our consciences best resolued and in most agreeable sort vnto God and nature feâ—ed when they are so farre perswaded as those groundes of perswasion which are to be had will beare Which thing I doe so much the rather set downe for that I see how a number of soules are for want of right informatioÌ„ in this point oftentimes grieuously vexed When bare and vnbuilded conclusions are put into their mindes they finding not themselues to haue therof any great certaintie imagine that this proceedeth only from lacke of faith and that the spirite of God doth not worke in them as it doth in true beleeuers by this meanes their hearts are much troubled they fall into anguish perplexitie wheras the truth is that how bold and confident soeuer we may be in words when it commeth to the point of triall such as the euidence is which the truth hath eyther in it selfe or through proofe such is the hearts assent thereunto neither can it bee stronger being grounded as it should be I grant that proofe deriued froÌ„ the authoritie of mans iudgement is not able to worke that assurance which doth grow by a stronger proofe and therfore although ten thousand generall Councels would set downe one the same definitiue sentence concerning any point of religion whatsoeuer yet one demonstratiue reason alleaged or one manifest testimonie cited from the mouth of God himself to the contrary could not choose but ouerweigh them all in as much as for them to haue bene deceiued it is not impossible it is that demonstratiue reason or testimonie diuine should deceiue Howbeit in defect of proofe infallible because the minde doth rather follow probable perswasions then approue the things that haue in them no likelihood of truth at all surely if a question coÌ„cerning matter of doctrine were proposed and on the one side no kind of proofe appearing there should on the other be alleaged and shewed that so a number of the learnedest diuines in the world haue euer thought although it did not appeare what reason or what scripture led them to be of that iudgement yet to their very bare iudgement somewhat a reasonable man would attribute notwithstanding the common imbecilities which are incident into our nature And whereas it is thought that especially with the Church and those that are called perswaded of thauthority of the word of God mans authoritie with them especially should not preuaile it must doth preuaile euen with them yea
our chiefest direction is from scripture for nature is no sufficient teacher what we should do that we may attaine vnto life euerlasting The vnsufficiencie of the light of nature is by the light of scripture so fully and so perfectly herein supplied that further light then this hath added there doth not neede vnto that ende Finally some thinges although not so required of necessitie that to leaue them vndone excludeth from saluation are notwithstanding of so great dignitie and acceptation with God that most ample rewarde in heauen is laide vp for them Hereof we haue no commandement either in nature or scripture which doth exact them at our handes yet those motiues there are in bothe which drawe most effectually our mindes vnto them In this kind there is not the least action but it doth somewhat make to the accessory augmentation of our blisse For which cause our Sauiour doth plainely witnesse that there shall not bee as much as a cup of colde water bestowed for his sake without reward Herevpon dependeth whatsoeuer difference there is betweene the states of Saints in glory hither we referre whatsoeuer belongeth vnto the highest perfection of man by way of seruice towards God hereunto that feruor and first loue of Christians did bend it selfe causing them to sell their possessions and lay downe the price at the blessed Apostles feet hereat S. Paul vndoubtedly did aâ—me in so far abridging his owne libertie and exceeding that which the bond of necessarie and enioyned dutie tied him vnto Wherfore seeing that in all these seuerall kindes of actions there can be nothing possibly euill which God approueth and that he approueth much more then he doth commaund and that his very commandements in some kinde as namely his precepts comprehended in the law of nature may be otherwise known then onely by scripture and that to do them howsoeuer we know them must needs be acceptable in his sight let them with whom we haue hitherto disputed consider wel how it can stand with reasoÌ„ to make the bare maÌ„date of sacred scripture the only rule of all good and euill in the actions of mortall men The testimonies of God are true the testimonies of God are perfect the testimonies of God are all sufficient vnto that end for which they were giuen Therfore accordingly we do receiue them we do not think that in theÌ„ God hath omitted any thing needful vnto his purpose left his intent to be accomplished by our diuisings What the scripture purposeth the same in all points it doth performe Howbeit that here we swerue not in iudgement one thing especially we must obserue namely that the absolute perfection of scripture is seene by relatioÌ„ vnto that end wherto it tendeth And euen hereby it commeth to passe that first such as imagine the generall and maine drift of the body of sacred scripture not to be so large as it is nor that God did thereby intend to deliuer as in truth he doth a full instruction in al things vnto saluatioÌ„ necessary the knowledge wherof man by nature could not otherwise in this life attaine vnto they are by this very mean induced either still to looke for new reuelations from heauen or else daungerously to ad to the word of God vncertaine tradition that so the doctrine of mans saluation may be compleate which doctrine we constantly hold in all respectes without any such thing added to be so coÌ„pleat that we vtterly refuse as much as once to acquaint our selues with any thing further Whatsoeuer to make vp the doctrine of mans saluation is added as in supply of the scriptures vnsufficiencie we reiecâ— it Scripture purposing this hath perfectly and fully done it Againe the scope and purpose of God in deliuering the holy scripture such as do take more largely theÌ„ behoueth they on the contrary side racking stretching it further theÌ„ by him was meant are drawn into sundry as great incoÌ„ueniences These preteÌ„ding the scriptures perfection inferre therupon that in scripture all things lawfull to be done must needs be contained We count those things perfect which want nothing requisite for the end wherto they were instituted As therfore God created euery part and particle of man exactly perfect that is to say in all pointes sufficient vnto that vse for which he appointed it so the scripture yea euery sentence thereof is perfect wanteth nothing requisite vnto that purpose for which God deliuered the same So that if hereupon wee conclude that because the scripture is perfect therfore all things lawful to be done are comprehended in the scripture we may euen as wel conclude so of euery sentence as of the whole sum and body therof vnlesse we first of all proue that it was the drift scope and purpose of almightie God in holy scripture to comprise all things which man may practise But admit this and marke I beseech you what would follow God in deliuering scripture to his Church should cleane haue abrogated amongst them the law of nature which is an infallible knowledge imprinted in the mindes of all the children of men whereby both generall principles fâ—â— directing of humane actions are comprehended and conclusions deriued from them vpon which conclusions groweth in particularitie the choise of good and euill in the daily affaires of this life Admit this and what shall the scripture be but a snare and a torment to weake consciences filling theÌ„ with infinite perplexities scrupulosities doubts insoluble and extreame despaires Not that the scripture it selfe doth cause any such thing for it tendeth to the cleane contrarie and the fruite thereof is resolute assurance and certaintie in that it teacheth but the necessities of this life vrging men to doe that which the light of nature common discretion and iudgement of it selfe directeth them vnto on the other side this doctrine teaching them that so to doe were to sinne against their owne soules and that they put forth their hands to iniquitie whatsoeuer they go about and haue not first the sacred scripture of God for direction how can it choose but bring the simple a thousand times to their wits end how can it choose but vexe and amaze them For in euery action of commoÌ„ life to find out some sentence clearly and infallibly setting before our eyes what wee ought to doe seeme wee in scripture neuer so expert would trouble vs more then wee are aware In weake and tender mindes wee little knowe what miserie this strict opinion would breede besides the stoppes it would make in the whole course of all mens liues and actions Make all thinges sinne which we doe by direction of natures light by the rule of common discretioÌ„ without thinking at all vpoÌ„ scripture admit this position and parents shall cause their children to sinne as oft as they cause them to do any thing before they come to yeares of capacitie and be ripe for knowledge in the scripture Admit this and it shall not be with masters as it
was with him in the Gospell but seruants being commaunded to goe shall stand still till they haue their errand warranted vnto them by scripture Which as it standeth with Christian dutie in some cases so in common affaires to require it were most vnfit Two opinions therefore there are concerning sufficiencie of holy scripture each extreamly opposite vnto the other bothe repugnant vnto truth The schooles of Rome teach scripture to be so vnsufficient as if except traditions were added it did not conteine all reuealed and supernaturall truth which absolutely is necessary for the children of men in this life to know that they may in the next be saued Others iustly condemning this opinion growe likewise vnto a dangerous extremitie as if scripture did not only containe all thinges in that kinde necessary but all thinges simply and in such sorte that to doe any thing according to any other lawe were not onely vnnecessary but euen opposite vnto saluation vnlawfull and sinfull Whatsoeuer is spoken of God or thinges appertaining to God otherwise then as the truth is though it seeme an honour it is an iniurie And as incredible praises giuen vnto men doe often abate and impaire the credit of their deserued commendation so we must likewise take great heed least in attributing vnto scripture more then it can haue the incredibilitie of that do cause euen those thinges which indeed it hath most aboundantly to be lesse reuerendly esteemed I therefore leaue it to themselues to consider whether they haue in this first point or not ouershot themselues which God doth knowe is quickly done euen when our meaning is most sincere as I am verily perswaded theirs in this case was The third Booke Concerning their second assertion that in Scripture there must be of necessitie contained a forme of Church-politie the lawes whereof may in no wise be altered The matter conteined in this third Booke 1 What the Church is and in what respect lawes of politie are thereunto necessarily required 2 Whether it be necessary that some particular forme of Church-politie be set downe in scripture sith the thinges that belong particularly to any such forme are not of necessitie to saluation 3 That matters of Church-politie are different from matters of faith and saluation and that they themselues so teach which are our reprouers for so teaching 4 That hereby we take not from Scripture any thing which thereunto with soundnesse of truth may be giuen 5 Their meaning who first vrged against the politie of the Church of England that nothing ought to be established in the Church more then is commaunded by the worde of God 6 How great iniurie men by so thinking should offer vnto all the Churches of God 7 A shift notwithstanding to maintaine it by interpreting Commaunded as though it were meant that greater thinges only ought to be found set downe in Scripture particularly and lesser framed by the generall rules of Scripture 8 An other deuise to defend the same by expounding Commaunded as if it did signifie grounded on Scripture and were opposed to things found out by light of naturall reason onely 9 How lawes for the politie of the Church may be made by the aduise of men and how those lawes being not repugnant to the word of God are approued in his sight 10 That neither Gods being the author of laws nor yet his committing of them to Scripture is any reason sufficient to proue that they admit no addition or change 11 Whether Christ must needs intend lawes vnchangeable altogether or haue forbidden any where to make any other law then himselfe did deliuer ALbeit the substance of those controuersies whereinto wee haue begun to wade be rather of outward things appertaining to the Church of Christ then of any thing wherein the nature and being of the Church consisteth yet because the subiect or matter which this position concerneth is A forme of Church-gouernment or Church-politie it therefore behoueth vs so far forth to consider the nature of the Church as is requisite for mens more cleare and plaine vnderstanding in what respect lawes of politie or gouernment are necessary therunto That Church of Christ which we properly terme his body mysticall can be but one neither can that one be sensibly discerned by any man in as much as the parts thereof are some in heauen alreadie with Christ and the rest that are on earth albeit their naturall persons be visible we do not discerne vnder this propertie whereby they are truly and infallibly of that body Onely our mindes by intellectuall conceipt are able to apprehend that such a reall body there is a body collectiue because it cōtaineth an huge multitude a body mistical because the mysterie of their coniunction is remoued altogether from sense Whatsoeuer we read in scripture concerning the endlesse loue and the sauing mercie which God sheweth towards his Church the onely proper subiect thereof is this Church Concerning this flocke it is that our Lord and Sauiour hath promised I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands They who are of this society haue such markes and notes of distinction from all others as are not obiect vnto our sense onely vnto God who seeth their hearts and vnderstandeth all their secret cogitations vnto him they are cleare and manifest All men knew Nathaniel to be an Israelite But our Sauiour pearcing deeper giueth further testimony of him then men could haue done with such certaintie as he did Beholde indeede an Israelite in whom is no guile If we professe as Peter did that we loue the Lorde and professe it in the hearing of men charitie is prone to beleeue all thinges and therefore charitable men are likely to thinke we do so as long as they see no proofe to the contrary But that our loue is sound and sincere that it commeth from a Pure heart and a good conscience a faith vnfained who can pronounce sauing onely the searcher of all mens hearts who alone intuitiuely doth knowe in this kinde who are his And as those euerlasting promises of loue mercy blessednes belong to the mysticall church euen so on the other side when we reade of any dutie which the Church of God is bound vnto the Church whom this doth concerne is a sensibly knowne company And this visible Church in like sorte is but one continued from the first beginning of the world to the last end Which company being deuided into two moieties the one before the other since the comming of Christ that part which since the comming of Christ partly hath embraced and partly shall hereafter embrace the Christian Religion wee terme as by a more proper name the Church of Christ. And therefore the Apostle affirmeth plainely of all men Christian that be they Iewes or Gentiles bond or free they are al incorporated into one cōpany they al make but one body The vnitie of which visible
to Ierusalem the erecting of Pulpets Chaires to teach in the order of buriall the rites of mariage with such like being matters appertaining to the Church yet are not any where prescribed in the law but were by the Churches discretion instituted What then shall we thinke Did they hereby adde to the law and so displeas◠God by that which they did None so hardly perswaded of them Doth their law deliuer vnto thē the self same general rules of the apostle that framing therby their orders they might in that respect cleare thēselues frō doing amisse S. Paule would then of likelihood haue cited them out of the Law which we see he doth not The truth is they are rules and Canons of that law which is written in all men hearts the Church had for euer no lesse then now stood bound to obserue them whether the Apostle had mentioned them or no. Seeing therefore those Canons do bind as they are edicts of nature which the Iewes obseruing as yet vnwritten and thereby framing such Church-orders as in their lawe were not prescribed are notwithstanding in that respect vnculpable it followeth that sundry things may be lawfully done in the Church so as they be not done against the Scripture although no Scripture do commaund them but the Church only following the light of reason iudge them to be in discretion meete Secondly vnto our purpose and for the question in hand whether the commaundements of God in Scripture be generall or speciall it skilleth not For if being particularly applied they haue in regard of such particulars a force constraining vs to take some one certaine thing of many and to leaue the rest whereby it would come to passe that any other particular but that one being established the generall rules themselues in that case would be broken then is it vtterly impossible that God should leaue any thing great or small free for the Church to establish or not Thirdly if so be they shall graunt as they cannot otherwise do that these rules are no such lawes as require any one particular thing to be done but serue rather to direct the Church in all things which she doth so that free and lawfull it is to deuise any Ceremony to receiue any order and to authorize any kind of regiment no speciall commandement being thereby violated and the same being thought such by them to whom the iudgement thereof appertaineth as that it is not scandalous but decent tending vnto edification and setting forth the glory of God that is to say agreeable vnto the generall rules of holy Scripture this doth them no good in the world for the furtherance of their purpose That which should make for them must proue that men ought not to make lawes for Church regiment but onely keepe those lawes which in Scripture they find made The plaine intent of the booke of Ecclesiasticall discipline is to shew that men may not deuise lawes of Church gouernment but are bound for euer to vse and to execute only those which God himselfe hath already deuised and deliuered in the Scripture The selfe same drift the Admonitioners also had in vrging that nothing ought to be done in the Church according vnto any lawe of mans deuising but all according to that which God in his word hath commanded Which not remembring they gather out of Scripture generall rules to bee followed in making lawes and so in effect they plainely graunt that we our selues may lawfully make lawes for the Church and are not bound out of Scripture onely to take lawes already made as they meant who first alleaged that principle whereof we speake One particular platforme it is which they respected and which they labored thereby to force vpon all Churches whereas these generall rules do not let but that there may well enough be sundrie It is the particular order established in the Church of England which thereby they did intend to alter as being not commanded of God whereas vnto those generall rules they know we do not defend that we may hold any thing vncomfortable Obscure it is not what meaning they had who first gaue out that graund axiome and according vnto that meaning it doth preuaile farre and wide with the fauourers of that part Demaund of them wherefore they conforme not themselues vnto the order of our Church and in euery particular their answer for the most part is We find no such thing commaunded in the word Whereby they plainely require some speciall commaundement for that which is exacted at their hands neither are they content to haue matters of the Church examined by generall rules and Canons As therefore in controuersies betweene vs and the Church of Rome that which they practise is many times euen according to the very grosnesse of that which the vulgar sort conceiueth when that which they teach to maintaine it is so nice and subtle that hold can very hardly be taken thereupon in which cases we should do the Church of God small benefite by disputing with them according vnto the finest points of their darke conueyances and suffering that sense of their doctrine to go vncontrolled wherein by the common sort it is ordinarily receiued and practised So considering what disturbance hath growne in the Church amongst our selues and how the authors thereof do commonly build altogether on this as a sure foundation Nothing ought to be established in the Church which in the word of God is not commanded were it reason that we should suffer the same to passe without controulement in that currant meaning whereby euery where it preuaileth and still till some strange construction were made thereof which no man would lightly haue thought on but being driuen thereunto for a shift 8 The last refuge in maintaining this position is thus to conster it Nothing ought to be established in the Church but that which is commaunded in the word of God that is to say All Church-orders must be grounded vpon the word of God in such sort grounded vpon the word not that being found out by some starre or light of reason or learning or other helpe they may be receiued so they be not against the word of God but according at least wise vnto the generall rules of Scripture they must bee made VVhich is in effect as much as to say We knowe not what to say well in defence of this position and therefore least we should say it is false there is no remedie but to say that in some sense or other it may be true if we could tell howe First that Scholie had neede of a very fauourable Reader and a tractable that should thinke it plaine construction when to be commaunded in the word and grounded vpon the word are made all one If when a man may liue in the state of Matrimonie seeking that good thereby which nature principally desireth he make rather choyce of a contrarie life in regard of Saint Paules iudgement that which hee doth is manifestly grounded
and their potent opposites vtterly to cast away themselues for euer Wherefore least it should so fall out to them vpon whom so much did depend they were not permitted to enter into warre nor conclude any league of peace nor to wade through any acte of moment betweene them and forraine states vnlesse the Oracle of God or his Prophets were first consulted with And least domesticall disturbance should wash them within themselues because there was nothing vnto this purpose more effectuall then if the authority of their lawes and gouernors were such as none might presume to take exception against it or to shewe disobedience vnto it without incurring the hatred detestation of al men that had any sparke of the feare of God therefore he gaue them euen their positiue lawes from heauen and as oft as occasion required chose in like sort Rulers also to leade gouerne them Notwithstāding some desperatly impious there were which adventured to try what harme it could bring vpon them if they did attempt to be authors of confusion and to resist both Gouernours and Lawes Against such monsters God mainteined his owne by fearefull execution of extraordinarie iudgement vpon them By which meanes it came to passe that although they were a people infested and mightily hated of all others throughout the world although by nature hard harted querulous wrathful impatiēt of rest and quietnes yet was there nothing of force either one way or other to worke the ruine and subuersion of their state till the time before mentioned was expired Thus we see that there was not no cause of dissimilitude in these things betweene that one only people before Christ and the kingdomes of the world since And whereas it is further alleaged that albeit in Ciuill matters and things perteining to this present life God hath vsed a greater particularity with them then amongst vs framing lawes according to the quality of that people and Countrey yet the leauing of vs at greater liberty in things ciuill is so farre from prouing the like liberty in things pertaining to the kingdome of heauen that it rather proues a streighter bond For euen as when the Lord would haue his fauour more appeare by temporall blessings of this life towards the people vnder the Lawe then towards vs he gaue also politique lawes most exactly whereby they might both most easily come into and most stedfastly remaine in possession of those earthly benefites euen so at this time wherein he would not haue his fauour so much esteemed by those outward commodities it is required that as his care in prescribing lawes for that purpose hath somewhat fallen in leauing them to mens consultations which may be deceiued so his care for conduct and gouernement of the life to come should if it were possible rise in leauing lesse to the order of men then in times past These are but weake and feeble disputes for the inference of that conclusion which is intended For sauing only in such consideration as hath bene shewed there is no cause wherefore we should thinke God more desirous to manifest his fauour by temporall blessings towards them then towards vs. Godlinesse had vnto them and it hath also vnto vs the promises both of this life and the life to come That the care of God hath fallen in earthly things and therefore should rise as much in heauenly that more is left vnto mens consultations in the one and therefore lesse must be graunted in the other that God hauing vsed a greater particularity with them then with vs for matters perteining vnto this life is to make vs amends by the more exact deliuery of lawes for gouernment of the life to come these are proportions whereof if there be any rule we must plainely confesse that which truth is we know it not God which spake vnto them by his Prophets hath vnto vs by his onely begotten Sonne those mysteries of grace and saluation which were but darkely disclosed vnto them haue vnto vs more cleerely shined Such differences betweene them and vs the Apostles of Christ haue well acquainted vs withall But as for matter belonging to the outward cōduct or gouernment of the Church seeing that euen in sense it is manifest that our Lord Sauiour hath not by positiue lawes descended so farre into particularities with vs as Moses with them neither doth by extraordinary means oracles and Prophets direct vs as them he did in those things which rising daily by new occasions are of necessitie to be prouided for doth it not hereupon rather follow that although not to them yet to vs there should be freedome libertie graunted to make lawes Yea but the Apostle S. Paule doth fearefully charge Timothy euen In the sight of God who quickneth all of Christ Iesus who witnessed that famous confession before Pontius Pilate to keepe what was commaunded him safe and sound til the appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ. This doth exclude al liberty of changing the lawes of Christ whether by abrogation or addition or howsoeuer For in Timothy the whole Church of Christ receiueth charge concerning her duty And that charge is to keepe the Apostles commaundement And his commaundement did conteine the lawes that concerned Church gouernement And those lawes he straightly requireth to be obserued without breach or blame till the appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ. In Scripture we graunt euery one mans lesson to be the common instruction of all men so farre forth as their cases are like and that religiously to keepe the Apostles commandemēts in whatsoeuer they may concerne vs we all stand bound But touching that commandement which Timothy was charged with we swarue vndoubtedly from the Apostles precise meaning if we extend it so largely that the armes thereof shall reach vnto all things which were cōmanded him by the Apostle The very words themselues do restraine thēselues vnto some one speciall commandemēt among many And therfore it is not said Keepe the ordinances lawes constitutions which thou hast receiued but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great cōmandement which doth principally concerne thee and thy calling that cōmandement which Christ did so often inculcate vnto Peter that cōmandement vnto the carefull discharge whereof they of Ephesus are exhorted Attend to your selues to all flock wherin the holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased by his owne bloud finally that cōmandement which vnto the same Timothy is by the same Apostle euen in the same forme maner afterwards again vrged I charge thee in the sight of God the Lord Iesus Christ which will iudge the quicke dead at his appearance in his kingdom Preach the word of God When Timothy was instituted into that office then was the credit and trust of this duty committed vnto his faithfull care The doctrine of the Gospell was thē giuen him as the precious talent or treasure of Iesus Christ
other might haue But then must they shewe some commission wherby they are authorized to sit as iudges and we required to take their iudgement for good in this case Otherwise their sentences will not be greatly regarded when they oppose their Me thinketh vnto the orders of the Church of England as in the question about surplesses one of them doth If we looke to the colour blacke me thinketh is more decent if to the forme a garment downe to the foote hath a great deale more cōlinesse in it If they thinke that we ought to proue the ceremonies cōmodious which we haue reteined they do in this point very greatly deceiue themselues For in all right equity that which the Church hath receiued held so long for good that which publique approbation hath ratified must cary the benefit of presumption with it to be accompted meet and conuenient They which haue stood vp as yesterday to challenge it of defect must proue their challenge If we being defendants do answer that the ceremonies in question are godly comely decent profitable for the Church their reply is childish vnorderly to say that we demaund the thing in question shew the pouerty of our cause the goodnes wherof we are faine to begge that our aduersaries would graunt For on our part this must be the aunswere which orderly proceeding doth require The burthen of prouing doth rest on them In them it is friuolous to say we ought not to vse bad ceremonies of the Church of Rome and presume all such bad as it pleaseth themselues to dislike vnlesse we can perswade them the contrary Besides they are herin opposite also to themselues For what one thing is so common with thē as to vse the custome of the Church of Rome for an argument to proue that such such ceremonies cānot be good profitable for vs in as much as that church vseth them Which vsual kind of disputing sheweth that they do not disallow onely those Romish ceremonies which are vnprofitable but count all vnprofitable which are Romish that is to say which haue bene deuised by the Church of Rome or which are vsed in that Church and not prescribed in the word of God For this is the onely limitation which they can vse sutable vnto their other positions And therefore the cause which they yeeld why they hold it lawfull to reteine in Doctrine and in Discipline some things as good which yet are common to the Church of Rome is for that those good things are perpetual commandements in whose place no other can come but ceremonies are changeable So that their iudgement in truth is that whatsoeuer by the word of God is not changeable in the Church of Rome that Churches vsing is a cause why reformed Churches ought to change it and not to thinke it good or profitable And least we seeme to father any thing vpon them more thē is properly their owne let them reade euen their owne words where they complaine that we are thus constrained to be like vnto the Papists in Any their ceremonies yea they vrge that this cause although it were alone ought to moue them to whom that belongeth to do thē away for as much as they are their ceremonies and that the B. of Salisbury doth iustifie this their complaint The clause is vntrue which they adde concerning the B. of Salisbury but the sentence doth shew that we do them no wrōg in setting downe the state of the question betweene vs thus Whether we ought to abolish out of the Church of England all such orders rites and ceremonies as are established in the Church of Rome and are not prescribed in the word of God For the affirmatiue whereof we are now to answer such proofes of theirs as haue bene before alleaged 5 Let the Church of Rome be what it will let them that are of it be the people of God and our fathers in the Christian faith or let them be otherwise hold them for Catholiques or hold them for heretiques it is not a thing either one way or other in this present question greatly material Our conformity with thē in such things as haue bene proposed is not proued as yet vnlawfull by all this S. Augustine hath said yea and we haue allowed his saying That the custome of the people of God and the decrees of our forefathers are to be kept touching those things wherof the scripture hath neither one way nor other giuen vs any charge What then Doth it here therfore follow that they being neither the people of God nor our forefathers are for that cause in nothing to be followed This consequent were good if so be it were graunted that onely the custome of the people of God the decrees of our forefathers are in such case to be obserued But then should no other kind of later laws in the church be good which were a grosse absurdity to think S. Augustines speech therefore doth import that where we haue no diuine precept if yet we haue the custome of the people of God or a decree of our forefathers this is a law and must be kept Notwithstanding it is not denied but that we lawfully may obserue the positiue constitutions of our owne Churches although the same were but yesterday made by our selues alone Nor is there any thing in this to proue that the Church of England might not by law receiue orders rites or customes from the Church of Rome although they were neither the people of God nor yet our forefathers How much lesse when we haue receiued from them nothing but that which they did themselues receiue from such as we cannot deny to haue bene the people of God yea such as either we must acknowledge for our owne forefathers or else disdaine the race of Christ 6 The rites and orders wherein we follow the Church of Rome are of no other kind thē such as the Church of Geneua it selfe doth follow thē in We follow the church of Rome in moe things yet they in some things of the same nature about which our present controuersie is so that the difference is not in the kind but in the number of rites only wherein they and we do follow the Church of Rome The vse of wafer-cakes the custom of godfathers godmothers in baptisme are things not commanded nor forbidden in scripture things which haue bene of old are reteined in the Church of Rome euen at this very hower Is conformity with Rome in such things a blemish vnto the Church of England vnto Churches abroad an ornament Let thē if not for the reuerence they ow vnto this Church in the bowels wherof they haue receiued I trust that pretious and blessed vigor which shall quicken thē to eternall life yet at the leastwise for the singular affection which they do beare towards others take heed how they strike least they wound whom they would not For vndoubtedly it cutteth deeper thē they
or Laitie eate the vnleauened of the Iewes nor enter into any familiaritie with them nor send for them in sicknes nor take phisicke at their haÌ„ds nor as much as goe into the bath with them If any do otherwise being a Clergie man let him be deposed if being a lay person let excommunicatioÌ„ be his punishment If these Canons were any argumeÌ„t that they which made them did vtterly coÌ„demne similitude betweene the Christians Iewes in things indifferent appertaining vnto religioÌ„ either because the Iewes were enemies vnto the Church or else for that their ceremonies were abrogated these reasons had bin as strong effectual against their keeping the feast of Easter on the same day the Iewes kept theirs and not according to the custome of the West Church For so they did froÌ„ the first beginning till Constantines time For in these two things the East West churches did interchangeably both confront the Iewes and concur with theÌ„ the West church vsing vnleauened bread as the Iewes in their passouer did but differing froÌ„ them in the day whereon they kept the feast of Easter conâ—â—ariwise the East church celebrating the feast of Easter on the same day with the Iewes but not vsing the same kind of bread which they did Now if so be the East Church in vsing leuened bread had done wel either for that the Iewes were enemies to the Church or because Iewish ceremonies were abrogated how should we think but that Victor the B. of Rome whom all iudicious meÌ„ do in that behalf disallow did well to be so vehement fierce in drawing theÌ„ to the like dissimilitude for the feast of Easter Againe if the West Churches had in either of those two respects affected dissimilitude with the Iewes in the feast of Easter what reasoÌ„ had they to drawe the Easterne Church herein vnto them which reason did not enforce them to frame themselues vnto it in the ceremonie of leauened bread DiffereÌ„ce in rites should breed no coÌ„trouersie between one church an other but if controuersie be once bred it must be ended The feast of Easter being therfore litigious in the daies of CoÌ„stantine who honored of all other churches most the Church of Rome which Church was the mother from whose breasts he had drawn that food which gaue him nourishmeÌ„t to eternall life sith agreement was necessary and yet impossible vnlesse the one part were yeelded vnto his desire was that of the two the Easterne church should rather yeeld And to this end he vseth sundry perswasiue speeches When Stephen the Bi. of Rome going about to shew what the Catholique Church should do had alleaged what the heritiques themselues did namely that they receiued such as came vnto them and offered not to baptise them anew S. Cyprian being of a contrary mind to him about the matter at that time questioÌ„ which was Whether heretikes conuerted ought to be rebaptised yea or no answered the allegatioÌ„ of Pope Stephen with exceeding great stomack saying To this degree of wretchednes the church of God and Spouse of Christ is now come that her wayes she frameâ—h to the example of heretikes that to celebrate the sacrameÌ„ts which heaueÌ„ly instructioÌ„ hath deliuered light it self doth borrow froÌ„ darknes Christians do that which Antichrists do Now albeit CoÌ„stantine haue done that to further a better cause which Cyprian did to countenance a worse namely the rebaptization of heretiques and haue taken aduantage at the odiousnesse of the Iewes as Cyprian of heretiques because the Easterne Church kept their feast of Easter alwayes the fourteenth day of the Moneth as the Iewes did what day of the weeke soeuer it â—el or how soeuer Constantine did take occasioÌ„ in the handling of that cause to say It is vnworthy to haue any thing common with that spitefull Nation of the Iewes shall euery motiue argument vsed in such kinde of conferences be made a rule for others still to coÌ„clude the like by coÌ„cerning all things of like nature when as probable inducements may leade them to the contrary Let both this and other allegations suteable vnto it cease to barke any longer idlely against that truth the course and passage wherof it is not in them to hinder 12 But the waightiest exception and of all the most worthy to be respected is against such kind of ceremonies as haue bene so grossely shamefully abused in the Church of Rome that where they remaine they are scandalous yea they cannot choose but be stumbling blockes and grieuous causes of offence Concerning this point therefore we are first to note what properly it is to be scandalous or offensiue secondly what kinde of Ceremonies are such and thirdly when they are necessarily for remedie therof to be taken away and when not The common conceipt of the vulgar sort is whensoeuer they see any thing which they mislike and are anrgy at to thinke that euery such thing is scandalous and that themselues in this case are the men concerning whome our Sauiour spake in so fearefull manner saying Whosoeuer shall scandalize or offend any one of these little ones which beleeue in me that is as they conster it whosoeuer shall anger the meanest and simplest Artizan which carrieth a good minde by not remouing out of the Church such rites and Ceremonies as displease him better he were drowned in the bottom of the sea But hard were the case of the church of Christ if this were to scandalize Men are scandalized when they are moued led and prouoked vnto sinne At good thinges euill men may take occasion to doe euill and so Christ himselfe was a rock of offence in Israel they taking occasion at his poore estate and at the ignominie of his crosse to think him vnworthy the name of that great and glorious Messias whom the Prophets describe in such ample stately terms But that which we therfore terme offensiue because it inuiteth meÌ„ to offend and by a dumb kind of prouocation incourage thmoueth or any way leadeth vnto sinne must of necessitie be acknowledged actiuely scandalous Now some thinges are so euen by their very essence and nature so that wheresoeuer they be found they are not neither can be without this force of provocation vnto euill of which kinde all examples of sinne and wickednes are Thus Dauid was scandalous in that bloudie acte whereby he caused the enemies of God to be blasphemous thus the whole state of Israell scandalous when their publique disorders caused the name of God to be ill spoken of amongst the nations It is of this kind that Tertullian meaneth Offence or scandall if I be not deceaued saith he is when the example not of a good but of an euill thing doth set men forward vnto sinne Good things can scandalize none saue only euill mindes good things haue no scandalizing nature in them Yet that which is of it owne nature either good or at least not euill may by some accident become
to the contrary as in the former there was Leuit. 18.21 20.3 Deut. 17.16 In Iosua the children of Israel are charged by the Prophet that they asked not counsell of theâ— mouth of the Lord when they entered into couenant with the Gabeonites Iosh. 9.14 And yet that couenant was not made contrarie vnto anie commaundement of God Moreouer we reade that when Dauid had taken this counsell to build a temple vnto the Lord albeit the Lord had reuealed before in his word that there should be such a standing place where the Arke of the couenant and the seruice should haue a certaine abiding and albeit there was no word of God which â—orbad Dauid to build the Temple yet the Lord with commendation of his good affection and zeale hee had to the aduancement of his glorie concludeth against Dauidâ— resolution to build the Temple with this reason namely that he had giuen no commandement of this who should build it 1. Chr. 17.6 Leuit. 18.21 20.3 Deut. 28.10 1. Chro. 17 â— Esay 30.1 Iosh. 9.14 Num. 27.21 1. Chron. 17. T. C. l. â— p. 50. M. Harding reprocheth the B. of Salisbury with this kind of reasoning vnto whom the B. answereth The argument of authority negatiuely is taken to be good whensoeuer proofe is taken of Gods word and is vsed not onely by vs but also by many of the Catholique Fathers A litle after he sheweth the reason why the argument of authority of the scripture negatiuely is good namely for that the word of God is perfect In another place vnto M. Harding casting him in the teeth with negatiue arguments be alleageth places out of Irenâ—â—us Chrysostom Leo which reasoned negatiuely of the authoritie of the Scriptures The places which he alleageth be very full and plaine in generality without any such restraint as the Answerer imagineth as they are there to be seene â— Vell. Patere Iugurtha as Marius sub codem Africano militantes in ijsdem castris didicere qua postea in contrarijs facereâ—t Art 1. Diuis 29. Gal. 3. Orig. in Leuitho 5. Math. 23. Math. 17. Desen par 5. ca. 15. diuis â— Lib. 1. cap. 1â— De incomp nat Dei hom 3. Epist. 9â— ca. 12 Epist. 97. ca. 3. Epist. 16â— Lib. 4. ep 32. Their opinion coÌ„cerning the force of arguments taken from humane authority for the ordering of mens actioÌ„â— or perswasioÌ„s T. C. l. 1. p. 25. When the question is of the authority of a man it holdeth neither affirmatiuely nor negatiuely The reason is because the infirmitie of man can neither attaine to the perfection of any thing whereby he might speake all things that are to be spoken of it neither yet be free from error in those things which he speaketh or giueth out And therefore this argument neither affirmatiuely nor negatiuely compelleth the hearer but only induceth him to some liking or disliking of that for which it is brought and is rather for an Orator to perswade the simpler sort then for a disputer to enforce him that is learned 1. Cor. 1.11 Iohn 4.35 Deut. 19.15 Mat. 18.16 T. C. l. 1. p. 10. Although that kind of argument of authoritie of men is good neither in humaine nor diuine sciences yet it hath some small force in humaine sciences for as much as naturally in that he is a man he may come to some ripenes of iudgement in those sciences which in diuine matters hath no force at all as of him which naturally and as he is a man can no more iudge of them shew a blind man of colours Yea so farre is it from drawing credit if it be barely spoken without reason and testimony of scripture that it carieth also a suspition of vntruth whatsoeuer proceedeth from him which the Apostle did well note when to signifie a thing corruptly spoken and against the truth he saith that it is spoken according vnto man Rom. 3. He saith not as a wicked and lying man but simply as a man And although this corruption be reformed in many yet for so much as in whome the knowledge of the truth is most aduanced there remaineth both ignorance and disordered affections whereof either of them turneth him from speaking of the truth no mans authority with the Church especially and those that are called and perswaded of the authority of the word of God can bring any assurance vnto the conscience T. C. l. 2. p. 21. Of diuers sentences of the fathers themselues wherby some haue likened them to brute beastes without reason which suffer themselues to be led by the iudgement and authority of others some haue preferred the iudgemeÌ„t of ouâ— simple rude man alleaging reason vnto companies of learned men I will content my selfe at this time with two or three sentences Irenaeus saith whatsoeuer is to be shewed in the scripture canne bee shewed but out of the scriptures themselues lib. 3â— cap. 12. Ierome saith No man be he neuer so holy or eloquent hath any authoritie after the Apostles in Ps. 86. Augustine saith that he will beleeue none how godly and learned soeuer he be vnlesse he confirme his sentence by the scriptures or by some reason not contrary to them Epist. 18. And in another place Heare this the Lord saith heare not this Donatus saith Rogatus saith Vincentius saith Hylarius saith Ambrose saith Augustine saith but hearken to this the Lord saith Epist. 48. And againe hauing to do with an Arrian he affirmeth that neither he ought to bring forth the councell of Nice nor the other the councell of Arimine thereby to bring preiudice each to other neither ought the Arrian to be holden by the authoritie of the one nor himselfe by the authoritie of the other but by the scriptures which are witnesses proper to neither but common to both matter with matter cause with cause reason with reason ought to be debated contra Maxim Arian 3.14 ca. And in an other place against Petilian the Donatist he saith Let not these wordes be heard betweene vs I say you say let vs heare this Thus saith the Lord. And by and by speaking of the scriptures he saith There let vs seeke the Church there let vs try the cause De vnita Eccles. cap. 3. Hereby it is manifest that the argument of the authoritie of man affirmatiuely is nothing worth Matth. 17.10 T. C. l. 2.21 If at any time it happened vnto Augustine as it did against the Donatists and others to alleage the authority of the auncient Fathers which had bin before him yet this was not done before he had laid a sure foundation of his cause in the scriptures and that also being prouoked by the aduersaries of the truth who bare themselues high of some counsell or of some man of name that had fauoured that part A declaration what the truth is in this maâ—ter Math. 26.40 Ephes. 5.29 Matth. 5.46 1. Tim. 5.8 Matth. 10.42 Act. 4.31 1. Thes. 2.7.9 T. C. l. 2. p. 6. Where this doctrine is accused of bringing men to despaire it