P  R  INC  E  T  ON.  N.  J 
 
 o  Fart  of  the 
 
 <> 
 m 
 
 ♦     ADDISON  ALEXANDER  LIBRABT,  ♦ 
 
 which  was  presented  hy 
 Ukssbs.  R.  L.  asd  A.  Stuaet. 
 
 >9? 
 
 '  ^  <T 
 
 BX  5037    .H6   1825  v. 2 
 Hooker,   Richard,   1553  or  4- 
 1600. 
 
 The  works  of  Mr.  Richard 
 Hooker 
 
♦  V 
 
-7 
 
 *  * 
 
1  11  El 
 
 WORKS 
 
 MR.  RICHARD  HOOKER; 
 
 WITH 
 
 A  GENERAL  INDEX : 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 MR.  ISAAC  WALTON'S  LIFE  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 
 
 EDITED 
 
 By  THE  REV.  W.  S.  DOBSON,  M.  A. 
 
 OF  ST.  PSTER's  COLLEGE,  CAMBRIDGE. 
 
 IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 
 VOL.  II. 
 
 J.  F.  Dove,  Printer  to  the  United  University  Club. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 COWIE  AND  CO.  POULTRY;  BAYNES  AND  SON,  PATERNOSTER-ROW 
 HATCHARD  AND  SON,  PICCADILLY;  SMITH,  ELDER,  AND  CO.  CORNIIILL 
 R.  BAYNES,  PATERNOSTKR-KOW  ;  DEIGHTON  AND  SONS,  CAMBRIDGE 
 J.  CUMMING,  M.  KEENE,  AND  R.  M.  TIMS,  DUBLIN;  AND  H.  S.  BAYNES 
 EDINBURGH. 
 
 1825. 
 
/ 
 
 Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
 in  2014 
 
 https://archive.org/details/worksofmrrichard02hook_0 
 
\J  kX  \J  VJ  x  \J  A'i^^/i 
 OF  THE 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 BOOK  V.  [continued.] 
 
 67.  The  grace  which  we  have  by  the  holy  Eucharist  doth  of  the 
 not  begin,  but  continue,  life.    No  man  therefore  receiveth  mem  of 
 this  Sacrament  before  Baptism,  because  no  dead  thing  is  ^dbodj 
 capable  of  nourishment.    That  which  groweth  must  of  ne-  £1h°(^tof 
 cessity  first  live.    If  our  bodies  did  not  daily  waste,  food 
 to  restore  them  were  a  thing  superfluous.    And  it  may  be 
 that  the  grace  of  Baptism  would  serve  to  eternal  Life,  were 
 it  not  that  the  state  of  our  spiritual  being  is  daily  so  much 
 hindered  and  impaired  after  Baptism.    In  that  life  there- 
 fore, where  neither  body  nor  soul  can  decay,  our  souls 
 shall  as  little  require  this  Sacrament,  as  our  bodies  cor- 
 poral nourishment.    But  as  long  as  the  days  of  our  war-  . 
 fare  last,  during  the  time  that  we  are  both  subject  to  dimi- 
 nution and  capable  of  augmentation  in  grace,  the  words  of 
 our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ  will  remain  forcible,  "  Except John 
 
 vi»  53. 
 
 ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood, 
 ye  have  no  life  in  you."  Life  being  therefore  proposed 
 unto  all  men  as  their  end,  they  which  by  Baptism  have 
 laid  the  foundation,  and  attained  the  first  beginning  of  a 
 new  life,  have  here  their  nourishment  and  food  prescribed 
 for  continuance  of  life  in  them.  Such  as  will  live  the  life 
 of  God,  must  eat  the  flesh  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  Son 
 of  man;  because  this  is  a  part  of  that  diet,  which  if  we 
 want  we  cannot  live.  Whereas  therefore  in  our  infancy 
 we  are  incorporated  into  Christ,  and  by  Baptism  receive 
 the  grace  of  his  Spirit  without  any  sense  or  feeling  of  the 
 
 VOL.  II.  B 
 
2 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  TOLITV. 
 
 gift  which  God  bestoweth ;  in  the  Eucharist  we  so  receive 
 the  gift  of  God,  that  we  know  by  grace  what  the  grace  is 
 which  God  giveth  us;  the  degrees  of  our  own  increase  in 
 holiness  and  virtue  we  see,  and  can  judge  of  them ;  we  un- 
 derstand that  the  strength  of  our  life  begun  in  Christ,  is 
 Christ;  that  his  flesh  is  meat,  and  his  blood  drink,  not 
 by  surmised  imagination,  but  truly,  even  so  truly,  that 
 through  faith  we  perceive  in  the  Body  and  Blood  sacramen- 
 tally  presented  the  very  taste  of  eternal  Life ;  the  grace 
 of  the  Sacrament  is  here  as  the  food  which  we  eat  and 
 drink.  This  was  it  that  some  did  exceedingly  fear  lest 
 Zuinglius  and  CEcolampadius  would  bring  to  pass,  that 
 men  should  account  of  this  Sacrament  but  only  as  of  a 
 shadow,  destitute,  empty,  and  void  of  Christ.  But  see- 
 ing, that,  by  opening  the  several  opinions  which  have  been 
 held,  they  are  grown,  for  aught  I  can  see,  on  all  sides  at 
 the  length  to  a  general  agreement  concerning  that  which 
 alone  is  material,  namely,  the  real  participation  of  Christ, 
 and  of  life  in  his  Body  and  Blood,  by  means  of  this  Sacra- 
 ment ;  wherefore  should  the  world  continue  still  distracted, 
 and  rent  with  so  manifold  contentions,  when  there  remain- 
 eth  now  no  controversy,  saving  only  about  the  subject 
 where  Christ  is  ?  Yea,  even  in  this  point,  no  side  denieth, 
 but  that  the  soul  of  man  is  the  receptacle  of  Christ's  pre- 
 sence. Whereby  the  question  is  yet  driven  to  a  narrow 
 issue,  nor  doth  any  thing  rest  doubtful  but  this,  whether, 
 when  the  Sacrament  is  administered,  Christ  be  whole  with- 
 in man  only,  or  else  his  Body  and  Blood  be  also  exter- 
 nally seated  in  the  very  consecrated  elements  themselves. 
 Which  opinion  they  that  defend,  are  driven  either  to  con- 
 substantiate  and  incorporate  Christ  with  elements  sacra- 
 mental, or  to  transubstantiate  and  change  their  substance 
 into  his;  and  so  the  one  to  hold  him  really,  but  invisibly, 
 moulded  up  with  the  substance  of  those  elements,  the 
 other  to  hide  him  under  the  only  visible  show  of  Bread  and 
 Wine,  the  substance  whereof,  as  they  imagine,  is  abolished, 
 and  his  succeeded  in  the  same  room.  All  things  consi- 
 dered, and  compared  with  that  success  which  truth  hath 
 hitherto  had  by  so  bitter  conflicts  with  errors  in  this  point, 
 shall  I  wish  that  men  would  more  give  themselves  to  me- 
 ditate with  silence  what  we  have  by  the  Sacrament,  and 
 less  to  dispute  of  the  manner  how  ?    If  any  man  suppose 
 
ROOK  V. 
 
 3 
 
 that  this  were  too  great  stupidity  and  dulness,  let  us  see 
 whether  the  Apostles  of  our  Lord  themselves  have  not 
 done  the  like.    It  appeareth  by  many  examples,  that  they 
 of  their  own  disposition  were  very  scrupulous  and  inquisi- 
 tive, yea,  in  other  cases  of  less  importance,  and  less  diffi- 
 culty, always  apt  to  move  questions.    How  cometh  it  to 
 pass,  that  so  few  words  of  so  high  a  mystery  being  uttered, 
 they  receive  with  gladness  the  gift  of  Christ,  and  make  no 
 show  of  doubt  or  scruple  1    The  reason  hereof  is  not  dark 
 to  them  which  have  any  thing  at  all  observed  how  the 
 powers  of  the  mind  are  wont  to  stir,  when  that  which  we 
 infinitely  long  for  presenteth  itself  above  and  besides  ex- 
 pectation.   Curious  and  intricate  speculations  do  hinder, 
 they  abate,  they  quench  such  inflamed  motions  of  delight 
 and  joy  as  divine  graces  use  to  raise  when  extraordinarily 
 they  are  present.    The  mind  therefore,  feeling  present 
 joy,  is  always  marvellous  unwilling  to  admit  any  other  co- 
 gitation, and  in  that  case  casteth  off  those  disputes  where- 
 unto  the  intellectual  part  at  other  times  easily  draweth. 
 A  manifest  effect  whereof  may  be  noted,  if  we  compare 
 with  our  Lord's  Disciples  in  the  twentieth  of  John,  the 
 people  that  are  said  in  the  sixth  of  John  to  have  gone  after 
 him  to  Capernaum.    These  leaving  him  on  the  one  side  of 
 the  Sea  of  Tiberias,  and  finding  him  again  as  soon  as  them- 
 selves by  ship  were  arrived  on  the  contrary  side,  whither 
 they  knew  that  by  ship  he  came  not,  and  by  land  the  jour- 
 ney was  longer  than  according  to  the  time  he  could  have 
 to  travel,  as  they  wondered,  so  they  asked  also,  "  Rabbi,  John 
 when  earnest  thou  hither  ?"    The  Disciples,  when  Christ vl* 2i 
 appeared  to  them  in  far  more  strange  and  miraculous  man- 
 ner, moved  no  question,  but  rejoiced  greatly  in  what  they 
 saw.    For  why?  The  one  sort  beheld  only  that  in  Christ 
 which  they  knew  was  more  than  natural,  but  yet  their  affec- 
 tion was  not  rapt  therewith  through  any  great  extraordi- 
 nary gladness ;  the  other,  when  they  looked  on  Christ, 
 were  not  ignorant  that  they  saw  the  wellspring  of  their  own 
 everlasting  felicity ;  the  one,  because  they  enjoyed  not, 
 disputed  ;  the  other  disputed  not,  because  they  enjoyed. 
 If  then  the  presence  of  Christ  with  them  did  so  much  move, 
 judge  what  their  thoughts  and  affections  were  at  the  time 
 of  this  new  presentation  of  Christ,  not  before  their  eyes, 
 but  within  their  souls.    They  had  learned  before,  that  his 
 
 b  2 
 
4 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Flesh  and  Blood  are  the  true  cause  of  eternal  life ;  that 
 this  they  are  not  by  the  bare  force  of  their  own  substance, 
 but  through  the  dignity  and  worth  of  his  Person,  which 
 offered  them  up  by  way  of  sacrifice  for  the  life  of  the  whole 
 world,  and  doth  make  them  still  effectual  thereunto;  finally, 
 that  to  us  they  are  life  in  particular,  by  being  particularly 
 received.  Thus  much  they  knew,  although  as  yet  they 
 understood  not  perfectly  to  what  effect  or  issue  the  same 
 would  come,  till  at  the  length  being  assembled  for  no  other 
 cause  which  they  could  imagine  but  to  have  eaten  the 
 Passover  only  that  Moses  appointed,  when  they  saw  their 
 Lord  and  Master,  with  hands  and  eyes  lifted  up  to  Hea- 
 ven, first  bless  and  consecrate,  for  the  endless  good  of  all 
 generations  till  the  world's  end,  the  chosen  elements  of 
 Bread  and  Wine ;  which  elements,  made  for  ever  the  in- 
 struments of  life  by  virtue  of  his  divine  benediction,  they 
 being  the  first  that  were  commanded  to  receive  from  him, 
 the  first  which  were  warranted  by  his  promise,  that  not 
 only  unto  them  at  the  present  time,  but  to  whomsoever  they 
 and  their  successors  after  them  did  truly  administer  the 
 same,  those  mysteries  should  serve  as  conducts  of  life,  and 
 conveyances  of  his  Body  and  Blood  unto  them ;  was  it 
 possible  they  should  hear  that  voice,  "  Take,  eat,  this  is 
 my  Body ;  drink  ye  all  of  this,  this  is  my  Blood  1"  pos- 
 sible, that  doing  what  was  required,  and  believing  what 
 was  promised,  the  same  should  have  present  effect  in  them, 
 and  not  fill  them  with  a  kind  of  fearful  admiration  at  the 
 heaven  which  they  saw  in  themselves  ?  They  had  at  that 
 time  a  sea  of  comfort  and  joy  to  wade  in,  and  we  by  that 
 which  they  did  are  taught  that  this  heavenly  food  is  given 
 for  the  satisfying  of  our  empty  souls,  and  not  for  the  exer- 
 cising of  our  curious  and  subtile  wits.  If  we  doubt  what 
 those  admirable  words  may  import,  let  him  be  our  teacher 
 for  the  meaning  of  Christ,  to  whom  Christ  was  himself  a 
 schoolmaster;  let  our  Lord's  Apostle  be  his  interpreter, 
 content  we  ourselves  with  his  explication  ;  my  Body,  the 
 communion  of  my  Body:  my  Blood,  the  communion  of  my 
 Blood.  Is  there  any  thing  more  expedite,  clear,  and  easy, 
 than  that  as  Christ  is  termed  our  life  because  through  him 
 we  obtain  life ;  so  the  parts  of  this  Sacrament  are  his 
 Body  and  Blood,  for  that  they  are  so  to  us,  who  receiving 
 them,  receive  that  by  them  which  they  are  termed  ?  The 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 5 
 
 Bread  and  Cup  arc  his  Body  and  Blood,  because  they  are 
 causes  instrumental  upon  the  receipt  whereof  the  partici- 
 pation of  his  Body  and  Blood  ensueth.    For  that  which 
 produceth  any  certain  effect,  is  not  vainly  nor  improperly 
 said  to  be  that  very  effect  whereunto  it  tendeth.  Every 
 cause  is  in  the  effect  which  groweth  from  it.    Our  souls 
 and  bodies  quickened  to  eternal  Life  are  effects,  the  cause 
 whereof  is  the  Person  of  Christ ;  his  Body  and  Blood  are 
 the  true  wellspring  out  of  which  this  life  floweth.    So  that 
 his  Body  and  Blood  are  in  that  very  subject  whereunto 
 they  minister  life  ;  not  only  by  effect  or  operation,  even  as 
 the  influence  of  the  heavens  is  in  plants,  beasts,  men,  and 
 in  every  thing  which  they  quicken  ;  but  also  by  a  far  more 
 divine  and  mystical  kind  of  union,  which  maketh  us  one 
 with  him,  even  as  he  and  the  Father  are  one.    The  real 
 presence  of  Christ's  most  blessed  Body  and  Blood  is  not 
 therefore  to  be  sought  for  in  the  Sacrament,  but  in  the  wor- 
 thy receiver  of  the  Sacrament.    And  with  this  the  very 
 order  of  our  Saviours  words  agreeth,  first,  "  Take  and  Ma«. 
 eat  ;"  then,  "  This  is  my  Body  which  was  broken  for  you :"  stf-ia. 
 first,  "  Drink  ye  all  of  this ;"  then,  followeth,  "  This  is  my 
 Blood  of  the  New  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  many  for 
 the  remission  of  sins."    I  see  not  which  way  it  should  be 
 gathered  by  the  words  of  Christ  when  and  where  the  Bread 
 is  his  Body,  or  the  Cup  his  Blood;  but  only  in  the  very 
 heart  and  soul  of  him  which  receiveth  them.    As  for  the 
 Sacraments,  they  really  exhibit,  but  for  aught  we  can  ga- 
 ther out  of  that  which  is  written  of  them,  they  are  not 
 really,  nor  do  really  contain  in  themselves,  that  grace  which 
 with  them,  or  by  them,  it  pleaseth  God  to  bestow.    If  on 
 all  sides  it  be  confessed,  that  the  grace  of  Baptism  is  poured 
 into  the  soul  of  man  ;  that  by  water  we  receive  it,  although 
 it  be  neither  seated  in  the  water,  nor  the  water  changed 
 into  it;  what  should  induce  men  to  think,  that  the  grace  of 
 the  Eucharist  must  needs  be  in  the  Eucharist  before  it  can 
 be  in  us  that  receive  it  ?    The  fruit  of  the  Eucharist  is  the 
 participation  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ.    There  is 
 no  sentence  of  Holy  Scripture  which  saith,  that  we  cannot 
 by  this  Sacrament  be  made  partakers  of  his  Body  and 
 Blood,  except  they  be  first  contained  in  the  Sacrament,  or 
 the  Sacrament  converted  into  them.    "  This  is  my  Body," 
 and,  "  This  is  my  Blood,"  being  words  of  promise,  sith  wo 
 
6 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 all  agree,  that  by  the  Sacrament  Christ  doth  really  and 
 truly  in  us  perform  his  promise,  why  do  we  vainly  trouble 
 ourselves  with  so  fierce  contentions,  whether  by  Consub- 
 stantiation,  or  else  by  Transubstantiation,  the  Sacrament 
 itself  be  first  possessed  with  Christ,  or  no  1    A  thing  which 
 no  way  can  either  further  or  hinder  us,  howsoever  it  stand, 
 because  our  participation  of  Christ  in  this  Sacrament  de- 
 pendeth  on  the  co-operation  of  his  omnipotent  power  which 
 maketh  it  his  Body  and  Blood  to  us ;  whether  with  change 
 or  without  alteration  of  the  element,  such  as  they  imagine, 
 we  need  not  greatly  to  care  or  inquire.  Take  therefore  that 
 wherein  all  agree,  and  then  consider  by  itself  what  cause 
 why  the  rest  in  question  should  not  rather  be  left  as  super- 
 fluous than  urged  as  necessary.    It  is  on  all  sides  plainly 
 confessed,  first,  that  this  Sacrament  is  a  true  and  real 
 participation  of  Christ,  who  thereby  imparteth  himself, 
 even  his  whole  entire  Person,  as  a  mystical  Head,  unto 
 every  soul  that  receiveth  him,  and  that  every  such  re- 
 ceiver doth  thereby  incorporate  or  unite  himself  unto  Christ 
 as  a  mystical  member  of  him,  yea,  of  them  also  whom  he 
 acknowledgeth  to  be  his  own.    Secondly,  that  to  whom 
 the  Person  of  Christ  is  thus  communicated,  to  them  he 
 giveth  by  the  same  Sacrament  his  Holy  Spirit  to  sanctify 
 them,  as  it  sanctifieth  him  which  is  their  Head.  Thirdly, 
 that  what  merit,  force,  or  virtue  soever,  there  is  in  his  sa- 
 cred Body  and  Blood,  we  freely,  fully,  and  wholly,  have  it 
 by  this  Sacrament.    Fourthly,  that  the  effect  thereof  in  us, 
 is  a  real  transmutation  of  our  souls  and  bodies  from  sin  to 
 righteousness,  from  death  and  corruption  to  immortality 
 and  life.    Fifthly,  that  because  the  Sacrament  being  of 
 itself  but  a  corruptible  and  earthly  creature,  must  needs 
 be  thought  an  unlikely  instrument  to  work  so  admirable 
 effects  in  man,  we  are  therefore  to  rest  ourselves  altogether 
 upon  the  strength  of  his  glorious  power,  who  is  able  and 
 will  bring  to  pass,  that  the  Bread  and  Cup  which  he  giveth 
 us  shall  be  truly  the  thing  he  promiseth.    It  seemeth  there- 
 fore much  amiss,  that  against  them  whom  they  term  Sacra- 
 mentaries  so  many  invective  discourses  are  made,  all  run- 
 ning upon  two  points,  that  the  Eucharist  is  not  a  bare 
 sign  or  figure  only,  and  that  the  efficacy  of  his  Body  and 
 Blood  is  not  all  we  receive  in  this  Sacrament.  For  no  man, 
 having  read  their  books  and  writings  which  are  thus  tra- 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 7 
 
 duced,  can  be  ignorant  that  both  these  assertions  they 
 plainly  confess  to  be  most  true.  They  do  not  so  interpret 
 the  words  of  Christ,  as  if  the  name  of  his  body  did  im- 
 port but  the  figure  of  his  body ;  and  to  be,  were  only  to 
 signify  his  blood.  They  grant  that  these  holy  mysteries, 
 received  in  due  manner,  do  instrumentally  both  make 
 us  partakers  of  the  grace  of  that  Body  and  Blood  which 
 were  given  for  the  life  of  the  world,  and  besides  also 
 impart  unto  us,  even  in  true  and  real,  though  mystical, 
 manner,  the  very  Person  of  our  Lord  himself,  whole, 
 perfect,  and  entire,  as  hath  been  shewed.  Now  whereas  all 
 three  opinions  do  thus  far  accord  in  one,  that  strong  con- 
 ceit which  two  of  the  three  have  embraced,  as  touching  a 
 literal,  corporal,  and  oral  manducation  of  the  very  sub- 
 stance of  his  flesh  and  blood,  is  surely  an  opinion  no  where 
 delivered  in  Holy  Scripture,  whereby  they  should  think 
 themselves  bound  to  believe  it ;  and  (to  speak  with  the 
 softest  terms  we  can  use)  greatly  prejudiced  in  that,  when 
 some  others  did  so  conceive  of  eating  his  flesh,  our  Saviour, 
 to  abate  that  error  in  them,  gave  them  directly  to  under- 
 stand how  his  flesh  so  eaten  could  profit  them  nothing, 
 because  the  words  which  he  spake  were  Spirit ;  that  is  to 
 say,  they  had  a  reference  to  a  mystical  participation,  which 
 mystical  participation  giveth  life.  Wherein  there  is  small 
 appearance  of  likelihood  that  his  meaning  should  be  only 
 to  make  them  Marcionites  by  inversion,  and  to  teach  them, 
 that  as  Marcion  did  think  Christ  seemed  to  be  man,  but 
 was  not ;  so  they  contrariwise  should  believe  that  Christ 
 in  truth  would  so  give  them,  as  they  thought,  his  flesh  to 
 eat;  but  yet,  lest  the  horror  thereof  should  offend  them,  he 
 would  not  seem  to  do  that  he  did.  When  they  which  have 
 this  opinion  of  Christ  in  that  blessed  Sacrament,  go  about 
 to  explain  themselves,  and  to  open  after  what  manner 
 things  are  brought  to  pass,  the  one  sort  lay  the  union  of 
 Christ's  Deity  with  his  Manhood,  as  their  first  foundation 
 and  ground :  from  thence  they  infer  a  power  which  the 
 Body  of  Christ  hath,  thereby  to  present  itself  in  all  places, 
 out  of  which  ubiquity  of  his  Body  they  gather  the  pre- 
 sence thereof  with  that  sanctified  bread  and  wine  of  our 
 Lord's  Table ;  the  conjunction  of  his  Body  and  Blood 
 with  those  elements  they  use  as  an  argument  to  shew 
 how  the  bread  may  as  well  in  that  respect  be  termed  his 
 
8 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Body,  because  his  Body  is  therewith  joined,  as  the  Son  of 
 God  may  be  named  Man,  by  reason,  that  God  and  Man  in 
 the  Person  of  Christ  are  united  ;  to  this  they  add,  how 
 the  words  of  Christ  commanding  us  to  eat  must  needs 
 import,  that  as  he  hath  coupled  the  substance  of  his  flesh 
 and  the  substance  of  bread  together,  so  we  together 
 should  receive  both;  which  labyrinth  as  the  other  sort 
 doth  justly  shun,  so  the  way  which  they  take  to  the  same 
 inn  is  somewhat  more  short,  but  no  whit  more  certain. 
 For  through  God's  omnipotent  power  they  imagine  that 
 transubstantiation  followeth  upon  the  words  of  consecra- 
 tion: and,  upon  transubstantiation,  the  participation  of 
 Christ's  both  Body  and  Blood,  in  the  only  shape  of  sacra- 
 mental elements.  So  that  they  all  three  do  plead  God's 
 omnipotency :  Sacramentaries,  to  that  alteration  which 
 the  rest  confess  he  accomplisheth ;  the  Patrons  of  Tran- 
 substantiation, over  and  besides  that,  to  the  change  of 
 one  substance  into  another;  the  Followers  of  Consub- 
 stantiation,  to  the  kneading  of  both  substances,  as  it  were, 
 into  one  lump.  Touching  the  sentence  of  antiquity  in  this 
 cause ;  first,  forasmuch  as  they  knew  that  the  force  of 
 this  Sacrament  doth  necessarily  presuppose  the  verity  of 
 Christ's  both  Body  and  Blood,  they  used  oftentimes  the 
 same  as  an  argument  to  prove,  that  Christ  hath  as  truly 
 the  substance  of  Man  as  of  God ;  because  here  we  receive 
 Christ,  and  those  graces  which  flow  from  him,  in  that  he  is 
 Man :  so  that,  if  he  have  no  such  being,  neither  can  the 
 Sacrament  have  any  such  meaning  as  we  all  confess  it 
 hath.  Thus  Tertullian,*  thus  Irenaeus,t  thus  Theodoret,^ 
 disputeth.  Again,  as  evident  it  is  how  they  teach  that 
 Christ  is  personally  there  present,  yea  present  whole, 
 albeit  a  part  of  Christ  be  corporally  absent  from  thence ; 
 
 *  Acceptum  panem  et  distributum  discipulis  Corpus  suum  ilium  fecit, '  hoc  est 
 Corpus  meum'  dicendo,  idest  figura  corporis  mei.  Figura  autem  non  fuisset,  nisi 
 veritatis  esset  Corpus,  cum  vacua  res,  quod  est  phantasma,  figuram  capere  non 
 possit.'    Tertull.  contra  Marc.  lib.  iv.  cap.  40. 
 
 t  '  Secundum  h;ec  (that  is  to  say,  if  it  should  be  true  which  Heretics  have 
 taught,  denying  that  Christ  took  upon  him  the  nature  of  man)  nec  Dominus  san- 
 guine suo  redemit  nos,  neque  calix  Eucharistiae  communicatio  sanguinis  ejus  erit, 
 nec  panis  quern  frangimus  communicatio  corporis  ejus  est.  Sanguis  enim  non 
 est,  nisi  a  venis  et  carnibus  et  areliqua  qua  est  secundum  hominem  substantia.' 
 Iren.  lib.  v.  cap.  °2. 
 
 t  Ei  Toi'vuv  Tot/  ovtoj  trvfiiarot  aVTiTwma  Is-ri  ts  8e"«  /icua-niput,  evpa.  if  a  eVti  xai  vSv 
 toO  Sta-ffOTcv  to  a-tZifA*,  ovx.  (1$  BtirttTo;  <pv?tv  ftETa0A»9£v,  aXKi  8£ia;  $ofn;  avawAfla-Slv. 
 Theodor. 'Ae-uj/^uToj,  [Dial.  ii.  p.  84.] 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 9 
 
 that  Christ,*  assisting  this  heavenly  banquet  with  his 
 personal  and  true  presence,  +  doth  by  his  own  divine 
 power  add  to  the  natural  substance  thereof  supernatural 
 efficacy,  which  J  addition  to  the  nature  of  those  conse- 
 crated elements  changeth  them,  and  maketh  them  that 
 unto  us  which  otherwise  they  could  not  be,  that  to  us 
 they  are  thereby  made  such  instruments,§  as  mystically 
 yet  truly,  invisibly  yet  really,  work  our  communion  or 
 fellowship  with  the  Person  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  well  in  that 
 he  is  Man  as  God,  our  participation  also  in  the  fruit, 
 grace,  and  efficacy  of  his  Body  and  Blood ;  whereupon 
 there  ensueth  a  kind  of  transubstantiation  in  us,  a  true 
 change  H  both  of  soul  and  body,  an  alteration  from  death  to 
 life.  In  a  word,  it  appeareth  not,  that  of  all  the  ancient 
 Fathers  of  the  Church  any  one  did  ever  conceive  or 
 
 •  *  Sacramenta  quidem,  quantum  in  se  est,  sine  propria  virtute  esse  non  possunt, 
 nec  ullo  modo  se  absentat  majestas  mysteriis.'    Cypr.  de  Coen.  cap.  7. 
 
 t  '  Sacramento  visibili  ineffabiliter  divina  se  infundit  essentia,  ut  esset  Re- 
 ligioni  circa  Sacramenta  devotio.'  Idem  cap.  6.  '  Invisibilis  sacerdos  visibiles 
 creaturas  in  substantiam  corporis  et  sanguinis  sui  verbo  suo  secreta  potestate 
 convertit.  In  spiritualibus  Sacramentis  verbi  pnecipit  virtus  et  servit  effectus.' 
 Euseb.  Emissen.  Horn.  5.  de  Pasch.  [p.  560.  par.  i.  t.  v.  Biblioth.  Patr.  Lat.] 
 
 f  [Eran.]  Ta.  oT^uSoXa  Tol  JeitttotixouI  cto^uhto;  t£  xai  at/junos  aXXtt  fxtv  ilai  7Tji  t?j 
 lEpanxS;  £nriy.X^s"£»c,  fAira,  ic  yi  Try  EWixXtis-iv  f*£Ta0aXXSTai  xct!  ETEpa  yimai.  [Orth] 
 '  AXX'  oiix  oixn'a?  E^iVraTaf  ^us-Eaif.  Mevei  ya(  eVi  t5c  wpoTEfa?  oi/irla;  xai  tou  ir)(j>fxaroi;  xai 
 tou  Ei'ioi/;,  xai  if  end  eVt»  xai  ima,  uTa  xai  wjotEjov  nf  voEiVai  it  'amp  ej/eveto  xai  mmu- 
 etoi  xai  TrgorKvviT-rat  oo%  ixstva  ovra  amp  Tiivrtizrai.  Theodor.  [Dial.  ii.  p-  85. J 
 •  Ex  quo  a  Domino  dictum  est/  Hoc  facite  in  meam  commemorationem,  Haec  est 
 caro  mea,  et  Hie  est  sanguis  meus,  quotiescunque  his  verbis  et  hac  fide  actum  est, 
 panis  iste  supersuhstantialis,  et  calix  benedictione  solenni  sacratus,  ad  totius 
 hominis  vitam  salutemque  proficit.'  Cypr.de  Coen.  cap.  3.  '  Immortalis  alimonia 
 datur,  a  communibus  cibis  differens,  corporalis  substantia  retinens  speciem,  sed 
 virtutis  divinas  invisibili  efficientia  probans  adesse  praesentiam.'  Ibid.  cap.  2. 
 
 §  '  Sensibilibus  sacramentis  inest  vitas  aetemas  effectus,  et  non  tarn  corporali 
 quam  spirituali  transitione  Christo  unimur.  Ipse  enim  et  panis  et  caro,  et  san- 
 guis, idem  cibus,  et  substantia  et  vita  factus  est  Ecclesiae  suas  quam  corpus  suum 
 appellat,  dans  ei  participationem  spiritus.'  Cyprian,  de  Coen.  cap.  5.  '  Nostra  et 
 ipsius  conjunctio  nec  miscet  personas,  nec  unit  substantias,  sed  effectus  consociat 
 et  confoederat  voluntates.'  Ibid.  cap.  6.  '  Mansio  nostra  in  ipso  est  manducatio, 
 et  potus  quasi  quasdam  incorporation  Ibid.  cap.  9.  '  Ille  est  in  Patre  per  na- 
 turam  divinitatis,  nos  in  eo  per  corporalem  ejus  nativitatem,  ille  rursus  in  nobis 
 per  Sacramentorum  mysterium.'    Hilar,  de  Trin.  lib.  viii.  [§.  15.] 
 
 ||  '  Panis  hie  azymus  cibus  verus  et  sincerus  per  speciem  et  sacramentum  nos 
 tactu  sanctificat,  fide  illuminat,  veritate  Christo  conformat.'  Cypr.  de  Coen.  c.  6. 
 '  Non  aliud  agit  participatio  corporis  et  sanguinis  Christi,  quam  ut  in  id  quod  su- 
 rnimus  transeamus,  et  in  quo  mortui  et  sepulti  et  corresuscitati  sumus,  ipsum  per 
 omnia  etspiritu  et  carne  gestemus.'  Leo  de  Pasch.  Serm.  14.  [c.  5.  fin.]  '  Quem- 
 admodum  qui  est  a  terra  panis  percipiens  Dei  vocationem  (id  est  facta  invo- 
 catione  divini  numinis)  jam  non  communis  panis  est,  sed  Eucharistia.  ex  duabus 
 rebus  constans,  terrena  et  coelesti :  sic  et  corpora  nostra,  percipientia  Euchari- 
 stiam,  jam  non  suntcorruptibilia,  spem  resurrectionis  habentia.'  Iren.  lib.  iv.  cap. 
 34.  '  Quoniam  salutaris  caro  verbo  Dei  quod  naturaliter  vita  est  conjuncta, 
 vivifica  effecta  est ;  quando  earn  comedimus,  tunc  vitam  habemus  in  nobis,  illi 
 carni  conjuncti,  quae  vita  effecta  est.'  Cyril,  in  Iohan.  lib.  iv.  cap.  14. 
 
10 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 imagine  other  than  only  a  mystical  participation  of  Christ's 
 both  Body  and  Blood  in  the  Sacrament;  neither  are  their 
 speeches  concerning  the  change  of  the  elements  them- 
 selves into  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  such,  that  a 
 man  can  thereby  in  conscience  assure  himself  it  was  their 
 meaning  to  persuade  the  world,  either  of  a  corporal  con- 
 substantiation  of  Christ  with  those  sanctified  and  blessed 
 elements  before  we  receive  them,  or  of  the  like  transub- 
 stantiation  of  them  into  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ. 
 "Which  both  to  our  mystical  communion  with  Christ  are  so 
 unnecessary,  that  the  Fathers,  who  plainly  hold  but  this 
 mystical  communion,  cannot  easily  be  thought  to  have 
 meant  any  other  change  of  sacramental  elements,  than 
 that  which  the  same  spiritual  communion  did  require  them 
 to  hold.  These  things  considered,  how  should  that  mind 
 which,  loving  truth  and  seeking  comfort  out  of  holy  mys- 
 teries, hath  not  perhaps  the  leisure,  perhaps  not  the  wit 
 nor  capacity,  to  tread  out  so  endless  mazes  as  the  intricate 
 disputes  of  this  cause  have  led  men  into,  how  should  a 
 virtuously  disposed  mind  better  resolve  with  itself  than 
 thus?  '  Variety  of  judgments  and  opinions  argueth  ob- 
 scurity in  those  things  whereabout  they  differ :  but  that 
 which  all  parts  receive  for  truth,  that  which  every  one 
 having  sifted,  is  by  no  one  denied  or  doubted  of,  must 
 needs  be  matter  of  infallible  certainty.  Whereas,  there- 
 fore, there  are  but  three  expositions  made  of,  "  This  is  my 
 Body:"  the  first,  This  is  in  itself  before  participation 
 really  and  truly  the  natural  substance  of  my  Body,  by 
 reason  of  the  coexistence  which  my  omnipotent  Body  hath 
 with  the  sanctified  element  of  bread,  which  is  the  Luthe- 
 ran's interpretation ;  the  second,  This  is  in  itself  and  be- 
 fore participation  the  very  true  and  natural  substance  of 
 my  Body,  by  force  of  that  Deity,  which  with  the  words  of 
 consecration  abolisheth  the  substance  of  bread,  and  sub- 
 stituteth  in  the  place  thereof  my  Body,  which  is  the  Popish 
 construction  ;  the  last,  This  hallowed  food,  through  con- 
 currence of  divine  power,  is,  in  verity  and  truth,  unto 
 faithful  receivers,  instrumentally  a  cause  of  that  mystical 
 participation,  whereby  as  I  make  myself  wholly  theirs,  so 
 I  give  them  in  hand  an  actual  possession  of  all  such 
 saving  grace  as  my  sacrificed  Body  can  yield,  and  as  their 
 souls  do  presently  need,  this  is  to  them,  and  in  them,  my 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 11 
 
 Body :  of  these  three  rehearsed  interpretations,  the  last 
 hath  in  it  nothing  but  what  the  rest  do  all  approve  and 
 acknowledge  to  be  most  true;  nothing  but  that  which 
 the  words  of  Christ  are,  on  all  sides,  confessed  to  en- 
 force; nothing  but  that  which  the  Church  of  God  hath 
 always  thought  necessary ;  nothing  but  that  which  alone 
 is  sufficient  for  every  Christian  man  to  believe  concern- 
 ing the  use  and  force  of  this  Sacrament;  finally,  no- 
 thing but  that  wherewith  the  writings  of  all  antiquity 
 are  consonant,  and  all  Christian  Confessions  agreeable. 
 And  as  truth,  in  what  kind  soever,  is  by  no  kind  of  truth 
 gainsayed  ;  so  the  mind,  which  resteth  itself  on  this,  is 
 never  troubled  with  those  perplexities  which  the  other 
 do  find,  by  means  of  so  great  contradiction  between  their 
 opinions  and  true  principles  of  reason  grounded  upon 
 experience,  nature,  and  sense :  which  albeit,  with  bois- 
 terous courage  and  breath,  they  seem  oftentimes  to  blow 
 away ;  yet  whoso  observeth  how  again  they  labour  and 
 sweat  by  subtilty  of  wit  to  make  some  show  of  agreement 
 between  their  peculiar  conceits  and  the  general  edicts  of 
 Nature,  must  needs  perceive  they  struggle  with  that  which 
 they  cannot  fully  master.    Besides,  sith  of  that  which  is 
 proper  to  themselves,  their  discourses  are  hungry  and  un- 
 pleasant, full  of  tedious  and  irksome  labour,  heartless,  and 
 hitherto  without  fruit;  on  the  other  side,  read  we  them  or 
 hear  we  others,  be  they  of  our  own  or  of  ancienter  times,  to 
 what  part  soever  they  be  thought  to  incline,  touching  that 
 whereof  there  is  controversy,  yet  in  this,  where  they  all 
 speak  but  one  thing,  their  discourses  are  heavenly,  their 
 words  sweet  as  the  honeycomb,  their  tongues  melodiously 
 tuned  instruments,  their  sentences  mere  consolation  and 
 joy,  are  we  not  hereby,  almost  even  with  voice  from 
 Heaven,  admonished  which  we  may  safeliest  cleave  unto? 
 lie  which  hath  said  of  the  one  Sacrament,  '  Wash  and  be 
 clean,'  hath  said  concerning  the  other  likewise,  f  Eat  and 
 live.'    If,  therefore,  without   any  such  particular  and 
 solemn  warrant  as  this  is,  that  poor  distressed  woman 
 coming  unto  Christ  for  health  could  so  constantly  resolve 
 herself, '  May  I  but  touch  the  skirt  of  his  garment,  I  shall 
 be  whole,'  what  moveth  us  to  argue  of  the  manner  how 
 life  should  come  by  bread,  our  duty  being  here  but  to 
 l^kc  what  is  offered,  and  most  assuredly  to  rest  persuaded 
 \.t  this,  that  can  wc  but  cat,  we  are  safe  ?  When  I  behold 
 
12 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITV. 
 
 with  mine  eyes  some  small  and  scarce  discernible  grain  or 
 seed,  whereof  Nature  maketh  a  promise  that  a  tree  shall 
 come,  and  when  afterwards  of  that  tree  any  skilful  artificer 
 undertaketh  to  frame  some  exquisite  and  curious  work,  I 
 look  for  the  event,  I  move  no  question  about  performance 
 either  of  the  one  or  of  the  other.  Shall  I  simply  credit 
 Nature  in  things  natural  ?  shall  I  in  things  artificial  rely 
 myself  on  art,  never  offering  to  make  doubt  ?  and  in  that 
 which  is  above  both  Art  and  Nature  refuse  to  believe  the 
 Author  of  both,  except  he  acquaint  me  with  his  ways,  and 
 lay  the  secret  of  his  skill  before  me  ?  Where  God  himself 
 doth  speak  those  things  which,  either  for  height  and  sub- 
 limity of  the  matter,  or  else  for  secrecy  of  performance,  we 
 are  not  able  to  reach  unto,  as  we  may  be  ignorant  without 
 danger,  so  it  can  be  no  disgrace  to  confess  we  are  ignorant. 
 Such  as  love  piety  will,  as  much  as  in  them  lieth,  know  all 
 things  that  God  commandeth,  but  especially  the  duties  of 
 service  which  they  owe  to  God.  As  for  his  dark  and 
 hidden  works,  they  prefer,  as  becometh  them  in  such 
 cases,  simplicity  of  Faith  before  that  knowledge,  which 
 curiously  sifting  what  it  should  adore,  and  disputing  too 
 boldly  of  that  which  the  wit  of  man  cannot  search,  chilleth 
 for  the  most  part  all  warmth  of  zeal,  and  bringeth  sound- 
 ness of  belief  many  times  into  great  hazard.  Let  it  there- 
 fore be  sufficient  for  me,  presenting  myself  at  the  Lord's 
 Table,  to  know  what  there  I  receive  from  him,  without 
 searching  or  inquiring  of  the  manner  how  Christ  performeth 
 his  promise ;  let  disputes  and  questions,  enemies  to  piety } 
 abatements  of  true  devotion,  and  hitherto  in  this  cause 
 but  over  patiently  heard,  let  them  take  their  rest;  let 
 curious  and  sharp-witted  men  beat  their  heads  about  what 
 questions  themselves  will ;  the  very  letter  of  the  Word  of 
 Christ  giveth  plain  security,  that  these  mysteries  do,  as 
 nails,  fasten  us  to  his  very  Cross,  that  by  them  we  draw 
 out,  as  touching  efficacy,  force,  and  virtue,  even  the  blood 
 of  his  gored  side ;  in  the  wounds  of  our  Redeemer  we 
 there  dip  our  tongues,  we  are  dyed  red  both  within  and 
 without;  our  hunger  is  satisfied,  and  our  thirst  for  ever 
 quenched ;  they  are  things  wonderful  which  he  feeleth, 
 great  which  he  seeth,  and  unheard  of  which  he  uttereth, 
 whose  soul  is  possessed  of  this  Paschal  Lamb,  and  made 
 joyful  in  the  strength  of  this  new  Wine ;  this  Bread  hath  in 
 it  more  than  the  substance  which  our  eyes  behold,  this 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 13 
 
 Cup  hallowed  with  solemn  benediction  availeth  to  the 
 endless  life  and  welfare  both  of  soul  and  body;  in  that 
 it  serveth  as  well  for  a  medicine  to  heal  our  infirmities  and 
 purge  our  sins,  as  for  a  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving;  with 
 touching  it  sanctifieth,  it  enlighteneth  with  belief,  it  truly 
 conformeth  us  unto  the  image  of  Jesus  Christ.  What  these 
 elements  are  in  themselves  it  skilleth  not ;  it  is  enough, 
 that  to  me  which  take  them  they  are  the  Body  and  Blood 
 of  Christ ;  his  promise  in  witness  hereof  sufficeth ;  his 
 word  he  knoweth  which  way  to  accomplish ;  why  should 
 any  cogitation  possess  the  mind  of  a  faithful  communicant 
 but  this,  O  my  God,  thou  art  true ;  O  my  soul,  thou  art 
 happy  !"  Thus,  therefore,  we  see,  that  howsoever  men's 
 opinions  do  otherwise  vary ;  nevertheless,  touching  Bap- 
 tism and  the  Supper  of  our  Lord,  we  may  with  one  consent 
 of  the  whole  Christian  world  conclude  they  are  necessary, 
 the  one  to  initiate  or  begin,  the  other  to  consummate  or 
 make  perfect,  our  life  in  Christ. 
 
 68.  In  administering  the  Sacrament  of  the  Body  and  of 
 Blood  of  Christ,  the  supposed  faults  of  the  Church  of  Eng-  the Vorm 
 land  are  not  greatly  material,  and  therefore  it  shall  suffice  to  "[^""^ 
 touch  them  in  few  words.   "  The  first  is,  that  we  do  not  use  the  Iloly 
 
 •  f  _  •  .  mi  Coramu- 
 
 m  generality  once  for  all  to  say  to  Communicants,  '  Take,  ..ion. 
 eat,  and  drink ;'  but  unto  every  particular  person, '  Eat  thou, 
 drink  thou,'  which  is  according  to  the  Popish  manner,  and 
 not  the  form  that  our  Saviour  did  use.    Our  second  over- 
 sight is,  by  gesture ;  for  in  kneeling  there  hath  been  Su- 
 perstition :  sitting  agreeth  better  to  the  action  of  a  supper ; 
 and  our  Saviour  using  that  which  was  most  fit,  did  himself 
 not  kneel.  A  third  accusation  is,  for  not  examining  all  Com- 
 municants, whose  knowledge  in  the  mystery  of  the  Gospel 
 should  that  way  be  made  manifest ;  a  thing  every  where, 
 they  say,  used  in  the  Apostles'  times,  because  all  things 
 necessary  were  used  ;  and  this  in  their  opinion  is  neces- 
 sary, yea,  it  is  commanded,  inasmuch  as  the  Levites  are  "  Chron. 
 commanded  to  prepare  the  people  for  the  Passover;  and  ex-  *"v" 6' 
 amination  is  a  part  of  their  preparation,  our  Lord's  Supper 
 being  in  place  of  the  Passover.    The  fourth  thing  misliked 
 is,  that  against  the  Apostle's  prohibition,  to  have  any  fa- 1  cor. 
 miliarity  at  all  with  notorious  offenders,  Papists  being  not v" u* 
 of  the  Church  are  admitted  to  our  very  Communion,  be- 
 fore they  have  by  their  religions  and  Gospel-like  behaviour 
 
14 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 purged  themselves  of  that  suspicion  of  Popery  which  their 
 former  life  hath  caused.  They  are  dogs,  swine,  unclean 
 beasts,  foreigners  and  strangers  from  the  Church  of  God ; 
 and  therefore  ought  not  to  be  admitted,  though  they  offer 
 themselves.  We  are,  fifthly,  condemned,  inasmuch  as 
 when  there  hath  been  store  of  people  to  hear  Sermons  and 
 Service  in  the  Church,  we  suffer  the  Communion  to  be  mi- 
 nistered to  a  few.  It  is  not  enough,  that  our  Book  of  Com- 
 mon Prayer  hath  godly  exhortations  to  move  all  thereunto 
 which  are  present.  For  it  should  not  suffer  a  few  to  com- 
 municate, it  should  by  Ecclesiastical  discipline  and  civil 
 punishment  provide  that  such  as  would  withdraw  themselves 
 might  be  brought  to  communicate,  according  both  to  the 
 Num.    Law  of  God  and  the  ancient  Church-canons.  In  the  sixth 
 
 ix.  13. 
 
 cau.  ix.  and  last  place,  cometh  the  enormity  of  imparting  this  Sacra- 
 coP.!cii.  ment  privately  unto  the  sick."  Thus  far  accused,  we  an- 
 ii.  Brae.  SWer  briefly  to  the  first,*  that  seeing  God  by  Sacraments 
 cap'  '  doth  apply  in  particular  unto  every  man's  person  the  grace 
 which  himself  hath  provided  for  the  benefit  of  all  mankind, 
 there  is  no  cause  why  administering  the  Sacraments  we 
 should  forbear  to  express  that  in  forms  of  speech,  which  he 
 by  his  Word  and  Gospel  teacheth  all  to  believe.  In  the  one 
 Sacrament, '  I  baptize  thee,'  displeaseth  them  not.  If  f  Eat 
 thou,'  in  the  other  offend  them,  their  fancies  are  no  rules  for 
 Churches  to  follow.  Whether  Christ  at  his  last  Supper  did 
 speak  generally  once  to  all,  or  to  every  one  in  particular, 
 is  a  thing  uncertain.  His  words  are  recorded  in  that  form 
 which  serveth  best  for  the  setting  down  with  historical  bre- 
 vity what  Avas  spoken ;  they  are  no  manifest  proof  that  he 
 spake  but  once  unto  all  which  did  then  communicate, 
 much  less  that  we  in  speaking  unto  every  Communicant 
 severally  do  amiss,  although  it  were  clear  that  we  herein 
 do  otherwise  than  Christ  did.  Our  imitation  of  him  con- 
 sisted not  in  tying  scrupulously  ourselves  unto  his  sylla- 
 bles, but  rather  in  speaking  by  the  heavenly  direction  of 
 that  inspired  divine  wisdom,  which  teacheth  divers  ways 
 to  one  end ;  and  doth  therein  control  their  boldness,  by 
 
 *  '  Besides  that  it  is  good  to  leave  the  Popish  Form  in  those  things,  which  we 
 may  so  conveniently  do,  it  is  best  to  come  as  near  the  manner  of  Celebration  of  the 
 Supper  which  our  Saviour  Christ  did  use,  as  may  be.  And  if  it  be  a  good  argu- 
 ment to  prove  that  therefore  we  must  rather  say,  Take  thou,  than  Take  ye,  because 
 the  Sacrament  is  an  application  of  the  benefits  of  Christ,  it  behoveth  that  the 
 Preacher  should  direct  his  admonitions  particularly  one  after  another,  unto  all 
 those  which  hear  his  Sermon,  which  is  a  thing  absurd.'  T.  C.  lib.  i.  p.  166. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 15 
 
 whom  any  profitable  way  is  censured  as  reprovablc,  only 
 under  colour  of  some  small  difference  from  great  examples 
 going  before.    To  do  throughout  every  the  like  circum- 
 stance the  same  which  Christ  did  in  this  action,  were,  by 
 following  his  footsteps  in  that  sort,  to  err  more  from  the 
 purpose  he  aimed  at,  than  we  now  do  by  not  following 
 them  with  so  nice  and  severe  strictness.    They  little  weigh 
 with  themselves  how  dull,  how  heavy,  and  almost  how 
 without  sense,  the  greatest  part  of  the  common  multitude 
 every  where  is,  who  think  it  either  unmeet  or  unnecessary 
 to  put  them,  even  man  by  man,  especially  at  that  time,  in 
 mind  whereabout  they  are.    It  is  true,  that  in  Sermons  we 
 do  not  use  to  repeat  our  sentences  severally  to  every  par- 
 ticular hearer;  a  strange  madness  it  were  if  we  should. 
 The  softness  of  wax  may  induce  a  wise  man  to  set  his 
 stamp  or  image  therein;  it  persuadeth  no  man,  that  be- 
 cause wool  hath  the  like  quality,  it  may  therefore  receive 
 the  like  impression.    So  the  reason  taken  from  the  use  of 
 Sacraments,  in  that  they  are  instruments  of  grace  unto 
 every  particular  man,  may  with  good  congruity  lead  the 
 Church  to  frame  accordingly  her  words  in  Administration 
 of  Sacraments,  because  they  easily  admit  this  Form ;  which 
 being  in  Sermons  a  thing  impossible,  without  apparent  ridi- 
 culous absurdity,  agreement  of  Sacraments  with  Sermons 
 in  that  which  is  alleged  as  a  reasonable  proof  of  conve- 
 niency  for  the  one,  proveth  not  the  same  allegation  imper- 
 tinent, because  it  doth  not  enforce  the  other  to  be  admi- 
 nistered in  like  sort.    For  equal  principles  do  then  avail 
 unto  equal  conclusions,  when  the  matter  whereunto  we  ap- 
 ply them  is  equal,  and  not  else.    Our  kneeling  at  Com- 
 munions is  the  gesture  of  piety.*    If  we  did  there  present 
 ourselves  but  to  make  some  show  or  dumb  resemblance  of 
 a  spiritual  Feast,  it  maybe  that  sitting  were  the  fitter  cere- 
 mony ;  but  coming  as  receivers  of  inestimable  grace  at  the 
 hands  of  God,  what  doth  better  beseem  our  bodies  at  that 
 hour,  than  to  be  sensible  witnesses  of  minds  unfeignedly 
 humbled?  Our  Lord  himself  did  that  which  custom  and 
 "•ong  usage  had  made  fit ;  we,  that  which  fitness  and  great 
 ^cency  hath  made  usual.    The  trial  of  ourselves,  before 
 eat  of  this  Bread,  and  drink  of  this  Cup,  is,  by  express 
 
 Cneeling  carrieth  a  show  of  worship  :  Sitting  agreeth  better  with  the  action 
 'pper.    Christ  and  his  Apostles  kneeled  not.'  T.  C,  lib.  i.  p.  165. 
 
10  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 commandment,  every  man's  precise  duty.  As  for  neces- 
 sity of  calling  others  unto  account  besides  ourselves,  albeit 
 we  be  not  thereunto  drawn  by  any  great  strength  which  is 
 in  their  arguments,  who  first  press  us  with  it  as  a  thing  ne- 
 cessary, by  affirming  that  the  Apostles  did  use  it,*  and 
 then  prove  the  Apostles  to  have  used  it  by  affirming  it  to 
 be  necessary ;  again,  albeit  we  greatly  muse  how  they  can 
 avouch  that  God  did  command  the  Levites  to  prepare  their 
 brethren  against  the  Feast  of  the  Passover,  and  that  the 
 examination  of  them  was  a  part  of  their  preparation,  when 
 the  place  alleged  to  this  purpose  doth  but  charge  the  Le- 
 vite,  saying,  "Make  ready  Laahhechem  for  your  brethren," 
 to  the  end  they  may  do  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord 
 by  Moses :  wherefore  in  the  self-same  place  it  followeth, 
 how  lambs,  and  kids,  and  sheep,  and  bullocks,  were  deli- 
 vered unto  the  Levites,  and  that  thus  the  Service  was 
 made  ready  ;  it  followeth  likewise,  how  the  Levites  having 
 in  such  sort  provided  for  the  people,  they  made  provision 
 for  themselves,  "  and  for  the  Priests,  the  sons  of  Aaron :" 
 so  that  confidently  from  hence  to  conclude  the  necessity  of 
 examination,  argueth  their  wonderful  great  forwardness  in 
 framing  all  things  to  serve  their  turn;  nevertheless,  the 
 examination  of  Communicants  when  need  requireth,  for 
 the  profitable  use  it  may  have  in  such  cases,  we  reject  not. 
 icor.  Our  fault  in  admitting  Popish  Communicants,  is  it  in  that 
 t.c'  we  are  forbidden  to  eat,  and  therefore  much  more  to  com- 
 pb1^  municate  with  notorious  malefactors  ?  The  name  of  a  Pa- 
 pist is  not  given  unto  any  man  for  being  a  notorious  male- 
 factor :  and  the  crime  wherewith  we  are  charged,  is  suf- 
 fering Papists  to  communicate ;  so  that,  be  their  life  and 
 conversation  whatsoever  in  the  sight  of  man,  their  Popish 
 opinions  are  in  this  case  laid  as  bars  and  exceptions 
 against  them  ;  yea,  those  opinions  which  they  have  held  in 
 former  times,  although  they  now  both  profess  byword,  and 
 offer  to  shew  by  fact  the  contrary. t    All  this  doth  not  jus- 
 
 •  '  All  things  necessary  were  used  in  the  Churches  of  God  in  the  Apostles'  times  ; 
 but  examination  was  a  necessary  thing,  therefore  used.    In  the  Book  of  Chroni- 
 cles (2  Chron.  xxxv.  6.)  the  Levites  were  commanded  to  prepare  the  people  to  the 
 receiving  of  the  Passover,  in  place  whereof  we  have  the  Lord's  Supper.    Now  exa 
 mination  being  a  part  of  the  preparation,  it  followeth  that  here  is  commandmer 
 of  the  examination.'  T.  C.  lib.  i.  p.  164. 
 
 t  '  Although  they  would  receive  the  Communion,  yet  they  ought  to  be  kept  b- 
 until  such  time  as  by  their  religious  and  Gospel-like  behaviour,  they  have  p> 
 themselves  of  that  suspicion  of  Popery  which  their  former  life  and  conver 
 hath  caused  to  be  conceived.'  T.  C.  lib.  i.  p.  167. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 17 
 
 tify  us,  which  ought  not  (they  say)  to  admit  them  in  any 
 wise,  till  their  Gospel-like  behaviour  have  removed  all  sus- 
 picion of  Popery  from  them,  because  Papists  are  "  dogs, 
 swine,  beasts,  foreigners  and  strangers  from  the  House  of 
 God;"  in  a  word,  "  they  are  not  of  the  Church."  What 
 the  terms  of  the  Gospel-like  behaviour  may  include  is  ob- 
 scure and  doubtful ;  but  of  the  visible  Church  of  Christ  in 
 this  present  world,  from  which  they  separate  all  Papists, 
 we  are  thus  persuaded.  Church  is  a  word  which  art  hath 
 devised,  thereby  to  sever  and  distinguish  that  society  of 
 men  which  professeth  the  true  Religion,  from  the  rest 
 which  profess  it  not.  There  have  been  in  the  world,  from 
 the  very  first  foundation  thereof,  but  three  Religions :  Pa- 
 ganism, which  lived  in  the  blindness  of  corrupt  and  de- 
 praved nature;  Judaism,  embracing  the  Law  which  re- 
 formed heathenish  impieties,  and  taught  salvation  to  be 
 looked  for  through  one  whom  God  in  the  last  days  would 
 send  and  exalt  to  be  Lord  of  all ;  finally,  Christian  Belief, 
 which  yieldeth  obedience  to  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
 and  acknowledgethhim  the  Saviour  whom  God  did  promise. 
 Seeing  then  that  the  Church  is  a  name,  which  art  hath 
 given  to  professors  of  true  Religion;  as  they  which  will  de- 
 fine a  man,  are  to  pass  by  those  qualities  wherein  one  man 
 doth  excel  another,  and  to  take  only  those  essential  pro- 
 perties whereby  a  man  doth  differ  from  creatures  of  other 
 kinds,  so  he  that  will  teach  what  the  Church  is,  shall 
 never  rightly  perform  the  work  whereabout  he  goeth,  till  in 
 matter  of  Religion  he  touch  that  difference  which  severeth 
 the  Church's  Religion  from  theirs  who  are  not  the  Church. 
 Religion  being  therefore  a  matter  partly  of  contemplation, 
 partly  of  action ;  we  must  define  the  Church,  which  is  a  re- 
 ligious Society,  by  such  differences  as  do  properly  explain 
 the  essence  of  such  things,  that  is  to  say,  by  the  object  or 
 matter  whereabout  the  contemplations  and  actions  of  the 
 Church  are  properly  conversant.  For  so  all  knowledges 
 and  all  virtues  are  defined.  Whereupon,  because  the  only 
 object,  which  separateth  ours  from  other  Religions,  is  Jesus 
 Christ,  in  whom  none  but  the  Church  doth  believe,  and 
 whom  none  but  the  Church  doth  worship ;  we  find  that  ac- 
 cordingly the  Apostles  do  every  where  distinguish  hereby 
 the  Church  from  Infidels  and  from  Jews,  "  accounting 
 them  which  call  upon  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to 
 
 VOL.  II.  c 
 
18 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 be  his  Church."    If  we  go  lower,  we  shall  but  add  unto 
 this  certain  casual  and  variable  accidents,  which  are  not 
 properly  of  the  being,  but  make  only  for  the  happier  and 
 better  being,  of  the  Church  of  God,  either  in  deed,  or  in 
 men's  opinions  and  conceits.    This  is  the  error  of  all  Po- 
 pish definitions  that  hitherto  have  been  brought.  They 
 define  not  the  Church  by  that  which  the  Church  essentially 
 is,  but  by  that  wherein  they  imagine  their  own  more  per- 
 fect than  the  rest  are.    Touching  parts  of  eminency  and 
 perfection,  parts  likewise  of  imperfection  and  defect,  in  the 
 Church  of  God,  they  are  infinite,  their  degrees  and  differ- 
 ences no  way  possible  to  be  drawn  unto  any  certain  ac- 
 count.   There  is  not  the  least  contention  and  variance,  but 
 it  blemisheth  somewhat  the  unity  that  ought  to  be  in  the 
 Rom.  churcri  of  Christ,  which  notwithstanding  may  have,  not 
 icor.  only  without  offence  or  breach  of  concord,  her  manifold 
 varieties  in  Rites  and  Ceremonies  of  Religion,  but  also  her 
 strifes  and  contentions  many  times,  and  that  about  matters 
 of  no  small  importance ;  yea,  her  schisms,  factions,  and 
 such  other  evils  whereunto  the  body  of  the  Church  is  sub- 
 ject, sound  and  sick  remaining  both  of  the  same  body,  as 
 long  as  both  parts  retain  by  outward  profession  that  vital 
 substance  of  truth,  which  maketh  Christian  Religion  to  dif- 
 fer from  theirs  which  acknowledge  not  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ,  the  blessed  Saviour  of  mankind,  give  no  credit  to 
 his  glorious  Gospel,  and  have  his  Sacraments,  the  seals  of 
 eternal  life,  in  derision.    Now  the  privilege  of  the  visible 
 Church  of  God  (for  of  that  we  speak)  is  to  be  herein  like 
 the  Ark  of  Noah,  that,  for  any  thing  we  know  to  the  con- 
 trary, all  without  it  are  lost  sheep ;  yet  in  this  was  the  Ark 
 of  Noah  privileged  above  the  Church,  that  whereas  none  of 
 them  which  were  in  the  one  could  perish,  numbers  in  the 
 other  are  cast  away,  because  to  eternal  life  our  profession 
 is  not  enough.    Many  things  exclude  from  the  Kingdom 
 of  God,  although  from  the  Church  they  separate  not.  In 
 the  Church  there  arise  sundry  grievous  storms,  by  means 
 whereof  whole  kingdoms  and  nations  professing  Christ, 
 both  have  been  heretofore,  and  are  at  this  present  day, 
 divided  about  Christ.    During  which  divisions  and  conten- 
 tions amongst  men,  albeit  each  part  do  justify  itself,  yet 
 the  one  of  necessity  must  needs  err,  if  there  be  any  contra- 
 diction between  them,  be  it  great  or  little ;  and  what  side 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 19 
 
 soever  it  be  that  hath  the  truth,  the  same  we  must  also  ac- 
 knowledge alone  to  hold  with  the  true  Church  in  that 
 point,  and  consequently  reject  the  other  as  an  enemy,  in 
 that  case  fallen  away  from  the  true  Church.  Wherefore, 
 of  hypocrites  and  dissemblers,  whose  profession  at  the  first  .1/<^n 
 was  but  only  from  the  teeth  outward,  when  they  afterwards 
 took  occasion  to  oppugn  certain  principal  articles  of  Faith, 
 the  Apostles  which  defended  the  truth  against  them,  pro- 
 nounce them  gone  out  from  the  fellowship  of  sound  and 
 sincere  believers,  when  as  yet  the  Christian  Religion  they 
 had  not  utterly  cast  off.  In  like  sense  and  meaning, 
 throughout  all  ages,  Heretics  have  justly  been  hated,  as 
 branches  cut  off  from  the  body  of  the  true  Vine ;  yet  only 
 so  far  forth  cut  off  as  their  Heresies  have  extended.  Both 
 Heresy,  and  many  other  crimes  which  wholly  sever  from 
 God,  do  sever  from  the  Church  of  God  in  part  only.  The 
 mystery  of  piety,  saith  the  Apostle,  is  without  peradven- 
 ture  great :  "  God  hath  been  manifested  in  the  flesh,  hath  x  Tiin 
 been  justified  in  the  Spirit,  hath  been  seen  of  Angels,  hath  l6- 
 been  preached  to  nations,  hath  been  believed  on  in  the 
 world,  hath  been  taken  up  into  glory."  The  Church  is  a  pil- 
 lar and  foundation  of  this  truth,  which  no  where  is  known  or 
 professed  but  only  within  the  Church,  and  they  all  of  the 
 Church  that  profess  it.  In  the  meanwhile  it  cannot  be  de- 
 nied, that  many  profess  this,  who  are  not  therefore  cleared 
 simply  from  all  either  faults  or  errors,  which  make  separa- 
 tion between  us  and  the  wellspring  of  our  happiness.  Ido- 
 latry severed  of  old  the  Israelites,  iniquity  those  Scribes 
 and  Pharisees,  from  God,  who  notwithstanding  were  a  part 
 of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  a  part  of  that  very  seed  which  God 
 did  himself  acknowledge  to  be  his  Church.  The  Church 
 of  God  may  therefore  contain  both  them  which  indeed  are 
 not  his,  yet  must  be  reputed  his  by  us  that  know  not  their 
 inward  thoughts,  and  them  whose  apparent  wickedness 
 testifieth  even  in  the  sight  of  the  whole  world  that  God 
 abhorreth  them.  For  to  this  and  no  other  purpose  are 
 meant  those  parables,  which  our  Saviour  in  the  Gospel  Matt.xiii. 
 hath  concerning  mixture  of  vice  with  virtue,  light  with  2+' 47 
 darkness,  truth  with  error,  as  well  an  openly  known  and 
 seen,  as  a  cunningly  cloaked,  mixture.  That  which  sepa- 
 rateth  therefore  utterly,  that  which  cutteth  off  clean  from 
 the  visible  Church  of  Christ,  is  plain  apostacy,  direct  de- 
 
 c  2 
 
20 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 nial,  utter  rejection  of  the  whole  Christian  Faith,  as  far  as 
 the  same  is  professedly  different  from  Infidelity.  Here- 
 tics, as  touching  those  points  of  doctrine  wherein  they  fail; 
 Schismatics,  as  touching  the  ^quarrels  for  which,  or  the 
 duties  wherein  they  divide  themselves  from  their  brethren  ; 
 loose,  licentious,  and  wicked  persons,  as  touching  their 
 several  offences  or  crimes,  have  all  forsaken  the  true 
 Church  of  God  :  the  Church  which  is  sound  and  sincere 
 in  the  doctrine  that  they  corrupt ;  the  Church  that  keepeth 
 the  bond  of  unity  which  they  violate;  the  Church  that 
 walketh  in  the  laws  of  righteousness  which  they  trans- 
 gress;  this  very  true  Church  of  Christ  they  have  left, 
 howbeit  not  altogether  left,  nor  forsaken  simply  the 
 Church;  upon  the  main  foundations  whereof  they  con- 
 tinue built,  notwithstanding  these  breaches  whereby  they 
 are  rent  at  the  top  asunder.  Now,  because  for  redress  of 
 professed  errors  and  open  schisms  it  is,  and  must  be,  the 
 Church's  care  that  all  may  in  outward  conformity  be  one ; 
 as  the  laudable  Polity  of  former  ages,  even  so  our  own  to 
 that  end  and  purpose  hath  established  divers  Laws,  the 
 moderate  severity  whereof  is  a  mean  both  to  stay  the  rest, 
 and  to  reclaim  such  as  heretofore  have  been  led  awry. 
 But  seeing  that  the  offices  which  Laws  require  are  always 
 definite,  and  when  that  they  require  is  done  they  go  no 
 farther,  whereupon  sundry  ill-affected  persons,  to  save 
 themselves  from  danger  of  Laws,  pretend  obedience,  al- 
 beit inwardly  they  carry  still  the  same  hearts  which  they 
 did  before  ;  by  means  whereof  it  falleth  out,  that  receiving 
 unworthily  the  blessed  Sacrament  at  our  hands,  they  eat 
 and  drink  their  own  damnation :  it  is  for  remedy  of  this 
 mischief  here  determined,*  that  whom  the  Law  of  the 
 
 •  '  If  the  place  of  the  fifth  to  the  Corinthians  do  forbid  that  we  should  have 
 any  familiarity  with  notorious  offenders,  it  doth  more  forbid  that  they  should  be 
 received  to  the  Communion  ;  and  therefore  Papists  being  such,  as  which  are  noto- 
 riously known  to  hold  heretical  opinions,  ought  not  to  be  admitted,  much  less 
 compelled  to  the  Supper.  For  seeing  that  our  Saviour  Christ  did  institute  his 
 Supper  amongst  his  Disciples,  and  those  only  which  were,  as  St.  Paul  speaketh, 
 within  ;  it  is  evident,  that  the  Papists  being  without,  and  foreigners  and  strangers 
 from  the  Church  of  God,  ought  not  to  be  received  if  they  would  offer  themselves  ; 
 and  that  Minister  that  shall  give  the  Supper  of  the  Lord  to  him  which  is  known  to 
 be  a  Papist,  and  which  hath  never  made  any  clear  renouncing  of  Popery  with 
 which  he  hath  been  defiled,  cloth  profane  the  Table  of  the  Lord,  and  doth  give 
 the  meat  that  is  prepared  for  the  children  unto  dogs ;  and  he  bringeth  into  the  pas- 
 ture, which  is  provided  for  the  sheep,  swine  and  unclean  beasts,  contrary  to 
 the  faith  and  trust  that  ought  to  be  in  a  steward  of  the  Lord's  house,  as  he  is. 
 For  albeit,  that  I  doubt  not,  but  many  of  those  which  are  now  Papists  pertaiu  to 
 
BOOK   V.  21 
 
 Realm  doth  punish  unless  they  communicate,  such,  if  they 
 offer  to  obey  Law,  the  Church  notwithstanding  should  not 
 admit  without  probation  before  had  of  their  Gospel-like 
 behaviour.  Wherein  they  first  set  no  time,  how  long  this 
 supposed  probation  must  continue ;  again,  they  nominate 
 no  certain  judgment,  the  verdict  whereof  shall  approve 
 men's  behaviour  to  be  Gospel-like;  and,  that  which  is 
 most  material,  whereas  they  seek  to  make  it  more  hard  for 
 dissemblers  to  be  received  into  the  Church  than  Law  and 
 Polity  as  yet  hath  done,  they  make  it  in  truth  more  easy 
 for  such  kind  of  persons  to  wind  themselves  out  of  the 
 Law,  and  to  continue  the  same  they  were.  The  Law  re- 
 quireth  at  their  hands  that  duty  which  in  conscience  doth 
 touch  them  nearest,  because  the  greatest  difference  be- 
 tween us  and  them  is  the  Sacrament  of  the  Body  and 
 Blood  of  Christ,  whose  name  in  the  Service  of  our  Commu- 
 nion we  celebrate  with  due  honour,  which  they  in  the  error 
 of  their  Mass  profane.  As  therefore  on  our  part  to  hear 
 Mass  were  an  open  departure  from  that  sincere  profession 
 wherein  we  stand ;  so  if  they  on  the  other  side  receive  our 
 Communion,  they  give  us  the  strongest  pledge  of  fidelity 
 that  man  can  demand.  What  their  hearts  are,  God  doth 
 know.  But  if  they  which  mind  treachery  to  God  and  man, 
 should  once  apprehend  this  advantage  given  them,  where- 
 by they  may  satisfy  Law  in  pretending  themselves  con- 
 formable (for  what  can  Law  with  reason  or  justice  re- 
 quire more  ?),  and  yet  be  sure  the  Church  will  accept  no 
 such  offer  till  their  Gospel-like  behaviour  be  allowed,  after 
 that  our  own  simplicity  hath  once  thus  fairly  eased  them 
 from  the  sting  of  the  Law ;  it  is  to  be  thought  they  will 
 learn  the  mystery  of  Gospel-like  behaviour  when  leisure 
 servcth  them.    And  so  while  without  any  cause  we  fear 
 
 the  election  of  God,  which  God  also  in  his  good  time  will  call  to  the  knowledge 
 of  his  truth  :  yet,  notwithstanding,  they  ought  to  be  unto  the  Minister,  and  unto 
 the  Church,  touching  the  ministering  of  the  Sacraments,  as  strangers,  and  as  un- 
 clean beasts.  The  ministering  of  the  holy  Sacraments  unto  them,  is  a  declaration 
 and  seal  of  God's  favour  and  reconciliation  with  them,  and  a  plain  preaching, 
 partly,  that  they  be  washed  already  from  their  sin,  partly,  that  they  are  of  the  house- 
 hold of  God,  and  such  as  the  Lord  will  feed  to  eternal  life ;  which  is  not  lawful 
 to  be  done  unto  those  which  are  not  of  the  household  of  faith.  And,  therefore,  I 
 conclude,  that  the  compelling  of  Papists  unto  the  Communion,  and  the  dismissing 
 and  letting  of  them  go,  when  as  they  be  to  be  punished  for  their  stubbornness  in 
 J'opery  (with  this  condition,  if  they  will  receive  the  Communion),  is  very  un- 
 lawful ;  when  as,  although  they  would  receive  it,  yet  they  ought  to  be  kept 
 back,  till  such  time  as  by  their  religious  and  Gospel-like  behaviour,  &c.'  T.  C. 
 lib.  i.  p.  167. 
 
22 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 to  profane  Sacraments,  we  shall  not  only  defeat  the  pur- 
 pose of  most  wholesome  Laws,  but  lose  or  wilfully  hazard 
 those  souls,  from  whom  the  likeliest  means  of  full  and  per- 
 fect recovery  are  by  our  indiscretion  withheld.  For  nei- 
 ther doth  God  thus  bind  us  to  dive  into  men's  consciences, 
 nor  can  their  fraud  and  deceit  hurt  any  man  but  them- 
 selves. To  him  they  seem  such  as  they  are ;  but  to  us 
 they  must  be  taken  for  such  as  they  seem.  In  the  eye  of 
 God  they  are  against  Christ  that  are  not  truly  and  sin- 
 cerely with  him ;  in  our  eyes  they  must  be  received  as  with 
 Christ,  that  are  not  to  outward  show  against  him.  The 
 case  of  impertinent  and  notorious  sinners  is  not  like  unto 
 theirs,  whose  only  imperfection  is  error  severed  from  per- 
 tinacy ;  error  in  appearance  content  to  submit  itself  to 
 better  instruction ;  error  so  far  already  cured,  as  to  crave 
 at  our  hands  that  Sacrament,  the  hatred  and  utter  refusal 
 whereof  was  the  weightiest  point  wherein  heretofore  they 
 swerved  and  went  astray.  In  this  case  therefore  they 
 cannot  reasonably  charge  us  with  remiss  dealing,  or  with 
 carelessness  to  whom  we  impart  the  mysteries  of  Christ ; 
 but  they  have  given  us  manifest  occasion  to  think  it  requi- 
 site that  we  earnestly  advise  rather,  and  exhort  them  to 
 consider  as  they  ought  their  sundry  oversights :  first,  in 
 equalling  indistinctly  crimes  with  errors,  as  touching  force 
 to  make  uncapable  of  this  Sacrament;  secondly,  in  suffer- 
 ing indignation  at  the  faults  of  the  Church  of  Rome  to  blind 
 and  withhold  their  judgments  from  seeing  that  which  withal 
 they  should  acknowledge,  concerning  so  much,  neverthe- 
 less, still  due  to  the  same  Church,  as  to  be  held  and  reputed 
 a  part  of  the  House  of  God,  a  limb  of  the  visible  Church 
 of  Christ ;  thirdly,  in  imposing  upon  the  Church  a  burden  to 
 enter  farther  into  men's  hearts,  and  to  make  a  deeper  search 
 of  their  consciences,  than  any  Law  of  God  or  reason  of  man 
 enforceth ;  fourthly  and  lastly,  in  repelling,  under  colour 
 of  longer  trial,  such  from  the  mysteries  of  heavenly  grace, 
 as  are  both  capable  thereof  by  the  Laws  of  God,  for  any 
 thing  we  hear  to  the  contrary,  and  should  in  divers  consi- 
 derations be  cherished  according  to  the  merciful  examples 
 and  precepts  whereby  the  Gospel  of  Christ  hath  taught  us 
 towards  such  to  shew  compassion,  to  receive  them  with 
 lenity  and  all  meekness;  if  any  thing  be  shaken  in  them, 
 to  strengthen  it;  not  to  quench  with  delays  and  jealousies 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 23 
 
 that  feeble  smoke  of  conformity  which  seemeth  to  breathe 
 from  them,  but  to  build  wheresoever  there  is  any  founda- 
 tion ;  to  add  perfection  unto  slender  beginnings ;  and  that, 
 as  by  other  offices  of  piety,  even  so  by  this  very  food  of 
 life  which  Christ  hath  left  in  his  Church,  not  only  for  pre- 
 servation of  strength,  but  also  for  relief  of  weakness.    But  f-.c- 
 to  return  to  our  own  selves,  in  whom  the  next  thing  se-  P.  ur. 
 verely  reproved  is  the  paucity  of  Communicants.    If  they 
 require  at  Communions  frequency,  we  wish  the  same,  know- 
 ing how  acceptable  unto  God  such  service  is,  when  mul-  2  chron. 
 titudes  cheerfully  concur  unto  it;  if  they  encourage  men  p**;13' 
 thereunto,  we  also  (themselves  acknowledge  it)  are  not cxxii- 1 
 utterly  forgetful  to  do  the  like;  if  they  require  some  public 
 coaction  for  remedy  of  that,  wherein  by  milder  and  softer 
 means  little  good  is  done,  they  know  our  Laws  and  Sta- 
 tutes provided  in  that  behalf,  whereunto  whatsoever  con- 
 venient help  may  be  added  more  by  the  wisdom  of  man, 
 what  cause  have  we  given  the  world  to  think  that  we  are 
 not  ready  to  hearken  to  it,  and  to  use  any  good  means  of 
 sweet  compulsion  to  have  this  high  and  heavenly  banquet  Luke 
 largely  furnished  ?    Only  we  cannot  so  far  yield  as  to  X1V*  ~3' 
 judge  it  convenient,  that  the  holy  desire  of  a  competent 
 number  should  be  unsatisfied,  because  the  greater  part  is 
 careless  "and  indisposed  to  join  with  them.    Men  should 
 not  (they  say)  be  permitted  a  few  by  themselves  to  com- 
 municate when  so  many  are  gone  away,  because  this  Sa- 
 crament is  a  token  of  our  conjunction  with  our  brethren; 
 and  therefore,  by  communicating  apart  from  them,  we  make 
 an  apparent  show  of  distraction.    I  ask  then,  on  which 
 side  unity  is  broken,  whether  on  theirs  that  depart,  or  on 
 theirs  who  being  left  behind  do  communicate  ?    First,  in 
 the  one  it  is  not  denied  but  that  they  may  have  reason- 
 able causes  of  departure,  and  that  then  even  they  are  de- 
 livered from  just  blame.    Of  such  kind  of  causes  two  are 
 allowed,  namely,  danger  of  impairing  health,  and  neces- 
 sary business  requiring  our  presence  otherwhere.  And 
 may  not  a  third  cause,  which  is  unfitness  at  the  present 
 time,  detain  us  as  lawfully  back  as  either  of  these  two  ? 
 True  it  is,  that  we  cannot  hereby  altogether  excuse  our- 
 selves, for  that  we  ought  to  prevent  this,  and  do  not.  But, 
 if  we  have  committed  a  fault  in  not  preparing  our  minds 
 before,  shall  we  therefore  aggravate  the  same  with  a  worse; 
 
24  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 the  crime  of  unworthy  participation?  He  that  abstaineth 
 doth  want  for  the  time  that  grace  and  comfort  which  re- 
 ligious Communicants  have ;  but  he  that  eateth  and  drinketh 
 unworthily,  receiveth  death ;  that  which  is  life  to  others, 
 turneth  in  him  to  poison.  Notwithstanding,  whatsoever 
 be  the  cause  for  which  men  abstain,  were  it  reason  that 
 the  fault  of  one  part  should  any  way  abridge  their  benefit 
 that  are  not  faulty?  There  is  in  all  the  Scripture  of  God 
 no  one  syllable  which  doth  condemn  communicating 
 amongst  a  few,  when  the  rest  are  departed  from  them. 
 t.  c  As  for  the  last  thing,  which  is  our  imparting  this  Sacra- 
 p.146.  ment  privately  to  the  sick,  whereas  there  have  been  of  old 
 (they  grant)  two  kinds  of  necessity  wherein  this  Sacra- 
 ment might  be  privately  administered;  of  which  two,  the 
 one  being  erroneously  imagined,  and  the  other  (they  say) 
 continuing  no  longer  in  use,  there  remaineth  unto  us  no 
 necessity  at  all  for  which  that  custom  should  be  retained. 
 The  falsely  surmised  necessity  is  that  whereby  some  have 
 thought  all  such  excluded  from  possibility  of  Salvation,  as 
 did  depart  this  life,  and  never  were  made  partakers  of  the 
 holy  Eucharist.  The  other  cause  of  necessity  was,  when 
 men  which  had  fallen  in  time  of  persecution,  and  had  af- 
 terwards repented  them,  but  were  not  as  yet  received  again 
 unto  the  fellowship  of  this  Communion,  did  at  the  hour  of 
 death  request  it,  that  so  they  might  rest  with  greater  quiet- 
 ness and  comfort  of  mind,  being  thereby  assured  of  depar- 
 ture in  unity  of  Christ's  Church ;  which  virtuous  desire  the 
 Fathers  did  think  it  great  impiety  not  to  satisfy.  This 
 was  Serapion's  case  of  necessity.  Serapion,  a  faithful 
 aged  person,  and  always  of  very  upright  life,  till  fear  of 
 persecution  in  the  end  caused  him  to  shrink  back,  after 
 long  sorrow  for  his  scandalous  offence,  and  suit  oftentimes 
 made  to  be  pardoned  of  the  Church,  fell  at  length  into 
 grievous  sickness,  and  being  ready  to  yield  up  the  ghost, 
 was  then  more  instant  than  ever  before  to  receive  the  Sa- 
 crament. Which  Sacrament  was  necessary  in  this  case, 
 not  that  Serapion  had  been  deprived  of  everlasting  life 
 without  it,  but  that  his  end  was  thereby  to  him  made  the 
 more  comfortable.  And  do  we  think,  that  all  cases  of  such 
 necessity  are  clean  vanished  ?  Suppose  that  some  have 
 by  inispersuasion  Lived  in  Schism,  withdrawn  themselves 
 from  holy  and  public  assemblies,  hated  the  Prayers,  and 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 25 
 
 loathed  the  Sacraments  of  the  Church,  falsely  presuming 
 them  to  be  fraught  with  impious  and  Antichristian  corrup- 
 tions ;  which  error  the  God  of  mercy  and  truth  opening  at 
 length  their  eyes  to  see,  they  do  not  only  repent  them  of 
 the  evil  which  they  have  done,  but  also  in  token  thereof 
 desire  to  receive  comfort  by  that  whereunto  they  have 
 offered  disgrace  (which  may  be  the  case  of  many  poor 
 seduced  souls,  even  at  this  day) :  God  forbid  we  should 
 think  that  the  Church  doth  sin,  in  permitting  the  wounds 
 of  such  to  be  supplied  with  that  oil  which  this  gracious 
 Sacrament  doth  yield,  and  their  bruised  minds  not  only 
 need  but  beg.    There  is  nothing  which  the  soul  of  man 
 doth  desire  in  that  last  hour  so  much  as  comfort  against 
 the  natural  terrors  of  death,  and  other  scruples  of  con- 
 science which  commonly  do  then  most  trouble  and  per- 
 plex the  weak  ;  towards  whom  the  very  Law  of  God  doth 
 exact  at  our  hands  all  the  helps  that  Christian  lenity  and 
 indulgence  can  afford.    Our  general  consolation  departing 
 this  life  is,  the  hope  of  that  glorious  and  blessed  Resur- 
 rection which  the  Apostle  St.  Paul  nameth  i^avaaraaiv*  1  cor. 
 to  note  that  as  all  men  should  have  their  avaaraaiv,  and  be  5^1. 
 raised  again  from  the  dead,  so  the  just  shall  be  taken  up  "'• 
 and  exalted  above  the  rest,  whom  the  power  of  God  doth 
 but  raise,  and  not  exalt.    This  Life,  and  this  Resurrection 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  for  all  men,  as  touching  the 
 sufficiency  of  that  he  hath  done ;  but  that  which  maketh 
 us  partakers  thereof,  is  our  particular  communion  with 
 Christ;  and  this  Sacrament  a  principal  mean,  as  well  to 
 strengthen  the  bond,  as  to  multiply  in  us  the  fruits  of  the 
 same  communion.    For  which  cause  St.  Cyprian  f  termeth 
 it  '  a  joyful  solemnity  of  expedite  and  speedy  resurrec- 
 tion ;'  Ignatius,°|  -  a  medicine  which  procurcth  immortality 
 and  preventeth  death ;'  Irenaeus,§  '  the  nourishment  of 
 our  bodies  to  eternal  life,  and  their  preservative  from  cor- 
 ruption.' ||  Now  because  that  Sacrament,  which  at  all  times 
 we  may  receive  unto  this  effect,  is  then  most  acceptable 
 
 *  Aia.  Triv  Ik  t?{  yr,f  tvrapiriv.  Theophyl.    nAvTE;  ci  avSgamoi  aviVravrai,  juoVoi  Je 
 ttwtoi  a^ioEvTai  t£v  ayaBSn.  Ammon.  Vide  1  Thess.  iv.  17. 
 
 f  '  Maturatae   resurrectionis  laetabunda  solemnia.'     Cypr.  de   G'ocn.  Dom. 
 cap.  10. 
 
 i  QapfActxov  aflavao-i'af,  aVTi'&CTOV  fin  Haniv.    Ignat.  Epist.  ad  Ephes.  [c.  20.] 
 §  Iren.  lib.  iv.  cap.  34. 
 
 ||  '  Etsi  nihil  facile  mutandura  est  ex  solemnibus,  tameu  ubi  a;quitas  evidens 
 poscit,  subveniendum  est.'    Lib.  cxxxviii.  ft',  de  Reg.  Jur. 
 
26 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 and  most  fruitful,  when  any  special  extraordinary  occa- 
 sion, nearly  and  presently  urging,  kindleth  our  desires  to- 
 wards it,  their  severity,  who  cleave  unto  that  alone  which 
 is  generally  fit  to  be  done,  and  so  make  all  men's  condi- 
 tions alike,  may  add  much  affliction  to  divers  troubled  and 
 grieved  minds,  of  whose  particular  estate  particular  re- 
 spect being  had,  according  to  the  charitable  order  of  the 
 Church  wherein  we  live,  there  ensueth  unto  God  that  glory 
 which  his  righteous  Saints,  comforted  in  their  greatest  dis- 
 tresses, do  yield,  and  unto  them  which  have  their  reason- 
 able petitions  satisfied,  the  same  contentment,  tranquillity, 
 and  joy,  that  others  before  them,  by  means  of  like  satis- 
 faction, have  reaped,  and  wherein  we  all  are  or  should  be 
 desirous  finally  to  take  our  leave  of  the  world,  whensoever 
 our  own  uncertain  time  of  most  assured  departure  shall 
 come.  Concerning,  therefore,  both  Prayers  and  Sacra- 
 ments, together  with  our  usual  and  received  Form  of  admi- 
 nistering the  same  in  the  Church  of  England,  let  thus 
 much  suffice. 
 
 of  Fes-     (J9.  As  the  substance  of  God  alone  is  infinite  and  hath 
 days,    no  kind  of  limitation,  so  likewise  his  continuance  is  from 
 natural  everlasting  to  everlasting,  and  knoweth  neither  beginning 
 causes  nor  en(].    Which  demonstrable  conclusion  being  presup- 
 conveni.  posed,  it  followeth  necessarily,  that  besides  him,  all  things 
 tatio""  are  fiQite  both  in  substance  and  in  continuance.    If  in  sub- 
 stance all  things  be  finite,  it  cannot  be  but  that  there  are 
 bounds  without  the  compass  whereof  their  substance  doth 
 not  extend ;  if  in  continuance  also  limited,  they  all  have, 
 it  cannot  be  denied,  their  set  and  their  certain  terms,  be- 
 fore which  they  had  no  being  at  all.    This  is  the  reason 
 why,  first,  we  do  most  admire  those  things  which  are 
 greatest ;  and,  secondly,  those  things  which  are  ancientest ; 
 because  the  one  are  least  distant  from  the  infinite  sub- 
 stance, the  other  from  the  infinite  continuance,  of  God. 
 Out  of  this  we  gather,  that  only  God  hath  true  immortality 
 or  eternity,  that  is  to  say,  continuance  wherein  there 
 groweth  no  difference  by  addition  of  hereafter  unto  now, 
 whereas  the  noblest  and  perfectest  of  all  things  besides 
 have  continually,  through  continuance,  the  time  of  former 
 continuance  lengthened ;  so  that  they  could  not  heretofore 
 be  said  to  have  continued  so  long  as  now,  neither  now  so 
 long  as  hereafter.    God's  own  eternity  is  the  hand  which 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 27 
 
 leadeth  Angels  in  the  course  of  their  perpetuity ;  their 
 perpetuity  the  hand  which  draweth  out  celestial  motion ; 
 the  line  of  which  motion,  and  the  thread  of  time,  are  spun 
 together.  Now  as  Nature  bringeth  forth  time  with  motion, 
 so  we  by  motion  have  learned  how  to  divide  time,  and  by 
 the  smaller  parts  of  time  both  to  measure  the  greater,  and 
 to  know  how  long  all  things  else  endure.  For  time,  con- 
 sidered in  itself,  is  but  the  flux  of  that  very  instant 
 wherein  the  motion  of  the  Heaven  began ;  being  coupled 
 with  other  things,  it  is  the  quantity  of  their  continuance 
 measured  by  the  distance  of  two  instants ;  as  the  time  of 
 a  man,  is  a  man's  continuance  from  the  instant  of  his  first 
 breath,  till  the  instant  of  his  last  gasp.  Hereupon  some 
 have  defined  time  to  be  the  measure  of  the  motion  of 
 Heaven ;  because  the  first  thing  which  time  doth  measure 
 is  that  motion  wherewith  it  began,  by  the  help  whereof  it 
 measureth  other  things ;  as  when  the  Prophet  David  saith, 
 that  a  man's  continuance  doth  not  commonly  exceed  three- 
 score and  ten  years,  he  useth  the  help  both  of  motion  and 
 number  to  measure  time.  They  which  make  time  an  effect 
 of  motion,  and  motion  to  be  in  nature  before  time,  ought 
 to  have  considered  with  themselves,  that  albeit  we  should 
 deny,  as  Melissus  did,  all  motion,  we  might  notwithstand- 
 ing acknowledge  time,  because  time  doth  but  signify  the 
 quantity  of  continuance,  which  continuance  may  be  in 
 things  that  rest  and  are  never  moved.  Besides,  we  may 
 also  consider  in  rest  both  that  which  is  past,  and  that  which 
 is  present,  and  that  which  is  future;  yea,  further,  even 
 length  and  shortness  in  every  of  these,  although  we  never 
 had  conceit  of  motion.  But  to  define,  without  motion, 
 how  long  or  how  short  such  continuance  is,  were  im- 
 possible. So  that  herein  we  must  of  necessity  use  the 
 benefit  of  years,  days,  hours,  minutes,  which  all  grow  from 
 celestial  motion.  Again,  forasmuch  as  that  motion  is 
 circular  whereby  we  make  our  divisions  of  time,  and  the 
 compass  of  that  circuit  such,  that  the  heavens,  which  are 
 therein  continually  moved  and  keep  in  their  motions 
 uniform  celerity,  must  needs  touch  often  the  same  points, 
 they  cannot  choose  but  bring  unto  us  by  equal  distances 
 frequent  returns  of  the  same  times.  Furthermore,  whereas 
 time  is  nothing  but  a  mere  quantity  of  that  continuance 
 which  all  things  have,  that  are  not,  as  God  is,  without  be- 
 
28 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 ginning,  that  which  is  proper  unto  all  quantities  agrceth 
 also  to  this  kind;  so  that  time  doth  but  measure  other 
 things,  and  neither  worketh  in  them  any  real  effect  nor  is 
 itself  ever  capable  of  any.  And,  therefore,  when  com- 
 monly we  use  to  say,  that  time  doth  eat  or  fret  out  all 
 things ;  that  time  is  the  wisest  thing  in  the  world,  because 
 it  bringeth  forth  all  knowledge;  and  that  nothing  is  more 
 foolish  than  time,  which  never  holdeth  any  thing  long,  but 
 whatsoever  one  day  learneth,  the  same  another  day  for- 
 getteth  again;  that  some  men  see  prosperous  and  happy 
 days,  and  that  some  men's  days  are  miserable  :  in  all  these, 
 and  the  like  speeches,  that  which  is  uttered  of  the  time  is 
 not  verified  of  time  itself,  but  agreeth  unto  those  things 
 which  are  in  time,  and  do  by  means  of  so  near  conjunction 
 either  lay  their  burden  upon  the  back,  or  set  their  crown 
 upon  the  head,  of  time.  Yea,  the  very  opportunities  which 
 we  ascribe  to  time,*  do  in  truth  cleave  to  the  things  them- 
 selves wherewith  the  time  is  joined.  As  for  time,  it  neither 
 causeth  things,  nor  opportunities  of  things,  although  it 
 comprise  and  contain  both.  All  things  whatsoever  having 
 their  time,  the  works  of  God  have  always  that  time  which 
 is  seasonablest  and  fittest  for  them.  His  works  are  some 
 ordinary,  some  more  rare ;  all  worthy  of  observation,  but 
 not  all  of  like  necessity  to  be  often  remembered  ;  they  all 
 have  their  times,  but  they  all  do  not  add  the  same  esti- 
 mation and  glory  to  the  times  wherein  they  are.  For  as 
 God  by  being  every  where,  yet  doth  not  give  unto  all 
 places  one  and  the  same  degree  of  holiness ;  so  neither 
 one  and  the  same  dignity  to  all  times,  by  working  in  all. 
 For  if  all  either  places  or  times  were  in  respect  of  God 
 alike,  wherefore  was  it  said  unto  Moses  by  particular  de- 
 Exod.  signation,  "  That  very  place  wherein  thou  standest  is  holy 
 "■ 5  ground?"  Why  doth  the  Prophet  David  choose  out  of  all 
 the  days  of  the  year  but  one,  whereof  he  speaketh  by  way 
 psai.  of  principal  admiration,  "  This  is  the  day  the  Lord  hath 
 24.V1"'  made?"  No  doubt,  as  God's  extraordinary  presence  hath 
 hallowed  and  sanctified  certain  places,  so  they  are  his 
 extraordinary  works  that  have  truly  and  worthily  advanced 
 certain  times ;  for  which  cause  they  ought  to  be  with  all 
 men  that  honour  God  more  holy  than  other  days.  The 
 
 *  X^'voj  iffrh  h  cji  xaijif,  xai  xciijoj  Iv  £  ffiwos  ou  woXiIj.  Hippoc.  lib.  qui  Vrxccptkmes 
 iuscribitur.  [in  init.] 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 29 
 
 Wise  man,  therefore,  compareth  herein  not  unfitly  the  times 
 of  God  with  the  persons  of  men.    If  any  should  ask  how 
 it  comes  to  pass  that  one  day  doth  excel  another,  seeing 
 the  light  of  all  the  days  in  the  year  proceedeth  from  one 
 sun ;  to  this  he  answereth,  "  That  the  knowledge  of  the  Eccius. 
 Lord  hath  parted  them  asunder,  he  hath  by  them  disposed 
 the  limes  and  solemn  Feasts ;  some  he  hath  chosen  out 
 and  sanctified,  some  he  hath  put  among  the  days  to  num- 
 ber:" even  as  Adam  and  all  other  men  are  of  one  sub- 
 stance, all  created  of  the  earth :  "  but  the  Lord  hath  di- 
 vided them  by  great  knowledge,  and  made  their  ways 
 divers ;  some  she  hath  blessed  and  exalted,  some  he  hath 
 sanctified  and  appropriated  unto  himself,  some  he  hath 
 cursed,  humbled,  and  put  them  out  of  their  dignity."  So 
 that  the  cause  being  natural  and  necessary  for  which  there 
 should  be  a  difference  in  days,  the  solemn  observation 
 whereof  declareth  religious  thankfulness  towards  him, 
 whose  works  of  principal  reckoning  we  thereby  admire 
 and  honour,  it  cometh  next  to  be  considered,  what  kinds 
 of  duties  and  services  they  are  wherewith  such  times  should 
 be  kept  holy. 
 
 70.  The  sanctification  of  days  and  times  is  a  token  of  The 
 that  thankfulness,  and  a  pattern  of  that  public  honour,  o/Teu- 
 which  we  owe  to  God  for  admirable  benefits,  whereof  it  ^rat,ins, 
 
 '  Festival 
 
 doth  not  suffice  that  we  keep  a  secret  calendar,  taking  days, 
 thereby  our  private  occasions  as  we  list  ourselves  to  think 
 how  much  God  hath  done  for  all  men ;  but  the  days  which 
 are  chosen  out  to  serve  as  public  memorials  of  such  his 
 mercies,  ought  to  be  clothed  with  those  outward  robes  of 
 holiness,  whereby  their  difference  from  other  days  may  be 
 made  sensible.  But  because  time  in  itself,  as  hath  been 
 already  proved,  can  receive  no  alteration;  the  hallowing 
 of  Festival-days  must  consist  in  the  shape  or  countenance 
 which  we  put  upon  the  affairs  that  are  incident  unto  those 
 days.  "  This  is  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  made  (saith 
 the  Prophet  David);  let  us  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it."  So 
 that  generally  offices  and  duties  of  religious  joy  are  that 
 wherein  the  hallowing  of  Festival  times  consisteth.*  The 
 
 *  '  Grande  videlicet  officium,  focos  et  choros  in  publicum  educere,  vicatim 
 epulari,  civitatem  taberna;  halitu  abolefacere,  vino  lutum  cogere,  catervatim  cur- 
 sitare  ad  injurias,  ad  impudicitias,  ad  libidinis  illecebras.  Siccine  expiimitur 
 publicum  gaudium  per  publicum  dedecus?'  Tertull.  Apol.  cap.  35.  '  Dies  festos, 
 AJajestati  altissima*  dedicates,  nullis  vol'imus  voluptatibus  occupari.'  C.  1.  xii. 
 
30 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 most  natural  testimonies  of  our  rejoicing  in  God,  are,  first, 
 His  praises  set  forth  with  cheerful  alacrity  of  mind ;  se- 
 condly, Our  comfort  and  delight  expressed  by  a  charitable 
 largeness  of  somewhat  more  than  common  bounty ;  thirdly, 
 Sequestration  from  ordinary  labours,  the  toils  and  cares 
 whereof  are  not  meet  to  be  companions  of  such  gladness. 
 Festival  solemnity,  therefore,  is  nothing  but  the  due  mix- 
 ture, as  it  were,  of  these  three  elements,  Praise,  Bounty, 
 and  Rest.  Touching  Praise,  forasmuch  as  the  Jews, 
 who  alone  knew  the  way  how  to  magnify  God  aright,  did 
 commonly  (as  appeared  by  their  wicked  lives)  more  of 
 custom  and  for  fashion's  sake  execute  the  services  of  their 
 Religion,  than  with  hearty  and  true  devotion  (which  God 
 especially  requireth),  he  therefore  protesteth  against  their 
 ,Is^  Sabbaths  and  solemn  Days,  as  being  therewith  much 
 offended.  Plentiful  and  liberal  expense  is  required  in  them 
 that  abound,  partly  as  a  sign  of  their  own  joy  in  the  good- 
 ness of  God  towards  them,  and  partly  as  a  mean  whereby 
 Dent,  to  refresh  those  poor  and  needy,  who  being  especially  at 
 iuhem.  these  times  made  partakers  of  relaxation  and  joy  with 
 viii-  °-  others,  do  the  more  religiously  bless  God,  whose  great 
 mercies  were  a  cause  thereof,  and  the  more  contentedly 
 endure  the  burden  of  that  hard  estate  wherein  they  con- 
 tinue. Rest  is  the  end  of  all  motion,  and  the  last  per- 
 fection of  all  things  that  labour.  Labours  in  us  are  jour- 
 neys, and  even  in  them  which  feel  no  weariness  by  any 
 work,  yet  they  are  but  ways  whereby  to  come  unto  that 
 which  bringeth  not  happiness  till  it  do  bring  rest.  For 
 as  long  as  any  thing  which  we  desire  is  unattained,  we 
 rest  not.  Let  us  not  here  take  rest  for  idleness.  They 
 are  idle,  whom  the  painfulness  of  action  causeth  to  avoid 
 those  labours  whereunto  both  God  and  Nature  bindeth 
 them ;  they  rest,  which  either  cease  from  their  work  when 
 they  have  brought  it  unto  perfection,  or  else  give  over  a 
 meaner  labour,  because  a  worthier  and  better  is  to  be  un- 
 dertaken. God  hath  created  nothing  to  be  idle  or  ill 
 employed.  As  therefore  man  doth  consist  of  different 
 and  distinct  parts,  every  part   endued  with  manifold 
 
 tit.  12.  lib.  1.  'Avti  riic  uraXaiirojixTrEia;  xai  ais-jcpoupyiaj  xai  als-^ouppij^offVHi?  crcZtymei; 
 i«fTa£ovTai  Travnyvpeif,  cv  /lie&ijv  e%ous-at  xai  xZ/x::1  xai  yi\ana,  aXX'  ZfAVov;  Sei'cu;  xai 
 iE£»v  Xoyaiv  axpianv,  xai  iT£0<riv)(r,v  afiETTai'voi;  xoajj.oufj.kvm  Saxfuoif.  Theod.  ad  GrJEC. 
 Infidel,  ser.  [8.  de  Martyr,  ad  fin.  vol.  iv.  p.  60?.]  Tns  yk(  avrnt  <fw«a5{  eVtiv  ive-i&n 
 te  elvai  xai  ^iXavS-fuwov.    Philo  de  Abraha.  [vol.  ii.  p.  30.  ed.  Mang.] 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 31 
 
 abilities,  which  all  have  their  several  ends  and  actions 
 thereunto  referred;  so  there  is  in  this  great  variety  of 
 duties  which  belong  to  men  that  dependency  and  order, 
 by  means  whereof  the  lower  sustaining  always  the  more 
 excellent,  and  the  higher  perfecting  the  more  base,  they 
 are  in  their  times  and  seasons  continued  with  most  ex- 
 quisite correspondence.  Labours  of  bodily  and  daily  toil 
 purchase  freedom  for  actions  of  religious  joy,  which  be- 
 nefit these  actions  requite  with  the  gift  of  desired  rest;  a 
 thing  most  natural  and  fit  to  accompany  the  solemn 
 Festival  duties  of  honour  which  are  done  to  God.  For  if 
 those  principal  works  of  God,  the  memory  whereof  we  use 
 to  celebrate  at  such  times,  be  but  certain  tastes  and  says, 
 as  it  were,  of  that  final  benefit  wherein  our  perfect  felicity 
 and  bliss  lieth  folded  up,  seeing  that  the  presence  of  the 
 one  doth  direct  our  cogitations,  thoughts,  and  desires, 
 towards  the  other,  it  giveth  surely  a  kind  of  life,  and 
 addeth  inwardly  no  small  delight  to  those  so  comfortable 
 expectations,  when  the  very  outward  countenance  of  that 
 we  presently  do,  representeth  after  a  sort  that  also  where- 
 unto  we  tend ;  as  Festival- rest  doth  that  celestial  estate, 
 whereof  the  very  Heathens  themselves,*  which  had  not 
 the  means  whereby  to  apprehend  much,  did  notwithstand- 
 ing imagine  that  it  needs  must  consist  in  rest,  and  have 
 therefore  taught  that  above  the  highest  moveable  sphere 
 there  is  nothing  which  feeleth  alteration,  motion,  or 
 change,  but  all  things  immutable,  unsubject  to  passion, 
 blest  with  eternal  continuance  in  a  life  of  the  highest  per- 
 fection, and  of  that  complete  abundant  sufficiency  within 
 itself,  which  no  possibility  of  want,  maim,  or  defect,  can 
 touch.  Besides,  whereas  ordinary  labours  are  both  in 
 themselves  painful,  and  base  in  comparison  of  Festival- 
 services  done  to  God,  doth  not  the  natural  difference  be- 
 tween them  shew  that  the  one,  as  it  were  by  way  of  sub- 
 mission and  homage,  should  surrender  themselves  to  the 
 other ;  wherewith  they  can  neither  easily  concur,  because 
 painfulness  and  joy  are  opposite,  nor  decently,  because 
 while  the  mind  hath  just  occasion  to  make  her  abode  in 
 the  house  of  gladness,  the  weed  of  ordinary  toil  and  travel 
 becometh  her  not  ?    Wherefore,  even  Nature  hath  taught 
 
 *  OuJ  eVtiv  ouSevo?  ovhfj.ta  /xnaSoXri  t«v  ii7rE£t£ajTaT<wv  qtpofximi  $apc?i ,  etXX'  avaXXoi'tUTti 
 xai  airaQij  tnv  afinnv  'i^ona.  £jj»v  xai  t^v  aiiTttpxEyra-mv  JiarsXEf  tov  anana  alUva. 
 Arist.  [de  Coelo,  1.  i.  c.  9.  t.  100.] 
 
32  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 the  Heathens,  and  God  the  Jews,  and  Christ  us,  first,  That 
 Festival-solemnities  are  a  part  of  the  public  exercise  of 
 Religion ;  secondly,  That  praise,  liberality,  and  rest,  are 
 as  natural  elements  whereof  Solemnities  consist.  But 
 these  things  the  Heathens  converted  to  the  honour  of  their 
 false  gods;  and,  as  they  failed  in  the  end  itself,  so  neither 
 could  they  discern  rightly  what  form  and  measure  Reli- 
 gion therein  should  observe.  Whereupon,  when  the 
 Israelites  impiously  followed  so  corrupt  example,  they  are 
 in  every  degree  noted  to  have  done  amiss ;  their  Hymns 
 or  Songs  of  Praise  were  Idolatry ;  their  bounty,  excess  ; 
 and  their  rest,  wantonness.  Therefore,  the  Law  of  God, 
 which  appointed  them  Days  of  Solemnity,  taught  them 
 likewise  in  what  manner  the  same  should  be  celebrated. 
 According  to  the  pattern  of  which  institution,  David, 
 establishing  the  state  of  Religion,  ordained  praise  to  be 
 i  chron.  given  unto  God  in  the  Sabbaths,  months,  and  appointed 
 xxin.30.  j.jmeSj  as  their  custom  had  been  always  before  the  Lord. 
 Now,  besides  the  times  which  God  himself  in  the  Law 
 of  Moses  particularly  specified,  there  were,  through 
 the  wisdom  of  the  Church,  certain  others  devised  by 
 occasion  of  like  occurrents  to  those  whereupon  the 
 former  had  risen ;  as  namely,  that  which  Mordecai  and 
 Esther  Esther  did  first  celebrate  in  memory  of  the  Lord's  most 
 wonderful  protection,  when  Hamau  had  laid  his  in- 
 evitable plot,  to  man's  thinking,  for  the  utter  extirpation 
 of  the  Jews,  even  in  one  day.  This  they  call  the  Feast 
 of  Lots,  because  Haman  had  cast  their  life  and  their 
 death,  as  it  were,  upon  the  hazard  of  a  lot.  To  this 
 may  be  added  that  other  also  of  Dedication,  mentioned 
 John  in  the  tenth  of  St.  John's  Gospel,  the  institution  whereof  is 
 i  m!c.  declared  in  the  history  of  the  Maccabees.  But  forasmuch 
 w.54.  as  their  Law  by  the  coming  of  Christ  is  changed,  and  we 
 thereunto  no  way  bound,  St.  Paul,  although  it  were  not  his 
 purpose  to  favour  invectives  against  the  special  sanctifica- 
 tion  of  days  and  times  to  the  service  of  God,  and  to  the 
 honour  of  Jesus  Christ,  doth  notwithstanding  bend  his 
 forces  against  that  opinion  which  imposed  on  the  Gentiles 
 the  yoke  of  Jewish  legal  observations,  as  if  the  whole 
 world  ought  for  ever,  and  that  upon  pain  of  condemnation, 
 to  keep  and  observe  the  same.  Such  as  in  this  persuasion 
 hallowed  those  Jewish  Sabbaths  the  Apostle  sharply  re- 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 33 
 
 proveth,  saying,  "  Ye  observe  days,  and  months,  and  SaL 
 times,  and  years ;  I  am  in  fear  of  you,  lest  I  have  bestowed 
 upon  you  labour  in  vain."  Howbeit,  so  far  off  was  Tertul- 
 lian  from  imagining  how  any  man  could  possibly  hereupon 
 call  in  question  such  days  as  the  Church  of  Christ  doth 
 observe,*  that  the  observation  of  these  days  he  useth  for 
 an  argument  whereby  to  prove,  it  could  not  be  the  Apos- 
 tle's intent  and  meaning  to  condemn  simply  all  observing 
 of  such  times.  Generally  therefore,  touching  Feasts  in  the 
 Church  of  Christ,  they  have  that  profitable  use  whereof  St. 
 Augustine  speaketh,  "  By  Festival-solemnities  and  Set-  de 
 days  we  dedicate  and  sanctify  to  God  the  memory  of  his  Dei, 
 benefits,  lest  unthankful  forgetfulness  thereof  should  creep  c'ap.T' 
 upon  us  in  course  of  time."  And  concerning  particulars, 
 their  Sabbath  the  Church  hath  changed  into  our  Lord's 
 day  ;  that  as  the  one  did  continually  bring  to  mind  the  for- 
 mer world  finished  by  creation ;  so  the  other  might  keep 
 us  in  perpetual  remembrance  of  a  far  better  world,  begun 
 by  him  which  came  to  restore  all  things,  to  make  both  Hea- 
 ven and  Earth  new.  For  which  cause  they  honoured  the 
 last  day,  we  the  first,  in  every  seven  throughout  the  year. 
 The  rest  of  the  days  and  times  which  we  celebrate  have 
 relation  all  to  one  Head.  We  begin  therefore  our  Ecclesi- 
 astical year  with  the  glorious  Annunciation  of  his  Birth  by  ^u2k6e 
 Angelical  embassage.  There  being  hereunto  added  his 
 blessed  Nativity  itself;  the  mystery  of  his  legal  Circumci-  ^uke 
 sion ;  the  testification  of  his  true  Incarnation  by  the  Puri- 
 fication of  her  which  brought  him  into  the  world,  his  Resur- 
 rection, his  Ascension  into  Heaven,  the  admirable  Sending 
 down  of  his  Spirit  upon  his  chosen,  and  (which  conse- 
 quently ensued)  the  notice  of  that  incomprehensible  Trinity 
 thereby  given  to  the  Church  of  God.  Again,  forasmuch 
 as  we  know  that  Christ  hath  not  only  been  manifested 
 great  in  himself,  but  great  in  other  his  Saints  also,  the 
 days  of  whose  departure  out  of  the  world  are  to  the  Church 
 of  Christ  as  the  birth  and  coronation  days  of  Kings  or 
 Emperors;  therefore  especial  choice  being  made  of  the 
 very  flower  of  all  occasions  in  this  kind,  there  are  annual 
 
 •  '  Si  omnem  in  totum  devotionem  temporum  et  dierum  et  raensium  et  annorum 
 erasit  Apostolus,  cur  Pascha  celebramus  annuo  circulo  in  mense  primo  ?  Cur 
 quinquaginta  exinde  diebus  in  omni  exultatione  decurrimus  V  Lib.  advers.  Psych, 
 [c.  14.] 
 
 VOL.  II.  D 
 
34 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 selected  times  to  meditate  of  Christ  glorified  in  them  which 
 had  the  honour  to  suffer  for  his  sake,  before  they  had  age 
 and  ability  to  know  him ;  glorified  in  them,  which  knowing 
 him  as  Stephen,  had  the  sight  of  that  before  death,  where- 
 into  so  acceptable  death  did  lead ;  glorified  in  those  Sages 
 of  the  East,  that  came  from  far  to  adore  him,  and  were 
 conducted  by  strange  light ;  glorified  in  the  second  Elias 
 of  the  world,  sent  before  him  to  prepare  his  way;  glorified 
 in  those  Apostles  whom  it  pleased  him  to  use  as  founders 
 of  his  Kingdom  here ;  glorified  in  the  Angels,  as  in  Mi- 
 chael ;  glorified  in  all  those  happy  souls  that  are  already 
 possessed  of  Heaven.    Over  and  besides  which  number 
 not  great,  the  rest  be  but  four  other  days  heretofore  an- 
 nexed to  the  Feast  of  Easter  and  Pentecost,  by  reason  of 
 general  Baptism  usual  at  those  two  Feasts ;  which  also  is 
 the  cause  why  they  had  not,  as  other  days,  any  proper 
 name  given  them.    Their  first  institution  was  therefore 
 through  necessity,  and  their  present  continuance  is  now  for 
 the  greater  honour  of  the  principals  whereupon  they  still 
 attend.  If  it  be  then  demanded,  whether  we  observe  these 
 times  as  being  thereunto  bound  by  force  of  divine  Law, 
 or  else  by  the  only  positive  Ordinances  of  the  Church  ?  I 
 answer  to  this,  that  the  very  Law  of  Nature  itself,  which 
 all  men  confess  to  be  God's  Law,  requireth  in  general  no 
 less  the  sanctification  of  times,  than  of  places,  persons, 
 and  things,  unto  God's  honour.    For  which  cause  it  hath 
 pleased  him  heretofore,  as  of  the  rest,  so  of  times  likewise, 
 to  exact  some  parts  by  way  of  perpetual  homage,  never  to 
 be  dispensed  withal,  nor  remitted  :  again,  to  require  some 
 other  parts  of  time  with  as  strict  exaction,  but  for  less  conti- 
 nuance; and  of  the  rest  which  were  left  arbitrary,  to  accept 
 what  the  Church  shall  in  due  consideration  consecrate  vo- 
 luntarily unto  like  religious  uses.  Of  the  first  kind,  amongst 
 the  Jews,  was  the  Sabbath-day;  of  the  second,  those  Feasts 
 which  are  appointed  by  the  Law  of  Moses ;  the  Feast  of 
 Dedication,  invented  by  the  Church,  standeth  in  the  num- 
 ber of  the  last  kind.    The  Moral  Law  requiring  therefore 
 a  seventh  part  throughout  the  age  of  the  whole  world  to  be 
 that  way  employed,  although  with  us  the  day  be  changed, 
 in  regard  of  a  new  revolution  begun  by  our  Saviour  Christ; 
 yet  the  same  proportion  of  time  continueth  which  was  be- 
 fore, because  in  reference  to  the  benefit  of  creation,  and 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 35 
 
 now  much  more  of  renovation  thereunto  added  by  him 
 which  was  Prince  of  the  world  to  come,  we  are  bound  to 
 account  the  sanctification  of  one  day  in  seven,  a  duty 
 which  God's  immutable  Law  doth  exact  for  ever.  The 
 rest,  they  say,  we  ought  to  abolish,  because  the  continu- 
 ance of  them  doth  nourish  wicked  superstition  in  the  minds 
 of  men  ;  besides,  they  are  all  abused  by  Papists,  the  ene- 
 mies of  God ;  yea,  certain  of  them,  as  Easter  and  Pente- 
 cost, even  by  the  Jews. 
 
 71.  Touching  Jews,  their  Easter  and  Pentecost  have  E*ceP- 
 with  ours  as  much  affinity  as  Philip  the  Apostle  with  Philip  Ig^nst 
 the  Macedonian  King.    As  for  imitation  of  Papists  and  ourk"P 
 
 o  *  mg  of 
 
 the  breeding  of  Superstition,  they  are  now  become  such  other 
 common  guests,  that  no  man  can  think  it  discourteous  to  jajs'te- 
 let  them  go  as  they  came.  The  next  is  a  rare  observation  ss'^bs^he 
 and  strange  ;*  you  shall  find,  if  you  mark  it  (as  it  doth  de- 
 serve to  be  noted  well),  that  many  thousands  there  are, 
 who  if  they  have  virtuously  during  those  times  behaved 
 themselves,  if  their  devotion  and  zeal  in  Prayer  have  been 
 fervent,  their  attention  to  the  Word  of  God  such  as  all 
 Christian  men  should  yield,  imagine  that  herein  they  have 
 performed  a  good  duty  ;  which  notwithstanding  to  think  is 
 a  very  dangerous  error,  inasmuch  as  the  Apostle  St.  Paul 
 hath  taught  that  we  ought  not  to  keep  our  Easter  as  the 
 Jews  did  for  certain  days,  but  in  the  unleavened  bread  of 
 sincerity  and  of  truth  to  feast  continually  :  whereas  the  re- 
 straint of  Easter  to  a  certain  number  of  days,  causeth  us 
 to  rest  for  a  short  space  in  that  near  consideration  of  our 
 duties,  which  should  be  extended  throughout  the  course  of 
 
 •  '  If  they  had  been  never  abused  neither  by  the  Papists,  nor  by  the  Jews,  as 
 they  have  been,  and  are  daily ;  yet  such  making  of  Holidays  is  never  without 
 some  great  danger  of  bringing  in  some  evil  and  corrupt  opinions  into  the  minds  of 
 men.  I  will  use  an  example  in  one,  and  that  the  chief  of  Holidays  and  most  ge- 
 nerally and  of  longest  time  observed  in  the  Church,  which  is  the  Feast  of  Easter, 
 which  was  kept  of  some  more  days,  of  some  fewer.  How  many  thousands  are 
 there,  I  will  not  say  of  the  ignorant  Papists,  but  of  those  also  which  profess  the 
 Gospel,  which  when  they  have  celebrated  those  days  with  diligent  heed  taken  unto 
 their  life,  and  with  some  earnest  devotion  in  praying,  and  hearing  the  Word  of 
 God,  do  not  by  and  by  think  that  they  have  well  celebrated  the  Feast  of  Easter  ; 
 and  yet  have  they  thus  notably  deceived  themselves :  for  St.  Paul  teacheth 
 (1  Cor.  v.  8.),  that  the  celebrating  of  the  Feast  of  the  Christians'  Easter  is  not,  as 
 the  Jews'  was,  for  certain  days  ;  but  sheweth  that  we  must  keep  this  Feast  all  the 
 days  of  our  life  in  the  unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and  of  truth.  By  which  we 
 see,  that  the  observing  of  the  Feast  of  Easter  for  certain  days  in  the  year,  doth 
 pull  out  of  our  minds,  ere  ever  we  be  aware,  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  and 
 causeth  us  to  rest  in  that  near  consideration  of  our  duties,  for  the  space  of  a  few 
 days,  which  should  be  extended  to  all  our  life.'  T.  C.  1.  i.  p.  151. 
 
 D  2 
 
36 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 our  whole  lives,  and  so  pulleth  out  of  our  minds  the  doctrine 
 of  Christ's  Gospel  ere  we  be  aware.  The  doctrine  of  the 
 Gospel,  which  here  they  mean,  or  should  mean,  is,  that 
 Christ  having  finished  the  Law,  there  is  no  Jewish  Paschal 
 solemnity,  nor  abstinence  from  sour  bread,  now  required 
 at  our  hands ;  there  is  no  leaven  which  we  are  bound  to 
 cast  out,  but  malice,  sin,  and  wickedness ;  no  bread  but 
 the  food  of  sincere  truth  wherewith  we  are  tied  to  celebrate 
 our  Passover.  And  seeing  no  time  of  sin  is  granted  us, 
 neither  any  intermission  of  sound  belief,  it  .followeth,  that 
 this  kind  of  feasting  ought  to  endure  always.  But  are 
 standing  Festival-solemnities  against  this?  That  which 
 the  Gospel  of  Christ  requireth  is  the  perpetuity  of  virtuous 
 duties ;  not  perpetuity  of  exercise  or  action,  but  disposi- 
 tion perpetual,  and  practice  as  oft  as  times  and  opportuni- 
 ties require.  Just,  valiant,  liberal,  temperate,  and  holy  men 
 are  they,  which  can  whensoever  they  will,  and  will  when- 
 soever they  ought,  execute  what  their  several  perfections 
 import.  If  virtues  did  always  cease  to  be  when  they  cease 
 to  work,  there  should  be  nothing  more  pernicious  to  virtue 
 than  sleep  ;  neither  were  it  possible  that  men,  as  Zachary 
 and  Elizabeth,  should  in  all  the  commandments  of  God  walk 
 unreprovable ;  or  that  the  chain  of  our  conversation  should 
 contain  so  many  links  of  divine  virtues,  as  the  Apostles  in 
 divers  places  have  reckoned  up,  if  in  the  exercise  of  each 
 virtue  perpetual  continuance  were  exacted  at  our  hands. 
 Seeing,  therefore,  all  things  are  done  in  time,  and  many  of- 
 fices are  not  possible  at  one  and  the  same  time  to  be  dis- 
 charged; duties  of  all  sorts  must  have  necessarily  their 
 several  successions  and  seasons ;  in  which  respect  the 
 Schoolmen  have  well  and  soundly  determined,  that  God's 
 affirmative  Laws  and  Precepts,  the  Laws  that  enjoin  any 
 actual  duty,  as  Prayer,  Alms,  and  the  like,  do  bind  us  ad 
 semper  telle,  but  not  ad  semper  agere  ;  we  are  tied  to  iterate 
 and  resume  them  when  need  is,  howbeit  not  to  continue 
 them  without  any  intermission.  Feasts,  whether  God  him- 
 self hath  ordained  them,  or  the  Church  by  that  authority 
 which  God  hath  given,  they  are  of  Religion  such  public 
 Services  as  neither  can  nor  ought  to  be  continued  other- 
 wise than  only  by  iteration.  Which  iteration  is  a  most 
 effectual  mean  to  bring  unto  full  maturity  and  growth 
 those  seeds  of  godliness,  that  these  very  men  themselves 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 37 
 
 do  grant  to  be  sown  in  the  hearts  of  many  thousands,  dur- 
 ing the  while  that  such  Feasts  are  present.    The  constant 
 habit  of  well  doing  is  not  gotten  without  the  custom  of  do- 
 ing well,  neither  can  virtue  be  made  perfect  but  by  the  ma- 
 nifold works  of  virtue  often  practised.    Before  the  powers 
 of  our  minds  be  brought  unto  some  perfection,  our  first 
 essays  and  offers  towards  virtue  must  needs  be  raw ;  yet 
 commendable,  because  they  tend  unto  ripeness.  For 
 which  cause  the  Wisdom  of  God  hath  commanded,  espe- 
 cially this  circumstance  amongst  others  in  solemn  Feasts, 
 that  to  children  and  novices  in  Religion  they  minister  the 
 first  occasion  to  ask  and  inquire  of  God.    Whereupon,  if 
 there  follow  but  so  much  piety  as  hath  been  mentioned, 
 let  the  Church  learn  to  further  imbecility  with  Prayer; 
 "  Preserve,  Lord,  these  good  and  gracious  beginnings,  that 
 they  suddenly  dry  not  up  like  the  morning  dew,  but  may 
 prosper  and  grow  as  the  trees  which  rivers  of  waters  keep 
 always  flourishing."  Let  all  men's  acclamations  be, "  Grace, 
 grace  unto  it,"  as  to  that  first-laid  corner-stone  in  Zerub- 
 babel's  buildings.  For  who  hath  despised  the  day  of  those 
 things  which  are  small?  Or,  how  dare  we  take  upon  us  to 
 condemn  that  very  thing  which  voluntarily  we  grant  maketh 
 us  of  nothing  somewhat;  seeing  all  we  pretend  against  it, 
 is  only,  that  as  yet  this  somewhat  is  not  much  ?  The  Days 
 of  Solemnity,  which  are  but  few,  cannot  choose  but  soon 
 finish  that  outward  exercise  of  godliness  which  properly 
 appertaineth  to  such  times  ;  howbeit,  men's  inward  dispo- 
 sition to  virtue  they  both  augment  for  the  present,  and  by 
 their  often  returns,  bring  also  the  same  at  the  length  unto 
 that  perfection  which  we  most  desire.    So  that,  although 
 by  their  necessary  short  continuance,  they  abridge  the 
 present  exercise  of  piety  in  some  kind ;  yet,  because  by 
 repetition  they  enlarge,  strengthen,  and  confirm  the  habits 
 of  all  virtue,  it  remaineth,  that  we  honour,  observe,  and 
 keep  them  as  Ordinances  many  ways  singularly  profitable 
 in  God's  Church.    This  exception  being  taken  against 
 Holidays,  for  that  they  restrain  the  praises  of  God  unto 
 certain  times,  another  followeth  condemning  restraint  of 
 men  from  their  ordinary  trades  and  labours  at  those 
 times.    It  is  not  (they  say)  in  the  power  of  the  Church 
 to  command  rest,*  because  God  hath  left  it  to  all  men  at 
 
 •  'I  confess,  that  it  is  in  the  power  of  the  Church  to  appoint  so  many  days  in 
 
38 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 liberty,  that  if  they  think  good  to  bestow  six.  whole  days 
 in  labour,  they  may;  neither  is  it  more  lawful  for  the 
 Church  to  abridge  any  man  of  that  liberty  which  God 
 hath  granted,  than  to  take  away  the  yoke  which  God 
 hath  laid  upon  them,  and  to  countermand  what  he  doth 
 expressly  enjoin.  They  deny  not,  but  in  times  of  public 
 calamity,  that  men  may  the  better  assemble  themselves 
 to  fast  and  pray,  the  Church,  because  it  hath  received 
 commandment  from  God  to  proclaim  a  prohibition  from  or- 
 dinary works,  standeth  bound  to  do  it,  as  the  Jews  afflicted 
 did  in  Babylon.  But  without  some  express  command- 
 ment from  God  there  is  no  power,  they  say,  under  Heaven, 
 which  may  presume  by  any  degree  to  restrain  the  liberty 
 that  God  had  given.  Which  opinion,  albeit  applied  here 
 no  further  than  to  this  present  case,  shaketh  universally 
 the  fabric  of  government,  tendeth  to  anarchy  and  mere 
 confusion,  dissolveth  families,  dissipateth  Colleges,  Cor- 
 
 the  week,  or  in  the  year  (in  the  which  the  congregation  shall  assemble  to  hear  tne 
 Word  of  God,  and  receive  the  Sacraments,  and  offer  up  Prayers  unto  God),  as  it 
 shall  think  good,  according  to  those  rules  which  are  before  alleged.  But  that  it 
 hath  power  to  make  so  many  Holidays  as  we  have,  wherein  men  are  commanded 
 to  cease  from  their  daily  vocations  of  ploughing  and  exercising  their  handicrafts, 
 that  I  deny  to  be  in  the  power  of  the  Church.  For  proof  whereof  I  will  take  the 
 Fourth  Commmandment,  and  no  other  interpretation  of  it,  than  Mr.  Doctor  allow- 
 eth  of,  which  is,  that  God  licenseth  and  leaveth  it  at  the  liberty  of  every  man  to 
 work  six  days  in  the  week,  so  that  he  rest  the  seventh  day.  Seeing,  therefore, 
 that  the  Lord  hath  left  it  to  all  men  at  liberty,  that  they  might  labour,  if  they 
 think  good,  six  days ;  I  say,  the  Church,  nor  no  man,  can  take  this  liberty  away 
 from  them,  and  drive  them  to  a  necessary  rest  of  the  body.  And  if  it  be  lawful  to 
 abridge  the  liberty  of  the  Church  in  this  point ;  and  instead,  that  the  Lord  saith, 
 Six  days  thou  may  est  labour,  if  thou  wilt,  to  say,  Thou  shalt  not  labour  six  days  ; 
 I  do  not  see,  why  the  Church  may  not  as  well,  whereas  the  Lord  saith, 
 "  Thou  shalt  rest  the  seventh  day,"  command  that  thou  shalt  not  rest  the  seventh 
 day.  For  if  the  Church  may  restrain  the  liberty  which  God  hath  given  them,  it 
 may  take  away  the  yoke  also  which  God  hath  put  upon  them.  And  whereas  you 
 say,  that  notwithstanding  this  Fourth  Commandment,  the  Jews  had  certain  other 
 Feasts  which  they  observed ;  indeed,  the  Lord,  which  gave  this  general  Law,  might 
 make  as  many  exceptions  as  he  thought  good,  and  so  long  as  he  thought  good. 
 But  it  followeth  not,  because  the  Lord  did  it,  that  therefore  the  Church  may  do 
 it,  unless  it  hath  commandment  and  authority  from  God  so  to  do.  As  when  there 
 is  any  general  plague  or  judgment  of  God  either  upon  the  Church,  or  coming  to- 
 wards it,  the  Lord  commandeth  in  such  a  case  (Joel  ii.  15.),  that  they  should 
 sanctify  a  general  Fast,  and  proclaim  Ghnatsaruh,  which  signifieth  a  prohibition 
 or  forbidding  of  ordinary  works  ;  and  is  the  same  Hebrew  word  wherewith  those 
 Fast-days  are  noted  in  the  Law,  wherein  they  should  rest.  The  reason  of  which 
 commandment  of  the  Lord  was,  that  as  they  abstained  that  day  as  much  as  might 
 be  conveniently  from  meats,  so  they  might  abstain  from  their  daily  works,  to 
 the  end  they  might  bestow  the  whole  day  in  hearing  the  Word  of  God,  and  hum- 
 bling themselves  in  the  congregation,  confessing  their  faults,  and  desiring  the 
 Lord  to  turn  away  from  his  fierce  wrath.  In  this  case  the  Church  having  com- 
 mandment to  make  a  Holiday,  may,  and  ought  to  do  it,  as  the  Church  which  was 
 in  Babylon  did  during  the  time  of  their  captivity ;  but  where  it  is  destitute  of  a 
 commandment,  it  may  not  presume  by  any  decree  to  restrain  that  liberty  which 
 the  Lord  hath  given.'    T.  C.  V.  i.  p.  152. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 39 
 
 porations,  Armies,  overthroweth  Kingdoms,  Churches,  and 
 whatsoever  is  now  through  the  providence  of  God  by  au- 
 thority and  power  upheld.  For  whereas  God  hath  fore- 
 prized  things  of  the  greatest  weight,  and  hath  therein  pre- 
 cisely defined,  as  well  that  which  every  man  must  perform, 
 as  that  which  no  man  may  attempt,  leaving  all  sorts  of 
 men  in  the  rest,  either  to  be  guided  by  their  own  good  dis- 
 cretion, if  they  be  free  from  subjection  to  others,  or  else  to 
 be  ordered  by  such  Commandments  and  Laws  as  proceed 
 from  those  superiors  under  whom  they  live ;  the  patrons 
 of  liberty  have  here  made  solemn  proclamation  that  all 
 such  Laws  and  Commandments  are  void,  inasmuch  as 
 every  man  is  left  to  the  freedom  of  his  own  mind  in  such 
 things  as  are  not  either  exacted  or  prohibited  by  the  Law 
 of  God.  And  because,  only  in  these  things,  the  positive 
 precepts  of  men  have  place ;  which  precepts  cannot  pos- 
 sibly be  given  without  some  abridgment  of  their  liberty  to 
 whom  they  are  given  ;  therefore,  if  the  father  command  the 
 son,  or  the  husband  the  wife,  or  the  lord  the  servant,  or  the 
 leader  the  soldier,  or  the  Prince  the  subject,  to  go  or  stand, 
 sleep  or  wake,  at  such  times  as  God  himself  in  particular 
 commandeth  neither ;  they  are  to  stand  in  defence  of  the 
 freedom  which  God  hath  granted,  and  to  do  as  themselves 
 list,  knowing  that  men  may  as  lawfully  command  them 
 things  utterly  forbidden  by  the  Law  of  God,  as  tie  them  to 
 any  thing  which  the  Law  of  God  leaveth  free.  The  plain 
 contradictory  whereunto  is  infallibly  certain.  Those  things 
 which  the  Law  of  God  leaveth  arbitrary  and  at  liberty,  are 
 all  subject  to  the  positive  Laws  of  men;  which  Laws, 
 for  the  common  benefit,  abridge  particular  men's  liberty  in 
 such  things  as  far  as  the  rules  of  equity  will  suffer.  This 
 we  must  either  maintain,  or  else  overturn  the  world,  and 
 make  every  man  his  own  commander.  Seeing,  then,  that 
 labour  and  rest  upon  anyone  day  of  the  six  throughout  the 
 year  are  granted  free  by  the  Law  of  God,  how  exempt  we 
 them  from  the  force  and  power  of  Ecclesiastical  Law,  ex- 
 cept we  deprive  the  world  of  power  to  make  any  Ordi- 
 nance or  Law  at  all?  Besides,  is  it  probable  that  God 
 should  not  only  allow,  but  command  concurrency  of  rest 
 with  extraordinary  occasions  of  doleful  events  befalling, 
 peradventure,  some  one  certain  Church,  or  not  extending 
 Unto  many ;  and  not  as  much  as  permit  or  license  the  like, 
 
40 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 when  piety,  triumphant  with  joy  and  gladness,  maketh 
 solemn  commemoration  of  God's  most  rare  and  unwonted 
 mercies,  such  especially  as  the  whole  race  of  mankind 
 doth  or  might  participate?  Of  vacation  from  labour  in 
 times  of  sorrow  the  only  cause  is,  for  that  the  general  pub- 
 lic Prayers  of  the  whole  Church,  and  our  own  private  busi- 
 ness, cannot  both  be  followed  at  once  ;  whereas  of  rest  in 
 the  famous  Solemnities  of  public  joy,  there  is  both  this 
 consideration  the  same,  and  also  further  a  kind  of  natural 
 repugnancy,  which  maketh  labours  (as  hath  been  proved) 
 much  more  unfit  to  accompany  Festival-praises  of  God, 
 than  offices  of  humiliation  and  grief.  Again,  if  we  sift 
 what  they  bring  for  proof  and  approbation  of  rest  with  fast- 
 ing, doth  it  not  in  all  respects  as  fully  warrant  and  as 
 strictly  command  rest,  whensoever  the  Church  hath  equal 
 reason,  by  Feasts  and  gladsome  Solemnities,  to  testify 
 public  thankfulness  towards  God?   I  would  know  some 
 
 joei     cause  why  those  words  of  the  Prophet  Joel,  "  Sanctify  a 
 1 '  Fast,  call  a  solemn  Assembly,"  which  words  were  uttered 
 to  the  Jews  in  misery  and  great  distress,  should  more  bind 
 the  Church  to  do  at  all  times  after  the  like  in  their  like  per- 
 plexities, than  the  words  of  Moses  to  the  same  people  in  a 
 
 Exod.  time  of  joyful  deliverance  from  misery,  "  Remember  this 
 
 ""*3,  day,"  may  warrant  any  annual  celebration  of  benefits  no 
 less  importing  the  good  of  men;  and  also  justify,  as  touch- 
 ing the  manner  and  form  thereof,  what  circumstance  soever 
 we  imitate  only  in  respect  of  natural  fitness  or  decency, 
 without  any  Jewish  regard  to  Ceremonies,  such  as  were 
 properly  theirs,  and  are  not  by  us  expedient  to  be  con- 
 tinued. According  to  the  rule  of  which  general  directions 
 taken  from  the  Law  of  God,  no  less  in  the  one  than  the 
 other,  the  practice  of  the  Church,  commended  unto  us  in 
 Holy  Scripture,  doth  not  only  make  for  the  justification  of 
 black  and  dismal  days  (as  one  of  the  Fathers  termeth 
 them),  but  plainly  offereth  itself  to  be  followed  by  such 
 
 Esth.ix.  Ordinances  (if  occasion  require)  as  that  which  Mordecai 
 did  sometimes  devise,  Esther  what  lay  in  her  power  help 
 forward,  and  the  rest  of  the  Jews  establish  for  perpetu- 
 ity ;  namely,  that  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  days  of  the 
 month  Adar  should  be  every  year  kept,  throughout  all  ge- 
 nerations, as  days  of  feasting  and  joy,  wherein  they  would 
 rest  from  bodily  labour,  and  what  by  gifts  of  charity  be- 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 41 
 
 stowed  upon  the  poor,  what  by  other  liberal  signs  of  amity 
 and  love,  all  testify  their  thankful  minds  towards  God, 
 which  almost  beyond  possibility  had  delivered  them  all, 
 when  they  were  all  as  men  dead.  But  this  Decree,  they 
 say,  was  Divine,  not  Ecclesiastical,*  as  may  appear  in  that 
 there  is  another  Decree  in  another  Book  of  Scripture, 
 which  Decree  is  plain  not  to  have  proceeded  from  the 
 Church's  authority,  but  from  the  mouth  of  the  Prophet 
 only ;  and  as  a  poor  simple  man  sometime  was  fully  per- 
 suaded that  if  Pontius  Pilate  had  not  been  a  Saint,  the 
 Apostles  would  never  have  suffered  his  name  to  stand  in 
 the  Creed,  so  these  men  have  a  strong  opinion  that  be- 
 cause the  Book  of  Esther  is  Canonical,  the  Decree  of 
 Esther  cannot  be  possibly  Ecclesiastical.  If  it  were,  they 
 ask  how  the  Jews  could  bind  themselves  always  to  keep  it, 
 seeing  Ecclesiastical  Laws  are  mutable  ?  As  though  the 
 purposes  of  men  might  never  intend  constancy  in  that,  the 
 nature  whereof  is  subject  to  alteration.  Doth  the  Scrip- 
 ture itself  make  mention  of  any  divine  commandment?  Is 
 the  Scripture  witness  of  more,  than  only  that  Mordecai 
 was  the  author  of  this  custom,  that  by  letters  written  to  his 
 brethren  the  Jews,  throughout  all  provinces  under  Darius 
 the  King  of  Persia,  he  gave  them  charge  to  celebrate 
 yearly  those  two  days,  for  perpetual  remembrance  of  God's 
 miraculous  deliverance  and  mercy;  that  the  Jews  here- 
 upon undertook  to  do  it,  and  made  it  with  general  consent 
 an  Order  for  perpetuity ;  that  Esther,  secondly,  by  her  let- 
 
 *  '  The  example  out  of  Esther  is  no  sufficient  warrant  for  these  Feasts  in  ques- 
 tion. For  first,  as  in  other  cases,  so  in  this  case  of  days,  the  estate  of  Christians 
 under  the  Gospel  ought  not  to  be  so  ceremonious,  as  was  theirs  under  the  Law. 
 Secondly , that  which  was  done  there  was  done  by  a  special  direction  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  either  through  the  ministry  of  the  Prophets  which  they  had,  or  by  some  other 
 extraordinary  means,  which  is  not  to  be  followed  by  us.  This  may  appear  by  an- 
 other place  (Zech.  viii.),  where  the  Jews  changed  their  Fasts  into  Feasts,  only  by  the 
 mouth  of  the  Lord,  through  the  ministry  of  the  Prophet.  For  further  proof  whereof, 
 first,  I  take  the  twenty-eighth  verse  of  Esth.  ix.,  where  it  appeareth,  that  this  was 
 an  Order  to  endure  always,  even  as  long  as  the  other  Feast-days  which  were  insti- 
 tuted by  the  Lord  himself.  So  that  what  abuses  soever  were  of  that  Feast,  yet  as 
 a  perpetual  Decree  of  God  it  ought  to  have  remained  ;  whereas  our  Churches  can 
 make  no  such  Decree,  which  may  not  upon  change  of  times,  and  other  circum- 
 stances, be  altered.  For  the  other  proof  hereof  I  take  the  last  verse  :  for  the 
 Prophet  contenteth  not  himself  with  that,  that  he  had  rehearsed  the  Decree,  as  he 
 doth  sometimes  the  Decree  of  profane  Kings,  but  addeth  precisely,  that  as  soon 
 as  ever  the  Decree  was  made,  it  was  registered  in  this  Book  of  Esther,  which  is 
 one  of  the  Books  of  Canonical  Scripture,  declaring  thereby  in  what  esteem  they 
 had  it.  If  it  had  been  of  no  further  authority  than  our  Decrees,  or  than  a  Canon 
 of  one  of  the  Councils,  it  had  been  presumption  to  have  brought  it  into  the  Library 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  sum  of  my  answer  is,  that  this  Decree  was  Divine,  and 
 not  Ecclesiastical  only.'  T.  C.  lib.  iii.  p.  193. 
 
42 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 tcrs  confirmed  the  same  which  Mordecai  had  before  de- 
 creed ;  and  that,  finally,  the  Ordinance  was  written  to  re- 
 main for  ever  upon  record  1  Did  not  the  Jews  in  provinces 
 abroad  observe  at  the  first  the  fourteenth  day,  the  Jews  in 
 Susis  the  fifteenth  ?  Were  they  not  all  reduced  to  a  uni- 
 form order  by  means  of  those  two  Decrees,  and  so  every 
 where  three  days  kept ;  the  first  with  fasting,  in  memory  of 
 danger ;  the  rest,  in  token  of  deliverance,  as  festival  and 
 joyful  days  ?  Was  not  the  first  of  these  three  afterwards, 
 the  day  of  sorrow  and  heaviness,  abrogated,  when  the  same 
 Church  saw  it  meet  that  a  better  day,  a  day  in  memory  of 
 
 0  Mac.  iite  deliverance  out  of  the  bloody  hands  of  Nicanor, 
 
 should  succeed  in  the  room  thereof?  But  forasmuch  as 
 there  is  no  end  of  answering  fruitless  oppositions,  let  it 
 suffice  men  of  sober  minds  to  know,  that  the  Law  both  of 
 God  and  Nature  alloweth  generally  days  of  rest  and  Fes- 
 tival-solemnity to  be  observed  by  way  of  thankful  and  joy- 
 ful remembrance,  if  such  miraculous  favours  be  shewed 
 towrards  mankind  as  require  the  same ;  that  such  graces 
 God  hath  bestowed  upon  his  Church,  as  well  in  latter  as  in 
 
 1  Mac.  former  times ;  that  in  some  particulars,  when  they  have 
 
 j5'  fallen  out,  himself  hath  demanded  his  own  honour,  and  in 
 the  rest  hath  left  it  to  the  wisdom  of  the  Church,  directed 
 by  those  precedents,  and  enlightened  by  other  means,  al- 
 ways to  judge  when  the  like  is  requisite.  About  questions 
 therefore  concerning  days  and  times,  our  manner  is  not  to 
 stand  at  bay  with  the  Church  of  God,  demanding  where- 
 fore the  memory  of  Paul*  should  be  rather  kept  than  the 
 memory  of  Daniel  :f  we  are  content  to  imagine,  it  may  be 
 perhaps  true,  that  the  least  in  the  Kingdom  of  Christ  is 
 greater  than  the  greatest  of  all  the  Prophets  of  God  that 
 have  gone  before ;  we  never  yet  saw  cause  to  despair,  but 
 that  the  simplest^:  of  the  people  might  be  taught  the  right 
 construction  of  as  great  mysteries  as  the  §name  of  a  Saint's 
 
 *  '  CommemoTatio  Apostolicas  Passionis,  totius  Christianitatis  magistra,  a  cun- 
 ctis  jure  celebratur.'  Cod.  lib.  iii.  tit.  12.  1.  7. 
 
 t  '  Forsomuch  as  the  old  people  did  never  keep  any  Feast  or  Holiday  for  re- 
 membrance, either  of  Moses,  &c.'  T.  C.  lib.  i.  p.  153. 
 
 $  '  The  people,  when  it  is  called  St.  Paul's  day,  or  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary's 
 day,  can  understand  nothing  thereby,  but  that  they  are  instituted  to  the  honour  of 
 St.  Paul,  or  the  Virgin  Mary,  unless  they  be  otherwise  taught.  And  if  you  say, 
 let  them  so  be  taught,  1  have  answered,  that  the  teaching  in  this  land  cannot,  by 
 any  order  which  is  yet  taken,  come  to  the  most  part  of  those  which  have  drunk 
 this  poison,  &c.'  T.  C.  lib.  i.  p.  153. 
 
 §  '  Scilicet  ignorant  nos  nec  Christum  unquam  relinquere,  qui  pro  totius  ser- 
 vandorum  mundi  salute  passus  est,  nec  alium  quempiam  colere  posse.  Nam 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 43 
 
 day  doth  comprehend,  although  the  times  of  the  year  go  on 
 in  their  wonted  course ;  we  had  rather  glorify  and  bless 
 God  for  the  fruit  we  daily  behold  reaped  by  such  Ordi- 
 nances, as  his  gracious  Spirit  maketh  the  ripe  wisdom  of 
 this  national  Church  to  bring  forth,  than  vainly  boast  of  our 
 own  peculiar  and  private  inventions,  as  if  the  skill  of  pro- 
 fitable regiment  had  left  her  public  habitation*  to  dwell  in 
 retired  manner  with  some  few  men  of  one  livery ;  we  make  t.  c. 
 not  our  childish  appeals,  sometimes  from  our  own  to  fo-  J;  '{Si 
 reign  Churches,  sometimes  from  both  unto  Churches  an- 
 cienter  than  both  are,  in  effect  always  from  all  others  to 
 our  own  selves ;  but,  as  becometh  them  that  follow  with 
 all  humility  the  ways  of  peace,  we  honour,  reverence,  and 
 obey,  in  the  very  next  degree  unto  God,  the  voice  of  the 
 Church  of  God  wherein  we  live.  They  whose  wits  are  too 
 glorious  to  fall  to  so  low  an  ebb,  they  which  have  risen 
 and  swollen  so  high  that  the  walls  of  ordinary  rivers  are 
 unable  to  keep  them  in,  they  whose  wanton  contentions  in 
 the  cause  whereof  we  have  spoken  do  make  all  where  they 
 go  a  sea,  even  they,  at  their  highest  float,  are  constrained 
 both  to  see  and  fgrant,  that  what  their  fancy  will  not  yield 
 to  like,  their  judgment  cannot  with  reason  condemn.  Such 
 is  evermore  the  final  victory  of  all  truth,  that  they  which 
 had  not  the  hearts  to  love  her,  acknowledge  that  to  hate 
 her  they  have  no  cause.  Touching  those  Festival-days 
 therefore  which  we  now  observe,  their  number  being  no 
 way  felt%  discommodious  to  the  Commonwealth,  and  their 
 grounds  such  as  hitherto  have  been  shewed ;  what  remain- 
 eth,  but  to  keep  them  throughout  all  generations  holy, 
 severed  by  manifest  notes  of  difference  from  other  times, 
 adorned  with  that  which  most  may  betoken  true,  virtuous, 
 and  celestial  joy  ?  To  which  intent,  because  surcease  from 
 labour  is  necessary,  yet  not  so  necessary,  no,  not  on  the 
 Sabbath  or  seventh  day  itself,  but  that  rarer  occasions  in 
 
 hunc  quidem  tanquam  Filium  Dei  adoramus,  martyres  vero  tanquam  discipulos  et 
 imitatores  Domini  digne  propter  insuperabilem  in  Regem  ipsorum  ac  Praeceptorem 
 benevolentiam  diligimus,  quorum  et  nos  consortes  et  discipulos  fieri  optamus.' 
 Euseb.  Hist.  Eccles.  lib.  iv.  cap.  15. 
 
 *  !  As  for  all  the  commodities,  &c.'  T.  C.  lib.  i.  p.  153. 
 
 t  '  We  condemn  not  the  Church  of  England,  neither  in  this,  nor  in  other  things, 
 which  are  meet  to  be  reformed.  For  it  is  one  thing  to  mislike,  another  thing  to 
 condemn  ;  and  it  is  one  thing  to  condemn  something  in  the  Church,  and  another 
 thing  to  condemn  the  Church  for  it.'  T.  C.  lib.  i.  p.  151. 
 
 X  noXXic  fj.lv  Sua-i'a;,  TroKXif  St  xa!  lEfOjotuvi'a;  inavaf  to  ts  ya£  7rXfiWov  tou  etou?  Si'c 
 ai-rct?  avuXi'o-KETo,  xa)  rS  Sn/xoa-i'iD  ty/xla  oux.  \\ayio-xri  iylywXQ.  De  Claudio  dictum 
 apud  Dion.  lib.  Is.  [c.15  p.  676.  cd.  Han.  1606.] 
 
44 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 men's  particular  affairs,  subject  to  manifest  detriment  un- 
 less they  be  presently  followed,  may  with  very  good  con- 
 science draw  them  sometime  aside  from  the  ordinary  rule, 
 considering  the  favourable  dispensation  which  our  Lord 
 Mark   an(j  Saviour  groundeth  on  this  axiom,  "  Man  was  not 
 Numb,  made  for  the  Sabbath,  but  the  Sabbath  ordained  for  man," 
 xv' 32,  so  far  forth  as  concerneth  Ceremonies  annexed  to  the  prin- 
 cipal sanctification  thereof,  howsoever  the  rigour  of  the 
 Law  of  Moses  may  be  thought  to  import  the  contrary ;  if 
 we  regard  with  what  severity  the  violation  of  Sabbaths 
 hath  been  sometime  punished,  a  thing  perhaps  the  more  re- 
 quisite at  that  instant,  both  because  the  Jews,  by  reason 
 of  their  long  abode  in  a  place  of  continual  servile  toil, 
 could  not  suddenly  be  weaned  and  drawn  unto  contrary 
 offices,  without  some  strong  impression  of  terror ;  and  also 
 for  that  there  is  nothing  more  needful,  than  to  punish  with 
 extremity  the  first  transgressions  of  those  Laws  that  re- 
 quire a  more  exact  observation  for  many  ages  to  come ; 
 therefore,  as  the  Jews,  superstitiously  addicted  to  their 
 Sabbaths' rest  for  along  time,*  not  without  danger  to  them- 
 selves and  obloquy  to  their  very  Law,  did  afterwards  per- 
 ceive and  amend  wisely  their  former  error,  not  doubting  that 
 mac.  bodily  labours  are  made  by  necessity  venial,  though  other- 
 wise,  especially  on  that  day,  rest  be  more  convenient ;  so  at 
 all  times,  the  voluntary  scandalous  contempt  of  that  rest 
 from  labour,  wherewith  publickly  God  is  served,  we  cannot 
 jmi.    too  severely  correct  and  bridle.    The  Emperor  Constantine 
 cod.    having  w  ith  over-great  facility  licensed  Sundays' labour  in 
 country  villages,  under  that  pretence,  whereof  there  may 
 i.  s.    justly  no  doubt  sometime  consideration  be  had,  namely,  lest 
 any  thing  which  God  by  his  providence  hath  bestowed  should 
 miscarry  not  being  taken  in  due  time  ;  Leo,  which  after- 
 wards saw  that  this  ground  would  not  bear  so  general  and 
 large  indulgence  as  had  been  granted,  doth  by  a  contrary 
 Leo     edict  both  reverse  and  severely  censure  his  predecessor's  re- 
 consht.  mjssness^  saying)  "  "We  ordain,  according  to  the  true  mean- 
 
 *  *  Hi  vacare  consueti  sunt  septima  die,  et  neque  anna  portare  in  pradictis 
 diebus,  neque  terra  culturam  contingere,  neque  alterius  cujuspiam  curam  habere 
 patiuntur,  sed  in  templis  extendentes  manus  adorare  usque  ad  vesperam  soliti 
 sunt.  Ingrediente  vero  in  civitatem  Ptolemaeo  Lago  cum  exercitu  et  multis  homi- 
 nibus,  cum  custodire  debuerint  civitatem,  ipsis  stultitiam  observantibus,  provincia 
 quidem  dominum  suscepit  amarissimum  ;  Lex  vero  manifestata  est  malam  habere 
 solennitatem.'  Agatharchid.  apud  Joseph,  lib.  i.  contra  Appion.  [c.  22.  ad  fin.] 
 Vide  et  Dion.  lib.  xxxvii. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 45 
 
 ing  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  the  Apostles  thereby  directed, 
 that  on  the  sacred  day,  wherein  our  own  integrity  was 
 restored,  all  do  rest  and  surcease  labour;  that  neither 
 husbandman,  nor  other,  on  that  day  put  their  hands  to 
 forbidden  works.  For,  if  the  Jews  did  so  much  reverence 
 their  Sabbath,  which  was  but  a  shadow  of  ours,  are  not 
 we  which  inhabit  the  light  and  truth  of  grace,  bound  to 
 honour  that  day  which  the  Lord  himself  hath  honoured, 
 and  hath  therein  delivered  us  both  from  dishonour  and 
 from  death  ?  Are  we  not  bound  to  keep  it  singular  and 
 inviolable,  well  contenting  ourselves  with  so  liberal  a  grant 
 of  the  rest,  and  not  encroaching  upon  that  one  day  which 
 God  hath  chosen  to  his  own  honour?  Were  it  not  reck- 
 less neglect  of  Religion  to  make  that  very  day  common,  t.c. 
 and  to  think  we  may  do  with  it  as  with  the  rest?"  Imperial  tit.  1"" 
 Laws  which  had  such  care  of  hallowing,  especially  our  fj£* 
 Lord's-day,  did  not  omit  to  provide  that  other  Festival- 
 times  might  be  kept  with  vacation  from  labour,  whether 
 they  were  days  appointed  on  the  sudden,  as  extraordinary 
 occasions  fell  out,  or  days  which  were  celebrated  yearly 
 for  politic  and  civil  considerations ;  or,  finally,  such  days 
 as  Christian  Religion  hath  ordained  in  God's  Church. 
 The  joy  that  setteth  aside  labour,  disperseth  those  things 
 which  labour  gathereth.  For  gladness  doth  always  rise 
 from  a  kind  of  fruition  and  happiness,  which  happiness 
 banisheth  the  cogitation  of  all  want,  it  needeth  nothing 
 but  only  the  bestowing  of  that  it  hath,  inasmuch  as  the 
 greatest  felicity  that  felicity  hath,  is  to  spread  and  enlarge 
 itself.  It  cometh  hereby  to  pass,  that  the  first  effect  of  joy- 
 fulness  is  to  rest,  because  it  seeketh  no  more  ;  the  next, 
 because  it  aboundeth,  to  give.  The  root  of  both  is  the 
 glorious  presence  of  that  joy  of  mind,  which  ariseth  from 
 the  manifold  considerations  of  God's  unspeakable  mercy, 
 into  which  considerations  we  are  led  by  occasion  of  sacred 
 times.  For,  how  could  the  Jewish  congregations  of  old 
 be  put  in  mind  by  their  weekly  Sabbaths  what  the  world 
 reaped  through  his  goodness,  which  did  of  nothing  create 
 the  world ;  by  their  yearly  Passover,  what  farewell  they 
 took  of  the  land  of  Egypt;  by  their  Pentecost,  what  Ordi- 
 nances, Laws,  and  Statutes  their  fathers  received  at  the 
 hands  of  God ;  by  their  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  with  what 
 protection  they  journeyed  from  place  to  place,  through  so 
 
46 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITV. 
 
 many  tears  and  hazards,  during  the  tedious  time  of  forty 
 years'  travel  in  the  Wilderness ;  by  their  annual  Solemnity 
 of  Lots,  how  near  the  whole  seed  of  Israel  was  unto  utter 
 extirpation,  when  it  pleased  that  great  God,  which  guideth 
 all  things  in  Heaven  and  earth,  so  to  change  the  counsels 
 and  purposes  of  men,  that  the  same  hand  which  had  signed 
 a  Decree,  in  the  opinion  both  of  them  that  granted  and  of 
 them  that  procured  it,  irrevocable,  for  the  general  mas- 
 sacre of  man,  woman,  and  child,  became  the  buckler  of 
 their  preservation,  that  no  hair  of  their  heads  might  be 
 touched  ;  the  same  days  which  had  been  set  for  the  pour- 
 ing out  of  so  much  innocent  blood,  were  made  the  days 
 of  their  execution  whose  malice  had  contrived  the  plot 
 thereof;  and  the  self-same  persons  that  should  have  en- 
 dured whatsoever  violence  and  rage  could  offer,  were  em- 
 ployed in  the  just  revenge  of  cruelty,  to  give  unto  blood- 
 thirsty men  the  taste  of  their  own  cup ;  or  how  can  the 
 Church  of  Christ  now  endure  to  be  so  much  called  on, 
 watt    and  preached  unto,  by  that  which  every  Dominical  day 
 Mark  1  throughout  the  year,  that  which  year  by  year  so  many 
 Festival-times,  if  not  commanded  by  the  Apostles  them- 
 xxw.  i.  selves,*  whose  care  at  that  time  was  of  greater  things,  yet 
 x°.  i.   instituted  either  by  such  universal  authority  as  no  man,f 
 ^j0*1  or  at  the  least  such  as  we  with  no  reason  may  despise, 
 Apoc.   doth,  as  sometime  the  holy  Angels  did  from  Heaven,  sing, 
 Luke    "  Glory  be  unto  God  on  high,  peace  on  earth,  towards 
 "-14,   men  good  will"  (for  this  in  effect  is  the  very  song  that  all 
 Christian  Feasts  do  apply  as  their  several  occasions  re- 
 quire); how  should  the  days  and  times  continually  thus 
 inculcate  what  God  hath  done,  and  we  refuse  to  agnize  the 
 benefit  of  such  remembrances;  that  very  benefit  which 
 caused  Moses  to  acknowledge  those  guides  of  day  and 
 night,  the  sun  and  moon,  which  enlighten  the  world,  not 
 more  profitable  to  Nature  by  giving  all  things  life,  than 
 they  are  to  the  Church  of  God  by  occasion  of  the  use  they 
 have  in  regard  of  the  appointed  Festival-times?  That  which 
 
 •  '  Apostolis  propositum  fuit,  non  ut  leges  de  festis  diebus  celebrandis  san- 
 cirent ;  sed  ut  recte  vivendi  rationis  et  pietatis  nobis  auctores  essent.'  Socrat. 
 Hist.  lib.  v.  cap.  21. 
 
 t  '  Quse  toto  terrarum  orbe  servantur,  vel  ab  ipsis  Apostolis,  vel  Conciliis  gene- 
 Talibus  quorum  est  salubenima  in  Ecclesia  auctoritas,  statuta  esse  intelligere 
 licet ;  sicuti  quod  Domini  Passio,  etResurrectio,  et  in  caelum  Ascensus,  et  Adven- 
 tus  Spiritus  Sancti,  anniversaria  solennitate  celebrantur.'  August.  Epist.  crviii. 
 [al.  liv.  c.  1.] 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 47 
 
 the  head  of  all  Philosophers  hath  said  of  women,  fl  If  they 
 be  good,  the  half  of  the  Commonwealth  is  happy  wherein 
 they  are  ;"  the  same  we  may  fitly  apply  to  times  ;  well  to 
 celebrate  these  religious  and  sacred  days,  is  to  spend  the 
 flower  of  our  time  happily.  They  are  the  splendour  and 
 outward  dignity  of  our  Religion,  forcible  witnesses  of 
 ancient  truth,  provocations  to  the  exercises  of  all  piety, 
 shadows  of  our  endless  felicity  in  Heaven,  on  earth  ever- 
 lasting records  and  memorials ;  wherein  they  which  can- 
 not be  drawn  to  hearken  unto  that  we  teach,  may  only 
 by  looking  upon  that  we  do,  in  a  manner  read  whatsoever 
 we  believe. 
 
 72.  The  matching  of  contrary  things  together  is  a  kind  of  da>s 
 of  illustration  to  both.    Having  therefore  spoken  thusedas 
 much  of  Festival-days,  the  next  that  offer  themselves  to  „rd|nf°.r 
 hand  are  the  days  of  pensive  humiliation  and  sorrow.  ry;raa50[or 
 Fastings  are  either  of  men's  own  free  and  voluntary  accord,  dinary 
 as  their  particular  devotion  doth  move  them  thereunto ;  or  ^a*ein 
 else  they  are  publickly  enjoined  in  the  Church,  and  required  ^'^roCj 
 at  the  hands  of  all  men.   There  are  which  altogether  dis- 
 allow not  the  former  kind;*  and  the  latter  they  greatly 
 commend,  so  that  it  be  upon  extraordinary  occasions  only, 
 and  after  one  certain  manner  exercised.    But  yearly  or 
 weekly  Fasts,  such  as  ours  in  the  Church  of  England,  they 
 allow  no  further  than  as  the  temporal  state  of  the  land  doth 
 require  the  same,  for  the  maintenance  of  seafaring  men 
 and  preservation  of  cattle  ;  because  the  decay  of  the  one, 
 and  the  waste  of  the  other,  could  not  well  be  prevented 
 but  by  a  politic  order  appointing  some  such  usual  change 
 of  diet  as  ours  is.    We  are,  therefore,  the  rather  to  make 
 
 *  '  I  will  not  enter  now  to  discuss,  whether  it  were  well  done  to  fast  in  all 
 places  according  to  the  custom  of  the  place.  You  oppose  Ambrose  and  Augustine  ; 
 I  could  oppose  Ignatius  and  Tertullian  ;  whereof  the  one  saith,  It  is  vefas,  a 
 detestable  thing  to  fast  upon  the- Lord's  day ;  the  other,  that  it  is  to  kill  the  Lord. 
 Tertull .  de  Coron.  Mil.  [c.  3J  Ignatius,  Epist.  ad  Philippen.  [c.  13.]  And  al- 
 though Ambrose  and  Augustine,  being  private  men  at  Rome,  would  have  so 
 done  ;  yet  it  followeth  not,  that  if  they  had  been  Citizens  and  Ministers  there, 
 they  would  have  done  it.  And  if  they  had  done  so,  yet  it  followeth  not,  but  that 
 they  would  have  spoken  against  that  appointment  of  days,  and  n/xoBta-iav  of  fast- 
 ing, whereof  Eusebius  saith,  that  Montanus  was  the  first  author.  I  speak  of  that 
 which  they  ought  to  have  done.  For  otherwise  I  know,  they  both  thought  cor- 
 ruptly of  Fasting ;  -when  as  the  one  saith,  it  was  a  remedy  or  reward  to  fast 
 other  days,  but  in  Lent  not  to  fast  was  sin  ;  and  the  other  asketh,  what  salvation 
 we  can  obtain,  if  we  blot  not  out  sins  by  fasting,  seeing  that  the  Scripture  saith, 
 That  Fasting  and  Alms  do  deliver  from  sin;  and  therefore  calleth  them  new 
 teachers,  that  shut  out  the  merit  of  Fasting.  August,  de  Temp.  lxii.  Serm.  [al. 
 serm.  142.  §.  1.  Append.]  Ambr.  lib.  x.  Epist.  [al.  ep.  63.  §.  16.  17.]'  T.  C. 
 lib.  i.  p.  30. 
 
48 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 it  manifest  in  all  men's  eyes,  that  set  times  of  Fasting, 
 appointed  in  spiritual  considerations  to  be  kept  by  all 
 sorts  of  men,  took  not  their  beginning  either  from  Mon- 
 tanus,  or  any  other  whose  Heresies  may  prejudice  the 
 credit  and  due  estimation  thereof,  but  have  their  ground 
 in  the  Law  of  Nature,  are  allowable  in  God's  sight,  were 
 in  all  ages  heretofore,  and  may  till  the  world's  end  be  ob- 
 served, not  without  singular  use  and  benefit.  Much  hurt 
 hath  grown  to  the  Church  of  God  through  a  false  imagina- 
 tion that  Fasting  standeth  men  in  no  stead  for  any  spiritual 
 respect,  but  only  to  take  down  the  frankness  of  nature, 
 and  to  tame  the  wildness  of  flesh.  Whereupon  the  world 
 being  bold  to  surfeit,  doth  now  blush  to  fast,  supposing 
 that  men  when  they  fast,  do  rather  bewray  a  disease  than 
 exercise  a  virtue.  I  much  wonder  what  they  who  are 
 thus  persuaded  do  think,  what  conceit  they  have  concern- 
 ing the  Fasts  of  the  Patriarchs,  the  Prophets,  the  Apostles, 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself.  The  affections  of  joy  and 
 grief  are  so  knit  unto  all  the  actions  of  man's  life,  that 
 whatsoever  we  can  do,  or  may  be  done  unto  us,  the  sequel 
 thereof  is  continually  the  one  or  the  other  affection. 
 Wherefore,  considering  that  they  which  grieve  and  joy  as 
 they  ought,  cannot  possibly  otherwise  live  than  as  they 
 should,  the  Church  of  Christ,  the  most  absolute  and  perfect 
 school  of  all  virtue,  hath,  by  the  special  direction  of  God's 
 good  Spirit,  hitherto  always  inured  men  from  their  infancy, 
 partly  with  days  of  Festival-exercise  for  the  framing  of  the 
 one  affection,  and  partly  with  times  of  a  contrary  sort 
 for  the  perfecting  of  the  other.  Howbeit,  over  and  besides 
 this,  we  must  note,  that  as  resting,  so  Fasting  likewise, 
 attendeth  sometimes  no  less  upon  the  actions  of  the  higher 
 than  upon  the  affections  of  the  lower  part  of  the  mind. 
 Fasting  (saith  Tertullian)  is  a  work  of  reverence  towards 
 God.  The  end  thereof,  sometimes  elevation  of  mind  ; 
 sometimes  the  purpose  thereof  clean  contrary.  The  cause 
 why  Moses  in  the  Mount  did  so  long  fast,  was  mere 
 divine  speculation ;  the  cause  why  David,  humiliation.* 
 Our  life  is  a  mixture  of  good  with  evil.f    When  we  are 
 
 *  '  Neque  enim  cibi  tempus  in  periculo  :  semper  inedia  moeroris  sequela  est.' 
 Tertull.  de  Jejun.  fc.  7.] 
 
 t  MhJei;  J'  i7roXa^ETo;  tr,t  axga-rov  xai  i/xiyrj  \imt  XaS*v  °L7r'  °"Pavei"  naTaBahitv  tirl 
 rhv  yw,  aXX'  EyxEXjaTai  t£  a/jL<po~v.  ou  yap  liao-vi  i  tta-np  to  kifotaivw  yivof  'kiirm$  not 
 oJuvai;  xai  a^Eny  aviaTot;  IjUfEpss-flai,  7r*pi(jti%e  $6  xai  tS;  a/afi'wo;  "fweaf,  tihio-ai 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 49 
 
 partakers  of  good  things,  we  joy;  neither  can  we  but 
 grieve  at  the  contrary.    If  that  befall  us  which  makcth 
 glad,  our  Festival-solemnities  declare  our  rejoicing  to  be 
 in  him,  whose  mere  undeserved  mercy  is  the  author  of  all 
 happiness;  if  any  thing  be  either  imminent  or  present 
 which  we  shun,  our  watchings,  fastings,  cries,  and  tears, 
 are  unfeigned  testimonies  that  ourselves  we  condemn  as 
 the  only  causes  of  our  own  misery,  and  do  all  acknowledge 
 him  no  less  inclinable  than  able  to  save.    And  because  as 
 the  memory  of  the  one,  though  past,  reneweth  gladness ; 
 so  the  other,  called  again  to  mind,  doth  make  the  wound 
 of  our  just  remorse  to  bleed  anew ;  which  wound  needeth 
 often  touching  the  more,  for  that  we  are  generally  more 
 apt  to  calendar  Saints'  than  sinners'  days  ;  therefore,  there 
 is  in  the  Church  a  care  not  to  iterate  the  one  alone,  but  to 
 have  frequent  repetition  of  the  other.    Never  to  seek  after 
 God  saving  only  when  either  the  crib  or  the  whip  doth 
 constrain,  were  brutish  servility,  and  a  great  derogation  to 
 the  worth  of  that  which  is  most  predominant  in  man,  if 
 sometime  it  had  not  a  kind  of  voluntary  access  to 
 God,  and  of  conference,  as  it  were,  with  God,  all  these 
 inferior  considerations  laid  aside.    In  which  sequestra- 
 tion, forasmuch  as  higher  cogitations  do  naturally  drown  J°'in 
 and  bury  all  inferior  cares,  the  mind  may  as  well  forget"' 
 natural  both  food  and   sleep,  by  being  carried  above 
 itself  with  serious  and  heavenly  meditation,  as  by  being 
 cast  down  with  heaviness,  drowned  and  swallowed  up  of 
 sorrow.    Albeit,  therefore,  concerning  Jewish  abstinence 
 from  certain  kinds  of  meats  as  being  unclean,  the  Apostle 
 doth  teach,  that  "  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  not  meat  nor  Rom- 
 drink,"  that  "  food  commendeth  us  not  unto  God,"  whether  x'v' 1 
 we  take  it,  or  abstain  from  it ;  that  if  we  eat,  we  are  not 
 thereby  the  more  acceptable  in  his  sight ;  nor  the  less,  if 
 we  eat  not;  his  purpose,  notwithstanding,  was  far  from  any 
 intent  to  derogate  from  that  Fasting,  which  is  no  such 
 scrupulous  abstinence  as  only  refuseth  some  kinds  of 
 meats  and  drinks,  lest  they  make  them  unclean  that  taste 
 them;  but  an  abstinence  whereby  we  either  interrupt  or 
 otherwise  abridge  the  care  of  our  bodily  sustenance,  to 
 shew  by  this  kind  of  outward  exercise  the  serious  intention 
 
 mri  x,a\  yaXmtatrat  rhv  4"X'IV  Philo  de  Abraham  [vol.  ii.  p.  29.  ed. 
 
 Mang.] 
 
 VOL.  II.  E 
 
.50 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  TOLITV. 
 
 of  our  minds  fixed  on  heavenlier  and  better  desires,  the 
 earnest  hunger  and  thirst  whereof  dcpriveth  the  body  of 
 those  usual  contentments,  which  otherwise  are  not  denied 
 unto  it.  These  being  in  nature  the  first  causes  that  induce 
 Fasting,  the  next  thing  which  followeth  to  be  considered,  is 
 the  ancient  practice  thereof  amongst  the  Jews.  Touching 
 whose  private  voluntary  Fasts  the  precept  which  our 
 vM6  Saviour  gave  them  was,  "When  ye  fast,  look  not  sour, 
 as  hypocrites:  for  they  disfigure  their  faces,  that  they 
 might  seem  to  men  to  fast.  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
 they  have  their  reward.  When  thou  fastest,  anoint 
 thy  head,  and  wash  thy  face,  that  thou  seem  not  unto 
 men  to  fast,  but  unto  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret; 
 and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret,  will  reward  thee 
 openly."  Our  Lord  and  Saviour  would  not  teach  the 
 manner  of  doing,  much  less  propose  a  reward  for  doing 
 that  which  were  not  both  holy  and  acceptable  in  God's 
 sight.  The  Pharisees  weekly  bound  themselves  unto 
 double  Fasts,  neither  are  they  for  this  reproved.  Often 
 Fasting,  which  was  a  virtue  in  John's  Disciples,  could 
 not  in  them  of  itself  be  a  vice ;  and,  therefore,  not 
 the  oftenness  of  their  Fasting,  but  their  hypocrisy  there- 
 LC'jeT  *n'  was  '^ame(^'  public  enjoined  Fasts,  upon  causes 
 xxxvi.  extraordinary,  the  examples  in  Scripture  are  so  far  fre- 
 vul  quent,  that  they  need  no  particular  rehearsal.  Public 
 isam.  extraordinary  Fastings  were  sometimes   for  one  only 
 
 vii,        .  - 
 
 judg.    day,  sometimes  for  three,  sometimes  for  seven.  Touch- 
 2m!c'.         Fasts  not  appointed  for  any  such  extraordinary 
 fs'm'  causcs>  Du*  either  yearly,  or  monthly,  or  weekly  observed 
 xxxi.  13.  and  kept ;  first,  upon  the  ninth  day  of  that  month,*  the 
 ^mT*  tenth  whereof  was  the  Feast  of  Expiation,  they  were  com- 
 Levit.    manded  of  God  that  every  soul,  year  by  year,  should  afflict 
 levii.    itself.    Their  yearly  Fasts  every  fourth  month,  in  regard 
 XVI'     of  the  city  of  Jerusalem  entered  by  the  enemy ;  every  fifth, 
 for  the  memory  of  the  overthrow  of  their  Temple;  every 
 seventh,  for  the  treacherous  destruction   and  death  of 
 Gedaliah,  the  very  last  stay  which  they  had  to  lean  unto 
 in  their  greatest  misery ;  every  tenth,  in  remembrance  of 
 
 *  Philo  (le  lmjus  festi  jejunio  ita  loquitur  :  Ou  orn'ov,  ou  ttotov  e^es-ti  TTfOff-Evtyxas-flai, 
 xttSafat?  SVwc  Siavoi'aiJ,  /ohiSevoc  evo^Xouvtoj  /auSe  I^TroSi^oVTo?  <ro>/Aa.TMo'j  TTa&ws,  oiroia 
 <pi\£t  o-v/tBalmv  in  TrXns-jttovnf,  E0£Ta£aj<riv  iXcurxo^uEvoi  tov  ma.iigci  tov  Trav-ri?  oViaic Eup^aTc 
 Si  «  iy.na'r'ia.v  fxiv  irahiuiev  apagTVfAaTwv,  xtw-iv  Si  xai  «7roXava"iv  veuv  ayaBuv  ilajSai-iv 
 altcio-Qau    P.  447. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 51 
 
 the  time  when  siege  began  first  to  be  laid  against  them : 
 all  these  not  commanded  by  God  himself,  but  ordained  by 
 a  public  Constitution  of  their  own,  the  Prophet  Zachary 
 expressly  toucheth.    That  St.  Jerome,  following  the  tra-  Erod. 
 dition  of  the  Hebrews,  doth  make  the  first  a  memorial  of 
 the  breaking  of  those  two  Tables,  when  Moses  descended  X1T- 
 from  Mount  Sinai ;  the  second,  a  memorial  as  well  of 
 God's  indignation,  condemning  them  to  forty  years'  travel 
 in  the  Desert,  as  of  his  wrath  in  permitting  Chaldeans  to 
 waste,  burn,  and  destroy  their  city;  the  last  a  memorial  of 
 heavy  tidings,  brought  out  of  Jewry  to  Ezekiel  and  the  rest, 
 which  lived  as  captives  in  foreign  parts :  the  difference 
 is  not  of  any  moment,  considering  that  each  time  of  sorrow 
 is  naturally  evermore  a  register  of  all  such  grievous  events 
 as  have  happened  either  in,  or  near  about,  the  same  time. 
 To  these  I  might  add  sundry  other  Fasts,  about  twenty  in  v|<«e 
 number,  ordained  amongst  them  by  like  occasions,  and  ob-  m."' 
 served  in  like  manner,  besides  their  weekly  abstinence, cap- SL 
 Mondays  and  Thursdays,  throughout  the  whole  year. 
 When  men  fasted,  it  was  not  always  after  one  and  the  same 
 sort ;  but  either  by  depriving  themselves  wholly  of  all  food 
 during  the  time  that  their  Fasts  continued,  or  by  abating 
 both  the  quantity  and  kind  of  diet.    We  have  of  the  one 
 a  plain  example  in  the  Ninevites'  fasting,  and  as  plain  a 
 precedent  for  the  other  in  the  Prophet  Daniel ;  "  I  was  jpan- *• 
 (saith  he)  in  heaviness  for  three  weeks  of  days ;  I  ate  no  ' 
 pleasant  bread,  neither  tasted  flesh  nor  wine."   Their  ta- 
 bles, when  they  gave  themselves  to  fasting,  had  not  that 
 usual  furniture  of  such  dishes  as  do  cherish  blood  with 
 blood ;  but  for  food,*  they  had  bread  ;  for  suppage,  salt ; 
 and  for  sauce,  herbs.    Whereunto  the  Apostles  may  be 
 thought  to  allude,  saying,  "  One  believeth  he  may  eat  all  ^°m^ 
 things,  another  which  is  weak  (and  maketh  a  conscience  of  Hienra. 
 keeping  those  customs  which  the  Jews  observe)  eateth  ^ntr." 
 herbs."    This  austere  repast  they  took  in  the  evening  after  j,°v1i°ian' 
 abstinence  the  whole  day :  for  to  forfeit  a  noon's  meal,  and  coi.  210. 
 then  to  recompense  themselves  at  night,  was  not  their  use ; 
 nor  did  they  ever  accustom  themselves  on  Sabbaths,  or  y,'"-6- 
 
 .  J  '         R.  Mos. 
 
 Festival-days,  to  fast.    And  yet  it  may  be  a  question,  in  Misne. 
 
 *  *  Puram  et  sine  animalibus  coenam.'  Apul.  in  Asclep.  in  fin.  '  Pastum  et 
 potum  pura  nosse,  non  ventris  scilicet,  sed  anima  causa.'  Tertul.  de  Pocnit.  [c.  9.] 
 Vide  Phil,  lib,  de  vita  contempl. 
 
 E  2 
 
52 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 lTblii  w  hether  in  some  sort  they  did  not  always  fast  the  Sabhath. 
 Qui  est  Their  Fastings  were  partly  in  token  of  penitency,  humili- 
 por.'ap.  ation,  grief,  and  sorrow,  partly  in  sign  of  devotion  and 
 desab.  reverence  towards  God.    Which  second  consideration  (I 
 
 etcap.  V 
 
 dejejun.  dare  not  peremptorily  and  boldly  affirm  any  thing)  might 
 induce  to  abstain  till  noon,  as  their  manner  was  on  Fasting- 
 days  to  do  till  night.    May  it  not  very  well  be  thought, 
 Nehem.  ^at  hereunto  the  sacred  Scripture  doth  give  some  secret 
 12.      kind  of  testimony?  Josephus  is  plain,  that  the  sixth  hour* 
 (the  day  they  divided  into  twelve)  was  wont  on  the  Sabbath 
 always  to  call  them  home  unto  meat.    Neither  is  it  impro- 
 bable, but  that  the  Heathens  did  therefore  so  often  upbraid 
 them  with  fasting  on  that  day.f    Besides,  they  which  found 
 so  great  fault  with  our  Lord's  Disciples,  for  rubbing  a  few 
 ears  of  corn  in  their  hands  on  the  Sabbath-day,  are  not  un- 
 likely to  have  aimed  also  at  the  same  mark.    For  neither 
 was  the  bodily  pain  so  great,  that  it  should  offend  them  in 
 that  respect,  and  the  very  manner  of  defence  which  our 
 Saviour  there  useth,  is  more  direct  and  literal  to  justify  the 
 breach  of  the  Jewish  custom  in  Fasting,  than  in  Avorking  at 
 that  time.    Finally,  the  Apostles  afterwards  themselves, 
 when  God  first  gave  them  the  gift  of  tongues,  whereas  some 
 in  disdain  and  spite  termed  grace  drunkenness,  it  being  then 
 the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  but  only  a  fourth  part  of  the  day 
 spent,  they  use  this  as  an  argument  against  the  other  cavil, 
 Acu     «  These  men  (saith  Peter)  are  not  drunk,  as  you  suppose, 
 since  as  yet  the  third  hour  of  the  day  is  not  overpast." 
 Howbeit,  leaving  this  in  suspence,  as  a  thing  not  altogether 
 certainly  known,  and  to  come  from  Jews  to  Christians,  we 
 icor.   fin(j  tfiat  0f  private  voluntary  Fastings  the  Apostle  St. 
 ecor.   Paul  speaketh  more  than  once.    And  (saith  Tertullian) 
 xi'  c'y.   they  are  sometime  commanded  throughout  the  Church, 
 coi.     «  j?x  aliqua  sollicitudinis  Ecclesiastical  causa,"  the  care 
 and  fear  of  theChurch  so  requiring.    It  doth  not  appear, 
 that  the  Apostles  ordained  any  set  and  certain  days  to  be 
 generally  kept  of  all.     Notwithstanding,  forasmuch  as 
 Christ  hath  foresignified,  than  when  himself  should  be 
 taken  from  them,  his  absence  would  soon  make  them  apt 
 
 *  '  Hora  sexta,  quae  Sabbatis  nostiis  ad  prandium  vocare  solet,  supervenit.' 
 Joseph,  lib.  de  Vita  sua  [§.  .54.] 
 
 t  '  Sabbata  Judaeorum  a  Mose  in  orrme  a?vum  jejunio  dicata.'  Justin,  lib.  xxxvi. 
 [c.  2.]  '  Ne  JudsEus  quidem,  mi  Tiberi,  tarn  libenter  Sabbati  jejunium  servat, 
 quam  ego  bodie  servavi.'    Sueton.  in  Octav.  cap.  76. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 53 
 
 to  fast,  it  sccmeth,  that  even  as  the  first  Festival-day  ap- 
 pointed to  be  kept  of  the  Church  was  the  day  of  our  Lord's 
 return  from  the  dead,  so  the  first  sorrowful  and  mournful 
 day  was  that  which  we  now  observe  in  memory  of  his  de- 
 parture out  of  this  world.  And  because  there  could  be  no 
 abatement  of  grief  till  they  saw  him  raised,  whose  death 
 was  the  occasion  of  their  heaviness ;  therefore,  the  day  he 
 lay  in  the  sepulchre  hath  been  also  kept  and  observed  as  a 
 weeping  day.  The  custom  of  Fasting  these  two  days  before 
 Easter,  is  undoubtedly  most  ancient:  insomuch  that  Igna-  ignat. 
 tius,  not  thinking  him  a  Catholic  Christian  man  which  did  phuip." 
 not  abhor,  and  (as  the  state  of  the  Church  was  then)  avoid  [t- 13  ] 
 fasting  on  the  Jews'  Sabbath,  doth  notwithstanding  except 
 for  ever  that  one  Sabbath  or  Saturday  which  falleth  out  to 
 be  the  Easter-eve,  as  with  us  it  always  doth,  and  did  some- 
 times also  with  them  which  kept  at  that  time  their  Easter 
 the  fourteenth  day  of  March,  as  the  custom  of  the  Jews 
 was.  It  came  afterwards  to  be  an  Order,  that  even  as  the 
 day  of  Christ's  Resurrection,  so  the  other  two,  in  memory 
 of  his  death  and  burial,  were  weekly.  But  this,  when  St. 
 Ambrose  lived,  had  not  as  yet  taken  place  throughout  all 
 Churches,  no  not  in  Milan,  where  himself  was  Bishop. 
 And  for  that  cause  he  saith,  that  although  at  Rome  he  ob- 
 served the  Saturday's  Fast,  because  such  was  then  the 
 custom  in  Rome,  nevertheless  in  his  own  Church  at  home 
 he  did  otherwise.  The  Churches  which  did  not  observe 
 that  day,  had  another  instead  thereof,  which  was  the  Wed- 
 nesday, for  that  when  they  judged  it  meet  to  have  weekly  a 
 day  of  humiliation,  besides  that  whereon  our  Saviour  suf- 
 fered death,  it  seemed  best  to  make  their  choice  of  that  day 
 especially,  whereon  the  Jews  are  thought  to  have  first  con- 
 trived their  treason,  together  with  Judas,  against  Christ. 
 So  that  the  instituting  and  ordaining  both  of  these,  and 
 of  all  other  times  of  like  exercise,  is  as  the  Church  shall 
 judge  expedient  for  men's  good.  And  concerning  every 
 Christian  man's  duty  herein,  surely  that  which  Augustine 
 and  Ambrose  are  before  alleged  to  have  done,  is  such  as 
 all  men  favouring  equity  must  needs  allow  and  follow,  if 
 they  affect  peace.  As  for  their  specified  errors,  I  will  not 
 in  this  place  dispute,  whether  voluntary  Fasting  with  a  vir- 
 tuous purpose  of  mind,  be  any  mcdicinable  remedy  of  evil, 
 or  a  duty  acceptable  unto  God,  and  in  the  world  to  come 
 
54 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 even  rewardable  as  other  offices  are  which  proceed  from 
 Christian  piety ;  whether  wilfully  to  break  and  despise  the 
 wholesome  Laws  of  the  Church  herein,  be  a  thing  which 
 offendeth  God;  whether  truly  it  may  not  be  said,  that  pe- 
 nitent both  weeping  and  fasting  are  means  to  blot  out  sin, 
 means  whereby  through  God's  unspeakable  and  undeserved 
 mercy  we  obtain  or  procure  ourselves  pardon;  which  at- 
 tainment unto  any  gracious  benefit  by  him  bestowed,  the 
 phrase  of  antiquity  useth  to  express  by  the  name  of  Merit ; 
 but  if  either  St.  Augustine  or  St.  Ambrose  have  taught  any 
 wrong  opinion,  seeing  they  which  reprove  them  are  not  alto- 
 gether free  from  error,  I  hope  they  will  think  it  no  error  in 
 us  so  to  censure  men's  smaller  faults,  that  their  virtues  be 
 not  thereby  generally  prejudiced.  And,  if  in  Churches 
 abroad,  where  we  are  subject  not  to  power  or  jurisdiction, 
 discretion  should  teach  us  for  peace  and  quietness'  sake 
 to  frame  ourselves  to  other  men's  example,  is  it  meet  that 
 at  home,  where  our  freedom  is  less,  our  boldness  should  be 
 more?  Is  it  our  duty  to  oppugn,  in  the  Churches  whereof 
 wre  are  Ministers,  the  Rites  and  Customs  which  in  foreign 
 Churches  piety  and  modesty  did  teach  us  as  strangers  not 
 to  oppugn,  but  to  keep  without  show  of  contradiction  or 
 dislike  ?  Why  oppose  they  the  name  of  a  Minister  in  this 
 case  unto  the  state  of  a  private  man?  Doth  their  Order 
 exempt  them  from  obedience  to  Laws  ?  That  which  their 
 office  and  place  requireth,  is  to  shew  themselves  patterns  of 
 reverend  subjection,  not  authors  and  masters  of  contempt 
 towards  Ordinances;  the  strength  whereof  when  they  seek 
 to  weaken,  they  do  but  in  truth  discover  to  the  world  their 
 own  imbecilities,  which  a  great  deal  wiselier  they  might 
 conceal.  But  the  practice  of  the  Church  of  Christ  we  shall 
 by  so  much  the  better  both  understand  and  love,  if  to  that 
 which  hitherto  hath  been  spoken  there  be  somewhat  added 
 for  more  particular  declaration,  how  Heretics  have  partly 
 abused  Fasts,  and  partly  bent  themselves  against  the  lawful 
 use  thereof  in  the  Church  of  God.  Whereas  therefore  Ig- 
 natius hath  said,  if  any  keep  Sundays' or  Saturdays' Fasts* 
 (one  only  Saturday  in  the  year  excepted),  that  man  is  no 
 better  than  a  murderer  of  Christ;  the  cause  of  such  his 
 earnestness  at  that  time  was  the  impiety  of  certain  Here- 
 
 Epist.  ad  Philip,  [c.  13.] 
 
JiOOK  V. 
 
 55 
 
 tics,  whicht  bought  that  this  world  being  corruptible  could  vide 
 not  be  made  but  by  a  very  evil  author.    And  therefore  as  ub.  i. 
 the  Jews  did,  by  the  Festival-solemnity  of  their  Sabbath,  20-25. 
 rejoice  in  the  God  that  created  the  world,  as  in  the  author  EP'Ph- 
 of  all  goodness ;  so  those  Heretics,  in  hatred  of  the  Maker  co-24. 
 of  the  world,  sorrowed,  wept,  and  fasted  on  that  day,  as^'^r* 
 being  the  birthday  of  all  evil.    And  as  Christian  men  of'™* 
 sound  belief  did  solemnize  the  Sunday  in  joyful  memory  of  APOSt. 
 Christ's  Resurrection,  so  likewise  at  the  self-same  time  5 ' 
 such  Heretics  as  denied  his  Resurrection  did  the  contrary 
 to  them  which  held  it;  when  the  one  sort  rejoiced,  the 
 other  fasted.    Against  those  Heretics  which  have  urged 
 perpetual  abstinence  from  certain  meats,  as  being  in  their 
 very  nature  unclean,  the  Church  hath  still  bent  herself  as  an 
 enemy ;  St.  Paul  giving  charge  to  take  heed  of  them,  which, 
 under  any  such  opinion,  should  utterly  forbid  the  use  of 
 meats  or  drinks.    The  Apostles  themselves  forbade  some, 
 as  the  Order  taken  at  Jerusalem  declareth  ;  but  the  cause 
 of  their  so  doing  we  all  know.    Again,  when  Tertullian, 
 together  with  such  as  were  his  followers,  began  to  Monta- 
 nize,  and  pretending  to  perfect  the  severity  of  Christian 
 Discipline,  brought  in  sundry  unaccustomed  days  of  fast- 
 ing, continued  their  Fasts  a  great  deal  longer,  and  made 
 them  more  rigorous  than  the  use  of  the  Church  had  been ; 
 the  minds  of  men  being  somewhat  moved  at  so  great  and 
 sudden  novelty,  the  cause  was  presently  inquired  into. 
 After  notice  taken  how  the  Montanists  held  these  additions 
 to  be  supplements  of  the  Gospel,  whereunto  the  Spirit  of 
 Prophecy  did  now  mean  to  put,  as  it  were,  the  last  hand, 
 and  was  therefore  newly  descended  upon  Montanus,  whose 
 Orders  all  Christian  men  were  no  less  to  obey,  than  the 
 Laws  of  the  Apostles  themselves ;  this  abstinence  the 
 Church  abhorred  likewise,  and  that  justly.  Whereupon, 
 Tertullian  proclaiming  even  open  war  to  the  Church,  main- 
 tained Montanism,  wrote  a  book  in  defence  of  the  new 
 Fast,  and  entitled  the  same,  A  Treatise  of  Fasting  against 
 the  Opinion  of  the  Carnal  Sort.    In  which  treatise,  never- 
 theless, because  so  much  is  sound  and  good,  as  doth  either 
 generally  concern  the  use,  or  in  particular  declare  the  cus- 
 tom of  the  Church's  Fasting  in  those  times,  men  are  not  to 
 reject  whatsoever  is  alleged  out  of  that  book  for  confirma- 
 tion of  the  truth.  His  error  discloseth  itself  in  those  places 
 
50 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 where  he  defendeth  his  Fasts  to  be  duties  necessary  for  the 
 whole  Church  of  Christ  to  observe,  as  commanded  by  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  and  that  with  the  same  authority  from  whence 
 all  other  Apostolical  Ordinances  came,  both  being  the  Laws 
 of  God  himself,  without  any  other  distinction  or  difference, 
 saving  only,  that  he  which  before  had  declared  his  will  by 
 Paul  and  Peter,  did  now  further  reveal  the  same  by  Mon- 
 [De  tanus  also.  "  Against  us  ye  pretend  (saith  Tertullian), 
 c?i™]  that  the  public  Orders  which  Christianity  is  bound  to  keep, 
 were  delivered  at  the  first,  and  that  no  new  thing  is  to  be 
 added  thereunto.  Stand,  if  you  can,  upon  this  point ;  for 
 behold,  I  challenge  you  for  fasting  more  than  at  Easter 
 yourselves.  But  in  fine  ye  answer,  that  these  things  are  to 
 be  done  as  established  by  the  voluntary  appointment  of 
 men,  and  not  by  virtue  or  force  of  any  divine  command- 
 ment. Well  then  (he  addeth)  ye  have  removed  your  first 
 footing,  and  gone  beyond  that  which  was  delivered,  by 
 doing  more  than  was  at  the  first  imposed  upon  you.  You 
 say,  you  must  do  that  which  your  own  judgments  have 
 allowed  :  we  require  your  obedience  to  that  which  God 
 himself  doth  institute.  Is  it  not  strange,  that  men  to  their 
 own  will  should  yield  that,  which  to  God's  commandment 
 they  will  not  grant?  Shall  the  pleasure  of  men  prevail 
 more  with  you,  than  the  power  of  God  himself?"  These 
 places  of  Tertullian  for  Fasting  have  worthily  been  put  to 
 silence  ;  and  as  worthily  Aerius  condemned  for  opposition 
 against  Fasting.  The  one  endeavoured  to  bring  in  such 
 Fasts  as  the  Church  ought  not  to  receive ;  the  other,  to 
 overthrow  such  as  already  it  had  received  and  did  observe : 
 the  one  was  plausible  unto  many,  by  seeming  to  hate  carnal 
 looseness  and  riotous  excess  much  more  than  the  rest  of 
 the  world  did ;  the  other  drew  hearers,  by  pretending  the 
 maintenance  of  Christian  liberty :  the  one  thought  his  cause 
 very  strongly  upheld,  by  making  invective  declamations 
 with  a  pale  and  withered  countenance  against  the  Church, 
 by  filling  the  ears  of  his  starved  hearers  with  speech  suit- 
 able to  such  men's  humours,  and  by  telling  them,  no  doubt, 
 [Tertuu.  to  their  marvellous  contentment  and  liking,  "  Our  new 
 uij*"  prophecies  are  refused,  they  are  despised.  Is  it  because 
 Montanus  doth  preach  some  other  God,  or  dissolve  the 
 Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  or  overthrow  any  Canon  of  Faith 
 and  Hope?    No,  our  crime  is,  we  teach  that  men  ought  to 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 57 
 
 fast  more  often  than  marry ;  the  best  feast-maker  is  with 
 them  the  perfectest  saint,  they  are  assuredly  mere  spirit ; 
 and  therefore  these  our  corporal  devotions  please  them 
 not :"  thus  the  one  for  Montanus  and  his  Superstition. 
 The  other  in  a  clean  contrary  tune  against  the  Religion  of 
 the  Church :  "  These  set  Fasts  away  with  them,  for  they  ^j^- 
 are  Jewish,  and  bring  men  under  the  yoke  of  servitude ;  if  [ts.  c. 
 I  will  fast,  let  me  choose  my  time,  that  Christian  liberty  be  3,1 
 not  abridged."  Hereupon  their  glory  was  to  fast  espe- 
 cially upon  the  Sunday,  because  the  Order  of  the  Church 
 was  on  that  day  not  to  fast.  "  On  Church  Fasting-days,  [Ibid-J 
 and  especially  the  week  before  Easter,  when  with  us 
 (saith  Epiphanius)  custom  admitteth  nothing  but  lying 
 down  upon  the  earth,  abstinence  from  fleshy  delights  and 
 pleasures,  sorrowfulness,  dry  and  unsavoury  diet,  prayer, 
 watching,  fasting,  all  the  medicines  which  holy  affections 
 can  minister;  they  are  up  betimes  to  take  in  of  the  strong- 
 est for  the  belly,  and  when  their  veins  are  well  swollen, 
 they  make  themselves  mirth  with  laughter  at  this  our 
 service,  wherein  we  are  persuaded  we  please  God."  By 
 this  of  Epiphanius  it  doth  appear,  not  only  what  Fast- 
 ings the  Church  of  Christ  in  those  times  used,  but  also 
 what  other  parts  of  Discipline  were  together  therewith 
 in  force,  according  to  the  ancient  use  and  custom  of  bring- 
 ing all  men  at  certain  times  to  a  due  consideration  and 
 an  open  humiliation  of  themselves.  Two  kinds  there  were 
 of  public  penitency :  the  one  belonging  to  notorious  offend- 
 ers, whose  open  wickedness  had  been  scandalous;  the  other 
 appertaining  to  the  whole  Church,  and  unto  every  several 
 person  whom  the  same  containeth.  It  will  be  answered, 
 that  touching  this  latter  kind,  it  may  be  exercised  well 
 enough  by  men  in  private.  No  doubt  but  penitency  is,  as 
 prayer,  a  thing  acceptable  unto  God,  be  it  in  public  or  in 
 secret.  Howbeit,  as  in  the  one,  if  men  were  wholly  left  to 
 their  own  voluntary  meditations  in  their  closets,  and  not 
 drawn  by  Laws  and  Orders  unto  the  open  assemblies  of  the 
 Church,  that  there  they  may  join  with  others  in  prayer;  it 
 may  be  soon  conjectured  what  Christian  devotion  that  way 
 would  come  unto  in  a  short  time :  even  so  in  the  other,  we  are 
 by  sufficient  experience  taught,  how  little  it  booteth  to  tell 
 men  of  washing  away  their  sins  with  tears  of  repentance,  and 
 so  to  leave  them  altogether  unto  themselves.  O  Lord,  what 
 
58 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 heaps  of  grievous  transgressions  have  we  committed,  the 
 best  and  perfectest,  the  most  righteous  amongst  us  all;  and 
 yet  clean  pass  them  over  unsorrowed  for,  unrepented  of, 
 only  because  the  Church  hath  forgotten  utterly  how  to  be- 
 stow her  wonted  times  of  discipline,  wherein  the  public 
 example  of  all  was  unto  every  particular  person  a  most 
 effectual  means  to  put  them  often  in  mind,  and  even  in  a 
 manner  to  draw  them  to  that  which  now  we  all  quite  and 
 clean  forget,  as  if  penitency  was  no  part  of  a  Christian 
 man's  duty !  Again,  besides  our  private  offences,  which 
 ought  not  thus  loosely  to  be  overslipped ;  suppose  we  the 
 body  and  corporation  of  the  Church  so  just,  that  at  no  time 
 it  needeth  to  shew  itself  openly  cast  down,  in  regard  of 
 those  faults  and  transgressions,  which  though  they  do  not 
 properly  belong  unto  any  one,  had  notwithstanding  a  spe- 
 cial sacrifice  appointed  for  them  in  the  Law  of  Moses;  and 
 being  common  to  the  whole  society  which  containeth  all, 
 must  needs  so  far  concern  every  man  in  particular,  as  at 
 some  time  in  solemn  manner  to  require  acknowledgment 
 with  more  than  daily  and  ordinary  testifications  of  grief. 
 There  could  not  hereunto  a  fitter  preamble  be  devised, 
 than  that  memorable  Commination  set  down  in  the  Book 
 of  Common  Prayer,  if  our  practice  in  the  rest  were  suit- 
 able. The  head  already  so  well  drawn  doth  but  wish  a 
 proportionable  body.  And  by  the  Preface  to  that  very  part 
 of  the  English  Liturgy  it  may  appear,  how  at  the  first  set- 
 ting down  thereof  no  less  was  intended.  For  so  we  are  to 
 interpret  the  meaning  of  those  words,  wherein  "  restitution 
 of  the  primitive  Church-discipline  is  greatly  wished  for," 
 touching  the  manner  of  public  penance  in  time  of  Lent. 
 Wherewith  some  being  not  much  acquainted,  but  having 
 framed  in  their  minds  the  conceit  of  a  new  Discipline  far 
 unlike  to  that  of  old,  they  make  themselves  believe,  it  is 
 undoubtedly  this  their  Discipline  which  at  the  first  was  so 
 much  desired.  They  have  long  pretended,  that  the  whole 
 Scripture  is  plain  for  them.  If  now  the  Communion-book 
 make  for  them  too  (I  well  think  the  one  doth  as  much  as 
 the  other),  it  may  be  hoped,  that  being  found  such  a  well- 
 wisher  unto  their  cause,  they  will  more  favour  it  than  they 
 have  done.  Having  therefore  hitherto  spoken  both  of  Festi- 
 val-days, and  so  much  of  solemn  Fasts,  as  may  reasonably 
 serve  to  shew  the  ground  thereof  in  the  Law  of  Nature;  the 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 59 
 
 practice  partly  appointed  and  partly  allowed  of  God  in  the 
 Jewish  Church;  the  like  continued  in  the  Church  of  Christ; 
 together  with  the  sinister  oppositions,  either  of  Heretics 
 erroneously  abusing  the  same,  or  of  others  thereat  quarrel- 
 ling without  cause,  we  will  only  collect  the  chiefest  points 
 as  well  of  resemblance  as  of  difference  between  them,  and 
 so  end.  First,  in  this  they  agree,  that  because  Nature  is 
 the  general  root  of  both,  therefore  both  have  been  always 
 common  to  the  Church  with  Infidels  and  Heathen-men. 
 Secondly,  they  also  herein  accord,  that  as  oft  as  joy  is  the 
 cause  of  the  one,  and  grief  the  wellspring  of  the  other,  they 
 are  incompatible.*  A  third  degree  of  affinity  between  them 
 is,  that  neither  being  acceptable  to  God  of  itself,  but  both 
 tokens  of  that  which  is  acceptable,  their  approbation  with 
 him  must  necessarily  depend  on  that  which  they  ought  to 
 import  and  signify;  so  that  if  herein  the  mind  dispose  not 
 itself  aright,  whether  we  rest  or  fast,  we  offend.  A  fourth 
 thing  common  unto  them,  is,  that  the  greatest  part  of  the  isai. 
 world  hath  always  grossly  and  palpably  offended  in  both;  l',Hi!s. 
 Infidels,  because  they  did  all  in  relation  to  false  gods; 
 godless,  sensual,  and  careless  minds,  for  that  there  is  in 
 them  no  constant,  true,  and  sincere  affection  towards  those 
 things  which  are  pretended  by  such  exercise ;  yea,  certain 
 flattering  oversights  there  are,  wherewith  sundry,  and  they 
 not  of  the  worst  sort,  may  be  easily  in  these  cases  led  awry, 
 even  through  abundance  of  love  and  liking  to  that  which 
 must  be  embraced  by  all  means,  but  with  caution,  inas- 
 much as  the  very  admiration  of  Saints,  whether  we  cele- 
 brate their  glory,  or  follow  them  in  humility ;  whether  we 
 laugh  or  weep,  mourn  or  rejoice  with  them,  is  (as  in  all 
 things  the  affection  of  love)  apt  to  deceive ;  and  doth  there- 
 fore need  the  more  to  be  directed  by  a  watchful  guide,  see- 
 ing there  is  manifestly  both  ways,  even  in  them  whom  we 
 honour,  that  which  we  are  to  observe  and  shun.  The  best 
 have  not  still  been  sufficiently  mindful,  that  God's  very  An- 
 gels in  Heaven  are  but  Angels;  and  that  bodily  exercise,  tTim. 
 considered  in  itself,  is  no  great  matter.  Finally,  seeing  ,v' 8" 
 that  both  are  Ordinances  well  devised  for  the  good  of  man, 
 and  yet  not  man  created  purposely  for  them  as  for  other  Eccies. 
 offices  of  virtue,  whereunto  God's  immutable  Law  for  ever  J"a'it13' 
 ttcth;  it  is  but  equity  to  wish  or  admonish  that  where,  by  ivni.6,7. 
 
 *  '  VetatNaUlitia  Martyrum  in  Quadragesima  celebrari.'  Cone.  Laod.  e.  51,  o'Z. 
 
GO 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Rom.    uniform  order,  they  are  not  as  yet  received,  the  example 
 jraes"  of  Victor's  extremity  in  the  one,  and  of  John's  Disciples' 
 curiosity  in  the  other,  be  not  followed ;  yea,  where  they  are 
 e  he*'   aPPomtea"  by  Law,  that  notwithstanding  we  avoid  Judaism : 
 ii.  10.'    and,  as  in  Festival-days,  men's  necessities  for  matter  of  la- 
 Eccies.   °our,  so  in  times  of  Fasting,  regard  be  had  to  their  imbe- 
 cilities,  lest  they  should  suffer  harm,  doing  good.  Thus, 
 c.  »3.'    therefore,  we  see  how  these  two  customs  are  in  divers  re- 
 i^ii.    spects  equal.  But  of  Fasting  the  use  and  exercise,  though 
 fj0^-     less  pleasant,  is  by  so  much  more  requisite  than  the  other, 
 as  grief  of  necessity  is  a  more  familiar  guest  than  the  con- 
 trary passion  of  mind,  albeit  gladness  to  all  men  be  natu- 
 rally more  welcome.  For,  first,  we  ourselves  do  many  more 
 things  amiss  than  well,  and  the  fruit  of  our  own  ill-doing  is 
 remorse,  because  Nature  is  conscious  to  itself  that  it  should 
 do  the  contrary.    Again,  forasmuch  as  the  world  over- 
 aboundeth  with  malice,  and  few  are  delighted  in  doing  good 
 to  other  men,  there  is  no  man  so  seldom  crossed  as  plea- 
 sured at  the  hands  of  others ;  whereupon  it  cannot  be 
 chosen  but  every  man's  woes  must  double  in  that  respect 
 the  number  and  measure  of  his  delights.    Besides,  con- 
 cerning the  very  choice  which  oftentimes  we  are  to  make, 
 our  corrupt  inclination  well  considered,  there  is  cause  why 
 Mat*,    our  Saviour  should  account  them  the  happiest  that  do  most 
 Eccies.  mourn,  and  why  Solomon  might  judge  it  better  to  frequent 
 vii.  2. 4.  mourning  than  feasting  houses :  not  better  simply  and  in  it- 
 self (for  then  would  Nature  that  way  incline),  but  in  regard 
 job  i.5.  of  us  and  our  common  weakness  better.  Job  was  not  igno- 
 rant that  his  children's  banquets,  though  te  ndingto  amity, 
 needed  sacrifice.  Neither  doth  any  of  us  all  need  to  be  taught, 
 that  in  things  which  delight  we  easily  swerve  from  medio- 
 crity, and  are  not  easily  led  by  a  direct  line.*  On  the  other 
 side,  the  sores  and  diseases  of  mind  which  inordinate  plea- 
 sure breedeth,  are  by  dolour  and  grief  cured.   For  which 
 cause  as  all  offences  use  to  seduce  by  pleasing,  so  all 
 punishments  endeavour  by  vexing  to  reform  transgressions. 
 We  are  of  our  own  accord  apt  enough  to  give  entertain- 
 ment to  things  delectable ;  but  patiently  to  lack  what  flesh 
 and  blood  doth  desire,  and  by  virtue  to  forbear  what  by 
 nature  we  covet,  this  no  man  attaineth  unto  but  with 
 
 *  'Ev  TravTi  $e  ^aXisra  <f>uXajtT£ov  t«  Mu  xoi  tijv  ijSiVnv  oi)  aiinastu  XfiVGjuev  a'v- 
 rhv.    Arist.  Etk.  ii.  tap.  9. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 Gl 
 
 labour  and  long  practice.  From  hence  it  ariseth  that,  in 
 former  ages,  abstinence  and  fasting  more  than  ordinary 
 was  always  a  special  branch  of  their  praise  in  whom  it 
 could  be  observed  and  known,  were  they  such  as  continu- 
 ally gave  themselves  to  austere  life ;  or  men  that  took  often 
 occasions,  in  private  virtuous  respects,  to  lay  Solomon's 
 counsel  aside,  "Eat  thy  bread  with  joy," and  to  be  follow-  f™*° 
 ers  of  David's  example,  which  saith,  "  I  humbled  my  soul  p*ai. 
 with  fasting;"  or  but  they  who,  otherwise  worthy  of  no3"""' 
 great  commendation,  have  made  of  hunger,  some  their  gain, 
 some  their  physic,  some  their  art,  that,  by  mastering  sensual 
 appetites  without  constraint,  they  might  grow  able  to  en- 
 dure hardness  whensoever  need  should  require :  for  the 
 body  accustomed  to  emptiness,  pineth  not  away  so  soon 
 as  having  still  used  to  fill  itself.  Many  singular  effects 
 there  are  which  should  make  Fasting,  even  in  public  con- 
 siderations, the  rather  to  be  accepted :  for  I  presume  we 
 are  not  altogether  without  experience,  how  great  their  ad- 
 vantage is  in  martial  enterprises,  that  lead  armies  of  men 
 trained  in  a  school  of  abstinence.  It  is  therefore  noted  at 
 this  day  in  some,  that  patience  of  hunger  and  thirst  hath 
 given  them  many  victories ;  in  others,  that  because  if  they 
 want,  there  is  no  man  able  to  rule  them,  nor  they  in  plenty 
 to  moderate  themselves,  he  which  can  either  bring  them 
 to  hunger  or  overcharge  them,  is  sure  to  make  them  their 
 own  overthrow.  What  nation  soever  doth  feel  these  dan- 
 gerous inconveniences,  may  know  that  sloth  and  fulness 
 in  peaceable  times  at  home  is  the  cause  thereof,  and  the 
 remedy  a  strict  observation  of  that  part  of  Christian  Dis- 
 cipline, which  teacheth  men  in  practice  of  ghostly  warfare 
 against  themselves,  those  things  that  afterwards  may  help 
 them,  justly  assaulting  or  standing  in  lawful  defence  of 
 themselves  against  others.  The  very  purpose  of  the  Church 
 of  God,  both  in  the  number  and  in  the  order  of  her  Fasts, 
 hath  been  not  only  to  preserve  thereby,  throughout  all  ages, 
 the  remembrance  of  miseries  heretofore  sustained,  and  of 
 the  causes  in  ourselves  out  of  which  they  have  risen,  that 
 men  considering  the  one  might  fear  the  other  the  more,  but 
 further  also  to  temper  the  mind,  lest  contrary  alfections 
 coming  in  place  should  make  it  too  profuse  and  dissolute; 
 in  which  respect  it  seetneth  that  Fasts  have  been  set  as 
 ushers  of  Festival-days,  for  preventing  of  those  disorders 
 
62 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 as  much  as  might  be ;  wherein,  notwithstanding,  the  world 
 always  will  deserve,  as  it  hath  done,  blame;*  because 
 such  evils  being  not  possible  to  be  rooted  out,  the  most 
 we  can  do,  is  in  keeping  them  low,  and  (which  is  chiefly 
 the  fruit  we  look  for)  to  create  in  the  minds  of  them  a 
 love  towards  a  frugal  and  severe  life;  to  undermine  the 
 palaces  of  wantonness ;  to  plant  parsimony  as  nature, 
 where  riotousness  hath  been  studied ;  to  harden  whom 
 pleasure  would  melt;  and  to  help  the  tumours  which 
 always  fulness  breedeth ;  that  children,  as  it  were  in  the 
 wool  of  their  infancy  dyed  with  hardness,  may  never  after- 
 wards change  colour;  that  the  poor,  whose  perpetual  Fasts 
 are  of  necessity,  may  with  better  contentment  endure  the 
 hunger  which  virtue  causeth  others  so  often  to  choose,  and 
 by  advice  of  Religion  itself  so  far  to  esteem  above  the  con- 
 trary ;  that  they  which  for  the  most  part  do  lead  sensual 
 and  easy  lives,  they  which,  as  the  Prophet  David  describ- 
 
 fxx'ii  5  e*Q  tnem>  "  are  n°t  plagued  like  other  men,"  may,  by  the 
 public  spectacle  of  all,  be  still  put  in  mind  what  them- 
 selves are ;  finally,  that  every  man  may  be  every  man's 
 daily  guide  and  example,  as  well  by  fasting  to  declare 
 humility,  as  by  praise  to  expres  joy  in  the  sight  of  God, 
 although  it  have  herein  befallen  the  Church,  as  sometimes 
 David,  so  that  the  speech  of  the  one  may  be  truly  the  voice 
 
 psai.  of  the  other,  "My  soul  fasted,  and  even  that  was  also 
 turned  to  my  reproof." 
 
 The  ce-     73.  in  this  world  there  can  be  no  society  durable  other- 
 
 lebra- 
 
 tion  of  wise  than  only  by  propagation.  Albeit  therefore  single 
 „ony1.'  life  be  a  thing  more  angelical  and  divine,  yet  sith  the  re- 
 T.c.i.i.  plenishing  first  of  earth  with  blessed  inhabitants,  and  then  of 
 
 p.  199.  . 
 
 Heaven  with  saints  everlastingly  praising  God,  did  depend 
 upon  conjunction  of  man  and  woman,  he  which  made  all 
 things  complete  and  perfect,  'saw  it  could  not  be  good 
 to  leave  man  without  a  helper  unto  the  fore-alleged  end. 
 In  things  which  some  farther  end  doth  cause  to  be  desired, 
 choice  seeketh  rather  proportion  than  absolute  perfection 
 of  goodness.  So  that  woman  being  created  for  man's  sake 
 to  be  his  helper,  in  regard  to  the  end  before-mentioned ; 
 namely,  the  having  and  bringing  up  of  children,  vvhereunto 
 it  was  not  possible  they  could  concur,  unless  there  were 
 
 *  « Valde  absurdum  est  nimia  saturitate  velle  honorare  marlyrem,  quern  scias 
 Deo  placuisse  jejuniis.'    Hier.  Epist.  ad  Eust. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 G3 
 
 subaltcrnation  between  them,  which  subalternation  is  natu- 
 rally grounded  upon  inequality,  because  things  equal  in 
 every  respect  are  never  willingly  directed  one  by  another: 
 woman  therefore  was  even  in  her  first  estate  framed  by  Na- 
 ture, not  only  after  in  time,  but  inferior  in  excellency  also 
 unto  man,  howbeit  in  so  due  and  sweet  proportion,  as  being 
 presented  before  our  eyes,  might  be  sooner  perceived  than 
 defined.  And  even  herein  doth  lie  the  reason  why  that  kind 
 of  love,  which  is'the  perfectest  ground  of  wedlock,  is  seldom 
 able  to  yield  any  reason  of  itself.  Now,  that  which  is  born 
 of  man  must  be  nourished  with  far  more  travel,  as  being  of 
 greater  price  in  Nature,  and  of  slower  pace  to  perfection, 
 than  the  offspring  of  any  other  creature  besides.  Man  and 
 woman  being  therefore  to  join  themselves  for  such  a  purpose, 
 they  were  of  necessity  to  be  linked  with  some  strait  and 
 insolubleknot.  The  bond  of  wedlock  hath  been  always,more 
 or  less,  esteemed  of  as  a  thing  religious  and  sacred.  The 
 title  which  the  very  Heathens  themselves  do  hereunto 
 oftentimes  give  is,  Holy.*  Those  Rites  and  Orders,  which 
 were  instituted  in  the  Solemnization  of  Marriage,  the  He- 
 brews term  by  the  name  of  Conjugal  Sanctification.t 
 Amongst  ourselves,  because  sundry  things  appertaining 
 unto  the  public  Order  of  Matrimony  are  called  in  question 
 by  such  as  know  not  from  whence  those  customs  did  first 
 grow,  to  shew  briefly  some  true  and  sufficient  reason  of 
 them,  shall  not  be  superfluous ;  although  we  do  not  hereby 
 intend  to  yield  so  far  unto  enemies  of  all  Church-orders 
 saving  their  own,  as  though  every  thing  were  unlawful  the 
 true  cause  and  reason  whereof  at  the  first  might  hardly 
 perhaps  be  now  rendered.  Wherefore,  to  begin  with  the 
 times  wherein  the  liberty  of  Marriage  is  restrained  ;  "  There  Ecdes. 
 is  (saith  Solomon)  a  time  for  all  things,  a  time  to  laugh, 
 and  a  time  to  mourn."  That  duties  belonging  unto  Mar-  joei 
 riage,  and  offices  appertaining  to  penance,  are  things  un- 
 suitable  and  unfit  to  be  matched  together,  the  Prophets  v»- 5- 
 and  Apostles  themselves  do  witness.  Upon  which  ground, 
 as  we  might  right  well  think  it  marvellous  absurd  to  see  in 
 a  Church  a  wedding  on  the  day  of  a  public  Fast,  so  like- 
 wise in  the  self-same  consideration,  our  predecessors 
 thought  it  not  amiss  to  take  away  the  common  liberty  of 
 Marriages  during  the  time  which  was  appointed  for  pre- 
 
 *  Touc  Ugovi  yifjLovq.    Dionys.  Antiq.  lib.  ii.  [c.  25.] 
 t  Kidduschin  de  Rituali  Heb.  benedictione  nuptiarum. 
 
G4 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 paration  unto,  and  for  exercise  of,  general  humiliation  by 
 fasting  and  prayer,  weeping  for  sins.  As  for  the  delivering 
 up  of  the  woman  either  by  her  father  or  by  some  other, 
 we  must  note  that  in  ancient  times*  all  women,  which  had 
 not  husbands  or  fathers  to  govern  them,  had  their  tutors, 
 without  whose  authority  there  was  no  act  which  they  did 
 warrantable  ;f  and  for  this  cause,  they  were  in  marriage 
 delivered  unto  their  husbands  by  others.  Which  custom 
 retained  hath  still  this  use,  that  it  putteth  women  in  mind 
 of  a  duty  whereunto  the  very  imbecility  of  their  nature  and 
 sex  doth  bind  them ;  namely,  to  be  always  directed,  guided, 
 and  ordered  by  others,  although  our  positive  Laws  do 
 not  tie  them  now  as  pupils.  The  custom  of  laying  down 
 money  seemeth  to  have  been  derived  from  the  Saxons, 
 whose  manner  was  to  buy  their  wives.  But,  seeing  there 
 is  not  any  great  cause  wherefore  the  memory  of  that  cus- 
 tom should  remain,  it  skilleth  not  much,  although  we  suffer 
 it  to  lie  dead,  even  as  we  see  it  in  a  manner  already  worn 
 out.  The  ring  hath  been  always  used  as  a  special  pledge 
 of  faith  and  fidelity;  nothing  more  fit  to  serve  as  a  token 
 of  our  purposed  endless  continuance  in  that  which  we 
 never  ought  to  revoke.  This  is  the  cause  wherefore  the 
 Heathens  themselves  did  in  such  cases  use  the  ring, 
 whereunto  Tertullian  alluding,  saith,  that  in  ancient  times, 
 "No  woman  was  permitted  to  wear  gold,  saving  only  upon 
 one  finger,  which  her  husband  had  fastened  unto  himself, 
 with  that  ring  which  was  usually  given  for  assurance  of 
 future  marriage.''^  The  cause  why  the  Christians  use  it, 
 isidor.de  as  some  of  the  Fathers  think,  is  either  to  testify  mutual 
 offic"  .  love,  or  rather  to  ser  ve  for  a  pledge  of  conjunction  in  heart 
 11.  c  19.  an(j  mjn(j  agree(i  upon  between  them.  But  what  rite 
 and  custom  is  there  so  harmless,  wherin  the  wit  of  man, 
 bending  itself  to  derision,  may  not  easily  find  out  some- 
 what to  scorn  and  jest  at?  He  that  should  have  beheld 
 Elia9  the  Jews,  when  they  stood  with  a  four-cornered  garment 
 diet*  m  spread  over  the  heads  of  espoused  couples,  while  their 
 
 •  '  Mulieres  antiquo  jure'tutela  perpetua  continebat.  Recedebant  vero  a  tutoris 
 potestate  quas  in  nianum  convenissent.'  Boet.  in  Topic.  Cic.  [1.  ii.  p.  781.  ed. 
 Basil.  1570.] 
 
 t  *  Nullam  ne  privatam  quidem  rem  foeminas  sine  auctore  agere  majores 
 nostri  voluerunt.'  Liv.  lib.  [xxxiv.  c.  2.]  The  reason  yielded  by  'fully  is  this, 
 *  propter  infirmitatem  consilii.'  Cic.  pro.  Mur.  [c.  12.]  Vide  Leg.  Saxon,  tit.  6. 
 et  17. 
 
 t  '  Aurum  nulla  norat,  prater  unico  digito  quern  sponsus  oppignerasset  pronubo 
 annulo.'   Tertull.  Apol.  cap.  6. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 65 
 
 espousals  were  in  making :  he  that  should  have  beheld  nuPha. 
 their  praying  over  a  cup,  and  their  delivering  the  same  at  ai.  d* ba- 
 the Marriage-feast,  with  set  forms  of  benediction,  as  the  °„p'tj^ 
 Order  amongst  them  was — might,  being  lewdly  affected, rum- 
 take  thereat  as  just  occasion  of  scornful  cavil,  as  at  the 
 use  of  the  ring  in  wedlock  amongst  Christians.    But  of  all 
 the  things  the  most  hardly  taken  is  the  uttering  of  these 
 words,  "With  my  body  I  thee  worship;"  in  which  words 
 when  once  they  are  understood,  there  will  appear  as  little 
 cause  as  in  the  rest  for  any  wise  man  to  be  offended. 
 First,  therefore,  inasmuch  as  unlawful  copulation  doth  .R°™- 
 pollute  and  dishonour  both  parties,  this  protestation  that 
 we  do  worship  and  honour  another  with  our  bodies,  may 
 import  a  denial  of  all  such  lets  and  impediments  to  our 
 knowledge  as  might  cause  any  stain,  blemish,  or  disgrace 
 that  way ;  which  kind  of  construction  being  probable, 
 would  easily  approve  that  speech  to  a  peaceable  and 
 quiet  mind.     Secondly,  in  that  the  Apostle  doth  so  ex-  i  cor. 
 pressly  affirm  that  parties  married  have  not  any  longer""'4' 
 entire  power  over  themselves,  but  each  hath  interest  in 
 other's  person,  it  cannot  be  thought  an  absurd  construction 
 to  say,  that  worshipping  with  the  body  is  the  imparting  of 
 that  interest  in  the  body  unto  another,  which  none  before 
 had,  save  only  ourselves.    But,  if  this  were  the  natural  l-  pen- 
 meaning,  the  words  should  perhaps  be  as  requisite  tobeconcub.6 
 used  on  the  one  side  as  on  the  other ;  and  therefore  a  third 
 sense  there  is,  which  I  rather  rely  upon.    Apparent  it  is, 
 that  the  ancient  difference  between  a  lawful  wife  and 
 a  concubine,  was  only  in  the  different  purpose  of  man 
 betaking  himself  to  one  or  the  other.    If  his  purpose 
 were  only  fellowship,  there  grew  to  the  woman  by  this 
 means  no  worship  at  all,  but  the  contrary.    In  professing 
 that  his  intent  was  to  add  by  his  person  honour  and  wor- 
 ship unto  hers,  he  took  her  plainly  and  clearly  to  wife.  This 
 is  it  which  the  Civil  Law  doth  mean,  when  it  maketh  a  wife  l.  item 
 to  differ  from  a  concubine  in  dignity  ;  a  wife  to  be  taken  iect*° 
 where  conjugal  honour  and  affection  do  go  before.  The  wor- 
 ship  that  grew  unto  her  being  taken  with  declaration  of  leg-  s- 
 this  intent  was,  that  her  children  became  by  this  means  ™t£°es 
 legitimate  and  free ;  herself  was  made  a  mother  over  his  jonda*. 
 family ;  last  of  all,  she  received  such  advancement  of  °n't>us. 
 state,  as  things  annexed  unto  his  person  might  augment 
 
 VOL.  II.  v 
 
GG 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 her  with ;  yea,  a  right  of  participation  was  thereby  given 
 her  both  in  him,  and  even  in  all  things  which  were  his.  This 
 doth  somewhat  the  more  plainly  appear,  by  adding  also 
 that  other  clause,  "  With  all  my  worldly  goods  I  thee  en- 
 dow." The  former  branch  having  granted  the  principal, 
 the  latter  granteth  that  which  is  annexed  thereunto.  To 
 end  the  public  Solemnity  of  Marriage  with  receiving  the 
 blessed  Sacrament,  is  a  custom  so  religious  and  so  holy, 
 that  if  the  Church  of  England  be  blameable  in  this  respect, 
 it  is  not  for  suffering  it  to  be  so  much,  but  rather  for  not 
 providing  that  it  may  be  more,  put  in  use.  The  Laws  of 
 Romulus  concerning  Marriage*  are  therefore  extolled 
 above  the  rest  among  the  Heathens  which  were  before,  in 
 that  they  established  the  use  of  certain  special  Solemnities, 
 whereby  the  minds  of  men  were  drawn  to  make  the  greater 
 conscience  of  wedlock,  and  to  esteem  the  bond  thereof  a 
 thing  which  could  not  be  without  impiety  dissolved.  If 
 there  be  any  thing  in  Christian  Religion  strong  and  effec- 
 tual to  like  purpose,  it  is  the  Sacrament  of  the  holy  Eucha- 
 rist ;  in  regard  of  the  force  whereof  Tertullian  breaketh 
 out  in  these  words,  concerning  Matrimony  therewith  sealed : 
 Tertui.  "  Unde  sufficiam  ad  enarrandam  felicitatem  ejus  Matri- 
 adu"'or.  monii,  quod  Ecclesia  conciliat,  et  confirmat  Oblatio  ? — I 
 tc-  9-1  know  not  which  way  I  should  be  able  to  shew  the  happi- 
 ness of  that  wedlock,  the  knot  whereof  the  Church  doth 
 fasten,  and  the  Sacrament  of  the  Church  confirm."  Touch- 
 ing Marriage  therefore  let  thus  much  be  sufficient, 
 church-  74.  The  fruit  of  Marriage  is  birth ;  and  the  companion  of 
 women,  birth,  travail ;  the  grief  whereof  being  so  extreme,  and  the 
 danger  always  so  great,  dare  we  open  our  mouths  against 
 the  things  that  are  holy,  and  presume  to  censure  it  as  a 
 fault  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  that  women  after  their  de- 
 liverance do  publickly  shew  their  thankful  minds  unto 
 t.c.  God?  But  behold  what  reason  there  is  against  it!  "  For- 
 p.'ioo.  sooth,  if  there  should  be  solemn  and  express  giving  of 
 thanks  in  the  Church  for  every  benefit,  either  equal  or 
 greater  than  this,  which  any  singular  person  in  the  Church 
 doth  receive,  we  should  not  only  have  no  preaching  of  the 
 "Word,  nor  ministering  of  the  Sacraments,  but  we  should 
 
 *  Ol-rc;  :'  ::u::  Tit?  Tt  ywaXxa;  rviynan  Ta;  ya/xna.^,  ola  ultl/xicLt  iyfoia-af  irefav 
 nif«T{(^ti,  TTfl;  ha  Tit  ToZ  yryafJ.Kx.ifi;  TfOCW,  xai  ™;  a»i{af,  «;  itaytaisu  Tt  xai 
 ata<paifircu  XfnfxaTe:,  Trc  ynaixl;  xpart't.    Dion  vs.  Hal.  Antiq.  lib.  ii.  [c.  25.] 
 
BOOK  V.  G7 
 
 not  have  so  much  leisure  as  to  do  any  corporal  or  bodily 
 work,  but  should  be  like  those  Massilian  Heretics  which 
 do  nothing  else  but  pray."  Surely,  better  a  great  deal  to  be 
 like  unto  those  Heretics  which  do  nothing  else  but  pray,  than 
 those  which  do  nothing  else  but  quarrel.  Their  heads  it 
 might  haply  trouble  somewhat  more  than  as  yet  they  are 
 aware  of,  to  find  out  so  many  benefits  greater  than  this,  or 
 equivalent  thereunto,  for  which  if  so  be  our  Laws  did  re- 
 quire solemn  and  express  Thanksgivings  in  the  Church,  the 
 same  were  like  to  prove  a  thing  so  greatly  cumbersome  as 
 is  pretended.  But  if  there  be  such  store  of  mercies,  even 
 inestimable,  poured  every  day  upon  thousands  (as  in- 
 deed the  earth  is  full  of  the  blessings  of  the  Lord,  which 
 are  day  by  day  renewed  without  number  and  above  mea- 
 sure), shall  it  not  be  lawful  to  cause  solemn  thanks  to  be 
 given  unto  God  for  any  benefit,  than  which  greater,  or 
 whereunto  equal  are  received,  no  Law  binding  men  in  re- 
 gard thereof  to  perform  the  like  duty  ?  Suppose  that  some 
 bond  there  be  that  tieth  us  at  certain  times  to  mention  pub- 
 lickly  the  names  of  sundry  our  benefactors.  Some  of 
 them,  it  may  be,  are  such,  that  a  day  would  scarcely  serve 
 to  reckon  up  together  with  them  the  catalogue  of  so  many 
 men  besides,  as  we  are  either  more  or  equally  beholden 
 unto.  Because  no  Law  requireth  this  impossible  labour 
 at  our  hands,  shall  we  therefore  condemn  that  Law  where- 
 by the  other,  being  possible  and  also  dutiful,  is  enjoined 
 us  ?  So  much  we  owe  to  the  Lord  of  Heaven,  that  we 
 can  never  sufficiently  praise  him,  nor  give  him  thanks  for 
 half  those  benefits  for  which  this  sacrifice  were  most  due. 
 Howbeit,  God  forbid  we  should  cease  performing  this 
 duty  when  public  Order  doth  draw  us  unto  it,  when  it 
 may  be  so  easily  done,  when  it  hath  been  so  long  executed 
 by  devout  and  virtuous  people.  God  forbid,  that  being  so 
 many  ways  provoked  in  this  case  unto  so  good  a  duty,  we 
 should  omit  it,  only  because  there  are  other  cases  of  like 
 nature,  wherein  we  cannot  so  conveniently,  or  at  leastwise 
 do  not,  perform  the  same  most  virtuous  office  of  piety. 
 Wherein  we  trust  that  as  the  action  itself  pleaseth  God, 
 so  the  order  and  manner  thereof  is  not  such  as  may  justly 
 offend  any.  It  is  but  an  overflowing  of  gall,  which  causeth 
 the  woman's  absence  from  the  Church  during  the  time  of 
 her  lying-in  to  be  traduced  and  interpreted,  as  though  she 
 
 f  2 
 
G8 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 were  so  long  judged  unholy,  and  were  thereby  shut  out  or 
 sequestered  from  the  House  of  God,  according  to  the  an- 
 cient Levitical  Law.  Whereas  the  very  Canon  Law  itself 
 doth  not  so  hold,  but  directly  professeth  the  contrary;*  she 
 is  not  barred  from  thence  in  such  sort  as  they  interpret  it, 
 nor  in  respect  of  any  unholiness  forbidden  entrance  into 
 the  Church,  although  her  ahstaining  from  public  assem- 
 blies and  her  abode  in  separation  for  the  time  be  most 
 convenient.  To  scoff  at  the  manner  of  attire,+  than  which 
 there  could  be  nothing  devised  for  such  a  time  more  grave 
 and  decent,  to  make  it  a  token  of  some  folly  committed, 
 for  which  they  are  loth  to  shew  their  faces,  argueth  that 
 great  Divines  are  sometimes  more  merry  than  wise.  As  for 
 the  women  themselves,  God  accepting  the  service  which 
 they  faithfully  offer  unto  him,  it  is  no  great  disgrace,  though 
 they  suffer  pleasant-witted  men  a  little  to  intermingle  with 
 zeal  scorn.  The  name  of  Oblations,  applied  not  only  here 
 to  those  small  and  petit  payments  which  yet  are  a  part 
 of  the  Minister's  right,  but  also  generally  given  unto  all 
 such  allowances  as  serve  for  their  needful  maintenance, 
 is  both  ancient  and  convenient.  For  as  the  life  of  the 
 Clergy  is  spent  in  the  service  of  God,  so  it  is  sustained 
 with  his  revenue.  Nothing,  therefore,  more  proper  than 
 to  give  the  name  of  Oblations  to  such  payments,  in  token 
 that  we  offer  unto  him  whatsoever  his  Ministers  receive, 
 of  the  75.  But  to  leave  this,  there  is  a  duty  which  the  Church 
 BnriL  doth  owe  to  the  faithful  departed,  wherein  forasmuch  as 
 hb%.  tne  Church  of  England  is  said  to  do  those  things  which 
 p-236.  SLre>  though  not  unlawful,  yet  inconvenient,  because  it 
 appointeth  a  prescript  Form  of  Service  at  burials,  suf- 
 fereth  mourning  apparel  to  be  worn,  and  permitteth  funeral 
 
 *  '  In  lege  praecipiebatur,  ut  mulier  si  masculum  pareret,  40.,  si  foeminam,  80. 
 diebus  a  templi  cessaret  ingressu.  Nunc  autem  statim  post  partum  Ecclesiam 
 ingredi  non  prohibetur.'    Diet.  5.  cap.  Usee  quae. 
 
 t  '  Quod  profecto  non  tarn  propter  muliebrem  immunditiem,  quam  ob  alias 
 causas  in  intima  legis  ratione  reconditas,  et  veteri  prohibitum  esse  lege,  et  gratia; 
 tempus  traditionis  loco  suscepisse  puto.  Existimo  siquidem  sacram  legem  id 
 praiscripsisse,  quo  protervam  eorum,  qui  intemperanter  viverent,  concupiscentiam 
 castigaret ;  quemadmodum  et  alia  multa  per  alia  praecepta  ordinantur  et  piaescri- 
 buntur,  quo  indomitus  quorundam  in  mulieres  stimulus  retundatur.  Quin  et  haec 
 providentias  quae  legem  constituit  voluntas  est,  ut  partus  a  depravatione  liberi 
 sint.  Quia  enim  quicquid  natura  supervacaneum  est,  idem  corruptivum  est  et 
 inutile,  quod  hie  sanguis  superfluus  sit,  quaj  illi  obnoxiae  essent  in  immunditie,  ad 
 id  temporis  vivere  ilia  lex  jubet,  quo  ipso  etiam  nominis  sono  lascivi  concupiscentia 
 ad  temperantiam  redigatur,  ne  ex  inutili  et  corrupta  materia  ipsum  animans 
 coagmentetur.'    Leo  Constitut.  17. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 69 
 
 Sermons ;  a  word  or  two  concerning  this  point  will  be 
 necessary,  although  it  be  needless  to  dwell  long  upon  it. 
 The  end  of  Funeral-duties  is,  first,  to  shew  that  love  towards 
 the  party  deceased  which  Nature  requireth  ;  then,  to  do 
 him  that  honour  which  is  fit  both  generally  for  man,  and 
 particularly  for  the  quality  of  his  person ;  last  of  all,  to 
 testify  the  care  which  the  Church  hath  to  comfort  the 
 living,  and  the  hope  which  we  all  have  concerning  the 
 resurrection  of  the  dead.    For  signification  of  love  to- 
 wards them  that  are  departed,  mourning  is  not  denied  to  be 
 a  thing  convenient;  as  in  truth  the  Scripture  every  where 
 doth  approve  lamentation  unto  this  end.    The  Jews  byJ°'"i 
 our  Saviour's  tears  therefore  gathered  in  this  case,  that  36. 
 his  love  towards  Lazarus  was  great.  And  that  as  mourning 
 at  such  times  is  fit,  so  likewise  that  there  maybe  a  kind  of 
 attire  suitable  to  a  sorrowful  affection,  and  convenient  for 
 mourners  to  wear,  how  plainly  doth  David's  example  shew,  2Sam. 
 who,  being  in  heaviness,  went  up  the  mount  with  his  head 
 covered,  and  all  the  people  that  were  with  him  in  like  sort? 
 White  garments  being  fit  to  use  at  Marriage-feasts,  and 
 such  other  times  of  joy,  whereunto  Solomon  alluding, 
 when  he  requireth  continual  cheerfulness  of  mind,  speaketh 
 in  this  sort,  "  Let  thy  garments  be  always  white :"  what  Eccies. 
 doth  hinder  the  contrary  from  being  now  as  convenient  in 
 grief,  as  this  heretofore  in  gladness  hath  been  ?    "  If  there 
 be  no  sorrow,  they  say  it  is  hypocritical  to  pretend  it ;  and 
 if  there  be,  to  provoke  it  by  wearing  such  attire  is  dan- 
 gerous."   Nay,  if  there  be,  to  shew  it,  is  natural ;  and  if 
 there  be  not,  yet  the  signs  are  meet  to  shew  what  should 
 be,  especially,  sith  it  doth  not  come  oftentimes  to  pass, 
 that  men  are  fain  to  have  their  mourning  gowns  pulled  off 
 their  backs  for  fear  of  killing  themselves  with  sorrow  that 
 way  nourished.    The  honour  generally  due  unto  all  men 
 maketh  a  decent  interring  of  them  to  be  convenient,  even 
 for  very  humanity's  sake.    And  therefore,  so  much  as  is 
 mentioned  in  the  burial  of  the  widow's  son,  the  "  carrying  L„ke 
 of  him  forth  upon  a  bier,"  and  the  accompanying  of  him  vii  I2- 
 to  the  earth,  hath  been  used  even  amongst  Infidels;  all 
 men  accounting  it  a  very  extreme  destitution  not  to  have 
 at  the  least  this  honour  done  them.    Some  man's  estate  may 
 require  a  great  deal  more,  according  as  the  fashion  of  the 
 country  where  he  dieth  doth  afford ,  And  unto  this  appertained 
 
70 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 PsaL    the  ancient  use  of  the  Jews,  to  embalm  the  corpse  with  sweet 
 jo"n  3  odours,  and  to  adorn  the  sepulchres  of  certain.    In  regard 
 m*'40'  °f the  quality  of  men,  it  hath  been  judged  fit  to  commend 
 «m.27.  them  unto  the  world  at  their  death,  amongst  the  Heathen 
 ssam.  in  funeral  Orations,  amongst  the  Jews  in  sacred  Poems; 
 and  why  not  in  funeral  Sermons  also  amongst  Christians? 
 Us  it  sufficeth,  that  the  known  benefit  hereof  doth  counter- 
 vail millions  of  such  inconveniences  as  are  therein  sur- 
 mised, although  they  were  not  surmised  only,  but  found 
 therein.    The  life  and  the  death  of  Saints  is  precious  in 
 God's  sight.    Let  it  not  seem  odious  in  our  eyes,  if  both 
 the  one  and  the  other  be  spoken  of  then  especially,  when 
 the  present  occasion  doth  make  men's  minds  the  more  ca- 
 pable of  such  speech.    The  care,  no  doubt,  of  the  living, 
 both  to  live  and  to  die  well,  must  needs  be  somewhat  in- 
 creased, when  they  know  that  their  departure  shall  not  be 
 folded  up  in  silence,  but  the  ears  of  many  be  made  ac- 
 quainted with  it.    Moreover,  when  they  hear  how  merci- 
 fully God  hath  dealt  with  their  brethren  in  their  last  need, 
 besides  the  praise  which  they  give  to  God,  and  the  joy 
 which  they  have  or  should  have  by  reason  of  their  fellow- 
 ship and  communion  with  Saints,  is  not  their  hope  also 
 much  confirmed  against  the  day  of  their  own  dissolution  ? 
 Again,  the  sound  of  these  things  doth  not  so  pass  the  ears 
 of  them  that  are  most  loose  and  dissolute  in  life,  but  it 
 causeth  them  one  time  or  other  to  wish, "  O  that  I  might 
 die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  that  my  end  might  be 
 like  his!"    Thus  much  peculiar  good  there  doth  grow  at 
 those  times  by  speech  concerning  the  dead,  besides  the 
 benefit  of  public  instruction  common  unto  funeral  with 
 other  Sermons.    For  the  comfort  of  them  whose  minds  are 
 through  natural  affection  pensive  in  such  cases,  no  man 
 can  justly  mislike  the  custom  which  the  Jews  had  to  end 
 their  burials  with  funeral  banquets,  in  reference  where- 
 unto  the  Prophet  Jeremy  spake,  concerning  the  people 
 whom  God  had  appointed  unto  a  grievous  manner  of  de- 
 Jer.      struction,  saying,  "That  men  should  not  give  them  the  cup  of 
 XV1'7'    consolation  to  drink  for  their  father,  or  for  their  mother," 
 because  it  should  not  be  now  with  them  as  in  peaceable 
 times  with  others,  who  bringing  their  ancestors  unto  the 
 grave  with  weeping  eyes,  have  notwithstanding  means 
 wherewith  to  be  recomforted.    "  Give  wine  (saith  Solo- 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 71 
 
 mon)  unto  them  that  have  grief  of  heart."    Surely,  he  that 
 
 i  11  i      i      i  x.  xxxi.  0. 
 
 ministereth  uuto  them  comfortable  speech,  doth  much  more  ichron. 
 than  give  them  wine.    But  the  greatest  thing  of  all  other  j^'2' 
 about  this  duty  of  Christian  burial,  is  an  outward  testifi-  "• 
 cation  of  the  hope  which  we  have  touching  the  Resurrec- 
 tion of  the  dead.    For  which  purpose  let  any  man  of  rea- 
 sonable judgment  examine,  whether  it  be  more  convenient 
 for  a  company  of  men,  as  it  were,  in  a  dumb  show,  to  bring 
 a  corpse  to  the  place  of  burial,  there  to  leave  it  covered 
 with  the  earth,  and  so  end,  or  else  have  the  Exequies  de- 
 voutly performed  with  solemn  recital  of  such  Lectures, 
 Psalms,  and  Prayers,  as  are  purposely  framed  for  the 
 stirring  up  of  men's  minds  unto  a  careful  consideration  of 
 their  estate  both  here  and  hereafter.    Whereas  therefore 
 it  is  objected,  that  neither  the  people  of  God  under  the 
 Law,  nor  the  Church  in  the  Apostles'  times,  did  use  any 
 Form  of  Service  in  burial  of  the  dead  ;  and  therefore,  that 
 this  Order  is  taken  up  without  any  good  example  or  pre- 
 cedent followed  therein  :  first,  while  the  world  doth  stand 
 they  shall  never  be  able  to  prove,  that  all  things,  which 
 either  the  one  or  the  other  did  use  at  burial,  are  set  down 
 in  Holy  Scripture,  which  doth  not  any  where  of  purpose 
 deliver  the  whole  manner  and  form  thereof,  but  toucheth 
 only  sometime  one  thing,  and  sometime  another,  which  was 
 in  use,  as  special  occasions  require  any  of  them  to  be  men- 
 tioned or  insinuated.    Again,  if  it  might  be  proved  that  no 
 such  thing  was  usual  amongst  them,  hath  Christ  so  deprived 
 his  Church  of  judgment,  that  what  Rites  and  Orders  soever 
 the  latter  ages  thereof  have  devised,  the  same  must  needs 
 be  inconvenient?    Furthermore,  that  the  Jews  before  our 
 Saviour's  coming  had  any  such  Form  of  Service,  although 
 in  Scripture  it  be  not  affirmed ;  yet  neither  is  it  there  de- 
 nied (for  the  forbidding  of  Priests  to  be  present  at  burials 
 letteth  not  but  that  others  might  discharge  that  duty, 
 seeing  all  were  not  Priests  which  had  rooms  of  public 
 function  in  their  Synagogues),  and  if  any  man  be  of  opi- 
 nion that  they  had  no  such  Form  of  Service ;  thus  much 
 there  is  to  make  the  contrary  more  probable.    The  Jews 
 at  this  day  have,  as  appeareth  in  their  Form  of  funeral 
 Prayers,  and  in  certain  of  their  funeral  Sermons  published; 
 neither  are  they  so  affected  towards  Christians,  as  to  bor- 
 row that  Order  from  us ;  besides  that,  the  Form  thereof  is 
 
72 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 such  as  hath  in  it  sundry  things  which  the  very  words  of 
 the  Scripture  itself  do  seem  to  allude  unto,  as  namely, 
 after  departure  from  the  sepulchre  unto  the  house  whence 
 the  dead  was  brought,  it  sheweth  the  manner  of  their  Bu- 
 rial-feast, and  a  consolatory  Form  of  Prayer,  appointed 
 for  the  Master  of  the  Synagogue  thereat  to  utter;  albeit  I 
 may  not  deny,  but  it  hath  also  some  things  which  are  not 
 perhaps  so  ancient  as  the  Law  and  the  Prophets.  But 
 whatsoever  the  Jews' custom  was  before  the  days  of  our 
 Saviour  Christ,  hath  it  once  at  any  time  been  heard  of, 
 that  either  Church  or  Christian  man  of  sound  beMef  did 
 ever  judge  this  a  thing  unmeet,  indecent,  unfit  for  Chris- 
 tianity, till  these  miserable  days,  wherein,  under  the  colour 
 of  removing  certain  superstitious  abuses,  the  most  effectual 
 means  both  to  testify  and  to  strengthen  true  Religion  are 
 plucked  at,  and  in  some  places  even  pulled  up  by  the  very 
 roots?  Take  away  this  which  was  ordained  to  shew  at 
 burials  the  peculiar  hope  of  the  Church  of  God  concerning 
 the  dead  ;  and  in  the  manner  of  those  dumb  funerals  what 
 one  thing  is  there  whereby  the  world  may  perceive  we  are 
 Christian  men  ? 
 
 of  the  I  come  now  unto  that  function  which  undertaketh  the 
 
 nature 
 
 of  that  public  ministry  of  holy  things  according  to  the  Laws  of 
 try°'s*  Christian  Religion.  And  because  the  nature  of  things,  con- 
 7ehr'cehth  sisting  as  this  doth  in  action,  is  known  by  the  object  where- 
 for  per-  about  they  are  conversant,  and  by  the  end  or  scope  where- 
 anceof  unto  they  are  referred,  we  must  know  that  the  object  of 
 duuesin  tn*s  functi°n  is  both  God  and  men :  God,  in  that  he  is  pub- 
 ««  ^  lickly  worshipped  of  his  Church  ;  and  men,  in  that  they  are 
 of  God;  capable  of  happiness  by  means  which  Christian  Discipline 
 happhi-w  appointeth.  So  that  the  sum  of  our  whole  labour  in  this 
 ness.not  kind,  is  to  honour  God  and  to  save  men.    For  whether  we 
 
 eternal 
 
 only,    severally  take  and  consider  men  one  by  one,  or  else  ga- 
 
 tempa<Ls°  ther  them  into  one  society  and  body,  as  it  hath  been  before 
 
 rai.doth  declared,  that  every  man's  Religion  is  in  him  the  well- 
 depend       .  ° 
 
 upon  it.  spring  of  all  other  sound  and  sincere  virtues,  from  whence 
 both  here  in  some  sort,  and  hereafter  more  abundantly, 
 their  full  joy  and  felicity  ariseth;  because  while  they  live 
 they  are  blessed  of  God,  and  when  they  die  their  works  fol- 
 low them :  so  at  this  present  we  must  again  call  to  mind 
 how  the  very  worldly  peace  and  prosperity,  the  secular 
 happiness,  the  temporal  and  natural  good  estate  both  of 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 73 
 
 all  men  and  of  all  dominions,  hangeth  chiefly  upon  Reli- 
 gion, and  doth  evermore  give  plain  testimony,  that,  as  well 
 in  this  as  in  other  considerations,  the  Priest  is  a  pillar  of 
 that  Commonwealth  wherein  he  faithfully  serveth  God. 
 For,  if  these  assertions  be  true,  first,  that  nothing  can  be  en- 
 joyed in  this  present  world  against  his  will  which  hath 
 made  all  things ;  secondly,  that  albeit  God  doth  sometime 
 permit  the  impious  to  have,  yet  impiety  permitteth  them 
 not  to  enjoy,  no  not  temporal  blessings  on  earth ;  thirdly, 
 that  God  hath  appointed  those  blessings  to  attend  as  hand- 
 maids upon  Religion ;  and,  fourthly,  that,  without  the  work 
 of  the  Ministry,  Religion  by  no  means  can  possibly  con- 
 tinue, the  use  and  benefit  of  that  sacred  function  even  to- 
 wards all  men's  worldly  happiness  must  needs  be  granted. 
 Now,  the  first  being  a  theorem  both  understood  and  con- 
 fessed by  all,*  to  labour  in  proof  thereof  were  superfluous. 
 The  second  perhaps  may  be  called  in  question,  except  it 
 be  perfectly  understood.  By  good  things  temporal,  there- 
 fore, we  mean  length  of  days,  health  of  body,  store  of 
 friends  and  well-willers,  quietness,  prosperous  success  of 
 those  things  we  take  in  hand,  riches  with  fit  opportunities 
 to  use  them  during  life,  reputation  following  us  both  alive 
 and  dead,  children,  or  such  as  instead  of  children  we  wish 
 to  leave  successors  and  partakers  of  our  happiness.  These 
 things  are  naturally  every  man's  desire,  because  they  are 
 good.  And  on  whom  God  bestoweth  the  same,  them  we 
 confess  he  graciously  blesseth.  Of  earthly  blessings  the 
 meanest  is  wealth,  reputation  the  chiefest.  For  which 
 cause  we  esteem  the  gain  of  honour  an  ample  recompense 
 for  the  loss  of  all  other  worldly  benefits.  But  forasmuch 
 as  in  all  this  there  is  no  certain  perpetuity  of  goodness, 
 Nature  hath  taught  to  affect  these  things,  not  for  their  own 
 sake,  but  with  reference  and  relation  to  somewhat  inde- 
 pendently good,  as  is  the  exercise  of  virtue  and  specula- 
 tion of  truth.  None,  whose  desires  are  rightly  ordered,  would 
 wish  to  live,  to  breathe,  and  move,  without  performance 
 
 *  '  Si  creatura  Dei,  merito  et  dispensatio  Dei  sumus  :  Quis  enim  magis  diligit, 
 quam  ille  qui  fecit  ?  Quis  autem  ordinatius  regit,  quam  is  qui  et  fecit  et  diligit  ? 
 Quia  vero  sapientius  et  fortius  ordinare  et  regere  facta  potest,  quam  qui  et  facienda 
 providit  et  provisa  perfecit  ?  Quapropter  omnem  potestatem  a  Deo  esse  omnemque 
 ordinationem,  et  qui  non  legerunt  sentiunt,  et  qui  legerunt  cognoscunt.'  Paul. 
 Oros.  Hist,  advers.  Pagan,  lib.  2.  [c.  J .] 
 
 Ovtoi  ra  Xpb/Aifr'  i'Jia  xixTWTat  Sforol, 
 
 T*w«  flsiuv  i'  e^ovtec  £7rif*£Koi.'nA6&a.    Eurip.  Phceniss.  [ver.  565.] 
 
74 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 of  those  actions  which  are  beseeming  man's  excellency. 
 Wherefore,  having  not  how  to  employ  it,  we  wax  weary 
 even  of  life  itself.    Health  is  precious,  because  sickness 
 doth  breed  that  pain  which  disableth  action.  Again,  why  do 
 men  delight  so  much  in  the  multitude  of  friends,  but  for  that 
 the  actions  of  life,  being  many,  do  need  many  helping  hands 
 to  further  them?  Between  troublesome  and  quiet  days  we 
 should  make  no  difference,  if  the  one  did  not  hinder  and  in- 
 terrupt, the  other  uphold,  our  liberty  of  action.  Furthermore, 
 if  those  things  we  do  succeed,  it  rejoiceth  us  not  so  much  for 
 the  benefit  we  thereby  reap,  as  in  that  it  probably  argueth 
 our  actions  to  have  been  orderly  and  well  guided.*    As  for 
 riches,  to  him  which  hath  and  doth  nothing  with  them,  they 
 are  a  contumely.    Honour  is  commonly  presumed  a  sign 
 of  more  than  ordinary  virtue  and  merit,  by  means  whereof 
 when  ambitious  minds  thirst  after  it,  their  endeavours  are 
 testimonies  how  much  it  is  in  the  eye  of  nature  to  possess 
 that  body,  the  very  shadow  whereof  is  set  at  so  high  a  rate. 
 Finally,  such  is  the  pleasure  and  comfort  which  we  take  in 
 doing,  that  when  life  forsaketh  us,  still  our  desires  to  con- 
 tinue action  and  to  work,  though  not  by  ourselves,  yet  by 
 them  whom  we  leave  behind  us,  causeth  us  providently  to 
 resign  into  other  men's  hands  the  helps  we  have  gathered 
 for  that  purpose,  devising  also  the  best  we  can  to  make 
 them  perpetual.  It  appeareth,  therefore,  how  all  the  parts 
 of  temporal  felicity  are  only  good  in  relation  to  that  which 
 useth  them  as  instruments,  and  that  they  are  no  such  good 
 as  wherein  a  right  desire  doth  ever  stay  or  rest  itself.  Now 
 temporal  blessings  are  enjoyed  of  those  which  have  them, 
 know  them,  "  esteem  them  according  to  that  they  are  in 
 their  own  nature."    Wherefore  of  the  wicked,  whom  God 
 doth  hate,  his  usual  and  ordinary  speeches  are,  that 
 
 Pssi.    «  blood-thirsty  and  deceitful  men  shall  not  live  out  half 
 their  days ;"  that  God  shall  cause  a  pestilence  to  cleave 
 
 Deut.   unto  the  wicked,  and  shall  strike  them  with  consuming 
 "  grief,  with  fevers,  burning  diseases,  and  sores  which  are 
 past  cure ;  that  when  the  impious  are  fallen,  all  men  shall 
 tread  them  down,  and  none  shew  countenance  of  love  to- 
 wards them,  as  much  as  by  pitying  them  in  their  misery ; 
 
 — — — —  olZ/jitF^a  yaf 
 
 Eurip.  Herad.  [ver.  741.] 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 75 
 
 that  the  sins  of  the  ungodly  shall  bereave  them  of  peace ; 
 that  all  counsels,  complots,  and  practices  against  God 
 shall  come  to  nothing ;  that  the  lot  and  inheritance  of  the 
 unjust  is  beggary;  that  the  name  of  unrighteous  persons 
 shall  putrefy,  and  the  posterity  of  robbers  starve.  If  any 
 think  that  iniquity  and  peace,  sin  and  prosperity,  can 
 dwell  together,  they  err,  because  they  distinguish  not  aright 
 between  the  matter,  and  that  which  giveth  it  the  form  of 
 happiness,  between  possession  and  fruition,  between  the 
 having  and  enjoying  of  good  things.  The  impious  cannot 
 enjoy  that  they  have,  partly  because  they  receive  it  not  as 
 at  God's  hands,  which  only  consideration  maketh  temporal 
 blessings  comfortable ;  and  partly  because  through  error, 
 placing  it  above  things  of  far  more  price  and  worth,  they 
 turn  that  to  poison  which  might  be  food,  they  make  their 
 prosperity  their  own  snare,  in  the  nest  of  their  highest 
 growth  they  lay  foolishly  those  eggs  out  of  which  their  wo- 
 ful  overthrow  is  afterwards  hatched.  Hereby  it  comethto 
 pass,  that  wise  and  judicious  men,  observing  the  vain  be- 
 haviour of  such  as  are  risen  to  unwonted  greatness,  have 
 thereby  been  able  to  prognosticate  their  ruin.  So  that  in 
 very  truth  no  impious  or  wicked  man  doth  prosper  on 
 earth,  but  either  sooner  or  later  the  world  may  perceive 
 easily,  how  at  such  time  as  others  thought  them  most  for- 
 tunate, they  had  but  only  the  good  estate  which  fat  oxen 
 have  above  lean ;  when  they  appeared  to  grow,  their  climb- 
 ing was  towards  ruin.*  The  gross  and  bestial  conceit  of 
 them  which  want  understanding  is,  only  that  the  fullest 
 bellies  are  happiest.  Therefore  the  greatest  felicity  they 
 wish  to  the  Commonwealth  wherein  they  live  is,  that  it  may 
 but  abound  and  stand;  that  they  which  are  riotous  may 
 have  to  pour  out  without  stint ;  that  the  poor  may  sleep, 
 and  the  rich  feed  them ;  that  nothing  unpleasant  may  be 
 commanded,  nothing  forbidden  men  which  themselves  have 
 a  lust  to  follow;  that  Kings  may  provide  for  the  ease  of 
 their  subjects,  and  not  be  too  curious  about  their  manners; 
 that  wantonness,  excess,  and  lewdness  of  life  may  be  left 
 free ;  and  that  no  fault  may  be  capital,  besides  dislike  of 
 things  settled  in  so  good  terms.  But  be  it  far  from  the  just 
 to  dwell  either  in  or  near  to  the  tents  of  these  so  miserable 
 
 *  '  Ante  ruinam  elatio.'  Prov.  xvi.  18.  QtXui  oSio?  ra  vir^iyjina.  wavra  koXouw. 
 t'u  yaf  la  <£>pov£eiv  piya.  i  Slot  oMov  h  ituvyiv.  Herod,  lib.  vii.  [c.  10,  5.  J 
 
76 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 felicities.  Now  whereas  we  thirdly  affirm,  that  Religion 
 and  the  fear  of  God  as  well  induceth  secular  prosperity  as 
 everlasting  bliss  in  the  world  to  come,  this  also  is  true. 
 For  otherwise  godliness  could  not  be  said  to  have  the  pro- 
 mises of  both  lives ;  to  be  that  ample  revenue  wherein 
 there  is  always  sufficiency;  and  to  carry  with  it  a  general 
 discharge  of  want,  even  so  general,  that  David  himself 
 should  protest,  he  a  never  saw  the  just  forsaken."  How- 
 beit,  to  this  we  must  add  certain  special  limitations ;  as, 
 first,  that  we  do  not  forget  how  crazed  and  diseased  minds 
 (whereof  our  heavenly  Physician  must  judge)  receive  often- 
 times most  benefit  by  being  deprived  of  those  things  which 
 are  to  others  beneficially  given,  as  appeareth  in  that  which 
 the  Wise  man  hath  noted  concerning  them  whose  lives  God 
 mercifully  doth  abridge,  lest  wickedness  should  alter  their 
 understanding ;  again,  that  the  measure  of  our  outward  pros- 
 perity be  taken  in  proportion  with  that  which  every  man's 
 estate  in  this  present  life  requireth.  External  abilities  are 
 instruments  of  action.  It  contenteth  wise  artificers  to  have 
 their  instruments  proportionable  to  their  work,  rather  fit  for 
 use,  than  huge  and  goodly  to  please  the  eye.  Seeing  then 
 the  actions  of  a  servant  do  not  need  that  which  may  be  ne- 
 cessary for  men  of  calling  and  place  in  the  world,  neither 
 men  of  inferior  condition  many  things  which  greater  per- 
 sonages can  hardly  want,  surely  they  are  blessed  in  worldly 
 respects  that  have  wherewith  to  perform  sufficiently  what 
 their  station  and  place  asketh,  though  they  have  no  more.* 
 For,  by  reason  of  man's  imbecility  and  proneness  to  elation 
 of  mind,  too  high  a  flow  of  prosperity  is  dangerous,f  too 
 low  an  ebb  again  as  dangerous,  for  that  the  virtue  of 
 patience  is  rare,  and  the  hand  of  necessity  stronger  than 
 ordinary  virtue  is  able  to  withstand.  Solomon's  discreet 
 and  moderate  desire  we  all  know;  "  Give  me,  O  Lord, 
 neither  riches  nor  penury."  Men  over  high  exalted  either 
 in  honour,  or  in  power,  or  in  nobility,  or  in  wealth ;  they 
 likewise  that  are  as  much  on  the  contrary  hand  sunk  either 
 with  beggary,  or  through  dejection,  or  by  baseness— do  not 
 easily  give  ear  to  reason  ;  but  the  one  exceeding  apt  unto 
 outrages,  and  the  other  unto  petty  mischiefs.    For  great- 
 
 *  'Ettei  tiy  apxe>Jv&'  ixctvi  toTs-i  o-axp^onv.  Eurip.  Phoenis.  [ver.  564.] 
 
 t   Tfit7T£iV0T£gWV  0  'hoyiC~fJl.lt;  i'iTaJG,  etXX'  OUV  a3"4>£tXSff'T£pa>VJ  laOV  aTTE^StV  iCO.)  U^OVS  Xtti  H7TCV- 
 
 ixam.  Greg.  Nazian.  Apol.  3.  They  may  seem  haply  to  be  the  most  deject,  but 
 they  are  the  wisest  for  their  own  safety  which  fear  climbing  no  less  than  falling. 
 Vide  Arist.  Polit.  lib.  iv.  cap.  11. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 77 
 
 ness  delighteth  to  shew  itself  by  effects  of  power,  and  base- 
 ness to  help  itself  with  shifts  of  malice.  For  which  cause, 
 a  moderate,  indifferent  temper,  between  fulness  of  bread 
 and  emptiness,  hath  been  evermore  thought  and  found  (all 
 circumstances  duly  considered)  the  safest  and  happiest  for 
 all  estates,  even  for  Kings  and  Princes  themselves.  Again, 
 we  are  not  to  look  that  these  things  should  always  concur, 
 no  not  in  them  which  are  accounted  happy,  neither  that 
 the  course  of  men's  lives,  or  of  public  affairs,  should  con- 
 tinually be  drawn  out  as  an  even  thread  (for  that  the  nature 
 of  things  will  not  suffer),  but  a  just  survey  being  made,  as 
 those  particular  men  are  worthily  reputed  good,  whose  vir- 
 tues be  great  and  their  faults  tolerable ;  so  him  we  may  re- 
 gister for  a  man  fortunate,  and  that  for  a  prosperous  and 
 happy  state,  which  having  flourished  doth  not  afterwards 
 feel  any  tragical  alteration,  such  as  might  cause  them  to  be 
 a  spectacle  of  misery  to  others.  Besides,  whereas  true 
 felicity  consisteth  in  the  highest  operations  of  that  nobler 
 part  of  man,  which  sheweth  sometime  greatest  perfection, 
 not  in  using  the  benefits  which  delight  nature,  but  in  suffer- 
 ing what  nature  can  hardliest  endure ;  there  is  no  cause 
 why  either  the  loss  of  good,  if  it  tend  to  the  purchase  of 
 better,  or  why  any  misery,  the  issue  whereof  is  their  greater 
 praise  and  honour  that  have  sustained  it,  should  be  thought 
 to  impeach  that  temporal  happiness  wherewith  Religion, 
 we  say,  is  accompanied ;  but  yet  in  such  measure  as  the 
 several  degrees  of  men  may  require  by  a  competent  esti- 
 mation, and  unless  the  contrary  do  more  advance,  as  it 
 hath  done,  those  most  heroical  Saints  whom  afflictions  have 
 made  glorious.  In  a  word,  not  to  whom  no  calamity  fall- 
 eth,  but  whom  neither  misery  nor  prosperity  is  able  to 
 move  from  a  right  mind,  them  we  may  truly  pronounce 
 fortunate ;  and  whatsoever  doth  outwardly  happen  without 
 that  precedent  improbity,  for  which  it  appeareth  in  the  eyes 
 of  sound  and  impartial  judges  to  have  proceeded  from 
 divine  revenge,  it  passeth  in  the  number  of  human  casual- 
 ties whereunto  we  are  all  alike  subject.  No  misery  is 
 reckoned  more  than  common  or  human,  if  God  so  dispose 
 that  we  pass  through  it,  and  come  safe  to  shore ;  even  as 
 contrariwise,  men  do  not  use  to  think  those  flourishing  days 
 happy,  which  do  end  with  tears.  It  standeth  therefore 
 with  (hese  cautions  firm  and  true,  yea,  ratified  by  all  men's 
 
78 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 unfeigned  confessions,  drawn  from  the  very  heart  of  expe- 
 rience, that  whether  we  compare  men  of  note  in  the  world 
 with  others  of  like  degree  and  state,  or  else  the  same  men 
 with  themselves ;  whether  we  confer  one  dominion  with  an- 
 other, or  else  the  different  times  of  one  and  the  same  domi- 
 nion ;  the  manifest  odds  between  their  very  outward  con- 
 dition, as  long  as  they  stedfastly  were  observed  to  honour 
 God,  and  their  success,  being  fallen  from  him,  are  remon- 
 strances more  than  sufficient  how  all  our  welfare,  even  on 
 earth,  dependeth  wholly  upon  our  Religion.  Heathens 
 were  ignorant  of  true  Religion  :  yet  such  as  that  little  was 
 which  they  knew,  it  much  impaired  or  bettered  always 
 their  worldly  affairs,  as  their  love  and  zeal  towards  it  did 
 wane  or  grow.  Of  the  Jews,  did  not  even  their  most  mali- 
 cious and  mortal  adversaries  all  acknowledge,  that  to  strive 
 against  them  it  was  vain  as  long  as  their  amity  with  God 
 continued,  that  nothing  could  weaken  them  but  apostacy? 
 In  the  whole  course  of  their  own  proceedings  did  they  ever 
 find  it  otherwise,  but  that  during  their  faith  and  fidelity  to- 
 wards God,  every  man  of  them  was  in  war  as  a  thousand 
 strong,  and  as  much  as  a  grand  senate  for  counsel  in  peace- 
 able deliberations?  contrariwise,  that  if  they  swerved  as 
 Ihey  often  did,  their  wonted  courage  and  magnanimity  for- 
 sook them  utterly,  their  soldiers  and  military  men  trem- 
 bled at  the  sight  of  the  naked  sword ;  when  they  entered 
 into  mutual  conference  and  sate  in  council  for  their  own 
 good,  that  which  children  might  have  seen,  their  gravest 
 Senators  could  not  discern ;  their  Prophets  saw  darkness 
 instead  of  visions ;  the  wise  and  prudent  were  as  men  be- 
 witched, even  that  which  they  knew  (being  such  as  might 
 stand  them  in  stead)  they  had  not  the  grace  to  utter,  or  if 
 any  thing  were  well  proposed,  it  took  no  place,  it  entered 
 not  into  the  minds  of  the  rest  to  approve  and  follow  it,  but 
 as  men  confounded  with  strange  and  unusual  amazements 
 of  spirit,  they  attempted  tumultuously  they  saw  not  what ; 
 and  by  the  issues  of  all  attempts  they  found  no  certain  con- 
 clusion but  this,  "  God  and  Heaven  are  strong  against  us 
 in  all  we  do."  The  cause  whereof  was  secret  fear,  which 
 took  heart  and  courage  from  them ;  and  the  cause  of  their 
 fear,  an  inward  guiltiness  that  they  all  had  offered  God 
 such  apparent  wrongs  as  were  not  pardonable.  But  it  may 
 be  the  case  is  now  altogether  changed,  and  that  in  Chris- 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 79 
 
 tian  Religion  there  is  not  the  like  force  towards  temporal 
 felicity.  Search  the  ancient  records  of  time,  look  what 
 hath  happened  by  the  space  of  these  sixteen  hundred  years, 
 see  if  all  things  to  this  effect  be  not  luculent  and  clear,  yea, 
 all  things  so  manifest,  that  for  evidence  and  proof  herein, 
 we  need  not  by  uncertain  dark  conjectures  surmise  any  to 
 have  been  plagued  of  God  for  contempt,  or  blest  in  the 
 course  of  faithful  obedience  towards  true  Religion,  more 
 than  only  them,  whom  we  find  in  that  respect,  on  the  one 
 side,  guilty  by  their  own  confessions,  and  happy  on  the 
 other  side  by  all  men's  acknowledgments ;  who,  beholding 
 the  prosperous  estate  of  such  as  are  good  and  virtuous, 
 impute  boldly  the  same  to  God's  most  especial  favour,  but 
 cannot  in  like  manner  pronounce,  that  whom  he  affiicteth 
 above  others,  with  them  he  hath  cause  to  be  more  offended. 
 For  virtue  is  always  plain  to  be  seen,  rareness  causeth  it 
 to  be  observed,  and  goodness  to  be  honoured  with  admira- 
 tion. As  for  iniquity  and  sin,  it  lieth  many  times  hid ;  and 
 because  we  be  all  offenders,  it  becometh  us  not  to  incline 
 towards  hard  and  severe  sentences  touching  others,  unless 
 their  notorious  wickedness  did  sensibly  before  proclaim 
 that  which  afterwards  came  to  pass.  Wherefore  the  sum 
 of  every  Christian  man's  duty  is,  to  labour  by  all  means 
 towards  that  which  other  men  seeing  in  us  may  justify ;  and 
 what  we  ourselves  must  accuse  if  we  fall  into  it,  that,  by  all 
 means  we  can,  to  avoid ;  considering  especially,  that  as 
 hitherto  upon  the  Church  there  never  yet  fell  tempestuous 
 storm,  the  vapours  whereof  were  not  first  noted  to  rise  from 
 coldness  in  affection,  and  from  backwardness  in  duties  of 
 service  towards  God;  so,  if  that  which  the  tears  of  antiquity 
 have  uttered  concerning  this  point  should  be  here  set  down, 
 it  were  assuredly  enough  to  soften  and  to  mollify  a  heart  of 
 steel.  On  the  contrary  part,  although  we  confess  with 
 St.  Augustine  most  willingly,  that  the  chiefest  happiness 
 for  which  we  have  some  Christian  Kings  in  so  great  admi- 
 ration above  the  rest,  is  not  because  of  their  long  reign ; 
 their  calm  and  quiet  departure  out  of  this  present  life ;  the 
 settled  establishment  of  their  own  flesh  and  blood  succeed- 
 ing them  in  royalty  and  power ;  the  glorious  overthrow  of 
 foreign  enemies,  or  the  wise  prevention  of  inward  danger, 
 and  of  secret  attempts  at  home;  all  which  solaces  and 
 comforts  of  this  our  unquiet  life  it  pleaseth  God  oftentimes 
 
80 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 to  bestow  on  them  which  have  no  society  or  part  in  the 
 joys  of  Heaven,  giving  thereby  to  understand  that  these  in 
 comparison  are  toys  and  trifles,  far  under  the  value  and 
 price  of  that  which  is  to  be  looked  for  at  his  hands :  but  in 
 truth  the  reason  wherefore  we  most  extol  their  felicity  is,  if  so 
 be  they  have  virtuously  reigned, if  honour  hath  not  filled  their 
 hearts  with  pride,  if  the  exercise  of  their  power  hath  been  ser- 
 vice and  attendance  upon  the  Majesty  of  the  Most  High,  if 
 they  have  feared  him  as  their  own  inferiors  and  subjects  have 
 feared  them,  if  they  have  loved  neither  pomp  nor  pleasure 
 more  than  Heaven,  if  revenge  hath  slowly  proceeded  from 
 them  and  mercy  willingly  offered  itself,  if  so  they  have  tem- 
 pered rigour  with  lenity,  that  neither  extreme  severity  might 
 utterly  cut  them  off  in  whom  there  was  manifest  hope  of 
 amendment,  nor  yet  the  easiness  of  pardoning  offences  em- 
 bolden offenders ;  if,  knowing  that  whatsoever  they  do,  their 
 potency  may  bear  it  out,  they  have  been  so  much  the  more 
 careful  not  to  do  any  thing  but  that  which  is  commendable 
 in  the  rest,  rather  than  usual  with  greatest  personages ;  if 
 the  true  knowledge  of  themselves  hath  humbled  them  in 
 God's  sight,  no  less  than  God  in  the  eyes  of  men  hath 
 raised  them  up ;  I  say,  albeit  we  reckon  such  to  be  the 
 happiest  of  men  that  are  mightiest  in  the  world,  and  albeit 
 those  things  alone  are  happiness,  nevertheless,  considering 
 what  force  there  is  even  in  outward  blessings  to  comfort 
 the  minds  of  the  best  disposed,  and  to  give  them  the 
 greater  joy  when  Religion  and  Peace,  heavenly  and  earthly 
 happiness,  are  wreathed  in  one  crown,  as  to  the  worthiest 
 of  Christian  Princes  it  hath  by  the  providence  of  the  Al- 
 mighty hitherto  befallen ;  let  it  not  seem  to  any  man  a 
 needless  and  superfluous  waste  of  labour,  that  there  hath 
 been  thus  much  spoken,  to  declare  how  in  them  especially 
 it  hath  been  so  observed,  and  withal  universally  noted, 
 even  from  the  highest  to  the  very  meanest,  how  this  parti- 
 cular benefit,  this  singular  grace  and  pre-eminence,  Reli- 
 gion hath,  that  either  it  guardeth  as  a  heavenly  shield  from 
 all  calamities,  or  else  conducteth  us  safe  through  them,  and 
 permitteth  them  not  to  be  miseries;  it  either  giveth  ho- 
 nours, promotions,  and  wealth,  or  else  more  benefit  by 
 wanting  them  than  if  we  had  them  at  will ;  it  either  filleth 
 our  houses  with  plenty  of  all  good  things,  or  maketh  a  sal- 
 lad  of  green  herbs  more  sweet  than  all  the  sacrifices  of  the 
 
KOOK  V. 
 
 81 
 
 un  godly.  Our  fourth  proposition  before  set  down  was,  that 
 Religion,  without  the  help  of  spiritual  ministry,  is  unable  to 
 plant  itself;  the  fruits  thereof  not  possible  to  grow  of  their 
 own  accord.  Which  last  assertion  is  herein  as  the  first, 
 that  it  needeth  no  further  confirmation :  if  it  did,  I  could 
 easily  declare  how  all  things  which  are  of  God,  he  hath  by 
 wonderful  art  and  wisdom  sodered  as  it  were  together  with 
 the  glue  of  mutual  assistance,  appointing  the  lowest  to  re- 
 ceive from  the  nearest  to  themselves  what  the  influence  of 
 the  highest  yieldeth.  And  therefore  the  Church,  being  the 
 most  absolute  of  all  his  works,  was  in  reason  to  be  also 
 ordered  with  like  harmony,  that  what  he  worketh  might, 
 no  less  in  grace  than  in  nature,  be  effected  by  hands  and 
 instruments  duly  subordinated  unto  the  power  of  his  own 
 Spirit.  A  thing  both  needful  for  the  humility  of  man, 
 which  would  not  willingly  be  debtor  to  any  but  to  himself; 
 and  of  no  small  effect  to  nourish  that  divine  love,  which 
 now  maketh  each  embrace  other,  not  as  men,  but  as  Angels 
 of  God.  Ministerial  actions,  tending  immediately  unto  fcjiie 
 God's  honour,  and  man's  happiness,  are  either  as  contem-  1  cor.' 
 plation,  which  helpeth  forward  the  principal  work  of  the  xi't.\:.7. 
 ministry,  or  else  they  are  parts  of  that  principal  work  of 
 administration  itself,  which  work  consisteth  in  doing  the  EpW. 
 service  of  God's  House,  and  in  applying  unto  men  the  so- '"' 2" 
 vereign  medicines  of  grace,  already  spoken  of  the  more 
 largely,  to  the  end  it  might  thereby  appear,  that  we  owe  to 
 the  guides  of  our  souls*  even  as  much  as  our  souls  are 
 worth,  although  the  debt  of  our  temporal  blessings  should 
 be  stricken  off. 
 
 77.  The  Ministry  of  things  divine  is  a  function,  which  as  ofp°wer 
 God  did  himself  institute,  so  neither  may  men  undertake  unto 
 the  same  but  by  authority  and  power  given  them  in  lawful  °ee^ 
 manner.    That  God,  which  is  no  way  deficient  or  wanting  thathea- 
 unto  man  in  necessaries,  and  hath  therefore  given  us  the  fice;  of 
 light  of  his  heavenly  truth,  because  without  that  inestima- 
 ble  benefit  we  must  needs  have  wandered  in  darkness  to  "°ly, . 
 
 Ghost  in 
 
 our  endless  perdition  and  woe,  hath,  in  the  like  abundance  ordina- 
 of  mercies,  ordained  certain  to  attend  upon  the  due  execu-  and' 
 tion  of  requisite  parts  and  offices  therein  prescribed  for  "0hnev!g" 
 the  good  of  the  whole  world,  which  men  thereunto  assigned  uieotly 
 
 *  Kai  (Tiavrov  /xoi  Trgoj-fcfEiXeij.  Epist.  ad  Philem.  [ver.  19.] 
 VOL.  II.  G 
 
82 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 toe      do  hold  their  authority  from  him,  whether  they  be  such  as 
 
 power  of  |  ,  .  , 
 
 order  himself  immediately,  or  as  the  Church  in  his  name,  invest- 
 Tought  etn  ;  it  being  neither  possible  for  all,  nor  for  every  man 
 orsued  without  distinction  convenient,  to  take  upon  him  a  charge 
 of  so  great  importance.  They  are,  therefore,  Ministers  of 
 God,  not  only  by  way  of  subordination,  as  Princes  and 
 civil  Magistrates,  whose  execution  of  judgment  and  jus- 
 tice the  supreme  hand  of  divine  Providence  doth  uphold  ; 
 but  Ministers  of  God,  as  from  whom  their  authority  is 
 derived,  and  not  from  men.  For  in  that  they  are  Christ's 
 ambassadors  and  his  labourers,  who  should  give  them 
 their  commission,  but  he  whose  most  inward  affairs  they 
 manage  ?  Is  not  God  alone  the  Father  of  spirits  ?  Are 
 not  souls  the  purchase  of  Jesus  Christ?  What  Angel  in 
 Heaven  could  have  said  to  man,  as  our  Lord  did  unto 
 Peter,  "  Feed  my  sheep  ?  Preach  ?  Baptize  ?  Do  this  in 
 remembrance  of  me?  Whose  sins  ye  retain,  they  are 
 retained ;  and  their  offences  in  Heaven  pardoned,  whose 
 faults  you  shall  on  earth  forgive?"  What  think  we?  Are 
 these  terrestrial  sounds,  or  else  are  they  voices  uttered  out 
 of  the  clouds  above  ?  The  power  of  the  Ministry  of  God 
 translateth  out  of  darkness  into  glory;  it  raiseth  men  from 
 the  earth,  and  bringeth  God  himself  from  Heaven;  by  bless- 
 ing visible  elements,  it  maketh  them  invisible  grace ;  it 
 giveth  daily  the  Holy  Ghost;  it  hath  to  dispose  of  that 
 flesh  which  was  given  for  the  life  of  the  world,  and  that 
 blood  which  was  poured  out  to  redeem  souls ;  when  it 
 poureth  malediction  upon  the  heads  of  the  wicked,  they 
 perish  ;  when  it  revoketh  the  same,  they  revive.  O  wretched 
 blindness,  if  we  admire  not  so  great  power ;  more  wretched, 
 if  we  consider  it  aright,  and  notwithstanding  imagine  that 
 any  but  God  can  bestow  it !  To  whom  Christ  hath  im- 
 parted power,  both  over  that  mystical  body  which  is  the 
 society  of  souls,  and  over  that  natural  which  is  himself,  for 
 the  knitting  of  both  in  one  (a  work  which  antiquity  doth 
 call  the  making  of  Christ's  body),  the  same  power  is  in 
 such  not  amiss  both  termed  a  kind  of  mark  or  character, 
 and  acknowledged  to  be  indelible.  Ministerial  power  is  a 
 mark  of  separation,  because  it  severeth  them  that  have  it 
 from  other  men,  and  maketh  them  a  special  Order  conse- 
 crated unto  the  service  of  the  Most  High  in  things  where- 
 
BOOK  v.  83 
 
 with  others  may  not  meddle.  Their  difference,  therefore, 
 from  other  men  is  in  that  they  are  a  distinct  Order.  So 
 Tertullian  calleth  them.    And  St.  Paul  himself,  dividing  T"l»}- 
 
 °  de  Ad- 
 
 the  body  of  the  Church  of  Christ  into  two  moieties,  nameth  hort. 
 the  one  part  i&wrae,  which  is  as  much  as  to  say  the  Order 
 of  the  Laity,  the  opposite  part  whereunto  we  in  like  sort  ffe^ 
 term  the  Order  of  God's  Clergy,  and  the  spiritual  power 
 which  he  hath  given  them,  the  power  of  their  Order,  so  far 
 forth  as  the  same  consisteth  in  the  bare  execution  of  holy 
 things,  called  properly  the  affairs  of  God.    For  of  the 
 power  of  their  jurisdiction  over  men's  persons  we  are  to 
 speak  in  the  Books  following.    They  which  have  once  re- 
 ceived this  power  may  not  think  to  put  it  off  and  on  like  a 
 cloak,  as  the  weather  serveth,  to  take  it,  reject  and  resume 
 it  as  oft  as  themselves  list ;  of  which  profane  and  impious 
 contempt  these  latter  times  have  yielded,  as  of  other  kinds 
 of  iniquity  and  apostacy,  strange  examples.    But  let  them 
 know,  which  put  their  hands  unto  this  plough,  that  once 
 consecrated  unto  God,  they  are  made  his  peculiar  inherit- 
 ance for  ever.    Suspensions  may  stop,  and  degradations 
 utterly  cut  off,  the  use  or  exercise  of  power  before  given ; 
 but  voluntarily  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  man  to  separate 
 and  pull  asunder  what  God  by  his  authority  coupleth.  So 
 that  although  there  may  be  through  misdesert  degradation, 
 as  there  may  be  cause  of  just  separation  after  Matrimony;  Matt, 
 yet  if  (as  sometimes  it  doth)  restitution  to  former  dignity,  ™'g 
 or  reconciliation  after  breach,  doth  happen,  neither  doth  the 
 one  nor  the  other  ever  iterate  the  first  knot.    Much  less  is 
 it  necessary,  which  some  have  urged,  concerning  the  Reor- 
 dination  of  such,  as  others  in  times  more  corrupt  did  con- 
 secrate heretofore.    Which  error,  already  quelled  by  St. 
 Jerome,  doth  not  now  require  any  other  refutation.  Ex- 
 amples I  grant  there  are  which  make  for  restraint  of  those 
 men  from  admittance  again  into  rooms  of  spiritual  func- 
 tion, whose  fall  by  Heresy,  or  want  of  constancy  in  pro- 
 fessing the  Christian  Faith,  hath  been  once  a  disgrace  to 
 their  calling.    Nevertheless,  as  there  is  no  Law  which 
 bindeth,  so  there  is  no  case  that  should  always  lead,  to 
 shew  one  and  the  same  severity  towards  persons  culpable. 
 Goodness  of  nature  itself  more  inclineth  to  clemency  than 
 rigour.    And  we  in  other  men's  offences  do  behold  the 
 plain  image  of  our  own  imbecility.    Besides  also  them 
 
84 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 that  wander  out  of  the  way*  it  cannot  be  inexpedient  to 
 win  with  all  hopes  of  favour,  lest  strictness  used  towards 
 sucli  as  reclaim  themselves  should  make  others  more  ob- 
 inhfiin.  stinate  in  error.  "Wherefore,  after  that  the  Church  of 
 Eccies.  Alexandria  had  somewhat  recovered  itself  from  the  tem- 
 28." cap  pests  and  storms  of  Arianism,  being  in  consultation  about 
 the  re-establishment  of  that  which  by  long  disturbance 
 had  been  greatly  decayed  and  hindered,  the  ferventer  sort 
 gave  quick  sentence,  that  touching  them  which  were  of 
 the  Clergy,  and  had  stained  themselves  with  Heresy,  there 
 should  be  none  so  received  into  the  Church  again  as 
 to  continue  in  the  Order  of  the  Clergy.  The  rest,  which 
 considered  how  many  men's  cases  it  did  concern,  thought 
 it  much  more  safe  and  consonant  to  bend  somewhat  down 
 towards  them  which  were  fallen ;  to  shew  severity  upon 
 a  few  of  the  chiefest  leaders,  and  to  offer  to  the  rest  a 
 friendly  reconciliation  without  any  other  demand  saving 
 only  the  abjuration  of  their  error;  as  in  the  Gospel  that 
 wasteful  young  man,  which  returned  home  to  his  father's 
 house,  was  with  joy  both  admitted  and  honoured,  his 
 elder  brother  hardly  thought  of  for  repining  thereat ;  nei- 
 ther commended  so  much  for  his  own  fidelity  and  virtue, 
 as  blamed  for  not  embracing  him  freely,  whose  unex- 
 pected recovery  ought  to  have  blotted  out  all  remembrance 
 of  misdemeanours  and  faults  past.  But  of  this  sufficient. 
 A  thing  much  stumbled  at  in  the  manner  of  giving  Or- 
 ders, is  our  using  those  memorable  words  of  our  Lord 
 and  Saviour  Christ,  "  Receive  the  Holy  Ghost."  Thef 
 Holy  Ghost,  they  say,  we  cannot  give,  and  therefore  we 
 foolishly  bid  men  receive  it.  Wise  men,  for  their  authori- 
 ty's sake,  must  have  leave  to  befool  them  whom  they  are 
 able  to  make  wise  by  better  instruction.  Notwithstanding, 
 if  it  may  please  their  wisdom,  as  well  to  hear  what  fools 
 can  say,  as  to  control  that  which  they  do,  thus  we  have 
 Fccies.  heard  some  wise  men  teach,  namely,  that  the  Holy  Ghost 
 m]"?'.  may  be  used  to  signify  not  the  Person  alone,  but  the  gift 
 p-*-1-1-  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  we  know  that  spiritual  gifts  are  not 
 
 *  'In  XII.  Tabulis  cautum  est,  ut  idem  juris  esset  sanantibus  quod  fortibus,  id 
 est  bonis  et  qui  nunquam  defecemnt  a  populo  Romano.'  Fest.  in  ver.  Samnites. 
 
 t  ■  Papisticus  quidani  ritus,  stulte  quidem  ab  illis  et  sine  ullo  Scriptura?  funda- 
 mento  institutes,  et  a  discipline  nostra?  auctoribus  (pace  illorum  dixerim)  non  ma- 
 gnoprimuni  judicioacceptus,  minoreadhuc  in  Ecclesia  nostra  retinetur.'  Ecclesiast. 
 Discip.  p.  53. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 85 
 
 cnly  abilities  to  do  things  miraculous,  as  to  speak  with 
 tongues  which  were  never  taught  us,  to  cure  diseases  with- 
 out art,  and  such  like ;  but  also  that  the  very  authority  and 
 power  which  is  given  men  in  the  Church  to  be  Ministers  of 
 holy  things,  this  is  contained  within  the  number  of  those  gifts 
 whereof  the  Holy  Ghost  is  author ;  and  therefore  he  which 
 giveth  this  power  may  say,  without  absurdity  or  folly,  "  Re- 
 ceive the  Holy  Ghost,"  such  power  as  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
 hath  endued  his  Church  withal,  such  power  as  neither 
 Prince  nor  Potentate,  King  nor  Caesar,  on  earth  can  give. 
 So  that  if  men  alone  had  devised  this  form  of  speech, 
 thereby  to  express  the  heavenly  wellspring  of  that  power 
 which  Ecclesiastical  Ordinations  do  bestow,  it  is  not  so 
 foolish  but  that  wise  men  might  bear  with  it.  If  then  our 
 Lord  and  Saviour  himself  have  used  the  self-same  form  of 
 words,  and  that  in  the  self-same  kind  of  action,  although 
 there  be  but  the  least  show  of  probability,  yea,  or  any  pos- 
 sibility that  his  meaning  might  be  the  same  which  ours  is, 
 it  should  teach  sober  and  grave  men  not  to  be  too  venturous 
 in  condemning  that  of  folly,  which  is  not  impossible  to  have 
 in  it  more  profoundness  of  wisdom  than  flesh  and  blood 
 should  presume  to  control.  Our  Saviour,  after  his  resur- 
 rection from  the  dead,  gave  his  Apostles  their  commission, 
 saying,  "  All  power  is  given  me  in  Heaven  and  in  earth :  Matt. 
 Go,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  i8.v"' 
 name  of  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have 
 commanded  you."  In  sum,  "  As  my  Fathersent  me,  so 
 send  I  you."  Whereunto  St.  John  doth  add  further,  that 
 "having  thus  spoken,  he  breathed  on  them  and  said,  Re- John 
 ceive  the  Holy  Ghost."  By  which  words  he  must  of  like-3"1' 
 lihood  understand  some  gift  of  the  Spirit  which  was1  pre- 
 sently at  that  time  bestowed  upon  them,  as  both  the  speech 
 of  actual  delivery  in  saying,  Receive,  and  the  visible  sign 
 thereof,  his  breathing,  did  shew.  Absurd  it  were  to  ima- 
 gine our  Saviour  did  both  to  the  ear,  and  also  to  the  very 
 eye,  express  a  real  donation,  and  they  at  that  time  receive 
 nothing.  It  resteth  then  that  we  search  what  special 
 grace  they  did  at  that  time  receive.  Touching  miraculous 
 power  of  the  Spirit,  most  apparent  it  is,  that  as  then  they 
 received  it  not,  but  the  promise  thereof  was  to  be  shortly 
 after  performed.    The  words  of  St.  Luke  concerning  that 
 
86 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 power  arc  therefore  set  down  with  signification  of  the  time 
 iuke    to  come :  "  Behold,  I  will  send  the  promise  of  my  Father 
 '  upon  you,  but  tarry  you  in  the  City  of  Jerusalem  until  ye 
 be  endued  with  power  from  on  high."  Wherefore,  undoubt- 
 ed^, it  was  some  other  effect  of  the  Spirit,  the  Holy  Ghost 
 in  some  other  kind,  which  our  Saviour  did  then  bestow. 
 What  other  likelier  than  that  which  himself  doth  mention, 
 as  it  should  seem  of  purpose  to  take  away  all  ambiguous 
 constructions,  and  to  declare  that  the  Holy  Ghost  which 
 he  then  gave,  was  a  holy  and  a  ghostly  authority,  authority 
 over  the  souls  of  men,  authority,  a  part  whereof  consisteth 
 John    in  power  to  remit  and  retain  sins?    "Receive  the  Holy 
 Ghost :  whose  sins  soever  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted ; 
 whose  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained."    Whereas,  there- 
 fore, the  other  Evangelists  had  set  down,  that  Christ  did 
 before  his  suffering  promise  to  give  his  Apostles  the  keys 
 of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  and  being  risen  from  the  dead 
 promised  moreover  at  that  time  a  miraculous  power  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost ;  St.  John  addeth,  that  he  also  invested  them 
 even  then  with  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  for  castigation 
 and  relaxation  of  sin,  wherein  was  fully  accomplished  that 
 which  the  promise  of  the  keys  did  import.    Seeing,  there- 
 fore, that  the  same  power  is  now  given,  why  should  the 
 same  form  of  words  expressing  it  be  thought  foolish? 
 The  cause  why  we  breathe  not,  as  Christ  did  on  them  unto 
 whom  he  imparted  power,  is,  for  that  neither  Spirit  nor 
 spiritual  authority  may  be  thought  to  proceed  from  us,  who 
 are  but  delegates  or  assigns  to  give  men  possession  of 
 his  graces.   Now,  besides  that  the  power  and  authority  de- 
 livered with  those  words  is  itself  yaoiana,  a  gracious  do- 
 nation which  the  Spirit  of  God  doth  bestow,  we  may  most 
 assuredly  persuade  ourselves,  that  the  hand  which  im- 
 poseth  upon  us  the  function  of  our  Ministry,  doth  under  the 
 same  form  of  words  so  tie  itself  hereunto,  that  he1  which 
 receiveth  the  burden  is  thereby  for  ever  warranted  to  have 
 the  Spirit  with  him,  and  in  him,  for  his  assistance,*  aid, 
 countenance,  and  support,  in  whatsoever  he  faithfully  doth 
 to  discharge  duty.    Knowing,  therefore,  that  when  we  take 
 
 *  '  Et  si  necessarium  est  trepidare  de  merito,  religiosum  fist  tamen  gaudere  de 
 dono  :  quoniam  qui  mihi  oneris  est  auctor,  ipse  fiet  administrationis  adjutor ;  et  ne 
 magnitudine  gratiae  succumbat  infirmus,  dabit  virtutem  qui  contulit  dignitatem.' 
 Leo  ser.  1.  in  anniver.  die  Assumpt.  To  rhsJ/ua  ts  aym  I5eto  fiji*S{  el;  thv  fcaxcvi'av 
 tainrm.    Greg.  Nazian.  [Orat.  5.  ad  fin.] 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 87 
 
 Ordination,  wc  also  receive  the  presence  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  partly  to  guide,  direct,  and  strengthen  us  in  all  our 
 ways,  and  partly  to  assume  unto  itself  for  the  more  autho- 
 rity those  actions  that  appertain  to  our  place  and  calling, 
 can  our  cars  admit  such  a  speech  uttered  in  the  reverend 
 performance  of  that  Solemnity ;  or  can  we  at  any  time  re- 
 new the  memory,  and  enter  into  serious  cogitations  thereof, 
 but  with  much  admiration  and  joy  ?  Remove  what  these 
 foolish  words  do  imply,  and  what  hath  the  ministry  of  God 
 besides  wherein  to  glory  1  Whereas,  now,  forasmuch  as 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  which  our  Saviour  in  his  first  Ordinations 
 gave,  doth  no  less  concur  with  spiritual  vocations  through- 
 out all  ages,  than  the  Spirit,  which  God  derived  from  Moses  Numb, 
 to  them  that  assisted  him  in  his  government,  did  descend  17 * 
 from  them  to  their  successors  in  like  authority  and  place, 
 we  have  for  the  least  and  meanest  duties,  performed  by 
 virtue  of  ministerial  power,  that  to  dignify,  grace,  and  au- 
 thorize them,  which  no  other  offices  on  earth  can  challenge. 
 Whether  we  preach,  pray,  baptize,  communicate,  condemn, 
 give  absolution,  or  whatsoever;  as  disposers  of  God's  mys- 
 teries, our  words,  judgments,  acts,  and  deeds,  are  not  ours 
 but  the  Holy  Ghost's.  Enough,  if  unfeignedly  and  in 
 heart  we  did  believe  it,  enough  to  banish  whatsoever  may 
 justly  be  thought  corrupt  either  in  bestowing,  or  in  using, 
 or  in  esteeming,  the  same  otherwise  than  is  meet.  For 
 profanely  to  bestow,  or  loosely  to  use,  or  vilely  to  esteem 
 of,  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  all  in  show  and  profession  abhor. 
 Now  because  the  Ministry  is  an  office  of  dignity  and  ho-  A»ct 
 nour,  some  are  doubtful  whether  any  man  may  seek  for  it  Dbcip. 
 without  offence;  or,  to  speak  more  properly,  doubtful  they  f^te' 
 are  not,  but  rather  bold  to  accuse  our  Discipline  in  this 
 respect,  as  not  only  permitting,  but  requiring  also  ambi- 
 tious suits,  or  other  oblique  ways  or  means,  whereby  to 
 obtain  it.  Against  this  they  plead,  that  our  Saviour  did 
 stay  till  his  Father  sent  him,  and  the  Apostles  till  he  them; 
 that  the  ancient  Bishops  in  the  Church  of  Christ  were  ex- 
 amples and  patterns  of  the  same  modesty.  Whereupon  in 
 the  end  they  infer,  "  Let  us  therefore  at  the  length  amend 
 that  custom  of  repairing  from  all  parts  unto  the  Bishop  at 
 the  day  of  Ordination,  and  of  seeking  to  obtain  Orders ;  let 
 the  custom  of  bringing  commendatory  letters  be  removed ; 
 let  men  keep  themselves  at  home,  expecting  there  the  voice 
 
88 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 of  God,  and  the  authority  of  such  as  may  call  them  to  un- 
 dertake the  charge."  Thus  severely  they  censure  and  control 
 ambition,  if  it  be  ambition  which  they  take  upon  them  to 
 reprehend.  For  of  that  there  is  cause  to  doubt.  Ambition, 
 as  we  understand  it,  hath  been  accounted  a  vice  which 
 seeketh  after  honours  inordinately.  Ambitious  minds, 
 esteeming  it  their  greatest  happiness  to  be  admired,  reve- 
 renced, and  adored  above  others,  use  all  means  lawful  and 
 unlawful  which  may  bring  them  to  high  rooms.  But  as  for 
 the  power  of  Order  considered  by  itself,  and  as  in  this  case 
 it  must  be  considered,  such  reputation  it  hath  in  the  eye  of 
 this  present  world,  that  they  which  affect  it,  rather  need  en- 
 couragement to  bear  contempt,  than  deserve  blame  as  men 
 that  carry  aspiring  minds.  The  work  whereunto  this  power 
 serveth  is  commended,  and  the  desire  thereof  allowed  by 
 iTim.  the  Apostle  for  good.  Nevertheless,  because  the  burden 
 '  thereof  is  heavy,  and  the  charge  great,  it  cometh  many 
 times  to  pass,  that  the  minds  even  of  virtuous  men  are 
 drawn  into  clean  contrary  affections,  some  in  humility  de- 
 clining that  by  reason  of  hardness,  which  others  in  regard  of 
 goodness  only  do  with  fervent  alacrity  covet.  So  that  there 
 is  not  the  least  degree  in  this  service,  but  it  may  be  both  in 
 reverence  shunned,*  and  of  very  devotion  longed  for.  If 
 then  the  desire  thereof  may  be  holy,  religious,  and  good, 
 may  not  the  profession  of  that  desire  be  so  likewise  ?  We 
 are  not  to  think  it  so  long  good  as  it  is  dissembled,  and  evil 
 if  once  we  begin  to  open  it.  And  allowing  that  it  may  be 
 opened  without  ambition,  what  offence,  I  beseech  you,  is 
 there  in  opening  it  there,  where  it  may  be  furthered  and  satis- 
 fied, in  case  they  to  whom  it  appertaineth  think  meet?  In 
 vain  are  those  desires  allowed,  the  accomplishment  whereof 
 it  is  not  lawful  for  men  to  seek.  Power,  therefore,  of  Ec- 
 clesiastical Order  may  be  desired,  the  desire  thereof  may 
 be  professed,  they  which  profess  themselves  that  way  in- 
 clined may  endeavour  to  bring  their  desires  to  effect,  and 
 in  all  this  no  necessity  of  evil.  Is  it  the  bringing  of  testi- 
 monial letters  wherein  so  great  obliquity  consisteth? 
 What  more  simple,  more  plain,  more  harmless,  more 
 
 *  TZv  'sraXaiiv  "roif  EuJjiti^oJTaTOu?  avao-noffcuv  EipiVxw,  Saw;  ituisoTt  ilf  ctricraaMV  » 
 ITS otyri  TEiav  h  X*?li  VpovBaXtro,  tou;  fj.lv  il^anaq  Tt^obifxai;  Tf  JtXn«-£(,  rob;  if  ataSaWofxi- 
 wvt  to  ■^apu^fA.a,  xai  oiitTEjaJV  f«|mrTW  o£te  t£v  vTro)(3ipria-avruv  rnv  SeiXkiv,  oJte  t£'» 
 iyAnzanni  Tnv  TTpoSi^t/av,  ol  /xiv  yip  rr.i;  Jiaxsnaf  to  /xEyt&of  nCiXafiii&ne-av,  ol  it  to7 
 MthoZvTi  wWTive-ttVTt;  MoXovSmrav.    Greg.  Nazian.  Apologet.  [p.  44-] 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 89 
 
 agreeable  with  the  Law  of  common  humanity,  than  that 
 men,  where  they  are  not  known,  use  for  their  easier  access 
 the  credit  of  such  as  can  best  give  testimony  of  them  ? 
 Letters  of  any  other  construction  our  Church-discipline 
 alloweth  not;  and  these  to  allow,  is  neither  to  require  am- 
 bitious suings,  nor  to  approve  any  indirect  or  unlawful 
 act.  The  Prophet  Esay,  receiving  his  message  at  the  hands 
 of  God,  and  his  charge  by  heavenly  vision,  heard  the  voice 
 of  the  Lord,  saying,  "  Whom  shall  I  send ;  who  shall  go  for  isaiah 
 us?"  Whereunto  he  recordeth  his  own  answer,  "  Then V1*8' 
 I  said,  Here,  Lord,  I  am ;  send  me."  Which  in  effect  is  the 
 Rule  and  Canon  whereby  touching  this  point  the  very 
 Order  of  the  Church  is  framed.  The  appointment  of  times 
 for  solemn  Ordination  is  but  the  public  demand  of  the 
 Church  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  himself,  "  Whom  shall,  I 
 send ;  who  shall  go  for  us?"  The  confluence  of  men,  whose 
 inclinations  are  bent  that  way,  is  but  the  answer  thereunto, 
 whereby  the  labours  of  sundry  being  offered,  the  Church 
 hath  freedom  to  take  whom  her  agents  in  such  case  think 
 meet  and  requisite.  As  for  the  example  of  our  Saviour 
 Christ,  who  took  not  to  himself  this  honour  to  be  made  our 
 High-priest,  but  received  the  same  from  him  which  said, 
 "  Thou  art  a  Priest  for  ever  after  the  order  of  Melcbisedec,"  Het>. 
 his  waiting  and  not  attempting  to  execute  the  office  till v-  6* 
 God  saw  convenient  time,  may  serve  in  reproof  of  usurped 
 honours,  forasmuch  as  we  ought  not  of  our  own  accord  to 
 assume  dignities,  whereunto  we  are  not  called  as  Christ 
 was.  But  yet  it  should  be  withal  considered,  that  a  proud 
 usurpation  without  any  orderly  calling  is  one  thing,  and 
 another  the  bare  declaration  of  willingness  to  obtain  ad- 
 mittance; which  willingness  of  mind,  I  suppose,  did  not 
 want  in  him,  whose  answer  was  to  the  voice  of  his  hea- 
 venly calling,  "  Behold,  I  am  come  to  do  thy  will."  And  Heb- 
 had  it  been  for  him,  as  it  is  for  us,  expedient  to  receive  his  *  9' 
 commission  signed  with  the  hands  of  men,  to  seek  it  might 
 better  have  beseemed  his  humility,  than  it  doth  our  bold- 
 ness to  reprehend  them  of  pride  and  ambition,  that  make 
 no  worse  kind  of  suits  than  by  letters  of  information.  Him- 
 self in  calling  his  Apostles  prevented  all  cogitations  of 
 theirs  that  way,  to  the  end  it  might  truly  be  said  of  them, 
 "  Ye  chose  not  me,  but  I  of  my  own  voluntary  motion  made 
 choice  of  you."   Which  kind  of  undesired  nomination  to 
 
90 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Ecclesiastical  places  befell  divers  of  the  most  famous 
 amongst  the  ancient  Fathers  of  the  Church  in  a  clean  con- 
 trary consideration.  For  our  Saviour's  election  respected 
 not  any  merit  or  worth,  but  took  them  which  were  furthest 
 off  from  likelihood  of  fitness  :  that  afterwards  their  super- 
 natural ability  and  performance,  beyond  hope,  might  cause 
 the  greater  admiration  :  whereas,  in  the  other,  mere  admi- 
 ration of  their  singular  and  rare  virtues  was  the  reason  why 
 honours  were  enforced  upon  them,  which  they  of  meekness 
 and  modesty  did  what  they  could  to  avoid.  But  did  they 
 ever  judge  it  a  thing  unlawful  to  wish  or  desire  the  office, 
 the  only  charge  and  bare  function  of  their  Ministry?  To- 
 wards which  labour,  what  doth  the  blessed  Apostle  else  but 
 encourage,  saying,  "  He  which  desireth  it,  is  desirous  of  a 
 good  work?"  What  doth  he  else  by  such  sentences  but 
 stir,  kindle,  and  inflame  ambition ;  if  I  may  term  that  de- 
 sire ambition,  which  coveteth  more  to  testify  love  by  pain- 
 fulness  in  God's  service,  than  to  reap  any  other  benefit  ? 
 Although  of  the  very  honour  itself,  and  of  other  emoluments 
 annexed  to  such  labours  for  more  encouragement  of  man's 
 industry,  we  are  not  so  to  conceive  neither,  as  if  no  affec- 
 tion can  be  cast  towards  them  without  offence.  Only,  as 
 Eccius,  theWise  man  giveth  counsel,  "  Seek  not  to  be  made  a  Judge, 
 T"'6,  lest  thou  be  not  able  to  take  away  iniquity,  and  lest  thou, 
 fearing  the  person  of  the  mighty,  shouldest  commit  an  of- 
 fence against  thine  uprightness ;"  so  it  always  behoveth 
 men  to  take  good  heed,  lest  affection  to  that,  which  hath  in 
 it  as  well  difficulty  as  goodness,  sophisticate  the  true  and 
 sincere  judgment  which  beforehand  they  ought  to  have  of 
 their  own  ability,  for  want  whereof  many  forward  minds 
 have  found,  instead  of  contentment,  repentance.  But  for- 
 asmuch as  hardness  of  things  in  themselves  most  excellent 
 cooleth  the  fervency  of  men's  desires,  unless  there  be  some- 
 what naturally  acceptable  to  incite  labour  (for  both  the 
 method  of  speculative  knowledge  doth,  by  things  which  we 
 sensibly  perceive,  conduct  to  that  which  is  in  nature  more 
 certain,  though  less  sensible,  and  the  method  of  virtuous 
 actions  is  also  to  train  beginners  at  the  first  by  things  ac- 
 ceptable unto  the  taste  of  natural  appetite,  till  our  minds  at 
 the  length  be  settled  to  embrace  things  precious  in  the  eye 
 of  reason,  merely  and  wholly  for  their  own  sakes),  howso- 
 ever inordinate  desires  do  hereby  take  occasion  to  abuse  the 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 91 
 
 Polity  of  God  and  Nature,  either  affecting  without  worth, 
 or  procuring  by  unseemly  means,  that  which  was  instituted, 
 and  should  be  reserved,  for  better  minds  to  obtain  byhnore 
 approved  courses :  in  which  consideration  the  Emperors 
 Anthemius  and  Leo  did  worthily  oppose  against  such  am- 
 bitious practices  that  ancient  and  famous  Constitution, 
 wherein  they  have  these  sentences:  "  Let  not  a  Prelate  be 
 ordained  for  reward,  or  upon  request,  who  should  be  so  far 
 sequestered  from  all  ambition,  that  they  which  advance  him 
 might  be  fain  to  search  where  he  hideth  himself,  to  entreat 
 him  drawing  back,  and  to  follow  him  till  importunity  have 
 made  him  yield.  Let  nothing  promote  him  but  his  excuses 
 to  avoid  the  burden.  They  are  unworthy  of  that  vocation, 
 which  are  not  thereunto  brought  unwillingly :"  notwith- 
 standing, we  ought  not  therefore  with  the  odious  name  of 
 ambition,  to  traduce  and  draw  into  hatred  every  poor  re- 
 quest or  suit,  wherein  men  may  seem  to  affect  honour; 
 seeing  that  ambition  and  modesty  do  not  always  so  much 
 differ  in  the  mark  they  shoot  at,  as  in  the  manner  of  their 
 prosecutions.  Yea,  even  in  this  may  be  error  also,  if  we 
 still  imagine  them  least  ambitious,  which  most  forbear  to 
 stir  either  hand  or  foot  towards  their  own  preferments.  For 
 there  are  that  make  an  idol  of  their  great  sufficiency,  and, 
 because  they  surmise  the  place  should  be  happy  that  might 
 enjoy  them,  they  walk  every  where  like  grave  pageants, 
 observing  whether  men  do  not  wonder  why  so  small  account 
 is  made  of  so  rare  worthiness ;  and  in  case  any  other  man's 
 advancement  be  mentioned,  they  either  smile  or  blush  at 
 the  marvellous  folly  of  the  world,  which  seeth  not  where 
 dignities  should  offer  themselves.  Seeing,  therefore,  that 
 suits  after  spiritual  functions  may  be  as  ambitiously  for- 
 borne as  prosecuted,  it  reraaineth,  that  the  evenest  line  of 
 moderation  between  both  is,*  neither  to  follow  them  with- 
 out conscience,  nor  of  pride  to  withdraw  ourselves  utterly 
 from  them. 
 
 78.  It  pleased  Almighty  God  to  choose  to  himself,  f  for 
 discharge  of  the  legal  Ministry,  one  only  tribe  out  of  twelve  ^ereby 
 others,  the  tribe  of  Levi ;  not  all  unto  every  divine  service,  of  order 
 
 *  MeVoj  tlfAi  Tif  t2v  Tt  ayav  ToX^npiv  na)  t£v  Xiav  JttXouv,  tm  fxlv  iriaais  iTrmtiiivraiv 
 (Trpos'Tae-i'aij)  JEiXoTEpoc,  t£v  Se  tytvywrm  waVaj  Sa^craXEauTEpoc.  Greg.  Nazian.  Apo- 
 loget.  [p.  43.] 
 
 t  njo?  JiaTiipna-iv  Kai  <f>uXaxw  oitiothto;  xai  tvetGtU;  xai  Xtmufyiuv  a!  itfnq  Tnv  tow 
 <3eoD  Tifxhv  awqifWrat.    Philo,  p.  297. 
 
92 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 is  dijtin-  but  Aaron  and  his  sons  to  one  charge,  the  rest  of  thatsano 
 fnd'con-'  tified  tribe  to  another.  With  what  solemnities  they  were 
 ceming  admitted  into  their  functions;  in  what  manner  Aaron  and 
 
 the  attire  ' 
 
 of  Mi  his  successors  the  High-priests  ascended  every  Sabbath 
 s'  and  Festival-day,  offered  and  ministered  in  the  Temple ; 
 with  what  sin-offering  once  every  year  they  reconciled  first 
 themselves  and  their  own  house,  afterwards  the  people  unto 
 God ;  how  they  confessed  all  the  iniquities  of  the  children 
 of  Israel,  laid  all  their  trespasses  upon  the  head  of  a  sacred 
 goat,  and  so  carried  them  out  of  the  city  ;  how  they  purged 
 the  Holy  Place  from  all  uncleanness;  with  what  reverence 
 they  entered  within  the  Veil,  presented  themselves  before 
 the  Mercy-seat,  and  consulted  with  the  Oracle  of  God ; 
 what  service  the  other  Priests  did  continually  in  the  Holy 
 Place ;  how  they  ministered  about  the  lamps,  morning  and 
 evening ;  how  every  Sabbath  they  placed  on  the  table  of 
 the  Lord  those  twelve  loaves  with  pure  incense,  in  perpe- 
 tual remembrance  of  that  mercy  which  the  Fathers,  the 
 twelve  tribes,  had  found  by  the  providence  of  God  for  their 
 food,  when  hunger  caused  them  to  leave  their  natural  soil, 
 and  to  seek  for  sustenance  in  Egypt ;  how  they  employed 
 themselves  in  sacrifice  day  by  day;  finally, what  offices 
 the  Levites  discharged,  and  what  duties  the  rest  did  exe- 
 cute— it  were  a  labour  too  long  to  enter  into  it,  if  I  should 
 collect  that  which  Scriptures  and  other  ancient  records  do 
 mention.  Besides  these,  there  were  indifferently  out  of  all 
 tribes  from  time  to  time  some  called  of  God  as  Prophets, 
 foreshewing  them  things  to  come,  and  giving  them  counsel 
 in  such  particulars  as  they  could  not  be  directed  in  by  the 
 Law;  some  chosen  men  to  read,  study,  and  interpret  the 
 Law  of  God,  as  the  sons  or  scholars  of  the  old  Prophets, 
 in  whose  room  afterward  scribes  and  expounders  of  the 
 Law  succeeded.  And  because,  where  so  great  variety  is,  if 
 there  should  be  equality,  confusion  would  follow,  the  Le- 
 vites were  in  all  their  service  at  the  appointment  and  direc- 
 tion of  the  sons  of  Aaron,  or  Priests;  they  subject  to  the 
 principal  guides  and  leaders  of  their  own  Order;  and  they 
 in  obedience  under  the  High-priest.  Which  difference  doth 
 also  manifest  itself  in  the  very  titles  that  men  for  honour's 
 sake  gave  unto  them,  terming  Aaron  and  his  successors, 
 High  or  Great ;  the  ancients  over  the  companies  of  Priests, 
 Arch-priests ;  Prophets,  Fathers ;  Scribes  and  Interpreters 
 
HOOK  V.  D3 
 
 of  the  Law,  Masters.  Touching  the  Ministry  of  the  Gospel 
 of  Jesus  Christ,  the  whole  body  of  the  Church  being  di- 
 vided into  Laity  and  Clergy,  the  Clergy  are  either  Presby- 
 ters or  Deacons.  I  rather  term  the  one  sort  Presbyters 
 than  Priests,*  because  in  a  matter  of  so  small  moment  I 
 would  not  willingly  offend  their  ears,  to  whom  the  name  of 
 Priesthood  is  odious,  though  without  cause.  For  as  things 
 are  distinguished  one  from  another  by  those  true  essential 
 forms,  which  being  really  and  actually  in  them  do  not  only 
 give  them  the  very  last  and  highest  degree  of  their  na- 
 tural perfection,  but  are  also  the  knot,  foundation,  and 
 root,  whereupon  all  other  inferior  perfections  depend ;  so, 
 if  they  that  first  do  impose  names  did  always  understand 
 exactly  the  nature  of  that  which  they  nominate,  it  may  be 
 that  then,  by  hearing  the  terms  of  vulgar  speech,  we  should 
 still  be  taught  what  the  things  themselves  most  properly 
 are.  But  because  words  have  so  many  artificers  by  whom 
 they  are  made,  and  the  things  whereunto  we  apply  them 
 are  fraught  with  so  many  varieties,  it  is  not  always  appa- 
 rent what  the  first  inventors  respected,  much  less  what 
 every  man's  inward  conceit  is  which  useth  these  words. 
 For  any  thing  myself  can  discern  herein,  I  suppose  that 
 they  which  have  bent  their  study  to  search  more  diligently 
 such  matters,  do,  for  the  most  part,  find  that  names  advi- 
 sedly given  had  either  regard  unto  that  which  is  naturally 
 most  proper;  or,  if  perhaps  to  some  other  speciality,  to  that 
 which  is  sensibiy  most  eminent  in  the  thing  signified ;  and 
 concerning  popular  use  of  words,  that  which  the  wisdom  of 
 their  inventors  did  intend  thereby  is  not  commonly  thought 
 of,  but  by  the  name  the  thing  altogether  conceived  in 
 gross ;  as  may  appear  in  that  if  you  ask  of  the  common 
 sort  what  any  certain  word,  for  example,  what  a  Priest  doth 
 signify :  their  manner  is  not  to  answer,  a  Priest  is  a  Cler- 
 gyman which  offereth  sacrifice  to  God,  but  they  shew  some 
 
 •  *  For  so  much  as  the  common  and  usual  speech  of  England  is  to  note  by  the 
 word  Priest,  not  a  Minister  of  the  Gospel,  but  a  Sacrificer,  which  the  Minister  of 
 the  Gospel  is  not,  therefore  we  ought  not  to  call  the  Ministers  of  the  Gospel  Priests. 
 And  that  this  is  the  English  speech,  it  appeareth  by  all  the  English  translations, 
 which  translate  always  If^si?,  which  were  Sacrificers,  Priests ;  and  do  not  on  the 
 other  side,  for  any  that  ever  I  read,  translate  irfis-Surc^,  a  Priest.  Seeing,  there- 
 fore, a  Priest  with  us,  and  in  our  tongue,  doth  signify  both  by  the  Papists'  judg- 
 ment, in  respect  of  their  abominable  Mass,  and  also  by  the  judgment  of  the  Pro- 
 testants, in  respect  of  the  beasts  which  were  offered  in  the  Law,  a  sacrificing  office, 
 whir  h  the  Minister  of  the  Gospel  neither  doth  nor  can  execute  ;  it  is  manifest,  that 
 it  cannot  be,  without  great  offence,  so  used.'  T.  C.  lib.  i.  p.  198. 
 
94 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 particular  person  whom  they  use  to  call  by  that  name. 
 And,  if  we  list  to  descend  to  grammar,  we  are  told  by  mas- 
 ters in  those  schools,  that  the  word  Priest  hath  his  right 
 
 Etj-m.      place   (TTL   TOV  TTpOiGTUfTOQ  TJJC  $£pa7T£taC  TOV  0£OU,  *  in 
 
 [s.  y.  him  whose  mere  function  or  charge  is  the  service  of  God.' 
 Howbeit,  because  the  most  eminent  part  both  of  Heathen- 
 ish and  Jewish  Service  did  consist  in  sacrifice,  when 
 learned  men  declare  what  the  word  Priest  doth  properly 
 signify,  according  to  the  mind  of  the  first  imposer  of  that 
 name,  their  ordinary  schools  do  well  expound  it  to  imply 
 sacrifice.*  Seeing  then  that  sacrifice  is  now  no  part  of  the 
 Church-ministry,  how  should  the  name  of  Priesthood  be 
 thereunto  rightly  applied?  Surely  as  even  St.  Paul  applieth 
 the  name  of  fleshf  unto  that  very  substance  of  fishes,  which 
 hath  a  proportionable  correspondence  to  flesh,  although  it 
 be  in  nature  another  thing.  Whereupon,  when  Philoso- 
 phers will  speak  warily,  they  make  a  difference  between 
 flesh  in  one  sort  of  living  creatures,!  and  that  other  sub- 
 stance in  the  rest  which  hath  but  a  kind  of  analogy  to 
 
 1  Cor-  flesh :  the  Apostle  contrariwise,  having  matter  of  greater 
 importance  whereof  to  speak,  nameth  indifferently  both 
 flesh.  The  Fathers  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  with  like  se- 
 curity of  speech,  call  usually  the  Ministry  of  the  Gospel 
 Priesthood,  in  regard  of  that  which  the  Gospel  hath  pro- 
 portionable to  ancient  sacrifices ;  namely,  the  Communion 
 of  the  blessed  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,  although  it  hath 
 properly  now  no  sacrifice.  As  for  the  people,  when  they 
 hear  the  name,  it  draweth  no  more  their  minds  to  any  cogita- 
 tion of  sacrifice,  than  the  name  of  a  Senator  or  of  an  Alder- 
 man causeth  them  to  think  upon  old  age,  or  to  imagine  that 
 every  one  so  termed  must  needs  be  ancient,  because  years 
 were  respected  in  the  first  nomination  of  both.  Wherefore 
 to  pass  by  the  name,  let  them  use  what  dialect  they  will, 
 whether  we  call  it  a  Priesthood,  a  Presbytership,  or  a 
 Ministry,  it  skilleth  not :  although  in  truth  the  word  Pres- 
 byter doth  seem  more  fit,  and  in  propriety  of  speech  more 
 agreeable  than  Priest  with  the  drift  of  the  whole  Gospel 
 of  Jesus  Christ.  For  what  are  they  that  embrace  the  Gos- 
 
 *  'l6fEJs-ai,  fiyrtis-a:.  Hesych.  [s.  v.  frgfirm.] 
 
 t  '  Christus  homo  dicitur,  quia  natus  est :  Propheta,  quia  futura  revelavit ;  Sa- 
 cerdos,  quia  pro  nobis  hostiam  se  obtulit.'  Isid.  Orig.  lib.  -rii.  cap.  2. 
 
 I  "E^ei  S'  a^ofiav  ti  to  alff-SnTTipiov  to  tw  airrov  airTMav,  wirtgrn  h  S"aff*  Kai  h  ro't 
 
 oXXsi;  tJ  atkwysn  h  ol.  Arist.  de  Aaim.  lib.  ii.  c.  11. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 95 
 
 pel  but  sons  of  God  ?  What  arc  Churches  but  his  families? 
 Seeing  therefore  we  receive  the  adoption  and  state  of  sons 
 by  their  Ministry,  whom  God  hath  chosen  out  for  that 
 purpose ;  seeing  also  that  when  we  are  the  sons  of  God, 
 our  continuance  is  still  under  their  care  which  were  our 
 progenitors,  what  better  title  could  there  be  given  them 
 than  the  reverend  name  of  Presbyters,  or  fatherly  guides  ? 
 The  Holy  Ghost,  throughout  the  body  of  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, making  so  much  mention  of  them,  doth  not  any 
 where  call  them  Priests.  The  Prophet  Esay,  I  grant,  doth ;  isaiah 
 but  in  such  sort  as  the  ancient  Fathers,  by  way  of  analogy. 
 A  Presbyter,  according  to  the  proper  meaning  of  the  New 
 Testament,  is  'he  unto  whom  our  Saviour  Christ  hath 
 communicated  the  power  of  spiritual  procreation.'  Out  of 
 twelve  Patriarchs  issued  the  whole  multitude  of  Israel  ac- 
 cording to  the  flesh.  And,  according  to  the  mystery  of 
 heavenly  birth,  our  Lord's  Apostles  we  all  acknowledge  to 
 be  the  Patriarchs  of  his  whole  Church.    St.  John  there- 
 
 •  iv.  4. 
 
 fore  beheld  sitting  about  the  throne  of  God  in  Heaven  four-  x*\.u. 
 and-twenty  Presbyters,  the  one  half  Fathers  of  the  old,  the  ^'"^ 
 other  of  the  new  Jerusalem.    In  which  respect  the  Apo- 1  *«*. 
 sties  likewise  gave  themselves  the  same  title,  albeit  that v'  '  1 
 name  were  not  proper,  but  common  unto  them  with  others. 
 For  of  Presbyters,  some  were  greater,  some  less  in  power, 
 and  that  by  our  Saviour's  own  appointment ;  the  greater 
 they  which  received  fulness  of  spiritual  power,  the  less 
 they  to  whom  less  was  granted.    The  Apostles'  peculiar 
 charge  was  to  publish  the  Gospel  of  Christ  unto  all  nations, 
 and  to  deliver  them  his  Ordinances  received  by  immediate 
 revelation  from  himself.*    Which  pre-eminence  excepted, 
 to  all  other  offices  and  duties  incident  unto  their  Order,  it 
 was  in  them  to  ordain  and  consecrate  whomsoever  they 
 thought  meet,  even  as  our  Saviour  did  himself  assign  se- 
 venty other  of  his  own  Disciples  inferior  Presbyters,  whose 
 commission  to  preach  and  baptize  was  the  same  which  the 
 Apostles  had.    Whereas,  therefore,  we  find  that  the  very 
 first  Sermon  which  the  Apostles  did  publickly  make,  was  Act»ii. 
 the  conversion  of  above  three  thousand  souls,  unto  whom 
 there  were  every  day  more  and  more  added,  they  having  no 
 open  place  permitted  them  for  the  exercise  of  Christian 
 Religion,  think  we  that  twelve  were  sufficient  to  teach  and 
 
 *  o!  tSv  iffSv  $£«r«paJoT»f{  vojws&ETai.  Dicmys.  Arcop.  p.  110. 
 
9G 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITV. 
 
 administer  Sacraments  in  so  many  private  places,  as  so 
 great  a  multitude  of  people  did  require  ?    This  harvest 
 our  Saviour  (no  doubt)  foreseeing,,provided  accordingly  la- 
 bourers for  it  beforehand.    By  which  means  it  came  to 
 pass  that  the  growth  of  that  Church,  being  so  great  and  so 
 sudden,  they  had  notwithstanding  in  a  readiness  Presbyters 
 enough  to  furnish  it.    And  therefore  the  history  doth  make 
 no  mention  by  what  occasion  Presbyters  were  instituted  in 
 J erusalem,  only  we  read  of  things  which  they  did,  and  how 
 the  like  were  made  afterwards  elsewhere.  To  these  two  de- 
 grees appointed  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ,  his  Apo- 
 stles soon  after  annexed  Deacons.  Deacons,  therefore,  must 
 £^p£   know,  saith  Cyprian,  that  our  Lord  himself  did  elect  Apo- 
 i.  3.  ad.  sties ;  but  Deacons,  after  his  ascension  into  Heaven,  the 
 num.  a  Apostles  ordained.  Deacons  were  stewards  of  the  Church, 
 unto  whom  at  the  first  was  committed  the  distribution  of 
 Church-goods,  the  care  of  providing  therewith  for  the  poor, 
 and  the  charge  to  see  that  all  things  of  expense  might  be 
 religiously  and  faithfully  dealt  in.    A  part  also  of  their 
 office  was  attendance  upon  their  Presbyters  at  the  time  of 
 ifnat.  divine  Service.  For  which  cause  Ignatius,  to  set  forth  the 
 adTrai.  dignity  of  their  calling,  saith,  that  they  are  in  such  case  to 
 [c'7-5  the  Bishop,  as  if  Angelical  powers  did  serve  bim.  These 
 only  being  the  uses  for  which  Deacons  were  first  made,  if 
 the  Church  hath  sithence  extended  their  Ministry  farther 
 than  the  circuit  of  their  labour  at  the  first  was  drawn,  we 
 are  not  herein  to  think  the  Ordinance  of  Scripture  vio- 
 lated, except  there  appear  some  prohibition  which  hath 
 abridged  the  Church  of  that  liberty.    Which  I  note  chiefly 
 in  regard  of  them  to  whom  it  seemeth  a  thing  so  monstrous 
 that  Deacons  should  sometime  be  licensed  to  preach, 
 whose  institution  was  at  the  first  to  another  end.  To 
 charge  them  for  this  as  men  not  contented  with  their  own 
 vocations,  and  as  breakers  into  that  which  appertaineth  unto 
 others,  is  very  hard.  For,  when  they  are  thereunto  once  ad- 
 mitted, it  is  part  of  their  own  vocation,  it  appertaineth  now 
 unto  them  as  well  as  others  ;  neither  is  it  intrusion  for  them 
 to  do  it,  being  in  such  sort  called,  but  rather  in  us  it  were 
 temerity  to  blame  them  for  doing  it.  Suppose  we  the  office 
 of  teaching  to  be  so  repugnant  unto  the  office  of  Deacon- 
 ship,  that  they  cannot  concur  in  one  and  the  same  person  ? 
 What  was  there  done  in  the  Church  by  Deacons,  which  the 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 97 
 
 Apostles  did  not  first  discharge  being  teachers  1  Yea,  but 
 the  Apostles  found  the  burden  of  teaching  so  heavy,  that 
 they  judged  it  meet  to  cut  off  that  other  charge,  and  to 
 have  Deacons  which  might  undertake  it.  Be  it  so.  The 
 multitude  of  Christians  increasing  in  Jerusalem,  and  wax- 
 ing great,  it  was  too  much  for  the  Apostles  to  teach,  and 
 to  minister  unto  Tables  also.  The  former  was  not  to  be 
 slacked,  that  this  latter  might  be  followed.  Therefore 
 unto  this  they  appointed  others.  Whereupon  we  may 
 rightly  ground  this  axiom,  that  when  the  subject  wherein 
 one  man's  labours  of  sundry  kinds  are  employed  doth  wax 
 so  great,  that  the  same  men  are  no  longer  able  to  manage  it 
 sufficiently  as  before,  the  most  natural  way  to  help  this  is 
 by  dividing  their  charge  into  slips,  and  ordaining  of  under- 
 officers ;  as  our  Saviour  under  twelve  Apostles,  seventy 
 Presbyters ;  and  the  Apostles,  by  his  example,  seven 
 Deacons  to  be  under  both.  Neither  ought  it  to  seem  less 
 reasonable,  that  when  the  same  men  are  sufficient  both  to 
 continue  in  that  which  they  do,  and  also  to  undertake 
 somewhat  more,  a  combination  be  admitted  in  this  case, 
 as  well  as  division  in  the  former.  We  may  not  therefore 
 disallow  it  in  the  Church  of  Geneva,  that  Calvin  and  Beza 
 were  made  both  Pastors  and  Readers  in  Divinity,  being 
 men  so  able  to  discharge  both.  To  say  they  did  not  con- 
 tent themselves  with  their  pastoral  vocations,  but  brake 
 into  that  which  belongeth  to  others ;  to  allege  against  them, 
 "  He  that  exhorteth  on  exhortation,"  as  against  us,  *'  He  Kom- 
 that  distributeth  in  simplicity,"  is  alleged  in  great  dislike 
 of  granting  licence  for  Deacons  to  preach,  were  very  hard. 
 The  ancient  custom  of  the  Church  was  to  yield  the  poor 
 much  relief,  especially  widows.  But  as  poor  people  are 
 always  querulous,  and  apt  to  think  themselves  less  re- 
 spected than  they  should  be,  we  see  that  when  the  Apostles 
 did  what  they  could  without  hinderance  to  their  weightier 
 business,  yet  there  were  which  grudged  that  others  had  too 
 much,  and  they  too  little,  the  Grecian  widows  shorter  com- 
 mons than  the  Hebrews.  By  means  whereof  the  Apostles 
 saw  it  meet  to  ordain  Deacons.  Now,  tract  of  time  having 
 clean  worn  out  those  first  occasions  for  which  the  Deacon- 
 ship  was  then  most  necessary,  it  might  the  better  be  after- 
 wards extended  to  other  services,  and  so  remain,  at  this 
 present  day,  a  degree  in  the  Clergy  of  God  which  the 
 
 VOL.  II.  II 
 
98 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Apostles  of  Christ  did  institute.     That  the  first  seven 
 Deacons  were  chosen  out  of  the  seventy  Disciples,  is  an 
 Epiph.  error  in  Epiphanius.    For  to  draw  men  from  places  of 
 21.'     weightier,  unto  rooms  of  meaner  labour,  had  not  been  fit. 
 The  Apostles,  to  the  end  they  might  follow  teaching  with 
 more  freedom,  committed  the  Ministry  of  Tables  unto 
 Deacons.    And  shall  we  think  they  judged  it  expedient  to 
 choose  so  many  out  of  those  seventy  to  be  Ministers  unto 
 Tables,  when  Christ  himself  had  before  made  them  Teach- 
 ers?   It  appeareth  therefore  how  long  these  three  degrees 
 of  Ecclesiastical  Order  have  continued  in  the  Church  of 
 Christ ;  the  highest  and  largest  that  which  the  Apostles, 
 the  next  that  which  Presbyters,  and  the  lowest  that  which 
 Deacons,  had.    Touching  Prophets,  they  were  such  men 
 as,  having  otherwise  learned  the  Gospel,  had  from  above 
 bestowed  upon  them  a  special  gift  of  expounding  Scrip- 
 tures, and  of  foreshewing  things  to  come.    Of  this  sort 
 Acts    Agabus  was,  and  besides  him  in  Jerusalem  sundry  others, 
 Acts10'  who  notwithstanding  are  not  therefore  to  be  reckoned  with 
 ""•  the  Clergy,  because  no  man's  gifts  or  qualities  can  make 
 him  a  Minister  of  holy  things,  unless  Ordination  do  give 
 him  power.    And  we  no  where  find  Prophets  to  have  been 
 made  by  Ordination ;  but  all  whom  the  Church  did  ordain, 
 were  either  to  serve  as  Presbyters  or  as  Deacons.  Evan- 
 gelists were  Presbyters  of  principal  sufficiency,  whom  the 
 Apostles  sent  abroad,  and  used  as  agents  in  Ecclesiastical 
 affairs  wheresoever  they  saw  need.    They  whom  we  find 
 Acts,    to  have  been  named  in  Scripture  Evangelists,  Ananias, 
 Act!7'   Apollos,  Timothy,  and  others,  were  thus  employed.  And 
 xviii,24.  concerning  Evangelists,  afterwards  in  Trajan's  days,  the 
 iv.5. 9.  History  Ecclesiastical  noteth,  that  many  of  the  Apostles' 
 iii^'iS*  disciples  and  scholars  which  were  then  alive,  and  did  with 
 »•  *4-    singular  love  of  wisdom  affect  the  heavenly  Word  of  God, 
 Euseb.  to  shew  their  willing  minds  in  executing  that  which  Christ 
 Hist.""  first  °f  &N  requireth  at  the  hands  of  men,  they  sold  their 
 ]c       possessions,  gave  them  to  the  poor,  and  betaking  them- 
 selves to  travel,  undertook  the  labour  of  Evangelists,  that 
 is,  they  painfully  preached  Christ,  and  delivered  the 
 Gospel  to  them  who  as  yet  had  never  heard  the  doctrine 
 of  Faith.    Finally,  whom  the  Apostle  nameth  Pastors  and 
 Teachers,  what  other  were  they  than  Presbyters  also,  how- 
 beit  settled  in  some  charge,  and  thereby  differing  from 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 99 
 
 Evangelists?  I  beseech  them,  therefore,  which  have 
 hitherto  troubled  the  Church  with  questions  about  degrees 
 and  offices  of  Ecclesiastical  calling,  because  they  prin- 
 cipally ground  themselves  upon  two  places,  that,  all  par- 
 tiality laid  aside,  they  would  sincerely  weigh  and  examine 
 whether  they  have  not  misinterpreted  both  places,  and  all 
 by  surmising  incompatible  offices,  where  nothing  is  meant 
 but  sundry  graces,  gifts,  and  abilities,  which  Christ  be- 
 stowed. To  them  of  Corinth  his  words  are  these  :  "  God  *.? 
 placed  in  the  Church  first  of  all,  some  Apostles;  secondly, 
 Prophets ;  thirdly,  Teachers ;  after  them  powers,  then 
 gifts  of  cures,  aids,  governments,  kinds  of  languages.  Are 
 all  Apostles  ?  Are  all  Prophets  1  Are  all  Teachers  ?  Is 
 there  power  in  all  ?  Have  all  grace  to  cure  ?  Do  all  speak 
 with  tongues?  Can  all  interpret?  But  be  you  desirous  of 
 the  better  graces."  They  which  plainly  discern  first,  that 
 some  one  general  thing  there  is,  which  the  Apostle  doth 
 here  divide  into  all  these  branches,  and  do  secondly  con- 
 ceive that  general  to  be  Church-offices,  besides  a  number 
 of  other  difficulties,  can  by  no  means  possibly  deny  but 
 that  many  of  these  might  occur  in  one  man,  and  perad- 
 venture  in  some  one  all ;  which  mixture,  notwithstanding, 
 their  Form  of  Discipline  doth  most  shun.  On  the  other  side, 
 admit  that  communicants  of  special  infused  grace,  for  the 
 benefit  of  members  kuit  into  one  body,  the  Church  of 
 Christ,  are  here  spoken  of,  which  was  in  truth  the  plain 
 drift  of  that  whole  discourse  ;  and  see  if  every  thing  do  not 
 answer  in  due  place  with  that  fitness  which  sheweth  easily 
 what  is  likeliest  to  have  been  meant.  For  why  are  Apostles 
 the  first,  but  because  unto  them  was  granted  the  revelation 
 of  all  truth  from  Christ  immediately  ?  Why  Prophets  the 
 second,  but  because  they  had  of  some  things  knowledge  in 
 the  same  manner?  Teachers  the  next,  because  whatsoever 
 was  known  to  them,  it  came  by  hearing ;  yet  God  withal 
 made  them  able  to  instruct,  which  every  one  could  not  do 
 that  was  taught  ?  After  gifts  of  education,  there  follow 
 general  abilities  to  work  things  above  nature,  grace  to  cure 
 men  of  bodily  diseases,  supplies  against  occurrent  defects 
 and  impediments,  dexterities  to  govern  and  direct  by 
 counsel;  finally,  aptness  to  speak  or  interpret  foreign 
 tongues.  Which  graces,  not  poured  out  equally,  but 
 diversely  sorted  and  given,  were  a  cause  why  not  only  they 
 
 n  2 
 
100 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 all  did  furnish  up  the  whole  body,  but  each  benefit  and 
 help  other.  Again,  the  same  Apostle  otherwise  in  like 
 ^7?8.  sort>  "  ^°  every  one  °f  us 's  given  grace,  according  to  the 
 11,12.  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ.  Wherefore  he  saith,  When 
 ixv,i'i.  he  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and  gave 
 lxvi,..  gj^s  untQ  men  jje  therefore  gave  some  Apostles,  and 
 some  Prophets,  and  some  Evangelists,  and  some  Pastors 
 and  Teachers,  for  the  gathering  together  of  Saints,  for  the 
 work  of  the  Ministry,  for  the  edification  of  the  body  of 
 Christ."  In  this  place  none  but  gifts  of  instruction  are  ex- 
 pressed. And  because  of  Teachers  some  were  Evangelists, 
 which  neither  had  any  part  of  their  knowledge  by  revela- 
 tion, as  the  Prophets,  and  yet  in  ability  to  teach  were  far 
 beyond  other  Pastors,  they  are,  as  having  received  one 
 way  less  than  Prophets,  and  another  way  more  than 
 Teachers,  set  accordingly  between  both.  For  the  Apostle 
 doth  in  neither  place  respect  what  any  of  them  were  by 
 office  or  power  given  them  through  Ordination,  but  what 
 by  grace  they  all  had  obtained  through  miraculous  infusion 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  in  Christian  Religion,  this  being 
 the  ground  of  our  whole  belief,  that  the  promises  which 
 God  of  old  had  made  his  Prophets  concerning  the  won- 
 derful gifts  and  graces  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  wherewith  the 
 reign  of  the  true  Messias  should  be  made  glorious,  were 
 immediately  after  our  Lord's  Ascension  performed,  there  is 
 no  one  thing  whereof  the  Apostles  did  take  more  often 
 occasion  to  speak.  Out  of  men  thus  endued  with  gifts  of 
 the  Spirit  upon  their  conversion  to  Christian  Faith,  the 
 Church  had  her  Ministers  chosen,  unto  whom  was  given 
 Ecclesiastical  power  by  Ordination.  Now,  because  the 
 Apostle,  in  reckoning  degrees  and  varieties  of  grace,  doth 
 mention  Pastors  and  Teachers,  although  he  mention  them 
 not  in  respect  of  their  Ordination  to  exercise  the  Ministry, 
 but  as  examples  of  men  especially  enriched  with  the  gifts 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost,  divers  learned  and  skilful  men  have  so 
 taken  it,  as  if  those  places  did  intend  to  teach  what  Orders 
 of  Ecclesiastical  persons  there  ought  to  be  in  the  Church 
 of  Christ;  which  thing  we  are  not  to  learn  from  thence, 
 but  out  of  other  parts  of  Holy  Scripture,  whereby  it  clearly 
 appeareth  that  Churches  Apostolic  did  know  but  three 
 degrees  in  the  power  of  Ecclesiastical  Order ;  at  the  first, 
 Apostles,  Presbyters,  and  Deacons;  afterwards,  instead  of 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 101 
 
 Apostles,  Bishops,  concerning  whose  Order  we  are  to  speak 
 in  the  seventh  Book.  There  is  an  error  which  beguileth 
 many  who  do  much  entangle  both  themselves  and  others, 
 by  not  distinguishing  Services,  Offices,  and  Orders  Eccle- 
 siastical. The  first  of  which  three,  and  in  part  the  second, 
 may  be  executed  by  the  Laity  ;  whereas  none  have,  or 
 can  have,  the  third,  but  the  Clergy.  Catechists,  Exor- 
 cists, Readers,  Singers,  and  the  rest  of  like  sort,  if  the 
 nature  only  of  their  labours  and  pains  be  considered,  may 
 in  that  respect  seem  Clergymen,  even  as  the  Fathers  for 
 that  cause  term  them  usually  Clerks ;  as  also  in  regard 
 of  the  end  whereunto  they  were  trained  up,  which  was  to 
 be  ordered  when  years  and  experience  should  make  them 
 able.  Notwithstanding,  inasmuch  as  they  no  way  differed 
 from  others  of  the  Laity  longer  than  during  that  work  of 
 service,  which  at  any  time  they  might  give  over,  being 
 thereunto  but  admitted,  not  tied  by  irrevocable  Ordina- 
 tion, we  find  them  always  exactly  severed  from  that  body 
 whereof  those  three  before-rehearsed  Orders  alone  are  na- 
 tural parts.  Touching  Widows,  of  whom  some  men  areT.c.i. 
 persuaded,  that  if  such  as  St.  Paul  describeth  may  be  got- 
 ten,  we  ought  to  retain  them  in  the  Church  for  ever ;  certain  v,9> 
 mean  services  there  were  of  attendance,  as  about  women 
 at  the  time  of  their  Baptism,  about  the  bodies  of  the  sick 
 and  dead,  about  the  necessities  of  travellers,  wayfaring 
 men,  and  such  like,  wherein  the  Church  did  commonly  use 
 them  when  need  required,  because  they  lived  of  the  alms 
 of  the  Church,  and  were  fittest  for  such  purposes  :  St.  Paul 
 doth  therefore,  to  avoid  scandal,  require  that  none  but  wo- 
 men well  experienced  and  virtuously  given,  neither  any 
 under  threescore  years  of  age,  should  be  admitted  of  that 
 number.  Widows  were  never  in  the  Church  so  highly  es- 
 teemed as  Virgins.  But  seeing  neither  of  them  did  or  could 
 receive  Ordination,  to  make  them  Ecclesiastical  persons 
 were  absurd.  The  ancientest  therefore  of  the  Fathers 
 mention  those  three  degrees  of  Ecclesiastical  Order  speci- 
 fied, and  no  more:  "When  your  Captains  (saithTertullian),  Tertui. 
 that  is  to  say,  the  Deacons,  Presbyters,  and  Bishops,  fly,  ^J' 
 who  shall  teach  the  Laity  that  they  must  be  constant?"  [c- 11-1 
 Again :  "  What  should  I  mention  Laymen  (saith  Optatus),  optat. 
 yea,  or  divers  of  the  ministry  itself?  To  what  purpose  (c.'u.] 
 Deacons,  which  are  in  the  third,  or  Presbyters  in  the  se- 
 
102 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 cond,  degree  of  Priesthood,  when  the  very  Heads  and  Princes 
 of  all,  even  certain  of  the  Bishops  themselves,  were  con- 
 tent to  redeem  life  with  the  loss  of  Heaven?"    Heaps  of 
 allegations  in  a  case  so  evident  and  plain  are  needless.  I 
 may  securely  therefore  conclude,  that  there  are  at  this  day 
 in  the  Church  of  England,  no  other  than  the  same  degrees 
 of  Ecclesiastical  Orders,  namely,  Bishops,  Presbyters,  and 
 Deacons,  which  had  their  beginning  from  Christ  and  his 
 blessed  Apostles  themselves.    As  for  Deans,  Prebenda- 
 ries, Parsons,  Vicars,  Curates,  Archdeacons,  Chancellors, 
 Officials,  Commissaries,  and   such  other  like  names, 
 which  being  not  found  in  Holy  Scripture,  we  have  been 
 thereby  through  some  men's  error,  thought  to  allow  of  Ec- 
 clesiastical degrees  not  known,  nor  ever  heard  of  in  the 
 better  ages  of  former  times;  all  these  are  in  truth  but 
 titles  of  Office,  whereunto  partly  Ecclesiastical  persons, 
 and  partly  others,  are  in  sundry  forms  and  conditions  ad- 
 mitted, as  the  state  of  the  Church  doth  need,  degrees  of 
 Order  still  continuing  the  same  they  were  from  the  first  be- 
 ginning. Now  what  habit  or  attire  doth  beseem  each  Order 
 to  use  in  the  course  of  common  life,  both  for  the  gravity  of 
 his  place,  and  for  example's  sake  to  other  men,  is  a  matter 
 frivolous  to  be  disputed  of.    A  small  measure  of  wisdom 
 may  serve  to  teach  them  how  they  should  cut  their  coats. 
 But  seeing  all  well-ordered  Polities  have  ever  judged  it 
 meet  and  fit  by  certain  special  distinct  ornaments  to  sever 
 each  sort  of  men  from  other  when  they  are  in  public,  to 
 the  end  that  all  may  receive  such  compliments  of  civil 
 honour  as  are  due  to  their  rooms  and  callings,  even  when 
 their  persons  are  rot  known,  it  argueth  a  disproportioned 
 mind  in  them  whom  so  decent  orders  displease, 
 or  owa-    79,  W"e  might  somewhat  marvel  what  the  Apostle  St.  Paul 
 Foun'da-  should  mean,  to  say  that  "Covetousness  is  idolatry,"  if  the 
 Endow-  daily  practice  of  men  did  not  shew,  that  whereas  Nature 
 ments,  requireth  God  to  be  honoured  with  wealth,  we  honour  for 
 
 Tithes,         *  ' 
 
 aii  in-  the  most  part  wealth  as  God.  Fain  we  would  teach  our- 
 for^et-  selves  to  believe,  that  for  worldly  goods  it  sufficeth  frugally 
 petuity  an(j  honestly  to  use  them  to  our  own  benefit,  without  de- 
 gion;  tnment  and  hurt  to  others;  or  if  we  go  a  degree  further, 
 purpose  and  perhaps  convert  some  small  contemptible  portion 
 chiefly  tnere°f  to  charitable  uses,  the  whole  duty  which  we  owe 
 fulfilled  unto  God  herein  is  fully  satisfied.    But  forasmuch  as  we 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 103 
 
 cannot  rightly  honour  God,  unless  both  our  souls  and  bo-  £y  «>c 
 dies  be  sometime  employed  merely  in  his  service ;  again,  certain 
 sith  we  know  that  Religion  requireth  at  our  hands  the  taking  fi°ient ' 
 away  of  so  great  a  part  of  the  time  of  our  lives  quite  and 
 clean  from  our  own  business,  and  the  bestowing  of  the  must 
 same  in  his :  suppose  we  that  nothing  of  our  wealth  and  mJJ* 
 substance  is  immediately  due  to  God,  but  all  our  own  to  °* 
 bestow  and  spend  as  ourselves  think  meet?    Are  not  our  icings 
 riches  as  well  his,  as  the  days  of  our  life  are  his  ?    Where-  frustrate, 
 fore,  unless  with  part  we  acknowledge  his  supreme  domi- 
 nion by  whose  benevolence  we  have  the  whole,  how  give 
 we  honour  to  whom  honour  belongeth,  or  how  hath  God  the 
 things  that  are  God's?    I  would  know  what  nation  in  the 
 world  did  ever  honour  God,  and  not  think  it  a  point  of  their 
 duty  to  do  him  honour  with  their  very  goods.    So  that  this 
 we  may  boldly  set  down  as  a  principle  clear  in  Nature,  an 
 axiom  that  ought  not  to  be  called  in  question,  a  truth  mani- 
 fest and  infallible,  that  men  are  eternally  bound  to  honour 
 God  with  their  substance,  in  token  of  thankful  acknowledg- 
 ment that  all  they  have  is  from  him.    To  honour  him  with 
 our  worldly  goods,  not  only  by  spending  them  in  lawful 
 manner,  and  by  using  them  without  offence,  but  also  by 
 alienating  from  ourselves  some  reasonable  part  or  portion 
 thereof,  and  by  offering  up  the  same  to  him  as  a  sign  that 
 we  gladly  confess  his  sole  and  sovereign  dominion  overall, 
 is  a  duty  which  all  men  are  bound  unto,  and  a  part  of  that 
 very  worship  of  God,  which,  as  the  Law  of  God  and  Na- 
 ture itself  requireth,  so  we  are  the  rather  to  think  all  men 
 no  less  strictly  bound  thereunto  than  to  any  other  natural 
 duty;  inasmuch  as  the  hearts  of  men  do  so  cleave  to  these 
 earthly  things,  so  much  admire  them  for  the  sway  they  have 
 in  the  world,  impute  them  so  generally  either  to  nature  or 
 to  chance  and  fortune,  so  little  think  upon  the  grace  and 
 providence  from  which  they  come,  that,  unless  by  a  kind  of 
 continual  tribute  we  did  acknowledge  God's  dominion,  it 
 may  be  doubted  that  in  short  time  men  would  learn  to 
 forget  whose  tenants  they  are,  and  imagine  that  the  world 
 is  their  own  absolute,  free,  and  independent  inheritance. 
 Now,  concerning  the  kind  or  quality  of  gifts  which  God 
 receiveth  in  that  sort,  we  are  to  consider  them,  partly  as 
 first  they  proceed  from  us,  and  partly  as  afterwards  they  are 
 to  serve  for  divine  uses.    In  that  they  are  testimonies  of 
 
104 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 our  affection  towards  God,  there  is  no  doubt  but  such  they 
 should  be  as  beseemeth  most  his  glory  to  whom  we  offer 
 them.    In  this  respect  the  fatness  of  Abel's  sacrifice  is 
 commended ;  the  flower  of  all  men's  increase  assigned  to 
 God  by  Solomon ;  the  gifts  and  donations  of  the  people 
 rejected  as  oft  as  their  cold  affection  to  God-ward  made 
 their  presents  to  be  little  worth.    Somewhat  the  Heathens 
 saw  touching  that  which  was  herein  fit,  and  therefore  they 
 unto  their  gods  did  not  think  they  might  consecrate  any 
 thing  which  was  *  impure  or  unsound,  or  already  given,  or 
 else  not  truly  their  own  to  give.  Again,  in  regard  of  use, 
 forasmuch  as  we  know  that  God  hath  himself  no  need  of 
 worldly  commodities,  but  taketh  them  because  it  is  our 
 good  to  be  so  exercised,  and  with  no  other  intent  accepteth 
 them,  but  to  have  them  used  for  the  endless  continuance  of 
 Religion;  there  is  no  place  left  of  doubt  or  controversy,  but 
 that  we  in  the  choice  of  our  gifts,  are  to  level  at  the  same 
 mark,  and  to  frame  ourselves  to  his  known  intents  and  pur- 
 poses.   Whether  we  give  unto  God  therefore  that  which 
 himself  by  commandment  requireth,  or  that  which  the  pub- 
 lic consent  of  the  Church  thinketh  good  to  allot,  or  that 
 which  every  man's  private  devotion  doth  best  like,  inas- 
 much as  the  gift  which  we  offer  proceedeth  not  only  as  a 
 testimony  of  our  affection  towards  God,  but  also  as  a  means 
 to  uphold  Religion,  the  exercise  whereof  cannot  stand 
 without  the  help  of  temporal  commodities ;  if  all  men  be 
 taught  of  Nature  to  wish,  and  as  much  as  in  them  lieth  to 
 procure,  the  perpetuity  of  good  things;  if  for  that  very 
 cause  we  honour  and  admire  their  wisdom,  who,  having  been 
 founders  of  Commonweals,  could  devise  how  to  make  the 
 benefit  they  left  behind  them  durable ;  if,  especially  in  this 
 respect,  we  prefer  Lycurgus  before  Solon,  and  the  Spartan 
 before  the  Athenian  Polity,  it  must  needs  follow,  that  as  we 
 do  unto  God  very  acceptable  service  in  honouring  him 
 with  our  substance,  so  our  service  that  way  is  then  most 
 acceptable  when  it  tendeth  to  perpetuity.    The  first  per- 
 manent donations  of  honour  in  this  kind  are  Temples. 
 "Which  works  do  so  much  set  forward  the  exercise  of  Reli- 
 gion, that  while  the  world  was  in  love  with  Religion,  it 
 gave  to  no  sort  greater  reverence  than  to  whom  it  could 
 point  and  say,  "These  are  the  men  that  have  built  us 
 
 *  Purum,  probum,  profanum,  suum.  Fest.  lib.  xiv.  [s.  v.  Puri.] 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 105 
 
 Synagogues."    But  of  Churches  we  have  spoken  suffi- 
 ciently heretofore.    The  next  things  to  Churches  are  the 
 ornaments  of  Churches,  memorials  which  men's  devotion 
 hath  added  to  remain  in  the  treasure  of  God's  House,  not 
 only  for  uses  wherein  the  exercise  of  Religion  presently 
 needeth  them,  but  also  partly  for  supply  of  future  casual 
 necessities,  whereunto  the  Church  is  on  earth  subject,  and 
 partly  to  the  end  that  while  they  are  kept,  they  may  con- 
 tinually serve  as  testimonies,  giving  all  men  to  understand 
 that  God  hath  in  every  age  and  nation  such  as  think  it  no 
 burden  to  honour  him  with  their  substance.    The  riches 
 first  of  the  Tabernacle  of  God,  and  then  of  the  Temple  of 
 Jerusalem,  arising  out  of  voluntary  gifts  and  donations, 
 were,  as  we  commonly  speak,  a  Nemo  scit,  the  value  of 
 them  above  that  which  any  man  would  imagine.  After  that 
 the  Tabernacle  was  made,  furnished  with  all  necessaries, 
 and  set  up,  although  in  the  wilderness  their  ability  could  not 
 possibly  be  great,  the  very  metal  of  those  vessels,  which  the  Kum.vii 
 Princes  of  the  Twelve  Tribes  gave  to  God  for  their  first  pre-  ' 
 sents,  amounted  even  then  to  two  thousand  and  four  hundred 
 shekels  of  silver,  a  hundred  and  twenty  shekels  of  gold, 
 every  shekel  weighing  half  an  ounce.  What  was  given  to  the  1  Chron- 
 Temple  which  Solomon  erected  we  may  partly  conjecture,  E*od. 
 when,  over  and  besides  wood,  marble,  iron,  brass,  vest-  "Ivfi!" 
 nients,  precious  stones,  and  money,  the  sum  which  David 
 delivered  into  Solomon's  hands  for  that  purpose,  was  of 
 gold  in  mass  eight  thousand,  and  of  silver  seventeen  thou- 
 sand cichars,  every  cichar  containing  a  thousand  and  eight 
 hundred  shekels,  which  riseth  to  nine  hundred  ounces  in 
 every  one  cichar,  whereas  the  whole  charge  of  the  Taber- 
 nacle did  not  amount  unto  thirty  cichars.    After  their  re-  f"™- 
 turn  out  of  Babylon,  they  were  not  presently  in  case  to  iiag. 
 make  their  second  Temple  of  equal  magnificence  and  glory  JJ"^ 
 with  that  which  the  enemy  had  destroyed.    Notwithstand-  viii—6. 
 ing,  what  they  could  they  did.    Insomuch  that,  the  build- 
 ings finished,  there  remained  in  the  coffers  of  the  Church, 
 to  uphold  the  fabric  thereof,  six  hundred  and  fifty  cichars 
 of  silver,  one  hundred  of  gold.    Whereunto  was  added  by  Sehem. 
 Nchemias,  of  his  own  gift,  a  thousand  drams  of  gold,  fifty  v"' 70' 
 vessels  of  silver,  five  hundred  and  thirty  Priests'  vestments; 
 by  other  the  Princes  of  the  Fathers  twenty  thousand  drams 
 of  gold,  two  thousand  and  two  hundred  pound  of  silver; 
 
106 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 by  the  rest  of  the  people  twenty  thousand  drams  of  gold, 
 two  thousand  pound  of  silver,  threescore  and  seven  attires 
 of  Priests.    And  they  furthermore  bound  themselves  to- 
 wards other  charges  to  give  by  the  poll,  in  what  part  of 
 Neiiem.  the  world  soever  they  should  dwell,  the  third  of  a  shekel, 
 that  is  to  say,  the  sixth  part  of  an  ounce  yearly.   This  out 
 of  foreign  provinces  they  always  sent  in  gold.*  Whereof 
 Joseph.  Mithridates  is  said  to  have  taken  up  by  the  way  before  it 
 t.Tiv.    could  pass  to  Jerusalem  from  Asia,  in  one  adventure,  eight 
 c-7  ?  "  hundred  talents  ;f  Crassus  after  that,  to  have  borrowed  of 
 the  Temple  itself  eight  thousand  ;  at  which  time  Eleazar 
 having  both  many  other  rich  ornaments,  and  all  the  tapes- 
 try of  the  Temple  under  his  custody,  thought  it  the  safest 
 way  to  grow  unto  some  composition;  and  so  to  redeem 
 the  residue  by  parting  with  a  certain  beam  of  gold  about 
 seven  hundred  and  a  half  weight,  a  prey  sufficient  for  one 
 man,  as  he  thought,  who  had  never  bargained  with  Crassus 
 till  then,  and  therefore,  upon  the  confidence  of  a  solemn 
 oath  that  no  more  should  be  looked  for,  he  simply  delivered 
 up  a  large  morsel,  whereby  the  value  of  that  which  re- 
 mained was  betrayed,  and  the  whole  lost.    Such  being  the 
 casualties  whereunto  moveable  treasures  are  subject,  the 
 Num.    Law  of  Moses  did  both  require  eight  and  forty  cities, 
 LeVit.    together  with  their  fields  and  whole  territories  in  the  land 
 «vii2j  or"  Jevvry>  to  be  reserved  for  God  himself,  and  not  only 
 provide  for  the  Liberty  of  further  additions,  if  men  of  their 
 own  accord  should  think  good,  but  also  for  the  safe  pre- 
 servation thereof  unto  all  posterities,  that  no  man's  avarice 
 or  fraud,  by  defeating  so  virtuous  intents,  might  discourage 
 from  like  purposes.    God's  third  endowment  did  therefore 
 of  old  consist  in  lands.    Furthermore,  some  cause  no 
 doubt  there  is  why  besides  sundry  other  more  rare  dona- 
 tions of  uncertain  rate,  the  tenth  should  be  thought  a  re- 
 venue so  natural  to  be  allotted  out  unto  God.    For  of  the 
 spoils  which  Abraham  had  taken  in  war,  he  delivered  unto 
 cen.     Melchisedec  the  Tithes.    The  vow-  of  Jacob,  at  such  time 
 x'xviii.    as  he  took  his  journey  towards  Haran,  was,  "  If  God  will 
 m-       be  with  me,  and  w  ill  keep  me  in  this  voyage  which  I  am  to 
 
 •  '  Cum  aurum  Judsorum  nomine  quotannis  es  Italia  et  ex  omnibus  vestris 
 provinciis  Hierosolymam  exportari  soleret,  Flaccus  sanxit  edicto,  ne  ex  Asia 
 exportari  liceret.'    Cic.  Orat.  pro  L.  Flac.  [c.  '28.] 
 
 t  Every  talent  in  value  six  hundred  crowns. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 107 
 
 go,  and  will  give  me  bread  to  eat,  and  clothes  to  put  on,  so 
 that  1  may  return  to  my  father's  house  in  safety,  then  shall 
 the  Lord  be  my  God;  and  this  stone  which  I  have  set  up 
 as  a  pillar,  the  same  shall  be  God's  House ;  and  of  all  thou 
 shalt  give  me  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  Tithe."    And  as 
 Abraham  gave  voluntarily,  as  Jacob  vowed  to  give  God 
 Tithes,  so  the  Law  of  Moses  did  require  at  the  hands  of  IKu» 
 all  men  the  self-same  kind  of  tribute,  the  tenth  of  their 
 corn,  wine,  oil,  fruit,  cattle,  and  whatsoever  increase  his 
 heavenly  providence  should  send.  Insomuch,  that  Painims  n>... 
 being  herein  followers  of  their  steps,  paid  Tithes  like-  ^st'; 
 wise.  Imagine  we  that  this  was  for  no  cause  done,  or  that  '• xii- 
 there  was  not  some  special  inducement  to  judge  the  tenth 
 of  our  worldly  profits  the  most  convenient  for  God's  por- 
 tion ?    Are  not  all  things  by  him  created  in  such  sort,  that 
 the  forms  which  give  them  their  distinction  are  number, 
 their  operations  measure,  and  their  matter  weight  ?  Three 
 being  the  mystical  number  of  God's  unsearchable  perfec- 
 tion within  himself ;  Seven  the  number  whereby  our  own 
 perfections,  through  grace,  are  most  ordered;  and  Ten*  the 
 number  of  Nature's  perfections  (for  the  beauty  of  Nature 
 is  order;  and  the  foundation  of  order,  number;  and  of 
 number,  Ten  the  highest  we  can  rise  unto  without  iteration 
 of  numbers  under  it),  could  Nature  better  acknowledge  the 
 power  of  the  God  of  Nature,  than  by  assigning  unto  him 
 that  quantity  which  is  the  continent  of  all  she  possesseth  ? 
 There  are  in  Philo  the  Jew  many  arguments  to  shew  the 
 great  congruity  and  fitness  of  this  number  in  things  con- 
 secrated unto  God.    But  because  over-nice  and  curious 
 speculations  become  not  the  earnestness  of  holy  things,  I 
 omit  what  might  be  further  observed,  as  well  out  of  others, 
 as  out  of  him,  touching  the  quantity  of  this  general  sacred 
 tribute  ;  whereby  it  cometh  to  pass,  that  the  meanest  and 
 the  very  poorest  amongst  men  yielding  unto  God  as  much 
 in  proportion  as  the  greatest,  and  many  times  in  affection 
 more,  have  this  as  a  sensible  token  always  assuring  their 
 minds,  that  in  his  sight,  from  whom  all  good  is  expected, 
 they  are  concerning  acceptation,  protection,  divine  privi- 
 leges, and  pre-eminences  whatsoever,  equals  and  peers 
 with  them  unto  whom  they  are  otherwise  in  earthly  respects 
 
 *  AEitaj  fyiBftch  t»»  atro  /ttoyaJo?  fori  Trifa;  rAMTarn.    Philo  [de  Congress. 
 <]na;r.  erud.  grat.  p.  532.  cd.  Mang.j 
 
IOS 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 inferiors;  being  furthermore  well  assured,  that  the  top,  as 
 it  were,  thus  presented  to  God,  is  neither  lost  nor  unfruit- 
 fully  bestowed,  but  doth  sanctify  to  them  again  the  whole 
 mass,  and  that  he  by  receiving  a  little  undertaketh  to  bless 
 all.    In  which  consideration  the  Jews  were  accustomed  to 
 name  their  Tithes,  the  hedge  of  their  riches.*    Albeit,  a 
 hedge  do  only  fence  and  preserve  that  which  is  contained  ; 
 whereas  their  Tithes  and  Offerings  did  more,  because  they 
 procured  increase  of  the  heap  out  of  which  they  were 
 taken.  God  demanded  no  such  debt  for  his  own  need,  but 
 for  their  only  benefit  that  owe  it.    "Wherefore  detaining  the 
 same,  they  hurt  not  him  whom  they  wrong ;  and  them- 
 selves, whom  they  think  they  relieve,  they  wound ;  except 
 men  will  haply  affirm,  that  God  did,  by  fair  speeches  and 
 mm.    large  promises,  delude  the  world  in  saying,  "  Bring  ye  all 
 the  Tithes  into  the  storehouse,  that  there  may  be  meat  in 
 mine  house  (deal  truly,  defraud  not  God  of  his  due,  but 
 bring  all) ;  and  prove  if  I  will  not  open  unto  you  the  win- 
 dows of  Heaven,  and  pour  down  upon  you  an  immea- 
 surable blessing."    That  which  St.  James  hath  concerning 
 the  effect  of  our  Prayers  unto  God,  is  for  the  most  part  of 
 like  moment  in  our  gifts  :  we  pray  and  obtain  not,  because 
 he  which  knoweth  our  hearts,  doth  know  our  desires  are 
 evil.    In  like  manner  we  give,  and  we  are  not  the  more 
 accepted,  because  +  he  beholdeth  how  unwisely  we  spill 
 our  gifts  in  the  bringing.    It  is  to  him,  which  needeth  no- 
 thing, all  one,  whether  any  thing  or  nothing  be  given  him  : 
 but  for  our  own  good,  it  always  behoveth  that  whatsoever 
 we  offer  up  into  his  hands,  we  bring  it  seasoned  with  this 
 cogitation,  "  Thou,  Lord,  art  worthy  of  all  honour."  With 
 the  Church  of  Christ,  touching  these  matters,  it  standeth 
 as  it  did  with  the  whole  world  before  Moses.  Whereupon, 
 for  many  years,  men  being  desirous  to  honour  God  in  the 
 same  manner  as  other  virtuous  and  holy  personages  before 
 had  done,  both  during  the  time  of  their  life,  and,  if  further 
 ability  did  serve,  by  such  device  as  might  cause  their  works 
 of  piety  to  remain  always ;  it  came  by  these  means  to 
 pass,  that  the  Church  from  time  to  time  had  treasure,  pro- 
 portionable unto  the  poorer  or  wealthier  estate  of  Chris- 
 
 *  '  Massoreth  sepes  est  legis  ;  diritiarum  sepes  Decimje.'    R.  Aquiba  in  Pirk. 
 Aboth. 
 
 Xemo  libenter  dedit  quod  non  accepit  sed  expressit.'  Sen.  de  Benef.  lib.  i.  c.  1 . 
 
BOOK.  V. 
 
 109 
 
 tian  men.    And  as  soon  as  the  state  of  the  Church  could 
 admit  thereof,  they  easily  condescended  to  think  it  most 
 natural  and  most  fit  that  God  should  receive,  as  before,  of 
 all  men  his  ancient  accustomed  revenues  of  Tithes.  Thus, 
 therefore,  both  God  and  Nature  have  taught  to  convert 
 things  temporal  to  eternal  uses,  and  to  provide  for  the 
 perpetuity  of  Religion,  even  by  that  which  is  most  tran- 
 sitory.   For  to  the  end  that  in  worth  and  value  there  might 
 be  no  abatement  of  any  thing  once  assigned  to  such  pur- 
 poses, the  Law  requireth  precisely  the  best  of  wrhat  we 
 possess ;  and  to  prevent  all  damages  by  way  of  commuta- 
 tion; where,  instead  of  natural  commodities  or  other  rights, 
 the  price  of  them  might  be  taken,  the  Law  of  Moses  deter- 
 mined their  rates  and  the  payments  to  be  always  made  by 
 the  shekel  of  the  Sanctuary,  wherein  there  was  great  ad-  UvU- 
 vantage  of  weight  above  the  ordinary  current  shekel.  The 
 truest  and  surest  way  for  God  to  have  always  his  own,  is 
 by  making  him  payment  in  kind  out  of  the  very  self- same 
 riches  which  through  his  gracious  benediction  the  earth 
 doth  continually  yield.  This,  where  it  may  be  without  in- 
 convenience, is  for  every  man's  conscience'  sake.  That 
 which  cometh  from  God  to  us,  by  the  natural  course  of 
 his  providence,  which  we  know  to  be  innocent  and  pure, 
 is  perhaps  best  accepted,  because  least  spotted  with 
 the  stain  of  unlawful  or  indirect  procurement.  Besides, 
 whereas  prices  daily  change,  Nature,  which  commonly 
 is  one,  must  needs  be  the  most  indifferent  and  perma- 
 nent standard  between  God  and  man.    But  the  main 
 foundation  of  all,  whereupon  the  security  of  these  things 
 dependeth,  as  far  as  any  thing  may  be  ascertained  amongst 
 men,  is,  that  the  title  and  right  which  man  had  in  every 
 of  them  before  donation,  doth  by  the  act,  and  from  the 
 time,  of  any  such  donation,  dedication,  or  grant,  re- 
 main the  proper  possession  of  God  till  the  world's  end. 
 unless  himself  renounce  or  relinquish  it.    For,  if  equity 
 have  taught  us,  that  every  one  ought  to  enjoy  his  own ;  that 
 what  is  ours  no  other  can  alienate  from  us,  but  with  our 
 own  deliberate  consent  ;*  finally,  that  no  man,  having  ^x 
 passed  his  consent  or  deed,  may  change  it  to  the  prejudice  jur. 
 
 *  '  Cujus  errorem  elati  repetitio  est,  ejus  consulto  dati  donatio  est.'  Lib.  i.  D. 
 de  cond.  indeb.  This  is  the  ground  of  consideration  in  alienations  from  man 
 to  man. 
 
no 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 of  any  other,*  should  we  presume  to  deal  with  God  worse 
 than  God  hath  allowed  any  person  to  deal  with  us?  Albeit, 
 therefore,  we  be  now  free  from  the  Law  of  Moses,  and 
 consequently  not  thereby  bound  to  the  payment  of  Tithes; 
 yet,  because  Nature  hath  taught  men  to  honour  God  with 
 their  substance,  and  Scripture  hath  left  us  an  example  of 
 that  particular  proportion,  which  for  moral  considerations 
 hath  been  thought  fittest  by  him  whose  wisdom  could  best 
 judge;  furthermore,  seeing  that  the  Church  of  Christ  hath 
 long  sithence  entered  into  like  obligation,  it  seemeth  in 
 these  days  a  question  altogether  vain  and  superfluous, 
 whether  Tithes  be  a  matter  of  divine  right:  because,  how- 
 soever at  the  first  it  might  have  been  thought  doubtful, 
 our  case  is  clearly  the  same  now  with  theirs  unto  whom 
 St.  Peter  sometime  spake,  saying,  **  While  it  was  whole, 
 it  was  whole  thine."  When  our  Tithes  might  have  pro- 
 bably seemed  our  own,  we  had  colour  of  liberty  to  use 
 them  as  we  ourselves  saw  good.  But  having  made  them 
 his  whose  they  are,  let  us  be  warned  by  other  men's  ex- 
 ample what  it  is  voo<pioa<j%ai,  to  wash  or  clip  that  coin  which 
 hath  on  it  the  mark  of  God.  For  that  all  these  are  his  pos- 
 sessions, and  that  he  doth  himself  so  reckon  them,  appear- 
 eth  by  the  form  of  his  own  speeches.  Touching  Gifts  and 
 
 E*od.  Oblations,  "Thou  shalt  give  them  me ;"  touching  Orato- 
 '  ries  and  Churches,  "My  House  shall  be  called  the  House 
 
 ^f;3   of  Prayer;"  touching  Tithes,  "Will  a  man  spoil  God?" 
 
 £■1.  yet  behold,  even  me  your  God  ye  have  spoiled,t  not- 
 withstanding ye  ask,  Wherein,  as  though  ye  were  ignorant, 
 what  injury  there  hath  been  offered  in  Tithes ;  ye  are 
 heavily  accursed,  because  with  a  kind  of  public  consent 
 ye  have  joined  yourselves  in  one  to  rob  me,  imagining 
 the  commonness  of  your  offence  to  be  every  man's  par- 
 
 Ezek-    ticular  justification ;  touching  lands,  "Ye  shall  offer  to 
 
 1.4.  J  '  °  ' 
 
 the  Lord  a  sacred  portion  of  ground,  and  that  sacred  por- 
 tion shall  belong  to  the  Priests."  Neither  did  God  only 
 thus  ordain  amongst  the  Jews ;  but  the  very  purpose,  intent, 
 and  meaning  of  all  that  have  honoured  him  with  their  sub- 
 stance, was  to  invest  him  with  the  property  of  those  bene- 
 fits, the  use  whereof  must  needs  be  committed  to  the  hands 
 
 •  '  Nemo  potest  mutare  consilium  suum  in  alterius  praejudicium.'  Lib.  lxrr.  de 
 Ree.  Jut. 
 
 t 1  Non  videntui  rem  amittere  quibus  propria  non  fuit.'    Lib.  rrxriii,  de  Reg. 
 Jur. 
 
liOOK  V. 
 
 Ill 
 
 of  men.    In  which  respect  the  style  of  ancient  grants  and 
 charters  is,  "  We  have  given  unto  God  both  for  us  and  »Iag- 
 our  heirs  for  ever:"  yea,  "We  know  (saith  Charles  the  c  1.' 
 Great)  that  the  goods  of  the  Church  are  the  sacred  endow-  Carol 
 mcnts  of  God  :  to  the  Lord  our  God  we  offer  and  dedicate 
 
 '  c.  284. 
 
 whatsoever  we  deliver  unto  his  Church."  Whereupon  the 
 Laws  Imperial  do  likewise  divide  all  things  in  such  sort, 
 that  they  make  some  to  belong  by  right  of  nature  indiffer- 
 ently unto  every  man,  some  to  be  the  certain  goods  and 
 possessions  of  Commonweals,  some  to  appertain  unto 
 several  corporations  and  companies  of  men,  some  to  be 
 privately  men's  own  in  particular,  and  some  to  be  sepa- 
 rated quite  from  all  men  ;*  which  last  branch  compriseth 
 things  sacred  and  holy,  because  thereof  God  alone  is 
 owner.  The  sequel  of  which  received  opinion,  as  well 
 without  as  within  the  walls  of  the  House  of  God  touching 
 such  possessions,  is,  as  hath  been  ever,  that  there  is  not 
 an  act  more  honourable  than  by  all  means  to  amplify  and 
 to  defend  the  patrimony  of  Religion,  not  any  more  impiousf 
 and  hateful  than  to  impair  those  possessions  which  men  in 
 former  times,  when  they  gave  unto  holy  uses,  were  wont 
 at  the  altar  of  God,  and  in  the  presence  of  their  ghostly 
 superiors,  to  make  as  they  thought  inviolable,  by  words  of 
 fearful  execration,  saying,  "  These  things  we  offer  to  God  ; 
 from  whom  if  any  take  them  away  (which  we  hope  no  man 
 will  attempt  to  do),  but  if  any  shall,  let  his  account  be 
 without  favour  in  the  last  day,  when  he  cometh  to  receive 
 the  doom  which  is  due  for  sacrilege  against  that  Lord  and 
 God  unto  whom  we  dedicate  the  same."  The  best  and 
 most  renowned  Prelates  of  the  Church  of  Christ  have  in 
 this  consideration  rather  sustained  the  wrath,  than  yielded 
 to  satisfy  the  hard  desire,  of  their  greatest  commanders  on 
 earth  coveting  with  ill  advice  and  counsel  that  which 
 they  willingly  should  have  suffered  God  to  enjoy.  There 
 are  of  Martyrs,  whom  posterity  doth  much  honour,  for  that 
 having  under  their  hands  the  custody  of  such  treasures,;}: 
 they  could  by  virtuous  delusion  invent  how  to  save  them 
 
 *  '  Nullius  autem  sunt  res  sacra;  et  religiosae  et  sanctae.  Quod  enim  divini 
 juris  est,  id  nullius  in  bonis  est.'    Inst.  lib.  ii.  tit.  1. 
 
 t  '  Soli  cum  Diis  sacrilegi  pugnant.'  Curt.  lib.  vii.  [c.  23.]  '  Sacrum  sacrove 
 commendatum  qui  dempserit  rapseritve,  parricida  esto.'  Leg.  xii.  Tab.  Capit. 
 Carol,  lib.  vi.  c.  285. 
 
 J  '  Dcposita  pietatis.'  Tertul.  Apologet.  [c.  39.] 
 
112 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 from  prey,  even  when  the  safety  of  their  own  lives  they 
 gladly  neglected ;  as  one,  sometime  an  Archdeacon  under 
 Xistus  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  did,  whom  when  his  Judge  un- 
 derstood to  be  one  of  the  Church-stewards,  thirst  of  blood 
 began  to  slake,  and  another  humour  to  work,  which  first 
 by  a  favourable  countenance,  and  then  by  quiet  speech, 
 prudent,  did  thus  calmly  disclose  itself :  "  You  that  profess  the 
 
 Laurent. 
 
 Christian  Religion  make  great  complaint  of  the  wonder- 
 ful  cruelty  we  shew  towards  you:  neither  peradventure 
 altogether  without  cause.  But  for  myself,  I  am  far  from 
 any  such  bloody  purpose.  Ye  are  not  so  willing  to  Live,  as 
 I  unwilling  that  out  of  these  lips  should  proceed  any  capi- 
 tal sentence  against  you.  Your  Bishops  are  said  to  have 
 rich  vessels  of  gold  and  silver,  which  they  use  in  the  exer- 
 cise of  their  Religion ;  besides  the  fame  is,  that  numbers 
 sell  away  their  lands  and  livings,  the  huge  prices  whereof 
 are  brought  to  your  Church-coffers  ;  by  which  means  the 
 devotion,  that  maketh  them  and  their  whole  posterity 
 poor,  must  needs  mightily  enrich  you,  whose  God  we  know 
 was  no  coiner  of  money,  but  left  behind  him  many  whole- 
 some and  good  precepts,  as  namely,  that  Caesar  should 
 have  of  you  the  things  that  are  fit  for  and  due  to  Caesar. 
 His  wars  are  costly  and  chargeable  unto  him.  That  which 
 you  suffer  to  rust  in  corners,  the  affairs  of  the  Common- 
 wealth do  need.  Your  profession  is  not  to  make  account 
 of  things  transitory.  And  yet  if  ye  can  be  contented  but 
 to  forego  that  which  ye  care  not  for,  I  dare  undertake  to 
 warrant  you  both  safety  of  life,  and  freedom  of  using  your 
 conscience,  a  thing  more  acceptable  to  you  than  wealth." 
 Which  fair  parley  the  happy  Martyr  quietly  hearing,  and 
 perceiving  it  necessary  to  make  some  shift  for  the  safe  con- 
 cealment of  that  which  being  now  desired,  was  not  unlikely 
 to  be  more  narrowly  afterwards  sought,  he  craved  respite 
 for  three  days  to  gather  the  riches  of  the  Church  together, 
 in  which  space  against  the  time  the  Governor  should  come 
 to  the  doors  of  the  Temple,  big  with  hope  to  receive  his 
 prey,  a  miserable  rank  of  poor,  lame,  and  impotent  per- 
 sons was  provided,  their  names  delivered  him  up  in  writing 
 as  a  true  inventory  of  the  Church's  goods,  and  some  few 
 words  used  to  signify  how  proud  the  Church  was  of  these 
 treasures.  If  men  did  not  naturally  abhor  sacrilege,  to 
 resist  or  to  defeat  so  impious  attempts  would  deserve  small 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 113 
 
 praise.  But  such  is  the  general  detestation  of  rapine  in 
 this  kind,  that  whereas  nothing  doth  either  in  peace  or 
 war  more  uphold  men's  reputation  than  prosperous  suc- 
 cess, because  in  common  construction,  unless  notorious 
 improbity  be  joined  with  prosperity,  it  seemeth  to  argue 
 favour  with  God;  they  which  once  have  stained  their 
 hands  with  these  odious  spoils,  do  thereby  fasten  unto  all 
 their  actions  an  eternal  prejudice,  in  respect  whereof,  for 
 that  it  passeth  through  the  world  as  an  undoubted  rule  and 
 principle  that  Sacrilege  is  open  defiance  to  God,  whatso- 
 ever afterwards  they  undertake,  if  they  prosper  in  it,  men 
 reckon  it  but  Dionysius  his  navigation ;  and,  if  any  thing 
 befall  them  otherwise,  it  is  not,  as  commonly,  so  in  them 
 ascribed  to  the  great  uncertainty  of  casual  events,  wherein 
 the  providence  of  God  doth  control  the  purposes  of  men 
 oftentimes  much  more  for  their  good,  than  if  all  things  did 
 answer  fully  their  hearts  desire,  but  the  censure  of  the 
 world  is  ever  directed  against  them  both  bitter  and  pe- 
 remptory.* To  make  such  actions  therefore  less  odious,  and 
 to  mitigate  the  envy  of  them,  many  colourable  shifts  and 
 inventions  have  been  used,  as  if  the  world  did  hate  only 
 wolves,  and  think  the  fox  a  goodly  creature.  The  time 
 it  may  be  will  come,f  when  they  that  either  violently 
 have  spoiled,  or  thus  smoothly  defrauded  God,  shall  find 
 they  did  but  deceive  themselves.  In  the  meanwhile  there 
 will  be  always  some  skilful  persons,  which  can  teach  a 
 way  how  to  grind  treatably  the  Church  with  jaws  that  shall 
 scarce  move,  and  yet  devour  in  the  end  more  than  they 
 that  come  ravening  with  open  mouth,  as  if  they  would 
 worry  the  whole  in  an  instant;  others  also  who,  having 
 wastefully  eaten  out  their  own  patrimony,  would  be  glad 
 to  repair,  if  they  might,  their  decayed  estates  with  the  ruin 
 they  care  not  of  what  nor  of  whom,  so  the  spoil  were 
 theirs  ;  whereof  in  some  part  if  they  happen  to  speed,  yet 
 
 •  *  Novimus  multa  regna  et  reges  eorum  propterea  cecidisse,  quia  Ecclesias 
 spoliaverunt,  resque  earum  vastaverunt,  alienaverunt  vel  diripuerunt,  Episcopis- 
 que  et  Sacerdotibus,  atque,  quod  raajus  est,  Ecclesiis  eorum  abstulerunt,  et  pu- 
 gnantibus  dederunt.  Quapropter  nec  fortes  in  bello  nec  in  fide  stabiles  fuerunt, 
 nec  victores  exstiterunt ;  sed  terga  multi  vulnerati,  et  plures  interfecti  verterunt, 
 regnaque  et  regiones,  et,  quod  pejus  est,  regna  coelestia  perdiderunt,  atque  pro- 
 priis  h<ereditatibus  caruerunt,  et  hactenus  carent.'  Verba  Carol.  Mag.  in  Capit. 
 Carol,  lib.  vii.  c.  101. 
 
 t  '  Turno  tempus  erit,  magno  cum  optaverit  emptum 
 Intactum  Pallanta,  et  cum  spolia  ista  diemque 
 Oderit.'  Virg.  JEn.  lib.  x.  503. 
 
 VOL.  II.  I 
 
114 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 commonly  they  are  men  born  under  that  constellation 
 which  maketh  them,  I  know  not  how,  as  unapt  to  enrich 
 themselves  as  they  are  ready  to  impoverish  others ;  it  is 
 their  lot  to  sustain  during  life  both  the  misery  of  beggars 
 and  the  infamy  of  robbers.    But  though  no  other  plague 
 and  revenge  should  follow  sacrilegious  violations  of  holy 
 things,  the  natural  secret  disgrace  and  ignominy,  the  very 
 turpitude,  of  such  actions  in  the  eye  of  a  wise  understand- 
 ing heart,*  is  itself  a  heavy  punishment.    Men  of  virtuous 
 quality  are  by  this  sufficiently  moved  to  beware  how  they 
 answer  and  requite  the  mercies  of  God  with  injuries,  whe- 
 ther openly  or  indirectly  offered.   I  will  not  absolutely  say 
 concerning  the  goods  of  the  Church,  that  they  may  in  no 
 case  be  seized  on  by  men,  or  that  no  obligation,  commerce, 
 and  bargain,  made  between  man  and  man,  can  ever  be  of 
 force  to  alienate  the  property  which  God  hath  in  them. 
 Certain  cases  I  grant  there  are,  wherein  it  is  not  so  dark 
 what  God  himself  doth  warrant,  but  that  we  may  safely 
 presume  him  as  willing  to  forego  for  our  benefit,  as  always 
 to  use  and  convert  to  our  benefit  whatsoever  our  Religion 
 hath  honoured  him  withal.    But  surely  under  the  name  of 
 that  which  may  be,  many  things  that  should  not  be  are 
 often  done.  By  means  whereof  the  Church  most  commonly 
 for  gold  hath  flannel ;  and  whereas  the  usual  saw  of  old  was, 
 "  Glaucus  his  change,"  the  proverb  is  now,  '*  A  Church- 
 bargain."    And  for  fear  lest  covetousness  alone  should 
 linger  out  the  time  too  much,  and  not  be  able  to  make 
 havock  of  the  House  of  God  with  that  expedition  which  the 
 mortal  enemy  thereof  did  vehemently  wish,  he  hath  by 
 certain  strong  enchantments  so  deeply  bewitched  Religion 
 itself,  as  to  make  it  in  the  end  an  earnest  solicitor,  and  an 
 eloquent  persuader  of  sacrilege,  urging  confidently  that 
 the  very  best  service  which  all  men  of  power  can  do  to 
 Christ,  is  without  any  more  ceremony  to  sweep  all,  and 
 to  leave  the  Church  as  bare  as  in  the  day  it  was  first  born ; 
 that  fulness  of  bread  having  made  the  children  of  the 
 household  wanton,  it  is  without  any  scruple  to  be  taken 
 away  from  them,  and  thrown  to  dogs ;  that  they  which 
 
 *  'H  Tajv  vgay/taTCM  alff^im  ouSEjuta;  eXott&v  £»/i*ia?  to~;  ye  e-i^ia-i.  Demosth. 
 [Olynth.  i.  ad  fin.]  '  Poenam  non  dico  legum  quas  ssepe  perrumpunt,  sed  ipsius 
 turpitudinis  quae  acerbissima  est  non  vident.'  Cic.  OrBc.  lib.  iii.  [c.  8.]  '  Impu- 
 nita  tu  credes  esse  quae  invisa  sunt?  aut  ullum  supplicium  gravius  existimas 
 publico  odio  ?'   Sen.  de  Benef.  lib.  iii.  c.  17. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 115 
 
 laid  the  prices  of  their  lands  as  offerings  at  the  Apostles' 
 feet,  did  but  sow  the  seeds  of  Superstition ;  that  they  which 
 endowed  Churches  with  lands,  poisoned  Religion;  that 
 Tithes  and  Obligations  are  now  in  the  sight  of  God  as  the 
 sacrificed  blood  of  goats  ;  that  if  we  give  him  our  hearts 
 and  affections,  our  goods  are  better  bestowed  otherwise ; 
 that  Irenaeus,  Polycarp's  Disciple,  should  not  have  said, 
 "  We  offer  unto  God  our  goods  as  tokens  of  thankfulness  ,Iren- 
 
 "  lib.  iv. 
 
 for  that  we  receive  ;"  neither  Origen,  "  He  which  worship-  c  34. 
 peth  God,  must  by  gifts  and  oblations  acknowledge  him  la.'srum. 
 the  Lord  of  all;"  in  a  word,  that  to  give  unto  God  is  hora  "'• 
 error ;  reformation  of  error,  to  take  from  the  Church  that 
 which  the  blindness  of  former  ages  did  unwisely  give  :  by 
 these  or  the  like  suggestions,  received  with  all  joy,  and  with 
 like  sedulity  practised  in  certain  parts  of  the  Christian 
 world,  they  have  brought  to  pass  that  as  David  doth  say 
 of  man,  so  it  is  in  hazard  to  be  verified  concerning  the 
 whole  Religion  and  service  of  God:  "The  time  thereof^"1- 
 may  perad  venture  fall  out  to  be  threescore  and  ten  years, 
 or  if  strength  do  serve  unto  fourscore,  what  followeth  is 
 likely  to  be  small  joy  for  them  whosoever  they  be  that 
 behold  it."    Thus  have  the  best  things  been  overthrown, 
 not  so  much  by  puissance  and  might  of  adversaries,  as 
 through  defect  of  counsel  in  them  that  should  have  upheld 
 and  defended  the  same. 
 
 80.  There  are  in  a  Minister  of  God  these  four  things  to  0f  °rdi- 
 
 ^  nations 
 
 be  considered :  his  Ordination,  which  giveth  him  power  to  lawful 
 meddle  with  things  sacred  ;  the  charge  or  portion  of  the  ut'ie.Tnd 
 Church  allotted  unto  him  for  exercise  of  his  Office ;  the  wilhout 
 
 7  any  po- 
 
 performance  of  his  duty,  according  to  the  exigence  of  his  puiar 
 charge ;  and,  lastly,  the  maintenance  which  in  that  respect  prece-" 
 he  receiveth.    All  Ecclesiastical  Laws  and  Canons,  which  de,,,  but 
 
 7  111  no 
 
 either  concern  the  bestowing  or  the  using  of  the  power  of  «se 
 ministerial  Order,  have  relation  to  these  four.    Of  the  first  Kga^' 
 we  have  spoken  before  at  large.    Concerning  the  next,  for  °ffdue 
 more  convenient  discharge  of  Ecclesiastical  duties,  as  the  mati°n 
 body  of  the  people  must  needs  be  severed  by  divers  pre-  their 
 cincts,  so  the  Clergy  likewise  accordingly  distributed. 
 Whereas,  therefore,  Religion  did  first  take  place  in  cities,  enter  into 
 and  in  that  respect  was  a  cause  why  the  name  of  Pagans,  orders, 
 which  properly  signifieth  a  country  people,  came  to  be 
 used  in  common  speech  for  the  same  that  Infidels  and 
 
 1  2 
 
]1G  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Unbelievers  were;  it  followed  thereupon  that  all  such 
 cities  had  their  Ecclesiastical  Colleges ,  consisting  of 
 Deacons  and  of  Presbyters,  whom  first  the  Apostles  or 
 their  delegates  the  Evangelists  did  both  ordain  and  govern. 
 Such  were  the  Colleges  of  Jerusalem,  Antioch,  Ephesus, 
 Rome,  Corinth,  and  the  rest,  where  the  Apostles  are 
 known  to  have  planted  our  Faith  and  Religion.  Now  be- 
 cause Religion  and  the  cure  of  souls  was  their  general 
 charge  in  common  over  all  that  were  near  about  them, 
 neither  had  any  one  Presbyter  his  several  cure  apart,  till 
 Evaristus,  Bishop  in  the  See  of  Rome,  about  the  year  112, 
 began  to  assign  precincts  unto  every  Church  or  Title  which 
 the  Christians  held,  and  to  appoint  unto  each  Presbyter  a 
 certain  compass  whereof  himself  should  take  charge  alone, 
 the  commodiousness  of  this  invention  caused  all  parts  of 
 Christendom  to  follow  it,  and  at  the  length  among  the  rest 
 our  own  Churches  about  the  year  G36  became  divided  in 
 like  manner.  But  other  distinction  of  Churches  there  doth 
 not  appear  any  in  the  Apostles'  writings,  save  only,  ac- 
 Acts  cording  to  those  cities  wherein  they  planted  the  Gospel  of 
 xv.  36.  ^rist,  an(j  erecte(j  Ecclesiastical  Colleges.  Wherefore  to 
 th.  i.5.  ordain  Kara  7roAiv  throughout  every  city,  and  Kara  £iacA»)<nav 
 xfrfss.  throughout  every  Church,  do  in  them  signify  the  same 
 thing.  Churches  then  neither  were  nor  could  be  in  so  con- 
 venient sort  limited  as  now  they  are ;  first,  by  the  bounds 
 of  each  state,  and  then  within  each  state  by  more  particular 
 precincts,  till  at  the  length  we  descend  unto  the  several 
 congregations,  termed  Parishes,  with  far  narrower  restraint 
 than  this  name  at  the  first  was  used.  And  from  hence 
 hath  grown  their  error,  who  as  oft  as  they  read  of  the 
 duty  which  Ecclesiastical  persons  are  now  to  perform  to- 
 wards the  Church,  their  manner  is  always  to  understand 
 by  that  Church,  some  particular  Congregation  or  Parish 
 Church.  They  suppose  that  there  should  now  be  no  man  of 
 Ecclesiastical  Order,  which  isnottiedto  some  certain  Parish. 
 Because  the  names  of  all  Church-officers  are  words  of  re- 
 lation, because  a  shepherd  must  have  his  flock,  a  teacher 
 his  scholars,  a  minister  his  company  which  he  ministereth 
 unto,  therefore  it  seemeth  a  thing  in  their  eyes  absurd  and 
 unreasonable,  that  any  man  should  be  ordained  a  Minister, 
 otherwise  than  only  for  some  particular  Congregation. 
 Perceive  they  not  how  by  this  means  they  make  it  un- 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 117 
 
 lawful  for  the  Church  to  employ  men  at  all  in  converting 
 nations  ?  For  if  so  be  the  Church  may  not  lawfully  admit 
 to  an  Ecclesiastical  function,  unless  it  tie  the  party  ad- 
 mitted unto  some  particular  Parish,  then  surely  a  thankless 
 labour  it  is,  whereby  men  seek  the  conversion  of  Infidels, 
 which  know  not  Christ,  and  therefore  cannot  be  as  yet 
 divided  into  their  special  congregations  and  flocks.  But, 
 to  the  end  it  may  appear  how  much  this  one  thing  among 
 many  more  hath  been  mistaken,  there  is  first  no  precept 
 requiring  that  Presbyters  and  Deacons  be  made  in  such 
 sort,  and  not  otherwise.  Albeit  therefore  the  Apostles  did 
 make  them  in  that  order,  yet  is  not  their  example  such  a 
 Law,  as  without  all  exception  bindeth  to  make  them  in  no 
 other  order  but  that.  Again,  if  we  will  consider  that  which 
 the  Apostles  themselves  did,  surely  no  man  can  justly  say, 
 that  herein  we  practise  any  thing  repugnant  to  their  ex- 
 ample. For  by  them  there  was  ordained  only  in  each 
 Christian  city  a  College  of  Presbyters  and  Deacons  to 
 administer  holy  things.  Evaristus  did,  a  hundred  years 
 after  the  birth  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  begin  the  distinction 
 of  the  Church  into  Parishes.  Presbyters  and  Deacons 
 having  been  ordained  before  to  exercise  Ecclesiastical 
 functions  in  the  Church  of  Rome  promiscuously,  he  was 
 the  first  that  tied  them  each  one  to  his  own  station.  So 
 that  of  the  two,  indefinite  Ordination  of  Presbyters  and 
 Deacons  doth  come  more  near  the  Apostles'  example,  and 
 the  tying  of  them  to  be  made  only  for  particular  Congrega- 
 tions may  more  justly  ground  itself  upon  the  example  of 
 Evaristus,  than  of  any  Apostle  of  Christ.  It  hath  been 
 the  opinion  of  wise  and  good  men  heretofore,  that  nothing 
 was  ever  devised  more  singularly  beneficial  unto  God's 
 Church,  than  this  which  our  honourable  predecessors  have 
 to  their  endless  praise  found  out,  by  the  erecting  of  such 
 Houses  of  study,  as  those  two  most  famous  Universities  do 
 contain,  and  providing  that  choice  wits,  after  reasonable 
 time  spent  in  contemplation,  may  at  the  length  either  enter 
 into  that  holy  vocation  for  which  they  had  been  so  long 
 nourished  and  brought  up,  or  else  give  place  and  sutler 
 others  to  succeed  in  their  rooms,  that  so  the  Church  may 
 be  always  furnished  with  a  number  of  men,  whose  ability 
 being  first  known  by  public  trial  in  Church-labours  there 
 where  men  can  best  judge  of  them,  their  calling  alter- 
 
118 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 wards  unto  particular  charge  abroad  may  be  accordingly. 
 All  this  is  frustrate,  those  worthy  Foundations  we  must 
 dissolve,  their  whole  device  and  religious  purpose  which 
 did  erect  them  is  made  void,  their  Orders  and  Statutes 
 are  to  be  cancelled  and  disannulled,  in  case  the  Church 
 be  forbidden  to  grant  any  power  of  Order  unless  it  be 
 with  restraint  to  the  party  ordained  unto  some  parti- 
 cular Parish  or  Congregation.  Nay,  might  we  not  rather 
 affirm  of  Presbyters  and  of  Deacons,  that  the  very  nature 
 of  their  Ordination  is  unto  necessary  local  restraint  a 
 thing  opposite  and  repugnant?  The  Emperor  Justinian 
 just,  doth  say  of  tutors,  "  Certae  rei  vel  causae  tutor  dari  non  po- 
 tit.'u.  test*  quia  personae,  non  causae  vel  rei,  tutor  datur."  He 
 sect.u.  shoui(j  grant  a  tutorship,  restraining  his  grant  to  some 
 one  certain  thing  or  cause,  should  do  but  idly,  because 
 tutors  are  given  for  personal  defence  generally,  and  not  for 
 managing  of  a  few  particular  things  or  causes.  So  he  that 
 ordaining  a  Presbyter  or  a  Deacon  should,  in  the  form  of 
 Ordination,  restrain  the  one  or  the  other  to  a  certain  place, 
 might  with  much  more  reason  be  thought  to  use  a  vain 
 and  a  frivolous  addition,  than  they  reasonably  to  require 
 such  local  restraint,  as  a  thing  which  must  of  necessity  con- 
 cur evermore  with  all  lawful  Ordination.  Presbyters  and 
 Deacons  are  not  by  Ordination  consecrated  unto  places, 
 but  unto  functions.  In  which  respect,  and  in  no  other,  it 
 is,  that  sith  they  are  by  virtue  thereof  bequeathed  unto 
 God,  severed  and  sanctified  to  be  employed  in  his  service, 
 which  is  the  highest  advancement  that  mortal  creatures  on 
 earth  can  be  raised  unto,  the  Church  of  Christ  hath  not  been 
 acquainted  in  former  ages  with  any  such  profane  and  unna- 
 tural custom,  as  doth  hallow  men  with  Ecclesiastical  func- 
 tions of  Order  only  for  a  time,  and  then  dismiss  them  again 
 to  the  common  affairs  of  the  world.  Whereas,  contrariwise, 
 from  the  place  or  charge  where  that  power  hath  been  ex- 
 ercised, we  may  be  by  sundry  good  and  lawful  occasions 
 translated,  retaining  nevertheless  the  self-same  power  which 
 was  first  given.  It  is  some  grief  to  spend  thus  much  labour 
 in  refuting  a  thing  that  hath  so  little  ground  to  uphold  it,  es- 
 pecially sith  they  themselves  that  teach  it  do  not  seem  to 
 give  thereunto  any  great  credit,  if  we  may  judge  their  minds 
 by  their  actions.  There  are  amongst  them  that  have  done  the 
 work  of  Ecclesiastical  persons,  sometime  in  the  families  of 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 119 
 
 noblemen,  sometime  in  much  more  public  and  frequent 
 congregations ;  there  are  that  have  sucessively  gone  through 
 perhaps  seven  or  eight  particular  Churches  after  this  sort ; 
 yea,  some  that  at  one  and  the  same  time  have  been,  some 
 which  at  this  present  hour  are,  in  real  obligation  of  Ecclesi- 
 astical duty,  and  possession  of  commodity  thereto  belong- 
 ing, even  in  sundry  particular  Churches  within  the  land  ; 
 some  there  are  amongst  tliem  which  will  not  so  much  abridge 
 their  liberty,  as  to  be  fastened  or  tied  unto  any  place ;  some 
 which  have  bound  themselves  to  one  place  only  for  a  time, 
 and  that  time  beingonce  expired,  have  afterwards  voluntarily 
 given  unto  other  places  the  like  experience  and  trial  of  them. 
 All  this  I  presume  they  would  not  do,  if  their  persuasion 
 were  as  strict  as  their  words  pretend.  But,  for  the  avoiding 
 of  these  and  such  other  the  like  confusions  as  are  incident 
 unto  the  cause  and  question  whereof  we  presently  treat, 
 there  is  not  any  thing  more  material,  than  first  to  separate 
 exactly  the  nature  of  the  Ministry  from  the  use  and  exer- 
 cise thereof;  secondly,  to  know  that  the  only  true  and  pro- 
 per act  of  Ordination  is  to  invest  men  with  that  power 
 which  doth  make  them  Ministers,  by  consecrating  their 
 persons  to  God  and  his  service  in  holy  things  during  term 
 of  life,  whether  they  exercise  that  power  or  no ;  thirdly, 
 that  to  give  them  a  Title  or  Charge  where  to  use  their  Mi- 
 nistry, concerneth  not  the  making,  but  the  placing  of 
 God's  Ministers ;  and  therefore  the  Laws  which  concern 
 only  their  election  or  admission  unto  place  of  charge,  are 
 are  not  appliable  to  infringe  any  way  their  Ordination  ; 
 fourthly,  that  as  oft  as  any  ancient  Constitution,  Law, 
 or  Canon,  is  alleged  concerning  either  Ordinations  or  Elec- 
 tions, we  forget  not  to  examine  whether  the  present  case 
 be  the  same  which  the  ancient  was,  or  else  do  contain 
 some  just  reason  for  which  it  cannot  admit  altogether 
 the  same  rules  which  former  affairs  of  the  Church,  now 
 altered,  did  then  require.  In  the  question  of  making  Mi- 
 nisters without  a  Title,  which  to  do  they  say  is  a  thing  un- 
 lawful, they  should  at  the  very  first  have  considered  what 
 the  name  of  Title  doth  imply,  and  what  affinity  or  cohe- 
 rence Ordinations  have  with  Titles ;  which  thing  observed 
 would  plainly  have  shewed  them  their  own  error.  They 
 are  not  ignorant,  that  when  they  speak  of  a  Title,  they  handle 
 that  which  belongeth  to  the  placing  of  a  Minister  in  some 
 
120 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 charge  ;  that  the  place  of  charge,  wherein  a  Minister  doth 
 execute  his  office,  requireth  some  House  of  God  for  the 
 people  to  resort  unto,  some  definite  number  of  souls  unto 
 whom  he  there  administereth  holy  things,  and  some  certain 
 allowance  whereby  to  sustain  life  ;  that  the  Fathers  at  the 
 first  named  Oratories,  and  Houses  of  Prayer,  Titles ;  thereby 
 signifying  how  God  was  interested  in  them,  and  held  them 
 as  his  own  possessions.  But,  because  they  know  that  the 
 Church  had  Ministers  before  Christian  Temples  and  Ora- 
 tories were,  therefore  some  of  them  understand  by  a  Title, 
 a  definite  congregation  of  people  only,  and  so  deny  that  any 
 Ordination  is  lawful  which  maketh  Ministers  that  have  no 
 certain  flock  to  attend  :  forgetting  how  the  Seventy,  whom 
 Christ  himself  did  ordain  Ministers,  had  their  calling  in 
 that  manner,  whereas  yet  no  certain  charge  could  be  given 
 them.  Others,  referring  the  name  of  a  Title  especially  to 
 the  maintenance  of  the  Minister,  infringe  all  Ordination 
 made,*  except  they  which  receive  Orders  be  first  entitled  to 
 a  competent  Ecclesiastical  Benefice,  and  (which  is  most 
 ridiculously  strange)  except  besides  their  present  title  to 
 some  such  Benefice  they  have  likewise  some  other  title  of 
 annual  rent  or  pension  whereby  they  may  be  relieved,  in 
 case,  through  infirmity,  sickness,  or  other  lawful  impedi- 
 ment, they  grow  unable  to  execute  their  Ecclesiastical 
 function.  So  that  every  man  lawfully  ordained  must  bring 
 a  bow  which  hath  two  strings,  a  Title  of  present  right,  and 
 another  to  provide  for  future  possibility  or  chance.  Into 
 these  absurdities  and  follies  they  slide,  by  misconceiving 
 the  true  purpose  of  certain  Canons,  which  indeed  have  for- 
 bidden to  ordain  a  Minister  without  a  Title ;  not  that  simply 
 it  is  unlawful  so  to  ordain,  but  because  it  might  grow  to  an 
 inconveniency,  if  the  Church  did  not  somewhat  restrain 
 that  liberty.  For,  seeing  they  which  have  once  received  Or- 
 dination cannot  again  return  into  the  world,  it  behoveth 
 them  which  ordain  to  foresee  how  such  shall  be  afterwards 
 able  to  live,  lest  their  poverty  and  destitution  should  re- 
 dound to  the  disgrace  and  discredit  of  their  calling.  Which 
 evil  prevented,  those  very  Laws,  which  in  that  respect  for- 
 
 *' Unlawful  to  ordain  a  Minister  without  a  Title.'  Abstract,  p.  243.  'The 
 Law  requireth,  that  every  one  admitted  unto  Orders  having  for  his  present  relief 
 some  Ecclesiastical  Benefice,  should  also  have  some  other  title  unto  some  annual 
 rent  or  pension  whereby  he  might  be  relieved,  in  case  he  were  not  able,  through  in- 
 firmity, sickness,  or  other  lawful  impediment,  to  execute  his  Ecclesiastical  office 
 and  function.'  Ibid.  p.  246. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 121 
 
 bid,  do  expressly  admit  Ordinations  to  be  made  at  large, 
 and  without  Title  ;  namely,  if  the  party  so  ordained  have  of 
 his  own  for  the  sustenance  of  this  life  ;  or,  if  the  Bishop 
 which  giveth  him  Orders  will  rind  him  competent  allowance, 
 till  some  place  of  ministration,  from  whence  his  mainte- 
 nance may  arise,  be  provided  for  him  ;  or,  if  any  other  fit 
 and  sufficient  means  be  had  against  the  danger  before-men- 
 tioned. Absolutely  therefore  it  is  not  true,  that  any  an- 
 cient Canon  of  the  Church,  which  is  or  ought  to  be  with  us 
 in  force,  doth  make  Ordinations  at  large  unlawful ;  and  as 
 the  state  of  the  Church  doth  stand,  they  are  most  necessary. 
 If  there  be  any  conscience  in  men  touching  that  which 
 they  write  or  speak,  let  them  consider  as  well  what  the  pre- 
 sent condition  of  all  things  doth  now  suffer,  as  what  the 
 Ordinances  of  former  ages  did  appoint;  as  well  the  weight 
 of  those  causes  for  which  our  affairs  have  altered,  as  the 
 reasons  in  regard  whereof  our  fathers  and  predecessors  did 
 sometime  strictly  and  severely  keep  that,  which  for  us  to 
 observe  now  is  neither  meet  nor  always  possible.  In  this 
 our  present  cause  and  controversy,  whether  any  not  having 
 Title  of  right  to  a  Benefice  may  be  lawfully  ordained  a  Mi- 
 nister, is  it  not  manifest  in  the  eyes  of  all  men,  that  whereas 
 the  name  of  a  Benefice  doth  signify  some  standing  Eccle- 
 siastical revenue,  taken  out  of  the  treasure  of  God,  and 
 allotted  to  a  spiritual  person,  to  the  end  he  may  use  the 
 same  and  enjoy  it  as  his  own  for  term  of  life,  unless  his  de- 
 fault cause  deprivation,  the  Clergy  for  many  years  after 
 Christ  had  no  other  benefices,  but  only  their  Canonical 
 portions,  or  monthly  dividends  allowed  them  according  to 
 their  several  degrees  and  qualities,  out  of  the  common 
 stock  of  such  Gifts,  Oblations,  and  Tithes,  as  the  fervour  of 
 Christian  piety  did  then  yield  ?  Yea,  that  even  when  Mi- 
 nisters had  their  Churches  and  flocks  assigned  unto  them 
 in  several,  yet  for  maintenance  of  life,  their  former  kind 
 of  allowance  continued,  till  such  time  as  Bishops  and 
 Churches  Cathedral  being  sufficiently  endowed  with  lands, 
 other  Presbyters  enjoyed,  instead  of  their  first  Benefices, 
 the  Tithes  and  profits  of  their  own  congregations  whole  to 
 themselves  ?  Is  it  not  manifest,  that  in  this  Realm,  and  so 
 in  other  the  like  dominions,  where  the  tenure  of  lands  is 
 altogether  grounded  on  military  Laws,  and  held  as  in  fee 
 under  Princes  which  are  not  made  Heads  of  the  people  by 
 
122 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 force  of  voluntary  election,  but  born  the  sovereign  lords  of 
 those  whole  and  entire  territories,  which  territories  their 
 famous  progenitors  obtaining  by  way  of  conquest,  retained 
 what  they  would  in  their  own  hands,  and  divided  the  rest 
 to  others  with  reservation  of  sovereignty  and  capital  in- 
 terest ;  the  building  of  Churches,  and  consequently  the  as- 
 signing of  either  Parishes  or  Benefices,  was  a  thing  impos- 
 sible without  consent  of  such  as  were  principal  owners  of 
 land ;  in  which  consideration,  for  their  more  encourage- 
 ment hereunto,  tbey  which  did  so  far  benefit  the  Church  had 
 by  common  consent  granted  (as  great  equity  and  reason 
 was)  a  right  for  them  and  their  heirs  till  the  world's 
 end,  to  nominate  in  those  Benefices  men  whose  quality 
 the  Bishop  allowing  might  admit  them  thereunto  ?    Is  it 
 not  manifest,  that  from  hence  inevitably  such  inequality 
 of  Parishes  hath  grown,  as  causeth  some,  through  the  mul- 
 titude of  people  which  have  resort  unto  one  Church,  to  be 
 more  than  any  one  man  can  wield,  and  some  to  be  of  that 
 nature  by  reason  of  Chapels  annexed,  that  they  which  are 
 Incumbents  should  wrong  the  Church  if  so  be  they  had 
 not  certain  Stipendiaries  under  them,  because,  where  the 
 corps  of  the  profit  or  benefice  is  but  one,  the  Title  can  be 
 but  one  man's,  and  yet  the  charge  may  require  more?  Not 
 to  mention,  therefore,  any  other  reason,  whereby  it  may 
 clearly  appear  how  expedient  it  is  and  profitable  for  the 
 Church  to  admit  Ordinations  without  Title,  this  little  may 
 suffice  to  declare  how  impertinent  their  allegations  against 
 it  are  out  of  ancient  Canons  ;  how  untrue  their  confident 
 asseverations,  that  only  through  negligence  of  Popish  Pre- 
 lates the  custom  of  making  such  kind  of  Ministers  hath 
 prevailed  in  the  Church  of  Rome  against  their  Canons,  and 
 that  with  us  it  is  expressly  against  the  Laws  of  our  own 
 government  when  a  Minister  doth  serve  as  a  stipendiary 
 Curate,  which  kind  of  service  nevertheless  the  greatest 
 Rabbins  of  that  part  do  altogether  follow.  For  howsoever 
 they  are  loth  peradventure  to  be  named  Curates,  Stipen- 
 diaries they  are,  and  the  labour  they  bestow  is  in  other 
 men's  Cures ;  a  thing  not  unlawful  for  them  to  do,  yet  un- 
 seemly for  them  to  condemn  which  practise  it.    I  might 
 here  discover  the  like  oversight  throughout  all  their  dis- 
 courses, made  in  behalf  of  the  people's  pretended  right 
 to  elect  their  Ministers  before  the  Bishop  may  lawfully 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 123 
 
 ordain.  But  because  we  have  otherwhere  at  large  dis- 
 puted of  popular  elections,  and  of  the  right  of  patronage, 
 wherein  is  drowned  whatsoever  the  people  under  any  pre- 
 tence of  colour  may  seem  to  challenge  about  admission 
 and  choice  of  the  Pastors  that  shall  feed  their  souls,  I 
 cannot  see  what  one  duty  there  is  which  always  ought  to 
 go  before  Ordination,  but  only  care  of  the  party's  worthi- 
 ness as  well  for  integrity  and  virtue,  as  knowledge ;  yea, 
 for  virtue  more :  inasmuch  as  defect  of  knowledge  may 
 sundry  ways  be  supplied,  but  the  scandal  of  vicious  and 
 wicked  life  is  a  deadly  evil. 
 
 81.  The  truth  is,  that  of  all  things  hitherto  mentioned  ,?fth? 
 
 '  ~  learning 
 
 the  greatest  is  that  threefold  blot  or  blemish  of  notable  that 
 ignorance,  unconscionable  absence  from  the  Cures  whereof  De10jn 
 men  have  taken  charge,  and  insatiable  hunting  after  spiri-  ^sr1"5' 
 tual  Preferments,  without  either  care  or  conscience  of  the  s.dence, 
 public  good.    Whereof,  to  the  end  that  we  may  consider,  number 
 as  in  God's  own  sight  and  presence,  with  all  uprightness,  °^*hei 
 
 ings. 
 
 sincerity,  and  truth,  let  us  particularly  weigh  and  examine 
 in  every  of  them;  first,  how  far  forth  they  are  reprovable 
 by  reasons  and  maxims  of  common  right ;  secondly,  whe- 
 ther that  which  our  Laws  do  permit  be  repugnant  to  those 
 maxims,  and  with  what  equity  we  ought  to  judge  of  things 
 practised  in  this  case,  neither  on  the  one  hand  defending 
 that  which  must  be  acknowledged  out  of  square,  nor  on 
 the  other  side  condemning  rashly  whom  we  list  for  what- 
 soever we  disallow.    Touching  arguments  therefore  taken 
 from  the  principles  of  common  right  to  prove  that  Minis- TCllb 
 ters  should  be  learned,  that  they  ought  to  be  resident  upon  ^pgJ°- 
 their  Livings,  and  that  more  than  one  only  Benefice  or  1  iim. 
 spiritual  Living  may  not  be  granted  unto  one  man;  the  Titus' i.g 
 first,  because  St.  Paul  requireth  in  a  Minister  ability  to  * T™- 
 teach,  to  convince,  to  distribute  the  Word  rightly ;  because  Husea 
 also  the  Lord  himself  hath  protested  they  shall  be  no  Matt.' 
 Priests  to  him  which  have  rejected  knowledge,  and  because,  *vjk14, 
 if  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  they  must  both  needs  fall  into  »-s. 
 
 Acts 
 
 the  pit :  the  second,  because  Teachers  are  shepherds  whose  XI.  t, 
 flocks  can  be  no  time  secure  from  danger ;  they  are  watch-  \  sf£' 
 men  whom  the  enemy  doth  always  besiege ;  their  labours  1  Tim- 
 in  the  Word  and  Sacraments  admit  no  intermission  ;  their  John 
 duty  requireth  instruction  and  conference  with  men  in  pri- 
 vate ;  they  arc  the  living  Oracles  of  God,  to  whom  the  v  s 
 people  must  resort  lor  counsel ;  they  arc  commanded  to  be  «*•  » 
 
124 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 1  ihes.  patterns  of  holiness,  leaders,  feeders,  supervisors,  amongst 
 coqo'i.  their  own  ;  it  should  be  their  grief,  as  it  was  the  Apostles' 
 fap'iD  to  ^e  aDseni>  though  necessarily,  from  them  over  whom 
 Matt,  they  have  taken  charge  :  finally,  the  last,  because  plurality 
 i  coV  and  residence  are  opposite ;  because  the  placing  of  one 
 v"' C4-  Clerk  in  two  Churches  is  a  point  of  merchandise  and  filthy 
 gain ;  because  no  man  can  serve  two  masters ;  because 
 every  one  should  remain  in  that  vocation  whereunto  he  is 
 called  ;  what  conclude  they  of  all  this?  Against  ignorance, 
 against  nonresidence,  and  against  plurality  of  Livings,  is 
 there  any  man  so  raw  and  dull,  but  that  the  volumes  which 
 have  been  written  both  of  old  and  of  late  may  make  him 
 in  so  plentiful  a  cause  eloquent  ?  For,  if  by  that  which  is 
 generally  just  and  requisite  we  measure  what  knowledge 
 there  should  be  in  a  Minister  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ ;  the 
 arguments  which  light  of  Nature  offereth ;  the  Laws  and 
 Statutes  which  Scripture  hath;  the  Canons  that  are  taken 
 out  of  ancient  Synods  ;  the  Decrees  and  Constitutions  of 
 sincerest  times ;  the  sentences  of  all  antiquity  ;  and,  in  a 
 word,  every  man's  full  consent  and  conscience,  is  against 
 ignorance  in  them  that  have  charge  and  cure  of  souls. 
 Again,  what  availeth  it  if  we  be  learned  and  not  faithful  ? 
 or,  what  benefit  hath  the  Church  of  Christ,  if  there  be  in  us 
 sufficiency  without  endeavour  or  care  to  do  that  good  which 
 our  place  exacteth?  Touching  the  pains  and  industry,  there- 
 fore, wherewith  men  are  in  conscience  bound  to  attend  the 
 work  of  their  heavenly  calling,  even  as  much  as  in  them 
 lieth  bending  thereunto  their  whole  endeavour,  without 
 either  fraud,  sophistication,  or  guile  ;  I  see  not  what  more 
 effectual  obligation  or  bond  of  duty  there  should  be  urged, 
 than  their  own  only  vow  and  promise  made  unto  God  him- 
 self at  the  time  of  their  Ordination.  The  work  which  they 
 have  undertaken  requireth  both  care  and  fear.  Their  sloth, 
 that  negligently  perform  it,  maketh  them  subject  to  male- 
 diction. Besides,  we  also  know  that  the  fruit  of  our  pains 
 in  this  function,  is  life  both  to  ourselves  and  others.  And 
 do  we  yet  need  incitements  to  labour?  Shall  we  stop  our 
 ears  both  against  those  conjuring  exhortations  which 
 Apostles,  and  against  the  fearful  comminations  which  Pro- 
 phets, have  uttered  out  of  the  mouth  of  God,  the  one  for 
 prevention,  the  other  for  reformation,  of  our  sluggishness 
 Acts  in  this  behalf?  St.  Paul,  "Attend  to  yourselves  and  to  all 
 xx-28,  the  flock  whereof  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  over 
 
ROOK  V. 
 
 125 
 
 seers,  to  feed  the  Church  of  God  which  he  hath  purchased 
 with  his  own  blood."    Again,  "  I  charge  thee  before  God,  fvTjm- 
 and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  shall  judge  the  quick  and 
 the  dead  at  his  coming,  preach  the  Word;  be  instant."  Jere- 
 miah, "Wo  unto  the  Pastors  that  destroy  and  scatter  thesj^.i. 
 sheep  of  my  pasture ;  I  will  visit  you  for  the  wickedness  of 
 your  works,  saith  the  Lord  ;  the  remnant  of  my  sheep  I  will 
 gather  together  out  of  all  countries,  and  will  bring  them 
 again  to  their  folds ;  they  shall  grow  and  increase,  and  I  will 
 set  up  shepherds  over  them  which  shall  feed  them."  Ezekiel,  ^ 
 "  Should  not  the  shepherds,  should  they  not,  feed  the  flocks?  XXXiv.e, 
 Ye  eat  the  fat,  and  ye  clothe  yourselves  with  the  wool,  but 
 the  weak  ye  have  not  strengthened,  the  sick  ye  have  not 
 cured,  neither  have  ye  bound  up  the  broken,  nor  brought 
 home  again  that  which  was  driven  away ;  ye  have  not  in- 
 quired after  that  which  was  lost,  but  with  cruelty  and  rigour 
 have  ruled."    And  verse  8 — 10.  "Wherefore,  as  I  live, 
 I  will  require  my  sheep  at  their  hands,"  &c.    Nor  let 
 us  think  to  excuse  ourselves,  if  haply  we  labour,  though 
 it  be  at  random,  and  sit  not  altogether  idle  abroad.  For 
 we  are  bound  to  attend  that  part  of  the  flock  of  Christ, 
 whereof  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  us  overseers.  The 
 residence  of  Ministers  upon  their  own  peculiar  charge  is 
 by  so  much  the  rather  necessary,  for  that  absenting  them- 
 selves from  the  place  where  they  ought  to  labour,  they 
 neither  can  do  the  good  which  is  looked  for  at  their  hands, 
 nor  reap  the  comfort  which  sweeteneth  life  to  them  that 
 spend  it  in  these  travels  upon  their  own.    For  it  is  in  this, 
 as  in  all  things  else  which  are  through  private  interest 
 dearer  than  what  concerneth  either  others  wholly,  or  us 
 but  in  part,  and  according  to  the  rate  of  a  general  regard. 
 As  for  Plurality,  it  hath  not  only  the  same  inconveniences 
 which  are  observed  to  grow  by  absence ;  but  over  and  be- 
 sides, at  the  least  in  common  construction,  a  show  of  that 
 worldly  humour  which  men  do  think  should  not  reign  so 
 high.    Now  from  hence  their  collections  are,  as  followeth: 
 first,  a  repugnancy  or  contradiction  between  the  principles 
 of  common  right,  and  that  which  our  Laws  in  special  con- 
 siderations have  allowed ;  secondly,  a  nullity  or  frustration 
 of  all  such  acts  as  are  by  them  supposed  opposite  to  those 
 principles,  an  invalidity  in  all  Ordinations  of  men  unable 
 to  preach,  and  in  all  Dispensations  which  mitigate  the  Law 
 
126 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 of  common  right  for  the  other  two.  And  why  so  ?  Forsooth, 
 Abstract,  because  whatever  we  do  in  these  three  cases,  and  not 
 p  u7'   by  virtue  of  common  right,  we  must  yield  it  of  necessity 
 done  by  warrant  of  peculiar  right  or  privilege.    Now  a 
 privilege  is  said  to  be  that,  that  for  favour  of  certain 
 persons  cometh  forth  against  common  right ;  things  pro- 
 hibited are  dispensed  with,  because  things  permitted  are 
 dispatched  by  common  right,  but  things  forbidden  re- 
 quire dispensations.     By  which  descriptions  of  a  pri- 
 vilege and  dispensation  it  is  (they  say)  apparent,  that 
 a  privilege  must  license  and  authorize  the  same  which 
 the  Law  against  ignorance,  nonresidence,  and  plurality 
 doth  infringe  ;  and  so  be  a  Law  contrariant  or  repug- 
 nant to  the  Law  of  Nature,  and  the  Law  of  God,  because 
 all  the  reasons  whereupon  the  positive  Law  of  Man  against 
 these  three  was  first  established,  are  taken  and  drawn  from 
 the  Law  of  Nature,  and  the  Law  of  God.  For  answer  here- 
 unto, we  will  but  lead  them  to  answer  themselves.  First, 
 therefore,  if  they  will  grant  (as  they  must)  that  all  direct 
 oppositions  of  speech  require  one  and  the  self-same  subject 
 to  be  meant  on  both  parts  where  opposition  is  pretended, 
 it  will  follow  that  either  the  maxims  of  common  right  do 
 enforce  the  very  same  things  not  to  be  good  which  we  say 
 are  good,  grounding  ourselves  on  the  reasons  by  virtue 
 whereof  our  privileges  are  established ;  or,  if  the  one  do  not 
 reach  unto  that  particular  subject  for  which  the  other  have 
 provided,  then  there  is  no  contradiction  between  them.  In 
 all  contradictions,  if  the  one  part  be  true,  the  other  eter- 
 nally must  be  false.    And  therefore,  if  the  principles  of 
 common  right  do  at  any  time  truly  enforce  that  particular 
 not  to  be  good  which  privileges  make  good,  it  argueth  in- 
 vincibly that  such  privileges  have  been  grounded  upon 
 some  error.    But  to  say,  that  every  privilege  is  opposite 
 unto  the  principles  of  common  right,  because  it  dispenseth 
 with  that  which  common  right  doth  prohibit,  hath  gross 
 absurdity.    For  the  voice  of  equity  and  justice  is,  that  a 
 general  Law  doth  never  derogate  from  a  special  privilege ; 
 whereas,  if  the  one  were  contrary  to  the  other,  a  general  Law 
 being  in  force  should  always  dissolve  a  privilege.  The  rea- 
 son why  many  are  deceived  by  imagining  that  so  it  should 
 do,  and  why  men  of  better  insight  conclude  directly  it  should 
 not,  doth  rest  in  the  subject  or  matter  itself ;  which  matter, 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 127 
 
 indefinitely  considered  in  Laws  of  common  light,  is  in  pri- 
 vileges considered  as  beset  and  limited  with  special  cir- 
 cumstances; by  means  whereof,  to  them  which  respect  it 
 but  by  way  of  generality,  it  seemeth  one  and  the  same  in 
 both,  although  it  be  not  the  same,  if  once  we  descend  to  par- 
 ticular consideration  thereof.  Precepts  do  always  propose 
 perfection,  not  such  as  none  can  attain  unto,  for  then  in 
 vain  should  we  ask  or  require  it  at  the  hands  of  men,  but 
 such  perfection  as  all  men  must  aim  at;  to  the  end  that  as 
 largely  as  human  providence  and  care  can  extend  it,  it 
 may  take  place.  Moral  Laws  are  the  Rules  of  Politic ;  those 
 Politic,  which  are  made  to  order  the  whole  Church  of  God, 
 rules  unto  all  particular  Churches;  and  the  Laws  of  every 
 particular  Church,  Rules  unto  every  particular  man  within 
 the  body  of  the  same  Church.  Now,  because  the  higher  we 
 ascend  in  these  Rules,  the  further  still  we  remove  from 
 those  specialties,  which,  being  proper  to  the  subject  where- 
 upon our  actions  must  work,  are  therefore  chiefly  consi- 
 dered by  us,  by  them  least  thought  upon  that  wade  alto- 
 gether in  the  two  first  kinds  of  general  directions,  their 
 judgment  cannot  be  exact  and  sound  concerning  either 
 Laws  of  Churches,  or  actions  of  men  in  particular,  because 
 they  determine  of  effects  by  a  part  of  the  causes  only  out 
 of  which  they  grow  ;  they  judge  conclusions  by  demi-pre- 
 mises  and  half-principles;  they  lay  them  in  the  balance 
 stripped  from  those  necessary  material  circumstances 
 which  should  give  them  weight;  and  by  show  of  falling 
 uneven  with  the  scale  of  most  universal  and  abstracted 
 Rules,  they  pronounce  that  too  light  which  is  not,  if  they 
 had  the  skill  to  weigh  it.  This  is  the  reason  why  men 
 altogether  conversant  in  study  do  know  how  to  teach,  but 
 not  how  to  govern  ;  men  experienced  contrariwise  govern 
 well,  yet  know  not  which  way  to  set  down  orderly  the  pre- 
 cepts and  reasons  of  that  they  do.  He  that  will  therefore 
 judge  rightly  of  things  done,  must  join  with  his  forms  and 
 conceits  of  general  speculation  the  matter  wherein  our 
 actions  are  conversant.  For  by  this  shall  appear  what 
 equity  there  is  in  those  privileges  and  peculiar  grants  or 
 favours  which  otherwise  will  seem  repugnant  to  justice; 
 and  because  in  themselves  considered  they  have  a  show  of 
 repugnancy,  this  deceiveth  those  great  Clerks,  which  hear- 
 ing a  privilege  defined  to  be  "  an  especial  right  brought  in 
 
128  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 by  their  power  and  authority  that  make  it  for  some  public 
 benefit  against  the  general  course  of  reason,"*  are  not  able 
 to  comprehend  how  the  word  against  doth  import  excep- 
 tion without  any  opposition  at  all.  For,  inasmuch  as  the 
 hand  of  justice  must  distribute  to  every  particular  what 
 is  due,  and  judge  what  is  due  with  respect  had  no  less  of 
 particular  circumstances,  than  of  general  rules  and  axioms; 
 it  cannot  fit  all  sorts  with  one  measure,  the  wills,  counsels, 
 qualities,  and  states,  of  men  being  divers.  For  example, 
 the  Law  of  common  right  bindeth  all  men  to  keep  their 
 promises,  perform  their  compacts,  and  answer  the  faith 
 they  have  given  either  for  themselves  or  others.  Notwith- 
 standing, he  which  bargaineth  with  one  under  years  can 
 have  no  benefit  by  this  allegation,  because  he  bringeth  it 
 against  a  person  which  is  exempt  from  the  common  Rule. 
 Shall  we  then  conclude,  that  thus  to  exempt  certain  men 
 from  the  Law  of  common  right  is  against  God,  against 
 Nature,  against  whatsoever  may  avail  to  strengthen  and 
 justify  that  Law  before  alleged;  or  else  acknowledge  (as 
 the  truth  is)  that  special  causes  are  to  be  ordered  by  special 
 Rules;  that  if  men  grown  unto  ripe  age  disadvantage  them- 
 selves by  bargaining,  yet  what  they  have  wittingly  done  is 
 strong  and  in  force  against  them,  because  they  are  able  to 
 dispose  and  manage  their  own  affairs;  whereas  youth,  for 
 lack  of  experience  and  judgment,  being  easily  subject  to 
 circumvention,  is  therefore  justly  exempt  from  the  Law  of 
 common  right  whereunto  the  rest  are  justly  subject  ?  This 
 plain  inequality  between  men  of  years  and  under  years,  is 
 a  cause  why  equity  and  justice  cannot  apply  equally  the 
 same  general  rule  to  both,  but  ordereth  the  one  by  common 
 right,  and  granteth  to  the  other  a  special  privilege.  Pri- 
 vileges are  either  transitory  or  permanent:  transitory,  such 
 as  serve  only  some  one  turn,  or  at  the  most  extend  no 
 further  than  to  this  or  that  man,f  with  the  end  of  whose 
 natural  life  they  expire ;  permanent,  such  as  the  use 
 whereof  doth  continue  still,  for  that  they  belong  unto  cer- 
 tain kinds  of  men  and  causes  which  never  die.  Of  this 
 nature  are  all  immunities  and  pre-eminences,  which  for 
 just  considerations  one  sort  of  men  enjoyeth  above  an- 
 
 *  '  Jus  singulare  est,  quod  contra  tenorem  rationis  propter  aliquam  utilitatem 
 auctoritate  constituentium  introductum  est.'    Paulus  ff.  de  Legib. 
 
 t  '  Privilegium  personale  cum  persona  exstinguitur,  et  privilegium  datum 
 actioni  transit  cum  actione.'    Op.  de  Regulis,  p.  1.  227. 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 129 
 
 other  both  in  the  Church  and  Commonwealth,  no  man  sus- 
 pecting them  of  contrariety  to  any  branch  of  those  Laws 
 or  reasons  whereupon  the  general  right  is  grounded.  Now 
 there  being  general  Laws  aud  Rules  whereby  it  cannot  be 
 denied  but  the  Church  of  God  standeth  bound  to  provide 
 that  the  Ministry  may  be  learned,  that  they  which  have 
 charge  may  reside  upon  it,  and  that  it  may  not  be  free  for 
 them  in  scandalous  manner  to  multiply  Ecclesiastical 
 Livings ;  it  remaineth  in  the  next  place  to  be  examined, 
 what  the  Laws  of  the  Church  of  England  do  admit,  which 
 may  be  thought  repugnant  to  any  thing  hitherto  alleged, 
 and  in  what  special  consideration  they  seem  to  admit  the 
 same.    Considering,  therefore,  that  to  furnish  all  placed 
 of  cure  in  this  Realm,  it  is  not  an  army  of  twelve  thousand 
 learned  men  that  would  suffice,  nor  two  Universities  that 
 can  always  furnish  as  many  as  decay  in  so  great  a  number, 
 nor  a  fourth  part  of  the  Livings  with  cure,  that  when  they 
 fall  are  able  to  yield  sufficient  maintenance  for  learned 
 men,  is  it  not  plain  that  unless  the  greatest  part  of  the 
 people  should  be  left  utterly  without  the  public  use  and 
 exercise  of  Religion,  there  is  no  remedy  but  to  take  into 
 the  Ecclesiastical  Order  a  number  of  men  meanly  qualified 
 in  respect  of  learning?  For  whatsoever  we  may  imagine 
 in  our  private  closets,  or  talk  for  communication's  sake  at 
 our  boards,  yea,  or  write  in  our  books  through  a  notional 
 conceit  of  things  needful  for  performance  of  each  man's 
 duty,  if  once  we  come  from  the  theory  of  learning,  to  take 
 out  so  many  learned  men,  let  them  be  diligently  viewed 
 out  of  whom  the  choice  shall  be  made,  and  thereby  an  esti- 
 mate made  what  degree  of  skill  we  must  either  admit,  or 
 else  leave  numbers  utterly  destitute  of  guides,  and  I  doifWl 
 not  but  that  men  endued  with  sense  of  common  equity  will 
 soon  discern,  that,  besides  eminent  and  competent  know- 
 ledge, we  are  to  descend  to  a  lower  step,  receiving  know- 
 ledge in  that  degree  which  is  but  tolerable.    When  we 
 commend  any  man  for  learning,  our  speech  importeth  him 
 to  be  more  than  meanly  qualified  that  way ;  but  when 
 Laws  do  require  learning  as  a  quality  which  maketh  ca- 
 pable of  any  function,  our  measure  to  judge  a  learned 
 man  by  must  be  some  certain  degree  of  learning,  beueath 
 which  we  can  hold  no  man  so  qualified.    And  if  every  man 
 that  listeth  may  set  that  degree  himself,  how  shall  we  ever 
 vol.  n.  K 
 
130 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 know  when  Laws  are  broken,  when  kept,  seeing  one  man 
 may  think  a  lower  degree  sufficient,  another  may  judge 
 them  insufficient  that  are  not  qualified  in  some  higher  de- 
 gree. Wherefore  of  necessity  either  we  must  have  some 
 judge,  in  whose  conscience  they  that  are  thought  and  pro- 
 nounced sufficient,  are  to  be  so  accepted  and  taken,  or  else 
 the  Law  itself  is  to  set  down  the  very  lowest  degree  of  fitness 
 that  shall  be  allowable  in  this  kind.  So  that  the  question 
 doth  grow  to  this  issue.  St.  Paul  requireth  learning  in 
 Presbyters,  yea,  such  learning  as  doth  enable  them  to  ex- 
 hort in  doctrine  which  is  sound,  and  to  disprove  them  that 
 gainsay  it.  What  measure  of  ability  in  such  things  shall 
 serve  to  make  men  capable  of  that  kind  of  office,  he  doth 
 not  himself  precisely  determine,  but  referreth  it  to  the  con- 
 th.  1.9.  science  of  Titus,  and  others  which  had  to  deal  in  ordering 
 Presbyters.  We  must  therefore  of  necessity  make  this 
 demand,  whether  the  Church,  lacking  such  as  the  Apostle 
 would  have  chosen,  may  with  good  conscience  take  out  of 
 such  as  it  hath  in  a  meaner  degree  of  fitness,  them  that 
 may  serve  to  perform  the  Service  of  public  Prayer,  to 
 minister  the  Sacraments  unto  the  people,  to  solemnize  Mar- 
 riage, to  visit  the  sick,  and  bury  the  dead,  to  instruct  by 
 reading,  although  by  preaching  they  be  not  as  yet  so  able 
 to  benefit  and  feed  Christ's  flock.  We  constantly  hold,  that 
 in  this  case  the  Apostles'  Law  is  not  broken .  He  requireth 
 more  in  Presbyters  than  there  is  found  in  many  whom  the 
 Church  of  England  alloweth.  But  no  man  being  tied  unto 
 impossibilities,  to  do  that  we  cannot  we  are  not  bound.  It 
 is  but  a  stratagem  of  theirs,  therefore,  and  a  very  indirect 
 practice,  when  they  publish  large  declamations  to  prove 
 that  learning  is  required  in  the  Ministry,  and  to  make  the 
 silly  people  believe  that  the  contrary  is  maintained  by  the 
 Bishops,  and  upheld  by  the  Laws  of  the  land ;  whereas  the 
 question  in  truth  is  not,  whether  learning  be  required,  but 
 whether  a  Church,  wherein  there  is  not  sufficient  store  of 
 learned  men  to  furnish  all  congregations,  should  do  better 
 to  let  thousands  of  souls  grow  savage,  to  let  them  live  with- 
 out any  public  Service  of  God,  to  let  their  children  die 
 unbaptized,  to  withhold  the  benefit  of  the  other  Sacrament 
 from  them,  to  let  them  depart  this  world  like  Pagans,  with- 
 out any  thing  so  much  as  read  unto  them  concerning  the 
 way  of  life,  than,  as  it  doth  in  this  necessity,  to  make  such 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 131 
 
 Presbyters  as  are  so  far  forth  sufficient,  although  they  want 
 that  ability  of  preaching  which  some  others  have.  In  this 
 point  therefore  we  obey  necessity,  and  of  two  evils  wc  take 
 the  less ;  in  the  rest  a  public  utility  is  sought,  and  in  re- 
 gard thereof  some  certain  inconveniences  tolerated,  be- 
 cause they  are  recompensed  with  greater  good.  The  Law 
 giveth  liherty  of  nonresidence  for  a  time  to  such  as  will 
 live  in  Universities,  if  they  faithfully  there  labour  to  grow  in 
 knowledge,  that  so  they  may  afterwards  the  more  edify  and 
 the  better  instruct  their  congregations.  The  Church  in 
 their  absence  is  not  destitute,  the  people's  salvation  not 
 neglected  for  the  present  time,  the  time  of  their  absence  is 
 in  the  intendment  of  Law  bestowed  to  the  Church's  great 
 advantage  and  benefit ;  those  necessary  helps  are  procured 
 by  it,  which  turn  by  many  degrees  more  to  the  people's 
 comfort  in  time  to  come,  than  if  their  Pastors  had  continu- 
 ally abidden  with  them.  So  that  the  Law  doth  hereby  pro- 
 vide in  some  part  to  remedy  and  help  that  evil,  which  the 
 former  necessity  hath  imposed  upon  the  Church.  For, 
 compare  two  men  of  equal  meanness,  the  one  perpetually 
 resident,  the  other  absent  for  a  space  in  such  sort  as  the 
 Law  permitteth.  Allot  unto  both  some  nine  years'  con- 
 tinuance with  cure  of  souls.  And  must  not  three  years' 
 absence,  in  all  probability  and  likelihood,  make  the  one 
 more  profitable  than  the  other  unto  God's  Church,  by  so 
 much  as  the  increase  of  his  knowledge,  gotten  in  those 
 three  years,  may  add  unto  six  years'  travel  following? 
 For  the  greater  ability  there  is  added  to  the  instrument, 
 wherewith  it  pleaseth  God  to  save  souls,  the  more  facility 
 and  expedition  it  hath  to  work  that  which  is  otherwise 
 hardlier  effected.  As  much  may  be  said  touching  absence 
 granted  to  them  that  attend  in  the  families  of  Bishops; 
 which  schools  of  gravity,  discretion,  and  wisdom,  prepar- 
 ing men  against  the  time  that  they  come  to  reside  abroad, 
 are,  in  my  poor  opinion,  even  the  fittest  places  that  any  inge- 
 nuous mind  can  wish  to  enter  into,  between  departure  from 
 private  study,  and  access  to  a  more  public  charge  of  souls; 
 yea,  no  less  expedient  for  men  of  the  best  sufficiency  and 
 most  maturity  in  knowledge,  than  the  Universities  them- 
 selves are,  for  the  ripening  of  such  as  be  raw.  Employment 
 in  the  families  of  Noblemen,  or  in  Princes'  Courts,  hath 
 another  end  for  which  the  self-same  leave  is  given,  not 
 
 K  2 
 
132 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 without  great  respect  to  the  good  of  the  whole  Church. 
 For  assuredly,  whosoever  doth  well  observe  how  much  all 
 interior  things  depend  upon  the  orderly  courses  and  mo- 
 tions of  those  great  orbs,  will  hardly  judge  it  either  meet 
 or  good,  that  the  Angels  assisting  them  should  be  driven 
 to  betake  themselves  to  other  stations,  although  by  nature 
 they  were  not  tied  where  they  now  are,  but  had  charge  also 
 elsewhere,  as  long  as  their  absence  from  beneath  might 
 but  tolerably  be  supplied,  and  by  descending  their  rooms 
 above  should  become  vacant.  For  we  are  not  to  dream  in 
 this  case  of  any  platform  which  bringeth  equally  high  and 
 low  unto  Parish  Churches,  nor  of  any  constraint  to  main- 
 tain at  their  own  charge  men  sufficient  for  that  purpose ; 
 the  one  so  repugnant  to  the  majesty  and  greatness  of 
 English  Nobility ;  the  other  so  improbable  and  unlikely  to 
 take  effect,  that  they  which  mention  either  of  both,  seem 
 not  indeed  to  have  conceived  what  either  is.  But  the  eye 
 of  the  Law  is  the  eye  of  God ;  it  looketh  into  the  hearts 
 and  secret  dispositions  of  men,  it  beholdeth  how  far  one 
 star  differeth  from  another  in  glory,  and,  as  men's  several 
 degrees  require,  accordingly  it  guideth  them;  granting  unto 
 principal  personages  privileges  correspondent  to  their  high 
 estates,  and  that  not  only  in  civil  but  even  in  spiritual  af- 
 fairs, to  the  end  they  may  love  that  Religion  themore,which 
 no  way  seeketh  to  make  them  vulgar,  no  way  diminishes 
 their  dignity  and  greatness,  but  to  do  them  good  doth  them 
 honour  also,  and  by  such  extraordinary  favours  teacheth 
 them  to  be  in  the  Church  of  God,  the  same  which  the  Church 
 of  God  esteemeth  them,  more  worth  than  thousands.  It 
 appeareth  therefore  in  what  respect  the  Laws  of  this  Realm 
 have  given  liberty  of  nonresidence  to  some,  that  their  know- 
 ledge may  be  increased,  and  their  labours  by  that  mean 
 be  made  afterwards  the  more  profitable  to  others,  lest  the 
 houses  of  great  men  should  want  that  daily  exercise  of 
 Religion,  wherein  their  example  availeth  as  much,  yea 
 many  times  peradventure  more  than  the  Laws  themselves 
 with  the  common  sort.  A  third  thing  respected  both  in 
 permitting  absence,  and  also  in  granting  to  some  that  liberty 
 of  addition  or  plurality,  which  necessarily  enforceth  their 
 absence,  i  a  mere  both  just  and  conscionable  regard,  that 
 as  men  are  in  quality,  and  as  their  services  are  in  weight 
 for  the  public  good,  so  likewise  their  rewards  and  encourage- 
 
hook  v. 
 
 133 
 
 merits,  by  special  privilege  of  Law,  might  somewhat  declare 
 how  the  State  itself  doth  accept  their  pains,  much  abhor- 
 ring from  their  bestial  and  savage  rudeness,  which  think 
 that  oxen  should  only  labour,  and  asses  feed.    Thus  to 
 Readers  in  Universities,  whose  very  paper  and  book-ex- 
 penses their  ancient  allowances  and  stipends  at  this  day 
 do  either  not,  or  hardly,  sustain  ;  to  Governors  of  Colleges, 
 lest  the  great  overplus  of  charges  necessarily  enforced 
 upon  them,  by  reason  of  their  place,  and  very  slenderly 
 supplied,  by  means  of  that  charge  in  the  present  condition 
 of  things  which  their  Founders  could  not  foresee ;  to  men 
 called  away  from  their  cures,  and  employed  in  weightier 
 business  either  of  the  Church  or  Commonwealth,  because 
 to  impose  upon  them  a  burden  which  requireth  their  ab- 
 sence, and  not  to  release  them  from  the  duty  of  residence, 
 were  a  kind  of  cruel  and  barbarous  injustice ;  to  Residents 
 in  Cathedral  Churches,  or  upon  Dignities  Ecclesiastical, 
 forasmuch  as  these  being  rooms  of  greater  hospitality, 
 places  of  more  respect  and  consequence  than  the  rest,  they 
 are  the  rather  to  be  furnished  with  men  of  best  quality,  and 
 the  men  for  their  quality's  sake  to  be  favoured  above  others 
 — I  say  unto  all  these,  in  regard  of  their  worth  and  merit, 
 the  Law  hath  therefore  given  leave,  while  themselves  bear 
 weightier  burdens,  to  supply  inferior  by  deputation,  and 
 in  like  consideration  partly,  partly  also  by  way  of  honour 
 to  learning,  nobility,  and  authority,  permitteth,  that  men 
 which  have  taken  theological  degrees  in  schools,  the  Suf- 
 fragans of  Bishops,  the  household  Chaplains  of  men  of 
 honour  or  in  great  offices,  the  brethren  and  sons  of  Lords 
 temporal,  or  of  Knights,  if  God  shall  move  the  hearts  of 
 such  to  enter  at  any  time  into  Holy  Orders,  may  obtain  to 
 themselves  a  faculty  or  licence  to  hold  two  Ecclesiastical 
 Livings  though  having  cure ;  any  spiritual  person  of  the 
 Queen's  Council,  three  such  Livings ;  her  Chaplains,  what 
 number  of  promotions  herself  in  her  own  princely  wisdom 
 thinketh  good  to  bestow  upon  them.    But,  as  it  fareth  in 
 such  cases,  the  gap  which  for  just  considerations  we  open 
 unto  some,  letteth  in  others  through  corrupt  practices,  to 
 whom  such  favours  were  neither  meant  nor  should  be 
 communicated.    The  greatness  of  the  harvest,  and  the 
 scarcity  of  able  workmen,  hath  made  it  necessary  that 
 Law  should  yield  to  admit  numbers  of  men  but  slenderly 
 
134 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 and  meanly  qualified.  Hereupon,  because  wbom  all  other 
 worldly  hopes  have  forsaken,  they  commonly  reserve  minis- 
 terial vocation  as  their  last  and  surest  refuge  ever  open  to 
 forlorn  men;  the  Church,  that  should  nourish  them  whose 
 service  she  needeth,  hath  obtruded  upon  her  their  service 
 that  know  not  otherwise  how  to  live  and  sustain  themselves. 
 These  finding  nothing  more  easy  than  means  to  procure 
 the  writing  of  a  few  lines  to  some  one  or  other  which  hath 
 authority,  and  nothing  more  usual  than  too  much  faci- 
 lity in  condescending  unto  such  requests,  are  often  re- 
 ceived into  that  vocation,  whereunto  their  unworthiness  is 
 no  small  disgrace.  Did  any  thing  more  aggravate  the  crime 
 of  Jeroboam's  profane  apostacy,  than  that  he  chose  to  have 
 his  Clergy  the  scum  and  refuse  of  bis  whole  land  ?  Let  no 
 man  spare  to  tell  it  them,  that  they  are  not  faithful  towards 
 God  that  burden  wilfully  his  Church  with  such  swarms  of 
 unworthy  creatures.  I  will  not  say  of  all  degrees  in  the  Mi- 
 cbry-  nistry,  that  which  St.  Chrysostom  doth  of  the  highest, "  He 
 sace.d.  that  will  undertake  so  weighty  a  charge,  had  need  to  be  a 
 c.i5  MS,  man  °f  great  understanding,  rarely  assisted  with  divine 
 grace,  for  integrity  of  manners,  purity  of  life,  and  for  all 
 other  virtues,  to  have  in  him  more  than  a  man:"  but  surely 
 this  I  will  say  with  Chrysostom,  "We  need  not  doubt  whether 
 God  be  highly  displeased  with  us,  or  what  the  cause  of  bis 
 anger  is,  if  things  of  so  great  fear  and  holiness  as  are  the  least 
 and  lowest  duties  of  his  service,  be  thrown  wilfully  on  them 
 whose  not  only  mean,  but  bad  and  scandalous,  quality  doth 
 defile  whatsoever  they  handle."  These  eyesores  and  ble- 
 mishes in  continual  attendance  about  the  service  of  God's 
 Sanctuary,  do  make  them  every  day  fewer  that  willingly 
 resort  unto  it,  till  at  length  all  affection  and  zeal  towards 
 God  be  extinct  in  them,  through  a  wearisome  contempt  of 
 their  persons,  which  for  a  time  only  live  by  Religion,  and 
 are  for  recompence,  in  fine,  the  death  of  the  nurse  that 
 feedeth  them.  It  is  not  obscure,  how  incommodious  the 
 Church  hath  found  both  this  abuse  of  the  liberty  which 
 Law  is  enforced  to  grant;  and  not  only  this,  but  the  like 
 abuse  of  that  favour  also  which  Law,  in  other  considera- 
 tions already  mentioned,  affordeth  touching  Residence  and 
 Plurality  of  Spiritual  Livings.  Now  that  Avhich  is  prac- 
 tised corruptly  to  the  detriment  and  hurt  of  the  Church 
 against  the  purpose  of  those  very  Laws  which  notwith- 
 
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 135 
 
 standing  are  pretended  in  defence  and  justification  thereof, 
 we  must  needs  acknowledge  no  less  repugnant  to  the 
 grounds  and  principles  of  common  right,  than  the  fraudu- 
 lent proceedings  of  tyrants  to  the  principles  of  just  sove- 
 reignty. Howbeit,  not  so  those  special  privileges  which 
 are  but  instruments  wrested  and  forced  to  serve  malice. 
 There  is  in  the  Patriarch  of  Heathen  Philosophers  this  pre- 
 cept, "  Let  no  husbandman,  nor  no  handicraftsman,  be  a 
 Priest."*  The  reason  whereupon  he  groundeth  is  a  maxim 
 in  the  Law  of  Nature  ;  "it  importeth  greatly  the  good  of  all 
 men  that  God  be  reverenced,"  with  whose  honour  it  standeth 
 not  that  they  which  are  publickly  employed  in  his  service 
 should  live  of  base  and  manuary  trades.  Now  compare 
 herewith  the  Apostle's  words,  "  Ye  know  that  these  hands  Acts 
 have  ministered  to  my  necessities,  and  to  them  that  are  with  1  cor. 
 me."  What  think  we  ?  Did  the  Apostle  any  thing  oppo- 
 site  herein,  or  repugnant,  to  the  rules  and  maxims  of  the  ^9hess 
 Law  of  Nature?  The  self-same  reasons,  that  accord  his  iii.e. 
 actions  with  the  Law  of  Nature,  shall  declare  our  privi- 
 leges and  his  Laws  no  less  consonant.  Thus,  therefore, 
 we  see,  that  although  they  urge  very  colourably  the  Apo- 
 stle's own  sentences,  requiring  that  a  Minister  should  be 
 able  to  divide  rightly  the  Word  of  God,  that  they  who  are 
 placed  in  charge  should  attend  unto  it  themselves,  which 
 in  absence  they  cannot  do,  and  that  they  which  have  divers 
 cures,  must  of  necessity  be  absent  from  some,  whereby  the 
 Law  Apostolic  seemeth  apparently  broken,  which  Law 
 requiring  attendance  cannot  otherwise  be  understood  than 
 so  as  to  charge  them  with  perpetual  residence :  again, 
 though  in  every  of  these  causes  they  indefinitely  heap  up 
 the  Sentences  of  Fathers,  the  Decrees  of  Popes,  the  ancient 
 Edicts  of  imperial  authority,  our  own  national  Laws  and  Or- 
 dinances prohibiting  the  same,  and  grounding  evermore  their 
 prohibitions  partly  on  the  Laws  of  God,  and  partly  on  rea- 
 sons drawn  from  the  light  of  Nature,  yet  hereby  to  gather 
 and  infer  contradiction  between  those  Laws  which  forbid 
 indefinitely,  and  ours  which  in  certain  cases  have  allowed 
 the  ordaining  of  sundry  Ministers  whose  sufficiency  for 
 learning  is  but  mean  ;  again,  the  licensing  of  some  to  be 
 absent  from  their  flocks,  and  of  others  to  hold  more  than 
 
 *  Outs  yitagyh  ouTt  Bavauem  Upta.  iiiXTtt.STa.rior  viro  ykf  T«Jv  7roXiTa/»  ngtnti  rifj.ixffSctt 
 toi>;  9soi5t .  Arist.  Polil.  1.  vii.  c.  9. 
 
13G 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 one  only  Living  which  hath  cure  of  souls ;  I  say,  to  con- 
 clude repugnancy  between  these  especial  permissions  and 
 the  former  general  prohibitions  which  set  not  down  their 
 own  limits,  is  erroneous,  and  the  manifest  cause  thereof 
 ignorance  in  differences  of  matter  which  both  sorts  of  Law 
 concern.  If  then  the  considerations  be  reasonable,  just, 
 and  good,  whereupon  we  ground  whatsoever  our  Laws 
 have  by  special  right  permitted,  if  only  the  effects  of  abused 
 privileges  be  repugnant  to  the  maxims  of  common  right, 
 this  main  foundation  of  repugnancy  being  broken,  whatso- 
 ever they  have  built  thereupon  falleth  necessarily  to  the 
 ground.  Whereas,  therefore,  upon  surmise  or  vain  sup- 
 posal  of  opposition  between  our  special  and  the  principles 
 of  common  right,  they  gather  that  such  as  are  with  us  or- 
 dained Ministers  before  they  can  preach,  be  neither  lawful, 
 because  the  Laws  already  mentioned  forbid  generally  to 
 create  such,  neither  are  they  indeed  Ministers,  although 
 we  commonly  so  name  them,  but  whatsoever  they  execute 
 by  virtue  of  such  their  pretended  vocation  is  void ;  that  all 
 our  grants  and  tolerations  as  well  of  this  as  the  rest,  are 
 frustrate  and  of  no  effect;  the  persons  that  enjoy  them 
 possess  them  wrongfully,  and  are  deprivable  at  all  hours  ; 
 finally,  that  other  just  and  sufficient  remedy  of  evils  there 
 can  be  none,  besides  the  utter  abrogation  of  these  our  mitiga- 
 tions, and  the  strict  establishment  of  former  Ordinances  to 
 be  absolutely  executed  whatsoever  follow  :  albeit  the  an- 
 swer already  made  in  discovery  of  the  weak  and  unsound 
 foundation  whereupon  they  have  built  these  erroneous 
 collections,  may  be  thought  sufficient;  yet  because  our 
 desire  is  rather  to  satisfy,  if  it  be  possible,  than  to  shake 
 them  off,  we  are  with  very  good  will  contented  to  declare 
 the  causes  of  all  particulars  more  formally  and  largely 
 than  the  equity  of  our  own  defence  doth  require. 
 
 There  is  crept  into  the  minds  of  men,  at  this  day,  a  secret 
 pernicious  and  pestilent  conceit,  that  the  greatest  perfec- 
 tion of  a  Christian  man  doth  consist  in  discovery  of  other 
 men's  faults,  and  in  wit  to  discourse  of  our  own  profession. 
 When  the  world  most  abounded  with  just,  righteous,  and 
 perfect  men,  their  chiefest  study  was  the  exercise  of  piety, 
 wherein  for  their  safest  direction  they  reverently  hearken- 
 ed to  the  readings  of  the  Law  of  God,  they  kept  in  mind 
 the  oracles  and  aphorisms  of  wisdom  which  tended  unto 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 137 
 
 virtuous  life ;  if  any  scruple  of  conscience  did  trouble  them 
 for  matter  of  actions  which  they  took  in  hand,  nothing  was 
 attempted  before  counsel  and  advice  were  had,  for  fear 
 lest  rashly  they  might  offend.  We  are  now  more  confident, 
 not  that  our  knowledge  and  judgment  is  riper,  but  because 
 our  desires  are  another  way.  Their  scope  was  obedience, 
 ours  is  skill ;  their  endeavour  was  reformation  of  life, 
 our  virtue  nothing  but  to  hear  gladly  the  reproof  of  vice  ;* 
 they  in  the  practice  of  their  Religion  wearied  chiefly  their 
 knees  and  hands,  we  especially  our  ears  and  tongues. 
 We  are  grown  as  in  many  things  else,  so  in  this,  to  a 
 kind  of  intemperancy,  which  (only  Sermons  excepted) 
 hath  almost  brought  all  other  duties  of  Religion  out  of 
 taste.  At  the  least  they  are  not  in  that  account  and 
 reputation  which  they  should  be.  Now,  because  men 
 bring  all  Religion  in  a  manner  to  the  only  office  of  hearing 
 Sermons,  if  it  chance  that  they  who  are  thus  conceited  do 
 embrace  any  special  opinion  different  from  other  men,  the 
 Sermons  that  relish  not  that  opinion  can  in  no  wise  please 
 their  appetite.  Such,  therefore,  as  preach  unto  them,  but 
 hit  not  the  string  they  look  for,  are  respected  as  unprofit- 
 able, the  rest  as  unlawful ;  and  indeed  no  Ministers,  if  the 
 faculty  of  Sermons  want.  For  why  ?  A  Minister  of  the 
 Word  should,  they  say,  be  able  rightly  to  divide  the  Word. 
 Which  Apostolic  Canon  many  think  they  do  well  observe, 
 when  in  opening  the  sentences  of  Holy  Scripture  they 
 draw  all  things  favourably  spoken  unto  one  side;  but 
 whatsoever  is  reprehensive,  severe,  and  sharp,  they  have 
 others  on  [the  contrary  part  whom  that  must  always  con- 
 cern ;  by  which  their  over-partial  and  unindifferent  pro- 
 ceeding, while  they  thus  labour  amongst  the  people  to  di- 
 vide the  Word,  they  make  the  Word  a  mean  to  divide  and 
 distract  the  people.  "  'OpSoTo/xuv,  to  divide  aright,"  doth 
 note  in  the  Apostles'  writings  soundness  of  doctrine  only ; 
 and  in  meaning  standeth  opposite  to  "  KaivoTOfiuv,  the 
 broaching  of  new  opinions  against  that  which  is  received." 
 For  questionless  the  first  things  delivered  to  the  Church 
 of  Christ  were  pure  and  sincere  truth ;  which  whosoever 
 
 •  'AXX  oi  •bjoXXo!  taXna  fxh  oi  irpatrovfiv,  Iwi  Se  tit  Xiyov  KaratyiiyovTz;  oiovrai  <pt\o- 
 c-o<J>EiV,  xat  ourotis  itrtaQai  etrovtator  ofAHov  n  U70iotJVTEj  toT$  Kafjtvovo-iv,  oi  twv  laTgwv  ancu- 
 
 6VCI  j*'iV  £7T(^C£Xa);,  TTOiOUCf  $E  OU0EV  T&JV  TTf OaTaTTO^CEVftJV.  ajO"7TE£  ouv  ouJi  exeIvoi  EU  b%0U&l  TO 
 
 roifi.*  out»j  9£fawei»/i*EV0!,  ohVi  ojtoi  Tr,v  ifV^w  MTV  ^iXoao^oEvTE;.  Arist.  Eth.  Jib.  ii. 
 cap.  3. 
 
138 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 did  afterward  oppugn,  could  not  choose  but  divide  the 
 Church  into  two  moieties:  in  which  division,  such  as 
 taught  what  was  first  believed,  held  the  truer  part ;  the 
 contrary  side,  in  that  they  were  teachers  of  novelty,  erred. 
 For  prevention  of  which  evil,  there  are  in  this  Church  many 
 singular  and  well-devised  remedies  ;  as  namely,  the  use 
 of  subscribing  to  the  Articles  of  Religion  before  admission 
 to  degrees  of  learning,  or  to  any  Ecclesiastical  Living ;  the 
 custom  of  reading  the  same  Articles,  and  of  approving  them 
 in  public  assemblies,  wheresoever  men  have  Benefices  with 
 cure  of  souls  ;  the  order  of  testifying  under  their  hands  al- 
 lowance of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  and  the  Book  of 
 Ordaining  Ministers  ;  finally,  the  discipline  and  moderate 
 severity  which  is  used,  either  in  otherwise  correcting  or 
 silencing  them  that  trouble  and  disturb  the  Church  with 
 doctrines  which  tend  unto  innovation;  it  being  better  that 
 the  Church  should  want  altogether  the  benefit  of  such  men's 
 labours,  than  endure  the  mischief  of  their  inconformity  to 
 good  Laws ;  in  which  case,  if  any  repine  at  the  course  and 
 proceedings  of  j  ustice,  they  must  learn  to  content  themselves 
 yaier.  with  the  answer  of  M.  Curius,  which  had  sometime  occa- 
 c.3.  '  sion  to  cut  off  one  from  the  body  of  the  Commonwealth; 
 in  whose  behalf  because  it  might  have  been  pleaded  that 
 the  party  was  a  man  serviceable,  he  therefore  began  his 
 judicial  sentence  with  this  preamble,  "  Non  esse  opus  Reip. 
 eo  cive,  qui  parere  nesciret :  The  Commonwealth  needeth 
 men  of  quality,  yet  never  those  men  which  have  not  learned 
 how  to  obey."  But  the  ways  which  the  Church  of  Eng- 
 land hath  taken  to  provide,  that  they  who  are  Teachers 
 of  others  may  do  it  soundly,  that  the  purity  and  unity  as 
 well  of  ancient  Discipline  as  Doctrine  may  be  upheld,  that 
 avoiding  singularities  we  may  all  glorify  God  with  one 
 heart  and  one  tongue,  they  of  all  men  do  least  approve 
 that  do  most  urge  the  Apostles'  Rule  and  Canon.  For 
 which  cause  they  allege  it  not  so  much  to  that  pur- 
 pose, as  to  prove  that  unpreaching  Ministers  (for  so 
 they  term  them)  can  have  no  true  nor  lawful  calling  in  the 
 Church  of  God.  St.  Augustine  hath  said  of  the  will  of  man, 
 that  "  simply  to  will  proceedeth  from  Nature,  but  our  well- 
 willing  is  from  Grace."  We  say  as  much  of  the  Minister  of 
 God,  "  publickly  to  teach  and  instruct  the  Church  is  ne- 
 cessary in  every  Ecclesiastical  Minister,  but  ability  to 
 
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 139 
 
 teach  by  Sermons  is  a  grace  which  God  doth  bestow  on 
 them  whom  he  maketh  sufficient  for  the  commendable  dis- 
 charge of  their  duty."  That,  therefore,  wherein  a  Minister  ox.m* 
 differeth  from  other  Christian  men  is  not,  as  some  have  P 
 childishly  imagined,  the  "  sound  preaching  of  the  Word  of 
 God ;"  but,  as  they  are  lawfully  and  truly  Governors  to 
 whom  authority  of  Regiment  is  given  in  the  Commonwealth 
 according  to  the  Order  which  Polity  hath  set,  so  Canonical 
 Ordination  in  the  Church  of  Christ  is  that  which  maketh  a 
 lawful  Minister  "  as  touching  the  validity  of  any  act  which 
 appertaineth  to  that  vocation."  The  cause  why  St.  Paul 
 willed  Timothy  not  to  be  over  hasty  in  ordaining  Minis- 
 ters, was  (as  we  very  well  may  conjecture)  because  Impo- 
 sition of  Hands  doth  consecrate  and  make  them  Ministers, 
 whether  they  have  gifts  and  qualities  fit  for  the  laudable 
 discharge  of  their  duties  or  not.  If  want  of  learning  and 
 skill  to  preach  did  frustrate  their  vocation,  Ministers  or- 
 dained before  they  be  grown  unto  that  maturity  should  re- 
 ceive new  Ordination  whensoever  it  chanceth  that  study 
 and  industry  doth  make  them  afterwards  more  able  to  per- 
 form the  office;  than  which  what  conceit  can  be  more  ab- 
 surd ?  Was  not  St.  Augustine  himself  contented  to  admit 
 an  assistant  in  bis  own  Church,  a  man  of  small  erudition ; 
 considering,  that  what  he  wanted  in  knowledge  was  sup- 
 plied by  those  virtues  which  made  his  life  a  better  orator 
 than  more  learning  could  make  others  whose  conversation 
 was  less  holy  1  Were  the  Priests  sithence  Moses  all  able 
 and  sufficient  men,  learnedly  to  interpret  the  Law  of  God  ? 
 Or  was  it  ever  imagined  that  this  defect  should  frustrate 
 what  they  executed,  and  deprive  them  of  right  unto  any 
 thing  they  claimed  by  virtue  of  their  Priesthood  ?  Surely, 
 as  in  Magistrates  the  want  of  those  gifts  which  their  office 
 needeth  is  cause  of  just  imputation  of  blame  in  them  that 
 wittingly  choose  insufficient  and  unfit  men  when  they 
 might  do  otherwise,  and  yet  therefore  is  not  their  choice 
 void,  nor  every  action  of  magistracy  frustrate  in  that  res- 
 pect ;  so  whether  it  were  of  necessity,  or  even  of  very  care- 
 lessness, that  men  unable  to  preach  should  be  taken  in 
 Pastors'  rooms,  nevertheless  it  seemeth  to  be  an  error  in 
 them  which  think  the  lack  of  any  such  perfection  defeatcth 
 utterly  the  calling.  To  wish  that  all  men  were  qualified 
 as  their  places  and  dignities  require,  to  hate  all  sinister 
 
140 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 and  corrupt  dealings  which  hereunto  are  any  let,  to  covet 
 speedy  redress  of  those  things  whatsoever  whereby  the 
 Church  sustaineth  detriment,  these  good  and  virtuous  de- 
 sires cannot  oflend  any  bnt  ungodly  minds.  Notwithstand- 
 ing, some  in  the  true  vehemency,  and  others  under  the  fair 
 pretence,  of  these  desires,  have  adventured  that  which  is 
 TheAu-  strange,  that  which  is  violent  and  unjust.  There  are  which, 
 theAb-  in  confidence  of  their  general  allegation  concerning  the 
 5trac'-  knowledge,  the  residence,  and  the  single  Livings  of  Minis- 
 ters, presume  not  only  to  annihilate  the  solemn  Ordinations 
 of  such  as  the  Church  must  of  force  admit,  but  also  to 
 urge  a  kind  of  universal  proscription  against  them,  to  set 
 down  articles,  to  draw  commissions,  and  almost  to  name 
 themselves  of  the  Quorum,  for  inquiry  into  men's  estates 
 and  dealings,  whom  at  their  pleasure  they  would  deprive 
 and  make  obnoxious  to  what  punishment  themselves  list ; 
 and  that  not  for  any  violation  of  Laws  either  Spiritual  or 
 Civil,  but  because  men  have  trusted  the  Laws  too  far, 
 because  they  have  held  and  enjoyed  the  liberty  w  hich  Law 
 granteth,  because  they  had  not  the  wit  to  conceive  as  these 
 men  do,  that  Laws  were  made  to  entrap  the  simple,  by  per- 
 mitting those  things  in  show  and  appearance,  which  in- 
 deed should  never  take  effect,  forasmuch  as  they  were  but 
 granted  with  a  secret  condition  to  be  put  in  practice  '  if 
 they  should  be  profitable  and  agreeable  with  the  Word  of 
 God ;'  which  condition  failing  in  all  Ministers  that  cannot 
 preach,  in  all  that  are  absent  from  their  Livings,  and  in 
 all  that  have  divers  Livings  (for  so  it  must  be  presumed, 
 though  never  as  yet  proved),  therefore,  as  men  which 
 have  broken  the  Law  of  God  and  Nature,  they  are  depri- 
 vable  at  all  hours.  Is  this  the  justice  of  that  Discipline 
 whereunto  all  Christian  Churches  must  stoop  and  submit 
 themselves  ?  Is  this  the  equity  wherewith  they  labour  to 
 reform  the  w  orld  ?  I  will  no  way  diminish  the  force  of 
 those  arguments  whereupon  they  ground  :  but  if  it  please 
 them  to  behold  the  visage  of  these  collections  in  another 
 glass,  there  are  Civil  as  well  as  Ecclesiastical  insuffi- 
 ciencies, nonresidences,  and  pluralities  ;  yea,  the  reasons 
 which  light  of  Nature  hath  ministered  against  both  are  of 
 such  affinity,  that  much  less  they  cannot  enforce  in  the  one 
 than  in  the  other.  When  they  that  bear  great  offices  be 
 persons  of  mean  worth,  the  contempt  whereiuto  their  au- 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 141 
 
 thority  groweth  vvcakcneth  the  sinews  of  the  whole  State.* 
 Notwithstanding,  where  many  Governors  are  needful,  and 
 they  not  many  whom  their  quality  can  commend,  the  pe- 
 nury of  worthier  must  needs  make  the  meaner  sort  of  men 
 capable.f  Cities,  in  the  absence  of  their  Governors,  are  as 
 ships  wanting  pilots  at  sea  :  but  were  it  therefore  justice  to 
 punish  whom  superior  authority  pleaseth  to  call  from 
 home,!  or  alloweth  to  be  employed  elsewhere  ?  In  com- 
 mitting many  offices  to  one  man§  there  are  apparently 
 these  inconveniences :  the  Commonwealth  doth  lose  the  be- 
 nefit of  serviceable  men,  which  might  be  trained  up  in  those 
 rooms ;  it  is  not  easy  for  one  man  to  discharge  many  men'g 
 duties  well ;  in  service  of  warfare  and  navigation,  were  it 
 not  the  overthrow  of  whatsoever  is  undertaken,  if  one  or 
 two  should  engross  such  offices,  as,  being  now  divided  into 
 many  hands,  are  discharged  with  admirable  both  perfec- 
 tion and  expedition?  Nevertheless,  be  it  far  from  the 
 mind  of  any  reasonable  man  to  imagine,  that  in  these  con- 
 siderations Princes  either  ought  of  duty  to  revoke  all  such 
 kind  of  grants,  though  made  with  very  special  respect  to 
 the  extraordinary  merit  of  certain  men,  or  might  in  honour 
 demand  of  them  the  resignation  of  their  offices  with  speech 
 to  this  or  the  like  effect:  "  Forasmuch  as  you  A.  B.  by  the 
 space  of  many  years  have  done  us  that  faithful  service  in 
 most  important  affairs,  for  which  we,  always  judging  you 
 worthy  of  much  honour,  have  therefore  committed  unto  you 
 from  time  to  time  very  great  and  weighty  offices,  which 
 hitherto  you  cmietly  enjoy ;  we  are  now  given  to  under- 
 stand, that  certain  grave  and  learned  men  have  found,  in 
 the  books  of  ancient  Philosophers,  divers  arguments  drawn 
 from  the  common  light  of  Nature,  and  declaring  the  won- 
 derful discommodities  which  use  to  grow  by  dignities  thus 
 heaped  together  in  one :  for  which  cause,  at  this  present, 
 moved  in  conscience  and  tender  care  for  the  public  good, 
 
 *  MEyaXwv  xvpioi  HaSiiTTwrt;  av  a£>TEX£~;  £<ri  fAiya\a.  QXamovai.  Aristot.  Polit.  ii. 
 cap.  11. 
 
 t  '  Nec  ignore-  maximos  honores  ad  parum  dignos  penuria  meliorum  solere 
 deferri.'  Mamertin.  paneg.  ad  Julian. 
 
 X  '  Neque  enim  sequum  visum  est  absentem  Reipub.  causa  inter  reos  referri, 
 dum  Reipub.  operatur.'  Ulpian.  [Digest.  I.  xlviii.  tit.  v.  leg.  15.]  Si  maritus  ad 
 legem  Julian,  de  adulter. 
 
 §  Arist.  Polit.  lib.  ii.  cap.  11.  Seethe  like  preamble  framed  by  the  Author  of  the 
 Abstract,  where  he  fancieth  a  Bishop  deposing  one  unapt  to  preach,  whom  him- 
 self had  before  ordained. 
 
142 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 we  have  summoned  you  hither  to  dispossess  you  of  those 
 places,  and  to  depose  you  from  those  rooms,  whereof  in- 
 deed by  virtue  of  our  own  grant,  yet  against  reason,  you 
 are  possessed.  Neither  ought  you,  or  any  other,  to  think 
 us  rash,  light,  or  inconstant,  in  so  doing ;  for  we  tell  you 
 plain,  that  herein  we  will  both  say  and  do  that  thing  which 
 the  noble  and  wise  Emperor  sometime  both  said  and  did  in 
 a  matter  of  far  less  weight  than  this :  '  Quod  inconsulto 
 fecimus,  consulto  revocamus:  That  which  we  unadvis- 
 edly have  done,  we  advisedly  will  revoke  and  undo'."  Now, 
 for  mine  own  part,  the  greatest  harm  I  would  wish  them 
 who  think  that  this  were  consonant  with  equity  and  right, 
 is,  that  they  might  but  live  where  all  things  are  with  such 
 kind  of  justice  ordered  till  experience  have  taught  them  to 
 see  their  error.  As  for  the  last  thing  which  is  incident 
 unto  the  cause  whereof  we  speak,  namely,  what  course 
 were  the  best  and  safest  whereby  to  remedy  such  evils 
 as  the  Church  of  God  may  sustain,  where  the  present  li- 
 berty of  the  Law  is  turned  to  great  abuse,  some  light  we 
 may  receive  from  abroad,  not  unprofitable  for  direction  of 
 God's  own  sacred  house  and  family.  The  Romans  being 
 a  people  full  of  generosity,  and  by  nature  courteous,  did 
 no  way  more  shew  their  gentle  disposition,  than  by  easy 
 condescending  to  set  their  bondmen  at  liberty.  Which 
 benefit,  in  the  happier  and  better  times  of  the  Common- 
 wealth, was  bestowed  for  the  most  part  as  an  ordinary 
 reward  of  virtue,  some  few  now  and  then  also  purchasing 
 freedom  with  that  which  their  just  labours  could  gain,  and 
 their  honest  frugality  save.  But  as  the  empire  daily  grew 
 up,  so  the  manners  and  conditions  of  men  decayed,  wealth 
 was  honoured,  and  virtue  not  cared  for ;  neither  did  any 
 thing  seem  opprobrious,  out  of  which  there  might  arise 
 commodity  and  profit,  so  that  it  could  be  no  marvel  in  a 
 State  thus  far  degenerated,  if  when  the  more  ingenuous 
 sort  were  become  base,  the  baser,  laying  aside  all  shame 
 and  face  of  honesty,  did  some  by  robberies,  burglaries, 
 and  prostitution  of  their  bodies,  gather  wherewith  to  re- 
 deem liberty ;  others  obtain  the  same  at  the  hands  of 
 their  lords,  by  serving  them  as  vile  instruments  in  those 
 attempts,  which  had  been  worthy  to  be  revenged  with 
 ten  thousand  deaths.  A  learned,  judicious,  and  polite 
 Historian,  having  mentioned  so  foul  disorders,  giveth  his 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 143 
 
 judgment  and  censure  of  them  in  this  sort:  "Such  eye-  Dionys. 
 
 .        ,        „  ,  ,     ,  ,  •  Halicar. 
 
 sores  in  the  Commonwealth  have  occasioned  many  vir-  Rora. 
 tuous  minds  to  condemn  altogether  the  custom  of  granting 
 liberty  to  any  bondslave,  forasmuch  as  it  seemed  a  thing  [c.34,.1 
 absurd,  that  a  people  which  commands  all  the  world, 
 should  consist  of  so  vile  refuse.  But  neither  is  this  the 
 only  custom  wherein  the  profitable  inventions  of  former 
 are  depraved  by  latter  ages ;  and  for  myself  I  am  not  of 
 their  opinion  that  wish  the  abrogation  of  so  grossly  used 
 customs,  which  abrogation  might  peradventure  be  cause  of 
 greater  inconveniences  ensuing :  but  as  much  as  may  be, 
 I  would  rather  advise  that  redress  were  sought  through 
 the  careful  providence  of  chief  rulers  and  overseers  of  the 
 Commonwealth,  by  whom  a  yearly  survey  being  made  of 
 all  that  are  manumised,  they  which  seem  worthy  might  be 
 taken  and  divided  into  tribes  with  other  citizens,  the  rest 
 dispersed  into  colonies  abroad,  or  otherwise  disposed  of, 
 that  the  Commonwealth  might  sustain  neither  harm  nor 
 disgrace  by  them."  The  ways  to  meet  with  disorders 
 growing  by  abuse  of  Laws  are  not  so  intricate  and  secret, 
 especially  in  our  case,  that  men  should  need  either  much 
 advertisement  or  long  time  for  the  search  thereof.  And  if 
 counsel  to  that  purpose  may  seem  needful,  this  Church 
 (God  be  thanked)  is  not  destitute  of  men  endued  with  ripe 
 judgment,  whensoever  any  such  thing  shall  be  thought  ne- 
 cessary. For  which  end,  at  this  present,  to  propose  any 
 special  inventions  of  my  own,  might  argue  in  a  man  of  my 
 place  and  calling  more  presumption  perhaps  than  wit.  I 
 will  therefore  leave  it  entire  unto  graver  consideration, 
 ending  now  with  request  only  and  most  earnest  suit:  first, 
 that  they  which  give  Ordination  would,  as  they  tender  the 
 very  honour  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  safety  of  men,  and  the 
 endless  good  of  their  own  souls,  take  heed  lest  unnecessa- 
 rily, and  through  their  default,  the  Church  be  found  worse 
 or  less  furnished  than  it  might  be :  secondly,  that  they 
 which  by  right  of  patronage  have  power  to  present  unto 
 Spiritual  Livings,  and  may  in  that  respect  much  damnify 
 the  Church  of  God,  would,  for  the  ease  of  their  own  ac- 
 count in  the  dreadful  day,  somewhat  consider  what  it  is 
 to  betray  for  gain  the  souls  which  Christ  hath  redeemed 
 with  blood,  what  to  violate  the  sacred  bond  of  fidelity  and 
 solemn  promise  given  at  the  first  to  God  and  his  Church 
 
144 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITV. 
 
 by  them,  from  whose  original  interest,  together  with  tiie 
 self-same  title  of  right,  the  same  obligation  of  duty  likewise 
 is  descended  :  thirdly,  that  they  unto  whom  the  granting 
 of  Dispensations  is  committed,  or  which  otherwise  have 
 any  stroke  in  the  disposition  of  such  Preferments  as  apper- 
 tain unto  learned  men,  would  bethink  themselves  what  it 
 is  to  respect  any  thing  either  above  or  beside  merit ;  con- 
 sidering, how  hardly  the  world  taketh  it,  when  to  men  of 
 commendable  note  and  quality  there  is  so  little  respect 
 had,  or  so  great  unto  them  whose  deserts  are  very  mean, 
 that  nothing  doth  seem  more  strange  than  the  one  sort 
 because  they  are  not  accounted  of,  and  the  other  because 
 they  are ;  it  being  every  man's  hope  and  expectation  in 
 the  Church  of  God  especially,  that  the  only  purchase  of 
 greater  rewards  should  be  always  greater  deserts,  and  that 
 nothing  should  ever  be  able  to  plant  a  thorn  where  a  vine 
 ought  to  grow  :  fourthly,  that  honourable  personages,  and 
 they  who  by  virtue  of  any  principal  office  in  the  Common- 
 wealth are  enabled  to  qualify  a  certain  number,  and  make 
 them  capable  of  favours  or  faculties  above  others,  suffer 
 not  their  names  to  be  abused,  contrary  to  the  true  intent 
 and  meaning  of  wholesome  Laws,  by  men  in  whom  there 
 is  nothing  notable  besides  covetousness  and  ambition : 
 fifthly,  that  the  graver  and  wiser  sort  in  both  Universities, 
 or  whosoever  they  be,  with  whose  approbation  the  marks 
 and  recognizances  of  all  learning  are  bestowed,  would 
 think  the  Apostle's  caution  against  unadvised  Ordinations 
 not  impertinent  or  unnecessary  to  be  borne  in  mind,  even 
 when  they  grant  those  degrees  of  schools,  which  degrees 
 are  not  gratia  gratis  data,  kindnesses  bestowed  by  way 
 of  humanity,  but  they  are  gratia  gratum  facientes,  favours 
 which  always  imply  a  testimony  given  to  the  Church  and 
 Commonwealth  concerning  men's  sufficiency  for  manners 
 and  knowledge ;  a  testimony  upon  the  credit  whereof 
 sundry  Statutes  of  the  Realm  are  built ;  a  testimony  so  far 
 available,  that  nothing  is  more  respected  for  the  warrant 
 of  divers  men's  abilities  to  serve  in  the  affairs  of  the  Realm ; 
 a  testimony  wherein  if  they  violate  that  Religion  where- 
 with it  ought  to  be  always  given,  and  do  thereby  induce 
 into  error  such  as  deem  it  a  thing  uncivil  to  call  the  credit 
 thereof  in  question,  let  them  look  that  God  shall  return 
 back  upon  their  heads,  and  cause  them  in  the  state  of  their 
 
BOOK  V. 
 
 145 
 
 own  corporations  to  feel  either  one  way  or  the  other  the 
 punishment  of  those  harms  which  the  Church  through  their 
 negligence  doth  sustain  in  that  behalf:  finally,  and  to 
 conclude,  that  they  who  enjoy  the  benefit  of  any  special 
 indulgence  or  favour  which  the  Laws  permit,  would  as 
 well  remember  what  in  duty  towards  the  Church,  and  in 
 conscience  towards  God,  they  ought  to  do,  as  what  they 
 may  do  by  using  to  their  own  advantage  whatsoever  they 
 see  tolerated  ;  no  man  being  ignorant,  that  the  cause  why 
 absence  in  some  cases  hath  been  yielded  unto  and  in 
 equity  thought  sufferable,  is  the  hope  of  greater  fruit 
 through  industry  elsewhere ;  the  reason  likewise  wherefore 
 Pluralities  are  allowed  unto  men  of  note,  a  very  sovereign 
 and  special  care,  that  as  Fathers  in  the  ancient  world  did 
 declare  the  pre-eminence  of  priority  in  birth  by  doubling 
 the  worldly  portions  of  their  first-born,  so  the  Church  by 
 a  course  not  unlike  in  assigning  men's  rewards  might 
 testify  an  estimation  had  proportionably  of  their  virtues, 
 according  to  the  ancient  Rule  Apostolic,  "  They  which 
 excel  in  labour,  ought  to  excel  in  honour ;"  and,  therefore, 
 unless  they  answer  faithfully  the  expectation  of  the  Church 
 herein,  unless  sincerely  they  bend  their  wits  day  and  night, 
 both  to  sow  because  they  reap,  and  to  sow  so  much  more 
 abundantly  as  they  reap  more  abundantly  than  other  men, 
 whereunto  by  their  very  acceptance  of  such  benignities 
 they  formally  bind  themselves,  let  them  be  well  assured 
 that  the  honey  which  they  eat  with  fraud  shall  turn  in  the 
 end  into  true  gall,  forasmuch  as  Laws  are  the  sacred  image 
 of  his  wisdom  who  most  severely  punisheth  those  colour- 
 able and  subtle  crimes  that  seldom  are  taken  within  the 
 walk  of  human  justice.*  I  therefore  conclude,  that  the 
 grounds  and  maxims  of  common  right,  whereupon  Ordina- 
 tions of  Ministers  unable  to  preach,  tolerations  of  absence 
 from  their  Cures,  and  the  multiplications  of  their  Spiritual 
 Livings,  are  disproved,  do  but  indefinitely  enforce  them 
 unlawful,  not  unlawful  universally  and  without  exception ; 
 that  the  Laws  which  indefinitely  are  against  all  these 
 things,  and  the  privileges  which  make  for  them  in  certain 
 cases,  are  not  the  one  repugnant  to  the  other ;  that  the 
 Laws  of  God  and  Nature  are  violated  through  the  effects 
 
 •  For  the  main  hypothesis  or  foundation  of  these  conclusions,  let  that  before  set 
 down  in  the  ninth,  be  read  together  with  this  last,  the  eighty-first  paragraph. 
 VOL.  II.  L 
 
14G 
 
 F.CCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 of  abused  privileges ;  that  neither  our  Ordinations  of  men 
 unable  to  make  Sermons,  nor  our  Dispensations  for  the 
 rest,  can  be  justly  proved  frustrate,  by  virtue  of  any  such 
 surmised  opposition  between  the  special  Laws  of  this 
 Church  which  have  permitted,  and  those  general  which 
 are  alleged  to  disprove,  the  same  ;  that  when  privileges  by 
 abuse  are  grown  incommodious,  there  must  be  redress; 
 that  for  remedy  of  such  evils,  there  is  no  necessity  the 
 Church  should  abrogate  either  in  whole  or  in  part  the  spe- 
 cialities before-mentioned ;  and  that  the  most  to  be  de- 
 sired were  a  voluntary  reformation  thereof  on  all  hands 
 which  may  give  passage  unto  any  abuse. 
 
 BOOK  VI. 
 
 Containing  their  fifth  Assertion,  that  our  Laws  are  corrupt  and  repugnant  to  the 
 Laws  of  God,  in  matter  belonging  to  the  power  of  Ecclesiastical  Jurisdiction,  in 
 that  we  have  not  throughout  all  Churches  certain  Lay-elders  established  for  the 
 exercise  of  that  power. 
 
 Ti.e  The  same  men  which  in  heat  of  contention  do  hardly 
 between  either  speak  or  give  ear  to  reason,  being  after  sharp  and 
 us,  whe-  bjt(;er  conflicts  retired  to  a  calm  remembrance  of  all  their 
 
 ther  all 
 
 congre.  former  proceedings;  the  causes  that  brought  them  into 
 or'pa"5  quarrel,  the  course  which  their  striving  affections  have 
 ought    followed,  and  the  issue  whereunto  they  are  come,  may 
 to  have  peradventure,  as  troubled  waters,  in  small  time,  of  their 
 dersin-  own  accord,  by  certain  easy  degrees  settle  themselves 
 withd   again,  and  so  recover  that  clearness  of  well-advised  judg- 
 ed Turis  men^  whereby  they  shall  stand  at  the  length  indifferent 
 diction  both  to  yield  and  admit  any  reasonable  satisfaction,  where 
 ritoai   before  they  could  not  endure  with  patience  to  be  gainsayed. 
 causes.  jjeither  will  I  despair  of  the  like  success  in  these  unplea- 
 sant controversies  touching  Ecclesiastical  Polity ;  the  time 
 of  silence,  which  both  parts  have  willingly  taken  to 
 breathe,  seeming  now  as  it  were  a  pledge  of  all  men's 
 quiet  contentment  to  hear   with  more  indifferency  the 
 weightiest  and  last  remains  of  that  cause,  Jurisdiction, 
 L.\b-  VA!  Digrnitv,  Dominion  Ecclesiastical.  For,  let  not  any  imagine, 
 
 vii.  viii»       o       j  *  *  t 
 
 that  the  bare  and  naked  difference  of  a  few  Ceremonies 
 could  either  have  kindled  so  much  fire,  or  have  caused 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 147 
 
 it  to  flame  so  long;  but  that  the  parties  which  herein 
 laboured  mightily  for  change,  and  (as  they  say)  for 
 reformation,  had  somewhat  more  than  this  mark  whereat 
 to  aim. 
 
 Having  therefore  drawn  out  a  complete  Form,  as  they 
 suppose,  of  public  Service  to  be  done  to  God,  and  set 
 down  their  plot  for  the  Office  of  the  Ministry  in  that  behalf, 
 they  very  well  knew  how  little  their  labours  so  far  forth 
 bestowed  would  avail  them  in  the  end,  without  a  claim 
 of  Jurisdiction  to  uphold  the  fabric  which  they  have 
 erected ;  and  this  neither  likely  to  be  obtained  but  by  the 
 strong  hand  of  the  people,  nor  the  people  unlikely  to 
 favour  it;  the  more,  if  overture  were  made  of  their  own 
 interest,  right,  and  title  thereunto.  Whereupon  there  are 
 many  which  have  conjectured  this  to  be  the  cause,  why  in 
 all  their  projects  of  their  Discipline  (it  being  manifest 
 that  their  drift  is  to  wrest  the  key  of  spiritual  authority  out 
 of  the  hands  of  former  Governors,  and  equally  to  possess 
 therewith  the  Pastors  of  all  several  congregations)  the 
 people,  first  for  surer  accomplishment,  and  then  for  better 
 defence  thereof,  are  pretended  necessary  actors  in  those 
 things,  whereunto  their  ability  for  the  most  part  is  as  slen- 
 der as  their  title  and  challenge  unjust. 
 
 Notwithstanding  (whether  they  saw  it  necessary  for 
 them  to  persuade  the  people,  without  whose  help  they 
 could  do  nothing,  or  else,  which  I  rather  think,  the 
 affection  which  they  bear  towards  this  new  Form  of  Go- 
 vernment made  them  to  imagine  it  God's  own  Ordinance) 
 their  doctrine  is,  that,  by  the  Law  of  God,  there  must  be  for 
 ever  in  all  congregations  certain  Lay-elders,  ministers  of 
 Ecclesiastical  Jurisdiction,  inasmuch  Las  our:  Lord  and 
 Saviour  by  testament  (for  so  they  presume)  hath  left  all 
 Ministers  or  Pastors  in  the  Church  executors  equally  to 
 the  whole  power  of  Spiritural  Jurisdiction,  and  with  them 
 hath  joined  the  people  as  colleagues.  By  maintenance 
 of  which  assertion  there  is  unto  that  part  apparently 
 gained  a  twofold  advantage,  both  because  the  people  in 
 this  respect  are  much  more  easily  drawn  to  favour  it, 
 as  a  matter  of  their  own  interest ;  and  for  that,  if  they 
 chance  to  be  crossed  by  such  as  oppose  against  them,  the 
 colour  of  divine  authority,  assumed  for  the  grace  and 
 countenance  of  that  power  in  the  vulgar  sort,  furnisheth 
 
 l  2 
 
148 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 their  leaders  with  great  abundance  of  matter  behoveful  for 
 their  encouragement  to  proceed  always  with  hope  of 
 fortunate  success  in  the  end,  considering  their  cause  to  be 
 as  David's  was,  a  just  defence  of  power  given  them  from 
 above,  and  consequently,  their  adversaries'  quarrel  the 
 same  with  Saul's,  by  whom  the  Ordinance  of  God  was 
 withstood. 
 
 Now,  on  the  contrary  side,  if  their  surmise  prove  false  ; 
 if  such,  as  in  justification  whereof  no  evidence  sufficient 
 either  hath  been  or  can  be  alleged  (as  I  hope  it  shall 
 clearly  appear  after  due  examination  and  trial),  let  them 
 consider  whether  those  words  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and 
 Numb.  Abiram  against  Moses  and  against  Aaron,  "  It  is  too 
 much  that  ye  take  upon  you,  seeing  all  the  congregation 
 is  holy,"  be  not  the  very  true  abstract  and  abridgment  of 
 their  published  Admonitions,  Demonstrations,  Supplica- 
 tions, and  Treatises  whatsoever,  whereby  they  have  la- 
 boured to  avoid  the  rooms  of  their  spiritual  superiors 
 before  authorized,  and  to  advance  the  new  fancied  sceptre 
 of  Lay-presbyterial  Power. 
 
 The  nature  of  Spiritual  Jurisdiction. 
 
 But  before  there  can  be  any  settled  determination,  whe- 
 ther truth  do  rest  on  their  part  or  on  ours,  touching  Lay- 
 elders,  we  are  to  prepare  the  way  thereunto  by  explication 
 of  some  things  requisite  and  very  needful  to  be  considered  ; 
 as,  first,  how  besides  that  Spiritual  Power  which  is  of 
 Order,  and  was  instituted  for  performance  of  those  duties 
 whereof  there  hath  been  speech  already  had,  there  is  in 
 the  Church  no  less  necessary  a  second  kind,  which  we  call 
 the  Power  of  Jurisdiction.    When  the  Apostle  doth  speak 
 Acts     of  ruling  the  Church  of  God,  and  of  receiving  accusations, 
 l'-rim8  his  words  have  evident  reference  to  the  Power  of  Juris- 
 v19-    diction.    Our  Saviour's  words  to  the  Power  of  Order 
 Mark    when  he  giveth  his  Disciples  charge,  saying,  "  Preach : 
 jj^;.15'  baptize  :  do  this  in  remembrance  of  me."    A  Bishop 
 *Jviii-    saith  Ignatius)  doth  bear  the  image  of  God  and  of  Christ; 
 i  cor.   of  God  in  ruling,  of  Christ  in  administering,  holy  things.* 
 XL  "4'   By  this  therefore  we  see  a  manifest  difference  acknowledged 
 
 *  Tt/xa  fxlv  tov  ©£ov,  i;  oI'tiov  t£v  oTijuv  xai  xupiov  ' Eirle-xovov  Ss,  £>$  i^npia,  ©eod 
 va  (pipovra,  Kara  fxh  to  ap^siv,  C4loZ,xara  Ji  to  Uparsvuv,  Xpis-ToS.  Epist.  ad  Smyrn. 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 149 
 
 between  the  Power  of  Ecclesiastical  Order,  and  the  Power 
 of  Jurisdiction  Ecclesiastical. 
 
 The  Spiritual  Power  of  the  Church  being;  such  as  neither 
 can  be  challenged  by  right  of  nature,  nor  could  by  human  au- 
 thority be  instituted,  because  the  forces  and  effects  thereof 
 are  supernatural  and  divine,  we  are  to  make  no  doubt 
 or  question  but  that  from  him  which  is  the  Head  it  hath 
 descended  unto  us  that  are  the  body  now  invested  there- 
 with. He  gave  it  for  the  benefit  and  good  of  souls,  as  a 
 mean  to  keep  them  in  the  path  which  leadeth  unto  endless 
 felicity,  a  bridle  to  hold  them  within  their  due  and  conve- 
 nient bounds,  and,  if  they  do  go  astray,  a  forcible  help  to 
 reclaim  them.  Now  although  there  be  no  kind  of  Spiritual 
 Power,  for  which  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  did  not  give  both 
 commission  to  exercise,  and  direction  how  to  use  the  same, 
 although  his  Laws  in  that  behalf,  recorded  by  the  holy 
 Evangelists,  be  the  only  ground  and  foundation  where- 
 upon the  practice  of  the  Church  must  sustain  itself;  yet, 
 as  all  multitudes,  once  grown  to  the  form  of  societies,  are 
 even  thereby  naturally  warranted  to  enforce  upon  their 
 own  subjects  particularly  those  things  which  public  wis- 
 dom shall  judge  expedient  for  the  common  good ;  so  it 
 were  absurd  to  imagine  the  Church  itself,  the  most  glorious 
 amongst  them,  abridged  of  this  liberty,  or  to  think  that  no 
 Law,  Constitution,  or  Canon  can  be  further  made  either 
 for  limitation  or  amplification  in  the  practice  of  our 
 Saviour's  Ordinances,  whatsoever  occasion  be  offered 
 through  variety  of  times  and  things,  during  the  state  of  this 
 inconstant  world,  which  bringeth  forth  daily  such  new  evils 
 as  must  of  necessity  by  new  remedies  be  redressed,  and  did 
 both  of  old  enforce  our  venerable  predecessors,  and  will 
 always  constrain  others,  sometime  to  make,  sometime  to 
 abrogate,  sometime  to  augment,  and  again  to  abridge  some- 
 time; in  sum,  often  to  vary,  alter,  and  change  customs 
 incident  unto  the  manner  of  exercising  that  power  which 
 doth  itself  continue  always  one  and  the  same.  I  therefore 
 conclude  that  Spiritual  Authority  is  a  power  which  Christ 
 hath  given  to  be  used  over  them  which  are  subject  unto  it 
 for  the  eternal  good  of  their  souls,  according  to  his  own 
 most  sacred  Laws  and  the  wholesome  positive  Constitu- 
 tions of  his  Church. 
 
 In  doctrine  referred  unto  action  and  practice,  as  this  is 
 which  concerns  Spiritual  Jurisdiction,  the  first  sound  and 
 
150 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 perfect  understanding  is  the  knowledge  of  the  end,  be- 
 cause thereby  both  use  doth  frame,  and  contemplation 
 judge,  all  things. 
 
 Of  Penitency,  the  chiefest  end  propounded  by  Spiritual  Jurisdiction.  Two  kinds 
 of  Penitency ;  the  one  a  private  duty  towards  God,  the  other  a  duty  of  external 
 discipline.  Of  the  -virtue  of  Repentance,  from  which  the  former  duty  pro- 
 ceedeth  ;  and  of  Contrition,  the  first  part  of  that  duty. 
 
 Seeing  that  the  chiefest  cause  of  Spiritual  Jurisdiction  is 
 to  provide  for  the  health  and  safety  of  men's  souls,  by 
 bringing  them  to  see  and  repent  their  grievous  offences 
 committed  against  God,  as  also  to  reform  all  injuries 
 offered  with  the  breach  of  Christian  love  and  charity  to- 
 ward their  brethren  in  matters  of  Ecclesiastical  cogni- 
 zance ;  the  use  of  this  Power  shall  by  so  much  the  plain- 
 lier  appear,  if  first  the  nature  of  Repentance  itself  be 
 known. 
 
 "We  are  by  Repentance  to  appease  whom  we  offend  by  sin. 
 For  which  cause,  whereas  all  sin  deprives  us  of  the  favour 
 of  Almighty  God,  our  way  of  reconciliation  with  him  is  the 
 inward  secret  Repentance  of  the  heart ;  which  inward  Re- 
 pentance alone  sufficeth,  unless  some  special  thing,  in  the 
 quality  of  sin  committed,  or  in  the  party  that  hath  done 
 amiss,  require  more.  For  besides  our  submission  in  God's 
 sight,  Repentance  must  not  only  proceed  to  the  private  con- 
 tentation  of  men,  if  the  sin  be  a  crime  injurious;  but  also 
 further,  where  the  wholesome  Discipline  of  God's  Church 
 exacteth  a  more  exemplary  and  open  satisfaction.*  Now 
 the  Church  being  satisfied  with  outward  Repentance,  as 
 God  is  with  inward,  it  shall  not  be  amiss  for  more  perspi- 
 cuity, to  term  this  latter  always  the  Virtue,  the  former  the 
 Discipline  of  Repentance,  which  Discipline  hath  two  sorts 
 of  penitents  to  work  upon,  inasmuch  as  it  hath  been  accus- 
 tomed to  lay  the  offices  of  Repentance  on  some  seeking, 
 others  shunning  them  ;  on  someat  their  own  voluntary  re- 
 quest, on  others  altogether  against  their  wills,  as  shall 
 hereafter  appear  by  store  of  ancient  examples.  Repent- 
 ance being,  therefore,  either  in  the  sight  of  God  alone,  or 
 
 *  '  Poenitentise  secundee,  etunius,  quanto  in  actu  negotium  est,  tanto  potior  pro- 
 batio  est,  ut  non  sola  conscientia  proferatur,  sed  aliquo  etiam  actu  administretur.' 
 '  Second  Penitency,  following  that  before  Baptism,  and  being  not  more  than  once 
 admitted  in  one  man,  requireth  by  so  much  the  greater  labour  to  make  it  manifest  , 
 for  that  it  is  not  a  work  which  can  come  again  in  trial,  but  must  be  therefore  with 
 some  open  solemnity  executed,  and  not  to  be  discharged  with  the  privity  of  con- 
 science alone.'    Tertull.  de  poenit.  [c.  9.] 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 151 
 
 else  with  the  notice  also  of  men,  without  the  one,  .sometimes 
 thoroughly  performed,  but  always  practised  more  or  less  in 
 our  daily  devotions  and  prayers,  we  can  have  no  remedy 
 for  any  fault ;  whereas  the  other  is  only  required  in  sins  of 
 a  certain  degree  and  quality  :  the  one  necessary  for  ever, 
 the  other  so  far  forth  as  the  Laws  and  Order  of  God's 
 Church  shall  make  it  requisite.  The  nature,  parts,  and 
 effects  of  the  one  always  the  same ;  the  other  limited,  ex- 
 tended, and  varied  by  infinite  occasions. 
 
 The  Virtue  of  Repentance  in  the  heart  of  man  is  God's 
 handy-work,  a  fruit  or  effect  of  divine  grace,  which  grace 
 continually  offereth  itself  even  unto  them  that  have  for- 
 saken it,  as  may  appear  by  the  words  of  Christ  in  St.  John's 
 Revelation,  "  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock :"  nor  doth  he  [& 
 only  knock  without,  but  also  within  assist  to  open,  whereby 
 access  and  entrance  is  given  to  the  heavenly  presence  of 
 that  saving  power,  which  maketh  man  a  repaired  temple  for 
 God's  good  Spirit  again  to  inhabit.  And  albeit  the  whole 
 train  of  virtues  which  are  implied  in  the  name  of  grace  be 
 infused  at  one  instant;  yet  because,  when  they  meet  and 
 concur  unto  any  effect  in  man,  they  have  their  distinct  ope- 
 rations rising  orderly  one  from  another,  it  is  no  unnecesary 
 thing  that  we  note  the  way  or  method  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in 
 framing  man's  sinful  heart  to  Repentance.  A  work,  the  first 
 foundation  whereof  is  laid  by  opening  and  illuminating  the 
 eye  of  Faith,  because  by  Faith  are  discovered  the  principles 
 of  this  action,  whereunto  unless  the  understanding  do  first 
 assent,  there  can  follow  in  the  will  towards  Penitency  no  in- 
 clination at  all.  Contrariwise,  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
 the  judgment  of  the  world  to  come,  and  the  endless  misery 
 of  sinners,  being  apprehended,  this  worketh  fear ;  such  as 
 theirs  was  who,  feeling  their  own  distress  and  perplexity  in 
 that  passion,  besought  our  Lord's  Apostles  earnestly  to  give 
 them  counsel  what  they  should  do.  For  fear  is  impotent 
 and  unable  to  advise  itself;  yet  this  good  it  hath,  that  men 
 are  thereby  made  desirous  to  prevent,  if  possibly  they  may, 
 whatsoever  evil  they  dread.  The  first  thing  that  wrought 
 the  Ninevites'  Repentance,  was  fear  of  destruction  within 
 forty  days:  signs  and  miraculous  works  of  God,  being  ex- 
 traordinary representations  of  divine  power,  are  commonly 
 wont  to  stir  any  the  most  wicked  with  terror,  lest  the  same 
 power  should  bend  itself  against  them.  And  because  tract- 
 
152 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 able  minds,  though  guilty  of  much  sin,  are  hereby  moved  to 
 forsake  those  evil  ways  which  make  his  power  in  such  sort 
 their  astonishment  and  fear,  therefore  our  Saviour  denounced 
 his  curse  against  Chorazin  and  Bethsaida,  saying,  that,  if 
 Tyre  and  Sidon  had  seen  that  which  they  did,  those  signs 
 which  prevailed  little  with  the  one  would  have  brought  the 
 others  to  Repentance.  As  the  like  thereunto  did  in  the  men 
 given  to  curious  arts,  of  whom  the  Apostolic  History  saith, 
 [Acts  that  "  fear  came  upon  them,  and  many  which  had  followed 
 iy^'17'  vain  sciences,  burnt  openly  the  very  books  out  of  which 
 they  had  learned  the  same."  As  fear  of  contumely  and  dis- 
 grace amongst  men,  together  with  other  civil  punishments, 
 are  a  bridle  to  restrain  from  any  heinous  acts  whereinto 
 men's  outrage  would  otherwise  break;  so  the  fear  of  divine 
 revenge  and  punishment,  where  it  takes  place,  doth  make 
 men  desirous  to  be  rid  likewise  from  that  inward  guiltiness 
 of  sin  wherein  they  would  else  securely  continue.  How- 
 beit,  when  Faith  hath  wrought  a  fear  of  the  event  of  sin,  yet 
 Repentance  hereupon  ensueth  not,  unless  our  belief  conceive 
 both  the  possibility  and  means  to  avert  evil :  the  possibility, 
 inasmuch  as  God  is  merciful  and  most  willing  to  have  sin 
 cured ;  the  means,  because  he  hath  plainly  taught  what  is  re- 
 quisite and  shall  suffice  unto  that  purpose.  The  nature  of 
 all  wicked  men  is,  for  fear  of  revenge  to  hate  whom  they 
 most  wrong ;  the  nature  of  hatred,  to  wish  that  destroyed 
 which  it  cannot  brook ;  and  from  hence  arise  the  furious 
 endeavours  of  godless  and  obdurate  sinners  to  extinguish  in 
 themselves  the  opinion  of  God,  because  they  would  not 
 have  him  to  be,  whom  execution  of  endless  wo  doth  not 
 suffer  them  to  love. 
 
 Every  sin  against  God  abateth,  and  continuance  in  sin 
 extinguisheth,  our  love  towards  him.  It  was  once  said  to 
 [Rev.  the  Angel  of  Ephesus  having  sinned,  "Thou  art  fallen  away 
 from  thy  first  love  ;'•  so  that,  as  we  never  decay  in  love  till 
 we  sin,  in  like  sort  neither  can  we  possibly  forsake  sin,  un- 
 less we  first  begin  again  to  love.  What  is  love  towards 
 God,  but  a  desire  of  union  with  God  ?  And  shall  we  ima- 
 gine a  sinner  converting  himself  to  God,  in  whom  there  is 
 no  desire  of  union  with  God  presupposed?  I  therefore  con- 
 clude, that  fear  worketh  no  man's  inclination  to  Repentance, 
 till  somewhat  else  have  wrought  in  us  love  also :  our  love 
 and  desire  of  union  with  God  ariseth  from  the  strong  con- 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 153 
 
 ceit  which  we  have  of  his  admirable  goodness  the  good- 
 ness of  God  which  particularly  raoveth  unto  Repentance  is, 
 his  mercy  towards  mankind,  notwithstanding  sin :  for,  let  it 
 once  sink  deeply  into  the  mind  of  man,  that  howsoever  we 
 have  injured  God,  his  very  nature  is  averse  from  revenge, 
 except  unto  sin  we  add  obstinacy,  otherwise  always  ready 
 to  accept  our  submission  as  a  full  discharge  or  recompence 
 for  all  wrongs ;  and  can  we  choose  but  begin  to  love  him 
 whom  we  have  offended?  or  can  we  but  begin  to  grieve  that 
 we  have  offended  him  whom  we  love  ?  Repentance  con- 
 sidered sin  as  a  breach  of  the  Law  of  God,  an  act  obnoxi- 
 ous to  that  revenge,  which  notwithstanding  may  be  pre- 
 vented if  we  pacify  God  in  time. 
 
 The  root  and  beginning  of  Penitency,  therefore,  is  the  con- 
 sideration of  our  own  sin,  as  a  cause  which  hath  procured  the 
 wrath,  and  a  subject  which  doth  need  the  mercy,  of  God. 
 For  unto  man's  understanding  there  being  presented,  on 
 the  one  side,  tribulation  and  anguish  upon  every  soul  that 
 doth  evil;  on  the  other,  eternal  life  unto  them  which  by 
 continuance  in  well-doing  seek  glory,  and  honour,  and  im- 
 mortality: on  the  one  hand,  a  curse  to  the  children  of  dis- 
 obedience ;  on  the  other,  to  lovers  of  righteousness  all  grace 
 and  benediction :  yet  between  these  extremes  that  eternal 
 God,  from  whose  unspotted  justice  and  undeserved  mercy 
 the  lot  of  each  inheritance  proceedeth,  is  so  inclinable  ra- 
 ther to  shew  compassion  than  to  take  revenge,  that  all  his 
 speeches  in  Holy  Scripture  are  almost  nothing  else  but  en- 
 treaties of  men  to  prevent  destruction  by  amendment  of 
 their  wicked  lives ;  all  the  works  of  his  providence  little 
 other  thanmere  allurements  of  the  just  to  continue  stedfast, 
 and  of  the  unrighteous  to  change  their  course  ;  all  his  deal- 
 ings and  proceedings  towards  true  converts,  as  have  even 
 filled  the  grave  writings  of  holy  men  with  these  and  the  like 
 most  sweet  sentences :  Repentance  (if  I  may  so  speak)  cassian. 
 stoppeth  God  in  his  way,  when  being  provoked  by  crimes  ^ 20' 
 past  he  cometh  to  revenge  them  with  most  just  punish- 
 ments ;  yea,  it  tieth  as  it  were  the  hands  of  the  avenger,  and 
 doth  not  suffer  him  to  have  his  will.  Again, 
 
 *  The  merciful  eye  of  God  towards  men  hath  no  power 
 
 *  Basil.  Epist.  Seleuc.  p.  106.  "DiXavflpaJOTOv  (Sxi/tjua  TTfOffiotiirav  ai$E~Tat  ftttiyoiav. 
 Chr.  in  1  Cor.  Hom.  8.  Ov  to  Tja)9nvai  evrte  Jstviv,  i;  to  t^oiSivto.  jitn  (3ouXE-j-flai  diga.  ■ 
 ■xtvlr&ai.    Marc.  Erem.  OuJli?  xaTExpiSii,  ei  fM  f*£Tavoi'ac  xarE^ovis'E,  xai  oiSfi;  iSi- 
 
154 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 to  withstand  Penitency,  at  what  time  soever  it  comes  in 
 presence.    And  again, 
 
 God  doth  not  take  it  so  in  evil  part,  though  we  wound 
 that  which  he  hath  required  us  to  keep  whole,  as  that  after 
 we  have  taken  hurt  there  should  be  in  us  no  desire  to  re- 
 ceive his  help.  Finally,  lest  I  be  carried  too  far  in  so  large 
 a  sea,  There  was  never  any  man  condemned  of  God  but  for 
 neglect,  nor  justified  except  he  had  care,  of  Repentance. 
 
 From  these  considerations,  setting  before  our  eyes  our  in- 
 excusable both  unthankfulness  in  disobeying  so  merciful, 
 foolishness  in  provoking  so  powerful,  a  God,  there  ariseth 
 necessarily  a  pensive  and  corrosive  desire  that  we  had  done 
 otherwise ;  a  desire  which  suffereth  us  to  foreslow  no  time, 
 to  feel  no  quietness  within  ourselves,  to  take  neither  sleep 
 nor  food  with  contentment,  never  to  give  over  supplications, 
 confessions,  and  other  penitent  duties,  till  the  light  of  God's 
 reconciled  favour  shine  in  our  darkened  soul. 
 Fuig.  de    Fulgentius  asking  the  question,  why  David's  confession 
 Pec™  t.  should  be  held  for  effectual  Penitence,  and  not  Saul's ;  an- 
 iib.  ii^  SWereth,  that  the  one  hated  sin,  the  other  feared  only 
 ap    '  punishment  in  this  world :  Saul's  acknowledgment  of  sin 
 was  fear;  David's,  both  fear  and  also  love. 
 
 This  was  the  fountain  of  Peter's  tears,  this  the  life  and 
 spirit  of  David's  eloquence,  in  those  most  admirable 
 Hymns  entitled  Penitential,  where  the  words  of  sorrow  for 
 sin  do  melt  the  very  bowels  of  God  remitting  it ;  and  the 
 comforts  of  grace  in  remitting  sin  carry  him  which  sor- 
 rowed rapt  as  it  were  into  Heaven,  with  ecstasies  of  joy 
 and  gladness.    The  first  motive  of  the  Ninevites  unto  Re- 
 pentance, was  their  belief  in  a  sermon  of  fear,  but  the  next 
 Jonah   and  most  immediate,  an  axiom  of  love ;  "  Who  can  tell 
 "'  9'    whether  God  will  turn  away  his  fierce  wrath,  that  we  perish 
 not  ?"  No  conclusion  such  as  theirs,  Let  every  man  turn 
 from  his  evil  way,  but  out  of  premises  such  as  theirs 
 were,  fear  and  love.  Wherefore  the  well-spring  of  Repent- 
 ance is  Faith,  first  breeding  fear,  and  then  love;  which 
 [Luke  love  causes  hope,  hope  resolution  of  attempt ;  "  I  will  go 
 xv- 18 1  to  my  Father,  and  say,  I  have  sinned  against  Heaven,  and 
 against  thee  ;"  that  is  to  say,  I  will  do  what  the  duty  of  a 
 convert  requireth. 
 
 Kcuadri,  el  [m  TauTi;  £7r£j«£^<rttTo.  [de  Pccnit.  p.  915.  vol.  i.  Biblioth.  Patr.  Gra:c. 
 ed.  Par.  1624.] 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 155 
 
 Now  in  a  penitent's  or  a  convert's  duty  there  are  included  : 
 first,  the  aversion  of  the  will  from  sin  ;  secondly,  the  sub- 
 mission of  ourselves  to  God  by  supplication  and  prayer ; 
 thirdly,  the  purpose  of  a  new  life,  testified  with  present 
 works  of  amendment:  which  three  things  do  very  well 
 seem  to  be  comprised  in  one  definition  by  them  which 
 handle  Repentance,  as  a  virtue  thathateth,  bewaileth,  and 
 sheweth  a  purpose  to  amend  sin.  We  offend  God  in 
 thought,  word,  and  deed  :  to  the  first  of  which  three,  they 
 make  Contrition ;  to  the  second,  Confession ;  and  to  the 
 last,  our  works  of  Satisfaction,  answerable. 
 
 Contrition  doth  not  here  import  those  sudden  pangs  and 
 convulsions  of  the  mind  which  cause  sometimes  the  most 
 forsaken  of  God  to  retract  their  own  doings ;  it  is  no  natu- 
 ral passion,  or  anguish,  which  riseth  in  us  against  our  wills, 
 but  a  deliberate  aversion  of  the  will  of  man  from  sin; 
 which  being  always  accompanied  with  grief,  and  grief 
 oftentimes  partly  with  tears,  partly  with  other  external 
 signs,  it  hath  been  thought,  that  in  these  things  Contrition 
 doth  chiefly  consist :  whereas  the  chiefest  thing  in  Contri- 
 tion is,  that  alteration  whereby  the  will,  which  was  before 
 delighted  with  sin,  doth  now  abhor  and  shun  nothing  more. 
 But  forasmuch  as  we  cannot  hate  sin  in  ourselves  without 
 heaviness  and  grief,  that  there  should  be  in  us  a  thing  of 
 such  hateful  quality,  the  will  averted  from  sin  must  needs 
 make  the  affection  suitable ;  yea,  there  is  great  reason  why 
 it  should  so  do:  for  since  the  will  by  conceiving  sin  hath 
 deprived  the  soul  of  life ;  and  of  life  there  is  no  recovery 
 without  Repentance,  the  death  of  sin ;  Repentance  notable 
 to  kill  sin,  but  by  withdrawing  the  will  from  it ;  the  will 
 unpossible  to  be  withdrawn,  unless  it  concur  with  a  con- 
 trary affection  to  that  which  accompanied  it  before  in  evil ; 
 is  it  not  clear  that  as  an  inordinate  delight  did  first  begin 
 sin,  so  Repentance  must  begin  with  a  just  sorrow,  a  sorrow 
 of  heart,  and  such  a  sorrow  as  renteth  the  heart;  neither  a 
 feigned  nor  slight  sorrow ;  not  feigned,  lest  it  increase  sin, 
 nor  slight,  lest  the  pleasures  of  sin  overmatch  it. 
 
 Wherefore  of  grace,  the  highest  cause  from  which  man's 
 Penitency  doth  proceed ;  of  faith,  fear,  love,  hope,  what 
 force  and  efficiency  they  have  in  Repentance  ;  of  parts  and 
 duties  thereunto  belonging,  comprehended  in  the  School- 
 men's definitions;  finally,  of  the  first  among  those  duties, 
 
156 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Contrition,  which  disliketh  and  bewaileth  iniquity,  let  this 
 suffice. 
 
 And  because  God  will  have  offences  by  Repentance  not 
 only  abhorred  within  ourselves,  but  also  with  humble  sup- 
 plication displayed  before  him,  and  a  testimony  of  amend- 
 ment to  be  given,  even  by  present  works  worthy  Repent- 
 ance, in  that  they  are  contrary  to  those  we  renounce  and 
 disclaim ;  although  the  Virtue  of  Repentance  do  require  that 
 her  other  two  parts,  Confession  and  Satisfaction,  should 
 here  follow  ;  yet  seeing  they  belong  as  well  to  the  Discip- 
 line as  to  the  Virtue  of  Repentance,  and  only  differ  for  that 
 in  the  one  they  are  performed  to  man,  in  the  other  to  God 
 alone,  I  had  rather  distinguish  them  in  joint-handling,  than 
 handle  them  apart,  because  in  quality  and  manner  of 
 practice  they  are  distinct. 
 
 Of  the  Discipline  of  Repentance  instituted  by  Christ,  practised  by  the  Fathers, 
 converted  by  the  Schoolmen  into  a  Sacrament ;  and  of  Confession,  that  which 
 belongeth  to  the  Virtue  of  Repentance,  that  -w  hich  was  used  among  the  Jews, 
 that  which  Papacy  imagineth  a  Sacrament,  and  that  which  ancient  Discipline 
 practised. 
 
 Matt.  Our  Lord  and  Saviour  in  the  sixteenth  of  St.  Matthew's 
 xw' 19'  Gospel  giveth  his  Apostles  regiment  in  general  over  God's 
 Church.  For  they  that  have  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  of 
 Heaven  are  thereby  signified  to  be  stewards  of  the  House 
 of  God,  under  whom  they  guide,  command,  judge,  and  cor- 
 rect his  family.  The  souls  of  men  are  God's  treasure, 
 committed  to  the  trust  and  fidelity  of  such  as  must  render 
 a  strict  account  for  the  very  least  which  is  under  their  cus- 
 tody. God  hath  not  invested  them  with  power  to  make  a 
 revenue  thereof,  but  to  use  it  for  the  good  of  them  whom 
 Jesus  Christ  hath  most  dearly  bought. 
 
 And  because  their  office  therein  consisteth  of  sundry 
 functions,  some  belonging  to  Doctrine,  some  to  Discipline, 
 all  contained  in  the  name  of  the  Keys ;  they  have  for  mat- 
 ters of  Discipline,  as  well  litigious  as  criminal,  their  Courts 
 and  Consistories  erected  by  the  heavenly  authority  of  his 
 Matt,  most  sacred  voice,  who  hath  said,  Die  Ecclesice,  Tell  the 
 17,  Church ;  against  rebellious  and  contumacious  persons 
 which  refuse  to  obey  their  sentence,  armed  they  are  with 
 power  to  eject  such  out  of  the  Church,  to  deprive  them  of 
 the  honours,  rights,  and  privileges  of  Christian  men,  to 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 157 
 
 make  them  as  Heathens  and  Publicans,  with  whom  society 
 was  hateful. 
 
 Furthermore,  lest  their  acts  should  be  slenderly  ac- Malt 
 counted  of,  or  had  in  contempt,  whether  they  admit  to  the  joha 
 fellowship  of  Saints  or  seclude  from  it,  whether  they  bind 
 offenders  or  set  them  again  at  liberty,  whether  they  remit 
 or  retain  sins,  whatsoever  is  done  by  way  of  orderly  and  ii.6. 
 lawful  proceeding,  the  Lord  himself  hath  promised  to  ratify. 
 This  is  that  grand  original  warrant,  by  force  whereof  the 
 Guides  and  Prelates  in  God's  Church,  first  his  Apostles, 
 and  afterwards  others  following  them  successively,  did 
 both  use  and  uphold  that  Discipline,  the  end  whereof  is  to 
 heal  men's  consciences,  to  cure  their  sins,  to  reclaim  of- 
 fenders from  iniquity,  and  to  make  them  by  Repentance  just. 
 
 Neither  hath  it  of  ancient  time,  for  any  other  respect, 
 been  accustomed  to  bind  by  Ecclesiastical  censures,  to  re- 
 tain so  bound  till  tokens  of  manifest  Repentance  appeared, 
 and  upon  apparent  Repentance  to  release,  saving  only  be- 
 cause this  was  received  as  a  most  expedient  method  for 
 the  cure  of  sin. 
 
 The  course  of  Discipline  in  former  ages  reformed  open 
 transgressors  by  putting  them  into  offices  of  open  Peni- 
 tence, especially  Confession,  whereby  they  declared  their 
 own  crimes  in  the  hearing  of  the  whole  Church,  and  were 
 not  from  the  time  of  their  first  convention  capable  of  the 
 holy  mysteries  of  Christ,  till  they  had  solemnly  discharged 
 this  duty. 
 
 Offenders  in  secret  knowing  themselves  altogether  as 
 unworthy  to  be  admitted  to  the  Lord's  Table,  as  the  other 
 which  were  withheld,  being  also  persuaded,  that  if  the 
 Church  did  direct  them  in  the  offices  of  their  Penitency, 
 and  assist  them  with  public  Prayers,  they  should  more 
 easily  obtain  that  they  sought,  than  by  trusting  wholly  to 
 their  own  endeavours;  finally,  having  no  impediment  to 
 stay  them  from  it  but  bashfulness,  which  countervailed 
 not  the  former  inducements,  and  besides  was  greatly  eased 
 by  the  good  construction  which  the  charity  of  those  times 
 gave  to  such  actions,  wherein  men's  piety  and  voluntary 
 care  to  be  reconciled  to  God  did  purchase  them  much  more 
 love  than  their  faults  (the  testimonies  of  common  frailty) 
 were  able  to  procure  disgrace,  they  made  it  not  nice  to  use 
 
158 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 some  one  of  the  Ministers  of  God,  by  whom  the  rest  might 
 take  notice  of  their  faults,  prescribe  them  convenient  reme- 
 dies, and  in  the  end,  after  public  Confession,  all  join  in 
 prayer  unto  God  for  them. 
 
 The  first  beginner  of  this  custom  had  the  more  followers, 
 by  means  of  that  special  favour  which  always  was  with 
 good  consideration  shewed  towards  voluntary  penitents 
 above  the  rest. 
 
 But  as  professors  of  Christian  Belief  grew  more  in  num- 
 ber, so  they  waxed  worse ;  when  Kings  and  Princes  had 
 submitted  their  dominions  unto  the  sceptre  of  Jesus  Christ, 
 by  means  whereof  persecution  ceasing,  the  Church  imme- 
 diately became  subject  to  those  evils  which  peace  and  se- 
 curity bringeth  forth ;  there  was  not  now  that  love  which 
 before  kept  all  things  in  tune,  but  every  where  schisms, 
 discords,  dissensions  amongst  men,  conventicles  of  Here- 
 tics, bent  more  vehemently  against  the  sounder  and  better 
 sort  than  very  Infidels  and  Heathens  themselves ;  faults 
 not  corrected  in  charity,  but  noted  with  delight,  and  kept 
 for  malice  to  use  when  the  deadliest  opportunities  should 
 be  offered. 
 
 Whereupon,  forasmuch  as  public  Confessions  became 
 dangerous  and  prejudicial  to  the  safety  of  well-minded 
 men,  and  in  divers  respects  advantageous  to  the  enemies 
 of  God's  Church,  it  seemed  first  unto  some,  and  afterwards 
 generally,  requisite,  that  voluntary  penitents  should  sur- 
 cease from  open  Confession. 
 
 Instead  whereof,  when  once  private  and  secret  Confes- 
 sion had  taken  place  with  the  Latins,  it  continued  as  a  pro- 
 fitable Ordinance  till  the  Lateran  Council  had  decreed  that 
 men  once  in  a  year  at  the  least  should  confess  themselves 
 to  the  Priest. 
 
 So  that  being  a  thing  thus  made  both  general  and  also 
 necessary,  the  next  degree  of  estimation  whereunto  it  grew, 
 was  to  be  honoured  and  lifted  up  to  the  nature  of  a  Sa- 
 crament ;  that  as  Christ  did  institute  Baptism  to  give  life, 
 and  the  Eucharist  to  nourish  life,  so  Penitence  might  be 
 thought  a  Sacrament  ordained  to  recover  life,  and  Confes- 
 sion a  part  of  the  Sacrament, 
 scot,  in  They  define  therefore  their  private  Penitency  to  be  a  Sa- 
 a.'uT  '  crament  of  remitting  sins  after  Baptism  :  the  Virtue  of  Re- 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 159 
 
 pentancc,  a  detestation  of  wickedness  with  full  purpose  to  jM- 
 amend  the  same,  and  with  hope  to  obtain  pardon  at  God's 
 hands. 
 
 Wheresoever  the  Prophets  cry  Repent,  and  in  the  Gospel l*  tead 
 Saint  Peter  maketh  the  same  exhortation  to  the  J ews  as  yet  q.  i. 
 unbaptized,  they  would  have  the  Virtue  of  Repentance  only  ar  ' 
 to  be  understood;  the  Sacrament,  where  he  adviseth  Simon 
 Magus  to  repent,  because  the  sin  of  Simon  Magus  was  after 
 Baptism. 
 
 Now  although  they  have  only  external  Repentance  for  a 
 SacrauienJ,  internal  for  a  Virtue,  yet  make  they  sacramental 
 Repentance  nevertheless  to  be  composed  of  three  parts, 
 Contrition,  Confession,  and  Satisfaction.  Which  is  ab- 
 surd ;  because  Contrition,  being  an  inward  thing,  belongeth 
 to  the  Virtue  and  not  to  the  Sacrament  of  Repentance, 
 which  must  consist  of  external  parts,  if  the  nature  thereof 
 be  external.  Besides,  which  is  more  absurd,  they  leave  scot, 
 out  Absolution,  whereas  some  of  their  School-divines,  l?v.' 
 handling  Penance  in  the  nature  of  a  Sacrament,  and  being 
 not  able  to  espy  the  least  resemblance  of  a  Sacrament 
 save  only  in  Absolution  (for  a  Sacrament  by  their  doctrine 
 must  both  signify  and  also  confer  or  bestow  some  special 
 divine  grace),  resolved  themselves,  that  the  duties  of  the 
 penitent  could  be  but  mere  preparations  to  the  Sacrament, 
 and  that  the  Sacrament  itself  was  wholly  in  Absolution.* 
 And  albeit  Thomas  with  his  followers  have  thought  it 
 safer  to  maintain,  as  well  the  services  of  the  penitent,  as 
 the  words  of  the  Minister,  necessary  unto  the  essence  of 
 their  Sacrament:  the  services  of  the  penitent,  as  a  cause 
 material ;  the  words  of  Absolution,  as  a  formal,  for  that  by 
 them  all  things  else  are  perfected  to  the  taking  away  of  sin  ; 
 which  opinion  now  reigneth  in  all  their  schools,  since  the 
 time  that  the  Council  of  Trent  gave  it  solemn  approbation, 
 seeing  they  all  make  Absolution,  if  not  the  whole  essence, 
 yet  the  very  form  whereunto  they  ascribe  chiefly  the  whole 
 force  and  operation  of  their  Sacrament;  surely  to  admit 
 the  matter  as  a  part,  and  not  to  admit  the  form,  hath  small 
 congruity  with  reason. 
 
 *  'Docet  Sancta  Synodus  Sacramenti  Poenitentiae  formam,  in  qua  praicipue  ip- 
 .sius  vis  sita  est,  in  illis  Ministri  verbis  positam  esse,  Ego  te  absolve.  Sunt  autem 
 quasi  materia  hujus  Sacramenti  ipsius  pcenitentis  actus,  nempe  Contritio,  Confes- 
 sio,  el  Satisfaction    Sect.  xiv.  c.  3. 
 
160 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Again,  forasmuch  as  a  Sacrament  is  complete,  having 
 the  matter  and  form  which  it  oueht,  what  should  lead  them 
 to  set  down  any  other  parts  of  sacramental  Repentance, 
 than  Confession  and  Absolution,  as  Durandus  hath  done ! 
 
 For,  touching  Satisfaction,  the  end  thereof,  as  they  un- 
 derstand it,  is  a  further  matter  which  resteth  after  the  Sa- 
 crament administered,  and  therefore  can  be  no  part  of  the 
 Sacrament. 
 
 Will  they  draw  in  Contrition  with  Satisfaction,  which  are 
 no  parts,  and  exclude  Absolution  (a  principal  part),  yea, 
 the  very  complement,  form,  and  perfection  of  the  rest,  as 
 themselves  account  it  ?  But  for  their  breach  of  precepts 
 in  art  it  skilleth  not,  if  their  doctrine  otherwise  concerning: 
 Penitency,  and  in  Penitency  touching-  Confession,  might 
 be  found  true. 
 
 We  say,  let  no  man  look  for  pardon,  which  doth  smother 
 and  conceal  sin  where  in  daty  it  should  be  revealed. 
 
 The  cause  why  God  requireth  Confession  to  be  made  to 
 him  is,  that  thereby  testifying  a  deep  hatred  of  our  own  ini- 
 quity, the  only  cause  of  his  hatred  and  wrath  towards  us, 
 we  might,  because  we  are  humble,  be  so  much  the  more  ca- 
 pable of  that  compassion  and  tender  mercy  which  knoweth 
 not  how  to  condemn  sinners  that  condemn  themselves. 
 
 If  it  be  our  Saviour's  own  principle,  that  the  conceit  we 
 have  of  our  debt  forgiven,  proportioneth  our  thankfulness 
 and  love  to  him  at  whose  hands  we  receive  pardon;  doth 
 not  God  foresee  that  they  which  with  ill-advised  modesty 
 seek  to  hide  their  sin  like  Adam,  that  they  which  rake  it 
 up  under  ashes,  and  confess  it  not,  are  very  unlikely  to 
 requite  with  offices  of  love  afterwards  the  grace  which  they 
 shew  themselves  unwilling  to  prize  at  the  very  time  when 
 they  sue  for  it :  inasmuch  as  their  not  confessing  what 
 crimes  they  have  committed  is  a  plain  signification  bow 
 loth  they  are  that  the  benefit  of  God's  most  gracious  par- 
 don should  seem  great  ?  Nothing  more  true  than  that  of 
 Tertullian,*  "  Confession  doth  as  much  abate  the  weight 
 of  men's  offences,  as  concealment  doth  make  them  heavier. 
 For  he  which  confesseth  hath  purpose  to  appease  God; 
 he,  a  determination  to  persist  and  continue  obstinate, 
 
 *  '  Tanrum  relevat  confessio  delictorum,  quantum  dissimulatio  exaggerat. 
 Confessio  enim  satisfaction^  consilium  est,  dissimulatio  contumaciam.'  Tertull. 
 de  Pcmit.  [c.  8.  fin.] 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 161 
 
 which  keeps  them  secret  to  himself.  St.  Chrysostom,  almost 
 in  the  same  words,  "Wickedness  is  by  being  acknowledged  Hom- 
 lessened,  and  doth  but  grow  by  being  hid."    If  men  having  in  Epist. 
 done  amiss  let  it  slip,  as  though  they  knew  no  such  matter,  adHebr* 
 what  is  there  to  stay  them  from  falling  into  one  and  the 
 same  evil?    To  call  ourselves  sinners  availeth  nothing, 
 except  we  lay  our  faults  in  the  balance,  and  take  the  weight 
 of  them  one  by  one.    Confess  thy  crimes  to  God,  disclose 
 thy  transgressions  before  thy  Judge,  by  way  of  humble 
 supplication  and  suit,  if  not  with  tongue,  at  the  least  with 
 heart,  and  in  this  sort  seek  mercy.    A  general  persuasion 
 that  thou  art  a  sinner  will  neither  so  humble  nor  bridle  thy 
 soul,  as  if  the  catalogue  of  thy  sins  examined  severally  be 
 continually  kept  in  mind. 
 
 This  shall  make  thee  lowly  in  thine  own  eyes;  this  shall 
 preserve  thy  feet  from  falling,  and  sharpen  thy  desires  to- 
 wards all  good  things.  The  mind,  I  know,  doth  hardly  ad- 
 mit such  unpleasant  remembrances;  but  we  must  force  it, 
 we  must  constrain  it  thereunto. 
 
 It  is  safer  now  to  be  bitten  with  the  memory,  than  here- 
 after with  the  torment  of  sin. 
 
 The  Jews,  with  whom  no  repentance  for  sin  is  available 
 without  Confession  either  conceived  in  mind  or  uttered 
 (which  latter  kind  they  call  usually  mi  confession  delivered 
 by  word  of  mouth),  had  first  that  general  Confession  which 
 once  every  year  was  made  both  severally  by  each  of  the 
 people  for  himself  upon  the  Day  of  Expiation,  and  by  the 
 Priest  for  them  all.*  On  the  Day  of  Expiation  the  High- 
 priest  maketh  three  express  Confessions,  acknowledging 
 unto  God  the  manifold  transgressions  of  the  whole  nation, 
 his  own  personal  offences  likewise,  together  with  the  sins, 
 as  well  of  his  family  as  of  the  rest  of  his  rank  and  order. 
 
 They  had  again  their  voluntary  Confessions,  at  the 
 times  and  seasons  when  men,  bethinking  themselves  of 
 their  wicked  conversation  past,  were  resolved  to  change 
 their  course,  the  beginning  of  which  alteration  was  still 
 Confession  of  sins. 
 
 Thirdly,  over  and  besides  these,  the  Law  imposed  upon 
 them  also  that  special  Confession,  which  they  in  their  book 
 
 *  '  All  Israel  is  bound  on  the  Day  of  Expiation  to  repent  and  confess.'  R.  Mos. 
 in  lib.  Mitsworth  haggadol.  par.  2.  pr?e.  16. 
 
 VOL.  II.  M 
 
1G2 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 called  inrvo  -py  by  >VT>  Confession  of  that  particular  fault  for 
 which  we  namely  seek  pardon  at  God's  hands. 
 
 Num.  rfhe  words  of  the  Law  concerning  Confession  in  this 
 kind  are  as  followeth  :  When  a  man  or  woman  shall  com- 
 mit any  sin  that  men  commit  and  transgress  against  the 
 Lord,  their  sin  which  they  have  done  (that  is  to  say,  the  very 
 deed  itself  in  particular)  they  shall  acknowledge. 
 
 Lev.  In  Leviticus,  after  certain  transgressions  there  mentioned, 
 we  read  the  like :  When  a  man  hath  sinned  in  any  one  of 
 these  things,  he  shall  then  confess,  how  in  that  thing  he  hath 
 offended.  For  such  kind  of  special  sins  they  had  also  spe- 
 cial sacrifices  ;  wherein  the  manner  was,  that  the  offender 
 should  lay  his  hands  on  the  bead  of  the  sacrifice  which  he 
 brought,  and  should  there  make  Confession  to  God,  saying, 
 
 Misne    «  Now,  O  Lord,  that  I  have  offended,  committed  sin,  and 
 
 Tora  ■* 
 
 Tractatu  done  wickedly  in  thy  sight,  this  or  this  being  my  fault ; 
 r«huba  jjgjjQ]^  j  repent  me)  an(j  am  utterly  ashamed  of  my  doings ; 
 
 ubM'  mv  PurPose  1S>  never  to  return  more  to  the  same  crime." 
 Misnoth.     None  of  them,  whom  either  the  House  of  Judgment  had 
 cap!  6.  condemned  to  die,  or  of  them  which  are  to  be  punished 
 MiTuoth         stripes,  can  be  clear  by  being  executed  or  scourged, 
 par.  2.  till  they  repent  and  confess  their  faults. 
 
 prse  1(5. 
 
 *  Finally,  there  was  no  man  amongst  them  at  any  time, 
 either  condemned  to  suffer  death,  or  corrected,  or  chas- 
 tised with  stripes,  none  ever  sick  and  near  his  end,  but 
 they  called  upon  him  to  repent  and  confess  his  sins. 
 
 Of  malefactors  convict  by  witnesses,  and  thereupon  either 
 adjudged  to  die,  or  otherwise  chastised,  their  custom  was 
 josh,     to  exact,  as  Joshua  did  of  Achan,  open  Confession ;  "  My 
 v"' 19'  son,  now  give  glory  to  the  Lord  God  of  Israel ;  confess 
 unto  him,  and  declare  unto  me  what  thou  hast  committed ; 
 conceal  it  not  from  me." 
 
 Concerning  injuries  and  trespasses,  which  happen  be- 
 tween men,  they  highly  commend  such  as  will  acknow- 
 ledge before  many. 
 
 It  is  in  him  which  repenteth  accepted  as  a  high  sacri- 
 fice, if  he  will  confess  before  many,  make  them  acquainted 
 with  his  oversights,  and  reveal  the  transgressions  which 
 have  passed  between  him  and  any  of  his  brethren ;  saying, 
 
 *  '  To  him  which  is  sick  and  draweth  towards  death,  they  say,  Confess.'  Mos. 
 in  Misnoth,  par.  2.  pra.  16. 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 163 
 
 I  have  verily  offended  this  man,  thus  and  thus  I  have  done 
 unto  him ;  but  behold  I  do  now  repent  and  am  sorry. 
 Contrariwise,  whosoever  is  proud,  and  will  not  be  known 
 of  his  faults,  but  eloaketh  them,  is  not  yet  come  to  perfect 
 repentance  :  for  so  it  is  written,  "  He  that  hides  his  sins  [f°v- 
 
 X  X  V  1 1 1 
 
 shall  not  prosper :"  which  words  of  Solomon  they  do  not  13.] 
 further  extend  than  only  to  sins  committed  against  men, 
 which  are  in  that  respect  meet  before  men  to  be  acknow- 
 ledged particularly.  But  in  sins  between  man  and  God, 
 there  is  no  necessity  that  man  should  himself  make  any 
 such  open  and  particular  recital  of  them ;  to  God  they  are 
 known,  and  of  us  it  is  required,  that  we  cast  not  the  me- 
 mory of  them  carelessly  and  loosely  behind  our  backs,  but 
 keep  in  mind,  as  near  as  we  can,  both  our  own  debt,  and 
 his  grace  which  remitteth  the  same. 
 
 Wherefore,  to  let  pass  Jewish  Confession,  and  to  come 
 unto  them  which  hold  Confession  in  the  ear  of  the  Priest 
 commanded,  yea,  commanded  in  the  nature  of  a  Sacra- 
 ment, and  thereby  so  necessary  that  sin  without  it  cannot 
 be  pardoned ;  let  them  find  such  a  commandment  in  Holy 
 Scripture,  and  we  ask  no  more. 
 
 John  the  Baptist  was  an  extraordinary  person  ;  his  birth, 
 his  actions  of  life,  his  office  extraordinary.  It  is  therefore 
 recorded  for  the  strangeness  of  the  act,  but  not  set  down 
 as  an  everlasting  Law  for  the  world,  That  to  him  Jerusa-  Matt, 
 lem  and  all  Judea  made  Confession  of  their  sins ;  besides,  "''  6' 
 at  the  time  of  this  Confession,  their  pretended  Sacrament 
 of  Repentance,  as  they  grant,  was  not  yet  instituted ; 
 neither  was  it  sin  after  Baptism  which  penitents  did  there 
 confess.  When  that  which  befell  the  seven  sons  of  Sceva, 
 for  using  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  their  con-  A<*» 
 jurations,  was  notified  to  Jews  and  Grecians  in  Ephesus, ,"''18' 
 it  brought  a  universal  fear  upon  them,  insomuch  that  di- 
 vers of  them,  which  had  believed  before,  but  not  obeyed 
 the  Laws  of  Christ,  as  they  should  have  done,  being  terri- 
 fied by  this  example,  came  to  the  Apostle,  and  confessed 
 their  wicked  deeds.  Which  good  and  virtuous  act  no 
 wise  man,  as  I  suppose,  will  disallow,  but  commend  highly 
 in  them,  whom  God's  good  Spirit  shall  move  to  do  the  like 
 when  need  requireth.  Yet  neither  hath  this  example  the 
 force  of  any  general  Commandment  or  Law,  to  make  it 
 necessary  for  every  man  to  pour  into  the  ears  of  the  Priest 
 
 m  2 
 
164 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 whatsoever  hath  been  done  amiss,  or  else  to  remain  ever- 
 lastingly culpable  and  guilty  of  sin  ;  in  a  word,  it  proveth 
 Confession  practised  as  a  virtuous  act,  but  not  commanded 
 as  a  Sacrament. 
 
 jam.        Now  concerning  St.  James's  exhortation,  whether  the 
 
 v.  14. 
 
 16.      former  branch  be  considered,  which  saitb,  "  Is  any  sick 
 among  you  ?  let  him  call  for  the  Ancients  of  the  Church, 
 and  let  them  make  their  prayers  for  him ;"  or  the  latter, 
 which  stirreth  up  all  Christian  men  unto  mutual  acknow- 
 ment  of  faults  amongst  themselves,  "  Lay  open  your  minds, 
 make  your  Confessions  one  to  another ;"  is  it  not  plain, 
 that  the  one  hath  relation  to  that  gift  of  healing,  which  our 
 ^rk)g  Saviour  promised  his  Church,  saying,  "  They  shall  lay 
 their  hands  on  the  sick,  and  the  sick  shall  recover  health ;" 
 relation  to  that  gift  of  healing,  whereby  the  Apostle  impo- 
 Acts    sed  his  hands  on  the  father  of  Publius,  and  made  him  mi- 
 8.       raculously  a  sound  man  ;  relation,  finally,  to  that  gift  of 
 healing,  which  so  long  continued  in  practice  after  the 
 Apostles'  times  ;  that  whereas  the  Novatianists  denied  the 
 power  of  the  Church  of  God  in  curing  sin  after  Baptism, 
 Ambros.      Ambrose  asked  them  again,  "  Why  it  might  not  as  well 
 tenti^  prevail  with  God  for  spiritual  as  for  corporal  and  bodily 
 "b"^'    health ;  yea,  wherefore  (saith  he)  do  ye  yourselves  lay 
 hands  on  the  diseased,  and  believe  it  to  be  a  work  of  bene- 
 diction or  prayer,  if  haply  the  sick  person  be  restored  to 
 his  former  safety  ?"    And  of  the  other  member,  which 
 toucheth  mutual  Confession,  do  not  some  of  themselves, 
 as  namely  Cajetan,  deny  that  any  other  Confession  is 
 Annot.  meant,  than  only  that  "  which  seeketh  either  association  of 
 injae.5.  prayers,  or  reconciliation,  or  pardon  of  wrongs  ?"    Is  it 
 not  confessed  by  the  greatest  part  of  their  own  retinue, 
 that  we  cannot  certainly  affirm  Sacramental  Confession  to 
 have  been  meant  or  spoken  of  in  this  place  ?  Howbeit, 
 Bellarmine,  delighted  to  run  a  course  by  himself  where 
 colourable  shifts  of  wit  will  but  make  the  way  passable, 
 standeth  as  formally  for  this  place,  and  not  less  for  that  in 
 i  John  St.  John,  than  for  this.  St.  John  saith,  "  If  we  confess  our 
 ''9'     sins,  God  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and 
 to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness  :"  doth  St.  John  say, 
 If  we  confess  to  the  Priest,  God  is  righteous  to  forgive ; 
 and,  if  not,  that  our  sins  are  unpardonable  ?  No,  but  the 
 titles  of  God  just  and  righteous  do  import  that  he  par- 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 165 
 
 doneth  sin  only  for  his  promise-sake  ;  "  And  there  is  not 
 (they  say)  any  promise  of  forgiveness  upon  Confession 
 made  to  God  without  the  Priest ;"  not  any  promise,  but 
 with  this  condition,  and  yet  this  condition  no  where  ex- 
 pressed. 
 
 Is  it  not  strange,  that  the  Scripture,  speaking  so  much 
 of  Repentance  and  of  the  several  duties  which  appertain 
 thereunto,  should  ever  mean,  and  no  where  mention,  that 
 one  condition,  without  which  all  the  rest  is  utterly  of  none 
 effect  ?  or  will  they  say,  hecause  our  Saviour  hath  said  to 
 his  Ministers,  "Whose  sins  ye  retain,"  &c.  and  because 
 they  can  remit  no  more  than  what  the  offenders  have  con- 
 fessed, that  therefore,  by  the  virtue  of  his  promise,  it  stand- 
 eth  with  the  righteousness  of  God  to  take  away  no  man's 
 sins  until,  by  auricular  Confession,  they  be  opened  unto 
 the  Priest. 
 
 They  are  men  that  would  seem  to  honour  antiquity,  and 
 none  more  to  depend  upon  the  reverend  judgment  thereof. 
 I  dare  boldly  affirm,  that  for  many  hundred  years  after 
 Christ  the  Fathers  held  no  such  opinion ;  they  did  not 
 gather  by  our  Saviour's  words  any  such  necessity  of  seek- 
 ing the  Priest's  Absolution  from  sin  by  secret  and  (as  they 
 now  term  it)  Sacramental  Confession.  Public  Confession 
 they  thought  necessary  by  way  of  Discipline,  not  private 
 Confession,  as  in  the  nature  of  a  Sacrament,  necessary. 
 
 For,  to  begin  with  the  purest  times,  it  is  unto  them  which 
 read  and  judge  without  partiality  a  thing  most  clear,  that 
 the  ancient  IZofioXoynatg  or  Confession,  designed  by  Ter- 
 tullian  to  be  a  discipline  of  humiliation  and  submission, 
 framing  men's  behaviour  in  such  sort  as  may  be  fittest  to 
 move  pity;  the  Confession  which  they  used  to  speak  of 
 in  the  exercise  of  Repentance  was  made  openly  in  the 
 hearing  of  the  whole,  both  Eccclesiastical  Consistory  and 
 Assembly. 
 
 *  This  is  the  reason  wherefore  he  perceiving  that  divers 
 were  better  content  their  sores  should  secretly  fester  and 
 eat  inward,  than  be  laid  so  open  to  the  eyes  of  many, 
 blameth  greatly  their  unwise  bashfulness ;  and,  to  reform 
 the  same,  persuadeth  with  them,  saying,  "Amongst  thy 
 
 *  '  Plerosque  hoc  opus  ut  publicationem  sui  aut  suft'ugere,  aut  de  die  in  diem 
 differre,  pr<esumo  pudoris  raagis  memores  quam  salutis  ;  velut  illi  qui,  in  partibus 
 verecundioribus  corporis  contracta  vexationc,  conscientiam  medentium  vitant,  et 
 ita  cum  erubescentia  sua  perount.'    Tertull.  de  pocnit.  [c.  10.] 
 
166 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 [Tertuii.  brethren  and  fellow-servants,  which  are  partakers  with 
 c  10.] ' '  thee  of  one  and  the  same  nature,  fear,  joy,  grief,  sufferings 
 (for  of  one  common  Lord  and  Father  we  have  all  received 
 one  spirit),  why  shouldest  thou  not  think  with  thyself,  that 
 they  are  but  thine  ownself?  wherefore  dost  thou  avoid 
 them,  as  likely  to  insult  over  thee,  whom  thou  knowest 
 subject  to  the  same  haps?  At  that  which  grieveth  any  one 
 part,  the  whole  body  cannot  rejoice,  it  must  needs  be  that 
 the  whole  will  labour  and  strive  to  help  that  wherewith  a 
 part  of  itself  is  molested." 
 
 St.  Cyprian,  being  grieved  with  the  dealings  of  them  who 
 in  time  of  persecution  had  through  fear  betrayed  their  Faith, 
 and  notwithstanding  thought  by  shift  to  avoid  in  that  case 
 the  necessary  Discipline  of  the  Church,  wrote  for  their 
 better  instruction  the  book  entitled  De  Lapsis ;  a  treatise 
 concerning  such  as  had  openly  forsaken  their  Religion,  and 
 yet  were  loth  openly  to  confess  their  fault  in  such  manner 
 as  they  should  have  done :  in  which  book  he  compareth 
 with  this  sort  of  men,  certain  others  which  had  but  a  pur- 
 pose only  to  have  departed  from  the  Faith  ;  and  yet  could 
 not  quiet  their  minds,  till  this  very  secret  and  hidden  fault 
 [de  Laps,  was  confessed  :  *  "  How  much  both  greater  in  Faith  (saith 
 c' St.  Cyprian),  and  also  as  touching  their  fear,  better  are 
 those  men  who  although  neither  sacrifice  nor  libel  could 
 be  objected  against  them,  yet  because  they  thought  to  have 
 done  that  which  they  should  not,  even  this  their  intent 
 they  dolefully  open  unto  God's  Priests  ?  They  confess 
 that  whereof  their  conscience  accuseth  them,  the  burden 
 that  presseth  their  minds  they  discover  ;  they  foreslow  not 
 of  smaller  and  slighter  evils  to  seek  remedy."  He  saith 
 they  declared  their  fault,  not  to  one  only  man  in  private, 
 but  revealed  it  to  God's  Priests  ;  they  confessed  it  before 
 the  whole  Consistory  of  God's  Ministers. 
 
 Salvianus  (for  I  willingly  embrace  their  conjecture,  who 
 ascribe  those  Homilies  to  him  which  have  hitherto  by  com- 
 mon error  passed  under  the  counterfeit  name  of  Eusebius 
 Emisenus),  I  say,  Salvianus,  though  coming  long  after 
 Cyprian  in  time,  giveth  nevertheless  the  same  evidence 
 for  this  truth,  in  a  case  very  little  different  from  that  before 
 alleged.    His  words  are  these :  "  Whereas,  most  dearly 
 
 *  '  Qui  necessitatem  sacrificandi  pecunia  apud  magistratum  redimebant,  atcepta 
 securitalis  syngrapha  Libellatici  dicebantux.' 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 167 
 
 beloved,  we  sec  that  Penance  oftentimes  is  sought  and  Hom-  »• 
 
 de  lnit. 
 
 sued  for  by  holy  souls,  which  even  from  their  youth  have  Qua- 
 bequeathed  themselves  a  precious  treasure  unto  God,  let  [tr0^' 
 us  know  that  the  inspiration  of  God's  good  Spirit  moveth  Par^i- 
 them  so  to  do  for  the  benefit  of  his  Church,  and  let  such  as  Bibiioth. 
 are  wounded  learn  to  inquire  for  that  remedy  whereunto  coh'ed.*" 
 the  very  soundest  do  thus  offer  and  obtrude  as  it  were 
 themselves,  that  if  the  virtuous  do  bewail  small  offences, 
 the  others  cease  not  to  lament  great."    And  surely,  when 
 a  man,  that  hath  less  need,  performeth,  sub  oculis  Ecclesice, 
 in  the  view,  sight,  and  beholding  of  the  whole  Church,  an 
 office  worthy  of  his  Faith  and  compunction  for  sin,  the 
 good  which  others  thereby  reap  is  his  own  harvest,  the 
 heap  of  his  rewards  groweth  by  that  which  another  gaineth, 
 and,  through  a  kind  of  spiritual  usury,  from  that  amend- 
 ment of  life  which  others  learn  by  him,  there  returneth 
 lucre  into  his  coffers. 
 
 The  same  Salvianus,  in  another  of  his  Homilies,  "IfHom.io. 
 faults  haply  be  not  great  and  grievous  (for  example,  if  a  Lch  ° 
 man  have  offended  in  word,  or  in  desire,  worthy  of  re-  [p- 587-1 
 proof,  if  in  the  wantonness  of  his  eye,  or  the  vanity  of  his 
 heart),  the  stains  of  words  and  thoughts  are  by  daily 
 prayer  to  be  cleansed,  and  by  private  compunction  to  be 
 scoured  out :  but  if  any  man,  examining  inwardly  his  own 
 conscience,  have  committed  some  high  and  capital  offence, 
 as,  if  by  bearing  false  witness  he  have  quelled  and  betrayed 
 his  Faith,  and  by  rashness  of  perjury  have  violated  the 
 sacred  name  of  truth  ;  if  with  the  mire  of  lustful  unclean- 
 ness  he  hath  sullied  the  veil  of  Baptism,  and  the  gorgeous 
 robe  of  virginity ;  if,  by  being  the  cause  of  any  man's 
 death,  he  have  been  the  death  of  the  new  man  within  him- 
 self ;  if,  by  conference  with  soothsayers,  wizards,  and 
 charmers,  he  hath  enthralled  himself  to  Satan  :  these  and 
 such  like  committed  crimes  cannot  thoroughly  be  taken 
 away  with  ordinary,  moderate,  and  secret  Satisfaction; 
 but  greater  causes  do  require  greater  and  sharper  reme- 
 dies, they  need  such  remedies  as  are  not  only  sharp,  but 
 solemn,  open,  and  public."*    Again,  "  Let  that  soul  (saith  iiom.s. 
 he)  answer  me,  which  through  pernicious  shamefacedness  ^ 
 is  now  so  abashed  to  acknowledge  his  sin  in  conspectu^-5*5-! 
 fralrum,  before  his  brethren,  as  he  should  have  been 
 
 * '  Graviores  et  acriores,  et  publicats  curas  rcquirunt.' 
 
168 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 abashed  to  commit  the  same,  what  will  he  do  in  the  pre- 
 sence of  that  Divine  tribunal,  where  he  is  to  stand  ar- 
 raigned in  the  assembly  of  a  glorious  and  celestial  host?" 
 I  will  hereunto  add  but  St.  Ambrose's  testimony ;  for  the 
 places  which  I  might  allege  are  more  than  the  cause 
 Lib.  ii.  itself  needeth:  "There  are  many  (saith  he)  who,  fearing 
 nitentia,  the  judgment  that  is  to  come,  and  feeling  inward  remorse 
 c- 9     of  conscience,  when  they  have  offered  themselves  unto  Pe- 
 nitency,  and  are  enjoined  what  they  shall  do,  give  back 
 for  the  only  scar  which  they  think  that  public  supplication 
 will  put  them  unto."    He  speaketh  of  them  which  sought 
 voluntarily  to  be  penanced,  and  yet  withdrew  themselves 
 from  open  Confession,  which  they  that  are  penitents  for 
 public  crimes  could  not  possibly  have  done,  and  therefore 
 it  cannot  be  said  he  meaneth  any  other  than  secret  sinners 
 in  that  place.    Gennadius,  a  Presbyter  of  Marseilles,  in 
 his  book  touching  Ecclesiastical  Assertions,  maketh  but 
 two  kinds  of  Confession  necessary :  the  one  in  private  to 
 God  alone  for  smaller  offences;  the  other  open,  when 
 [e.53.]  crimes  committed   are  heinous  and  great:  "Although 
 (saith  he)  a  man  be  bitten  with  conscience  of  sin,  let  his 
 will  be  from  thenceforward  to  sin  no  more ;  let  him,  before 
 he  communicate,  satisfy  with  tears  and  prayers,  and  then 
 putting  his  trust  in  the  mercy  of  Almighty  God  (whose 
 wont  is  to  yield  to  godly  Confession)  let  him  boldly  receive 
 the  Sacrament.    But  I  speak  this  of  such  as  have  not  bur- 
 dened themselves  with  capital  sins.    Them  I  exhort  to  sa- 
 tisfy first  by  public  Penance,  that  so  being  reconciled  by 
 the  sentence  of  the  Priest,  they  may  communicate  safely 
 with  others."    Thus  still  we  hear  of  public  Confessions, 
 although  the  crimes  themselves  discovered  were  not  pub- 
 lic ;  we  hear  that  the  cause  of  such  Confessions  was  not 
 the  openness,  but  the  greatness,  of  men's  offences  ;  finally, 
 we  hear  that  the  same  being  now  held  by  the  Church  of 
 Rome  to  be  Sacramental,  were  the  only  Penitential  Con- 
 fessions used  in  the  Church  for  a  long  time,  and  esteemed 
 as  necessary  remedies  against  sin. 
 c>pr.       They  which  will  find  Auricular  Confessions  in  Cyprian, 
 fzhli2  therefore,  must  seek  out  some  other  passage  than  that 
 BeiiaT  which  Bellarmine  allegeth ;  "  Whereas  in  smaller  faults 
 min.  de  wUjch  are  not  committed  against  the  Lord  himself,  there  is 
 iii.c.  7.j  a  competent  time  assigned  unto  Penitency,  and  that  Con- 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 169 
 
 fession  is  made,  after  that  observation*  and  trial  had  been 
 had  of  the  penitent's  behaviour,  neither  may  any  commu- 
 nicate till  the  Bishop  and  Clergy  have  laid  their  hands 
 upon  him ;  how  much  more  ought  all  things  to  be  warily 
 and  stayedly  observed,  according  to  the  Discipline  of  the 
 Lord,  in  these  most  grievous  and  extreme  crimes  V  St. 
 Cyprian's  speech  is  against  rashness  in  admitting  Idolaters 
 to  the  holy  Communion,  before  they  had  shewed  sufficient 
 Repentance,  considering  that  other  offenders  were  forced  to 
 stay  out  their  time,  and  that  they  made  not  their  public 
 Confession,  which  was  the  last  act  of  Penitency,  till  their 
 life  and  conversation  had  been  seen  into,  not  with  the  eye 
 of  auricular  scrutiny,  but  of  pastoral  observation,  accord- 
 ing to  that  in  the  Council  of  Nice,  where  thirteen  years 
 being  set  for  the  Penitency  of  certain  offenders,  the  se- 
 verity of  this  decree  is  mitigated  with  special  caution  : 
 "  That,  in  all  such  cases,  the  mind  of  the  penitent,  and  the  c°n- 
 manner  of  his  Repentance,  is  to  be  noted,  that  as  many  as  e.  c!  is." 
 with  fear  and  tears,  and  meekness,  and  the  exercise  of  ftr°0fin^e 
 
 good  works,  declared  themselves  to  be  converts  indeed, versa- 
 1        •  1  1  1    ,        .  tione 
 
 and  not  in  outward  appearance  only,  towards  them  the  pomiten. 
 
 Bishop  at  his  discretion  might  use  more  lenity."    If  the  tlum' 
 Council  of  Nice  suffice  not,  let  Gratian,  the  Founder  of  the  J3epGEdni  t 
 Canon  Law,  expound  Cyprian,  who  sheweth,  that  the  i.  cap. 
 stint  of  time  in  Penitency  is  either  to  be  abridged,  or  en-  ™™a 
 larged,  as  the  penitent's  faith  and  behaviour  shall  give 
 occasion.  "  I  have  easilier  found  out  men  (saith  St.  Am-  Ambros. 
 brose)  able  to  keep  themselves  free  from  crimes,  than  tLiil™ 
 conformable  to  the  rules  which  in  Penitency  they  should  [,'ab- 
 observe."    St.  Gregory,  Bishop  of  Nice,  complaineth  and 
 inveigheth  bitterly  against  them,  who  in  the  time  of  their 
 Penitency  lived  even  as  they  had  done  always  before  : 
 "  Their  countenance  as  cheerful,  their  attire  as  neat,  their  ^ree- 
 diet  as  costly,  and  their  sleep  as  secure  as  ever,  their  orat.  in 
 worldly  business  purposely  followed,  to  exile  pensive  Tuos"' 
 thoughts  from  their  minds,  Repentance  pretended,  but  in-  auc^rcbc 
 deed  nothing  less  expressed."    These  were  the  inspections  [tom.  a.' 
 of  life,  whereunto  St.  Cyprian  alludeth  ;  as  for  auricular  ed'par. 
 examinations,  he  knew  them  not.  l638-] 
 
 Were  the  Fathers  then  without  use  of  private  Con- 
 fession as  long  as  public  was  in  use  >    I  affirm  no  such 
 
 *  '  Inspecta  vita  ejus  qui  agit  posnitentiani.' 
 
170 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 thing.  The  first  and  ancientest  that  mentioneth  this  Con- 
 fession is  Origen,  by  whom  it  may  seem  that  men,  being 
 loth  to  present  rashly  themselves  and  their  faults  unto  the 
 view  of  the  whole  Church,  thought  it  best  to  unfold  first 
 their  minds  to  some  one  special  man  of  the  Clergy,  which 
 might  either  help  them  himself,  or  refer  them  to  a  higher 
 origen.  court,  if  need  were.  "  Be  therefore  circumspect  (saith 
 xxfvil!'  Origen)  in  making  choice  of  the  party  to  whom  thou 
 meanest  to  confess  thy  sin;  know  thy  physician  before 
 thou  use  him  :  if  he  find  thy  malady  such  as  needeth  to  be 
 made  public,  that  others  may  be  the  better  by  it,  and  thy- 
 self sooner  helped,  his  counsel  must  be  obeyed."  That 
 which  moved  sinners  thus  voluntarily  to  detect  themselves 
 both  in  private  and  in  public,  was  fear  to  receive  with  other 
 Christian  men  the  mysteries  of  heavenly  grace,  till  God's 
 appointed  Stewards  and  Ministers  did  judge  them  worthy. 
 It  is  in  this  respect  that  St.  Ambrose  findeth  fault  with 
 certain  men  which  sought  imposition  of  Penance,  and 
 were  not  willing  to  wait  their  time,  but  would  be  presently 
 A,nbros- admitted  Communicants.    *"Such  people  (saith  he)  do 
 
 de  pceni-  ' 
 
 tentia,  seek,  by  so  rash  and  preposterous  desires,  rather  to  bring 
 Lp.V  the  Priest  into  bonds  than  to  loose  themselves."  In  this 
 Aus-    respect  it  is  that  St.  Augustine  hath  likewise  said,  "When 
 
 Horn.  r  ° 
 
 de       the  wound  of  sin  is  so  wide,  and  the  disease  so  far  gone, 
 fseTm.  that  the  medicinable  Body  and  Blood  of  our  Lord  may 
 ^514]    not  be  touched,  men  are  by  the  Bishop's  authority  to  se- 
 quester themselves  from  the  altar,  till  such  time  as  they 
 have  repented,  and  be  after  reconciled  by  the  same  au- 
 thority." 
 
 Furthermore,  because  the  knowledge  how  to  handle  our 
 own  sores  is  no  vulgar  and  common  art,  but  we  either 
 carry  towards  ourselves,  for  the  most  part,  an  over-soft 
 and  gentle  hand,  fearful  of  touching  too  near  the  quick  ; 
 or  else,  endeavouring  not  to  be  partial,  we  fall  into  timo- 
 rous scrupulosities,  and  sometimes  into  those  extreme 
 discomforts  of  mind,  from  which  we  hardly  do  ever  lift  up 
 our  heads  again ;  men  thought  it  the  safest  way  to  disclose 
 their  secret  faults,  and  to  crave  imposition  of  Penance  from 
 them  whom  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  hath  left  in  his  Church 
 to  be  spiritual  and  ghostly  Physicians,  the  Guides  and 
 Pastors  of  redeemed  souls,  whose  office  doth  not  only  con- 
 
 *  'Sinon  tam  se  solvere  cupiuut  quaui  Sacerdoteru  ligare.' 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 171 
 
 sist  in  general  persuasions  unto  amendment  of  life,  but 
 also  in  private  particular  cure  of  diseased  minds. 
 
 Howsoever  the  Novatianists  presume  to  plead  against 
 the  Church  (saith  Salvianus)  that  "  every  man  ought  to  be  Hom.de 
 his  own  Penitentiary,  and  that  it  is  a  part  of  our  duty  tOtiaNiniv. 
 exercise,  but  not  of  the  Church's  authority  to  impose  or  £™jT- 
 prescribe,  Repentance  ;"  the  truth  is  otherwise,  the  best  p.  569.] 
 and  strongest  of  us  may  need,  in  such  cases,  direction: 
 "  What  doth  the  Church  in  giving  Penance,  but  shew  the  PI»WJ 
 remedies  which  sin  requireth  ?  or  what  do  we  in  receiving 
 the  same,  but  fulfil  her  precepts  ?  what  else  but  sue  unto 
 God  with  tears,  and  fasts,  that  his  merciful  ears  may  be 
 opened  ?"  St.  Augustine's  exhortation  is  directly  to  the 
 same  purpose ;  "  Let  every  man  whilst  he  hath  time  judge  Aug. 
 himself,  and  change  his  life  of  his  own  accord;  and  when  ptEnit. 
 this  is  resolved,  let  him,  from  the  disposers  of  the  holy  [^*™; 
 Sacraments*  learn  in  what  manner  he  is  to  pacify  God's  *■  ■ 9-J ci- 
 
 '  1  tatura 
 
 displeasure."  But  the  greatest  thing  which  made  men  Grat. 
 forward  and  willing,  upon  their  knees,  to  confess  whatso-  judices!' 
 ever  they  had  committed  against  God,  and  in  no  wise  to 
 be  withheld  from  the  same  with  any  fear  of  disgrace,  con- 
 tempt or  obloquy,  which  might  ensue,  was  their  fervent 
 desire  to  be  helped  and  assisted  with  the  prayers  of  God's 
 Saints.    Wherein,  as  St.  James  doth  exhort  unto  mutual Jam: 
 
 '  I_  •  V.  10. 
 
 Confession,  alleging  this  only  for  a  reason,  that  just  men's 
 devout  prayers  are  of  great  avail  with  God ;  so  it  hath 
 been  heretofore  the  use  of  penitents  for  that  intent  to  un- 
 burden their  minds,  even  to  private  persons,  and  to  crave 
 their  prayers.  Whereunto  Cassianus  alluding,  counselleth : 
 "  That  if  men  possessed  with  dulness  of  spirit  be  them-  cassian. 
 selves  unapt  to  do  that  which  is  required,  they  should 
 
 IB  c.  8. 
 
 meek  affection  seek  health  at  the  least  by  good  and  vir- 
 tuous men's  prayers  unto  God  for  them."    And  to  the 
 same  effect  Gregory,  Bishop  of  Nice :  "  Humble  thyself,  G"g- 
 and  take  unto  thee  such  of  thy  brethren  as  are  of  One  orationc 
 mind,  and  do  bear  kind  affection  towards  thee,  that  they  qnuie°*ios 
 may  together  mourn  and  labour  for  thy  deliverance.  Shew  acerbe 
 
 ,  .  111  _         _  ,11  judicant 
 
 me  thy  bitter  and  abundant  tears,  that  I  may  blend  my  [ad  fin. 
 own  with  them."  p  l37  ] 
 
 But  because  of  all  men  there  is  or  should  be  none  in 
 that  respect  more  fit  for  troubled  and  distressed  minds  to 
 
 •  '  A  praepositis  Sacramentorum  accipiat  satisfactions  sua;  modum.' 
 
172 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POL1TV. 
 
 repair  unto  than  God's  Ministers,  he  proceedeth  further  : 
 iibid  ]  "  Make  the  Priest,  as  a  father,  partaker  of  thy  affliction 
 and  grief;  be  bold  to  impart  unto  him  the  things  that  are 
 most  secret,  he  will  have  care  both  of  thy  safety  and  of 
 thy  credit." 
 
 Leo  ep.  "  Confession  (saith  Leo)  is  first  to  be  offered  to  God, 
 Epis^p.  an(l  then  to  the  Priest,  as  to  one  which  maketh  supplica- 
 campan.  tion  for  the  sins  of  penitent  offenders."  Suppose  we,  that 
 ciut.  a  men  would  ever  have  been  easily  drawn,  much  less  of  their 
 palo'.  d!  own  accord  have  come,  unto  public  Confession,  whereby 
 sufficu  knew  they  should  sound  the  trumpet  of  their  own 
 
 disgrace ;  would  they  willingly  have  done  this,  which  na- 
 turally all  men  are  loth  to  do,  but  for  the  singular  trust 
 and  confidence  which  they  had  in  the  public  prayers  of 
 Ambr.    God's  Church  ?    "  Let  thy  Mother,  the  Church,  weep  for 
 p<enit.  thee  (saith  Ambrose),  let  her  wash  and  bathe  thy  faults 
 c' 10'    with  her  tears  :  our  Lord  doth  love  that  many  should  be- 
 come suppliant  for  one."    In  like  sort,  long  before  him, 
 Tertuii.  Tertullian ;  "  Some  few  assembled  make  a  Church,  and 
 *ne  Church  is  as  Christ  himself ;  when  thou  dost  therefore 
 put  forth  thy  hands  to  the  knees  of  thy  brethren,  thou 
 touchest  Christ,  it  is  Christ  unto  whom  thou  art  a  sup- 
 plicant :  so  when  they  pour  out  tears  over  them,  it  is  even 
 Christ  that  taketh  compassion  ;  Christ  which  prayeth  when 
 they  pray  :  neither  can  that  easily  be  denied,  for  which  the 
 Son  is  himself  contented  to  become  a  suitor." 
 
 Whereas  in  these  considerations,  therefore,  voluntary 
 penitents  had  been  long  accustomed,  for  great  and  grievous 
 crimes,  though  secret,  yet  openly  both  to  repent  and  con- 
 fess as  the  Canons  of  ancient  Discipline  required ;  the 
 Greek  Church  first,  and  in  process  of  time  the  Latin, 
 altered  this  Order,  judging  it  sufficient  and  more  conve- 
 nient, that  such  offenders  should  do  Penance  and  make 
 Confession  in  private  only.  The  cause  why  the  Latins 
 Le0  Ep.  did,  Leo  declareth,  saying,  "  Although  that  ripeness  of 
 ^  Faith  be  commendable,  which  for  the  fear  of  God  doth 
 not  fear  to  incur  shame  before  all  men;  yet  because  every 
 one's  crimes  are  not  such,  that  it  can  be  free  and  safe  for 
 them  to  make  publicationof  all  things  wherein  Repentance 
 is  necessary;  let  a  custom,  so  unfit  to  be  kept,  be  abro- 
 gated, lest  many  forbear  to  use  remedies  of  Penitency, 
 whilst  they  either  blush  or  are  afraid  to  acquaint  their 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 173 
 
 enemies  with  those  acts,  for  which  the  Laws  may  take 
 hold  upon  them.  Besides,  it  shall  win  the  more  to  Repent- 
 ance, if  the  consciences  of  sinners  be  not  emptied  into  the 
 people's  ears."  And  to  this  only  cause  doth  Sozomen  im- 
 pute the  change  which  the  Grecians  made,  by  ordaining 
 throughout  all  Churches  certain  Penitentiaries  to  take  the 
 Confessions,  and  appoint  the  Penances  of  secret  offenders. 
 Socrates  (for  this  also  may  be  true,  that  more  inducements 
 than  one  did  set  forward  an  alteration  so  generally  made) 
 affirmeth  the  Grecians  (and  not  unlikely)  to  have  spe- 
 cially respected  therein  the  occasion  which  the  Nova- 
 tianists  took  at  the  multitude  of  public  penitents,  to  insult 
 over  the  Discipline  of  the  Church,  against  which  they  still 
 cried  out  wheresoever  they  had  time  and  place,  "  He  that 
 sheweth  sinners  favour,  doth  but  teach  the  innocent  to 
 sin:"  and  therefore  they  themselves  admitted  no  man  to 
 their  communion  upon  any  Repentance  which  once  was 
 known  to  have  offended  after  Baptism,  making  sinners 
 thereby  not  the  fewer,  but  the  closer  and  the  more  obdu- 
 rate, how  fair  soever  their  pretence  might  seem. 
 
 The  Grecians'  Canon  for  some  one  Presbyter  in  every 
 Church  to  undertake  the  charge  of  Penitency,  and  to  re- 
 ceive their  voluntary  Confessions  which  had  sinned  after 
 Baptism,  continued  in  force  for  the  space  of  above  some 
 hundred  years,  till  Nectarius,  and  the  Bishops  of  Churches 
 under  him,  began  a  second  alteration,  abolishing  even  that 
 Confession  which  their  Penitentiaries  took  in  private.  There 
 came  to  the  Penitentiary  of  the  Church  of  Constantinople 
 a  certain  gentlewoman,  and  to  him  she  made  particular 
 Confession  of  her  faults  committed  after  Baptism,  whom 
 thereupon  he  advised  to  continue  in  fasting  and  prayer, 
 that  as  with  tongue  she  had  acknowledged  her  sins,  so 
 there  might  appear  likewise  in  her  some  work  worthy  of 
 Repentance  :  but  the  gentlewoman  goeth  forward,  and  de- 
 tecteth  herself  of  a  crime,  whereby  they  were  forced  to  dis- 
 robe an  Ecclesiastical  person,  that  is,  to  degrade  a  Deacon 
 of  the  same  Church.  When  the  matter  by  this  mean  came 
 to  public  notice,  the  people  were  in  a  kind  of  tumult  of- 
 fended, not  only  at  that  which  was  done,  but,  much  more, 
 because  the  Church  should  thereby  endure  open  infamy 
 and  scorn.  The  Clergy  was  perplexed  and  altogether 
 doubtful  what  way  to  take,  till  one  Eudaemon,  born  in 
 
174 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Alexandria,  but  at  that  time  a  Priest  in  the  Church  of 
 Constantinople,  considering  that  the  cause  of  voluntary 
 Confession,  whether  public  or  private,  was  especially  to 
 seek  the  Church's  aid,  as  hath  been  before  declared,  lest 
 men  should  either  not  communicate  with  others,  or  wit- 
 tingly hazard  their  souls  if  so  be  they  did  communicate, 
 and  that  the  inconvenience  which  grew  to  the  whole  Church 
 was  otherwise  exceeding  great,  but  especially  grievous 
 by  means  of  so  manifold  offensive  detections,  which  must 
 needs  be  continually  more,  as  the  world  did  itself  wax 
 continually  worse  (for  antiquity,  together  with  the  gravity 
 and  severity  thereof  (saith  Sozomen),  had  already  begun 
 by  little  and  little  to  degenerate  into  loose  and  careless 
 living,  whereas  before  offences  were  less,  partly  through 
 bashfulness  in  them  which  open  their  own  faults,  and 
 partly  by  means  of  their  great  austerity  which  sate  as 
 judges  in  this  business),  these  things  Eudasmon  having 
 weighed  with  himself,  resolved  easily  the  mind  of  Necta- 
 rius,  that  the  Penitentiaries'  office  must  be  taken  away, 
 and  for  participation  in  God's  holy  mysteries  every  man 
 be  left  to  his  own  conscience ;  which  was,  as  he  thought, 
 the  only  means  to  free  the  Church  from  danger  of  obloquy 
 [socr.  an(j  disgrace.  "  Thus  much  (saith  Socrates)  I  am  the 
 Eccies.  bolder  to  relate,  because  I  received  it  from  Eudaemon's 
 c.  ig.  own  mouth,  to  whom  mine  answer  was  at  that  time ;  Whe- 
 fin  ]  ther  your  counsel,  sir,  have  been  for  the  Church's  good,  or 
 otherwise,  God  knoweth.  But  I  see  you  have  given  occa- 
 sion, whereby  we  shall  not  now  any  more  reprehend  one 
 another's  faults,  nor  observe  that  Apostolic  precept  which 
 saith,  Have  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of 
 darkness,  but  rather  be  ye  also  reprovers  of  them."  With 
 [sozom.  Socrates,  Sozomen  both  agreeth  in  the  occasion  of  abo- 
 Eccies.  lishing  Penitentiaries ;  and,  moreover,  testifieth  also,  that 
 'c  ™-  in  his  time,  living  with  the  younger  Theodosius,  the  same 
 abolition  did  still  continue,  and  that  the  Bishops  had  in  a 
 manner  every  where  followed  the  example  given  them 
 by  Nectarius. 
 
 "Wherefore,  to  implead  the  truth  of  this  history,  Cardinal 
 Baronius  allegeth  that  Socrates,  Sozomen,  and  Eudaemon 
 were  all  Novatianists;  and  that  they  falsify  in  saying 
 (for  so  they  report),  that  as  many  as  held  the  consubstan- 
 tial  being  of  Christ,  gave  their  assent  to  the  abrogation  of 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 175 
 
 the  fore-rehearsed  Canon.    The  sum  is,  he  would  have 
 taken  it  for  a  fable,  and  the  world  to  be  persuaded  that 
 Nectarius  did  never  any  such  thing.    *Why  then  should 
 Socrates  first,  and  afterwards  Sozomen,  publish  it?  To 
 please  their  pew-fellows,  the  disciples  of  Novatian?  A 
 poor  gratification,  and  they  very  silly  friends  that  would 
 take  lies  for  good  turns.    For  the  more  acceptable  the 
 matter  was,  being  deemed  true,  the  less  they  must  needs 
 (when  they  found  the  contrary)  either  credit,  or  affect 
 him  which  had  deceived  them.    Notwithstanding,  we  know 
 that  joy  and  gladness,  rising  from  false  information,  do 
 not  only  make  men  so  forward  to  believe  that  which  they 
 first  hear,  but  also  apt  to  scholy  upon  it,  and  to  report  as 
 true  whatsoever  they  wish  were  true.    But,  so  far  is  So- 
 crates from  any  such  purpose,  that  the  fact  of  Nectarius, 
 which  others  did  both  like  and  follow,  he  doth  disallow 
 and  reprove.    His  speech  to  Eudaemon,  before  set  down, 
 is  proof  sufficient  that  he  writeth  nothing  but  what  was 
 famously  known  to  all,  and  what  himself  did  wish  had  been 
 otherwise.    As  for  Sozomen's  correspondency  with  Here- 
 tics, having  shewed  to  what  end  the  Church  did  first  ordain 
 Penitentiaries,  he  addeth  immediately,  that  Novatianists, 
 which  had  no  care  of  Repentance,  could  have  no  need  of 
 this  office.    Are  these  the  words  of  a  friend  or  enemy  ? 
 Besides,  in  the  entrance  of  that  whole  narration ;  "  Not  p, 
 to  sin  (saith  he )  at  all,  would  require  a  nature  more  divine  °' 
 than  ours  is:  but  God  hath  commanded  to  pardon  sin- 
 ners ;  yea,  although  they  transgress  and  offend  often." 
 Could  there  be  any  thing  spoken  more  directly  opposite 
 to  the  doctrine  of  Novatian?  Eudaemon  was  Presbyter 
 under  Nectarius. 
 
 To  Novatianists  the  Emperor  gave  liberty  of  using  their 
 Religion  quietly  by  themselves,  under  a  Bishop  of  their 
 
 *  '  Tanta  h<cc  Socrati  testanti  praestanda  est  fides,  quanta  caueris  Hrereticis  de 
 suis  dogmatibus  tractantibus  ;  quippe  Novatianus  secta  cum  fuerit,  quam  vere  ac 
 sincere  haec  scripserit  adversus  pocnitentiam  in  Ecclesia  administrari  solitam, 
 quemlibet  credo  posse  facile  judicare.'    Baron,  vol.  i.  an.  Chr.  56.  [c.  26.] 
 
 '  Sozomenuni  eandem  prorsus  causam  fovisse  certum  est.  Nec  Euda^monem 
 ilium  alium  quam  Novatianie  secta;  hominem  fuisse  credendum  est.'  Ibidem. 
 
 '  Sacerdos  ille  merito  a  Nectario  est  gradu  amotus  oflicioque  depositus,  quo 
 facto  Novatiani  (ut  mos  est  Hasreticoruni)  quamcunque  licet  Ievem,  ut  sinceris 
 dogmatibus  detrabant,  accipere  ausi  occasionem,  non  tantum  Presbyterum  preni- 
 tentiarium  in  ordinem  redactum,  sed  et  paenitentiam  ipsam  una  cum  eo  fuisse 
 proscriptam,  calumniose  admodum  conclamarunt,  cum  tamen  ilia  potius  tbeatralis 
 fieri  interdmn  solita  peccatorum  fuerit  abrogata.'    Ibidem,  [c.  33.] 
 
176 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 own,  even  within  the  city,  for  that  they  stood  with  the 
 Church  in  defence  of  the  Catholic  Faith  against  all  other 
 Heretics  besides.  Had  therefore  Eudaemon  favoured  their 
 Heresy,  their  camps  were  not  pitched  so  far  off  but  he  might 
 at  all  times  have  found  easy  access  unto  them.  Is  there 
 any  man  that  hath  lived  with  him,  and  hath  touched  him 
 that  way?  if  not,  why  suspect  we  him  more  than  Necta- 
 rius  ?  Their  report,  touching  Grecian  Catholic  Bishops, 
 who  gave  approbation  to  that  which  was  done,  and  did  also 
 the  like  themselves  in  their  own  Churches,  we  have  no  rea- 
 son to  discredit  without  some  manifest  and  clear  evidence 
 brought  against  it.  For  of  Catholic  Bishops,  no  likelihood 
 but  that  their  greatest  respect  to  Nectarius,  a  man  ho- 
 noured in  those  parts  no  less  than  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
 himself  in  the  Western  Churches,  brought  them  both  easily 
 and  speedily  unto  conformity  with  him  ;  Arians,  Eunomi- 
 ans,  Apollinarians,  and  the  rest  that  stood  divided  from  the 
 Church,  held  their  Penitentiaries  as  before.  Novatianists 
 from  the  beginning  had  never  any,  because  their  opinion 
 touching  Penitency  was  against  the  practice  of  the  Church 
 therein,  and  a  cause  why  they  severed  themselves  from  the 
 Church :  so  that  the  very  state  of  things,  as  they  then  stood, 
 giveth  great  show  of  probability  to  his  speech,  who  hath 
 [socrat.  affirmed,  "  That  they  only  which  held  the  Son  consub- 
 Eccies.  stantial  with  the  Father,  and  Novatianists  which  joined 
 c  19]  them  in  the  same  opinion,  had  no  Penitentiaries  in 
 
 their  Churches,  the  rest  retained  them."  By  this  it  appear- 
 eth,  therefore,  how  Baronius,  finding  the  relation  plain, 
 that  Nectarius  did  abolish  even  those  private  secret  Con- 
 fessions which  the  people  had  been  before  accustomed  to 
 make  to  him  that  was  Penitentiary,  laboureth  what  he  may 
 to  discredit  the  authors  of  the  report,  and  leave  it  imprinted 
 in  men's  minds,  that  whereas  Nectarius  did  but  abrogate 
 public  Confession,  Novatianists  have  maliciously  forged 
 the  abolition  of  private ;  as  if  the  odds  betw  een  these  two 
 were  so  great  in  the  balance  of  their  judgment,  which 
 equally  hated  or  contemned  both,  or,  as  if  it  were  not  more 
 clear  than  light,  that  the  first  alteration  which  established 
 Penitentiaries  took  away  the  burden  of  public  Confession 
 in  that  kind  of  penitents  ;  and,  therefore,  the  second  must 
 either  abrogate  private,  or  nothing. 
 
 Cardinal  Bellarmine,  therefore,  finding  that  against  the 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 177 
 
 writers  of  the  History  it  is  but  vain  to  stand  upon  so  doubt- 
 .  ful  terms  and  exceptions,  endeavoureth  mightily  to  prove, 
 even  by  their  report,  no  other  Confession  taken  away  than 
 public,  which  Penitentiaries  used  in  private  to  impose 
 upon  public  offenders :  "  For  why?  It  is  (saith  he)  very  [Beiiarm. 
 certain,  that  the  name  of  penitents  in  the  Fathers'  writings  Lui.""" ' 
 signifieth  only  public  penitents ;  certain,  that  to  hear  the  c- l4j 
 Confessions  of  the  rest  was  more  than  one  could  possibly 
 have  done ;  certain,  that  Sozomen,  to  shew  how  the  Latin 
 Church  retained  in  his  time  what  the  Greek  had  clean  cast 
 off,  declareth  the  whole  Order  of  public  Penitency  used  in 
 the  Church  of  Rome,  but  of  private  he  maketh  no  mention." 
 And,  in  these  considerations,  Bellarmine  Avill  have  it  the 
 meaning  both  of  Socrates  and  Sozomen,  that  the  former 
 Episcopal  Constitution,  which  first  did  erect  Penitentiaries, 
 could  not  concern  any  other  offenders  than  such  as  publickly 
 had  sinned  after  Baptism  ;  that  only  they  were  prohibited 
 to  come  to  the  Holy  Communion,  except  they  did  first  in 
 secret  confess  all  their  sins  to  the  Penitentiary,  by  his  ap- 
 pointment openly  acknowledge  their  open  crimes,  and  do 
 public  Penance  for  them ;  that  whereas,  before  Novatian's 
 uprising,  no  man  was  constrainable  to  confess  publickly  any 
 sin,  this  Canon  enforced  public  offenders  thereunto,  till 
 such  time  as  Nectarius  thought  good  to  extinguish  the 
 practice  thereof. 
 
 Let  us  examine,  therefore,  these  subtle  and  fine  conjec- 
 tures, whether  they  be  able  to  hold  the  touch.  "  It  seem- 
 eth  good  (saith  Socrates)  to  put  down  the  office  of  these 
 Priests  which  had  charge  of  Penitency  ;  what  charge  that 
 was,  thekinds  of  Penitency  then  usual  mustmake  manifest."* 
 There  is  often  speech  in  the  Father's  writings,  in  their  books 
 frequent  mention  of  Penitency,  exercised  within  the  cham- 
 bers of  our  heart,  and  seen  of  God,  and  not  communicated 
 to  any  other,  the  whole  charge  of  which  Penitency  is  im- 
 posed of  God,  and  doth  rest  upon  the  sinner  himself. 
 But  if  penitents  in  secret,  being  guilty  of  crimes  whereby 
 they  knew  they  had  made  themselves  unfit  guests  for  the 
 Table  of  our  Lord,  did  seek  direction  for  their  better  per- 
 formance of  that  which  should  set  them  clear,  it  was  in 
 this  case  the  Penitentiary's  office  to  take  their  Confessions, 
 to  advise  them  the  best  way  he  could  for  their  souls'  good, 
 
 •  Tot/;  Jiro  Trie  fxeramai;  ntptttew  ir{ea-8vjipovs .  [Hist.  Eccles.  1.  v.  c.  19.] 
 VOL.  II.  N 
 
178 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 to  admonish  them,  to  counsel  them,  but  not  to  lay  upon 
 them  more  than  private  Penance.  As  for  notorious  wicked 
 persons,  whose  crimes  were  known,  to  convict,  judge,  and 
 punish  them  was  the  office  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Consistory; 
 Penitentiaries  had  their  institution  to  another  end.  But 
 unless  we  imagine  that  the  ancient  time  knew  no  other 
 Repentance  than  public,  or  that  they  had  little  occasion  to 
 speak  of  any  other  Repentance,  or  else  that  in  speaking 
 thereof  tbey  used  continually  some  other  name,  and  not  the 
 name  of  Repentance,  whereby  to  express  private  Penitency, 
 how  standeth  it  with  reason,  that  whensoever  they  write  of 
 penitents,  it  should  be  thought  they  meant  only  public 
 penitents  ?  The  truth  is,  they  handle  all  three  kinds,  but 
 private  and  voluntary  Repentance  much  oftener,  as  being  of 
 far  more  general  use ;  whereas  public  was  but  incident 
 unto  few,  and  not  oftener  than  once  incident  unto  any. 
 Howbeit,  because  they  do  not  distinguish  one  kind  of 
 Penitency  from  another  by  difference  of  names,  our  safest 
 way  for  construction  is  to  follow  circumstance  of  matter, 
 which  in  this  narration  will  not  yield  itself  applicable  only 
 unto  public  Penance,  do  what  they  can  that  would  so  ex- 
 pound it. 
 
 They  boldly  and  confidently  affirm,  that  no  man  being 
 compellable  to  confess  publickly  any  sin  before  Novatian's 
 time,  the  end  of  instituting  Penitentiaries  afterwards  in  the 
 Church  was,  that  by  them  men  might  be  constrained  unto 
 public  Confession.  Is  there  any  record  in  the  world  which 
 doth  testify  this  to  be  true  ?  There  is  that  testifieth  the 
 plain  contrary :  for  Sozomen,  declaring  purposely  the  cause 
 [sozom.  of  their  institution,  saith,  "  That  whereas  men  openly  crav- 
 Ecdes.  ing  pardon  at  God's  hands  (for  public  Confession,  the  last 
 ™-  act  of  Penitency,  was  always  made  in  the  form  of  a  contrite 
 prayer  unto  God),  it  could  not  be  avoided,  but  they  must 
 withal  confess  what  their  offences  were."  This,  in  the 
 opinion  of  their  Prelate,  seemed  from  the  first  beginning  (as 
 we  may  probably  think)  to  be  somewhat  burdensome  ;  that 
 men,  whose  crimes  were  unknown,  should  blaze  their  own 
 faults,  as  it  were,  on  the  stage,  acquainting  all  the  people 
 with  whatsoever  they  had  done  amiss.  And,  therefore,  to 
 remedy  this  inconvenience,  they  laid  the  charge  upon  one 
 only  Priest,  chosen  out  of  such  as  were  of  best  conversa- 
 tion, a  silent  and  a  discreet  man,  to  whom  they  which  had 
 
BOOK  vr. 
 
 179 
 
 offended  might  resort,  and  lay  open  their  lives.    He,  ac- 
 cording to  the  quality  of  every  one's  transgressions,  ap- 
 pointed what  they  should  do  or  suffer,  and  left  them  to 
 execute  it  upon  themselves.    Can  we  wish  a  more  direct 
 and  evident  testimony,  that  the  office  here  spoken  of  was 
 to  ease  voluntary  penitents  from  the  burden  of  public  Con- 
 fessions, and  not  to  constrain  notorious  offenders  there- 
 unto ?    That  such  offenders  were  not  compellable  to  open 
 Confessions  till  Novatian's  time,  that  is  to  say,  till  after  the 
 days  of  persecution  under  Decius  the  Emperor,  they  of 
 all  men  should  not  so  peremptorily  avouch ;  with  whom,  if 
 Fabian,  Bishop  of  Rome,  who  suffered  martyrdom  in  the 
 first  year  of  Decius,  be  of  any  authority  and  credit,  it  must 
 enforce  them  to  reverse  their  sentence ;  his  words  are  so 
 plain  and  clear  against  them.    "  For  such  as  commit  those  Fab. 
 crimes,  whereof  the  Apostle  hath  said,  They  that  do  them 
 shall  never  inherit  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  must  (saith  he)  *°m-  «• 
 be  forced  unto  amendment,  because  they  slip  down  into  P.  358. 
 Hell,  if  Ecclesiastical  authority  stay  them  not."  Their 
 conceit  of  impossibility,  that  one  man  should  suffice  to  take 
 the  general  charge  of  Penitency  in  such  a  Church  as  Con- 
 stantinople, hath  risen  from  a  mere  erroneous  supposal, 
 that  the  ancient  manner  of  private  Confession  was  like  the 
 Shrift  at  this  day  usual  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  which  tieth 
 all  men  at  one  certain  time  to  make  Confession  ;  whereas 
 Confession  was  then  neither  looked  for,  till  men  did  offer 
 it,  nor  offered  for  the  most  part  by  any  other  than  such  as 
 were  guilty  of  heinous  transgressions,  nor  to  them  any  time 
 appointed  for  that  purpose.   Finally,  the  drift  which  Sozo- 
 menhad  in  relating  the  Discipline  of  Rome,  and  the  Form  of 
 public  Penitency  there  retained  even  till  his  time,  is  not  to 
 signify  that  only  public  Confession  was  abrogated  by  Necta- 
 rius,  but  that  the  West  or  Latin  Church  held  still  one  and 
 the  same  Order  from  the  very  beginning,  and  had  not,  as  the 
 Greek,  first  cut  off  public  voluntary  Confession  by  ordain- 
 ing, and  then  private  by  removing  Penitentiaries.  Where- 
 fore, to  conclude,  it  standeth,  I  hope,  very  plain  and  clear, 
 first,  against  the  one  Cardinal,  that  Nectarius  did  truly  abro- 
 gate Confession  in  such  sort  as  the  Ecclesiastical  History 
 hath  reported;  and,  secondly,  as  clear  against  them  both, 
 that  it  was  not  public  Confession  only  which  ISectarius  did 
 abolish. 
 
 n  2 
 
180 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 The  paradox  in  maintenance  whereof  Hessels  wrote 
 purposely  a  book  touching  this  argument,  to  shew  that 
 Nectarius  did  but  put  the  Penitentiary  from  his  office, 
 and  not  take  away  the  office  itself,*  is  repugnant  to  the 
 whole  advice  which  Eudaeraon  gave,  of  leaving  the  people 
 from  that  time  forwards  to  their  own  consciences ;  repug- 
 nant to  the  conference  between  Socrates  and  Eudaemon, 
 wherein  complaint  is  made  of  some  inconvenience  which 
 the  want  of  the  office  would  breed ;  finally,  repugnant  to  that 
 which  the  History  declareth  concerning  other  Churches, 
 which  did  as  Nectarius  had  done  before  them,  not  in 
 deposing  the  same  man  (for  that  was  impossible),  but  in 
 removing  the  same  office  out  of  their  Churches,  which 
 Nectarius  had  banished  from  his.    For  which  cause,  Bel- 
 larmine  doth  well  reject  the  opinion  of  Hessels,  howsoever 
 it  please  Pamelius  to  admire  it  as  a  wonderful  happy  in- 
 vention.   But  in  sum,  they  are  all  gravelled,  no  one  of 
 them  able  to  go  smoothly  away,  and  to  satisfy  either  others 
 or  himself  with  his  own  conceit  concerning  Nectarius. 
 
 Only  in  this  they  are  stiff,  that  Auricular  Confession 
 Nectarius  did  not  abrogate,  lest  if  so  much  should  be  ac- 
 knowledged, it  might  enforce  them  to  grant  that  the  Greek 
 Church  at  that  time  held  not  Confession,  as  the  Latin  now 
 doth,  to  be  the  part  of  a  Sacrament  instituted  by  our  Saviour 
 Jesus  Christ,  which  therefore  the  Church  till  the  world's 
 end  hath  no  power  to  alter.  Yet  seeing  that  as  long  as 
 public  voluntary  Confession  of  private  crimes  did  not  con- 
 tinue in  either  Church  (as  in  the  one  it  remaineth  not  much 
 above  two  hundred  years,  in  the  other  about  four  hundred), 
 the  only  acts  of  such  Repentance  were ;  first,  the  offender's 
 intimation  of  those  crimes  to  some  one  Presbyter,  for 
 which  imposition  of  Penance  was  sought ;  secondly,  the 
 undertaking  of  Penance  imposed  by  the  Bishop  ;  thirdly, 
 after  the  same  performed  and  ended,  open  Confession 
 to  God  in  the  hearing  of  the  whole  Church ;  whereupon, 
 fourthly,  ensued  the  Prayer  of  the  Church ;  fifthly,  then 
 the  Bishop's  Imposition  of  Hands ;  and  so,  sixthly,  the 
 party's  reconciliation  or  restitution  to  his  former  right  in 
 the  holy  Sacrament :  I  would  gladly  know  of  them  which 
 
 *  'Nec  est  quod  sibi  blandiantur  illi  de  facto  Nectarii,  cum  idpotius  secretorum 
 peccatorum  Confessionem  comprobet,  et  non  aliud  quamPresbyterum  poenitentialem 
 illo  officio  suo  moverit;  uti  amplissime  deducit  D.  Iohannes  Hasselus.'  Pamiel.in 
 Cypr.  lib.  de  annot.  98.  et  in  lib.  Tertull.  de  Pocnit.  annot.  1. 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 181 
 
 make  only  private  Confession  a  part  of  their  Sacrament  of 
 Penance,  how  it  could  be  so  in  those  times.    For  where 
 the  Sacrament  of  Penance  is  ministered,  they  hold  that 
 Confession  to  be  Sacramental  which  he  receiveth  who 
 must  absolve ;  whereas  during  the  fore-rehearsed  manner 
 of  Penance,  it  can  no  where  be  shewed,  that  the  Priests  to 
 whom  secret  information  was  given  did  reconcile  or  absolve 
 any ;  for  how  could  he,  when  public  Confession  was  to  go 
 before  reconciliation,  and  reconciliation  likewise  in  public 
 thereupon  to  ensue  ?    So  that  if  they  did  account  any  Con- 
 fession Sacramental,  it  was  surely  public,  which  is  now 
 abolished  in  the  Church  of  Rome ;  and  as  for  that  which  the 
 Church  of  Rome  doth  so  esteem,  the  Ancients  neither  had 
 it  in  such  estimation,  nor  thought  it  to  be  of  so  absolute 
 necessity  for  the  taking  away  of  sin;  but  (for  any  thing 
 that  I  could  ever  observe  out  of  them)  although  not  only 
 in  crimes  open  and  notorious,  which  made  men  unworthy 
 and  incapable  of  holy  mysteries,  their  discipline  required 
 first  public  Penance,  and  then  granted  that  which  St.  Jerome 
 mentioneth,  saying,  "The  Priest  layeth  his  hand  upon  the 
 penitent,  and  by  invocation  entreateth  that  the  Holy  Ghost 
 may  return  to  him  again ;  and  so,  after  having  enjoined 
 solemnly  all  the  people  to  pray  for  him,  reconcileth  to  the 
 altar  him  who  was  delivered  to  Satan  for  the  destruction 
 of  his  flesh,  that  his  spirit  might  be  safe  in  the  day  of  the 
 Lord."* — Although  I  say  not  only  in  such  offences  being 
 famously  known  to  the  world,  but  also,  if  the  same  were 
 committed  secretly,  it  was  the  customs  of  those  times  both 
 that  private  intimation  should  be  given  and  public  Confes- 
 sion made  thereof ;  in  which  respect  whereas  all  men  did 
 willingly  the  one,  but  would  as  willingly  have  withdrawn 
 themselves  from  the  other  had  they  known  how;  "Is  it  AmbroS. 
 tolerable  (saith  St.  Ambrose)  that  to  sue  to  God  thou  f."^''' 
 shouldest  be  ashamed,  which  blushest  not  to  seek  and  sue  c- 10, 
 unto  man  ?    Should  it  grieve  thee  to  be  a  suppliant  to  him 
 from  whom  thou  canst  not  possibly  hide  thyself;  when  to 
 open  thy  sins  to  him,  from  whom,  if  thou  wouldest,  thou 
 mightest  conceal  them,  it  doth  not  any  thing  at  all  trouble 
 thee  ?    This  thou  art  loth  to  do  in  the  Church,  where,  all 
 
 •  '  Sacerdos  imponit  manum  subjecto,  reditum  Spiritus  Sancti  invocat,  atque  ita 
 eura,  qui  traditus  fuerat  Satanae  in  interitum  carais,  ut  Spiritus  salvus  fieret,  in- 
 dicta  in  populuui  oratione,  altari  reconciliat.'  Hier.  adrers.  Lucif.  [§.  b.  col.  5291. 
 vol.  iv.J 
 
182 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 being  sinners,  nothing  is  more  opprobrious  indeed  than 
 concealment  of  sin,  the  most  humble  the  best,  thought 
 of,  and  the  lowliest  accounted  the  justest."  All  this  not- 
 withstanding, we  should  do  them  very  great  wrong  to  father 
 any  such  opinion  upon  them,  as  if  they  did  teach  it  a  thing 
 impossible  for  any  sinner  to  reconcile  himself  unto  God 
 without  Confession  unto  the  Priest. 
 
 *  Would  Chrysostom,  thus  persuaded,  have  said,  "  Let 
 the  inquiry  and  punishment  of  thy  offences  be  made  in  thy 
 own  thoughts;  let  the  tribunal  whereat  thou  arraignest 
 thyself  be  without  witness ;  let  God,  and  only  God,  see 
 thee  and  thy  Confession? 
 
 conat"'  Would  Cassianus,  so  believing,  have  given  counsel, "  That 
 20.  c  s.  if  any  were  withheld  with  bashfulness  from  discovering  their 
 faults  to  men,  they  should  be  so  much  the  more  instant  and 
 constant  in  opening  them  by  supplication  to  God  himself, 
 whose  wont  is  to  help  without  publication  of  men's  shame, 
 and  not  to  upbraid  them  when  he  pardoneth?" 
 
 Finally,  would  Prosper,  settled  in  this  opinion,  have  made 
 it,  as  touching  reconciliation  to  God,  a  matter  indifferent, 
 prosper,  f  Whether  men  of  Ecclesiastical  Order  did  detect  their 
 ce0n.,ta  crimes  by  Confession,  or  leaving  the  world  ignorant  thereof, 
 tempi.  WOuld  separate  voluntarily  themselves  for  a  time  from  the 
 altar,  though  not  in  affection,  yet  in  execution  of  their  Mi- 
 nistry, and  so  bewail  their  corrupt  life  ?"  Would  he  have 
 willed  them  as  he  doth  "  to  make  bold  of  it,  that  the  favour 
 of  God  being  either  way  recovered  by  fruits  of  forcible 
 Repentance,  they  should  not  only  receive  whatsoever  they 
 had  lost  by  sin,  but  also,  after  their  new  enfranchisement, 
 aspire  to  endless  joys  of  that  supernal  City  ?"  To  con- 
 clude, we  every  where  find  the  use  of  Confession,  especi- 
 ally public,  allowed  of  and  commended  by  the  Fathers ; 
 but  that  extreme  and  rigorous  necessity  of  auricular  and 
 private  Confession,  which  is  at  this  day  so  mightily  upheld 
 by  the  Church  of  Rome,  we  find  not.  First,  it  was  not 
 then  the  Faith  and  Doctrine  of  God's  Church,  as  of  the 
 Papacy  at  this  present.  Secondly,  that  the  only  remedy 
 for  sin  after  Baptism  is  Sacramental  Penitency.  Thirdly, 
 that  Confession  in  secret  is  an  essential  part  thereof. 
 
 *  Chrys.  Horn,  nepl  /ou-ravcta?  xai  i£ofA,<>\oyn?£<0i.  Ua^a  to~;  Xoydr/uo"?  ywea-Qie  "ri;i> 
 itiit'hniAiJLi'KrifAiixv  h  i%t-i&7ts,  afiafruptiv  'iftai  to  Jixa^Tiipw  o  ©so;  ipartv  fAovo(  ifyfioKe- 
 youpivov. 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 183 
 
 Fourthly,  that  God  himself  cannot  now  forgive  sin  with- 
 out the  Priest.  That,  because  forgiveness  at  the  hands 
 of  the  Priest  must  arise  from  Confession  in  the  offenders, 
 therefore  to  confess  unto  him  is  a  matter  of  such  necessity, 
 as  being  not  either  in  deed,  or,  at  the  least,  in  desire  per- 
 formed, excludeth  utterly  from  all  pardon,  and  must  con- 
 sequently in  Scripture  be  commanded  wheresoever  any 
 promise  of  forgiveness  is  made.  No,  no;  these  opinions 
 have  youth  in  their  countenance,  antiquity  knew  them  not, 
 it  never  thought  nor  dreamed  of  them. 
 
 But  to  let  pass  the  Papacy.  Forasmuch  as  Repentance 
 doth  import  alteration  within  the  mind  of  a  sinful  man, 
 whereby,  through  the  power  of  God's  most  gracious  and 
 blessed  Spirit,  he  seeth  and  with  unfeigned  sorrow  ac- 
 knowledged former  offences  committed  against  God,  hath 
 them  in  utter  detestation,  seeking  pardon  for  them  in  such 
 sort  as  a  Christian  should  do,  and  with  a  resolute  purpose 
 settleth  himself  to  avoid  them,  leading,  as  near  as  God 
 shall  assist  him,  for  ever  after,  an  unspotted  life ;  and  in 
 the  Order  (which  Christian  Religion  hath  taught  for  pro- 
 curement of  God's  mercy  towards  sinners)  Confession  is 
 acknowledged  a  principal  duty,  yea,  in  some  cases,  Con- 
 fession to  man,  not  to  God  only :  it  is  not  in  reformed  caw. 
 Churches  denied  by  the  learneder  sort  of  Divines,  but  that  i™*'.*, 
 even  this  Confession,  cleared  from  all  errors,  is  both  lawful sect-7 
 and  behoveful  for  Gods's  people. 
 
 Confession  by  man  being  either  private  or  public,  private 
 Confession  to  the  Minister  alone  touching  secret  crimes,  or 
 Absolution  thereupon  ensuing,  as  the  one,  so  the  other  is 
 neither  practised  by  the  French  Discipline,  nor  used  in  any 
 of  those  Churches  which  have  been  cast  by  the  French 
 mould.  Open  Confession  to  be  made  in  the  face  of  the 
 whole  Congregation  by  notorious  malefactors  they  hold 
 necessary ;  howbeit  not  necessary  towards  the  remission 
 of  sins,*  but  only  in  some  sort  to  content  the  Church,  and 
 that  one  man's  Repentance  may  seem  to  strengthen  many, 
 which  before  had  been  weakened  by  one  man's  fall. 
 
 Saxonians  and  Bohemians  in  their  Discipline  constrain  Harm, 
 no  man  to  open  Confession.    Their  doctrine  is,  that  whose  se°t.' 
 
 •  '  Sed  tantum  utEcclesia:  sit  aliqua  ratione  satisfactum,  et  omnes  unius  pocni- 
 tentia  confirmentur,  qui  fuerant  unius  peccatis  et  scatulalis  vulnerati.'  Sadeel.  in 
 Psal.  xxxii.  ver.  5. 
 
184 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 riii.  faults  have  been  public,  and  thereby  scandalous  unto  the 
 "p."  world,  such,  when  God  giveth  them  the  spirit  of  Repentance, 
 confess,  ought  as  solemnly  to  return,  as  they  have  openly  gone 
 astray :  first,  for  the  better  testimony  of  their  own  un- 
 feigned conversion  unto  God ;  secondly,  the  more  to  notify 
 their  reconcilement  uuto  the  Church ;  and  lastly,  that  others 
 may  make  benefit  of  their  example. 
 
 But  concerning  Confession  in  private,  the  Churches  of 
 Germany,  as  well  the  rest  as  Lutherans,  agree,  that  all  men 
 should  at  certain  times  confess  their  offences  to  God  in  the 
 hearing  of  God's  Ministers,  thereby  to  shew  how  their  sins 
 displease  them;  to  receive  instruction  for  the  warier  car- 
 riage of  themselves  hereafter;  to  be  soundly  resolved,  if  any 
 scruple  or  snare  of  conscience  do  entangle  their  minds; 
 and,  which  is  most  material,  to  the  end  that  men  may 
 at  God's  hand  seek  every  one  his  own  particular  pardon, 
 through  the  power  of  those  Keys,  which  the  Minister  of  God 
 using  according  to  our  blessed  Saviours  institution,  in  that 
 case  it  is  their  part  to  accept  the  benefit  thereof  as  God's 
 most  merciful  Ordinance  for  their  good,  and,  without  any 
 distrust  or  doubt,  to  embrace  joyfully  his  grace  so  given 
 them  according  to  the  word  of  our  Lord,  which  hath  said, 
 [John  "  Whose  sins  ye  remit  they  are  remitted."  So  that  ground- 
 clpfjl!.  ing  upon  this  assured  belief,  they  are  to  rest  with  minds  en- 
 Bohem'"  coura»ed  and  persuaded  concerning  the  forgiveness  of  all 
 their  sins,  as  out  of  Christ's  owTiwTord  and  power  by  the  Mi- 
 nistry of  the  Keys. 
 
 It  standeth  with  us  in  the  Church  of  England,  as  touch- 
 ing public  Confession,  thus: 
 
 First,  seeing  day  by  day  we  in  our  Church  begin  our  public 
 Prayers  to  Almighty  God  with  public  acknowledgment  of 
 our  sins,  in  which  Confession  every  man,  prostrate  as  it 
 were  before  his  glorious  Majesty,  crieth  against  himself, 
 and  the  Minister  with  one  sentence  pronounceth  universally 
 all  clear  whose  acknowledgment  so  made  hath  proceeded 
 from  a  true  penitent  mind;  what  reason  is  there  every  man 
 should  not,  under  the  general  terms  of  Confession,  repre- 
 sent to  himself  his  own  particulars  whatsoever,  and  adjoin- 
 ing thereunto  that  affection  which  a  contrite  spirit  worketh, 
 embrace  to  as  full  effect  the  words  of  divine  grace,  as  if  the 
 same  were  severally  and  particularly  uttered  with  addition 
 of  Prayers,  Imposition  of  Hands,  or  all  the  Ceremonies  and 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 185 
 
 Solemnities  that  might  be  used  for  the  strengthening  of 
 men's  affiance  in  God's  peculiar  mercy  towards  them  ?  Such 
 complements  are  helps  to  support  our  weakness,  and  not 
 causes  that  serve  to  procure  or  produce  his  gifts,  as  David 
 speaketh.  The  difference  of  general  and  particular  Forms 
 in  Confession  and  Absolution  is  not  so  material  that  any 
 man's  safety  or  ghostly  good  should  depend  upon  it. 
 
 And  for  private  Confession  and  Absolution  it  standeth 
 thus  with  us : 
 
 *The  Minister's  power  to  absolve  is  publickly  taught  and 
 professed,  the  Church  not  denied  to  have  authority  either 
 of  abridging  or  enlarging  the  use  and  exercise  of  that  power, 
 upon  the  people  no  such  necessity  imposed  of  opening  their 
 transgression  unto  men,  as  if  remission  of  sins  otherwise 
 were  impossible ;  neither  any  such  opinion  had  of  the  thing 
 itself,  as  though  it  were  either  unlawful  or  unprofitable,  save 
 only  for  these  inconveniencies  which  the  world  hath  by  ex- 
 perience observed  in  it  heretofore.  And  in  regard  thereof, 
 the  Church  of  England  hath  hitherto  thought  it  the  safer 
 way  to  refer  men's  hidden  crimesunto  God  and  themselves 
 only  ;  howbeit,  not  without  special  caution  for  the  admoni- 
 tion of  such  as  come  to  the  holy  Sacrament,  and  for  the 
 comfort  of  such  as  are  ready  to  depart  the  world.  First, 
 because  there  are  but  few  that  consider  how  much  that  part 
 of  Divine  Service  which  consists  in  partaking  the  holy  Eu- 
 charist, doth  import  their  souls  ;  what  they  lose  by  neglect 
 thereof,  and  what  by  devout  practice  they  might  attain  unto : 
 therefore,  lest  carelessness  of  general  Confession  should,  as 
 commonly  it  doth,  extinguish  all  remorse  of  men's  particu- 
 lar enormous  crimes,  our  custom  (whensoever  men  present 
 themselves  at  the  Lord's  Table)  is,  solemnly  to  give  them- 
 selves fearful  admonition,  what  woes  are  perpendicularly 
 hanging  over  the  heads  of  such  as  dare  adventure  to  put 
 forth  their  unworthy  hands  to  those  admirable  mysteries  of 
 life,  which  have  by  rare  examples  been  proved  conduits  of 
 irremediable  death  to  impenitent  receivers ;  whom  there- 
 fore, as  we  repel  being  known,  so  being  not  known,  we  can- 
 not but  terrify.  Yet,  with  us,  the  Ministers  of  God's  most 
 Holy  Word  and  Sacraments,  being  all  put  in  trust  with  the 
 custody  and  dispensation  of  those  mysteries  wherein  our 
 Communion  is,  and  hath  been  ever,  accounted  the  highest 
 
 *  '  As  for  private  Confession,  abuses  and  errors  set  apart,  we  condemn  it  not, 
 but  leave  it  at  liberty.'    Jewell,  Defen.  part  156. 
 
18G 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 grace  that  men  on  earth  are  admitted  unto,  have  therefore 
 all  equally  the  same  power  to  withhold  that  sacred  mysti- 
 cal food  from  notorious  evil-livers,  from  such  as  have  any 
 way  wronged  their  neighbours,  and  from  parties  between 
 whom  there  doth  open  hatred  and  malice  appear,  till  the 
 first  sort  have  reformed  their  wicked  lives,  the  second  re- 
 compensed them  unto  whom  they  were  injurious,  and  the 
 last  condescended  unto  some  course  of  Christian  reconci- 
 liation, whereupon  their  mutual  accord  may  ensue.  In 
 which  cases,  for  the  first  branch  of  wicked  life,  and  the  last, 
 which  is  open  enmity,  there  can  arise  no  great  difficulty 
 about  the  exercise  of  his  power ;  in  the  second,  concerning 
 wrongs,  they  may,  if  men  shall  presume  to  define  or  mea- 
 sure injuries  according  to  their  own  conceits,  be  depraved 
 oftentimes  as  well  by  error  as  partiality,  and  that  no  less  to 
 the  Minister  himself,  than  in  another  of  the  people  under  him. 
 
 The  knowledge,  therefore,  which  he  taketh  of  wrongs 
 must  rise,  as  it  doth  in  the  other  two,  not  from  his  own 
 opinion  or  conscience,  but  from  the  evidence  of  the  fact 
 which  is  committed ;  yea,  from  such  evidence  as  neither 
 doth  admit  denial  nor  defence.  For  if  the  offender,  having 
 either  colour  of  Law  to  uphold,  or  any  other  pretence  to 
 excuse,  his  own  uncharitable  and  wrongful  dealings,  shall 
 wilfully  stand  in  defence  thereof,  it  serveth  as  bar  to  the 
 power  of  the  Minister  in  this  kind.*  Because  (as  it  is 
 observed  by  men  of  very  good  judgment  in  these  affairs ) 
 although  in  this  sort  our  separating  of  them  be  not  to 
 strike  them  with  the  mortal  wound  of  excommunication, 
 but  to  stay  them  rather  from  running  desperately  headlong 
 into  their  own  harm ;  yet  it  is  not  in  us  to  sever  from  the 
 holy  Communion  but  such  as  are  either  found  culpable 
 by  their  own  Confession,  or  have  been  convicted  in  some 
 public  Secular,  or  Ecclesiastical  court.  For  who  is  he 
 that  dares  take  upon  him  to  be  any  man's  both  accuser 
 and  judge  ?t    Evil  persons  are  not  rashly,  and  as  we  list, 
 
 *  '  Nos  a  Communione  quenquam  prohibere  non  possumus.  Quamvis  haec  pro- 
 hibitio  nondumsit  mortalis,  sed  medicinalis,  nisi  autsponte  confessum,  aut  aliquo 
 sive  seculari  sive  ecclesiastico  judicio  accusatum  atque  convictum.  Quis  enim 
 sibi  utrumque  audet  assumere,  ut  cuiquam  ipse  sit  et  accusator  et  judex  ?'  [Rhenan. 
 admon.  de  dogm.  Tertull.  inter  Opp.  Tertull.  p.  90S.  ed.  Par.  1635.] 
 
 t  '  Non  enim  temere  et  quodammodo  libet,  sed  propter  judicium,  ab  Ecclesiae 
 Communione  separandi  sunt  mali,  ut  si  propter  judicium  auferri  non  possint,  tole- 
 rentur  potius,  velut  palea?  cum  tritico.  Multi  corriguntur,  ut  Petrus  ;  multi  tole- 
 rantur,  ut  Judas;  multi  nesciuntur,  donee  veniat  Dominus,  et  illuminabit  abscon- 
 dita  tenebrarum.'    Rhenan.  admonit.  de  dogmat.  Tertull.  [Ibid.] 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 187 
 
 to  be  thrust  from  Communion  with  the  Church.  Insomuch 
 that,  if  we  cannot  proceed  against  them  by  any  orderly 
 course  of  judgment,  they  rather  are  to  be  sulfered  for  the 
 time  than  molested.  Many  there  are  reclaimed,  as  Peter; 
 many,  as  Judas,  known  well  enough,  and  yet  tolerated; 
 many  which  must  remain  undescried  till  the  day  of  his  ap- 
 pearance, by  whom  the  secret  corners  of  darkness  shall  be 
 brought  into  open  light. 
 
 Leaving  therefore  unto  his  judgment  them  whom  we 
 cannot  stay  from  casting  their  own  souls  into  so  great 
 hazard,  we  have,  in  the  other  part  of  Penitential  Jurisdic- 
 tion in  our  power  and  authority  to  release  sin,  joy  on  all 
 sides,  without  trouble  or  molestation  unto  any.  And  if  to 
 give  be  a  thing  more  blessed  than  to  receive,  are  we  not 
 infinitely  happier  in  being  authorized  to  bestow  the  trea- 
 sure of  God,  than  when  necessity  doth  constrain  to  with- 
 draw the  same  ? 
 
 They  which,  during  life  and  health,  are  never  destitute 
 of  ways  to  delude  Repentance,  do  notwithstanding  often- 
 times, when  their  last  hour  draweth  on,  both  feel  that  sting 
 which  before  lay  dead  in  them,  and  also  thirst  after  such 
 helps  as  have  been  always,  till  then,  unsavoury.  St.  Am- 
 brose's words  touching  late  Repentance  are  somewhat  hard, 
 "  If  a  man  be  penitent  and  receive  Absolution  (which  l> 
 cannot  in  that  case  be  denied  him),  even  at  the  very  point 
 of  death,  and  so  depart,  I  dare  not  affirm  he  goeth  out  of  the 
 world  well;  I  will  not  counsel  man  to  trust  to  this,  because 
 I  am  loth  to  deceive  any  man,  seeing  I  know  not  what 
 to  think  of  it.  Shall  I  judge  such  a  one  a  castaway? 
 Neither  will  I  avouch  him  safe :  all  I  am  able  to  say,  is, 
 let  his  estate  be  left  to  the  will  and  pleasure  of  Almighty 
 God.  Wilt  thou  be  therefore  delivered  of  all  doubt? 
 Repent  while  yet  thou  art  healthy  and  strong.  If  thou 
 defer  it  till  time  give  no  longer  possibility  of  sinning,  thou 
 canst  not  be  thought  to  have  left  sin,  but  rather  sin  to  have 
 forsaken  thee."  Such  admonitions  may  in  their  time  and 
 place  be  necessary,  but  in  no  wise  prejudicial  to  the  ge- 
 nerality of  God's  heavenly  promise,  "  Whensoever  a  sinner 
 doth  repent  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart,  I  will  put  out  all 
 his  iniquity."  And  of  this,  although  it  hath  pleased  God 
 not  to  leave  to  the  world  any  multitude  of  examples,  lest 
 the  careless  should  too  far  presume,  yet  one  he  hath  given, 
 
188 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 and  that  most  memorable,  to  withhold  from  despair  in  the 
 mercies  of  God,  at  what  instant  soever  man's  unfeigned 
 conversion  be  wrought.  Yea,  because  to  countervail  the 
 fault  of  delay,  there  are  in  the  latest  Repentance  oftentimes 
 the  surest  tokens  of  sincere  dealing;  therefore  upon  spe- 
 cial Confession  made  to  the  Minister  of  God,  he  presently 
 absolveth  in  this  case  the  sick  party  from  all  sins  by  that 
 authority  which  Jesus  Christ  hath  committed  unto  him, 
 knowing  that  God  respecteth  not  so  much  what  time  is 
 spent,  as  what  truth  is  shewed  in  Repentance. 
 
 *  In  sum,  when  the  offence  doth  stand  only  between  God 
 and  man's  conscience,  the  counsel  is  good  which  St.  Chry- 
 sostom  giveth:  "I  wish  thee  not  to  bewray  thyself  pub- 
 lickly,  nor  to  accuse  thyself  before  others.  I  wish  thee  to 
 obey  the  Prophet,  who  saith,  Disclose  thy  way  unto  the 
 Lord,  confess  thy  sins  before  him;  tell  thy  sins  to  him  that 
 he  may  blot  them  out.  If  thou  be  abashed  to  tell  unto  any 
 other  wherein  thou  hast  offended,  rehearse  them  every  day 
 between  thee  and  thy  soul.  I  wish  thee  not  to  confess 
 them  to  thy  fellow-servant,  who  may  upbraid  thee  with 
 them ;  tell  them  to  God,  who  will  cure  them  ;  there  is  no 
 need  for  thee  to  in  the  presence  of  witnesses  to  acknow- 
 ledge them  ;  let  God  alone  see  thee  at  thy  Confession.  I 
 pray  and  beseech  you,  that  you  would  more  often  than  you 
 do,  confess  to  God  eternal,  and,  reckoning  up  your  tres- 
 passes, desire  his  pardon.  I  carry  you  not  into  a  theatre 
 or  open  court  of  many  of  your  fellow-servants,  I  seek  not 
 to  detect  your  crimes  before  men;  disclose  your  con- 
 science before  God,  unfold  yourselves  to  him,  lay  forth 
 your  wounds  before  him  the  best  physician  that  is,  and 
 desire  of  him  salve  for  them."  If  hereupon  it  follow,  as  it 
 did  with  David,  "  I  thought,  I  will  confess  against  myself 
 my  wickedness  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  and  thou  forgavest  me 
 the  plague  of  my  sin,"  we  have  our  desire,  and  there  re- 
 
 *  *  Non  dico  tibi,  ut  te  prodas  in  publicum,  neque  ut  te  apud  alios  accuses,  sed 
 obedire  te  volo  Propbete  dicenti,  '  reveia  Domino  viam  tuam.'  Ante  Deum  con- 
 ntere  peccata  tua ;  peccata  tua  dicito,  ut  ea  deleat ;  si  confunderis  alicui  dicere 
 qua?  peccasti,  dicito  ea  quotidie  in  anima.  Non  dico  ut  confitearis  conservo  qui 
 exprobret ;  Deo  dicito  qui  ea  curat;  non  necesse  est  pr<esentibus  testibus  confiteri; 
 solus  te  Deus  confitentem  videat.  Rogo  et  oro  ut  crebrius  Deo  immortali  confi- 
 teamini,  et,  enumeratis  vestris  delictis,  veniam  petatis.  Non  te  in  theatrum  con- 
 servorum  duco,  non  hominibus  peccata  tua  conor  detegere.  Repete  coram  Deo 
 con6cientiam  tuam,  te  explica,  ostende  medico  praestantissimo  vulnera  tua,  et  pete 
 ab  eo  medicamentum.'  Chrysost.  Horn.  31.  ad  Hebr.  et  in  Psal.  59.  Horn,  de  pocu. 
 et  confess,  et  Horn,  5.de  iucarn.  Dei  natura,  Homil.  itemque  de  Lazaro. 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 189 
 
 maineth  only  thankfulness  accompanied  with  perpetuity 
 of  care  to  avoid  that,  which,  being  not  avoided,  we  know 
 we  cannot  remedy  without  new  perplexity  and  grief.  Con- 
 trariwise, if  peace  with  God  do  not  follow  the  pains  we 
 have  taken  in  seeking  after  it,  if  we  continue  disquieted 
 and  not  delivered  from  anguish,  mistrusting  whether  that 
 we  do  be  sufficient;  it  argueth  that  our  sore  doth  exceed 
 the  power  of  our  own  skill,  and  that  the  wisdom  of  the 
 Pastor  must  bind  up  those  parts,  which  being  bruised  are 
 not  able  to  be  recured  of  themselves. 
 
 Of  Satisfaction. 
 
 There  resteth  now  Satisfaction  only  to  be  considered,  a 
 point  which  the  Fathers  do  often  touch,  albeit  they  never 
 aspire  to  such  mysteries  as  the  Papacy  hath  found  enwrap- 
 ped within  the  folds  and  plaits  thereof.  And  it  is  happy  for 
 the  Church  of  God,  that  we  have  the  writings  of  the  Fathers 
 to  shew  what  their  meaning  was.  The  name  of  Satisfaction, 
 as  the  ancient  Fathers  mean  it,  containeth  whatsoever  a 
 penitent  should  do  in  the  humbling  himself  unto  God, 
 and  testifying  by  deeds  of  contrition  the  same  which  con- 
 fession in  words  pretendeth;  "  He  which  by  Repentance  2^*":, 
 for  sins  (saith  Tertullian,  speaking  of  fickle-minded  men)  [c  s.] 
 had  a  purpose  to  satisfy  the  Lord,  will  now  by  repenting 
 his  Repentance  make  Satan  Satisfaction;  and  be  so  much 
 the  more  hateful  to  God,  as  he  is  unto  God's  enemy  more 
 acceptable."    Is  it  not  plain,  that  Satisfaction  doth  here 
 include  the  whole  work  of  Penitency,  and  that  God  is  satis- 
 fied when  we  are  restored  through  sin  into  favour  by  Re- 
 pentance?   "How  canst  thou  (saith  Chrysostom*)  move 
 God  to  pity  thee,  when  thou  wilt  not  seem  as  much  as  to 
 know  that  thou  hast  offended?"    By  appeasing,  pacifying, 
 and  moving  God  to  pity,  St.  Chrysostom  meaneth  the  very 
 same  with  the  Latin  Fathers,  when  they  speak  of  satisfying 
 God.    "  We  feel  (saith  Cyprian)  the  bitter  smart  ofhiscypr- 
 rod  and  scourge,  because  there  is  in  us  neither  care  to  [si.'n. 
 please  him  with  our  good  deeds,  nor  to  satisfy  him  for  our c' 2  ] 
 evil."    Again,  "  Let  the  eyes  which  have  looked  on  idols,  ep-26- 
 sponge  out  their  unlawful  acts  with  those  sorrowful  tears,  c  5.] 
 which  have  power  to  satisfy  God."    The  Master  of  Sen- 
 tences allegeth  out  of  St.  Augustine  that  which  is  plain 
 
 •  Chrysost.  in  1  Cor.  Horn.  8.    Tov  o«ov  sfiXsoiyas-flai. 
 
190 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Bonav.  enough  to  this  purpose  :  "  Three  things  there  are  in  per- 
 iTv!    feet  Penitency,  Compunction,  Confession,  and  Satisfac- 
 dis.  16.  jIqjj.  that  as  we  three  ways  offend  God,  namely  in  heart, 
 word,  and  deed,  so  by  three  duties  we  may  satisfy  God." 
 
 Satisfaction,  as  a  part,  comprehended  only  that  which 
 the  Papists  meant  by  worthy  of  repentance ;  and  if  we 
 speak  of  the  whole  work  of  Repentance  itself,  we  may  in 
 the  phrase  of  antiquity,  term  it  very  well  Satisfaction. 
 
 Satisfaction  is  a  work  which  justice  requireth  to  be  done 
 for  contentment  of  persons  injured  :  neither  is  it  in  the 
 eye  of  justice  a  sufficient  Satisfaction,  unless  it  fully  equal 
 the  injury  for  which  we  satisfy.  Seeing  then  that  sin 
 against  God  eternal  and  infinite  must  needs  be  an  infinite 
 wrong ;  justice,  in  regard  thereof,  doth  necessarily  exact 
 an  infinite  recompense,  or  else  inflict  upon  the  offender 
 infinite  punishment.  Now,  because  God  was  thus  to  be 
 satisfied,  and  man  not  able  to  make  Satisfaction  in  such 
 sort,  his  unspeakable  love  and  inclination  to  save  mankind 
 from  eternal  death  ordained  in  our  behalf  a  Mediator  to 
 to  do  that  which  had  been  for  any  other  impossible. 
 Bonav.  Wherefore  all  sin  is  remitted  in  the  only  Faith  of  Christ's 
 m  sent.  passjon  an(j  n0  man  without  belief  thereof  justified.  Faith 
 
 dist.  xv.  alone  maketh  Christ's  Satisfaction  ours,  howbeit,  that  Faith 
 
 9.9. 
 
 alone,  which  after  sin  maketh  us  by  conversion  his. 
 
 For  inasmuch  as  God  will  have  the  benefit  of  Christ's 
 Satisfaction  both  thankfully  acknowledged,  and  duly  es- 
 teemed of  all  such  as  enjoy  the  same,  he  therefore  im- 
 parteth  so  high  a  treasure  unto  no  man,  whose  Faith  hath 
 not  made  him  willing  by  Repentance  to  do  even  that  which 
 of  itself,  how  unavailable  soever,  yet  being  required  and 
 accepted  with  God,  we  are  in  Christ  thereby  made  capable 
 and  fit  vessels  to  receive  the  fruits  of  his  Satisfaction :  yea, 
 we  so  far  please  and  content  God,  that  because  when  we 
 have  offended  he  looketh  but  for  Repentance  at  our  hands  ; 
 our  Repentance  and  the  works  thereof  are  therefore  termed 
 satisfactory,  not  for  that  so  much  is  thereby  done  as  the 
 justice  of  God  can  exact,  but  because  such  actions  of  grief 
 and  humility  in  man  after  sin  are  illices  divince  misericGrdice 
 [De  (as  Tertullian  speaketh  of  them),  they  draw  that  pity  of 
 f.ljo'  God  towards  us,  wherein  he  is  for  Christ's  sake  contented, 
 upon  our  submission,  to  pardon  our  rebellion  against  him, 
 and  when  that  little  which  his  Law  appointeth  is  faithfully 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 191 
 
 executed,  it  pleaseth  him  in  tender  compassion  and  mercy 
 to  require  no  more. 
 
 Repentance  is  a  name  which  noteth  the  habit  and  opera- 
 tion of  a  certain  grace  or  virtue  in  us  :  Satisfaction,  the 
 effect  which  it  hath,  either  with  God  or  man.  And  it  is  not 
 in  this  respect  said  amiss,  that  Satisfaction  importeth  ac- 
 ceptation, reconciliation,  and  amity  ;  because  that,  through 
 Satisfaction  on  the  one  part  made,  and  allowed  on  the 
 other,  they  which  before  did  reject  are  now  content  to 
 receive,  they  to  be  won  again  which  were  lost,  and  they 
 to  love  unto  whom  just  cause  of  hatred  was  given.  We 
 satisfy  therefore  in  doing  that  which  is  sufficient  to  this 
 effect ;  and  they  towards  whom  we  do  it  are  satisfied,  if 
 they  accept  it  as  sufficient,  and  require  no  more :  other- 
 wise we  satisfy  not,  although  we  do  satisfy.  For  so  be- 
 tween man  and  man  it  oftentimes  falleth  out,  but  be- 
 tween man  and  God  never.  It  is  therefore  true,  that  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ  by  one  most  precious  and  propitiatory 
 sacrifice,  which  was  his  Body,  a  gift  of  infinite  worth, 
 offered  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  hath  thereby  once 
 reconciled  us  to  God,  purchased  his  general  free  pardon, 
 and  turned  divine  indignation  from  mankind.  But  we  are 
 not  for  that  cause  to  think  any  office  of  Penitence  either 
 needless  or  fruitless  on  our  own  behalf:  for  then  would 
 not  God  require  any  such  duties  at  our  hands.  Christ 
 doth  remain  everlastingly  a  gracious  Intercessor,  even  for 
 every  penitent.  Let  this  assure  us,  that  God,  how  highly 
 soever  displeased  and  incensed  with  our  sins,  is  notwith- 
 standing, for  his  sake,  by  our  tears,  pacified,  taking  that 
 for  Satisfaction  which  is  done  by  us,  because  Christ  hath 
 by  his  Satisfaction  made  it  acceptable.  For,  as  he  is  the 
 High-priest  of  our  salvation,  so  he  hath  made  us  Priests  uP6°.c" 
 likewise  under  him,  to  the  end  we  might  offer  unto  God 
 praise  and  thankfulness  while  we  continue  in  the  way  of 
 life  ;  and  when  we  sin,  the  satisfactory  or  propitiatory  sa- 
 crifice of  a  broken  and  contrite  heart.  There  is  not  any  cassian. 
 thing  that  we  do  that  could  pacify  God  and  clear  us  in  c°8.2°" 
 his  sight  from  sin,  if  the  goodness  and  mercy  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ  were  not;  whereas  now,  beholding  the  poor 
 offer  of  our  religious  endeavours  meekly  to  submit  our- 
 selves as  often  as  we  have  offended,  he  regardeth  with  in- 
 finite mercy  those  services  which  are  as  nothing,  and  with 
 
192 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 words  of  comfort  reviveth  our  afflicted  minds,  saying,  "It 
 is  I,  even  I,  that  taketh  away  thine  iniquities  for  mine 
 own  sake."  Thus  doth  Repentance  satisfy  God,  changing 
 his  wrath  and  indignation  unto  mercy. 
 
 Anger  and  mercy  are  in  us  passions  ;  but  in  him  not  so. 
 
 "  God  (saith  St.  Bazil*)  is  no  ways  passionate,  but  be- 
 cause the  punishments  which  his  judgment  doth  inflict  are, 
 like  effects  of  indignation,  severe  and  grievous  to  such  as 
 suffer  them,  therefore  we  term  the  revenge  which  he  taketh 
 upon  sinners,  anger ;  and  the  withdrawing  of  his  plagues, 
 mercy." — "  His  wrath  (saith  St.  Augustinef)  is  not  as 
 ours,  the  trouble  of  a  mind  disturbed  and  disquieted  with 
 things  amiss,  but  a  calm,  unpassionate,  and  just  assigna- 
 tion of  dreadful  punishment  to  be  their  portion  which  have 
 disobeyed ;  his  mercy  a  free  determination  of  all  felicity 
 and  happiness  unto  men,  except  their  sins  remain  as  a 
 bar  betwixt  it  and  them."  So  that  when  God  doth  cease 
 to  be  angry  with  sinful  men,  when  he  receiveth  them  into 
 favour,  when  he  pardoneth  their  offences,  and  remember- 
 eth  their  iniquities  no  more  (for  all  these  signify  but  one 
 thing),  it  must  needs  follow,  that  all  punishments  before 
 due  in  revenge  of  sin,  whether  they  be  temporal  or  eternal, 
 are  remitted. 
 
 For  how  should  God's  indignation  import  only  man's 
 punishment,  and  yet  some  punishment  remain  unto  them 
 towards  whom  there  is  now  in  God  no  indignation  remain- 
 ing ?  "  God  (saith  TertullianJ)  takes  Penitency  at  men's 
 hands  ;  and  men  at  his,  in  lieu  thereof,  receive  impunity ;" 
 which  notwithstanding  doth  not  prejudice  the  chastise- 
 ments which  God,  after  pardon,  hath  laid  upon  some  of- 
 *!amb.  fenders,  as  on  the  people  of  Israel,  on  Moses,  on  Miriam, 
 I™'*?.'  on  David,  either  for  their  own§  more  sound  amendment, 
 s'sam    or  ^or  H  example  unto  others  in  this  present  world  (for  in 
 xu.  u'.  the  world  to  come  punishments  have  unto  these  intents  no 
 
 *  Basil,  horn,  in  Psalm.  57.  navToc  yip  tra^ov;  aXXoVpiov  to  Qetov. 
 
 t  «  Cum  Deus  irascitur,  non  ejus  significatur  perturbatio  qualis  est  in  animo 
 irascentis  hominis  ;  sed,  ex  humanis  moribus  translate  vocabulo,  vindicta  ejus, 
 qua  non  nisi  justa  est,  irae  nomen  accepit.'    Aug.  Ench.  cap.  33. 
 
 t  '  Poenitentiae  compensatione  redimendam  proponit  impunitatem  Deus.'  Ter- 
 tull.  de  Poeniten.  [c.  6.] 
 
 §  '  Cui  Deus  vere  propitius  est,  non  solum  condonat  peccata  ne  noceant  ad  fu- 
 turum  seculum,  sed  etiam  castigat,  ne  semper  peccare  delectet.'  Aug.  in  Psal. 
 xcviii.  [§.  11.] 
 
 ||  '  Plectuntur  quidam,  quo  csteri  corrigantur  ;  exempla  sunt  omnium,  tormenta 
 paucorum.'    Cypr.  de  Lapsis.  [c.  13.] 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 193 
 
 use,  the  dead  being  not  in  case  to  be  better  by  correction, 
 nor  to  take  warning  by  executions  of  God's  justice  there 
 seen)  ;  but  assuredly  to  whomsoever  he  remitteth  sin,  their 
 very  pardon  is  in  itself  a  full,  absolute,  and  perfect  dis- 
 charge for  revengeful  punishment,  which  God  doth  now 
 here  threaten,  but,  with  purpose  of  revocation  if  men  re- 
 pent, no  where  inflict  but  on  them  whom  impenitency 
 maketh  obdurate. 
 
 Of  the  one  therefore  it  is  said,  H  Though  I  tell  the  wicked 
 thou  shalt  die  the  death,  yet  if  he  turneth  from  his  sin,  and  l*- 
 do  that  which  is  lawful  and  right,  he  shall  surely  live  and 
 not  die."    Of  the  other,  "  Thou,  according  to  thine  hard-  *0™- 
 ness,  and  heart  that  will  not  repent,  treasurest  up  to  thy- 
 self wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,  and  evident  appear- 
 ance of  the  judgment  of  God."    If  God  be  satisfied  and  do 
 pardon  sin,  our  justification  restored  is  as  perfect  as  it 
 was  at  the  first  bestowed.    For  so  the  Prophet  Isaiah  wit- 
 nesseth,  "  Though  your  sins  were  as  crimson,  they  shall Isa' 
 be  made  as  white  as  snow  ;  though  they  were  as  scarlet,  ' 
 they  shall  be  as  white  as  wool."    And  can  we  doubt 
 concerning  the  punishment  of  revenge,  which  was  due  to 
 sin,  but  that  if  God  be  satisfied  and  have  forgotten  his 
 wrath,  it  must  be,  even  as  St.  Augustine  reasoneth, 
 «  #  what  God  hath  covered  he  will  not  observe,  and  what 
 he  observeth  not  he  will  not  punish."    The  truth  of  which 
 doctrine  is  not  to  be  shifted  off"  by  restraining  it  unto  eter- 
 nal punishment  alone.    For  then  would  not  David  have 
 said,  "  They  are  blessed  to  whom  God  imputeth  not  sin ;"  [psai. 
 blessedness  having  no  part  or  fellowship  at  all  with  ma-  xxs,i 
 lediction  ?  Whereas  to  be  subject  to  revenge  for  sin,  al 
 though  the  punishment  be  but  temporal,  is  to  be  under  the 
 curse  of  the  Law  :  wherefore,  as  one  and  the  same  fire  con- 
 sumeth  stubble  and  refineth  gold,  so  if  it  please  God  to 
 lay  punishment  on  them  whose  sins  he  hath  forgiven ;  yet 
 is  not  this  done  for  any  destructive  end  of  wasting  and 
 eating  them  out,  as  in  plagues  inflicted  upon  the  impeni- 
 tent, neither  is  the  punishment  of  the  one  as  of  the  other 
 proportioned  by  the  greatness  of  sin  past,  but  according 
 to  that  future  purpose  whereunto  the  goodness  of  God 
 referreth  it,  and  wherein  there  is  nothing  meant  to  the 
 
 *  '  Si  texit  Deus  peccata,  noluit  advertere  ;  si  noluit  advertere,  noluit  animad- 
 vertere.'  August. 
 
 VOL.  II.  O 
 
194 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 sufferer  but  furtherance  of  all  happiness,  now  in  grace, 
 and  hereafter  in  glory.  St.  Augustine,  to  stop  the  mouths 
 of  Pelagians  arguing,  "  That  if  God  had  imposed  death 
 upon  Adam,  and  Adam's  posterity,  as  a  punishment 
 of  sin,  death  should  have  ceased  when  God  procured 
 sinners  their  pardon ;"  answereth,  first,  "  It  is  no  marvel, 
 either  that  bodily  death  should  not  have  happened  to 
 the  first  man,  unless  he  had  first  sinned  (death  as  punish- 
 ment following  his  sin),  or  that  after  sin  is  forgiven,  death 
 notwithstanding  befalleth  the  faithful ;  to  the  end  that  the 
 strength  of  righteousness  might  be  exercised  by  overcom- 
 ing the  fear  thereof."*  So  that  justly  God  did  inflict  bodily 
 death  on  man  for  committing  sin,  and  yet  after  sin  forgiven 
 took  it  not  away,  that  his  righteousness  might  still  have 
 whereby  to  be  exercised.  He  fortifieth  this  with  David's 
 example,  whose  sin  he  forgave,  and  yet  afflicted  him  for 
 exercise  and  trial  of  his  humility.  Briefly,  a  general  axiom 
 he  hath  for  all  such  chastisements,  **  Before  forgiveness, 
 they  are  the  punishment  of  sinners ;  and  after  forgiveness, 
 they  are  exercises  and  trials  of  righteous  men."f  Which 
 kind  of  proceeding  is  so  agreeable  with  God's  nature  and 
 man's  comfort,  that  it  seemeth  even  injurious  to  both,  if 
 we  should  admit  those  surmised  reservations  of  temporal 
 wrath  in  God  appeased  towards  reconciled  sinners.  As  a 
 Father  he  delights  in  his  children's  conversion,  neither 
 doth  he  threaten  the  penitent  with  wrath,  or  them  with 
 punishment  which  already  mourn ;  but  by  promise  assureth 
 such  of  indulgence  and  mercy,  yea,  even  of  plenary  par- 
 don, which  taketh  away  all,  both  faults  and  penalties :  there 
 being  no  reason  why  we  should  think  him  the  less  just 
 because  he  sheweth  himself  thus  merciful ;  when  they, 
 which  before  were  obstinate,  labour  to  appease  his  wrath 
 with  the  pensive  meditation  of  Contrition,  the  meek  humi- 
 lity which  Confession  expresseth,  and  the  deeds  wherewith 
 Repentance  declareth  itself  to  be  an  amendment  as  well  of 
 the  rotten  fruit,  as  the  dried  leaves  and  withered  root  of 
 
 *  '  Mirandum  non  est,  et  mortem  corporis  non  fuisse  eventuram  bomini,  nisi 
 praecessisset  peccatum,  cujus  etiam  talis  pcena  consequeretur,  et  post  remissionem 
 peccatorum  earn  fidelibus  evenire,  ut  ejus  timorem  vincendo  exerceretur  fortitudo 
 justitice.  Sic  et  mortem  corporis  propter  hoc  peccatum  Deus  homini  inflixit,  et 
 post  peccatorum  remissionem  propter  exercendam  justitiam  non  ademit.'  Aug.  de 
 pecc.  mer.  et  rem.  lib.  ii.  c.  34. 
 
 t  '  Ante  remissionem  esse  ilia  supplicia  peccatorum,  post  remissionem  autem 
 certamina,  exercitationesque  justorum.'    August.  Ibid.  Cypr.  epist.  53. 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 195 
 
 the  tree.  For  with  these  duties  by  us  performed,  and  pre- 
 sented unto  God  in  Heaven  by  Jesus  Christ,  whose  blood 
 is  a  continual  sacrifice  of  propitiation  for  us,  we  content, 
 please,  and  satisfy  God.  Repentance  therefore,  even  the 
 sole  virtue  of  Repentance,  without  either  purpose  of  Shrift 
 or  desire  of  Absolution  from  the  Priest ;  Repentance,  the 
 secret  conversion  of  the  heart,  in  that  it  consisteth  of  these 
 three,  and  doth  by  these  three  pacify  God,  may  be  without 
 hyperbolical  terms  most  truly  magnified,  as  a  recovery  of 
 the  soul  of  man  from  deadly  sickness,  a  restitution  of  glo- 
 rious light  to  his  darkened  mind,  a  comfortable  reconcilia- 
 tion with  God,  a  spiritual  nativity,  a  rising  from  the  dead, 
 a  day-spring  from  the  depth  of  obscurity,  a  redemption 
 from  more  than  Egyptian  thraldom,  a  grinding  of  the  old 
 Adam  even  into  dust  and  powder,  a  deliverance  out  of 
 the  prisons  of  Hell,  a  full  restoration  of  the  seat  of  grace 
 and  throne  of  glory,  a  triumph  over  sin,  and  a  saving 
 victory. 
 
 Amongst  the  works  of  Satisfaction,  the  most  respected 
 have  been  always  these  three,  Prayers,  Fasts,  and  Alms- 
 deeds  :  by  Prayer,  we  lift  up  our  souls  to  him  from  whom 
 sin  and  iniquity  have  withdrawn  them ;  by  Fasting,  we 
 reduce  the  body  from  thraldom  under  vain  delights,  and 
 make  it  serviceable  for  parts  of  virtuous  conversation ;  by 
 Alms,  we  dedicate  to  charity  those  worldly  goods  and  pos- 
 sessions, which  unrighteousness  doth  neither  get  nor  be- 
 stow well:  the  first,  a  token  of  piety  intended  towards 
 God ;  the  second,  a  pledge  of  moderation  and  sobriety  in 
 the  carriage  of  our  own  persons  ;  the  last,  a  testimony  of 
 our  meaning  to  do  good  to  all  men.  In  which  three,  the 
 Apostle,  by  way  of  abridgment,  comprehendeth  whatsoever 
 may  appertain  to  sanctimony,  holiness,  and  good  life :  as 
 contrariwise,  the  very  mass  of  general  corruption  through- 
 out the  world,  what  is  it  but  only  forgetfulness  of  God,  car- 
 nal pleasure,  immoderate  desire  after  worldly  things,  pro- 
 faneness,  licentiousness,  covetousness  ?  All  offices  to  Re- 
 pentance have  these  two  properties ;  there  is  in  perform- 
 ance of  them  painfulness,  and  in  their  nature  a  contrariety 
 unto  sin.  The  one  consideration  causeth  them  both  in 
 Holy  Scripture  and  elsewhere  to  be  termed  judgment  or2cor. 
 revenges  taken  voluntarily  on  ourselves,  and  to  be  further- v"  11 
 more  also  preservatives  from  future  evils,  inasmuch  as  we 
 
 o  2 
 
196 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 commonly  use  to  keep  with  the  greater  care  that  which 
 with  pain  we  have  recovered.*    And  they  are  in  the  other 
 respect  contrary  to  sin  committed  :  Contrition,  contrary  to 
 the  pleasure ;  Confession,  to  the  error,  which  is  the  mother 
 of  sin  ;  and  to  the  deeds  of  sin,  the  works  of  Satisfaction 
 contrary :  therefore  they  are  the  more  effectual  to  cure  the 
 cypr.de  evil  habit  thereof.    Hereunto  it  was  that  St.  Cyprian  re- 
 [c  uitj  ferred  his  earnest  and  vehement  exhortation,  "  That  they 
 which  had  fallen,  should  be  instant  in  prayer,  reject  bodily 
 ornaments  when  once  they  had  stripped  themselves  out  of 
 Christ's  attire,  abhor  all  food  after  Satan's  morsels  tasted, 
 follow  works  of  righteousness  which  wash  away  sin,  and 
 be  plentiful  in  Alms-deeds  wherewith  souls  are  delivered 
 from  death."    Not,  as  if  God  did,  according  to  the  manner 
 saiv.  ad  of  corrupt  judges,  take  some  money  to  abate  so  much  in 
 catb.    the  punishment  of  malefactors.    "  These  duties  must  be 
 [£'367.  offered  (saith  Salvianus)  not  in  confidence  to  redeem  or 
 tom.  v.  DUy  out  sin  Dut  as  tokens  of  meek  submission :  neither  are 
 
 par.  111. 
 
 Bibiioth.  they  with  God  accepted,  because  of  their  value,  but  for 
 l^.1]'  our  affection's  sake,  which  doth  thereby  shew  itself." 
 Wherefore,  concerning  Satisfaction  made  to  God  by  Christ 
 only ;  and  of  the  manner  how  Repentance  generally,  parti- 
 cularly also,  how  certain  special  works  of  Penitency,  both 
 are  by  the  Fathers,  in  their  ordinary  phrase  of  speech, 
 called  satisfactory,  and  may  be  by  us  very  well  so  acknow- 
 ledged, enough  hath  been  spoken. 
 
 Our  offences  sometimes  are  of  such  nature  as  requireth 
 that  particular  men  be  satisfied,  or  else  Repentance  to  be 
 utterly  void  and  of  none  effect.  For  if,  either  through 
 open  rapine,  or  crooked  fraud,  if,  through  injurious,  or 
 unconscionable  dealing,  a  man  have  wittingly  wronged 
 others  to  enrich  himself ;  the  first  thing  evermore  in  this 
 case  required  (ability  serving)  is  restitution.  For  let  no 
 man  deceive  himself,  from  such  offences  we  are  not  dis- 
 charged, neither  can  be,  till  recompence  and  restitution  to 
 man  accompany  the  penitent  confession  we  have  made  to 
 Levit.  Almighty  God.  In  which  case,  the  Law  of  Moses  was 
 v1'8'  c'  direct  and  plain :  If  any  sin  and  commit  a  trespass 
 against  the  Lord,  and  deny  unto  his  neighbour  that  which 
 was  given  him  to  keep,  or  that  which  was  put  unto  him  of 
 
 Kfirnv.  Chrys.  Horn.  30.  in  Ep.  ad  Heb. 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 197 
 
 trust ;  or  doth  by  robbery  or  by  violence  oppress  his  neigh- 
 bour; or  hath  found  that  which  was  lost,  and  denieth  it, 
 and  swears  falsely  :  for  any  of  these  things  that  a  man  doth 
 wherein  he  sinneth,  he  that  doth  thus  offend  and  trespass, 
 shall  restore  the  robbery  that  he  hath  taken,  or  the  thing 
 he  hath  got  by  violence,  or  that  which  was  delivered  him 
 to  keep,  or  the  lost  thing  which  he  found  ;  and  for  whatso- 
 ever he  hath  sworn  falsely,  adding  perjury  to  injury,  he 
 shall  both  restore  the  whole  sum,  and  shall  add  thereunto 
 a  fifth  part  more,  and  deliver  it  unto  him,  unto  whom  it 
 belongeth,  the  same  day  wherein  he  offereth  for  his  tres- 
 pass."   Now,  because  men  are  commonly  over-slack  to 
 perform  this  duty,  and  do  therefore  defer  it  sometime,  till 
 God  hath  taken  the  party  wronged  out  of  the  world ;  the 
 Law  providing  that  trespassers  might  not  under  such  pre- 
 tence gain  the  restitution  which  they  ought  to  make,  ap- 
 pointed the  kindred  surviving  to  receive  what  the  dead 
 should,  if  they  had  continued.    "  But  (saith  Moses)  if  the  Numb, 
 party  wronged  have  no  kinsman  to  whom  this  damage v' 8' 
 may  be  restored,  it  shall  then  be  rendered  to  the  Lord  him- 
 self for  the  Priest's  use."    The  whole  order  of  proceeding 
 herein  is  in  sundry  traditional  writings  set  down  by  their 
 great  Interpreters  and  Scribes,  which  taught  them  that  a 
 trespass  between  a  man  and  his  neighbour  can  never  be  for- 
 given till  the  offender  have  by  restitution  made  recompence 
 for  wrongs  done,  yea,  they  hold  it  necessary  that,  he  ap- 
 pease the  party  grieved  by  submitting  himself  unto  him ; 
 or,  if  that  will  not  serve,  by  using  the  help  and  mediation 
 of  others  :  "  In  this  case  (say  they)  for  any  man  to  shew 
 himself  unappeasable  and  cruel,  were  a  sin  most  grievous, 
 considering  that  the  people  of  God  should  be  easy  to  re- 
 lent, as  Joseph  was  towards  his  brethren  :"  finally,  if  so  it 
 fall  out,  that  the  death  of  him  that  was  injured,  prevent  his 
 submission  which  did  offend,  let  him  then  (for  so  they  de- 
 termine that  he  ought)  go  accompanied  with  ten  others 
 unto  the  sepulchre  of  the  dead,  and  there  make  Confession 
 of  the  fault,  saying,*  "  I  have  sinned  against  the  Lord  God 
 of  Israel,  and  against  this  man,  to  whom  I  have  done  such 
 or  such  injury;  and  if  money  be  due,  let  it  be  restored  to 
 his  heirs,  or  in  case  he  have  none  known,  leave  it  with  the 
 
 *  '  Quamdiu  enim  res,  propter  quam  peccatum  est,  non  redditur,  si  reddi 
 potest,  non  agitur  pcenitentia,  sed  fingitur.'  Sent.  4.  d.  15. 
 
198 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 House  of  Judgment:  that  is  to  say,  with  the  Senators, 
 Ancients,  and  Guides  of  Israel.  We  hold  not  Christian 
 people  tied  unto  Jewish  Orders  for  the  manner  of  restitu- 
 tion; but,  surely,  restitution  we  must  hold  necessary,  as 
 well  in  our  own  Repentance  as  theirs,  for  sins  of  wilful 
 oppression  and  wrong. 
 
 Now,  although  it  suffices,  that  the  Offices  wherewith  we 
 pacify  God  or  private  men  be  secretly  done  ;  yet  in  cases 
 where  the  Church  must  be  also  satisfied,  it  was  not  to  this  end 
 and  purpose  unnecessary,  that  the  ancient  Discipline  did  fur- 
 ther require  outward  signs  of  Contrition  to  be  shewed,  Con- 
 fession of  sins  to  be  made  openly,  and  those  works  to  be  appa- 
 rent which  served  as  testimonies  for  conversion  before  men. 
 c^p.  ep.  Wherein,  if  either  hypocrisy  did  at  any  time  delude  their 
 55!  c.  10.]  judgment,  they  knew  that  God  is  he  whom  masks  and  mock- 
 eries cannot  bind,  that  he  which  seeth  men's  hearts  would 
 judge  them  according  unto  his  own  evidence,  and,  as  Lord, 
 correct  the  sentence  of  his  servants  concerning  matters  be- 
 yond their  reach :  or,  if  such  as  ought  to  have  kept  the  Rules 
 of  Canonical  Satisfaction  would  by  sinister  means  and  prac- 
 tices undermine  the  same,  obtruding  presumptuously  them- 
 selves to  the  participation  of  Christ's  most  sacred  mysteries 
 before  they  were  orderly  re-admitted  thereunto,  the  Church 
 for  contempt  of  holy  things  held  them  incapable  of  that 
 grace,  which  God  in  the  Sacrament  doth  impart  to  devout 
 Communicants;  and  no  doubt  but  he  himself  did  retain 
 bound,  whom  the  Church  in  those  cases  refused  to  loose. 
 
 The  Fathers,  as  may  appear  by  sundry  Decrees  and 
 Canons  of  the  primitive  Church,  were  (in  matter  especially 
 of  public  scandal)  provident  that  too  much  facility  of  par- 
 Basii.    doning  might  not  be  shewed.  "  He  that  casteth  off  his 
 Amphii  lawful  wife  (saith  St.  Basil)  and  doth  take  another,  is  ad- 
 c.26.    judged  an  adulterer  by  the  verdict  of  our  Lord  himself;  and 
 by  our  Fathers  it  is  canonically  ordained,  that  such  for  the 
 space  of  a  year  shall  mourn,  for  two  years'  space  hear, 
 three  years  be  prostrate,  the  seventh  year  assemble  with 
 the  faithful  in  prayer,  and  after  that  be  admitted  to  com- 
 municate, if  with  tears  they  bewail  their  fault." 
 
 Of  them  which  had  fallen  from  their  faith  in  the  time  of 
 the  Emperor  Licinius,  and  were  not  thereunto  forced  by 
 concii.  any  extreme  usage,  the  Nicene  Synod  under  Constantine 
 
 N  iccd  • 
 
 can.  n.  ordained,  "  That  earnestly  repenting,  they  should  continue 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 199 
 
 three  years  hearers,  seven  years  be  prostrate,  and  two  years 
 communicate  with  the  people  in  prayer,  before  they  came 
 to  receive  the  Oblation."  Which  rigour  sometimes  they 
 tempered  nevertheless  with  lenity,  the  self-same  Synod 
 having  likewise  defined,  "  That,  whatsoever  the  cause  were, 
 any  man  desirous  at  the  time  of  departure  out  of  this  life 
 to  receive  the  Eucharist,  might  (with  examination  and 
 trial)  have  it  granted  him  by  the  Bishop."*  Yea,  besides 
 this  case  of  special  commiseration,  there  is  a  Canon  more 
 large,  which  giveth  always  liberty  to  abridge,  or  extend 
 out  the  time,  as  the  party's  meek  or  sturdy  disposition 
 should  require. 
 
 By  means  of  which  Discipline  the  Church  having  power 
 to  hold  them  many  years  in  suspense,  there  was  bred  in 
 the  minds  of  the  penitents,  through  long  and  daily  practice 
 of  submission,  a  contrary  habit  unto  that  which  before  had 
 been  their  ruin,  and  for  ever  afterwards  wariness  not  to  fall 
 into  those  snares  out  of  which  they  knew  they  could  not 
 easily  wind  themselves.  Notwithstanding,  because  there 
 was  likewise  hope  and  possibility  of  shortening  the  time, 
 this  made  them  in  all  the  parts  and  offices  of  their  Repent- 
 ance the  more  fervent.  In  the  first  station,  while  they  only 
 beheld  others  passing  towards  the  Temple  of  God,  where- 
 unto  for  themselves  to  approach  it  was  not  lawful,  they 
 stood  as  miserable  forlorn  men,  the  very  patterns  of  per- 
 plexity and  wo.  In  the  second,  when  they  had  the  favour 
 to  wait  at  the  doors  of  God,  where  the  sound  of  his  com- 
 fortable Word  might  be  heard,  none  received  it  with  atten- 
 tion like  to  theirs.  Thirdly,  being  taken  and  admitted  to 
 the  next  degree  of  prostrates  at  the  feet,  yet  behind  the 
 back  of  that  Angel  representing  God,  whom  the  rest  saw 
 face  to  face,  their  tears,  and  entreaties  both  of  Pastor  and 
 people,  were  such  as  no  man  could  resist.  After  the  fourth 
 step,  which  gave  them  liberty  to  hear  and  pray  with  the 
 rest  of  the  people,  being  so  near  the  haven,  no  diligence 
 was  then  slackened  which  might  hasten  admission  to  the 
 heavenly  Table  of  Christ,  their  last  desire.  It  is  not  there- 
 fore a  thing  to  be  marvelled  at,  though  St.  Cyprian  took  it 
 in  very  ill  part,  when  both  backsliders  from  the  Faith  and 
 
 *  Ka6aXm  xai  TTEpi  Travro?  ourivojoUv  e^oJeiIovto;  oitoCvto;  /uetej^eiv  Eij^aji9"Tia?,  i  iiri- 
 <7*vmo5  fj.no.  htUfxaa-la;  /utTaJiSoTS)  tnt  Ttfoo-<$»pa.i;.  can.  1.3.  fxiTct  iiKifxaa-lat,  id  est, 
 manifestos  indiciis  deprehensa  peccatoris  seria  conversionc  ad  Deum.  can.  12. 
 
200 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 sacred  Religion  of  Christ  laboured  by  sinister  practice  to 
 procure  from  imprisoned  Saints  those  requests  for  present 
 Absolution,  which  the  Church  could  neither  yield  unto  with 
 safety  of  Discipline,  nor  in  honour  of  martyrdom  easily 
 deny.    For,  what  would  thereby  ensue  they  needed  not  to 
 conjecture,  when  they  saw  how  every  man  which  came  so 
 commended  to  the  Church  by  letters  thought  that  now  he 
 needed  not  to  crave,  but  might  challenge  of  duty  his  peace ; 
 taking  the  matter  very  highly,  if  but  any  little  forbearance 
 [DeLaps.  or  small  delay  was  used.  "  He  which  is  overthrown  (saith 
 °        Cyprian)  menaceth  them  that  stand,  the  wounded  them  that 
 were  never  touched;*  and  because  presently  he  hath  not 
 the  Body  of  our  Lord  in  his  foul  imbrued  hands,  nor  the 
 Blood  within  his  polluted  lips,  the  miscreant  fumeth  at 
 Exod.    God's  Priests :  such  is  thy  madness,  O  thou  furious  man, 
 j",'em!   thou  art  angry  with  him  which  laboureth  to  turn  away 
 v.i.  15.   (j0(j's  anger  from  thee ;  him  thou  threatenest,  which  sueth 
 
 unto  God  for  grace  and  mercy  on  thy  behalf." 
 [DeLaps.     Touching  Martyrs  he  answereth,  "  That  it  ought  not  in 
 e'z^']    this  case  to  seem  offensive,  though  they  were  denied,  seeing 
 xiv.  i4.  q0(j  himself  did  refuse  to  yield  to  the  piety  of  his  own 
 righteous  Saints,  making  suit  for  obdurate  Jews." 
 
 As  for  the  parties,  in  whose  behalf  such  shifts  were  used  ; 
 to  have  their  desire  was,  in  very  truth,  the  way  to  make 
 them  the  more  guilty :  such  peace  granted  contrary  to  the 
 rigour  of  the  Gospel,  contrary  to  the  Law  of  our  Lord  and 
 God,  doth  but  under  colour  of  merciful  relaxation  deceive 
 sinners,  and  by  soft  handling  destroy  them,  a  grace  dan- 
 gerous for  the  giver,  and  to  him  which  receiveth  it  nothing 
 at  all  valuable.  The  patient  expectation  that  bringeth 
 health  is,  by  this  means,  not  regarded ;  recovery  of  sound- 
 ness not  sought  for  by  the  only  medicine  available,  which 
 is  Satisfaction ;  Penitency  thrown  out  of  men's  hearts ;  the 
 remembrance  of  that  heaviest  and  last  judgment  clean 
 banished;  the  wounds  of  dying  men,  which  should  be 
 healed,  are  covered ;  the  stroke  of  death,  which  hath  gone 
 as  deep  as  any  bowels  are  to  receive  it,  is  overcast  with 
 the  slight  show  of  a  cloudy  look.  From  the  altar  of  Satan 
 to  the  holy  Table  of  the  Lord,  men  are  not  afraid  to  come, 
 even  belching,  in  a  manner,  the  sacrificed  morsels  they  have 
 eaten ;  yea,  their  jaws  yet  breathing  out  the  irksome  savour 
 
 *  '  Jacens  stantibus,  et  integris  vulneratus,  minatur.' 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 201 
 
 of  their  former  contagious  wickedness,  they  seize  upon  the 
 blessed  Body  of  our  Lord,  nothing  terrified  with  that  dread- 
 ful commination,  which  saith,  "  Whosoever  eateth  and  *.CJ£ 
 drinketh  unworthily,  is  guilty  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of 
 Christ."  They  vainly  think  it  to  be  peace,  which  is  gotten 
 before  they  be  purged  of  their  faults,  before  their  crime  be 
 solemnly  confessed,  before  their  conscience  be  cleared  by 
 the  sacrifice  and  imposition  of  the  Priest's  hands,  and  be- 
 fore they  have  pacified  the  indignation  of  God.  Why  term 
 they  that  a  favour,  which  is  an  injury  ?  Wherefore  cloak 
 they  impiety  with  the  name  of  charitable  indulgence  ?  Such 
 facility  giveth  not,  but  rather  taketh  away,  peace ;  and  is 
 itself  another  fresh  persecution  or  trial,  whereby  that  frau- 
 dulent enemy  maketh  a  secret  havock  of  such  as  before  he 
 had  overf hrown ;  and  now,  to  the  end  that  he  may  clean 
 swallow  them,  he  casteth  sorrow  into  a  dead  sleep,  putteth 
 grief  to  silence,  wipeth  away  the  memory  of  faults  newly 
 done,  smothereth  the  signs  that  should  rise  from  a  contrite 
 spirit,  drieth  up  eyes  which  ought  to  send  forth  rivers  of 
 tears,  and  permitteth  not  God  to  be  pacified  with  full  Re- 
 pentance, whom  heinous  and  enormous  crimes  have  dis- 
 pleased. 
 
 By  this  then  we  see,  that  in  St.  Cyprian's  judgment,  all  The  end 
 Absolutions  are  void,  frustrate,  and  of  no  effect,  without  faction, 
 sufficient  Repentance  first  shewed;  whereas  contrariwise, if 
 true  and  full  Satisfaction  have  gone  before,  the  sentence  of 
 man  here  given  is  ratified  of  God  in  Heaven,  according  to 
 our  Saviour's  own  sacred  testimony,  "  Whose  sins  ye  re- 
 mit, they  are  remitted." 
 
 By  what  works  in  the  Virtue,  and  by  what  in  the  Dis- 
 cipline, of  Repentance  we  are  said  to  satisfy  either  God  or 
 men,  cannot  now  bethought  obscure.  As  for  the  inventors 
 of  sacramental  Satisfaction,  they  have  both  altered  the  na- 
 tural order  heretofore  kept  in  the  Church,  by  bringing  in  a 
 strange  preposterous  course  to  absolve  before  Satisfaction 
 be  made,  and  moreover  by  this  their  misordered  practice 
 are  grown  into  sundry  errors  concerning  the  end  whereunto 
 it  is  referred. 
 
 They  imagine,  beyond  all  conceit  of  antiquity,  that  when 
 God  doth  remit  sin  and  the  punishment  eternal  thereunto 
 belonging,  he  reserveth  the  torments  of  hell-fire  to  be  never- 
 theless endured  for  a  time,  either  shorter  or  longer,  accord- 
 
202 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 ing  to  the  quality  of  men's  crimes.    Yet  so,  that  there  is 
 between  God  and  man  a  certain  composition  (as  it  were) 
 or  contract,  by  virtue  whereof  works  assigned  by  the 
 Priests  to  be  done  after  Absolution,  shall  satisfy  God  as 
 touching  the  punishment,  which  he  otherwise  would  inflict 
 for  sin  pardoned  and  forgiven, 
 of  satisy     Now,  because  they  cannot  assure  any  man,  that  if  he 
 tying  by  performeth  what  the  Priest  appointeth  it  shall  suffice ;  this 
 others,  because  they  cannot  do,  insomuch  as  the  Priest 
 
 hath  no  power  to  determine  or  define  of  equivalency  be- 
 tween Sins  and  Satisfactions;  and  yet  if  a  penitent  depart 
 this  life,  the  debt  of  Satisfaction  being  either  in  whole  or 
 in  part  undischarged,  they  stedfastly  hold  that  the  soul 
 must  remain  in  unspeakable  torment  till  all  be  paid :  there- 
 fore, for  help  and  mitigation  in  this  case,  they  advise  men 
 to  set  certain  copesmates  on  work,  whose  prayers  and 
 sacrifices  may  satisfy  God  for  such  souls  as  depart  in  debt. 
 Hence  have  arisen  the  infinite  pensions  of  their  Priests,  the 
 building  of  so  many  altars  and  tombs,  the  enriching  of  so 
 many  Churches  with  so  many  glorious  and  costly  gifts,  the 
 bequeathing  of  lands  and  ample  possessions  to  religious 
 companies,  even  with  utter  forgetfulness  of  friends,  parents, 
 wife,  and  children,  all  natural  affection  giving  place  unto 
 that  desire  which  men,  doubtful  of  their  own  estate,  have 
 to  deliver  their  souls  from  torment  after  death. 
 
 Yet,  behold,  even  this  being  done,  how  far  forth  it  shall 
 avail  they  are  not  sure ;  and  therefore  the  last  upshot  unto 
 their  former  inventions  is,  that  as  every  action  of  Christ 
 did  both  merit  for  himself,  and  satisfy  partly  for  the  eter- 
 nal, and  partly  for  the  temporal  punishment  due  unto  men 
 for  sin,  so  his  saints  have  obtained  the  like  privilege  of 
 grace,  making  every  good  work  they  do,  not  only  meritori- 
 ous in  their  own  behalf,  but  satisfactory  too  for  the  benefit 
 of  others.  Or  if,  having  at  any  time  grievously  sinned, 
 they  do  more  to  satisfy  God  than  he  in  justice  can  expect 
 or  look  for  at  their  hands ;  the  surplusage  runneth  to  a 
 common  stock,  out  of  which  treasury  containing  whatso- 
 ever Christ  did  by  way  of  Satisfaction  for  temporal  punish- 
 ment, together  with  the  satisfactory  force  which  resideth 
 in  all  the  virtuous  works  of  Saints,  and  in  their  Satisfac- 
 tions whatsoever  doth  abound,  (I  say)  "  From  hence  they 
 hold  God  satisfied  for  such  arrearages  as  men  behind  in 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 203 
 
 accompt  discharge  not  by  other  means ;  and  for  disposi- 
 tion hereof,  as  it  is  their  doctrine  that  Christ  remitteth 
 not  eternal  death  without  the  Priest's  Absolution,  so  with- 
 out the  grant  of  the  Pope  they  cannot  but  teach  it  alike  un- 
 possible  that  souls  in  hell  should  receive  any  temporal 
 release  of  pain.  The  Sacrament  of  Pardon  from  him  being 
 to  this  effect  no  less  necessary,  than  the  Priest's  Absolu- 
 tion to  the  other."  So  that  by  this  postern-gate  cometh  in 
 the  whole  mart  of  Papal  Indulgences ;  a  gain  unestima- 
 ble  to  him,  to  others  a  spoil;  a  scorn  both  to  God  and 
 man.  So  many  works  of  Satisfaction  pretended  to  be 
 done  by  Christ,  by  Saints,  and  Martyrs ;  so  many  virtuous 
 acts  possessed  with  satisfactory  force  and  virtue ;  so  many 
 supererogations  in  satisfying  beyond  the  exigence  of  their 
 own  necessity ;  and  this,  that  the  Pope  might  make  a  mo- 
 nopoly of  all,  turning  all  to  his  own  gain,  or  at  least  to  the 
 gain  of  those  which  are  his  own :  such  facility  they  have  to 
 convert  a  pretended  Sacrament  into  a  revenue. 
 
 Of  Absolution  of  Penitents. 
 
 Sin  is  not  helped  but  by  being  assecured  of  pardon.  It 
 resteth  therefore  to  be  considered,  what  warrant  we  have 
 concerning  forgiveness,  when  the  sentence  of  man  ab- 
 solveth  us  from  sin  committed  against  God.  At  the  words 
 of  our  Saviour,  saying  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  "  Son,  thy  Matt, 
 sins  are  forgiven  thee,"  exception  was  taken  by  the11,2' 
 Scribes,  who  secretly  reasoned  against  him,  "Is  any  able  Mark 
 to  forgive  sins,  but  God  only?"  Whereupon  they  condemn 
 his  speech  as  blasphemy;  the  rest,  which  believed  him  to 
 be  a  Prophet  sent  from  God,  saw  no  cause  wherefore  he 
 might  not  as  lawfully  say,  and  as  truly,  to  whomsoever 
 amongst  them,  "  God  hath  taken  away  thy  sins,"  as  Nathan 
 (they  all  knew)  had  used  the  very  like  speech ;  to  whom 
 David  did  not  therefore  impute  blasphemy,  but  embraced, 
 as  became  him,  the  words  of  truth  with  joy  and  reverence. 
 
 Now  there  is  no  controversion,  but  as  God  in  that  spe- 
 cial case  did  authorize  Nathan,  so  Christ  more  generally 
 his  Apostles  and  the  Ministers  of  his  Word  in  his  name  to 
 absolve  sinners.  Their  power  being  equal,  all  the  difference 
 between  them  can  be  but  only  in  this,  that  whereas  the  one 
 had  prophetical  evidence,  the  other  have  the  certainty 
 partly  of  faith,  and  partly  of  human  experience,  whereupon 
 
204 
 
 KCCLESI ASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 to  ground  their  sentence;  faith,  to  assure  them  of  God's 
 most  gracious  pardon  in  Heaven  unto  all  penitents,  and 
 touching  the  sincerity  of  each  particular  party's  Repen- 
 tance, as  much  as  outward  sensible  tokens  or  signs  can 
 warrant. 
 
 It  is  not  to  be  marvelled,  that  so  great  a  difference  ap- 
 peareth  between  the  Doctrine  of  Rome  and  ours,  when  we 
 teach  Repentance.  They  imply  in  the  name  of  Repentance 
 much  more  than  we  do.  We  stand  chiefly  upon  the  due 
 inward  conversion  of  the  heart ;  they  more  upon  works  of 
 external  show.  We  teach,  above  all  things,  that  Repen- 
 tance which  is  one  and  the  same  from  the  beginning  to  the 
 world's  end;  they  a  sacramental  Penance,  of  their  own 
 devising  and  shaping.  We  labour  to  instruct  men  in  such 
 sort,  that  every  soul  which  is  wounded  with  sin  may  learn 
 the  way  how  to  cure  itself ;  they,  clean  contrary,  would 
 make  all  sores  seem  incurable,  unless  the  Priests  have  a 
 hand  in  them. 
 
 Touching  the  force  of  whose  Absolution  they  strangely 
 hold,  that  whatsoever  the  penitent  doth,  his  Contrition, 
 Confession,  and  Satisfaction  have  no  place  of  right  to 
 stand  as  material  parts  in  this  Sacrament,*  nor  conse- 
 quently any  such  force  as  to  make  them  available  for  the 
 taking  away  of  sin,  in  that  they  proceed  from  the  penitent 
 himself  without  the  privity  of  the  Minister,  but  only  as 
 they  are  enjoined  by  the  Minister's  authority  and  power. 
 So  that  no  contrition  or  grief  of  heart,  till  the  Priest  exact 
 it ;  no  acknowledgment  of  sins,  but  that  which  he  doth  de- 
 mand ;  no  praying,  no  fasting,  no  alms,  no  repentance  or 
 restitution  for  whatsoever  we  have  done,  can  help,  except 
 by  him  it  be  first  imposed.  It  is  the  chain  of  their  own 
 doctrine,  no  remedy  for  mortal  sin  committed  after  Bap- 
 tism but  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  only  ;  no  Sacrament 
 of  Penance,  if  either  matter  or  form  be  wanting  ;  no  ways 
 to  make  those  duties  a  material  part  of  the  Sacrament, 
 unless  we  consider  them  as  required  and  exacted  by  the 
 Priest.  Our  Lord  and  Saviour,  they  say,  hath  ordained 
 his  Priests  judges  in  such  sort,  that  no  man  which  sinneth 
 after  Baptism  can  be  reconciled  unto  God  but  by  their 
 
 *  '  Ipsius  poenitentis  actio  non  est  pars  Sacramenti,  nisi  quatenus  potestati  sa- 
 cerdotali  subjicitur,  et  a  Sacerdote  dirigitur  vel  jubetur.'  Bellannin.  de  Poenit. 
 J.  i.  c.  16. 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 205 
 
 sentence  *  For  why  ?  If  there  were  any  other  way  of 
 reconciliation,  the  very  promise  of  Christ  should  be  false, 
 in  savins:,  "  Whatsoever  ye  bind  on  earth,  shall  be  bound  [Matt. 
 
 J      0  .  .        j  *  xviii.  18. 
 
 in  Heaven ;  and  whose  sins  soever  ye  retain,  they  are  John 
 retained."t  Except  therefore  the  Priest  be  willing,  GodXXi2,-] 
 hath  by  promise  hampered  himself  so,  that  it  is  not  now  in 
 his  own  power  to  pardon  any  man.    Let  him  who  hath  of- 
 fended crave  as  the  Publican  did,  "  Lord,  be  thou  merciful  [Luke 
 unto  me  a  sinner ;"  let  him,  as  David,  make  a  thousand  xv'"' 13 
 times  his  supplication,  "  Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  God,  [?sai. 
 according  to  thy  loving-kindness  ;  according  to  the  multi-  u' 11 
 tude  of  thy  compassions,  put  away  mine  iniquities;"  all 
 this  doth  not  help,  till  such  time  as  the  pleasure  of  the 
 Priest  be  known,  till  he  have  signed  us  a  pardon,  and  given 
 us  our  quietus  est.    God  himself  hath  no  answer  to  make 
 but  such  as  that  of  the  Angel  unto  Lot — I  can  do  nothing. 
 
 It  is  true,  that  our  Saviour  by  these  words,  "  Whose 
 sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted,"  did  ordain  judges  over 
 our  sinful  souls,  gave  them  authority  to  absolve  from  sin, 
 and  promised  to  ratify  in  Heaven  whatsoever  they  should 
 do  on  earth  in  execution  of  this  their  office ;  to  the  end 
 that  hereby,  as  well  his  Ministers  might  take  encourage- 
 ment to  do  their  duty  with  all  faithfulness,  as  also  his  peo- 
 ple admonition,  gladly  with  all  reverence  to  be  ordered  by 
 them ;  both  parts  knowing  that  the  functions  of  the  one 
 towards  the  other  have  his  perpetual  assistance  and  appro- 
 bation. Howbeit  all  this  with  two  restraints,  which  every 
 Jurisdiction  in  the  world  hath ;  the  one,  that  the  practice 
 thereof  proceed  in  due  order ;  the  other,  that  it  do  not  ex- 
 tend itself  beyond  due  bounds  ;  which  bounds  or  limits 
 have  so  confined  Penitential  Jurisdiction,  that  although 
 there  be  given  unto  it  power  of  remitting  sin,  yet  no  such 
 sovereignty  of  power  that  no  sin  should  be  pardonable  in 
 man  without  it- j;  Thus  to  enforce  our  Saviour's  words,  is 
 as  though  we  should  gather,  that  because  whatsoever  Jo- 
 seph did  command  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  Pharaoh's  grant 
 is,  it  should  be  done ;  therefore  he  granteth  that  nothing 
 should  be  done  in  the  land  of  Egypt  but  what  Joseph 
 
 *  '  Christus  instituit  Sacertlotes  judices  super  terrain  cum  ea  potestate,  ut,  sine 
 ipsorum  sententia,  nemo  post  Baptismum  lapsus  reconciliari  possit.'  Bellarmin. 
 de  Pcenit.  1.  iii.  c.  2. 
 
 t  '  Quod  si  possent  ii  sine  Sacerdotum  sententia  absolvi,  non  esset  vera  Christi 
 promissio,  Quaecunque,' &c.  Bellarm.  ibid. 
 
 t  '  Christus  ordinariam  suam  potestatem  in  Apostolos  transtulit ;  extraordina- 
 riam  sibi  reservavit.' 
 
206 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 did  command,  and  so  consequently,  by  enabling  his  servant 
 Joseph  to  command  under  him,  disableth  himself  to  com- 
 mand any  thing  without  Joseph. 
 
 But  by  this  we  see  how  the  Papacy  maketh  all  sin  un- 
 pardonable, which  hath  not  the  Priest's  Absolution ;  except 
 peradventure  in  some  extraordinary  case,  where  albeit 
 Absolution  be  not  had,  yet  it  must  be  desired.* 
 
 What  is  then  the  force  of  Absolution  ?  What  is  it  which 
 the  act  of  Absolution  worketh  in  a  sinful  man  ?  Doth  it  by 
 any  operation  derived  from  itself  alter  the  state  of  the  soul  ? 
 Doth  it  really  take  away  sin,  or  but  ascertain  us  of  God's 
 most  gTacious  and  merciful  pardon  ?  The  latter  of  which 
 two  is  our  assertion,  the  former  theirs. 
 
 At  the  words  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  say- 
 Matt,    ing  unto  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  "  Son,  thy  sins  are  forgiven 
 2'    thee,"  the  Pharisees,  which  knew  him  not  to  be  "  Son  of  the 
 living  God,"  took  secret  exception,  and  fell  to  reasoning 
 Mark    with  themselves  against  him ;  "  Is  any  able  to  forgive  sin 
 luL    but  God  only  ?"   "  The  sins  (saith  St.  Cyprian)  that  are 
 cyp'.'de  committed  against  him,  he  alone  hath  power  to  forgive, 
 Laps,    which  took  upon  him  our  sins,  he  which  sorrowed  and  suf- 
 fered for  us,  he  whom  the  Father  delivered  unto  death  for 
 our  offences."   Whereunto  may  be  added,  that  which  Cle- 
 mens Alexandrinus  hath,  t"  Our  Lord  is  profitable  every 
 way,  every  way  beneficial,  whether  we  respect  him  as 
 man,  or  as  God ;  as  God  forgiving,  as  man  instructing  and 
 isa.     learning  how  to  avoid,  sin.    For  it  is  '  I,  even  I,  that  put- 
 xhl1-25,  teth  away  thine  iniquities  for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not 
 remember  thy  sins,'  saith  the  Lord." 
 
 Now,  albeit  we  willingly  confess  with  St.  Cyprian,  "The 
 sins  which  are  committed  against  him,  he  only  hath  power 
 to  forgive,  who  hath  taken  upon  him  our  sins,  he  which 
 hath  sorrowed  and  suffered  for  us,  he  whom  God  bath  given 
 for  our  offences. "J  Yet  neither  did  St.  Cyprian  intend  to 
 deny  the  power  of  the  Minister  otherwise  than  if  he  pre- 
 
 •  '  Ordinaria  enim  remedia  in  Ecclesia  ad  remittenda  peccata  sunt  ab  eo  insti- 
 tuta,  Saciamenta ;  sine  quibus  peccata  remittere  Christus  potest,  sed  extraordinarie 
 et  multo  raiius  hoc  facit,  quam  per  Saciamenta.  Noluit  igitur  eos  extraordinariis 
 remissionis  peccatorum  confidere,  quae  et  lara  sunt  et  incerta  :  sed  ordinaria,  ut 
 ita  dicam,  visibilia  Sacramentorum  quaeiere  remedia.'  Maldon.  in  Matt.  xvi.  19. 
 
 t  riavra  owXjs-iv  i  Kl ; i : ;  Jtai  wavTa  w^eXei,  xai  aif  «s9f*?r:;,  nai  ©£c'f.  Ta  /xtv 
 ifxa^n/xara  i,-  ©EC?  o<jx£if,  £i?  tt  to  jU>i  IJo^xofravEiv  •nmtaywycin  ii;  a*fl{«7ref.  Clem. 
 Alexandr.  Paedag.  1.  i.  [c.  5.] 
 
 t  '  Veniam  peccatis,  quae  in  ipsum  commissa  sunt,  solus  potest  ille  largiri,  qui 
 peccata  nostra  portavit,  qui  pro  nobis  doluit,  quern  Deus  tiadidit  pro  peccatis 
 nostris.'  [de  Laps.  c.  11.] 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 207 
 
 surae  beyond  his  commission  to  remit  sin,  where  God's 
 own  will  is  it  should  be  retained  ;  for,  against  such  Abso- 
 lutions he  speaketh  (which,  being  granted  to  whom  they 
 ought  to  have  been  denied,  are  of  no  validity);  and,  if 
 rightly  it  be  considered  how  higher  causes  in  operation  use 
 to  concur  with  inferior  means,  his  grace  with  our  Ministry, 
 God  really  performing  the  same  which  man  is  authorized 
 to  act  as  in  his  name,  there  shall  need  for  decision  of  this 
 point  no  great  labour. 
 
 To  remission  of  sins  there  are  two  things  necessary  ; 
 Grace,  as  the  only  cause  which  taketh  away  iniquity ;  and 
 Repentance,  as  a  duty  or  condition  required  in  us.  To 
 make  Repentance  such  as  it  should  be,  what  doth  God  de- 
 mand but  inward  sincerity  joined  with  fit  and  convenient 
 offices  for  that  purpose  1  the  one  referred  wholly  to  our 
 own  consciences,  the  other  best  discerned  by  them  whom 
 God  hath  appointed  judges  in  this  court.    So  that  having  victor, 
 first  the  promises  of  God  for  pardon  generally  unto  all 
 offenders  penitent ;  and  particularly  for  our  own  unfeigned  Vand' 
 meaning,  the  infallible  testimony  of  a  good  conscience,  the 
 sentence  of  God's  appointed  officer  and  vicegerent  to  ap- 
 prove with  impartial  judgment  the  quality  of  that  we  have 
 done,  and  as  from  his  tribunal  in  that  respect,  to  assoil  us 
 of  any  crime ;  I  see  no  cause  but  by  the  Rules  of  our  Faith 
 and  Religion  we  may  rest  ourselves  very  well  assured 
 touching  God's  most  merciful  pardon  and  grace ;  who, 
 especially  for  the  strengthening  of  weak,  timorous,  and 
 fearful  minds,  hath  so  far  endued  his  Church  with  power 
 to  absolve  sinners.    It  pleaseth  God  that  men  sometimes 
 should,  by  missing  this  help,  perceive  how  much  they  stand 
 bound  to  him  for  so  precious  a  benefit  enjoyed.  And 
 surely,  so  long  as  the  world  lived  in  any  awe  or  fear  of 
 falling  away  from  God,  so  dear  were  his  Ministers  to  the 
 people,  chiefly  in  this  respect,  that  being  through  tyranny 
 and  persecution  deprived  of  Pastors,  the  doleful  rehearsal 
 of  their  lost  felicities  hath  not  any  thing  more  eminent, 
 than  that  sinners  distressed  should  not  know  how  or  where 
 to  unload  their  burdens.    Strange  it  were  unto  me,  that  the 
 Fathers,  who  so  much  every  where  extol  the  grace  of 
 Jesus  Christ  in  leaving  unto  his  Church  this  heavenly  and 
 divine  power,  should  as  men,  whose  simplicity  had  uni- 
 
208 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 versally  been  abused,  agree  all  to  admire  and  magnify  a 
 needless  office. 
 
 The  sentence  therefore  of  Ministerial  Absolution  hath 
 two  effects :  touching  sin,  it  only  declareth  us  freed  from 
 the  guiltiness  thereof,  and  restored  into  God's  favour  ;  but 
 concerning  right  in  sacred  and  divine  mysteries,  whereof 
 through  sin  we  were  made  unworthy,  as  the  power  of  the 
 Church  did  before  effectually  bind  and  retain  us  from  ac- 
 cess unto  them,  so  upon  our  apparent  Repentance  it  truly 
 restoreth  our  liberty,  looseth  the  chains  wherewith  we  were 
 tied,  remitteth  all  whatsoever  is  past,  and  accepteth  us  no 
 less  returned  than  if  we  had  never  gone  astray. 
 
 For,  inasmuch  as  the  power  which  our  Saviour  gave  to 
 his  Church  is  of  two  kinds ;  the  one  to  be  exercised  over 
 voluntary  Penitents  only,  the  other  over  such  as  are  to  be 
 brought  to  amendment  by  Ecclesiastical  censures,  the 
 words  wherein  he  hath  given  this  authority  must  be  so  un- 
 derstood, as  the  subject  or  matter  whereupon  it  worketh 
 will  permit.  It  doth  not  permit  that  in  the  former  kind 
 (that  is  to  say,  in  the  use  of  power  over  voluntary  con- 
 verts), to  bind  or  loose,  remit  or  retain,  should  signify  any 
 other  than  only  to  pronounce  of  sinners  according  to  that 
 which  may  be  gathered  by  outward  signs ;  because  really 
 to  effect  the  removal  or  continuance  of  sin  in  the  soul  of 
 any  offender,  is  no  priestly  act,  but  a  work  which  far  ex- 
 ceedeth  their  ability.  Contrariwise,  in  the  latter  kind  of 
 spiritual  Jurisdiction,  which  by  censures  constraineth  men 
 to  amend  their  lives  ;  it  is  true,  that  the  Minister  of  God 
 doth  then  more  declare  and  signify  what  God  hath  wrought. 
 And  this  power,  true  it  is,  that  the  Church  hath  invested 
 in  it. 
 
 Howbeit,  as  other  truths,  so  this  hath  by  error  been  op- 
 pugned and  depraved  through  abuse.  The  first  of  name 
 that  openly  in  writing  withstood  the  Church's  authority 
 and  power  to  remit  sin,  was  Tertullian,  after  he  had  com- 
 bined himself  with  Montanists,  drawn  to  the  liking  of  their 
 Heresy  through  the  very  sourness  of  his  own  nature,  which 
 neither  his  incredible  skill  and  knowledge  otherwise,  nor 
 the  Doctrine  of  the  Gospel  itself,  could  but  so  much  alter, 
 as  to  make  him  savour  any  thing  which  carried  with  it  the 
 taste  of  lenity.    A  sponge  steeped  in  wormwood  and  gall, 
 
HOOK  VI. 
 
 209 
 
 a  man  through  too  much  severity  merciless,  and  neither 
 able  to  endure  nor  be  endured  of  any.    His  Book  entitled 
 Concerning  Chastity,  and  written  professedly  against  the 
 Discipline  of  the  Church,  hath  many  fretful  and  angry 
 sentences,  declaring  a  mind  very  much  offended  with  such 
 as  would  not  persuade  themselves,  that  of  sins,  some  be 
 pardonable  by  the  Keys  of  the  Church,  some  incapable  of 
 forgiveness ;  that  middle  and  moderate  offences,  having 
 received  chastisement,  may  by  spiritual  authority  after- 
 wards be  remitted,  but  greater  transgressions  must  (as 
 touching  Indulgence)  be  left  to  the  only  pleasure  of  Al- 
 mighty God  in  the  world  to  come ;  that  as  idolatry  and 
 bloodshed,  so  likewise  fornication  and  sinful  lust,  are  of 
 this  nature  ;  that  they,  which  so  far  have  fallen  from  God, 
 ought  to  continue  for  ever  after  barred  from  access  unto 
 his  Sanctuary,  condemned  to  perpetual  profusion  of  tears, 
 deprived  of  all  expectation  and  hope  to  receive  any  thing 
 at  the  Church's  hands,  but  publication  of  their  shame. 
 "  For  (saith  he)  who  will  fear  to  waste  out  that,  which  he  [De 
 hopeth  he  may  recover?  Who  will  be  careful  for  ever  to  ^9!]' 
 hold  that,  which  he  knoweth  cannot  for  ever  be  withheld 
 from  him?  He  which  slack eneth  the  bridle  to  sin,  doth 
 thereby  give  it  even  the  spur  also."*    Take  away  fear,  and 
 that  which  presently  succeedeth  instead  thereof  is  licen- 
 tious desire.    Greater  offences  therefore  are  punishable, 
 but  not  pardonable,  by  the  Church.    If  any  Prophet  or 
 Apostle  be  found  to  have  remitted  such  transgressions, 
 they  did  it  not  by  the  ordinary  course  of  Discipline,  but  by 
 extraordinary  power.    For  they  all  raised  the  dead,  which 
 none  but  God  is  able  to  do  ;  they  restored  the  impotent 
 and  lame  man,  a  work  peculiar  to  Jesus  Christ;  yea,  that 
 which  Christ  would  not  do,  because  executions  of  such 
 severity  beseemed  not  him  who  came  to  save  and  redeem 
 the  world  by  his  sufferings,  they  by  their  power  struck 
 Elymas  and  Ananias,  the  one  blind,  and  the  other  dead. 
 Approve  first  yourselves  to  be,  as  they  were,  Apostles  or 
 Prophets,  and  then  take  upon  you  to  pardon  all  men.  But, 
 if  the  authority  you  have  be  only  ministerial,  and  no  way 
 sovereign,  over-reach  not  the  limits  which  God  hath  set 
 you ;  know  that  to  pardon  capital  sin  is  beyond  your  com- 
 mission. 
 
 VOL.  II. 
 
 *  *  Securitas  delicti,  etiara  libido  est  ejus.' 
 P 
 
210 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Coneil. 
 
 Keocae- 
 
 Howbeit,  as  oftentimes  the  vices  of  wicked  men  do 
 cause  other  their  commendable  qualities  to  be  abhorred, 
 so  the  honour  of  great  men's  virtues  is  easily  a  cloak  of 
 their  errors.  In  which  respect,  Tertullian  hath  passed 
 with  much  less  obloquy  and  reprehension  than  Novatian  ; 
 who,  broaching  afterwards  the  same  opinion,  had  not  other- 
 wise wherewith  to  countervail  the  offence  he  gave,  and  to 
 procure  it  the  like  toleration.  Novatian,  at  the  first  a 
 Stoical  Philosopher  (which  kind  of  men  hath  always  ac- 
 counted stupidity  the  highest  top  of  wisdom,  and  commi- 
 seration the  deadliest  sin),  became  by  institution  and  study 
 the  very  same  which  the  other  had  been  before  through  a 
 secret  natural  distemper,  upon  his  conversion  to  the 
 Christian  Faith  and  recovery  from  sickness,  which  moved 
 him  to  receive  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism  in  his  bed.  The 
 Bishops,  contrary  to  the  Canons  of  the  Church,  would 
 s«r.  needs,  in  special  love  towards  him,  ordain  him  Presbyter, 
 which  favour  satisfied  not  him  who  thought  himself  worthy 
 of  greater  place  and  dignity.  He  closed  therefore  with  a 
 number  of  well-minded  men,  and  not  suspicious  what  his 
 secret  purposes  were,  and  having  made  them  sure  unto 
 him  by  fraud,  procureth  his  own  consecration  to  be  their 
 Bishop.  His  Prelacy  now  was  able,  as  he  thought,  to 
 countenance  what  he  intended  to  publish,  and  therefore 
 his  letters  went  presently  abroad  to  sundry  Churches, 
 advising  them  never  to  admit  to  the  fellowship  of  holy 
 mysteries,  such  as  had  after  Baptism  offered  sacrifice  to 
 Idols. 
 
 There  was  present  at  the  Council  of  Nice,  together 
 socrat.  with  other  Bishops,  one  Acesius  a  Novatianist,  touching 
 J. whose  diversity  in  opinion  from  the  Church,  the  Emperor, 
 coucii.  desirous  to  hear  some  reason,  asked  of  him  certain  ques- 
 so.  tions;  for  answer  whereunto,  Acesius  weaveth  out  a  long 
 history  of  things  that  happened  in  the  persecution  under 
 Decius,  and  of  men,  which  to  save  life,  forsook  Faith. 
 But  in  the  end  was  a  certain  bitter  Canon,  framed  in  their 
 own  school :  "  That  men  which  fall  into  deadly  sin  after 
 holy  Baptism,  ought  never  to  be  again  admitted  to 
 the  Communion  of  divine  mysteries ;  that  they  are  to 
 be  exhorted  unto  Repentance;  howbeit  not  to  be  put 
 in  hope  that  pardon  can  be  had  at  the  Priest's  hands, 
 but  with  God,  which  hath  sovereign  power  and  au- 
 
 Socr.it. 
 l.i.c.7 
 
HOOK  VI. 
 
 211 
 
 thority  in  himself  to  remit  sin,  it  may  be  in  the  end  they 
 shall  find  mercy."  These  followers  of  Novatian,  which 
 gave  themselves  the  title  of  Kadapoi,  clean,  pure,  and 
 unspotted  men,  had  one  point  of  Montanism  more  than 
 their  Master  did  profess;  for  amongst  sins  unpardon- 
 able they  reckoned  second  Marriages,  of  which  opinion 
 Tertullian  making  (as  his  usual  manner  was)  a  salt  apology, 
 "  Such  is  (saith  he)  our  stony  hardness,  that  defaming  our  [De 
 Comforter  with  a  kind  of  enormity  in  Discipline,  we  dam  ^ 
 up  the  doors  of  the  Church,  no  less  against  twice-married 
 men,  than  against  adulterers  and  fornicators."  Of  this 
 sort  therefore  it  was  ordained  by  the  Nicene  Synod,  that 
 if  any  such  did  return  to  the  Catholic  and  Apostolic  unity, 
 they  should  in  writing  bind  themselves  to  observe  the 
 Orders  of  the  Church,  and  communicate  as  well  with  them 
 which  had  been  often  married,  or  had  fallen  in  time  of 
 persecution,  as  with  other  sort  of  Christian  people.  But 
 further  to  relate,  or  at  all  to  refel  the  error  of  misbelieving 
 men  concerning  this  point,  is  not  now  to  our  present  pur- 
 pose greatly  necessary. 
 
 The  Church  may  receive  no  small  detriment  by  corrupt 
 practice,  even  there  where  doctrine  concerning  the  sub- 
 stance of  things  practised  is  free  from  any  great  or  dan- 
 gerous corruption.  If  therefore  that  which  the  Papacy 
 doth  in  matter  of  Confessions  and  Absolution  be  offensive, 
 if  it  palpably  serve  [al.  swerve]  in  the  use  of  the  Keys,  how- 
 soever that  which  it  teacheth  in  general  concerning  the 
 Church's  power  to  retain  and  forgive  sins,  be  admitted 
 true,  have  they  not  on  the  one  side  as  much  whereat  to 
 be  abashed,  as  on  the  other  wherein  to  rejoice? 
 
 They  bind  all  men,  upon  pain  of  everlasting  condem- 
 nation and  death,  to  make  Confessions  to  their  ghostly 
 Fathers  of  every  great  offence  they  know,  and  can  re- 
 member, that  they  have  committed  against  God.  Hath 
 Christ  in  his  Gospel  so  delivered  the  doctrine  of  Repentance 
 unto  the  world  ?  Did  his  Apostles  so  preach  it  to  nations  ? 
 Have  the  Fathers  so  believed  or  so  taught  ?  Surely  No- 
 vatian was  not  so  merciless  in  depriving  the  Church  of 
 power  to  absolve  some  certain  offenders,  as  they  in  im- 
 posing upon  all  a  necessity  thus  to  confess.  Novatian 
 would  not  deny  but  God  might  remit  that  which  the  Church 
 could  not,  whereas  in  the  Papacy  it  is  maintained,  that 
 
 p  2 
 
212 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 what  we  conceal  from  men,  God  himself  shall  never  pardon. 
 By  which  oversight,  as  they  have  here  surcharged  the 
 world  with  multitude,  but  much  abated  the  weight  of  Confes- 
 sions, so  the  careless  manner  of  their  Absolution  hath  made 
 Discipline,  for  the  most  part,  amongst  them  a  bare  for- 
 mality ;  yea,  rather  a  means  of  emboldening  unto  vicious 
 and  wicked  life,  than  either  any  help  to  prevent  future,  or 
 medicine  to  remedy  present,  evils  in  the  soul  of  man.  The 
 Fathers  were  slow  and  always  fearful  to  absolve  any  be- 
 fore very  manifest  tokens  given  of  a  true  penitent  and  con- 
 trite spirit.  It  was  not  their  custom  to  remit  sin  first,  and 
 then  to  impose  works  of  Satisfaction,  as  the  fashion  of 
 Rome  is  now ;  insomuch  that  this  their  preposterous 
 course,  and  misordered  practices,  hath  bred  also  in  them 
 an  error  concerning  the  end  and  purpose  of  these  works. 
 For  against  the  guiltiness  of  sin,  and  the  danger  of  ever- 
 lasting condemnation  thereby  incurred,  Confession  and 
 Absolution  succeeding  the  same,  are,  as  they  take  it, 
 a  remedy  sufficient ;  and  therefore  what  their  Penitentia- 
 ries do  think  to  enjoin  further,  whether  it  be  a  number  of 
 Ave-Maries  daily  to  be  scored  up,  a  journey  of  pilgrimage 
 to  be  undertaken,  some  few  dishes  of  ordinary  diet  to  be 
 exchanged,  offerings  to  be  made  at  the  shrines  of  Saints, 
 or  a  little  to  be  scraped  off  from  men's  superfluities  for 
 relief  of  poor  people,  all  is  in  lieu  or  exchange  with  God, 
 whose  justice,  notwithstanding  our  pardon,  yet  oweth 
 us  still  some  temporal  punishment,  either  in  this  or  in  the 
 life  to  come,  except  we  quit  it  ourselves  here  with  works 
 of  the  former  kind,  and  continued  till  the  balance  of  God's 
 most  strict  severity  shall  find  the  pains  we  have  taken 
 equivalent  with  the  plagues  wrhich  we  should  endure,  or 
 else  the  mercy  of  the  Pope  relieve  us.  And  at  this  postern- 
 gate  cometh  in  the  whole  mart  of  Papal  Indulgences  so 
 infinitely  strewed,  that  the  pardon  of  sin,  which  heretofore 
 was  obtained  hardly  and  by  much  suit,  is  with  them  be- 
 come now  almost  impossible  to  be  escaped. 
 
 To  set  down  then  the  force  of  this  sentence  in  absolving 
 penitents  ;  there  are  in  sin  these  three  things  :*  the  act 
 which  passeth  away  and  vanisheth ;  the  pollution  where- 
 with it  leaveth  the  soul  defiled ;  and  the  punishment 
 
 *  '  In  peccato  tria  sunt ;  actio  mala,  interior  macula,  et  sequela.'  Bon- sent. 
 1.  iv.  d.  17.  q.  3. 
 
BOOK  Vt. 
 
 213 
 
 whcrcunlo  they  are  made  subject  that  have  committed  it. 
 The  act  of  sin  is  every  deed,  word,  and  thought  against 
 the  Law  of  God :   "  for  sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  1..j0ihn 
 
 '  °  ,     ill.  4. 
 
 Law:"  and  although  the  deed  itself  do  not  continue,  yet  is 
 that  bad  quality  permanent,  whereby  it  maketh  the  soul 
 unrighteous  and  deformed  in  God's  sight.  "  From  the  heart 
 come  evil  cogitations,  murders,  adulteries,  fornications, 
 thefts,  false  testimonies,  slanders ;  these  are  things  which 
 defile  a  man."  They  do  not  only,  as  effects  of  impurity, 
 argue  the  nest  to  be  unclean  out  of  which  they  came,  but 
 as  causes  they  strengthen  that  disposition  unto  wicked- 
 ness which  brought  them  forth ;  they  are  both  fruits  and 
 seeds  of  uncleanness,  they  nourish  the  root  out  of  which 
 they  grow,  they  breed  that  iniquity  which  bred  them. 
 The  blot  therefore  of  sin  abideth,  though  the  act  be  tran- 
 sitory. And  out  of  both  ariseth  a  present  debt,  to  endure 
 what  punishment  soever  the  evil  which  we  have  done  de- 
 serveth ;  an  obligation,  in  the  chains  whereof  sinners,  by 
 the  justice  of  Almighty  God,  continue  bound  till  Repen- 
 tance loose  them.  "  Repent  this  thy  wickedness  (saith 
 Peter  unto  Simon  Magus),  and  beseech  God,  that  if  it  be  -  2S- 
 possible  the  thought  of  thine  heart  may  be  pardoned;  for 
 I  see  thou  art  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in  the  bond  of 
 iniquity."  In  like  manner  Solomon  :  "  The  wicked  shall  Pr°£ 
 be  held  fast  in  the  cords  of  his  own  sin. 
 
 Nor  doth  God  only  bind  sinners  hand  and  foot  by  the 
 dreadful  determination  of  his  own  unsearchable  judgment 
 against  them  ;  but  sometimes  also  the  Church  bindeth  by 
 the  censures  of  her  Discipline.*  So  that  when  offenders 
 upon  their  Repentance  are  by  the  same  Discipline  ab- 
 solved, the  Church  looseth  but  her  own  bonds,  the  chains 
 wherein  she  had  tied  them  before. 
 
 The  act  of  sin  God  alone  remitteth,  in  that  his  purpose  ^ 
 is  never  to  call  it  to  account,  or  to  lay  it  unto  men's  charge  ;  Mic. 
 the  stain  he  washeth  out  by  the  sanctifying  grace  of  his  "cor?" 
 Spirit;  and  concerning  the  punishment  of  sin,  as  none  else 
 hath  power  to  cast  body  and  soul  into  hell-fire,  so  none  Luke 
 have  power  to  deliver  either  besides  him. 
 
 xii.  5. 
 Mali. 
 
 As  for  the  Ministerial  sentence  of  private  Absolution,  it  "• 28- 
 
 *  '  Sacerclotes  opus  justitiaj  exercent  in  peccatores,  cum  eos  justa  poena  Iigant; 
 opus  misericordiae,  cum  de  ea  aliquod  relaxant,  vcl  Sacramentorum  Communioni 
 conciliant ;  alia  opera  in  peccatores  exercere  nequeunt.'    Sent,  1.  iv.  djs.  18. 
 
214 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 can  be  no  more  than  a  declaration  what  God  hath  done  5 
 it  hath  but  the  force  of  the  Prophet  Nathan's  Absolution, 
 2  sam.  t*  God  hath  taken  away  thy  sin :"  than  which  construction, 
 especially  of  words  judicial,  there  is  not  any  thing  more 
 Luke    vulgar.  For  example,  the  Publicans  are  said  in  the  Gospel 
 mm.  '  to  have  justified  God ;  the  Jews  in  Malachi  to  have 
 in.  15.  kiesse(j  proud  men,  which  sin  and  prosper ;  not  that  the 
 one  did  make  God  righteous,  or  the  other  the  wicked  happy : 
 but  to  bless,  to  justify,  and  to  absolve,  are  as  commonly 
 *  used  for  words  of  judgment,  or  declaration,  as  of  true  and 
 sent.  1.  real  efficacy;  yea,  even  by  the  opinion  of  the  Master  of 
 is.  5  Sentences.    It  may  be  soundly  affirmed  and  thought  that 
 God  alone  doth  remit  and  retain  sins,  although  he  have 
 given  power  to  the  Church  to  do  both ;  but  he  one  way, 
 and  the  Church  another.  He  only  by  himself  forgiveth  sin, 
 who  cleanseth  the  soul  from  inward  blemish,  and  looseth 
 the  debt  of  eternal  death.    So  great  a  privilege  he  hath 
 not  given  unto  his  Priests,  who  notwithstanding  are  au- 
 thorized to  loose  and  bind,  that  is  to  say,  declare  who  arc 
 bound,  and  who  are  loosed.    For  albeit  a  man  be  already 
 cleared  before  God,  yet  he  is  not  in  the  Church  of  God  so 
 taken,  but  by  the  virtue  of  the  Priest's  sentence ;  who 
 likewise  may  be  said  to  bind  by  imposing  Satisfaction,  and 
 to  loose  by  admitting  to  the  holy  Communion. 
 
 Saint  Jerome  also,  whom  the  Master  of  the  Sentences 
 allegeth  for  more  countenance  of  his  own  opinion,  doth  no 
 nier.    less  plainly  and  directly  affirm :  "  That  as  the  Priests  of 
 com.  '  the  Law  could  only  discern,  and  neither  cause  nor  remove 
 Tni6.  leprosies ;  so  the  Ministers  of  the  Gospel,  when  they  re- 
 Matt,    tain  or  remit  sin,  do  but  in  the  one  judge  how  long  we  con- 
 tinue guilty,  and  in  the  other  declare  when  we  are  clear  or 
 free."    For  there  is  nothing  more  apparent,  than  that  the 
 Discipline  of  Repentance,  both  public  and  private,  was 
 ordained  as  an  outward  means  to  bring  men  to  the  virtue 
 of  inward  conversion ;  so  that  when  this  by  manifest 
 tokens  did  seem  effected,  Absolution  ensuing  (which  could 
 not  make)  served  only  to  declare  men  innocent. 
 
 But  the  cause  wherefore  they  are  so  stiff,  and  have  for- 
 saken their  own  Master  to  this  point  is,  for  that  they  hold 
 the  private  Discipline  of  Penitency  to  be  a  Sacrament;  Ab- 
 solution an  external  sign  in  this  Sacrament;  the  signs  ex- 
 ternal of  all  Sacraments  in  the  New  Testament,  to  be  both 
 
BOOK  VI.  2  Jo 
 
 causes  of  that  which  they  signify,  and  signs  of  lhat  which 
 they  truly  cause. 
 
 To  this  opinion  concerning  Sacraments,  they  are  now 
 tied  by  expounding  a  Canon  in  the  Florentine  Council 
 according  to  the  former  Ecclesiastical  invention  received 
 from  Thomas.    For  his  deceit  it  was,  that  the  mercy  of 
 God,  which  useth  Sacraments  as  instruments  whereby  to 
 work,  endueth  them  at  the  time  of  their  administration 
 with  supernatural  force  and  ability  to  induce  grace  into 
 the  souls  of  men ;  even  as  the  axe  and  saw  do  seem  to 
 bring  timber  into  that  fashion  which  the  mind  of  the  ar- 
 tificer intendeth.    His  conceit,  Scotus,  Occam,  Petrus  scot. 
 Alliacensis,  with  sundry  others,  do  most  earnestly  and  j*"'.' 
 strongly  impugn,  shewing  very  good  reason  wherefore  no  s°^- 
 Sacrament  of  the  new  Law  can  either  by  virtue  which  Qusst. 
 itself  hath,  or  by  force  supernatural  given  it,  be  properly  lt^m' 
 a  cause  to  wor  grace :  but  Sacraments  are  therefore  said  0cca,n- 
 
 ml.  qu. 
 
 to  work  or  confer  grace,  because  the  will  of  Almighty  God  quant, 
 is,  although  not  to  give  them  such  efficacy,  yet  himself  to  Q„*sct[ 
 be  present  in  the  ministry  of  the  working  that  effect,  which  j'jjj  *• 
 proceedeth  wholly  from  him,  without  any  real  operation 
 of  theirs,  such  as  can  enter  into  men's  souls. 
 
 In  which  construction,  seeing  that  our  books  and  writ- 
 ings have  made  it  known  to  the  world  how  we  join  with 
 them,  it  seemeth  very  hard  and  injurious  dealing,  that  Bel- 
 larmine  throughout  the  whole  course  of  his  second  Book 
 De  Sacramentis  in  Genere,*  should  so  boldly  face  down 
 his  adversaries,  as  if  their  opinion  were,  that  Sacraments 
 are  naked,  empty,  and  ineffectual  signs ;  wherein  there  is 
 no  other  force,  than  only  such  as  in  pictures,  to  stir  up  the 
 mind,  that  so  by  theory  and  speculation  of  things  repre- 
 sented, faith  may  grow :  finally,  that  all  the  operations 
 which  Sacraments  have,  is  a  sensible  and  divine  instruc- 
 
 *  '  Lutherani  de  hac  re  interdum  ita  scribunt,  ut  videantur  a  Catholicis  non  dis- 
 sentire ;  interdum  autem  apertissime  scribunt  contraria  :  at  semper  in  eadem  sen- 
 tentia  manent,  Sacramenta  non  habere  immediate  illam  efficientiam  respectu  gra- 
 tis, sed  esse  nuda  signa,  tamen  mediate  aliquid  efficere  quatenus  excitant  et  alunt 
 fidem — quod  ipsum  non  faciunt  nisi  repraesentando,  ut  Sacramenta  per  visum  ex- 
 citent  fidem,  quemadmodum  pracdicatio  Verbi  per  auditum.'  Bellarm.  de  effect. 
 Sacram.  1.  ii.  c.  2. 
 
 '  Quaedam  signa  sunt  theorica,  non  ad  alium  finem  instituta,  quam  ad  significan- 
 dum  ;  alia  ad  significandum  et  efficiendum,  qu®  ob  id  practica  dici  possunt.  Con- 
 troversia  est  inter  nos  et  Haereticos,  quod  illi  faciunt  Sacramenta  signa  prioris  ge- 
 neris. Quare  si  ostendere  poterimus  esse  signa  posterioris  generis,  obtinuimus 
 causara.'    Ibid.  cap.  8. 
 
216 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 tion.  But  had  it  pleased  him  not  to  hoodwink  his  own 
 knowledge,  I  nothing  doubt  but  he  fully  saw  how  to  answer 
 himself;  it  being  a  matter  very  strange  and  incredible,  that 
 one  which  with  so  great  diligence  hath  winnowed  his  adver- 
 saries' writings,*  should  be  ignorant  of  their  minds.  For, 
 even  as  in  the  Person  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  both  God 
 and  Man,  when  his  human  nature  is  by  itself  considered, 
 we  may  not  attribute  that  unto  him,  which  we  do  and  must 
 ascribe  as  oft  as  respect  is  had  unto  both  natures  com- 
 bined; so  because  in  Sacraments  there  are  two  things  dis- 
 tinctly to  be  considered,  the  outward  sign,  and  the  secret 
 concurrence  of  God's  most  blessed  Spirit,  in  which  respect 
 our  Saviour  hath  taught  that  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
 are  combined  to  work  the  mystery  of  new  birth ;  Sacra- 
 ments therefore,  as  signs,  have  only  those  effects  before- 
 mentioned  ;  but  of  Sacraments,  in  that  by  God's  own  will 
 and  ordinance  they  are  signs  assisted  always  with  the  power 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost,  wTe  acknowledge  whatsoever  either  the 
 places  of  the  Scripture,  or  the  authority  of  Councils  and 
 Fathers,  or  the  proofs  and  arguments  of  Reason  which  he 
 allegeth,  can  shew  to  be  wrought  by  them.  The  elements 
 and  w  ords  have  power  of  infallible  significations,  for  which 
 they  are  called  seals  of  God's  truth ;  the  Spirit  affixed  unto 
 those  elements  and  words,  power  of  operation  within  the 
 soul,  most  admirable,  divine,  and  impossible  to  be  ex- 
 pressed. For  so  God  hath  instituted  and  ordained,  that, 
 together  wTith  due  administration  and  receipt  of  sacramental 
 signs,  there  shall  proceed  from  himself  grace  effectual  to 
 sanctify,  to  cure,  to  comfort,  and  whatsoever  else  is  for  the 
 good  of  the  souls  of  men.   Howbeit  this  opinion  f  Thomas 
 
 •  '  Semper  memoria  repetendum  est  Sacramenta  nihil  aliud  quam  instrumenta- 
 les  esse  conferendae  nobis  gratiae  causas.'  Calv.  in  Ant.  con.  Fri.  sec.  7.  c.  5.  '  Si 
 qui  sint  qui  negent  Sacramentis  contineri  gratiam  quam  figurant,  illos  improbamus.' 
 Ibid.  c.  6. 
 
 t  '  Iste  modus  non  transcendit  rationem  signi,  cum  Sacramenta  novae  Legis 
 non  solum  significent,  sed,  causent  gratiam.'  Part.  iii.  q.  62.  Act.  1.  Alexand. 
 part. iv.  q.  8.  memb.  3.  act.  v. sec.  Let  2.  Th.  de  verit.  q.  27.  act.  iii.  Alliac.  in 
 quart,  sent.  ix.  1.  Capr.  in  4.  d.  1.  q.  1.  Palud.  Tom.  Ferrar.  lib.  iv.  cont.  Gent, 
 c.  57.  '  Necesse  est  ponere  aliquam  virtutem  supernaturalem  in  Sacramentis.' 
 Sent.  iv.  d.  1.  q.  1.  act.  iv.  '  Sacramentum  consequitur  spiritualem  virtutem  cum 
 benedictione  Cbristi,  et  applicatione  Ministri  ad  usum  Sacramenti.'  Part.  iii.  q.  62. 
 art.  iv.  Concil.  *  Victus  sacramentalis  habet  esse  transiens  ex  uno  in  aliud  et  in- 
 completum.'  Ibidem.  '  Ex  Sacramentis  duo  consequuntur  in  anima,  unum  est 
 character,  sive  aliquis  ornatus  ;  aliud,  est  gratia.  Respectu  primo,  Sacramenta 
 sunt  causae  aliquo  modo  efficientes  ;  respectu  secundo,  sunt  disponentes.  Sacra- 
 menta causant  dispositionem  ad  formam  ultiniam,  sed  ultimam  perfeclionem  non 
 inducunt.'  Sent.  iv.  d.  1.  q.  1.  art.  iv. 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 217 
 
 rejecteth,  under  pretence  that  it  maketh  sacramental  words 
 and  elements  to  be  in  themselves  no  more  than  signs, 
 whereas  they  ought  to  be  held  as  causes  of  that  they 
 signify.  He  therefore  reformeth  it  with  this  addition,  that 
 the  very  sensible  parts  of  the  Sacraments  do  instrumentally 
 effect  and  produce,  not  grace  (for  the  Schoolmen  both  of 
 these  times,  and  long  after,  did,  for  the  most  part,  maintain 
 it  untrue,  and  some  of  them  impossible,  that  sanctifying 
 grace  should  efficiently  proceed  but  from  God  alone,  and 
 that  by  immediate  creation,  as  the  substance  of  the  sonl 
 doth) ;  but  the  phantasy  which  Thomas  had  was,  that  sen- 
 sible things,  through  Christ's  and  the  Priest's  benediction, 
 receive  a  certain  supernatural  transitory  force, which  leav- 
 eth  behind  it  a  kind  of  preparative  quality  or  beauty  within 
 the  soul,  whereupon  immediately  from  God  doth  ensue 
 the  grace  that  justifieth. 
 
 Now  they  which  pretend  to  follow  Thomas,  differ  from 
 him  in  two  points.    For  first,  they  make  grace  an  immediate 
 effect  of  the  outward  sign,  which  he  for  the  dignity  and  ex- 
 cellency thereof  was  afraid  to  do.    Secondly,  whereas  he, 
 to  produce  but  a  preparative  quality  in  the  soul,  did  ima- 
 gine God  to  create  in  the  instrument  a  supernatural  gift  or 
 ability;  they  confess,  that  nothing  is  created,  infused,  or 
 any  way  inherent,  either  in  the  word  or  in  the  elements ; 
 nothing  that  giveth  them  instrumental  efficacy,  but  God's 
 mere  motion  or  application.*    Are  they  able  to  explain 
 unto  us,  or  themselves  to  conceive,  what  they  mean  when 
 they  thus  speak  ?    For  example,  let  them  teach  us,  in  the 
 Sacrament  of  Baptism,  what  it  is  for  water  to  be  moved  till 
 it  bring  forth  grace.    The  application  thereof  by  the  Minis- 
 ter is  plain  to  sense ;  the  force  which  it  hath  in  the  mind, 
 as  a  moral  instrument  of  information  or  instruction,  we 
 know  by  reason ;  and  by  faith,  we  understand  how  God 
 doth  assist  it  with  his  Spirit:  whereupon  ensueth  the  grace 
 which  Saint  Cyprian  did  in  himself  observe,  saying,  "After  [Ad  Do 
 the  bath  of  regeneration  having  scowered  out  the  stained  "jj 
 foulness  of  former  life,  supernatural  light  had  entrance 
 into  the  breast  which  was  purified  and  cleansed  for  it: 
 after  that  a  second  nativity  had  made  another  man,  by  in- 
 ward receipt  of  the  Spirit  from  Heaven  ;  things  doubtful 
 
 *  '  Solus  Deus  efficit  gratiam  adeo  quod  nec  Angelis,  qui  sunt  nobiliores  sensi- 
 bilibus  creaturis,  hoc  communicetur.'  Sent.iv.  d.  1.  q.  1.  art.  iv. 
 
218 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 began  in  marvellous  manner  to  appear  certain,  that  to  be 
 open  which  lay  hid,  darkness  to  shine  like  a  clear  light, 
 former  hardness  to  be  made  facility,  impossibility  easiness: 
 insomuch  as  it  might  be  discerned  how  that  was  earthly, 
 which  before  had  been  carnally  bred  and  lived,  given  over 
 unto  sins  ;  that  now  God's  own  which  the  Holy  Ghost  did 
 quicken." 
 
 Our  opinion  is  therefore  plain  unto  every  man's  under- 
 standing. We  take  it  for  a  very  good  speech  which  Bona- 
 venture  hath  uttered  in  saying,  *  "  Heed  must  be  taken, 
 that  while  we  assign  too  much  to  the  bodily  signs  in  way 
 of  their  commendation,  we  withdraw  not  the  honour  which 
 is  due  to  the  cause  which  worketh  in  them,  and  the  soul 
 which  receiveth  them.  Whereunto  we  conformably  teach, 
 that  the  outward  sign  applied  hath  of  itself  no  natural  effi- 
 cacy towards  grace,  neither  doth  God  put  into  it  any  su- 
 pernatural inherent  virtue."  And,  as  I  think,  we  thus  far 
 avouch  no  more  than  they  themselves  confess  to  be  very 
 true. 
 
 If  any  thing  displease  them,  it  is  because  we  add  to 
 these  promises  another  assertion ;  that,  with  the  outward 
 sign,  God  joineth  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  so  the  whole  instru- 
 ment of  God  bringeth  that  to  pass,  whereunto  the  baser  and 
 meaner  part  could  not  extend.  As  for  operations  through 
 the  motion  of  signs,  they  are  dark,  intricate,  and  obscure; 
 perhaps  possible,  howbeit,  not  proved  either  true  or  likely, 
 Luke  by  alleging,  that  the  touch  of  our  Saviour's  garment  re- 
 johnix.  stored  health,  clay  sight,  when  he  applied  it.  Although 
 ten  thousand  such  examples  should  be  brought,  they  over- 
 throw not  this  one  principle ;  that,  where  the  instrument  is 
 without  inherent,  the  effect  must  necessarily  proceed  from 
 the  only  agent's  adherent,  power. 
 
 It  passeth  a  man's  conceit  how  water  should  be  carried 
 into  the  soul  with  any  force  of  divine  motion,  or  grace  pro- 
 ceed but  merely  from  the  influence  of  God's  Spirit.  Not- 
 Beiiarm.  withstanding,  if  God  himself  teach  his  Church  in  this  case 
 sacrffe  t  to  believe  that  which  he  hath  not  given  us  capacity  to  com- 
 1.  ii.  c  l.  prehend,  how  incredible  soever  it  may  seem,  yet  our  wits 
 should  submit  themselves,  and  reason  give  place  unto  faith 
 therein.    But  they  yield  it  to  be  no  question  of  faith,  how 
 
 *  '  Cavendum  eiiim  ne  dum  nimis  damus  corporalibus  signis  ad  laudem,  subtra- 
 hamus  honorem  causre  curanti  et  anima:  suscipienti.' 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 219 
 
 grace  doth  proceed  from  Sacraments ;  if  in  general  they  be 
 acknowledged  true  instrumental  causes,  by  the  ministry 
 whereof  men  receive  divine  grace.*  And  <hat  they  which 
 impute  grace  to  the  only  operation  of  God  himself,  con- 
 curring  with  the  external  sign,  do  no  less  acknowledge  the 
 true  efficacy  of  the  Sacrament,  than  they  that  ascribe  the 
 same  to  the  quality  of  the  sign  applied,  or  to  the  motion  of 
 God  applying,  and  so  far  carrying  it,  till  grace  be  not  cre- 
 ated, but  extracted,  out  of  the  natural  possibility  of  the 
 soul.  Nevertheless,  this  last  philosophical  imagination  (if 
 I  may  call  it  philosophical,  which  useth  the  terms,  but 
 overthroweth  the  rules  of  Philosophy,  and  hath  no  article 
 of  faith  to  support  it),  but  whatsoever  it  be,  they  follow  it 
 in  a  manner  all ;  they  cast  off  the  first  opinion,  wherein  is 
 most  perspicuity  and  strongest  evidence  of  certain  truth. 
 
 The  Council  of  Florence  and  Trent  defining,  that  Sacra- 
 ments contain  and  confer  grace,  the  sense  whereof  (if  it 
 liked  them)  might  so  easily  conform  itself  with  the  same 
 opinion  which  they  drew  without  any  just  cause  quite  and 
 clean  the  other  way,  making  grace  the  issue  of  bare  words, 
 in  such  Sacraments  as  they  have  framed  destitute  of  any 
 visible  element,  and  holding  it  the  offspring  as  well  of  ele- 
 ments as  of  words  in  those  Sacraments  where  both  are  ;  but 
 in  no  Sacrament  acknowledging  grace  to  be  the  fruit  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost  working  with  the  outward  sign,  and  not  by  it, 
 in  such  sort  as  Thomas  himself  teacheth;  that  the  Apostle's  Tho.de 
 Imposition  of  Hands  caused  not  the  coming  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  which  notwithstanding  was  bestowed  together  with 
 the  exercise  of  that  Ceremony ;  yea,  by  it  (saith  the  Evan-  ad.  16. 
 gelist),  to  wit,  as  by  a  mean  which  came  between  the  true  ViT.is. 
 agent  and  the  effect,  but  not  otherwise. 
 
 Many  of  the  ancient  Fathers,  presupposing  that  the  faith- 
 ful before  Christ  had  not,  till  the  time  of  his  coming,  that 
 perfect  life  and  salvation  which  they  looked  for  and  we 
 possess,  thought  likewise  their  Sacraments  to  be  but  pre- 
 figurations  of  that  which  ours  in  present  do  exhibit.  For 
 which  cause  the  Florentine  Council,  comparing  the  one 
 with  the  other,  saith,  "  That  the  old  did  only  shadow  grace, 
 which  was  afterwards  to  be  given  through  the  Passion  of 
 Jesus  Christ."    But  the  after-wit  of  latter  days  hath  found 
 
 *  '  Diciraus  gratiam  non  creari  a  Deo,  sed  produci  ex  aptitudine  etpotentiana- 
 turali  anima;,  sicut  camera  omnia  qu?R  producuntur  in  subjectis  talibus,  qua;  sunt 
 apta  nata  ad  suscipiendum  accidentia.'  Allen,  de  Sacr.  iu  Gen.  c.  37. 
 
220  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 out  another  more  exquisite  distinction,  that  Evangelical 
 Sacraments  are  causes  to  effect  grace,  through  motions  of 
 signs  Legal,  according  to  the  same  signification  and  sense 
 wherein  Evangelical  Sacraments  are  held  by  us  to  be  God's 
 instruments  for  that  purpose.  For  howsoever  Bellarmine 
 hath  shrunk  up  the  Lutherans'  sinews,  and  cut  off  our  doc- 
 trine by  the  skirts ;  *Allen,  although  he  term  us  Heretics, 
 according  to  the  usual  bitter  venom  of  his  first  style,  doth 
 yet  ingenuously  confess,  that  the  old  Schoolmen's  doctrine 
 and  ours  is  one  concerning  Sacramental  efficacy,  derived 
 from  God  himself,  assisting  by  promise  those  outward  signs 
 of  elements  and  words,  out  of  which  their  Schoolmen  of  the 
 newer  mint  are  so  desirous  to  hatch  grace.  Where  God 
 doth  work  and  use  these  outward  means,  wherein  he  neither 
 findeth  nor  planteth  force  and  aptness  towards  his  intended 
 purpose ;  such  means  are  but  signs  to  bring  men  to  the  con- 
 sideration of  his  omnipotent  power,  which,  without  the  use 
 of  things  sensible,  would  not  be  marked. 
 
 At  the  time  therefore  when  he  giveth  his  heavenly  grace, 
 he  applieth,  by  the  hands  of  his  Ministers,  that  which  be- 
 tokeneth  the  same ;  not  only  betokeneth,  but,  being  also  ac- 
 companied for  ever  with  such  power  as  doth  truly  work,  is 
 in  that  respect  termed  God's  instrument,  a  true  efficient 
 cause  of  grace ;  a  cause  not  in  itself,  but  only  by  connexion 
 of  that  which  is  in  itself  a  cause,  namely,  God's  own  strength 
 and  power.  Sacraments,  that  is  to  say,  the  outward  signs 
 in  Sacraments,  work  nothing  till  they  be  blessed  and  sanc- 
 tified by  God. 
 
 But  what  is  God's  heavenly  benediction  and  sanctifica- 
 tion,  saving  only  the  association  of  his  Spirit  ?  Shall  we  say 
 that  Sacraments  are  like  magical  signs,  if  thus  they  have 
 
 *  '  Quod  ad  circumcisionem  sequebatur  remissio,  fiebat  ratione  rei  adjuncts  et 
 ratione  pacti  divini,  eodem  plane  modo  quo  non  solum  Ha;retici,  sed  etiam  aliquot 
 vetustiores  Scholastici  voluerunt  nova  Sacramenta  conferre  gratiam.'  Allen,  de 
 Sacr.  in  gen.  c.  39.  '  Bonaventura,  Scotus,  Durandus,  Ricardus,  Occamus,  Marsi- 
 lius,  Gabriel, — volunt  solum  Deum  producere  gratiam  ad  praesentiam  Sacramento- 
 rum.'  Bellarm.  de  Sacr.  in  gen.  lib.  ii.  c.  11.  '  Puto  longe  probabiliorem  et  tutiorem 
 sententiam  quae  dat  Sacramentis  veram  efficientiam.  Primo  quia  doctores  passim 
 docent,  Sacramenta  non  agere  nisi  prius  a  Deo  virtutem  seu  benedictionem  seu 
 sanctificationem  accipiant,  et  referunt  effectum  Sacramentorum  ad  omnipotentiam 
 Dei,  et  conferunt  cum  veris  causis  efficientibus.  Secundo,  quia  non  esset  differentia 
 inter  modum  agendi  Sacramentorum,  et  signorum  magicorum.  Tertio,  quia  tunc  non 
 esset  homo  Dei  minister  in  ipsa  actione  Sacramentali,  sed  homo  praeberet  signum 
 actione  sua,  et  Deus  alia  actione,  viso  eo  signo,  infunderet  gratiam,  ut  cum  unus 
 ostendit  syngrapham  mercatori,  et  ille  dat  pecunias.  At  Scriptural;  docent,  quod 
 Deus  baptizat  per  hominem.'  Bellarni.  lib.  ii.  cap.  11. 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 221 
 
 their  effect  ?  Is  it  magic  for  God  to  manifest  by  things  sen- 
 sible what  he  doth,  and  to  do  by  his  most  glorious  Spirit 
 really  what  he  manifesteth  in  his  Sacraments  ?  The  delivery 
 and  administration  whereof  remaineth  in  the  hands  of 
 mortal  men,  by  whom,  as  by  personal  instruments,  God 
 doth  apply  signs,  and  with  signs  inseparably  join  his 
 Spirit,  and  through  the  power  of  his  Spirit  work  grace. 
 The  first  is  by  way  of  concomitance  and  consequence  to 
 deliver  the  rest  also  that  either  accompany  or  ensue. 
 
 It  is  not  here,  as  in  cases  of  mutual  commerce,  where 
 divers  persons  have  divers  acts  to  be  performed  in  their 
 own  behalf;  a  creditor  to  shew  his  bill,  and  a  debtor  to  pay 
 his  money.  But  God  and  man  do  here  meet  in  one  action 
 upon  a  third,  in  whom,  as  it  is  the  work  of  God  to  create 
 grace,  so  it  is  his  work  by  the  hand  of  the  Ministry  to  ap- 
 ply a  sign  which  should  betoken,  and  his  work  to  annex 
 that  Spirit  which  shall  effect  it.  The  action  therefore  is 
 but  one,  God  the  author  thereof,  and  man  a  co-partner,  by 
 him  assigned  to  work  for,  with,  and  under  him.  God  the 
 giver  of  grace  by  the  outward  ministry  of  man,  so  far  forth 
 as  he  authorizeth  man  to  apply  the  Sacraments  of  grace  in 
 the  soul,  which  he  alone  worketh,  without  either  instrument 
 or  co-agent. 
 
 Whereas  therefore  with  us  the  remission  of  sin  is  as- 
 cribed unto  God,  as  a  thing  which  proceedeth  from  him 
 only,  and  presently  followeth  upon  the  virtue  of  true  Re- 
 pentance appearing  in  man ;  that  which  we  attribute  to  the 
 Virtue,  they  do  not  only  impute  to  the  Sacrament,  of  Re- 
 pentance, but,  having  made  Repentance  a  Sacrament,  and 
 thinking  of  Sacraments  as  they  do,  they  are  enforced  to 
 make  the  Ministry  of  the  Priests  and  their  Absolution  a 
 cause  of  that  which  the  sole  omnipotency  of  God  worketh. 
 
 And  yet,  for  my  own  part,  I  am  not  able  well  to  conceive 
 how  their  Doctrine,  that  human  Absolution  is  really  a 
 cause  out  of  which  our  deliverance  from  sin  doth  ensue, 
 can  cleave  with  the  Council  of  Trent,  defining,  "  That  Con-  Co"c- 
 
 °'  Trid. 
 
 trition  perfected  with  charity  doth  at  all  times  itself  re-  sess. 
 concile  offenders  to  God,  before  they  come  to  receive  ac-  "v4\ 
 tually  the  Sacrament  of  Penance.    How  can  it  stand  with 
 those  discourses  of  the  learned  Rabbies,  which  grant,  "That  J*"*™^ 
 whosoever  turneth  unto  God  with  his  whole  heart,  hath  i.ii.c.13. 
 immediately  his  sins  taken  away ;  That  if  a  man  be  truly 
 
222 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 converted,  his  pardon  can  neither  be  denied  nor  delayed?" 
 it  doth  not  stay  for  the  Priest's  Absolution,  but  presently 
 followeth :  "  Surely,  if  every  contrite  sinner,  in  whom  there 
 is  charity  and  a  sincere  'conversion  of  heart,  have  remis- 
 sion of  sins  given  him  before  he  seek  it  at  the  Priest's 
 hands ;  if  reconciliation  to  God  be  a  present  and  immediate 
 sequel  upon  every  such  conversion  or  change :  it  must  of 
 necessity  follow  seeing  no  man  can  be  a  true  penitent 
 or  contrite  which  doth  not  both  love  God  and  sincerely 
 abhor  sin,  that  therefore  they  all  before  Absolution  attain 
 forgiveness ;  whereunto  notwithstanding  Absolution  is  pre- 
 tended a  cause  so  necessary,  that  sin  without  it,  except  in 
 some  rare  extraordinary  case,  cannot  possibly  be  remitted." 
 Shall  Absolution  be  a  cause  producing  and  working  that 
 effect  which  is  always  brought  forth  without  it,  and  had 
 before  Absolution  be  thought  of?  But,  when  they  which  are 
 thus  beforehand  pardoned  of  God  shall  come  to  be  also 
 assoiled  by  the  Priest,  I  would  know  what  force  his  Abso- 
 lution hath  in  this  case  ?  Are  they  able  to  say  here,  that 
 the  Priest  doth  remit  any  thing?  Yet,  when  any  of  ours 
 ascribeth  the  work  of  remission  to  God,  and  interpreteth 
 the  Priest's  sentence  to  be  but  a  solemn  declaration  of 
 that  which  God  himself  hath  already  performed,  they 
 scorn  at  it;  they  urge  against  it,  that  if  this  were  true,  our 
 Saviour  Christ  should  rather  have  said,  "  What  is  loosed 
 in  Heaven,  ye  shall  loose  on  earth,"  than  as  he  doth, 
 "  Whatsoever  ye  loose  on  earth,  shall  in  Heaven  be 
 loosed."  As  if  he  were  to  learn  of  us  how  to  place  his 
 words,  and  not  we  to  crave  rather  of  him  a  sound  and 
 right  understanding,  lest  to  his  dishonour  and  our  own 
 hurt  we  misexpound  them.  It  sufficeth,  I  think,  both 
 against  their  constructions  to  have  proved  that  they 
 ground  an  untruth  on  his  speech,  and,  in  behalf  of  our  own, 
 that  his  words  without  any  such  transposition  do  very 
 well  admit  the  sense  we  give  them ;  which  is,  that  he  taketh 
 to  himself  the  lawful  proceedings  of  authority  in  his  name, 
 and  that  the  act  of  spiritual  authority  in  this  case,  is  by 
 sentence  to  acquit  or  pronounce  them  free  from  sin  whom 
 they  judge  to  be  sincerely  and  truly  penitent;  which  in- 
 terpretation they  themselves  do  acknowledge,  though  not 
 sufficient,  yet  very  true.* 
 
 *  Hxc  expositio,  Ego  te  absolvo,  id  est,  Absolutura  ostendo,  partim  quidem  vera 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 223 
 
 Absolution,  they  say,  declareth  indeed,  but  this  is  not  all, 
 for  it  likewise  maketh  innocent ;  which  addition  being  an 
 untruth  proved,  our  truth  granted  hath,  I  hope,  sufficiency 
 without  it,  and  consequently  our  opinion  therein  neither  to 
 be  challenged  as  untrue,  nor  as  unsufficient. 
 
 To  rid  themselves  out  of  these  briers,  and  to  make  re- 
 mission of  sins  an  effect  of  Absolution,  notwithstanding 
 that  which  hitherto  hath  been  said,  they  have  two  shifts. 
 As,  first,  that  in  many  penitents  there  is  but  attrition  of 
 heart,  which  attrition  they  define  to  be  grief  proceeding 
 from  fear  without  love  ;  and  to  these,  they  say,  Absolution 
 doth  give  that  Contrition  whereby  men  are  really  purged 
 from  sin.  Secondly,*  that  even  where  Contrition  or  inward 
 Repentance  doth  cleanse  without  Absolution ;  the  reason 
 why  it  cometh  so  to  pass  is,  because  such  contrites  intend 
 and  desire  Absolution,  though  they  have  it  not.  Which 
 two  things  granted  :f  the  one,  that  Absolution  given  maketh 
 them  contrite  that  are  not ;  the  other,  even  in  them  which 
 are  contrite,  the  cause  why  God  remitteth  sin  is  the  pur- 
 pose or  desire  they  have  to  receive  Absolution  :J  we  are 
 not  to  stand  against  a  sequel  so  clear  and  manifest  as  this, 
 that  always  remission  of  sin  proceedeth  from  Absolution 
 either  had  or  desired. 
 
 But  should  a  reasonable  man  give  credit  to  their  bare 
 conceit,  and  because  their  positions  have  driven  them  to 
 imagine  absolving  of  unsufficiently-disposed  penitents  to 
 be  a  real  creating  of  further  virtue  in  them,  must  all  other 
 men  think  it  due  ?  Let  them  cancel  henceforward  and  blot 
 out  of  all  their  books  those  old  cautions  touching  neces- 
 city  of  wisdom,§  lest  Priests  should  inconsiderately  ab- 
 solve any  man  in  whom  there  were  not  apparent  tokens  of 
 true  Repentance;  which  to  do,  was,  in  St.  Cyprian's  judg- 
 
 est,  non  tamen  perfecta.  Sacramenta  quippe  novae  Legis  non  solum  significant,  sed 
 efficiunt  quod  significant.'  Soto,  sent.  1.  iv.  dist.  14.  q.  1.  art.  iii. 
 
 *  '  Attritio  solum  dicit  dolorem  propter  poenas  infejrri ;  dum  quis  accedit 
 attritus,  per  gratiam  Sacramentalem  fit  contritus.'  Soto,  sent.  iv.  dist.  14.  q.  1. 
 art.  i. 
 
 t '  Dum  accedit  vere  contritus  propter  Deum,  ilia  etiam  Contiitio  non  est  Con- 
 tritio,  nisi  quatenus  prius  natura  informetur  gratia  per  Sacramentum  in  voto.'  Soto, 
 sent.  iv.  dist.  14.  q.  1.  art.  i. 
 
 t '  Legitima  Contritio  votum  Sacramenti  pro  suo  tempore  debet  inducere,  atque 
 adeo  in  virtute  futuri  Sacramenti  peccata  remittit.'  Ibid.  art.  iii. 
 
 §  '  Tunc  sententia  Sacerdotis  judicio  Dei  et  totius  coelestis  Curias  approbatur, 
 etconfirmatur,  cum  ita  ex  discretione  procedit,  utreorum  meritanoncontradicant.' 
 Sent.  1.  iv.  d.  18. 
 
224 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 De  Laps,  ment,*  "  pestilent  deceit  and  flattery,  not  only  not  avoid- 
 p'137'  able,  but  hurtful  to  them  that  had  transgressed:  a  frivo- 
 lous, frustrate,  and  false  peace,  such  as  caused  the  unrigh- 
 teous to  trust  to  a  lie,  and  destroyed  them  unto  whom  it 
 promised  safety."  What  needeth  observation  whether 
 penitents  have  worthiness  and  bring  Contrition,  if  the  words 
 of  Absolution  do  infuse  Contrition?  Have  they  borne  us 
 all  this  while  in  hand  that  Contrition  is  a  part  of  the  mat- 
 ter of  their  Sacraments  ;  a  condition  or  preparation  of  the 
 mind  towards  grace  to  be  received  by  Absolution  in  the 
 form  of  their  Sacraments  ?  And  must  we  now  believe,  that 
 the  form  doth  give  the  matter?  That  Absolution  bestow- 
 eth  Contrition,  and  that  the  words  do  make  presently  of 
 Saul,  David;  of  Judas,  Peter?  For  what  was  the  peni- 
 tency  of  Saul  and  Judas,  but  plain  attrition  ;  horror  of  sin 
 through  fear  of  punishment,  without  any  long  sense,  or 
 taste  of  God's  mercy  ? 
 
 Their  other  fiction,  imputing  remission  of  sin  to  desire  of 
 Absolution  from  the  Priest,  even  in  them  which  are  truly 
 contrite,  is  an  evasion  somewhat  more  witty,  but  no  whit 
 more  possible  for  them  to  prove.  Belief  of  the  world  and 
 judgment  to  come,  faith  in  the  promises  and  sufferings  of 
 Christ  for  mankind,  fear  of  his  majesty,  love  of  his  mercy, 
 grief  for  sin,  hope  for  pardon,  suit  for  grace — these  we  know 
 to  be  elements  of  true  Contrition :  suppose  that  besides  all 
 this,  God  did  also  command  that  every  penitent  should 
 seek  his  Absolution  at  the  Priest's  hands;  where  so  many 
 causes  are  concurring  unto  one  effect,  have  they  any  rea- 
 son to  impute  the  whole  effect  unto  one  ?  any  reason  in  the 
 choice  of  that  one,  to  pass  by  faith,  fear,  love,  humility, 
 hope,  prayer,  whatsoever  else,  and  to  enthronize  above 
 them  all  a  desire  of  Absolution  from  the  Priest,  as  if,  in 
 the  whole  work  of  man's  Repentance,  God  did  regard  and 
 accept  nothing,  but  for  and  in  consideration  of  this  ?  Why 
 (sess.xw.  do  the  Tridentine  Council  impute  it  to  charity,  "  That  con- 
 c'*'  trites  are  reconciled  in  God's  sight  before  they  receive  the 
 Sacrament  of  Penance,"  if  desired  Absolution  be  the  true 
 cause  ? 
 
 But  let  this  pass  how  it  will ;  seeing  the  question  is  not, 
 
 *  '  Non  est  periculosum  Sacerdoti  dicere,  Ego  te  absolvo,  illis  in  quibus  signa 
 Contritionis  videt,  quae  sunt  dolor  de  praeteritis,  et  propositum  de  castero  non  pec- 
 candi ;  alios  absolvere  non  debet.'  Tho.  Opusc.  22. 
 
book  vi.  225 
 
 what  virtue  God  may  accept  in  penitent  sinners,  but  what 
 grace  Absolution  actually  given  doth  really  bestow  upon 
 them. 
 
 If  it  were,  as  they  would  have  it,  that  God  regarding  the 
 humiliation  of  a  contrite  spirit,  because  there  is  joined 
 therewith  a  lowly  desire  of  the  Sacrament  of  priestly  Ab- 
 solution, pardonelh  immediately  and  forgiveth  all  offences; 
 doth  this  any  thing  help  to  prove  that  Absolution  received 
 afterwards  from  the  Priest,  can  more  than  declare  him 
 already  pardoned  which  did  desire  it?  To  desire  Absolu- 
 tion, presupposing  it  commanded,  is  obedience;  and  obe- 
 dience in  that  case  is  a  branch  of  the  Virtue  of  Repent- 
 ance, which  Virtue  being  thereby  made  effectual  to  the 
 taking  away  of  sins  without  the  Sacrament  of  Repentance, 
 is  it  not  an  argument  that  the  Sacrament  of  Absolution 
 hath  here  no  efficacy,  but  the  Virtue  of  Contrition  worketh 
 all  ?  For  how  should  any  effect  ensue  from  causes  which 
 actually  are  not  ?  The  Sacrament  must  be  applied  where- 
 soever any  grace  doth  proceed  from  it.  So  that  where  it  is 
 but  desired  only,  whatsoever  may  follow  upon  God's  ac- 
 ceptation of  this  desire,  the  Sacrament,  afterwards  received, 
 can  be  no  cause  thereof.  Therefore  the  further  we  wade, 
 the  better  we  see  it  still  appears,  that  the  Priest  doth  never 
 in  Absolution,  no  not  so  much  as  by  way  of  service  and 
 ministry,  really  either  forgive  them,  take  away  the  unclean- 
 ness,  or  remove  the  punishment  of  sin :  but,  if  the  party 
 penitent  become  contrite,  he  hath,  by  their  own  grant,  Ab- 
 solution before  Absolution;  if  not  contrite,  although  the 
 Priest  should  seem  a  thousand  times  to  absolve  him,  all 
 were  in  vain.  For  which  cause  the  Ancients  and  better 
 sort  of  their  School-divines,  Abulensis,  Alexander  Hales, 
 and  Bonaveuture,*  ascribe  "  the  real  abolition  of  sin,  and 
 
 *  '  A  reatu  mortis  aeternae  absolvitor  homo  a  Deo  per  Contritionem  ;  marjet  au- 
 tem  reatus  acl  quandam  prenam  temporalem,  et  Minister  Ecclesias  quicunque  vir- 
 tute  clavium  tollit  reatum  cujusdam  partis  poena;  illius.'  Abul.  in  det'ens.  p.  i.  c.  7. 
 '  Signum  hujus  Sacramenti  est  causa  effectiva  gratiarf sive  remissionis  peccatorum  ; 
 non  simpliciter,  sicut  ipsa  prima  poenitentia,  sed  secundum  quid  ;  quia  est  causa 
 efficaciae  gratis  qua  fit  remissio  peccati,  quantum  ad  aliquem.  effectum  in  poeni- 
 tente,  ad  minus  quantum  ad  remissionem  sequelae  ipsius  peccati,  scilicet  poenae.' 
 Alex.  p.  iv.  q.  14.  memb.  2.  '  Potestas  clavium  proprie  loquendo  non  se  extendit 
 supra  culpam:  ad  illud  quod  objicitur.'  To.  22.  'Quorum  remiseritis  peccata; 
 dicendum,  quod  vel  illud  de  remissione  dicitur  quantum  ad  ofFensionem,  vel  solum 
 quantum  ad  pcenam.'  Bon.  sent.  1.  i.  d.  18.  q.  i.  '  Ab  aeterna  poena  nullo  modu 
 solvit  Sacerdos,  sed  a  Purgatorio;  neque  hoc  per  se,  sed  per  accidens,  quod  cum 
 in  pcenitente,  virtute  clavium,  minuitur  debitum  peering  temporalis,  non  ita  acriter 
 punietur  in  Purgatorio,  sicut  si  nou  esset  absolutus.'  Sent.  1.  iv.  d,  18.  q.  ii 
 VOL.  II.  Q 
 
226 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITV. 
 
 eternal  punishment,  to  the  mere  pardon  of  Almighty  God, 
 without  dependency  upon  the  Priest's  Absolution,  as  a 
 cause  to  effect  the  same-."  his  Absolution  hath  in  their 
 doctrine  certain  other  effects  specified,  but  this  denied. 
 Wherefore  having  hitherto  spoken  of  the  Virtue  of  Repent- 
 ance required;  of  the  Discipline  of  Repentance  which 
 Christ  did  establish  ;  and  of  the  Sacrament  of  Repentance 
 invented  sithence,  against  the  pretended  force  of  human 
 Absolution  in  Sacramental  Penitency;  let  it  suffice  thus  far 
 to  have  shewed  how  God  alone  doth  truly  give,  the  Virtue 
 of  Repentance  alone  procure,  and  private  Ministerial 
 Absolution  but  declare,  remission  of  sins. 
 
 Now  the  last  and  sometimes  hardest  to  be  satisfied  by 
 Repentance,  are  our  minds  ;  and  our  minds  we  have  then 
 satisfied,  when  the  conscience  is  of  guilty  become  clear. 
 For,  as  long  as  we  are  in  ourselves  privy  to  our  most  hei- 
 nous crimes,  but  without  sense  of  God's  mercy  and  grace 
 towards  us,  unless  the  heart  be  either  brutish  for  want  of 
 knowledge,  or  altogether  hardened  by  wilful  Atheism,  the 
 remorse  of  sin  is  in  it,  as  the  deadly  sting  of  the  Serpent. 
 Which  point  since  very  Infidels  and  Heathens  have  ob- 
 served in  the  nature  of  sin  (for  the  disease  they  felt,  though 
 they  knew  no  remedy  to  help  it),  we  are  not  rashly  to  de- 
 spise those  sentences  which  are  the  testimonies  of  their 
 experience  touching  this  point.  They  knew  that  the  eye 
 of  a  man's  own  conscience  is  more  to  be  feared  by  evil- 
 doers than  the  presence  of  a  thousand  witnesses,  inasmuch 
 as  the  mouths  of  other  accusers  are  many  ways  stopped, 
 the  ears  of  the  accused  not  always  subject  to  glowing  with 
 contumely  and  exprobration ;  whereas  a  guilty  mind  being 
 forced  to  be  still  both  a  martyr  and  a  tyrant  in  itself,  must 
 of  necessity  endure  perpetual  anguish  and  grief ;  for,  as 
 the  body  is  rent  with  stripes,  so  the  mind  with  guiltiness  of 
 cruelty,  lust,  and  wicked  resolutions.  Which  furies  brought 
 the  Emperor  Tiberius  sometimes  into  such  perplexity,  that 
 writing  to  the  Senate,  his  wonted  art  of  dissimulation  failed 
 him  utterly  in  this  case ;  and  whereas  it  had  been  ever  his 
 peculiar  delight  so  to  speak  that  no  man  might  be  able  to 
 sound  his  meaning,  he  had  not  the  power  to  conceal  what 
 he  felt  through  the  secret  scourge  of  an  evil  conscience, 
 though  no  necessity  did  now  enforce  him  to  disclose  the 
 same.    u  What  to  write,  or  how  to  write,  at  this  present, 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 227 
 
 if  I  know  (saith  Tiberius),  let  the  gods  and  goddesses, 
 who  thus  continually  cat  me,  only  be  worso  to  me  than  they  1.  vi. 
 are."  It  was  not  his  imperial  dignity  and  power  that  could c'  1 
 provide  a  way  to  protect  him  against  himself;  the  fears 
 and  suspicions  which  improbity  had  bred  being  strength- 
 ened by  every  occasion,  and  those  virtues  clean  banished 
 which  are  the  only  foundation  of  sound  tranquillity  of 
 mind.  For  which  cause  it  hath  been  truly  said,  and  agree- 
 ably with  all  men's  experience,  that  if  the  virtuous  did  ex- 
 cel in  no  other  privilege,  yet  far  happier  they  are  than  the 
 contrary  sort  of  men,  for  that  their  hopes  be  always  better. 
 
 Neither  are  we  to  marvel,  that  these  things,  known  unto 
 all,  do  stay  so  few  from  being  authors  of  their  own  wo. 
 
 For  we  see  by  the  ancient  example  of  Joseph's  unkind 
 brethren,  how  it  cometh  to  remembrance  easily  when 
 crimes  are  once  past,  what  the  difference  is  of  good  from 
 evil,  and  of  right  from  wrong:  but  such  considerations, 
 when  they  should  have  prevented  sin,  were  over-matched 
 by  inordinate  desires.  Are  we  not  bound  then  with  all 
 thankfulness  to  acknowledge  his  infinite  goodness  and 
 mercy,  which  hath  revealed  unto  us  the  way  how  to  rid 
 ourselves  of  these  mazes;  the  way  how  to  shake  off  that 
 yoke,  which  no  flesh  is  able  to  bear;  the  way  how  to 
 change  most  grisly  horror  into  a  comfortable  apprehension 
 of  heavenly  joy  ? 
 
 Whereunto  there  are  many  which  labour  with  so  much  the 
 greater  difficulty,  because  imbecility  of  mind  doth  not  suffer 
 them  to  censure  rightly  their  own  doings.  Some  fearful  lest 
 the  enormity  of  their  crimes  be  so  unpardonable  that  no  Re- 
 pentance can  do  them  good  ;  some  lest  the  imperfection  of 
 their  Repentance  make  it  ineffectual  to  the  taking  away  of 
 sin.  The  one  drive  all  things  to  this  issue,  whether  they  be 
 not  men  that  have  sinned  against  the  Holy  Ghost;  the 
 other  to  this,  what  Repentance  is  sufficient  to  clear  sinners, 
 and  to  assure  them  that  they  are  delivered. 
 
 Such  as  by  error  charge  themselves  of  unpardonable  sin 
 must  think,  it  may  be  they  deem,  that  unpardonable  which 
 is  not. 
 
 Our  Saviour  speaketh  indeed  of  blasphemy  which  shall 
 never  be  forgiven ;  but  have  they  any  sure  and  infallible 
 knowledge  what  that  blasphemy  is  ?  If  not,  why  are  they 
 unjust  and  cruel  to  their  own  souls,  imagining  certainty  of 
 
 Q2 
 
228 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 guiltiness  in  a  crime  concerning  the  very  nature  whereof 
 they  are  uncertain  ?  For  mine  own  part,  although,  where  this 
 blasphemy  is  mentioned,  the  cause  why  our  Saviour  spake 
 thereof,  was  the  Pharisees'  blasphemy,  which  was  not 
 Matt,  afraid  to  say,  "He  had  an  unclean  spirit,  and  did  cast  out 
 Mark1'  spirits  by  the  power  of  Beelzebub ;"  nevertheless  I  dare 
 iu.  33.  not  precisely  deny,  but  that  even  the  Pharisees  themselves 
 might  have  repented  and  been  forgiven,  and  that  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ  peradventure  might  but  take  occasion  at  their 
 blasphemy,  which,  as  yet,  was  pardonable,  to  tell  them  fur- 
 ther of  an  unpardonable  blasphemy,  whereunto  he  foresaw 
 that  the  Jews  would  fall.  For  it  is  plain,  that  many  thou- 
 sands, at  the  first  professing  the  Christian  Religion,  became 
 afterwards  wilful  apostates,  moved  with  no  other  cause  of 
 revolt,  but  mere  indignation  that  the  Gentiles  should  enjoy 
 the  benefit  of  the  Gospel  as  much  as  they,  and  yet  not  be 
 burdened  with  the  yoke  of  Moses's  Law. 
 
 The  Apostles  by  preaching  had  won  them  to  Christ,  in 
 whose  name  they  embraced  with  great  alacrity  the  full  remis- 
 sion of  their  former  sins  and  iniquities ;  they  received  by  the 
 Acts    imposition  of  the  Apostles'  hands  that  grace  and  power  of 
 "'38'  the  Holy  Ghost  whereby  they  cured  diseases,  prophesied, 
 spake  with  tongues :  and  yet  in  the  end,  after  all  this,  they 
 fell  utterly  away,  renounced  the  mysteries  of  Christian 
 Faith,  blasphemed  in  their  formal  abjurations  that  most 
 glorious  and  blessed  Spirit,  the  gifts  whereof  themselves 
 had  possessed  ;  and  by  this  means  sunk  their  souls  in  the 
 gulf  of  that  unpardonable  sin,  whereof  as  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ  had  told  them  beforehand,  so  the  Apostle  at  the  first 
 appearance  of  such  their  revolt,  putteth  them  in  mind 
 again,  that  falling  now  to  their  former  blasphemies,  their 
 Heb.    salvation  was  irrecoverably  gone.    It  was  for  them  in  this 
 6'    case  impossible  to  be  renewed  by  any  Repentance ;  because 
 they  were  now  in  the  state  of  Satan  and  his  angels;  the 
 Judge  of  quick  and  dead  had  passed  his  irrevocable  sen- 
 tence against  them. 
 
 So  great  difference  there  is  between  Infidels  unconverted, 
 and  backsliders  in  this  manner  fallen  away,  that  always  we 
 have  hope  to  reclaim  the  one  which  only  hate  whom  they 
 never  knew ;  but  to  the  other  which  know  and  blaspheme,  to 
 them  that  with  more  than  infernal  malice  accurse  both  the 
 seen  brightness  of  glory  which  is  in  him,  and  in  themselves 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 229 
 
 the  tasted  goodness  of  divine  grace,  as  those  execrable  mis- 
 creants did,  who  first  received  in  extraordinary  miraculous 
 manner,  and  then  in  outrageous  sort  blasphemed  the  Holy  u^ 
 Ghost,  abusing  both  it  and  the  whole  Religion,  which  God 
 by  it  did  confirm  and  magnify;  to  such  as  wilfully  thus  sin, 
 after  so  great  light  of  the  truth  and  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  there 
 remaineth  justly  no  fruit  or  benefit  to  be  expected  by 
 Christ's  sacrifice. 
 
 For  all  other  offenders,  without  exception  or  stint,  whether 
 they  be  strangers  that  seek  access,  or  followers  that  will 
 make  return  unto  God  ;  upon  the  tender  of  their  Repentance, 
 the  grant  of  his  grace  standeth  everlastingly  signed  with  his 
 blood  in  the  Book  of  eternal  Life.  That  which  in  this  case 
 over-terrifieth  fearful  souls  is,  a  misconceit  whereby  they 
 imagine  every  act  which  they  do,  knowing  that  they  do 
 amiss,  and  every  wilful  breach  or  transgression  of  God's 
 Law  to  be  mere  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost;  forgetting 
 that  the  Law  of  Moses  itself  ordained  sacrifices  of  expia- 
 tion, as  well  for  faults  presumptuously  committed,  as  things 
 wherein  men  offend  by  error. 
 
 Now,  there  are  on  the  contrary  side  others,  who,  doubt- 
 ing not  of  God's  mercy  towards  all  that  perfectly  repent, 
 remain  notwithstanding  scrupulous  and  troubled  with  con- 
 tinual fear,  lest  defects  in  their  own  Repentance  be  a  bar 
 against  them. 
 
 These  cast  themselves  into  very  great,  and  peradventure  Jer. 
 needless,  agonies,  through  misconstruction  of  things  spoken 
 about  proportioning  our  griefs  to  our  sins,*  for  which  they  ^M* 
 never  think  they  have  wept  and  mourned  enough,  yea,  if  ii.  is. 
 they  have  not  always  a  stream  of  tears  at  command,  they 
 take  it  for  a  heart  congealed  and  hardened  in  sin ;  when 
 to  keep  the  wound  of  Contrition  bleeding,  they  unfold  the 
 circumstances  of  their  transgressions,  and  endeavour  to 
 leave  nothing  which  may  be  heavy  against  themselves. 
 
 Yet,  do  what  they  can,  they  are  still  fearful,  lest  herein 
 also  they  do  not  that  which  they  ought  and  might.  Come 
 to  Prayer,  their  coldness  taketh  all  heart  and  courage  from 
 them ;  with  Fasting,  albeit  their  flesh  should  be  withered, 
 
 *  Quam  magna  deliquimus,  tarn  granditer  defleamus.  Alto  vulneri  diligens  ct 
 longa  medicinanon  desit ;  poenitentiacriinine  minor  non  sit.'  Cypr.  de  Laps.  p.  137. 
 '  Non  Ievi  agendum  est  contritione,  ut  debita  ilia  redimantur,  (pubus  mors  aeterna 
 debetur  ;  nec  transitoria  opus  est  satisfactione  pro  malis  illis,  propter  quae  paratus 
 est  ignis  ;eternus.'    Euseb.  Emissenus,  vel  potius  Salv.f.  IOC. 
 
230 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 and  their  blood  clean  dried  up,  would  they  ever  the  less 
 psau  object,  what  is  this  to  David's  humiliation,  wherein  not- 
 withstanding there  was  not  any  thing  more  than  necessary? 
 In  works  of  charity  and  alms-deed,  it  is  not  all  the  world 
 can  persuade  them  they  did  ever  reach  the  poor  bounty  of 
 Mark  the  widow's  two  mites,  or  by  many  millions  of  leagues 
 Acts    come  near  to  the  mark  which  Cornelius  touched ;  so  far 
 *' S1*  they  are  off  from  the  proud  surmise  of  any  penitential  su- 
 pererogation in  miserable  wretched  worms  of  the  earth. 
 
 Notwithstanding,  forasmuch  as  they  wrong  themselves 
 with  over  rigorous  and  extreme  exactions,  by  means  where- 
 of they  fall  sometimes  into  such  perplexities  as  can  hardly 
 be  allayed ;  it  hath  therefore  pleased  Almighty  God,  in 
 tender  commiseration  over  these  imbecilities  of  men,  to 
 ordain  for  their  spiritual  and  ghostly  comfort  consecrated 
 persons,  which  by  sentence  of  power  and  authority  given 
 from  above,  may,  as  it  were,  out  of  his  very  mouth  ascer- 
 tain timorous  and  doubtful  minds  in  their  own  particular, 
 ease  them  of  all  their  scrupulosities,  leave  them  settled  in 
 peace  and  satisfied  touching  the  mercy  of  God  towards 
 them.  To  use  the  benefit  of  this  help  for  the  better  satis- 
 faction in  such  cases  is  so  natural,  that  it  can  be  forbidden 
 no  man ;  but  yet  not  so  necessary,  that  all  men  should  be 
 in  case  to  need  it. 
 
 They  are,  of  the  two,  the  happier,  therefore,  that  can  con- 
 tent and  satisfy  themselves,  by  judging  discreetly  what 
 they  perform,  and  soundly  what  God  doth  require  of  them. 
 For  having,  that  which  is  most  material,  the  substance  of 
 Penitency  rightly  bred ;  touching  signs  and  tokens  thereof, 
 we  may  affirm  that  they  do  boldly,  which  imagine  for  every 
 offence  a  certain  proportionable  degree  in  the  passions  and 
 griefs  of  mind,  whereunto  whosoever  aspireth  not,  repenteth 
 in  vain. 
 
 That  to  frustrate  men's  confession  and  considerations  of 
 sin,  except  every  circumstance  which  may  aggravate  the 
 same  be  unript  and  laid  in  the  balance,  is  a  merciless  ex- 
 tremity ;  although  it  be  true,  that  as  near  as  we  can  such 
 wounds  must  be  searched  to  the  very  bottom.  Last  of  all, 
 to  set  down  the  like  stint,  and  to  shut  up  the  doors  of  mercy 
 against  penitents  which  come  short  thereof  in  the  devotion 
 of  their  Prayers,  in  the  continuance  of  their  Fasts,  in  the 
 largeness  and  bounty  of  their  Alms,  or  in  the  course  of  any 
 
BOOK  VI. 
 
 231 
 
 other  sucli  like  duties ;  is  more  than  God  himself  hath 
 thought  meet,  and  consequently  more  than  mortal  men 
 should  presume  to  do. 
 
 That  which  God  doth  chiefly  respect  in  men's  Penitency  Jer- 
 
 xxix.  13. 
 
 is  their  hearts.  u  The  heart  is  it  which  maketh  Repentance  joei 
 sincere,"  sincerity  that  which  findeth  favour  in  God's  sight,  12" 
 and  the  favour  of  God  that  which  supplieth  by  gracious 
 acceptation  whatsoever  may  seem  defective  in  the  faithful, 
 hearty,  and  true  offices  of  his  servants. 
 
 Take  it  (saith  Chrysostom)  upon  my  credit,  "  Such  is  chrys. 
 God's  merciful  inclination  towards  men,  that  Repentance  iaPs!^b.' 
 offered  with  a  single  and  sincere  mind  he  never  refuseth ;  ^^'^ 
 no,  not  although  we  be  come  to  the  very  top  of  iniquity."  Deposit. 
 If  there  be  a  will  and  desire  to  return,  he  receivetb,  em-  c.  Talis, 
 braceth,  and  omitteth  nothing  which  may  restore  us  to  for- 
 mer happiness ;  yea,  that  which  is  above  all  the  rest,  albeit 
 we  cannot,  in  the  duty  of  satisfying  him,  attain  what  we 
 ought,  and  would,  but  come  far  behind  our  mark,  he  taketh 
 nevertheless  in  good  worth  that  little  which  we  do  ;  be  it 
 never  so  mean,  we  lose  not  our  labour  therein. 
 
 The  least  and  lowest  step  of  Repentance  in  Saint  Chry- 
 sostom's  judgment  serveth  and  setteth  us  above  them  that 
 perish  in  their  sin:  I  therefore  will  end  with  St.  Augustine's 
 conclusion,  "  Lord,  in  thy  Book  and  Volume  of  Life  all  Aug. 
 
 in  Psal 
 
 shall  be  written,  as  well  the  least  of  thy  Saints,  as  the  cxxxvh'i. 
 chiefest."    Let  not  therefore  the  unperfect  fear ;  let  them 
 only  proceed  and  go  forward. 
 
 BOOK  VII. 
 
 Their  sixth  Assertion,  That  there  ought  not  to  be  in  the  Church,  Bishops  endued 
 with  such  authority  and  honour  as  ours  are. 
 
 THE  MATTER  CONTAINED  IN  THIS  SEVENTH  BOOK. 
 
 1.  The  state  of  Bishops  although  some  time  oppugned,  and  that  by  such  as 
 therein  would  most  seem  to  please  God,  yet  by  his  providence  upheld  hitherto, 
 whose  glory  it  is  to  maintain  that  whereof  himself  is  the  author. 
 
 '2.  What  a  Bishop  is,  what  his  Name  doth  import,  and  what  doth  belong  unto 
 his  Office  as  he  is  a  Bishop. 
 
 3.  In  Bishops  two  things  traduced  ;  of  which  two,  the  one  their  Authority ;  and 
 
232 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 in  it  the  first  tiling  condemned,  their  Superiority  over  other  Ministers  :  what 
 kind  of  Superiority  in  Ministers  it  is  which  the  one  part  holdeth,  and  the 
 other  denieth,  lawful. 
 
 4.  From  whence  it  hath  grown,  that  the  Church  is  governed  by  Bishops. 
 
 5.  The  time  and  cause  of  instituting  every  where  Bishops  with  restraint 
 
 6.  What  manner  of  power  Bishops  from  the  first  beginning  have  had. 
 
 7.  After  what  sort  Bishops,  together  with  Presbyters,  have  used  to  govern  the 
 Churches  which  were  under  them. 
 
 8.  How  far  the  power  of  Bishops  hath  reached  from  the  beginning  in  respect  of 
 territory,  or  local  compass. 
 
 9.  In  what  respects  Episcopal  Regiment  hath  been  gainsayed  of  old  by  Aerius. 
 
 10.  In  what  respects  Episcopal  Regiment  is  gainsayed  by  the  authors  of  pretended 
 reformation  at  this  day. 
 
 11.  Their  arguments  in  disgrace  of  Regiment  by  Bishops,  as  being  a  mere  in- 
 vention of  man,  and  not  found  in  Scripture,  answered. 
 
 12.  Their  arguments  to  prove,  there  was  no  necessity  of  instituting  Bishops  in 
 the  Church. 
 
 13.  The  fore-alleged  arguments  answered. 
 
 14.  An  answer  unto  those  things  which  are  objected,  concerning  the  difference 
 between  that  power  which  Bishops  now  have,  and  that  which  ancient  Bishops 
 had,  more  than  other  Presbyters. 
 
 15.  Concerning  the  Civil  power  and  authority  which  our  Bishops  have. 
 
 16.  The  arguments  answered,  whereby  they  would  prove,  that  the  Law  of  God, 
 and  the  judgment  of  the  best  in  all  ages,  condemneth  the  ruling  superiority  of 
 one  Minister  over  another. 
 
 17.  The  second  malicious  thing  wherein  the  state  of  Bishops  suffereth  obloquy,  is 
 their  Honour. 
 
 18.  What  good  doth  publickly  grow  from  the  Prelacy. 
 
 19.  What  kind  of  Honour  be  due  unto  Bishops. 
 
 20.  Honour  in  title,  place,  ornament,  attendance,  and  privilege. 
 
 21.  Honour  by  endowments  of  Lands  and  Livings. 
 
 22.  That  of  Ecclesiastical  goods,  and  consequently  of  the  Lands  and  Livings 
 which  Bishops  enjoy,  the  propriety  belongs  unto  God  alone. 
 
 23.  That  Ecclesiastical  persons  are  receivers  of  God's  rents,  and  that  the  Honour 
 of  Prelates  is  to  be  thereof  his  chief  receivers,  not  without  liberty  from  him 
 granted  of  converting  the  same  unto  their  own  use,  even  in  large  manner. 
 
 24.  That  for  their  unworthiness  to  deprive  both  them  and  their  successors  of  such 
 goods,  and  to  convey  the  same  unto  men  of  secular  callings,  is  now  extreme 
 sacrilegious  injustice. 
 
 The  1. 1  have  heard  that  a  famous  Kingdom  in  the  world  being 
 BUhops  solicited  to  reform  such  disorders  as  all  men  saw  the 
 tom°ush  Church  exceedingly  burdened  with,  when  of  each  degree 
 time  op-  great  multitudes  thereunto  inclined,  and  the  number  of 
 and  that  them  did  every  day  so  increase  that  this  intended  work 
 ll there-  was  likely  to  take  no  other  effect  than  all  good  men  did 
 in  would  wish  and  labour  for;  a  principal  actor  herein  (for  zeal  and 
 seem  to  boldness  of  spirit)  thought  it  good  to  shew  them  betimes 
 God!yet what  it  was  which  must  be  effected,  or  else  that  there 
 byhis   could  be  no  work  of  perfect  reformation  accomplished. 
 
 provi-  ... 
 
 dence  To  this  purpose,  in  a  solemn  Sermon,  and  in  a  great  As- 
 hftherto,  sembly,  he  described  unto  them  the  present  quality  of  their 
 TiorTit  Pu^uc  estate  by  the  parable  of  a  tree,  huge  and  goodly  to 
 js  to     look  upon,  but  without  that  fruit  which  it  should  and  might 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 233 
 
 bring  forth ;  affirming,  that  the  only  way  of  redress  was  ?4iBtafa 
 a  full  and  perfect  establishment  of  Christ's  Discipline  (for  whereof 
 so  their  manner  is  to  entitle  a  thing  hammered  out  upon 
 the  forge  of  their  own  invention),  and  that  to  make  way autl,or- 
 of  entrance  for  it,  there  must  be  three  great  limbs  cut  off 
 from  the  body  of  that  stately  tree  of  the  Kingdom.  Those 
 three  limbs  were  three  sorts  of  men  :  Nobles,  whose  high 
 estate  would  make  them  otherwise  disdain  to  put  their 
 necks  under  that  yoke;  Lawyers,  whose  Courts  being  not 
 pulled  down,  the  new  Church-consistories  were  not  like 
 to  flourish;  finally,  Prelates,  whose  ancient  dignity,  and 
 the  simplicity  of  their  intended  Church-discipline,  could 
 not  possibly  stand  together.  The  proposition  of  which 
 device  being  plausible  to  active  spirits,  restless  through 
 desire  of  innovation,  whom  commonly  nothing  doth  more 
 offend  than  a  change  which  goeth  fearfully  on  by  slow  and 
 suspicious  paces;  the  heavier  and  more  experienced  sort 
 began  presently  thereat  to  pluck  back  their  feet  again,  and 
 exceedingly  to  fear  the  stratagem  of  reformation  for  ever 
 after.  Whereupon  ensued  those  extreme  conflicts  of  the 
 one  part  with  the  other ;  which  continuing  and  increas- 
 ing to  this  very  day,  have  now  made  the  state  of  that 
 flourishing  Kingdom  even  such,  as  whereunto  we  may  most 
 fitly  apply  those  words  of  the  Prophet  Jeremiah,  "  Thy  [.**"• 
 breach  is  great  like  the  sea,  who  can  heal  thee?"  Whether 
 this  were  done  in  truth,  according  to  the  constant  affirma- 
 tion of  some  avouching  the  same,  I  take  not  upon  me  to 
 examine ;  that  which  1  note  therein  is,  how  with  us  that 
 policy  hath  been  corrected.  For  to  the  authors  of  pre- 
 tended reformation  with  us,  it  hath  not  seemed  expedient 
 to  offer  the  edge  of  the  axe  unto  all  three  boughs  at  once, 
 but  rather  to  single  them,  and  strike  at  the  weakest  first, 
 making  show  that  the  lop  of  that  one  shall  draw  the  more 
 abundance  of  sap  to  the  other  two,  that  they  may  thereby 
 the  better  prosper.  All  prosperity,  felicity,  and  peace,  we 
 wish  multiplied  on  each  estate,  as  far  as  their  own  hearts' 
 desire  is:  but  let  men  know  that  there  is  a  God,  whose 
 eye  beholdeth  them  in  all  their  ways ;  a  God,  the  usual 
 and  ordinary  course  of  whose  justice,  is  to  return  upon 
 the  head  of  malice  the  same  devices  which  it  contriveth 
 against  others.  The  foul  practices  which  have  been  used 
 for  the  overthrow  of  Bishops,  may  perhaps  wax  bold  in 
 
234 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 process  of  time  to  give  the  like  assault  even  there,  from 
 whence  at  this  present  they  are  most  seconded.    Nor  let 
 it  over-dismay  them  who  suffer  such  things  at  the  hands  of 
 this  most  unkind  world,  to  see  that  heavenly  estate  and 
 dignity  thus  conculcated,  in  regard  whereof  so  many  their 
 predecessors  were  no  less  esteemed  than  if  they  had  not 
 been  men,  but  Angels,  amongst  men.  With  former  Bishops 
 it  was  as  with  Job  in  the  days  of  that  prosperity  which  at 
 [job     large  he  describeth,  saying,  "  Unto  me  men  gave  ear,  they 
 25.]  waited  and  held  their  tongue  at  my  counsel;  after  my 
 words  they  replied  not ;  I  appointed  out  their  way  and  did 
 sit  as  chief;  I  dwelt  as  it  had  been  a  King  in  an  army." 
 At  this  day,  the  case  is  otherwise  with  them ;  and  yet  no 
 otherwise  than  with  the  self-same  Job  at  what  time  the  al- 
 teration of  his  estate  wrested  these  contrary  speeches  from 
 [J°b    him,  "  But  now  they  that  are  younger  than  I  mock  at  me, 
 1-9.]  the  children  of  fools,  and  offspring  of  slaves,  creatures 
 more  base  than  the  earth  they  tread  on ;  such  as  if  they 
 did  shew  their  heads,  young  and  old  would  shout  at  them 
 and  chase  them  through  the  street  with  a  cry  :  their  song 
 I  am,  I  am  a  theme  for  them  to  talk  on."   An  injury  less 
 grievous,  if  it  were  not  offered  by  them  whom  Satan  hath 
 through  his  fraud  and  subtilty  so  far  beguiled,  as  to  make 
 them  imagine  herein  they  do  unto  God  a  part  of  most 
 faithful  service.    Whereas  the  Lord  in  truth  whom  they 
 cyp.i.i.  serve  herein  is,  as  St.  Cyprian  telleth  them,  like,  not  Christ 
 faufp.  (for  he  it  is  that  doth  appoint  and  protect  Bishops),  but 
 59.  c.  5.]  rather  Christ's  adversary  and  enemy  of  his  Church.  A 
 thousand  five  hundred  years  and  upward  the  Church  of 
 Christ  hath  now  continued  under  the  sacred  Regiment  of 
 Bishops.    Neither  for  so  long  hath  Christianity  been  ever 
 planted  in  any  Kingdom  throughout  the  world  but  with 
 this  kind  of  Government  alone  ;  which  to  have  been  or- 
 dained of  God,  I  am  for  mine  own  part  even  as  resolutely 
 persuaded,  as  that  any  other  kind  of  Government  in  the 
 world  whatsoever  is  of  God.    In  this  Realm  of  England, 
 before  Normans,  yea  before  Saxons,  there  being  Christians, 
 the  chief  Pastors  of  their  souls  were  Bishops.  This  Order 
 from  about  the  first  establishment  of  Christian  Religion, 
 which  was  publickly  begun  through  the  virtuous  disposi- 
 tion of  King  Lucius  not  fully  two  hundred  years  after 
 Christ,  continued  till  the  coming  in  of  the  Saxons ;  by 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 235 
 
 whom  Paganism  being  every  where  else  replanted,  only 
 one  part  of  the  Island,  whereinto  the  ancient  natural  in- 
 habitants, the  Britons,  were  driven,  retained  constantly  the 
 Faith  of  Christ,  together  with  the  same  form  of  spiritual 
 Regiment,  which  their  fathers  had  before  received.  Where- 
 fore in  the  Histories  of  the  Church  we  find  very  ancient 
 mention  made  of  our  own  Bishops.  At  the  Council  ofSflJpi*- 
 Ariminum,  about  the  year  three  hundred  and  fifty-nine,  1.  a. 
 Britain  had  three  of  her  Bishops  present.  At  the  arrival  b'J%°'] 
 of  Augustine,  the  Monk,  whom  Gregory  sent  hither  to 
 reclaim  the  Saxons  from  Gentility  about  six  hundred  years  1.  y. 
 after  Christ,  the  Britons  he  found  observers  still  of  the 
 self-same  Government  by  Bishops  over  the  rest  of  the 
 Clergy ;  under  this  form  Christianity  took  root  again,  where 
 it  had  been  exiled.  Under  the  self-same  form  it  remained 
 till  the  days  of  the  Norman  Conqueror.  By  him  and  his  An.  1066. 
 successors  thereunto  *  sworn,  it  hath  from  that  time  till 
 now,  by  the  space  of  five  hundred  years  more,  been  upheld. 
 O  nation  utterly  without  knowledge,  without  sense !  We 
 are  not  through  error  of  mind  deceived,  but  some  wicked 
 thing  hath  undoubtedly  bewitched  us,  if  we  forsake  that 
 Government,  the  use  whereof  universal  experience  hath  for 
 so  many  years  approved,  and  betake  ourselves  unto  a 
 Regiment  neither  appointed  of  God  himself,  as  they  who 
 favour  it  pretend,  nor  till  yesterday  ever  heard  of  among 
 men.  By  the  Jews  Festus  was  much  complained  of,  as 
 being  a  Governor  marvellous  corrupt,  and  almost  into- 
 lerable :  such  notwithstanding  were  they  who  came  after 
 him,  that  men  which  thought  the  public  condition  most 
 afflicted  under  Festus,  began  to  wish  they  had  him 
 again,  and  to  esteem  him  a  ruler  commendable.  Great 
 things  are  hoped  for  at  the  hands  of  these  new  Pre- 
 sidents, whom  reformation  would  bring  in:  notwith- 
 standing the  time  may  come,  when  Bishops,  whose 
 Regiment  doth  now  seem  a  yoke  so  heavy  to  bear,  will  be 
 longed  for  again,  even  by  them  that  are  the  readiest  to  have 
 it  taken  off*  their  necks.  But  in  the  hands  of  divine  Provi- 
 dence we  leave  the  ordering  of  all  such  events,  and  come 
 now  to  the  question  itself  which  is  raised  concerning 
 
 *  '  Alfredus  Eboracensis  Archiepiscopus  Gulielmum,  cognomento  Nothura, 
 spirantem  adhuc  minarum  et  cadis  in  populum,  mitem  reddidit :  et  religiosis  pro 
 conservanda  Repub.  tuendaque  Ecclesiastica  Disciplina  sacramento  adstrinxit ' 
 Nabrig.  1.  i.  c.  1. 
 
236 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITV. 
 
 Bishops.    For  the  better  understanding  whereof,  we  must 
 
 beforehand  set  down  what  is  meant,  when  in  this  question 
 
 we  name  a  Bishop, 
 ■what  a     2.  For  whatsoever  we  bring  from  antiquity,  by  way  of 
 H.that  defence,  in  this  cause  of  Bishops,  it  is  cast  ofl'as  imperti- 
 ^      nent  matter ;  all  is  wiped  away  with  an  odd  kind  of  shifting 
 dothim-  answer,  'That  the  Bishops  which  now  are,  be  not  like  unto 
 
 them  which  were.'  We  therefore  beseech  all  indifi'erent 
 llthbe  Ju<^Ses  to  weigh  sincerely  with  themselves  how  the  case 
 ioog  to  doth  stand.  If  it  should  be  at  this  day  a  controversy 
 omCe  whether  kingly  Regiment  were  lawful  or  no,  peradventure 
 MJ^eis  in  defence  thereof,  the  long  continuance  which  it  hath  had 
 
 a  Ei-  "  ° 
 
 shop,  sithence  the  first  beginning  might  be  alleged  ;  mention  per- 
 haps might  be  made  what  Kings  there  were  of  old,  even  in 
 Abraham's  time,  what  Sovereign  Princes  both  before  and 
 after.  Suppose  that  herein  some  man,  purposely  bending 
 his  wit  against  Sovereignty,  should  think  to  elude  all  such 
 allegations  by  making  ample  discovery  through  a  number  of 
 particularities,  wherein  the  Kings  that  are,  do  differ  from 
 those  that  have  been,  and  should  therefore  in  the  end  con- 
 clude, that  such  ancient  examples  are  no  convenient  proofs 
 of  that  Royalty  which  is  now  in  use.  Surely  for  decision 
 of  truth  in  this  case  there  were  no  remedy,  but  only  to 
 shew  the  nature  of  Sovereignty ;  to  sever  it  from  accidental 
 properties ;  to  make  it  clear  that  ancient  and  present  Re- 
 gality are  one  and  the  same  in  substance,  how  great  odds 
 soever  otherwise  may  seem  to  be  between  them.  In  like 
 manner,  whereas  a  question  of  late  hath  grown,  whether 
 Ecclesiastical  Regiment  by  Bishops  be  lawful  in  the  Church 
 of  Christ  or  no,  in  which  question,  they  that  hold  the  ne- 
 gative, being  pressed  with  that  generally  received  Order, 
 according  whereunto  the  most  renowned  lights  of  the 
 Christian  world  have  governed  the  same  in  every  age  as 
 Bishops  ;  seeing  their  manner  is  to  reply,  that  such  Bishops 
 as  those  ancient  were,  ours  are  not,  there  is  no  remedy 
 but  to  shew,  that  to  be  a  Bishop  is  now  the  self-same 
 thing  which  it  hath  been  ;  that  one  definition  agreeth  fully 
 and  truly  as  well  to  those  elder,  as  to  these  latter,  Bishops. 
 Sundry  dissimilitudes  we  grant  there  are,  which  notwith- 
 standing are  not  such  that  they  cause  any  equivocation  in 
 the. Name,  whereby  we  should  think  a  Bishop  in  those 
 times  to  have  had  a  clean  other  definition  than  doth  rightly 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 237 
 
 agree  unto  Bishops  as  they  are  now.  Many  things  there 
 are  in  the  state  of  Bishops,  which  the  times  have  changed ; 
 many  a  Parsonage  at  this  day  is  larger  than  some  ancient 
 Bishopricks  were  ;  many  an  ancient  Bishop  poorer  than  at 
 this  day  sundry  under  them  in  degree.  The  simple  here- 
 upon, lacking  judgment  and  knowledge  to  discern  between 
 the  nature  of  things  which  changeth  not,  and  these  out- 
 ward variable  accidents,  are  made  believe  that  a  Bishop 
 heretofore  and  now  are  things  in  their  very  nature  so  dis- 
 tinct that  they  cannot  be  judged  the  same.  Yet  to  men 
 that  have  any  part  of  skill,  what  more  evident  and  plain 
 in  Bishops,  than  that  augmentation  or  diminution  in  their 
 precincts,  allowances,  privileges,  and  such  like,  do  make 
 a  difference  indeed,  but  no  essential  difference  between 
 one  Bishop  and  another?  As  for  those  things  in  regard 
 whereof  we  use  properly  to  term  them  Bishops,  those 
 things  whereby  they  essentially  differ  from  other  Pastors, 
 those  things  which  the  natural  definition  of  a  Bishop  must 
 contain ;  what  one  of  them  is  there  more  or  less  appliable 
 unto  Bishops  now  than  of  old  ?  The  Name  Bishop  hath 
 been  borrowed  from  the  Grecians,*  with  whom  it  signifieth 
 one  which  hath  principal  charge  to  guide  and  oversee 
 othes.  The  same  word  in  Ecclesiastical  Writings  being 
 applied  unto  Church-governors,  at  the  first  unto  all  and 
 not  unto  the  chiefest  only,  grew  in  short  time  peculiar  and  Act. 
 proper  to  signify  such  Episcopal  authority  alone,  as  the 
 chiefest  Governors  exercised  over  the  rest ;  for  with  all  »•  *• 
 names  this  is  usual,  that  inasmuch  as  they  are  not  given 
 till  the  things  whereunto  they  are  given  have  been  sometime 
 first  observed ;  therefore  generally,  f  things  are  ancienter 
 than  the  names  whereby  they  are  called. 
 
 Again,  sith  the  first  things  that  grow  into  general  obser- 
 vation, and  do  thereby  give  men  occasion  to  find  name 
 for  them,  are  those  which  being  in  many  subjects  are  there- 
 by the  easier,  the  oftener,  and  the  more  universally  noted ; 
 it  followeth,  that  names  imposed  to  signify  common  quali- 
 
 *Oi  Trap'  'Aflnvai'stfV  sic  rat  iarnxoou?  wsXeij  evTiaxe-larBai  ri  nra£  ixia-roi;  nsfATrofjievei, 
 67nVxo7rM  Kai  <{>uXax£c  ex&Xouvto,  ctt  oi  Aaxwst  a^/xoa-ra;  'i\tyov.  Suid.  Kariixrr]ff-£V  i<p' 
 ixas-roic  tSv  iraycov  i^ymra  itrWwmn  te  xa!  TfEjiVoXov  -riic  iSt'a;  y.oigat,  Dionys.  Ila- 
 licar.  de  Numa  Pompilio,  Antiq.  lib.  ii.  [c.  76.]  '  Vult  me  Pompeius  esse  quem 
 tota  hapc  Campania  et  maritima  ora  habeat  'etn'o-xottov,  ad  quem  delectus  et  negotii 
 summa  referatur.'  Cic.  ad  Attic,  lib.  vii.  Epist.  11. 
 
 t  "  And  God  brought  them  unto  Adam,  that  Adam  might  see  or  consider  what 
 name  it  was  meethe  should  give  unto  them."  Gen.  ii.  19. 
 
238 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 ties  of  operations  are  ancienter,  than  is  the  restraint  of 
 those  names,  to  note  an  excellency  of  such  qualities  and 
 operations  in  some  one  or  few  amongst  others.  For  ex- 
 ample, the  name  Disciple  being  invented  to  signify  gene- 
 rally a  Learner,  it  cannot  choose  but  in  that  signification 
 be  more  ancient  than  when  it  signifies,  as  it  were  by  a 
 kind  of  appropriation,  those  Learners  who,  being  taught  of 
 Christ,*  were  in  that  respect  termed  Disciples  by  an  ex- 
 cellency. The  like  is  to  be  seen  in  the  name  Apostle,  the 
 use  whereof  to  signify  a  Messenger  must  needs  be  more 
 ancient  than  that  use  which  restraineth  it  unto  Messen- 
 gers sent  concerning  Evangelical  affairs;  yea  this  use 
 more  ancient  than  that  whereby  the  same  word  is  yet  re- 
 strained further  to  signify  only  those  whom  our  Saviour 
 himself  immediately  did  send.  After  the  same  manner 
 the  Title  or  Name  of  a  Bishop,  having  been  used  of  old  to 
 signify  both  an  Ecclesiastical  Overseer  in  general,  and 
 more  particularly  also  a  principal  Ecclesiastical  Over- 
 seer ;  it  followeth,  that  this  latter  restrained  signification 
 is  not  so  ancient  as  the  former,  being  more  common.f 
 Yet  because  the  things  themselves  are  always  ancienter 
 than  their  names ;  therefore  that  thing,  which  the  restrain- 
 ed use  of  the  word  doth  import,  is  likewise  ancienter  than 
 the  restraint  of  the  word  is,  and  consequently  that  power 
 of  chief  Ecclesiastical  Overseers,  which  the  term  of  a 
 Bishop  doth  import,  was  before  the  restrained  use  of  the 
 name  which  doth  import  it.  Wherefore  a  lame  and  impo- 
 tent kind  of  reasoning  it  is,  when  men  go  about  to  prove, 
 that  in  the  Apostles'  times  there  was  no  such  thing  as  the 
 restrained  Name  of  a  Bishop  doth  now  signify  ;  because  in 
 their  Writings  there  is  found  no  restraint  of  that  name,  but 
 only  a  general  use,  whereby  it  reacheth  unto  all  Spiritual 
 Governors  and  Overseers. 
 
 But,  to  let  go  the  Name,  and  come  to  the  very  nature  of 
 that  thing  which  is  thereby  signified.  In  all  kinds  of  Re- 
 giment, whether  Ecclesiastical  or  Civil,  as  there  are  sundry 
 operations  public,  so  likewise  great  inequality  there  is  in 
 the  same  operations,  some  being  of  principal  respect,  and 
 
 *  So  also  the  name  Deacon,  a  Minister  appropriated  to  a  certain  Order  of  Mi- 
 nisters. 
 
 t  The  name  likewise  of  a  Minister  was  common  to  divers  degrees,  which  now 
 is  peculiarly  among  ourselves  given  only  to  Pastors,  aud  not,  as  anciently,  to  Dea- 
 cons also. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 239 
 
 therefore  not  fit  to  be  dealt  in  by  every  one  to  whom  public 
 actions,  and  those  of  good  importance,  are  notwithstand- 
 ing well  and  fitly  enough  committed.    From  hence  have 
 grown  those  different  degrees  of  Magistrates  or  public 
 persons,  even  Ecclesiastical  as  well  as  Civil.  Amongst 
 Ecclesiastical  persons,  therefore,  Bishops  being  chief 
 ones,  a  Bishop's  function  must  be  defined  by  that  wherein 
 his  chiefly  consisteth.    A  Bishop  is  a  Minister  of  God, 
 unto  whom,  with  permanent  continuance,  there  is  given,  not 
 only  power  of  administering  the  Word  and  Sacraments, 
 which  power  other  Presbyters  have;  but  also  a  further 
 power  to  ordain  Ecclesiastical  persons,  and  a  power  of 
 chiefty  in  government  over  Presbyters  as  well  as  Laymen, 
 a  power  to  be  by  way  of  jurisdiction  a  Pastor  even  to 
 Pastors  themselves.    So  that  this  Office,  as  he  is  a  Pres- 
 byter or  Pastor,  consisteth  in  those  things  which  are  com- 
 mon unto  him  with  other  Pastors,  as  in  ministering  the 
 Word  and  Sacraments  ;  but  those  things  incident  unto  his 
 Office,  which  do  properly  make  him  a  Bishop,  cannot  be 
 common  unto  him  with  other  Pastors.    Now  even  as  Pas- 
 tors, so  likewise  Bishops,  being  principal  Pastors,  are 
 either  at  large  or  else  with  restraint :  at  large,  when  the 
 subject  of  their  Regiment  is  indefinite,  and  not  tied  to  any 
 certain  place ;  Bishops  with  restraint,  are  they  whose  Re- 
 giment over  the  Church  is  contained  within  some  definite, 
 local  compass,  beyond  which  compass  their  jurisdiction 
 reacheth  not.    Such  therefore  we  always  mean,  when  we 
 speak  of  that  Regiment  by  Bishops  which  we  hold  a  thing 
 most  lawful,  divine,  and  holy,  in  the  Church  of  Christ. 
 
 3.  In  our  present  Regiment  by  Bishops  two  things  i«  bj- 
 are  complained  of ;  the  one  their  great  Authority,  and  the  things  w° 
 other  their  great  Honour.    Touching  the  Authority  of  our  ^^"h ; 
 Bishops,  the  first  thing  which  therein  displeaseth  their  ad-  tw°.  the 
 versaries,  is  the  Superiority  which  Bishops  have  over  other  Authori- 
 Ministers.    They  which   cannot  brook  the  Superiority  |n;itatnh^ 
 which  Bishops  have,  do  notwithstanding  themselves  admit  fi«t  thing 
 that  some  kind  of  difference  and  inequality  there  may  be  ed,  their 
 lawfully  amongst  Ministers.    Inequality  as  touching  gifts  ^"y  o"°r 
 and  graces  they  grant,  because  this  is  so  plain  that  no  |*hM*t 
 mist  in  the  world  can  be  cast  before  men's  eyes  so  thick,  what 
 but  that  they  must  needs  discern  through  it,  that  one  sJ^mL 
 Minister  of  the  Gospel  may  be  more  learned,  holier,  and  ritJ,in 
 
240 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Minis-    wiser,  better  able  to  instruct,  more  apt  to  rule  and  guide 
 i? "hich  them  than  another :  unless  thus  much  were  confessed, 
 part"  6  tnose  men  should  lose  their  fame  and  glory  whom  they 
 hoideth,  themselves  do  entitle  the  Lights  and  grand  Worthies  of 
 otbe,     this  present  age.    Again,  a  priority  of  Order  they  deny 
 hwJu*'  not  but  tnat  there  may  be,   yea,  such  a  priority  as 
 raaketh  one  man  amongst  many  a  principal  actor  in  those 
 things  whereunto  sundry  of  them  must  necessarily  concur, 
 so  that  the  same  be  admitted  only  during  the  time  of  such 
 actions,  and  no  longer ;  that  is  to  say,  just  so  much  Superi- 
 ority, and  neither  more  nor  less  may  be  liked  of,  than  it 
 hath  pleased  them  in  their  own  kind  of  Regiment  to  set 
 down.  The  inequality  which  they  complain  of  is, '  That  one 
 Minister  of  the  Word  and  Sacraments  should  have  a  per- 
 manent Superiority  above  another,  or  in  any  sort  a  Supe- 
 riority of  Power  mandatory,  judicial,  and  coercive  over 
 other  Ministers.'  By  us,  on  the  contrary  side,  '  Inequality, 
 even  such  inequality  as  unto  Bishops,  being  Ministers  of  the 
 Word  and  Sacraments,  granteth  a  Superiority  permanent 
 above  Ministers,  yea*  a  permanent  Superiority  of  Power 
 mandatory,  judicial,  and  coercive  over  them,'  is  maintained 
 a  thing  allowable,  lawful,  and  good.    For,  Superiority  of 
 Power  may  be  either  above  them,  or  upon  them,  in  regard 
 of  whom  it  is  termed  Superiority.    One  Pastor  hath  Supe- 
 riority of  Power  above  another,  when  either  some  are  au- 
 thorized to  do  things  worthier  than  are  permitted  unto  all; 
 or  some  are  preferred  to  be  principal  agents,  the  rest  agents 
 with  dependency  and  subordination.    The  former  of  these 
 two  kinds  of  Superiority  is  such  as  the  High-priest  had 
 above  other  Priests  of  the  Law,  in  being  appointed  to 
 enter  once  a  year  the  Holy  Place,  which  the  rest  of  the 
 Priests  might  not  do.  The  latter  Superiority,  such  as  Pre- 
 sidents have  in  those  actions  which  are  done  by  others  with 
 them,  they  nevertheless  being  principal  and  chief  therein. 
 One  Pastor  hath  Superiority  of  Power,  not  only  above,  but 
 upon,  another,  when  some  are  subject  unto  others'  com- 
 mandment and  judicial  controlment  by  virtue  of  public 
 jurisdiction.   Superiority  in  this  last  kind  is  utterly  denied 
 to  be  allowable ;  in  the  rest  it  is  only  denied,  that  the 
 lasting  continuance  and  settled  permanency  thereof  is  law- 
 ful. So  that,  if  we  prove  at  all  the  lawfulness  of  Superiority 
 in  this  last  kind,  where  the  same  is  simply  denied,  and  of 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 241 
 
 permanent  Superiority  in  the  rest,  where  some  kind  of  Su- 
 periority is  granted,  but  with  restraint  to  the  term  and  con- 
 tinuance of  certain  actions,  with  which  the  same  must,  as 
 they  say,  expire  and  cease ;  if  we  can  shew  these  two 
 things  maintainable,  we  bear  up  sufficiently  that  which  the 
 adverse  party  endeavoureth  to  overthrow.  Our  desire 
 therefore  is,  that  this  issue  may  be  strictly  observed,  and 
 those  things  accordingly  judged  of,  which  we  are  to  allege. 
 This  we  boldly  therefore  set  down  as  a  most  infallible  truth, 
 •  That  the  Church  of  Christ  is  at  this  day  lawfully,  and  so 
 hath  been  sithence  the  first  beginning,  governed  by  Bishops 
 
 having  permanent  Superiority  and  ruling  Power  over  other 
 Ministers  of  the  Word  and  Sacraments.' 
 
 For  the  plainer  explication  whereof,  let  us  briefly  de- 
 clare, first,  the  birth  and  original  of  the  same  Power, 
 whence  and  by  what  occasion  it  grew.  Secondly,  what 
 manner  of  Power  antiquity  doth  witness  Bishops  to  have 
 had  more  than  Presbyters  which  were  no  Bishops.  Third- 
 ly, after  what  sort  Bishops,  together  with  Presbyters,  have 
 used  to  govern  the  Churches  under  them,  according  to  the 
 like  testimonial  evidence  of  antiquity.  Fourthly,  how  far 
 the  same  Episcopal  Power  hath  usually  extended ;  unto 
 what  number  of  persons  it  hath  reached ;  what  bounds  and 
 limits  of  place  it  hath  had.  This  done,  we  may  afterwards 
 descend  unto  those  by  whom  the  same  either  hath  been 
 heretofore,  or  is  at  this  present  hour,  gainsayed. 
 
 4.  The  first  Bishops  in  the  Church  of  Christ  were  his  From 
 blessed  Apostles.    For  the  Office  whereunto  Matthias  was  Thath 
 chosen  the  Sacred  History  doth  term  'EmoKoirrjv,  an  Episco-  *™£e 
 pal  Office ;  which  being  spoken  expressly  of  one,  agreeth  church 
 no  less  unto  them  all  than  unto  him.    For  which  cause  St.  "JTed 
 Cyprian*  speaking  generally  of  them  all  doth  call  them 
 Bishops.    They  which  were  termed  Apostles,  as  being  > 
 sent  of  Christ  to  publish  his  Gospel  throughout  the  world,  / 
 and  were  named  likewise  Bishops,  in  that  the  care  of  go-  *S 
 vernment  was  also  committed  unto  them,  did  no  less  per-  ( 
 form  the  Offices  of  their  Episcopal  Authority  by  governing,  I 
 than  of  their  Apostolical  by  teaching.  The  word  'E7r/rjK07n7 
 expressing  that  part  of  their  Office  which  did  consist  in 
 Regiment,  proveth  not  (I  grant)  their  Chiefty  in  Regiment 
 
 •  '  Meminisse  Diaconi  debent,  quoniam  Apostolos,  id  est,  Episcopos  et  Praeposi- 
 tos,  Dominus  elegit.'  Cypr.  1.  iii.  ep.  9,  [al.  ep.  3.  c.  2.] 
 
 VOL.  II.  R 
 
242 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 over  others,  because  as  then  that  name  was  common  unto 
 the  function  of  their  inferiors,  and  not  peculiar  unto  theirs. 
 But  the  history  of  their  actions  sheweth  plainly  enough  how 
 the  thing  itself  which  that  name  appropriated  importeth, 
 that  is  to  say,  even  such  spiritual  Chiefty,  as  we  have  al- 
 ready denned  to  be  properly  Episcopal,  was  in  the  holy 
 Apostles  of  Christ.    Bishops  therefore  they  were  at  large. 
 But  was  it  lawful  for  any  of  them  to  be  a  Bishop  with  re- 
 straint?   True  it  is  their  charge  was  indefinite,  yet  so,  that 
 Rom.ii.  in  case  they  did  all,  whether  severally  or  jointly,  discharge 
 icor!  the  Office  of  proclaiming  every  where  the  Gospel  and  of 
 John'   »u^mS  *ne  Church  of  Christ,  none  of  them  casting  off  his 
 xxi.     part  in  their  burden  which  was  laid  upon  them,  there  doth 
 lj'16'   appear  no  impediment,  but  that  they  having  received  their 
 common  charge  indefinitely,  might  in  the  execution  thereof 
 notwithstanding  restrain  themselves,  or  at  leastwise  be  re- 
 strained by  the  after  commandment  of  the  Spirit,  without 
 contradiction  or  repugnancy  unto  that  charge  more  indefi- 
 nite and  general  before  given  them :  especially  if  it  seemed 
 at  any  time  requisite,  and  for  the  greater  good  of  the 
 Church,  that  they  should  in  such  sort  tie  themselves  unto 
 some  special  part  of  the  flock  of  Jesus  Christ,  guiding  the 
 same  in  several  as  Bishops.    For,  first,  notwithstanding 
 our  Saviour's  commandment  unto  them  all,  to  go  and 
 preach  unto  all  nations ;  yet  some  restraint  we  see  there 
 Gai.     was  made,  when  by  agreement  between  Paul  and  Peter, 
 8"    moved  with  those  effects  of  their  labours  which  the  provi- 
 dence of  God  brought  forth,  the  one  betook  himself  unto 
 the  Gentiles,  the  other  unto  the  Jews,  for  the  exercise  of 
 that  Office  of  every  where  preaching.    A  further  restraint 
 of  their  Apostolic  labours  as  yet  there  was  also  made,  when 
 they  divided  themselves  into  several  parts  of  the  world ; 
 John*  for  his  charge  taking  Asia,  and  so  the  residue  other 
 quarters,  to  labour  in.    If  nevertheless  it  seem  very  hard 
 that  we  should  admit  a  restraint  so  particular,  as  after  that 
 general  charge  received  to  make  any  Apostle  notwithstand- 
 ing the  Bishop  of  some  one  Church;  what  think  we  of  the 
 Bishop  of  Jerusalem,  fJames,  whose  consecration  unto 
 
 *  Him  Eusebius  doth  name  the  Governor  of  the  Churches  in  Asia,  lib.  iii.  Hist. 
 Eccles.  c.  1 6.  Tertullian  calleth  the  same  Churches  St.  John's  Foster-daughters, 
 advers.  Marcion.  [1.  iv.  c.  5.] 
 
 t  '  lacobus,  qui  appellatur  Frater  Domini,  cognomento  Justus,  post  Passionem 
 Domini  statim  ab  Apostolis  Hierosolymorum  Episcopus  ordinatus  est.'  Hieron. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 243 
 
 that  Mother  See  of  the  world,  because  it  was  not  meet  that 
 it  should  at  any  time  be  left  void  of  some  Apostle,  doth 
 seem  to  have  been  the  very  cause  of  St.  Paul's  miraculous 
 vocation,  to  make  up  the  number  of  the  Twelve  again,  for  Ac,sn 
 the  gathering-  of  nations  abroad,  even  as  the  martyrdom  of  xiii.V. 
 the  other  James,  the  reason  why  Barnabas  in  his  stead  was 
 called.    Finally,  Apostles,  whether  they  did  settle  in  any 
 one  certain  place,  as  James,  or  else  did  otherwise,  as  the 
 Apostle  Paul,  Episcopal  Authority  either  at  large  or  with 
 restraint  they  had  and  exercised.    Their  Episcopal  Power 
 they  sometimes  gave  unto  others  to  exercise  as  agents  only 
 in  their  stead,  and  as  it  were  by  commission  from  them. 
 Thus  Titus,  and  thus  Timothy,  at  the  first,  though  afterwards  Titus 
 endued  with  Apostolical  Power  of  their  own.*  For  in  process  u  5' 
 of  time  the  Apostles  gave  Episcopal  Authority,  and  that  to 
 continue  always  with  them  which  had  it.    "  We  are  able  J™";., 
 to  number  up  them  (saith  Irenaeus),  who  by  the  Apostles  caP.3." 
 were  made  Bishops."    In  Rome  he  affirmeth  that  the  Apo- 
 stles themselves  made  Linus  the  first  Bishop.    Again  of 
 Polycarp  he  saith  likewise,  that  the  Apostles  made  him 
 Bishop  of  the  Church  of  Smyrna.    Of  Antioch  they  made  m  ep. 
 Evodius  Bishop,  as  Ignatius  witnesseth ;  exhorting  that  ta^ct°' 
 Church  to  tread  in  his  holy  steps,  and  to  follow  his  virtuous  tc-7-l 
 example.    The  Apostles  therefore  were  the  first  which 
 had  such  Authority,  and  all  others  who  have  it  after  them 
 in  orderly  sort  are  their  lawful  successors,  whether  they 
 succeed  in  any  particular  Church,  where  before  them  some 
 Apostle  hath  been  seated,  as  Simon  succeeded  James  in 
 Jerusalem;  or  else  be  otherwise  endued  with  the  same 
 kind  of  Bishoply  Power,  although  it  be  not  where  any 
 Apostle  before  hath  been.    For  to  succeed  them,  is  after 
 them  to  have  that  Episcopal  kind  of  Power  which  was  first  Hieron. 
 given  to  them.  "  All  Bishops  are,  (saith  Jerome)  the  Apo-  ^  ^ 
 sties'  successors."  In  like  sort  Cyprian  doth  term  Bishops,  §•  U 
 "  Praepositos,  qui  Apostolis  vicaria  ordinatione  succedunt."  »d  Fior.f 
 From  hence  it  may  haply  seem  to  have  grown,  that  they  ^p^6' 
 whom  we  now  call  Bishops  were  usually  termed  at  the  first  p>eod- 
 Apostles,  and  so  did  carry  their  very  names  in  whose  rooms  IS.  [l!™* 
 
 Scrip.  Eccles.  Catal.  ii.  '  Eodem  tempore  Iacobum  primum  sedem  Episcopalem 
 Ecclesia:,  quae  est  Hierosolymis,  obtinuisse  memoriae  traditur.'  Euseb.  Hist.  Ec- 
 clesias.  lib.  ii.  cap.  1.    The  same  seemeth  to  be  intimated,  Acts  xv.  13.  xxi.  18. 
 
 •  This  appeareth  by  those  subscriptions  which  are  set  after  the  Epistle  to  Titus, 
 and  the  second  to  Timothy,  and  by  Euseb.  Eccles.  Hist.  lib.  iii.  cap.  4. 
 
 R  2 
 
244 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 ].  3. 
 
 Gal. 
 i.  1. 
 
 of  spiritual  Authority  tbey  succeeded.  Such  as  deny  Apo- 
 stles to  have  any  successors*  at  all  in  the  Office  of  their 
 Apostleship,  may  hold  that  opinion  without  contradiction 
 to  this  of  ours,  if  they  well  explain  themselves  in  declaring 
 what  truly  and  properly  Apostleship  is.  In  somethings  every 
 Presbyter,  in  some  things  only  Bishops,  in  some  things  nei- 
 ther one  nor  the  other,  are  the  Apostles'  successors.  The 
 Actsi.  Apostles  were  sent  as  special  chosen  eye-witnesses  of 
 ljohn  Jesus  Christ,  from  whom  immediately  they  received  their 
 whole  embassage  and  their  commission  to  be  the  principal 
 first  founders  of  a  House  of  God,  consisting  as  well  of 
 xxPi!°ii.  Gentiles  as  of  Jews.    In  this  there  are  not  after  them  any 
 Man.    othgj.  ]jke  unt0  them :  and  yet  the  Apostles  have  now  their 
 
 XXVill.  J  r 
 
 39.  successors  upon  earth,  their  true  successors,  if  not  in  the 
 largeness,  surely  in  the  kind  of  that  Episcopal  function, 
 whereby  they  had  power  to  sit  as  spiritual  ordinary  Judges, 
 both  over  Laity  and  over  Clergy,  where  Christian  Churches 
 were  established. 
 
 .Tl,e        5.  The  Apostles  of  our  Lord  did,  according  unto  those 
 
 time  and  "«•*"' 
 
 cause    directions   which  were  given  them  from  above,  erect 
 "uting"  Churches  in  all  such  cities  as  received  the  Word  of  Truth, 
 the  Gospel  of  God.    All  Churches  by  them  erected  re- 
 Bishops  ceived  from  them  the  same  Faith,  the  same  Sacraments, 
 Mraint!  the  same  Form  of  public  Regiment.    The  Form  of  Regi- 
 ment by  them  established  at  first  was,  'That  the  Laity  of 
 people  should  be  subject  unto  a  College  of  Ecclesiastical 
 persons,  which  were  in  every  such  city  appointed  for  that 
 purpose.'    These  in  their  writings  they  term  sometimes 
 Presbyters,  sometimes  Bishops.    To  take  one  Church  out 
 of  a  number  for  a  pattern  what  the  rest  were  ;  the  Pres- 
 ets xx.  byters  of  Ephesus,  as  it  is  in  the  history  of  their  departure 
 from  the  Apostle  Paul  at  Miletum,  are  said  to  have  wept 
 abundantly  all,  which  speech  doth  shew  them  to  have 
 been  many.    And  by  the  Apostle's  exhortation  it  may  ap- 
 pear that  they  had  not  each  his  several  flock  to  feed,  but 
 were  in  common  appointed  to  feed  that  one  flock,  the 
 Church  of  Ephesus ;  for  which  cause  the  phrase  of  bis 
 Acts  xx.  speech  is  this,  Attendite  gregi,  "  Look  all  to  that  one  flock, 
 over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  Bishops." 
 These  persons  Ecclesiastical  being  termed  as  then,  Pres- 
 
 *  '  Ipsius  Apostolatus  nulla  successio.    Finitur  enim  legatio  cum  legato,  nee 
 ad  successores  ipsius  transit.'    Stapl.  doct.  prin.  lib.  vi.  cap.  7. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 245 
 
 bytcrs  and  Bishops  both,  were  all  subject  unto  Paul,  as  to 
 a  higher  Governor  appointed  of  God  to  be  over  them.  But 
 forasmuch  as  the  Apostles  could  not  themselves  be  pre- 
 sent in  all  Churches,  and  as  the  Apostle  St.  Paul*  foretold 
 the  Presbyters  of  the  Ephesians,  that  there  would  "  rise  up  Acts 
 from  amongst  their  ownselves  men  speaking  perverse xx' 30' 
 things,  to  draw  disciples  after  them;"  there  did  grow  in 
 short  time  amongst  the  Governors  of  each  Church  those 
 emulations,  strifes,  and  contentions,  whereof  there  could  be 
 no  sufficient  remedy  provided,  except,  according  unto  the 
 Order  of  Jerusalem  already  begun,  some  one  were  endued 
 with  Episcopal  Authority  over  the  rest,  which  one  being 
 resident  might  keep  them  in  order,  and  have  pre-eminence 
 or  principality  in  those  things  wherein  the  equality  of 
 many  agents  was  the  cause  of  disorder  and  trouble.  This 
 one  President  or  Governor,  amongst  the  rest,  had  his  known 
 Authority  established  along  time  before  that  settled  differ- 
 ence of  Name  and  Title  took  place,  whereby  such  alone 
 were  named  Bishops.  And  therefore  in  the  Book  of  St. 
 John's  Revelation  we  find  they  are  entitled  Angels.  It  Rev.  a. 
 will  perhaps  be  answered,  that  the  Angels  of  those 
 Churches  were  only  in  every  Church  a  Minister  of  Sacra- 
 ments :  but  then  we  ask,  is  it  probable  that  in  every  of 
 these  Churches,  even  in  Ephesus  itself,  where  many  such 
 Ministers  were  long  before,  as  hath  been  proved,  there 
 was  but  one  such,  when  John  directed  his  speech  to  the 
 Angel  of  that  Church?  If  there  were  many,  surely  St.  John, 
 in  naming  but  only  one  of  them  an  Angel,  did  behold  in 
 that  one  somewhat  above  the  rest.  Nor  was  this  Order 
 peculiar  unto  some  few  Churches,  but  the  whole  world  uni- 
 versally became  subject  thereunto ;  insomuch  as  they  did 
 not  account  it  to  be  a  Church  which  was  not  subject  unto 
 a  Bishop.  It  was  the  general  received  persuasion  of  the 
 ancient  Christian  world,  that  Ecclesia  est  in  Episcopo,  the  Cypr  w 
 outward  being  of  a  Church  consisted  in  the  having  of  aEPi,l-9- 
 Bishop.  That  where  Colleges  of  Presbyters  were,  there  m'.cP'c.} 
 was  at  the  first  equality  amongst  them,  St.  Jerome  thinketh 
 
 *  As  appeareth  both  by  his  sending  to  call  the  Presbyters  of  Ephesus  before 
 him  as  far  as  to  Miletum  (Acts  xx.  17.),  which  was  almost  fifty  miles,  and  by  his 
 leaving  Timothy  in  his  place  with  his  authority  and  instructions  for  ordaining 
 of  Ministers  there  (1  Tim.  v.  22.);  and  for  proportioning  their  maintenance 
 (ver.  17,  18.);  and  for  judicial  hearing  of  accusations  brought  against  them 
 (ver.  19.)  ;  and  for  holding  them  in  a  uniformity  of  doctrine  (Ch.  i.  3.). 
 
246 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Hieron.  it  a  matter  clear :  but  when  the  rest  were  thus  equal,  so  that 
 Ep.  101.  no  one  0f  ihem  could  command  any  other  as  interior  unto 
 Evang.  him,  they  all  were  controllable  by  the  Apostles,  who  had 
 that  Episcopal  Authority  abiding  at  the  first  in  themselves, 
 which  they  afterwards  derived  unto  others.  The  cause 
 wherefore  they  under  themselves  appointed  such  Bishops 
 as  were  not  every  where  at  the  first,  is  said  to  have  been 
 those  strifes  and  contentions,  for  remedy  whereof,  whe- 
 ther the  Apostles  alone  did  conclude  of  such  a  Regiment, 
 or  else  they  together  with  the  whole  Church  judging  it  a 
 fit  and  needful  policy  did  agree  to  receive  it  for  a  custom ; 
 no  doubt  but  being  established  by  them  on  whom  the  Holy 
 Ghost  was  poured  in  so  abundant  measure  for  the  order- 
 ing of  Christ's  Church,  it  had  either  divine  appointment 
 beforehand,  or  divine  approbation  afterwards,  and  is  in 
 that  respect  to  be  acknowledged  the  Ordinance  of  God, 
 Eiod.  no  less  than  that  ancient  Jewish  Regiment,  whereof  though 
 xvm.19.  jethro  were  the  deviser,  yet  after  that  God  had  allowed  it, 
 all  men  were  subject  unto  it,  as  to  the  Polity  of  God,  and 
 not  of  Jethro.  That  so  the  ancient  Fathers  did  think  of 
 Episcopal  Regiment ;  that  they  held  this  Order  as  a  thing 
 received  from  the  blessed  Apostles  themselves,  and  au- 
 thorized even  from  Heaven,  we  may  perhaps  more  easily 
 prove,  than  obtain  that  they  all  shall  grant  it  who  see  it 
 ep.  ad  proved.  St.  Augustine  setteth  it  down  for  a  principle, 
 [108.  bi.  that  whatsoever  positive  Order  the  whole  Church  every 
 54,C,6,J  where  doth  observe,  the  same  it  must  needs  have  received 
 from  the  very  Apostles  themselves,  unless  perhaps  some 
 general  Council  were  the  authors  of  it.  And  he  saw  that 
 the  ruling  Superiority  of  Bishops  was  a  thing  universally 
 established  not  by  the  force  of  any  Council  (for  Councils 
 do  all  presuppose  Bishops,  nor  can  there  any  Council  be 
 named  so  ancient,  either  General,  or  so  much  as  Provincial, 
 sithence  the  Apostles'  own  times,  but  we  can  shew  that 
 Bishops  had  their  Authority  before  it,  and  not  from  it)  : 
 wherefore  St.  Augustine,  knowing  this,  could  not  choose 
 but  reverence  the  Authority  of  Bishops,  as  a  thing  to  him 
 apparently  and  most  clearly  Apostolical.  But  it  will  be 
 perhaps  objected,  that  Regiment  by  Bishops  was  not  so 
 universal  nor  ancient  as  we  pretend ;  and  that  an  argu- 
 ment hereof  may  be  Jerome's  own  testimony,  who,  living 
 at  the  very  same  time  with  St.  Augustine,  noted  this  kind 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 247 
 
 of  Regiment  as  being  no  where  ancient,  saving  only  in 
 Alexandria;  his  words  are  these:  "It  was  for  a  remedy  ^p- ci- 
 of  schism  that  one  was  afterwards  chosen  to  be  placed  Evang. 
 
 fi   1  1 
 
 above  the  rest ;  lest  every  man's  pulling  unto  himself, 
 should  rend  asunder  the  Church  of  Christ.  For  (that 
 winch  also  may  serve  for  an  argument  or  token  hereof),  at 
 Alexandria,  from  Mark  the  Evangelist,  unto  Heraclas  and 
 Dionysius,  the  Presbyters  always  chose  one  of  them- 
 selves, whom  they  placed  in  higher  degree,  and  gave  unto 
 him  the  title  of  Bishop."  Now  St.  Jerome,*  they  say, 
 would  never  have  picked  out  that  one  Church  from 
 amongst  so  many,  and  have  noted  that  in  it  there  had 
 been  Bishops  from  the  time  that  St.  Mark  lived,  if  so  be 
 the  self-same  Order  were  of  like  antiquity  every  where ; 
 his  words  therefore  must  be  thus  scholied  :  in  the  Church 
 of  Alexandria,  Presbyters  indeed  had,  even  from  the  time 
 of  St.  Mark  the  Evangelist,  always  a  Bishop  to  rule  over 
 them,  for  a  remedy  against  divisions,  factions,  and  schisms  ; 
 not  so  in  other  Churches,  neither  in  that  very  Church  any 
 longer  than  usque  ad  Heraclam  et  Dionysiam,  till  He- 
 raclas and  his  successor  Dionysius  were  Bishops.  But 
 this  construction  doth  bereave  the  words  construed  partly 
 of  wit,  and  partly  of  truth ;  it  maketh  them  both  absurd 
 and  false.  For,  if  the  meaning  be  that  Episcopal  Govern- 
 ment in  that  Church  was  then  expired,  it  must  have  ex- 
 pired with  the  end  of  some  one,  and  not  of  two  several 
 Bishops'  days,  unless  perhaps  it  fell  sick  under  Heraclas, 
 and  with  Dionysius  gave  up  the  ghost.  Besides,  it  is 
 clearly  untrue  that  the  Presbyters  of  that  Church  did  then 
 cease  to  be  under  a  Bishop.  Who  doth  not  know  that 
 after  Dionysius,  Maximus  was  Bishop  of  Alexandria, 
 after  him  Theonas,  after  him  Peter,  after  him  Achillas, 
 after  him  Alexander?  of  whom  Socrates  in  this  sort  writ- 
 eth :  It  fortuned  on  a  certain  time  that  this  Alexander,  in  Socrat- 
 
 lib.  i. 
 
 the  presence  of  the  Presbyters  which  were  under  him,  and  c.  3. 
 of  the  rest  of  the  Clergy  there,  discoursed  somewhat  curi- 
 ously and  subtilly  of  the  holy  Trinity,  bringing  high  phi- 
 losophical proofs,  that  there  is  in  the  Trinity  a  Unity. 
 Whereupon  Arius,  one  of  the  Presbyters  which  were  placed 
 in  that  degree  under  Alexander,  opposed  eagerly  himself 
 
 *  '  It  is  to  be  observed  that  Jerome  saitli,  it  was  so  in  Alexandria ;  signifying 
 that  in  other  Churahes  it  was  not  so.'    T.  C.  lib.  ii.  p.  8S!. 
 
248 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 against  those  things  which  were  uttered  by  the  Bishop. 
 So  that  thus  long  Bishops  continued  even  in  the  Church  of 
 Alexandria.  Nor  did  their  Regiment  here  cease,  but 
 these  also  had  others  their  successors  till  St.  Jerome's 
 own  time,  who  living  long  after  Heraclas  and  Dionysius 
 had  ended  their  days,  did  not  yet  live  himself  to  see  the 
 Presbyters  of  Alexandria  otherwise  than  subject  unto  a 
 Bishop.  So  that  we  cannot,  with  any  truth,  so  interpret  his 
 words  as  to  mean,  that  in  the  Church  of  Alexandria  there 
 had  been  Bishops  endued  with  Superiority  over  Presbyters 
 from  St.  Mark's  time  only  till  the  time  of  Heraclas  and  of 
 Dionysius.  Wherefore,  that  St.  Jerome  may  receive  a  more 
 probable  interpretation  than  this,  we  answer,  that  gene- 
 rally of  Regiment  by  Bishops,  and  what  term  of  continu- 
 ance it  had  in  the  Church  of  Alexandria,  it  was  no  part  of 
 his  mind  to  speak,  but  to  note  one  only  circumstance  be- 
 longing to  the  manner  of  their  election,  which  circumstance 
 is,  that  in  Alexandria  they  used  to  choose  their  Bishops 
 altogether  out  of  the  College  of  their  own  Presbyters,  and 
 neither  from  abroad  nor  out  of  any  other  inferior  Order 
 of  the  Clergy ;  whereas  oftentimes  elsewhere  the  use  was  to 
 choose  as  well  from  abroad  as  at  home,*  as  well  inferior 
 unto  Presbyters,  as  Presbyters  when  they  saw  occasion. 
 This  custom,  saith  he,  the  Church  of  Alexandria  did  always 
 keep,  till  in  Heraclas  and  Dionysius  they  began  to  do 
 otherwise.  These  two  were  the  very  first  not  chosen  out  of 
 their  College  of  Presbyters. 
 
 The  drift  and  purpose  of  St.  Jerome's  speech  doth  plainly 
 shew  what  his  meaning  was :  for  whereas  some  did  over 
 extol  the  Office  of  the  Deacon  in  the  Church  of  Rome, 
 where  Deacons  being  grown  great,  through  wealth,  chal- 
 lenged place  above  Presbyters;  St.  Jerome,  to  abate  this 
 insolency,  writing  to  Evagrius  [Evangelus],  diminisheth  by 
 all  means  the  Deacon's  estimation,  and  lifteth  up  Pres- 
 [ep.  byters  as  far  as  possible  the  truth  might  bear.  "  An  at- 
 E^g.]  tendant  (saith  he)  upon  tables  and  windows  proudly  to  ex- 
 alt himself  above  them  at  whose  prayers  is  made  the  Body 
 and  Blood  of  Christ;  above  them,  between  whom  and 
 Bishops  there  was  at  the  first  for  a  time  no  difference 
 
 •  Unto  Ignatius,  Bishop  of  Antioch,  Hero  a  Deacon  there  was  made  successor. 
 Cnrysostom,  being  a  Presbyter  of  Antioch,  was  chosen  to  succeed  Nectarius  in  the 
 Bishoprick  of  Constantinople. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 249 
 
 neither  in  Authority  nor  in  Title.    And  whereas  after 
 schisms  and  contentions  made  it  necessary,  that  some 
 one  should  be  placed  over  them,  by  which  occasion  the 
 Title  of  Bishop  became  proper  unto  that  one,  yet  was  that 
 one  chosen  out  of  the  Presbyters,  as  being  the  chiefest, 
 the  highest,  the  worthiest  degree  of  the  Clergy,  and  not 
 out  of  Deacons :  in  which  consideration  also  it  seemeth 
 that  in  Alexandria,  even  from  St.  Mark  to  Heraclas  and 
 Dionysius,  Bishops  there,  the  Presbyters  evermore  have 
 chosen  one  of  themselves,  and  not  a  Deacon  at  any  time, 
 to  be  their  Bishop.    Nor  let  any  man  think  that  Christ 
 hath  one  Church  in  Bome,  and  another  in  the  rest  of  the 
 world ;  that  in  Bome  he  alloweth  Deacons  to  be  honoured 
 above  Presbyters,  and  otherwise  will  have  them  to  be  in 
 the  next  degree  to  the  Bishop.  If  it  be  deemed  that  abroad 
 where  Bishops  are  poorer,  the  Presbyters  under  them  may 
 be  the  next  unto  them  in  honour,  but  at  Bome,  where  the 
 Bishop  hath  ample  revenues,  the  Deacons,  whose  estate  is 
 nearest  for  wealth,  may  be  also  for  estimation  the  next 
 unto  him ;  we  must  know  that  a  Bishop  in  the  meanest  city 
 is  no  less  a  Bishop  than  he  who  is  seated  in  the  greatest ; 
 the  countenance  of  a  rich,  and  the  meanness  of  a  poor 
 estate,  doth  make  no  odds  between  Bishops :  and  therefore, 
 if  a  Presbyter  at  Eugubium  be  the  next  in  degree  to  a 
 Bishop,  surely,  even  at  Bome  it  ought  in  reason  to  be  so 
 likewise,  and  not  a  Deacon  for  wealth's  sake  only  to  be 
 above,  who  by  Order  should  be,  and  elsewhere  is,  under- 
 neath a  Presbyter.    But  ye  will  say,  that  according  to  the 
 custom  of  Bome,  a  Deacon  presenteth  unto  the  Bishop  him 
 which  standeth  to  be  ordained  Presbyter,  and  upon  the 
 Deacon's  testimony  given  concerning  his  fitness,  he  re- 
 ceiveth  at  the  Bishop's  hands  Ordination:  so  that  in 
 Bome  the  Deacon  having  this  special  pre-eminence,  the 
 Presbyter  ought  there  to  give  place  unto  him.  Wherefore 
 is  the  custom  of  one  city  brought  against  the  practice  of 
 the  whole  world?  The  paucity  of  Deacons  in  the  Church 
 of  Bome  hath  gotten  the  credit;  as  unto  Presbyters  their 
 multitude  hath  been  cause  of  contempt:  howbeit,  even  in 
 the  Church  of  Bome,  Presbyters  sit,  and  Deacons  stand ; 
 an  argument  as  strong  against  the  Superiority  of  Deacons, 
 as  the  fore-alleged  reason  doth  seem  for  it.  Besides, 
 whosoever  is  promoted  must  needs  be  raised  from  a  lower 
 
250 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 degree  to  a  higher ;  wherefore  either  let  him  which  is  Pres- 
 byter be  made  a  Deacon,  that  so  the  Deacon  may  appear 
 to  be  the  greater,  or,  if  of  Deacons  Presbyters  be  made,  let 
 them  know  themselves  to  be  in  regard  of  Deacons,  though 
 below  in  gain,  yet  above  in  Office.  And  to  the  end  we  may 
 understand  that  those  Apostolic  Orders  are  taken  out  of 
 the  Old  Testament,  what  Aaron  and  his  sons  and  the 
 Levites  were  in  the  Temple,  the  same  in  the  Church  may 
 Bishops,  and  Presbyters,  and  Deacons  challenge  unto 
 themselves."  This  is  the  very  drift  and  substance,  this  the 
 true  construction  and  -sense,  of  St.  Jerome's  whole  dis- 
 course in  that  Epistle  :  which  I  have  therefore  endeavoured 
 the  more  at  large  to  explain,  because  no  one  thing  is  less 
 effectual,  or  more  usual  to  be  alleged  against  the  ancient 
 authority  of  Bishops;  concerning  whose  Government  St. 
 Jerome's  own  words  otherwhere  are  sufficient  to  shew  his 
 opinion,  that  this  Order  was  not  only  in  Alexandria  so 
 ancient,  but  even  as  ancient  in  other  Churches.  We  have 
 before  alleged  his  testimony  touching  James  the  Bishop  of 
 Jerusalem.  As  for  Bishops  in  other  Churches,  on  the  first 
 50  of  the  Epistle  to  Titus  thus  he  speaketh,  u  Till  through  in- 
 stinct of  the  Devil  there  grew  in  the  Church  factions,  and 
 among  the  people  it  began  to  be  professed,  I  am  of  Paul,  I 
 of  A  polios,  and  I  of  Cephas,  Churches  were  governed  by 
 the  common  advice  of  Presbyters ;  but  when  every  one 
 began  to  reckon  those  whom  himself  had  baptized,  his  own 
 and  not  Christ's,  it  was  decreed  in  the  whole  world,  that 
 one  chosen  out  of  the  Presbyters  should  be  placed  above 
 the  rest,  to  whom  all  cares  of  the  Church  should  belong, 
 and  so  the  seeds  of  schism  be  removed."  If  it  be  so,  that 
 by  St.  Jerome's  own  confession  this  Order  was  not  then 
 begun  when  people  in  the  Apostles'  absence  began  to  be 
 divided  into  factions  by  their  Teachers,  and  to  rehearse, 
 "  I  am  of  Paul,"  but  that  even  at  the  very  first  appoint- 
 ment thereof  it  was  agreed  upon  and  received  throughout 
 the  world  ;  how  shall  a  man  be  persuaded  that  the  same 
 Jerome  thought  it  so  ancient  no  where  saving  in  Alex- 
 andria, one  only  Church  of  the  whole  world  ?  A  sentence 
 there  is  indeed  of  St.  Jerome's,  which,  being  not  thoroughly 
 considered  and  weighed,  may  cause  his  meaning  so  to  be 
 taken,  as  if  he  judged  Episcopal  Regiment  to  have  been 
 the  Church's  invention  long  after,  and  not  the  Apostles' 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 251 
 
 own  institution ;  as  namely,  when  he  adraonisheth  Bishops 
 in  this  manner:  "As  therefore  Presbyters  do  know  that t1^- 
 the  custom  of  the  Church  makes  them  subject  to  the  Bishop 
 which  is  set  over  them ;  so  let  Bishops  know,*  that  custom 
 rather  than  the  truth  of  any  Ordinance  of  the  Lord  maketh 
 them  greater  than  the  rest,  and  that  with  common  advice 
 they  ought  to  govern  the  Church."  To  clear  the  sense  of 
 these  words  therefore,  as  we  have  done  already  the  former : 
 Laws  which  the  Church  from  the  beginning  universally 
 hath  observed,  were  some  delivered  by  Christ  himself,  with 
 a  charge  to  keep  them  to  the  world's  end,  as  the  Law  of 
 baptizing  and  administering  the  holy  Eucharist;  some 
 brought  in  afterwards  by  the  Apostles,  yet  not  without  the 
 special  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  occasions  did 
 arise.  Of  this  sort  are  those  Apostolical  Orders  and  Laws, 
 whereby  Deacons,  Widows,  Virgins,  were  first  appointed 
 in  the  Church. 
 
 This  answer  to  St.  Jerome  seemeth  dangerous ;  I  have 
 qualified  it  as  I  may  by  addition  of  some  words  of  restraint : 
 yet  I  satisfy  not  myself,  in  my  judgment  it  would  be 
 altered.  "  Now  whereas  Jerome  doth  term  the  Government 
 of  Bishops  by  restraint  an  Apostolical  Tradition,  acknow- 
 ledging thereby  the  same  to  have  been  of  the  Apostles' 
 own  institution,  it  may  be  demanded,  how  these  two  will 
 stand  together;  namely,  that  the  Apostles  by  divine  in- 
 stinct should  be,  as  Jerome  confesseth,  the  authors  of  that 
 Regiment;  and  yet  the  custom  of  the  Church  be  accounted 
 (for  so  by  Jerome  it  may  seem  to  be  in  this  place  accounted) 
 the  chiefest  prop  that  upholdeth  the  same  ?"  To  this  we 
 answer,  "  That  forasmuch  as  the  whole  body  of  the  Church 
 hath  power  to  alter,  with  general  consent  and  upon  ne- 
 cessary occasions,  even  the  positive  Law  of  the  Apostles, 
 if  there  be  no  command  to  the  contrary;  and  it  manifestly 
 appears  to  her,  that  change  of  times  have  clearly  taken 
 away  the  very  reasons  of  God's  first  institution,  as  by 
 sundry  examples  may  be  most  clearly  proved ;  what  Laws 
 the  universal  Church  might  change,  and  doth  not,  if  they 
 
 *  Bishops  he  meaneth  by  restraint;  for  the  Episcopal  power  was  always  in  the 
 Church  instituted  by  Christ  himself,  the  Apostles  being  in  Government  Bishops  at 
 large,  as  no  man  will  deny,  having  received  from  Christh  imself  that  Episcopal  Au- 
 thority. For  which  cause  Cyprian  hath  said  of  them  :  '  Meminisse  Diaconi  debent, 
 quoniam  Apostolos,  id  est,  Episcopos  et  Pnepositos,  Dominus  elegit :  Diaconos  au- 
 tem,  post  ascensum  Domini  in  ccelos,  Apostoli  sibi  constituerunt,  Episcopatus  sui 
 et  Ecclesiae  Ministros.'  Lib.  iii.  ep.  9.  [al.  ep.  3.  c.  '.'.] 
 
252 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 have  long  continued  without  any  alteration,  it  seemeth  that 
 St.  Jerome  ascribeth  continuance  of  such  positive  Laws, 
 though  instituted  by  God  himself,  to  the  judgment  of  the 
 Church.  For  they  which  might  abrogate  a  Law  and  do  not, 
 are  properly  said  to  uphold,  to  establish  it,  and  to  give  it 
 being.  The  Regiment  therefore  whereof  Jerome  speaketh 
 being  positive,  aud  consequently  not  absolutely  necessary, 
 but  of  a  changeable  nature,  because  there  is  no  divine 
 voice  which  in  express  words  forbiddeth  it  to  be  changed; 
 he  might  imagine  both  that  it  came  by  the  Apostles  by 
 very  divine  appointment  at  the  first,  and  notwithstanding 
 be,  after  a  sort,  said  to  stand  in  force,  rather  by  the  custom 
 of  the  Church,  choosing  to  continue  in  it,  than  by  the  ne- 
 cessary constraint  of  any  commandment  from  the  Word, 
 requiring  perpetual  continuance  thereof."  So  that  St.  Je- 
 rome's admonition  is  reasonable,  sensible,  and  plain,  being 
 contrived  to  this  effect :  the  ruling  Superiority  of  one  Bishop 
 over  many  Presbyters  in  each  Church,  is  an  Order  de- 
 scended from  Christ  to  the  Apostles,  who  were  themselves 
 Bishops  at  large  ;  and  from  the  Apostles  to  those  whom  they 
 in  their  steads  appointed  Bishops  over  particular  countries 
 and  cities ;  and  even  from  those  ancient  times  universally 
 established,  thus  many  years  it  hath  continued  throughout 
 the  world ;  for  which  cause  Presbyters  must  not  grudge 
 to  continue  subject  unto  their  Bishops,  unless  they  will 
 proudly  oppose  themselves  against  that  which  God  him- 
 self ordained  by  his  Apostles,  and  the  whole  Church  of 
 Christ  approveth  and  judgeth  most  convenient.  On  the 
 other  side,  Bishops  albeit  they  may  avouch,  with  conformity 
 of  truth,  that  their  Authority  had  thus  descended  even  from 
 the  very  Apostles  themselves,  yet  the  absolute  and  ever- 
 lasting continuance  of  it  they  cannot  say  that  any  com- 
 mandment of  the  Lord  doth  enjoin  ;  "  and  therefore  must 
 acknowledge  that  the  Church  hath  power  by  universal 
 consent  upon  urgent  cause  to  take  away,  if  thereunto  she 
 be  constrained  through  the  proud,  tyrannical,  aud  unre- 
 formable  dealings  of  her  Bishops,  whose  Regiment  she 
 hath  thus  long  delighted  in,  because  she  hath  found  it 
 good  and  requisite  to  be  so  governed.  Wherefore,  lest 
 Bishops  forget  themselves,  as  if  none  on  earth  had  autho- 
 rity to  touch  their  states,  let  them  continually  bear  in 
 mind,  that  it  is  rather  the  force  of  custom,  whereby  the 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 253 
 
 Church  having  so  long  found  it  good  to  continue  under 
 the  Regiment  of  her  virtuous  Bishops,  doth  still  uphold, 
 maintain,  and  honour  them  in  that  respect,  than  that  any 
 such  true  and  heavenly  Law  can  he  shewed,  by  the  evi- 
 dence whereof  it  may  of  a  truth  appear  that  the  Lord  him- 
 self hath  appointed  Presbyters  for  ever  to  be  under  the 
 Regiment  of  Bishops,  in  what  sort  soever  they  behave 
 themselves.  Let  this  consideration  be  a  bridle  unto  them, 
 let  it  teach  them  not  to  disdain  the  advice  of  their  Pres- 
 byters, but  to  use  their  Authority  with  so  much  the  greater 
 humility  and  moderation,  as  a  sword  which  the  Church 
 hath  power  to  take  from  them."  In  all  this  there  is  no  let 
 why  St.  Jerome  might  not  think  the  authors  of  Episcopal 
 Regiment  to  have  been  the  very  blessed  Apostles  them- 
 selves, directed  therein  by  the  special  motion  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  which  the  ancients  all  before  and  besides  him  and 
 himself  also  elsewhere  being  known  to  hold,  we  are  not, 
 without  better  evidence  than  this,  to  think  him  in  judgment 
 divided  both  from  himself  and  from  them.  Another  argu- 
 ment that  the  Regiment  of  Churches  by  one  Bishop  over 
 many  Presbyters  hath  been  always  held  Apostolical, 
 may  be  this.  We  find  that  throughout  all  those  cities 
 where  the  Apostles  did  plant  Christianity,  the  history  of 
 times  hath  noted  succession  of  Pastors  in  the  seat  of  one, 
 not  of  many  (there  being  in  every  such  Church  evermore 
 many  Pastors),  and  the  first  one  in  every  rank  of  succes- 
 sion we  find  to  have  been,  if  not  some  Apostle,  yet  some 
 Apostle's  Disciple.  By  Epiphanius  the  Bishops  of  Je- Lib.  ii. 
 rusalem  are  reckoned  down  from  James  to  Hilarion  then  ^{Tco 
 Bishop.  Of  them  which  boasted  that  they  held  the  same 
 things  which  they  received  of  such  as  lived  with  the  Apo- 
 stles themselves,  Tertullian  speaketh  after  this  sort :  "  Let  r>e  Pra>. 
 them  therefore  shew  the  beginnings  of  their  Churches,  let  a/ve's. 
 them  recite  their  Bishops  one  by  one,  each  in  such  sort  [^'j 
 succeeding  other,  that  the  first  Bishop  of  them  have  had 
 for  his  author  and  predecessor  some  Apostle,  or  at  least 
 some  Apostolic  person  who  persevered  with  the  Apostles. 
 For  so  Apostolical  Churches  are  wont  to  bring  forth  the 
 evidence  of  their  estates.  So  doth  the  Church  of  Smyrna, 
 having  Polycarp,  whom  John  did  consecrate."  Cata- 
 logues of  Bishops  in  a  number  of  other  Churches  (Bishops, 
 and  succeeding  one  another)  from  the  very  Apostles' 
 
254 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 times,  are  by  Eusebius  and  Socrates  collected ;  whereby 
 it  appeareth  so  clear,  as  nothing  in  the  world  more,  that 
 under  them  and  by  their  appointment  this  Order  began, 
 which  maketh  many  Presbyters  subject  unto  the  Regiment 
 of  some  one  Bishop.    For  as  in  Rome  while  the  civil  or- 
 dering of  the  Commonwealth  was  jointly  and  equally  in 
 the  hands  of  two  Consuls,  historical  records  concerning 
 them  did  evermore  mention  them  both,  and  note  which 
 two,  as  colleagues,  succeeded  from  time  to  time.    So  there 
 is  no  doubt  but  Ecclesiastical  antiquity  had  done  the  very 
 like,  had  not  one  Pastor's  place  and  calling  been  always 
 so  eminent  above  the  rest  in  the  same  Church.    And  what 
 need  we  to  seek  far  for  proofs  that  the  Apostles,  who  began 
 this  Order  of  Regiment  of  Bishops,  did  it  not  but  by  divine 
 instinct,  when  without  such  direction  things  of  far  less 
 weight  and  moment  they  attempted  not  ?  Paul  and  Barnabas 
 did  not  open  their  mouths  to  the  Gentiles,  till  the  Spirit 
 Acts^  had  said,  "  Separate  me  Paul  and  Barnabas  for  the  work 
 whereunto  I  have  sent  them."    The  Eunuch  by  Philip  was 
 Acts    neither  baptized  nor  instructed,  before  the  Angel  of  God 
 TIll  £6'  was  sent  to  give  him  notice  that  so  it  pleased  the  Most 
 Acts     High.    In  Asia,  Paul  and  the  rest  were  silent,  because 
 XT1*     the  Spirit  forbade  them  to  speak.    When  they  intended  to 
 ver.7.  have  seen  Bithynia  they  stayed  their  journey,  the  Spirit 
 l^'™-  not  giving  them  leave  to  go.    Before  Timothy  was  em- 
 ployed in  those  Episcopal  affairs  of  the  Church,  about 
 which  the  Apostle  St.  Paul  used  him,  the  Holy  Ghost 
 gave  special  charge  for  his  Ordination  and  prophetical  in- 
 telligence ;  more  than  once,  what  success  the  same  would 
 have.    And  shall  we  think  that  James  was  made  Bishop 
 of  Jerusalem,  Evodius  Bishop  of  the  Church  of  Antioch, 
 the  Angels  in  the  Churches  of  Asia  Bishops,  that  Bishops 
 every  where  were  appointed  to  take  away  factions,  con- 
 tentions, and  schisms,  without  some  like  divine  instigation 
 and  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost  1    Wherefore  let  us  not 
 fear  to  be  herein  bold  and  peremptory,  that  if  any  thing  in 
 the  Church's  Government,  surely  the  first  institution  of 
 Bishops  was  from  Heaven,  was  even  of  God;  the  Holy 
 Ghost  was  the  author  of  it. 
 mat       6.  A  Bishop,  saith  St.  Augustine,  is  a  Presbyter's  su- 
 m.nner  perior :  but  the  question  is  now,  wherein  that  Superiority 
 Bishops  did  consist.    The  Bishop's  pre-eminence  we  say  therefore 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 255 
 
 was  twofold.  First,  he  excelled  in  latitude  of  Power  of  from  the 
 Order ;  secondly,  in  that  kind  of  Power  which  belongeth  ^"1^ 
 unto  Jurisdiction.    Priests  in  the  Law  had  authority  and  have  had* 
 
 J  Aug.  Ep. 
 
 power  to  do  greater  things  than  Levites,  the  High-priest  19. 01. 
 greater  than  inferior  Priests  might  do  ;  therefore  Levites  ^ad' 
 were  beneath  Priests,  and  Priests  inferior  to  the  High-priest,  "t'dreon" 
 by  reason  of  the  very  degree  of  dignity  and  of  worthiness  Hares, 
 in  the  nature  of  those  functions  which  they  did  execute ; 53" 
 and  not  only,  for  that  the  one  had  power  to  command  and 
 control  the  other.    In  like  sort,  Presbyters  having  a 
 weightier  and  worthier  charge  than  Deacons  had,  the 
 Deacon  was  in  this  sort  the  Presbyter's  inferior ;  and 
 where  we  say  that  a  Bishop  was  likewise  ever  accounted 
 a  Presbyter's  superior,  even  according  unto  his  very 
 Power  of  Order,  we  must  of  necessity  declare  what  prin- 
 cipal duties  belonging  unto  that  kind  of  Power  a  Bishop 
 might  perform,  and  not  a  Presbyter.    The  custom  of  the 
 primitive  Church  in  consecrating  holy  Virgins  and  Widows 
 unto  the  service  of  God  and  his  Church,  is  a  thing  not 
 obscure,  but  easy  to  be  known,  both  by  that  which  St.  1  cor. 
 Paul  himself  concerning  them  hath,  and  by  the  latter  con-  I  Tim.' 
 sonant  evidence  of  other  men's  writings.    Now  a  part  of  T'e9tu]  de 
 the  pre-eminence  which  Bishops  had  in  their  Power  of  vei.  virS. 
 Order  was,  that  by  them  only  such  were  consecrated. [c- 91 
 Again,  the  Power  of  ordaining  both  Deacons  and  Presby- 
 ters, the  Power  to  give  the  Power  of  Order  unto  others, 
 this  also  hath  been  always  peculiar  unto  Bishops.  It 
 hath  not  been  heard  of,  that  inferior  Presbyters  were 
 ever  authorized  to  ordain.    And  concerning  Ordination, 
 so  great  force  and  dignity  it  hath,  that  whereas  Presbyters, 
 by  such  power  as  they  have  received  for  administration 
 of  the  Sacraments,  are  able  only  to  beget  children  unto 
 God ;  Bishops,  having  power  to  ordain,  do  by  virtue 
 thereof  create  fathers  to  the  people  of  God,  as  Epiphanius  EPipi,. 
 fitly  disputeth.    There  are  which  hold,  that  between  anbffir,H75. 
 Bishop  and  a  Presbyter,  touching  Power  of  Order,  there[c-3] 
 is  no  difference.    The  reason  of  which  conceit  is,  for  that 
 they  see  Presbyters,  no  less  than  Bishops,  authorized  to 
 offer  up  the  Prayers  of  the  Church,  to  preach  the  Gospel, 
 to  baptize,  to  administer  the  holy  Eucharist;  but  they 
 considered  not  withal,  as  they  should,  that  the  Presbyter's 
 authority  to  do  these  things  is  derived  from  the  Bishop 
 which  doth  ordain  him  thereunto  :  so  that  even  in  those 
 
256  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 things  which  are  common  unto  both,  yet  the  power  of  the 
 one  is  as  it  were  a  certain  light  borrowed  from  the  others' 
 Acts     lamp.    The  Apostles  being  Bishops  at  large,  ordained 
 nv.23.  every  where  Presbyters.    Titus  and  Timothy  having  re- 
 ceived Episcopal  Power,  as  Apostolical  ambassadors  or 
 fit.     legates,  the  one  in  Greece,  the  other  in  Ephesus,  they 
 lTim.  both  did,  by  virtue  thereof,  likewise  ordain,  throughout 
 *■       all  Churches,  Deacons  and  Presbyters  within  the  cir- 
 cuits allotted  unto  them.    As  for  Bishops  by  restraint, 
 their  Power  this  way  incommunicable  unto  Presbyters, 
 which  of  the  ancients  do  not  acknowledge?    I  make  not 
 Confirmation  any  part  of  that  Power,  which  hath  always 
 belonged  only  unto  Bishops  ;*  because  in  some  places  the 
 custom  was,  that  Presbyters  might  also  confirm  in  the 
 absence  of  a  Bishop,  albeit,  for  the  most  part,  none  but 
 only  Bishops  were  thereof  the  allowed  Ministers. 
 
 Here  it  will  perhaps  be  objected,  that  the  Power  of  Or- 
 dination itself  was  not  every  where  peculiar  and  proper 
 unto  Bishops,  as  may  be  seen  by  a  Council  of  Carthage, 
 which  sheweth  their  Church's  Order  to  have  been,  that 
 Presbyters  should  together  with  the  Bishop  lay  hands 
 upon  the  ordained.  But  the  answer  hereunto  is  easy  ;  for 
 doth  it  hereupon  follow,  that  the  Power  of  Ordination  was 
 not  principally  and  originally  in  the  Bishop  ?  Our  Sa- 
 [Matt  viour  hath  said  unto  his  Apostles,  "  With  me  ye  shall 
 281  sit,  and  judge  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel ;"  yet  we  know 
 that  to  him  alone  it  belongeth  to  judge  the  world,  and 
 that  to  him  all  judgment  is  given.  With  us,  even  at  this 
 day,  Presbyters  are  licensed  to  do  as  much  as  that  Coun- 
 cil speaketh  of,  if  any  be  present :  yet  will  not  any  man 
 thereby  conclude,  that  in  this  Church  others  than  Bishops 
 are  allowed  to  ordain.  The  association  of  Presbyters 
 is  no  sufficient  proof  that  the  Power  of  Ordination  is  in 
 them ;  but  rather  that  it  never  was  in  them  we  may  hereby 
 understand :  for  that  no  man  is  able  to  shew  either  Deacon  or 
 Presbyter  ordained  by  Presbyters  only,  and  his  Ordination 
 accounted  lawful  in  any  ancient  part  of  the  Church ;  every 
 where  examples  being  found  both  of  Deacons  and  Pres- 
 byters ordained  by  Bishops  alone  oftentimes,  neither  even 
 in  that  respect  thought  sufficient.  Touching  that  other 
 Chiefty,  which  is  of  Jurisdiction  ;  amongst  the  Jews  he 
 
 •  ■  A  pud  .Sgyptum  Presbyteri  confirmant,  si  praesens  non  sit  Episcopus.'  Com. 
 q.  vulgo  Ambros.  die.  in  4.  Ep.  ad  Ephes.  [§.  9.] 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 257 
 
 which  was  highest  through  the  worthiest  of  peculiar  duties 
 incident  unto  his  function  in  the  Legal  service  of  God, 
 did  bear  always  in  Ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  the  chiefest 
 sway.  As  long  as  the  glory  of  the  Temple  of  God  did 
 last,  there  were  in  it  sundry  Orders  of  men  consecrated 
 unto  the  service  thereof,  one  sort  of  them  inferior  unto 
 another  in  dignity  and  degree  ;  the  Nathiners  subordinate 
 unto  the  Levites,  the  Levites  unto  the  Priesfs,  the  rest  of 
 the  Priests  to  those  twenty-four  which  were  Chief-priests, 
 and  they  all  to  the  High-priest.  If  any  man  surmise  that 
 the  difference  between  them  was  only  by  distinction  in  the 
 former  kind  of  Power,  and  not  in  this  latter  of  Jurisdiction, 
 are  not  the  words  of  the  Law  manifest  which  made  Eleazar,  Numb. 
 
 iii  3" 
 
 the  son  of  Aaron  the  Priest,  chief  captain  of  the  Levites, 
 and  overseer  of  them  unto   whom  the  charge  of  the 
 Sanctuary  was  committed  ?    Again,  at  the  commandment  iv.  27. 
 of  Aaron  and  his  sons,  are  not  the  Gersonites  themselves 
 required  to  do  all  their  service  in  the  whole  charge  be- 
 longing unto  the  Gersonites,  being  inferior  Priests,  as 
 Aaron  and  his  sons  were  High-priests  ?    Did  not  Jehosha-  schron. 
 phat  appoint  Amarias  the  Priest  to  be  chief  over  them  who  x"'  ' 
 were  Judges  for  the  cause  of  the  Lord  in  Jerusalem  ? 
 "  Priests  (saith  Josephus)  worship  God  continually,  and  Joseph, 
 the  eldest  of  the  stock  are  Governors  over  the  rest.  He 
 doth  sacrifice  unto  God  before  others,  he  hath  care  of  the 
 Laws,  judgeth  controversies,  correcteth  offenders,  and 
 whosoever  obeyeth  him  not,  is  convict  of  impiety  against 
 God."    But  unto  this  they  answer,  that  the  reason  thereof 
 was  because  the  High-priest  did  prefigure  Christ,  and 
 represent  to  the  people  that  Chiefty  of  our  Saviour  which 
 was  to  come ;  so  that  Christ  being  now  come,  there  is 
 no  cause  why  such  pre-eminence  should  be  given  unto 
 any  one.    Which  fancy  pleaseth  so  well  the  humour  of 
 all  sorts  of  rebellious  spirits,  that  they  all  seek  to  shroud 
 themselves  under  it.    Tell  the  Anabaptist,  which  hold- 
 eth  the  use  of  the  sword  unlawful  for  a  Christian  man, 
 that  God  himself  did  allow  his  people  to  make  wars; 
 they  have  their  answer  round  and  ready,  "  Those  ancient 
 wars  were  figures  of  the  spiritual  wars  of  Christ."  Tell 
 the  Barrowist  what  sway  David,  and  others  the  Kings  of 
 Israel,  did  bear  in  the  ordering  of  spiritual  affairs,  the 
 vol.  11.  s 
 
258 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 same  answer  again  serveth,  namely,  "That  David  and 
 the  rest  of  the  Kings  of  Israel  prefigured  Christ."  Tell 
 the  Martiuist  of  the  High-priest's  great  authority  and  juris- 
 diction among  the  Jews,  what  other  tiling  doth  serve  his 
 turn  but  the  self-same  shift:  "By  the  power  of  the  High- 
 priest  the  universal  supreme  authority  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ  was  shadowed."    The  thing  is  true,  that  indeed 
 High-priests  were  figures  of  Christ,  yet  this  was  in  things 
 belonging  unto  their  Power  of  Order;  they  figured  Christ 
 by  entering  into  the  Holy  Place,  by  offering  for  the  sins  of 
 all  the  people  once  a  year,  and  by  other  the  like  duties : 
 but,  that  to  govern  and  maintain  order  amongst  those 
 that  were  subject  to  them,  is  an  Office  figurative,  and  abro- 
 gated by  Christ  coming  into  the  Ministry ;  that  their  ex- 
 ercise of  Jurisdiction  was  figurative,  yea,  figurative  in  such 
 sort,  that  it  had  no  other  cause  of  being  instituted,  but  only 
 to  serve  as  a  representation  of  somewhat  to  come,  and  that 
 herein  the  Church  of  Christ  ought  not  to  follow  them  ; 
 this  article  is  such  as  must  be  confirmed,  if  any  way,  by 
 miracle,  otherwise  it  will  hardly  enter  into  the  heads  of 
 reasonable  men,  why  the  High-priest  should  more  figure 
 Christ  in  being  a  Judge,  than  in  being  whatsoever  he 
 cypr.    might  be  besides.    St.  Cyprian  deemed  it  no  wresting  of 
 Ep3'9>   Scripture,  to  challenge  as  much  for  Christian  Bishops 
 [a^ep.3.  as  was  given  to  the  High-priest  amongst  the  Jews,  and  to 
 adRoga-  urge  the  Law  of  Moses  as  being  most  effectual  to  prove  it. 
 uanum.       jeroine  likewise  thought  it  an  argument  sufficient  to 
 Hier.    ground  the  authority  of  Bishops  upon.  "  To  the  end  (saith 
 [d'toi.  ne)  we  may  understand  Apostolical  Traditions  to  have 
 6u>]     been  taken  from  the  Old  Testament ;  that  which  Aaron, 
 and  his  sons,  and  the  Levites  were  in  the  Temple,  Bishops, 
 and  Presbyters,  and  Deacons  in  the  Church  may  lawfully 
 challenge  to  themselves."    In  the  office  of  a  Bishop,  Ig- 
 Ep-  a<i  natius  observeth  these  two  functions,  hpaTtvuv  teal  ap\tiv  : 
 f™90   concerning  the  one,  such  is  the  pre-eminence  of  a  Bishop, 
 that  he  only  hath  the  heavenly  mysteries  of  God  com- 
 mitted originally  unto  him,  so  that  otherwise  than  by  his 
 Ordination,  and  by  Authority  received  from  him,  others 
 besides  him  are  not  licensed  therein  to  deal  as  ordinary 
 Ministers  of  God's  Church  ;  and  touching  the  other  part  of 
 their  sacred  function,  wherein  the  Power  of  their  Juris- 
 
BOOK  vir. 
 
 259 
 
 diction  doth  appear,  first  how  the  Apostles  themselves, 
 and  secondly  how  Titus  and  Timothy  had  rule  and  juris- 
 diction over  Presbyters,*  no  man  is  ignorant.  And  had 
 not  Christian  Bishops  afterwards  the  like  power?  Ignatius, 
 Bishop  of  Antioch,  being  ready  by  blessed  martyrdom  to 
 end  life,  writeth  unto  his  Presbyters,  the  Pastors  under 
 him,  in  this  sort :  Oi  irpEafiwipoi,  TTOifiavere  to  iv  vplv  Troipviov,  ^ 
 twg  dvaSu£,r)  6  0£oe  tov  ptXXov7a  ap\tiv  vpwv.    'E-yw  -yap  Antioch. 
 
 vSr)  cnrivSonat.  After  the  death  of  Fabian,  Bishop  of  Rome,  lcCyp^ 
 there  growing  some  trouble  about  the  receiving  of  such  Ep- 
 persons into  the  Church  as  had  fallen  away  in  persecution, 
 and  did  now  repent  their  fall,  the  Presbyters  and  Deacons 
 of  the  same  Church  advertised  St.  Cyprian  thereof,  signi- 
 fying, "  That  they  must  of  necessity  defer  to  deal  in  that 
 cause  till  God  did  send  them  a  new  Bishop  which  might 
 moderate  all  things."    Much  we  read  of  extraordinary 
 Fasting  usually  in  the  Church  ;  and  in  this  appeareth  also 
 somewhat  concerning  the  Chiefty  of  Bishops.  "  The  custom 
 is  (saith  Tertullian),f  that  Bishops  do  appoint  when  the 
 people  shall  all  fast."    "  Yea,  it  is  not  a  matter  left  to  our  cyPr. 
 own  free  choice,  whether  Bishops  shall  rule  or  no,  but  the  ^ 
 will  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  is  (saith  St.  Cyprian),  that 
 every  act  of  the  Church  be  governed  by  her  Bishops."  An 
 argument  it  is  of  the  Bishop's  high  pre-eminence,  rule,  and 
 government  over  all  the  rest  of  the  Clergy  ;  even  that  the 
 sword  of  persecution  did  strike,  especially,  always  at  the 
 Bishop  as  at  the  head,  the  rest  by  reason  of  the  lower 
 estate  being  more  secure,  as  the  self-same  Cyprian  noteth; 
 the  very  manner  of  whose  speech  unto  his  own  both 
 Deacons  and  Presbyters  who  remained  safe,  when  himself, 
 then  Bishop,  was  driven  into  exile,  argueth  likewise  his 
 eminent  authority  and  rule  over  them.    "  By  these  letters  cypr. 
 (saith  he)  I  both  exhort  and  command,  that  ye  whose  pre-  vide9' 
 sence  there  is  not  envied  at,  nor  so  much  beset  with  dan-  Isnat- 
 
 act 
 
 gers,  supply  my  room  in  doing  those  things  which  the  ex-  Magnes. 
 ercise  of  Religion  doth  require."    Unto  the  same  purpose 
 serve  most  directly  those  comparisons,  than  which  nothing 
 is  more  familiar  in  the  books  of  the  ancient  Fathers,  who  as 
 oft  as  they  speak  of  the  several  degrees  in  God's  Clergy,  if 
 
 *  "  Against  a  Presbyter  receive  no  accusation  under  two  or  three  witnesses." 
 1  Tim.  v.  19. 
 
 t  '  Episcopi  universae  plebi  mandare  jejunia  assolent.'  Tertul.  advers.  Psychic, 
 [c.  13.] 
 
 s  2 
 
260 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 they  chance  to  compare  Presbyters  with  Levitical  Priests 
 of  the  Law,  the  Bishop  they  compare*  unto  Aaron  the 
 High-priest ;  if  they  compare  the  one  with  the  Apostles, 
 the  other  they  compare  (although  in  a  lower  proportion) 
 sometime  to  Christ,+  and  sometime  to  God  himself, 
 evermore  shewing  that  they  placed  the  Bishop  in  an  eminent 
 degree  of  ruling  Authority  and  Power  above  other  Pres- 
 byters. Ignatius,  comparing  Bishops  with  Deacons,  and 
 with  such  Ministers  of  the  Word  and  Sacraments  as  were 
 but  Presbyters,  and  had  no  authority  over  Presbyters ; 
 i?nat.  "  What  is  (saith  he)  the  Bishop,  but  one  which  hath  all 
 ad.  Tra.  principality  and  power  over  all,  so  far  forth  as  man  may 
 tc'7-]  have  it,  being  to  his  power  a  follower  even  of  God's  own 
 Christ?"  Mr.  Calvin  himself,  though  an  enemy  unto  Re- 
 insm.  giment  by  Bishops,  doth  notwithstanding  confess,  that  in 
 c.4.'  old  time  the  Ministers  which  had  charge  to  teach,  chose 
 sect.  2.  Gf  their  company  one  in  every  city,  to  whom  they  appro- 
 priated the  title  of  Bishop,  lest  equality  should  breed  dis- 
 sension. He  addeth  further,  that  look  what  duty  the 
 Roman  Consuls  did  execute  in  proposing  matters  unto  the 
 Senate,  in  asking  their  opinions,  in  directing  them  by 
 advice,  admonition,  exhortation,  in  guiding  actions  by 
 their  authority,  and  in  seeing  that  performed  which  was 
 with  common  consent  agreed  on,  the  like  charge  had  the 
 Bishop  in  the  assembly  of  other  Ministers.  Thus  much 
 Calvin  being  forced  by  the  evidence  of  truth  to  grant,  doth 
 yet  deny  the  Bishops  to  have  been  so  in  authority  at  the 
 first  as  to  bear  rule  over  other  Ministers :  wherein  what 
 rule  he  doth  mean,  I  know  not.  But  if  the  Bishops  were 
 so  far  in  dignity  above  other  Ministers  as  the  Consuls  of 
 Rome  for  their  year  above  other  Senators,  it  is  as  much  as 
 we  require.  And,  undoubtedly,  if  as  the  Consuls  of  Rome, 
 so  the  Bishops  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  had  such  authority, 
 as  both  to  direct  other  Ministers,  and  to  see  that  every  of 
 them  should  observe  that  which  their  common  consent 
 had  agreed  on,  how  this  could  be  done  by  the  Bishop  not 
 bearing  rule  over  them,  for  mine  own  part  I  must  ac- 
 knowledge that  my  poor  conceit  is  not  able  to  compre- 
 hend. One  objection  there  is  of  some  force  to  make 
 against  that  which  we  have  hitherto  endeavoured  to  prove, 
 
 *  '  Quod  Aaron  et  filios  ejus,  hoc  Episcopum  et  Presbyteros  esse  noverimus.' 
 Hier.  ad  Nepotianum,  Ep.  2.  [al.  34.  §.  7.] 
 
 t  '  Ita  est,  ut  in  Episcopis  Dominum,  in  Presbyteris  Apostolos  recognoscas.' 
 Auctor  opusc.  de  ordinib.  Eccl.  inter  opera  Hieron. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 2G1 
 
 if  they  mistake  it  not  who  allege  it.  St.  Jerome,  comparing 
 other  Presbyters  with  him  unto  whom  the  name  of  Bishop 
 was  then  appropriate,  asketh, "  What  a  Bishop,  by  virtue  of  £ier°dn- 
 his  place  and  calling,  may  do  more  than  a  Presbyter,  except  Evang. 
 it  be  only  to  ordain  V    In  like  sort,  Chrysostom  having  f0[^]\  - 
 moved  a  question,  wherefore  St.  Paul  would  give  Timothy 
 precept  concerning  the  quality  of  Bishops,  and  descend 
 from  them  to  Deacons,  omitting  the  order  of  Presbyters 
 between,  he  maketh  thereunto  this  answer:  "  What  things  chrys.x. 
 
 °    ill  Tim. 
 
 he  spake  concerning  Bishops,  the  same  are  also  meet  for  3. 
 Presbyters,  whom  Bishops  seem  not  to  excel  in  any  thing 
 but  only  in  the  Power  of  Ordiuation."    Wherefore,  seeing 
 this  doth  import  no  ruling  Superiority,  it  follows  that 
 Bishops  were  as  then  no  rulers  over  that  part  of  the  Clergy 
 of  God.    Whereunto  we  answer,  that  both  St.  Jerome  and 
 St.  Chrysostom  had  in  those  their  speeches  an  eye  no 
 further  than  only  to  that  function  for  which  Presbyters 
 and  Bishops  were  consecrated  unto  God.    Now  we  know 
 that  their  consecration  had  reference  to  nothing  but  only 
 that  which  they  did  by  force  and  virtue  of  the  Power  of 
 Order,  wherein  sith  Bishops  received  their  charge,  only 
 by  that  one  degree,  to  speak  of,  more  ample  than  Presby- 
 ters did  theirs,  it  might  be  well  enough  said  that  Presby- 
 ters were  that  way  authorized  to  do,  in  a  manner,  even  as 
 much  as  Bishops  could  do,  if  we  consider  what  each  of 
 them  did  by  virtue  of  solemn  consecration  :  for  as  con- 
 cerning Power  of  Regiment  and  Jurisdiction,  it  was  a 
 thing  withal  added  unto  Bishops  for  the  necessary  use  of 
 such  certain  persons  and  people  as  should  be  thereunto 
 subject  in  those  particular  Churches  whereof  they  were 
 Bishops,  and  belonging  to  them  only,  as  Bishops  of  such 
 or  such  a  Church  ;  whereas  the  other  kind  of  Power  had 
 relation  indefinitely  unto  any  of  the  whole  society  of 
 Christian  men,  on  whom  they  should  chance  to  exercise 
 the  same,  and  belonging  to  them  absolutely,  as  they  were 
 Bishops,  wheresoever  they  lived.    St.  Jerome's  conclusion 
 thereof  is,  "  That  seeing  in  the  one  kind  of  Power  there  is  [Ep.  a<i 
 no  greater  difference  between  a  Presbyter  and  a  Bishop,  ai.' 34/  ' 
 Bishops  should  not,  because  of  their  pre-eminence  in  the  71 
 other,  too  much  lift  up  themselves  above  the  Presbyters 
 under  them."    St.  Chrysostom's  collection,  "  That  where 
 the  Apostle  doth  set  down  the  qualities  whereof  regard 
 should  be  had  in  the  consecration  of  Bishops,  there  was 
 
262 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 no  need  to  make  a  several  discourse  how  Presbyters  ought 
 to  be  qualified  when  they  are  ordained  ;  because  there 
 being  so  little  difference  in  the  functions  whereunto  the 
 one  and  the  other  receive  Ordination,  the  same  precepts 
 might  well  serve  for  both  ;  at  leastwise  by  the  virtues  re- 
 quired in  the  greater,  what  should  need  in  the  less  might 
 be  easily  understood.    As  for  the  difference  of  Jurisdic- 
 tion, the  truth  is,  the  Apostles  yet  living,  and  themselves, 
 where  they  were  resident,  exercising  the  Jurisdiction  in 
 their  own  persons,  it  was  not  every  where  established  in 
 Bishops."    When  the  Apostles  prescribed  those  Laws, 
 and  when  Chrysostom  thus  spake  concerning  them,  it  was 
 not  by  him  at  all  respected,  but  his  eye  was  the  same  way 
 with  Jerome's ;  his  cogitation  was  wholly  fixed  on  that 
 Power  which  by  consecration  is  given  to  Bishops  more 
 than  to  Presbyters,  and  not  on  that  which  they  have  over 
 Presbyters  by  force  of  their  particular  accessary  Jurisdic- 
 tion. Wherein  if  any  man  suppose  that  Jerome  and  Chry- 
 sostom knew  no  difference  at  all  between  a  Presbyter 
 and  a  Bishop,  let  him  weigh  but  one  or  two  of  their  sen- 
 tences.   The  pride  of  insolent  Bishops  hath  not  a  sharper 
 enemy  than  Jerome,  for  which  cause  he  taketh  often  oc- 
 casions most  severely  to  inveigh  against  them,  sometimes 
 for*  shewing  disdain  and  contempt  of  the  Clergy  under 
 them  ;  sometimes  for  not  t  suffering  themselves  to  be  told 
 of  their  faults,  and  admonished  of  their  duty  by  inferiors ; 
 sometimes  for  not  admitting  $  their  Presbyters  to  teach,  if 
 so  be  themselves  were  in  presence  ;  sometimes  for  not 
 vouchsafing  to  use  any  conference  with  them,  or  to  take 
 any  counsel  of  them.    Howbeit,  never  doth  he,  in  such 
 wise,  bend  himself  against  their  disorders  as  to  deny  their 
 rule  and  authority  over  Presbyters.    Of  Vigilantius,  being 
 ep.  53.   a  Presbyter,  he  thus  writeth :  **  Miror  sanctum  Episcopum, 
 [ai.'sr"'*6  cujus  Parochia  Presbyter  esse  dicitur,  acquiescere 
 I-  «J     furori  ejus,  et  non  virga  Apostolica  virgaque  ferrea  con- 
 fringere  vas  inutile  :  —  I  marvel  that  the  holy  Bishop,  under 
 whom  Vigilantius  is  said  to  be  a  Presbyter,  doth  yield  to 
 
 *  '  Velut  in  aliqua  sublimi  specula  constituti,  vix  dignantur  videre  mortales  ct 
 alloqui  conservos  suos.'    In  4.  c.  Epist.  ad  Gal.  [§.  9.] 
 
 t '  Nemo  peccantibus  Episcopis  audet  contradicere  ;  nemo  audet  accusare  ma- 
 jorem  ;  propterea  quasi  sancti  et  beati  et  inprreceptis  Domini  ambulantes  augent 
 peccata  peccatis.  Difficilis  est  accusatio  in  Episcopum.  Si  enim  peccaverit,  non 
 creditur  ;  et  si  convictus  fuerit,  non  punitur.'    In  cap.  8.  Ecclesiast.  [§.  7.] 
 
 'J  Pessimal  consuetudinis  est,  in  quibusdam  Ecclesiis  tacere  Fresbyteros  et 
 praesentibus  Episcopis  non  loqui ;  quasi  aut  invideant  aut  non  dignentur  audire.' 
 Ep.  ad  Nepotian.  ep.  2.  [al.  34.  L  7.] 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 263 
 
 his  fury,  and  not  break  that  unprofitable  vessel  with  his 
 Apostolic  and  iron  rod."    With  this  agreeth  most  fitly  the 
 grave  advice  he  gave  to  Nepotian :  "  Be  thou  subject  unto  Hier.  ad 
 thy  Bishop,  and  receive  him  as  the  Father  of  thy  soul,  [^ai!' 
 This  also  I  say,  that  Bishops  should  know  themselves  to  34-$-7-l 
 be  Priests,  and  not  Lords ;  that  they  ought  to  honour  the 
 Clergy  as  becometh  the  Clergy  to  be  honoured,  to  the  end 
 their  Clergy  may  yield  them  the  honour  which,  as  Bishops, 
 they  ought  to  have.*    That  of  the  Orator  Domitius  is 
 famous :  '  Wherefore  should  I  esteem  of  thee  as  of  a  Prince, 
 when  thou  makest  not  of  me  that  reckoning  which  should 
 in  reason  be  made  of  a  Senator  ? '  Let  us  know  the  Bishop 
 and  his  Presbyters  to  be  the  same  which  Aaron  sometimes 
 and  his  sons  were."    Finally,  writing  against  the  Heretics 
 which  were  named  Luciferians,  "  The  very  safety  of  the»-9  ] 
 Church  (saith  he)  dependeth  on  the  dignity  of  the  Chief- 
 Priest,  to  whom  unless  men  grant  an  exceeding  and  an 
 eminent  power,  there  will  grow  in  Churches  even  as  many 
 schisms  as  there  are  persons  which  have  authority." 
 
 Touching  Chrysostom,  to  shew  that  by  him  there  was 
 also  acknowledged  a  ruling  Superiority  of  Bishops  over 
 Presbyters,  both  then  usual,  and  in  no  respect  unlawful, 
 what  need  we  allege  his  words  and  sentences,  when  the 
 history  of  his  own  Episcopal  actions  in  that  very  kind  is 
 till  this  day  extant  for  all  men  to  read  that  will  ?  For  St.  iu  vita 
 Chrysostom,  of  a  Presbyter  in  Antioch,  grew  to  be  after-  pe'rrys' 
 wards  Bishop  of  Constantinople ;  and,  in  process  of  time,  s*"^* 
 when  the  Emperor's  heavy  displeasure  had,  through  the  Hist, 
 practice  of  a  powerful  faction  against  him,  effected  his  TrTpari. 
 banishment,  Innocent  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  understanding  '•  *• c- 3  J 
 thereof,  wrote  his  letters  unto  the  Clergy  of  that  Church, 
 "  That  no  successor  ought  to  be  chosen  in  Chrysostom's 
 room  :  nec  ejus  Clerum  aliiparere  Pontifici,  nor  his  Clergy 
 obey  any  other  Bishop  than  him."  A  fond  kind  of  speech, 
 if  so  be  there  had  been,  as  then,  in  Bishops  no  ruling 
 Superiority  over  Presbysters.  When  two  of  Chrysostom's  Pallad- 
 Presbyters  had  joined  themselves  to  the  faction  of  his  ciuy's* 
 mortal  enemy  Theophilus,  Patriarch  in  the  Church  oftc'9^ 
 Alexandria,  the  same  Theophilus  and  other  Bishops  which 
 
 *  No  Bishop  may  be  a  Lord  in  reference  unto  the  Presbyters  which  are  under 
 him,  if  we  take  that  name  in  the  worse  part,  as  Jerome  here  does.  For  a  Bishop  is 
 to  rule  his  Presbyters,  not  as  Lords  do  their  slaves, but  as  Fathers  do  their  children^ 
 
264 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITV. 
 
 were  of  his  conventicle,  having  sent  those  two  amongst 
 others  to  cite  Chrysostom  their  lawful  Bishop,  and  to 
 bring  him  into  public  judgment,  he  taketh  against  this 
 one  thing  special  exception,  as  being  contrary  to  all  order, 
 that  those  Presbyters  should  come  as  messengers,  and 
 call  him  to  judgment,  who  were  a  part  of  that  Clergy 
 whereof  himself  was  ruler  and  judge.    So  that  Bishops  to 
 have  had  in  those  times  a  ruling  Superiority  over  Presby- 
 ters, neither  could  Jerome  nor  Chrysostorn  be  ignorant ; 
 and  therefore,  hereupon  it  were  superfluous  that  we  should 
 any  longer  stand. 
 After       7_  Touching  the  next  point,  how*  Bishops,  together 
 Bishops,  with  Presbyters,  have  used  to  govern  the  Churches  which 
 *°ftehther  were  under  them,  it  is  by  Zonaras  somewhat  plainly  and 
 presby-  a^  large  declared,  that  the  Bishop  had  his  seat  on  high  in 
 
 ters,  have  °  .  ° 
 
 used  to  the  Church  above  the  residue  which  were  present ;  that 
 thl"0  a  number  of  Presbyters  did  always  there  assist  him  ;  and 
 churches  fo^t  in  the  oversight  of  the  people  those  Presbvters  were 
 
 which 
 
 vere  after  a  sort  the  Bishop's  coadjutors.*  The  Bishop,  and 
 them.r  Presbyters  who  together  with  him  governed  the  Church, 
 are  for  the  most  part  by  Ignatius  jointly  mentioned.  In  the 
 Epistle  to  them  of  Trallis,  he  saith  of  Presbyters,  that  they 
 [c  -.]  are  2vu|3ov\ot  ko\  "EvvtcpLvrcu  rov  'Ettktkottov,  '  Counsellors 
 and  Assistants  of  the  Bishop;'  and  concludeth  in  the  end, 
 "  He  that  should  disobey  these  were  a  plain  Atheist,  and 
 an  irreligious  person,  and  one  that  did  set  Christ  himself 
 and  his  own  Ordinances  at  nought."  Which  Orders 
 making  Presbyters  or  Priests  the  Bishop's  Assistants,  do 
 not  import  that  they  were  of  equal  authority  with  him, 
 but  rather  so  adjoined,  that  they  also  were  subject,  as 
 hath  been  proved.  In  the  writings  of  St.  Cyprianf  no- 
 thing is  more  usual,  than  to  make  mention  of  the  College 
 of  Presbyters  subject  unto  the  Bishop  ;  although  in  hand- 
 ling the  common  affairs  of  the  Church  they  assisted  him. 
 But  of  all  other  places  which  open  the  ancient  Order  of 
 Episcopal  Presbyters,  the  most  clear  is  that  Epistle  of 
 Cornelius  unto  Cyprian,  concerning  certain  Novation  He- 
 retics, received  again  upon  their  conversion  into  the  unity 
 of  the  Church.    "  After  that  Urbanus  and  Sidonius,  Con- 
 
 »"il5--Ej  vbfMMm*  Js&e»te;  t£  'imvnimtf.  Zon.  in  can.  Apost. 
 t '  Cum  Episcopo  Presby  ten  Sacerdotali  honore  conjuncti.'  Ep.  28.    1  Ego  et 
 Compresbyteri  nostri  qui  nobis  adsidebant.'    Ep.  [66.  al.  1.  c.  1.] 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 265 
 
 fessors,  had  come  and  signified  unto  our  Presbyters,  that  46- 
 Maximus,  a  Confessor  and  Presbyter,  did,  together  with  c.  1.] 
 them,  desire  to  return  into  the  Church,  it  seemed  meet  to 
 hear  from  their  own  mouths  and  confessions  that  which 
 by  message  they  had  delivered.    When  they  were  come, 
 and  had  been  called  to  account  by  the  Presbyters  touching 
 those  things  they  had  committed,  their  answer  was,  That 
 they  had  been  deceived  ;  and  did  request,  that  such  things 
 as  there  they  were  charged  with  might  be  forgotten.  It 
 being  brought  unto  me  what  was  done,  I  took  order  that 
 the  Presbytery  might  be  assembled.  There  were  also  pre- 
 sent five  Bishops,  that,  upon  settled  advice,  it  might  be  with 
 consent  of  all  determined  what  should  be  done  about  their 
 persons."    Thus  far  Cornelius  to  St.  Cyprian.  Wherein 
 it  may  be,  perad venture,  demanded,  whether  he  and  other 
 Bishops  did  thus  proceed  with  advice  of  their  Presbyters 
 in  all  such  public  affairs  of  the  Church,  as  being  thereunto 
 bound  by  Ecclesiastical  Canons,  or  else  that  they  volun- 
 tarily so  did,  because  they  judged  it  in  discretion  as  then 
 most  convenient.    Surely  the  words  of  Cyprian  are  plain, 
 that  of  his  own  accord  he  chose  this  way  of  proceeding. 
 "  Unto  that  (saith  he)  which  Donatus,  and  Fortunatus,  and  cyPr. 
 Novatus,  and  Gordius,  our  Com-presbyters,  have  written, 
 1  could  by  myself  alone  make  no  answer,  forasmuch  as  at c<  41 
 the  very  first  entrance  into  my  Bishoprick  I  resolutely  de- 
 termined not  to  do  any  thing  of  mine  own  private  judg- 
 ment, without  your  counsel,  and  the  people's  consent." 
 The  reason  whereof  he  rendereth  in  the  same  Epistle,  say- 
 ing, "  When  by  the  grace  of  God  myself  shall  come  unto 
 you  (for  St.  Cyprian  was  now  in  exile),  of  things  which 
 either  have  been  or  must  be  done  we  will  consider,  sicut 
 honor  mutuus  poscit,  as  the  law  of  courtesy  which  one  doth 
 owe  to  another  of  us  requireth."  And  to  this  very  mark 
 doth  St.  Jerome  evermore  aim,  in  telling  Bishops,  that 
 Presbyters  were  at  the  first  their  equals;  that,  in  some 
 Churches,  for  a  long  time  no  Bishop  was  made,  but  only 
 such  as  the  Presbyters  did  choose  out  amongst  themselves, 
 and  therefore  no  cause  why  the  Bishop  should  disdain  to 
 consult  with  them,  and  in  weighty  affairs  of  the  Church  to 
 use  their  advice;  sometime  to  countenance  their  own  ac- 
 tions, or  to  repress  the  boldness  of  proud  and  insolent 
 spirits,  that  which  Bishops  had  in  themselves  sufficient 
 
266 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Authority  and  Power  to  have  done,  notwithstanding  they 
 would  not  do  alone,  but  craved  therein  the  aid  and  assist- 
 ance of  other  Bishops,  as  in  the  case  of  those  Novatian 
 Heretics,  before  alleged,  Cyprian  himself  did.  And  in 
 Cyprian  we  find  of  others  the  like  practice.  Rogatian,  a 
 Bishop,  having  been  used  contumeliously  by  aDeacon  of  his 
 own  Church,  wrote  thereof  his  complaint  unto  Cyprian  and 
 cypr-    other  Bishops.    In  which  case  their  answer  was,  *  That 
 
 EP.  [65.    ,  ,         ,  . 
 
 *i.  3.  although  in  his  own  cause  he  did  of  humility  rather  shew 
 c'1'-1  his  grievance,  than  himself  take  revenge,  which  by  the 
 rigour  of  his  Apostolical  Office,  and  the  Authority  of  his 
 Chair,  he  might  have  presently  done,  without  any  further 
 delay;"  yet  if  the  party  should  do  again  as  before,  their 
 judgments  were,  "  fungaris  circa  eum  potestate  honoris  tui, 
 et  eum  vel  deponas  vel  abstineas ; — use  on  him  that  power 
 which  the  honour  of  thy  place  giveth  thee,  either  to  depose 
 him,  or  exclude  him  from  access  unto  holy  things."  The 
 Bishop,  for  his  assistance  and  ease,  had  under  him,  to 
 guide  and  direct  Deacons  in  their  charge,  his  Archdeacon: 
 so  termed  in  respect  of  care  over  Deacons,  albeit  himself 
 were  not  Deacon,  but  Presbyter.  For  the  guidance  of 
 Presbyters  in  their  function,  the  Bishop  had  likewise  under 
 him  one  of  the  self-same  Order  with  them,  but  above  them 
 in  authority,  one  whom  the  ancients  termed  usually  an 
 Arch-presbyter,*  we  at  this  day  name  him  Dean.  For, 
 most  certain  truth  it  is,  that  Churches  Cathedral,  and  the 
 Bishops  of  them,  are  as  glasses,  wherein  the  face  and  very 
 countenance  of  Apostolical  antiquity  remaineth  even  as  yet 
 to  be  seen,  notwithstanding  the  alterations  which  tract  of 
 time  and  the  course  of  the  world  hath  brought.  For  de- 
 fence and  maintenance  of  them  we  are  most  earnestly 
 bound  to  strive,  even  as  the  Jews  were  for  their  Temple 
 and  the  High-priest  of  God  therein :  the  overthrow  and  ruin 
 of  the  one,  if  ever  the  sacrilegious  avarice  of  Atheists 
 should  prevail  so  far,  which  God  of  his  infinite  mercy  forbid, 
 ought  no  otherwise  to  move  us  than  the  people  of  God 
 were  moved,  when  having  beheld  the  sack  and  combustion 
 of  his  Sanctuary  in  most  lamentable  manner  flaming  before 
 their  eyes,  they  uttered  from  the  bottom  of  their  grieved 
 
 •  Such  a  one  was  that  Peter  whom  Cassiodore,  writing  the  Life  of  Chrysostom, 
 doth  call  the  Archpresbyter  of  the  Church  of  Alexandria,  under  Theophilus,  at  that 
 time  Bishop.  [Hist.  Eccles.  Tripartit.  L  x.  c.  10.] 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 267 
 
 spirits,  those  voices  of  doleful  supplication,  "  Exsurge , 
 Domine,  et  miserearis  Sion ;  Servi  tui  diligunt  lapides  ejus,  13. 14. 
 pulveris  ejus  miseret  eos." 
 
 8.  How  far  the  Power  which  Bishops  had  did  reach,  how 
 what  number  of  persons  was  subject  unto  them  at  the  first,  p0rwerof 
 and  how  large  their  territories  were,  it  is  not  for  the  ques-  J^°ps 
 tion  we  have  in  hand  a  thing  very  greatly  material  to  know,  reached 
 For  if  we  prove  that  Bishops  have  lawfully  of  old  ruled 
 
 beginning 
 
 over  other  Ministers,  it  is  enough,  how  few  soever  those  j,"™8?"1 
 Ministers  have  been,  how  small  soever  the  circuit  of  place  tory.or 
 
 local 
 
 which  hath  contained  them.  Yet  hereof  somewhat,  to  the  compass, 
 end  we  may  so  far  forth  illustrate  Church-antiquities.  A 
 Law  Imperial  there  is,  which  sheweth  that  there  was  great 
 care  had  to  provide  for  every  Christian  city  a  Bishop,  as 
 near  as  might  be,*  and  that  each  city  had  some  territory  be- 
 longing unto  it,  which  territory  was  also  under  the  Bishop  of 
 the  same  city;  that  because  it  was  not  universally  thus,  but 
 in  some  countries  one  Bishop  had  subject  unto  him  many 
 cities  and  their  territories,  the  Law  which  provided  for 
 establishment  of  the  other  Orders,  should  not  prejudice 
 those  Churches  wherein  this  contrary  custom  had  before 
 prevailed.  Unto  the  Bishop  of  every  such  city,  not  only 
 the  Presbyters  of  the  same  city,  but  also  of  the  territory 
 thereunto  belonging,  were  from  the  first  beginning  subject. 
 For  we  must  note,  that  when  as  yet  there  were  in  cities 
 no  Parish  Churches,  but  only  Colleges  of  Presbyters  under 
 their  Bishop's  Regiment,  yet  smaller  congregations  and 
 Churches  there  were  even  then  abroad,  in  which  Churches 
 there  was  but  some  one  only  Presbyter  to  perform  among  them 
 divine  duties.t  Towns  and  villages  abroad  receiving  Faith 
 of  Christ  from  cities  whereunto  they  were  adjacent,  did  as 
 spiritual  and  heavenly  colonies,  by  their  subjection,  honour 
 those  ancient  Mother-churches  out  of  which  they  grew. 
 And  in  the  Christian  cities  themselves,  when  the  mighty 
 increase  of  believers  made  it  necessary  to  have  them  divided 
 
 *  'Exxa-rn  iroXis  1810V  'ETnVxoTrov  E^E-ra-  xai  xav  Sta  &siac  aVT(y{a<f>5f  ToXjU^n  Ti{  a<f>E- 
 Xiir$ai  woXiv  tov  Mw  'tmvtiiftw  n  tS;  mglMUodg  ai-rjic  1  tivo?  aXXou  iuuitwt  yuf*vouTai  tsSv 
 Jvtjuv  xai  a-nuobTBi.  'E^jijutbi  Se  '1  To^eojv  IxuSib;  woXij.  'O  yap  'Ewia-xowo;  butBc  K«i 
 tmv  XoiSuauv  gravosi.  Kai  h  AeovtottoXic  tottlHAf  vito  tov  E7nVxo7rov  lorfo  'io-aupoTToXEa?.  Can. 
 85,  pag.  1258.  torn.  ii.  Biblioth.  Jur.  Canon.  Jus  tell.  ed.  Par.  Besides,  Cypr.  Ep. 
 5'2.  [al.  55i  c.  14.]  '  Cum  jampridem  per  omnes  provincias  et  per  urbes  singulas 
 ordinarii  sunt  Episcopi.' 
 
 t  '  Ubi  Ecclesiastici  ordinis  non  est  consessus,  et  ofFert  ettingit  Sacerdos  qui  est 
 ibi  solus.'  Tertull.  exhort,  ad  castit.  [c.  7.] 
 
268 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 into  certain  several  companies,  and  over  every  of  those 
 companies  one  only  Pastor  to  be  appointed  for  the  ministry 
 of  holy  things;  between  the  first,  and  the  rest  after  it,  there 
 could  not  be  but  a  natural  inequality,  even  as  between  the 
 Temple  and  Synagogues  in  Jerusalem.  The  Clergy  of 
 cities  were  termed  Urbici,  to  shew  a  difference  between 
 them  and  the  Clergies  of  towns,  of  villages,  of  castles 
 cypr.  abroad.  And  how  many  soever  these  Parishes  or  Congre- 
 Ep' M'  gations  were  in  number,  which  did  depend  on  any  one 
 principal  City-church,  unto  the  Bishop  of  that  one  Church 
 they  and  their  several  sole  Presbyters  were  all  subject. 
 
 For  if  so  be,  as  some  imagine,  every  petty  congregation 
 or  hamlet  had  its  own  particular  Bishop,  what  sense  could 
 Hieron.  there  be  in  those  words  of  Jerome  concerning  castles,  vil- 
 Lucifer.  ^Ses>  and  other  places  abroad,  which  having  only  Presby- 
 B-  °-J    ters  to  teach  them,  and  to  minister  unto  them  theSacraments, 
 were  resorted  unto  by  Bishops  for  the  administration  of 
 that  wherewith  their  Presbyters  were  not  licensed  to  med- 
 dle.   To  note  a  difference  of  that  one  Church  where  the 
 Bishop  hath  his  seat,  and  the  rest  which  depend  upon  it, 
 that  one  hath  usually  been  termed  Cathedral,  according  to 
 the  same  sense  wherein  Ignatius,  speaking  of  the  Church 
 cypr.    of  Antioch,  termeth  it  his  Throne ;  and  Cyprian,  making 
 fli.  as.  mention  of  Evaristus,  who  had  been  Bishop  and  was  now 
 c-  *J    deposed,  termeth  him  Cathedrce  extorrem,  one  that  was  thrust 
 besides  his  Chair.    The  Church  where  the  Bishop  is  set 
 with  his  College  of  Presbyters  about  him  we  call  a  See ; 
 the  local  compass  of  his  authority  we  term  a  Diocess. 
 Unto  a  Bishop  within  the  compass  of  his  own  both  See  and 
 Diocess,  it  hath  by  right  of  his  place  evermore  appertained 
 to  ordain  Presbyters,*  to  make  Deacons,  and  with  judg- 
 ment to  dispose  of  all  things  of  weight.    The  Apostle  St. 
 Paul  had  Episcopal  Authority,  but  so  at  large,  that  we 
 cannot  assign  unto  him  any  one  certain  Diocess.  Hisf 
 positive  Orders  and  Constitutions  Churches  every  where 
 2  cor.   did  obey.    Yea,  "  a  charge  and  a  care  (saith  he)  I  have 
 X1  8    even  of  all  the  Churches."     The  walks  of  Titus  and 
 Timothy  were  limited  within  the  bounds  of  a  narrow  pre- 
 
 *  Cone.  Antioch.  cap.  9.  '  Ax.\rn<>v;  X;  'ETrtnuirou!;  Imlf  Aioixitriv  /xti  iTtiQaiveiv,  die 
 ^sijotovi'i  n  Tiyiv  aXXai;  oiKsvo/uiai?  lxy-\>ina«-Tixa~f.  Cone.  Const,  cap.  2.  ToDts  ya? 
 Trjo—Ejcv  JJa  toIj  iixyfA&s  iyimi  iSin^sfw;.  Socr.  lib.  v.  cap.  8. 
 
 t  "  As  I  have  ordained  in  the  Churches  of  Galatia,  the  same  do  ye  also.''  1  Cor. 
 xvi.  1. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 269 
 
 cinct.    As  for  other  Bishops,  that  which  Chrysostom  hath 
 concerning  them,  if  they  be  evil,  could  not  possibly  agree 
 unto  them,  unless  their  Authority  had  reached  farther  than 
 to  some  one  only  congregation.    "  The  danger  being  so  chrys.m 
 great,  as  it  is,  to  him  that  scandalizeth  one  soul,  what  shall  r'^J]1' 
 he  (saith  Chrysostom,  speaking  of  a  Bishop),  what  shall 
 he  deserve,  by  whom  so  many  souls,  yea,  even  whole  cities 
 and  people,  men,  women,  and  children,  citizens,  peasants, 
 inhabitants,  both  of  his  own  city,  and  of  other  towns  sub- 
 ject unto  it,  are  offended  V  A  thing  so  unusual  it  was  for 
 a  Bishop  not  to  have  ample  Jurisdiction,  that  Theophilus, 
 Patriarch  of  Alexandria,  for  making  one  a  Bishop  of  a 
 small  town,  is  noted  a  proud  despiser  of  the  commendable 
 Orders  of  the  Church  with  this  censure,  "  Such  novelties  Paiiad. 
 Theophilus  presumed  every  where  to  begin,  taking  upon  chr^ 
 him,  as  it  had  been  another  Moses."    Whereby  is  dis-  tc  9  ] 
 covered  also  their  error,  who  think,  that  such  as  in  Ec- 
 clesiastical writings  they  find  termed  Chorepiscopos,  were 
 the  same  in  the  country  which  the  Bishop  was  in  the  city: 
 whereas  the  old  Chorepiscopi  are  they  that  were  appointed 
 of  the  Bishops  to  have,  as  his  Vicegerents,  some  oversight 
 of  those  Churches  abroad,  w  hich  were  subject  unto  his  See ; 
 in  which  Churches  they  had  also  power  to  make  Sub- 
 deacons,  Readers,  and  such  like  petty  Church-officers. 
 With  which  power  so  stinted,  they  not  contenting  them- 
 selves, but  adventuring  at  the  length  to  ordain  even  Dea- 
 cons and  Presbyters  also,  as  the  Bishop  himself  did,  their 
 presumption  herein  was  controlled  and  stayed  by  the  an- 
 cient edict  of  Councils.  For  example,  that  of  Antioch,  "  It  concii. 
 hath  seemed  good  to  the  holy  Synod,  that  such  in  towns  and  c.io. 
 countries  as  are  called  Chorepiscopi  do  know  their  limits, 
 and  govern  the  Churches  under  them,  contenting  themselves 
 with  the  charge  thereof,  and  with  authority  to  make  Rea- 
 ders, Sub-deacons,  Exorcists,  and  to  be  leaders  or  guiders 
 of  them ;  but  not  to  meddle  with  the  Ordination  either  of 
 a  Presbyter  or  of  a  Deacon,  without  the  Bishop  of  that 
 city,  whereunto  the  Chorepiscopus  and  his  territory  also 
 is  subject."    The  same  Synod  appointed  likewise  that 
 those  Chorepiscopi  shall  be  made  by  none  but  the  Bishop 
 of  that  city  under  which  they  are.    Much  might  hereunto 
 be  added,  if  it  were  further  needful  to  prove,  that  the  local 
 compass  of  a  Bishop's  Authority  and  Power  was  never  so 
 
270 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 straitly  listed,  as  some  men  would  have  the  world  to  imagine. 
 But  to  go  forward ;  degrees  there  are,  and  have  been 
 of  old,  even  amongst  Bishops  also  themselves ;  one  sort 
 of  Bishops  being  superiors  unto  Presbyters  only,  another 
 sort  having  pre-eminence  also  above  Bishops.  It  cometh 
 here  to  be  considered  in  what  respect  inequality  of  Bishops 
 was  thought  at  the  first  a  thing  expedient  for  the  Church, 
 and  what  odds  there  hath  been  between  them,  by  how 
 much  the  Power  of  one  hath  been  larger,  higher,  and 
 greater  than  that  of  another.  Touching  the  causes  for 
 which  it  hath  been  esteemed  meet  that  Bishops  themselves 
 should  not  every  way  be  equals  ;  they  are  the  same  for 
 which  the  wisdom  both  of  God  and  man  hath  evermore 
 approved  it  as  most  requisite  that  where  many  governors 
 must  of  necessity  concur,  for  the  ordering  of  the  same 
 affairs,  of  what  nature  soever  they  be,  one  should  have 
 some  kind  of  sway  or  stroke  more  than  all  the  residue. 
 For  where  number  is  there  must  be  order,  or  else  of  force 
 there  will  be  confusion.  Let  there  be  divers  agents,  of 
 whom  each  hath  his  private  inducements  with  resolute 
 purpose  to  follow  them  (as  each  may  have),  unless  in 
 this  case  some  had  pre-eminence  above  the  rest,  a  chance 
 it  were,  if  ever  any  thing  should  be  either  begun,  proceed- 
 ed in,  or  brought  unto  any  conclusion  by  them  ;  delibera- 
 tions and  counsels  would  seldom  go  forward,  their  meet- 
 ings would  always  be  in  danger  to  break  up  with  jars  and 
 contradictions.  In  an  Army,  a  number  of  Captains,  all 
 of  equal  power,  without  some  higher  to  oversway  them; 
 what  good  would  they  do  I  In  all  nations  where  a  number 
 are  to  draw  any  one  way,  there  must  be  some  one  princi- 
 pal mover.  Let  the  practice  of  our  very  adversaries 
 themselves  herein  be  considered ;  are  the  Presbyters  able 
 to  determine  of  Church-affairs,  unless  their  Pastors  do 
 strike  the  chiefest  stroke,  and  have  power  above  the  rest  ? 
 Can  their  pastoral  Synod  do  any  thing,  unless  they  have 
 some  President  amongst  them  ?  In  Synods,  they  are  forced 
 to  give  one  Pastor  pre-eminence  and  superiority  above 
 the  rest.  But  they  answer,  That  he,  who  being  a  Pastor 
 according  to  their  Discipline  is  for  the  time  some  little 
 deal  mightier  than  his  brethren,  doth  not  continue  so 
 longer  than  only  during  the  Synod.  Which  answer  serveth 
 not  to  help  them  out  of  the  briers ;  for,  by  their  practice 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 271 
 
 they  confirm  our  principle,  touching  the  necessity  of  one 
 man's  pre-eminence  wheresoever  a  concurrency  of  many 
 is  required  unto  any  one  solemn  action :  this  Nature 
 teacheth,  and  this  they  cannot  choose  but  acknowledge. 
 As  for  the  change  of  his  person  to  whom  they  give  this 
 pre-eminence,  if  they  think  it  expedient  to  make  for  every 
 Synod  a  new  superior,  there  is  no  Law  of  God  which 
 bindeth  them  so  to  do;  neither  any  that  telleth  them, 
 that  they  might  suffer  one  and  the  same  man  being  made 
 President,  even  to  continue  so  during  life,  and  to  leave 
 his  pre-eminence  unto  his  successors  after  him,  as,  by 
 the  ancient  Order  of  the  Church,  Archbishops,  Presidents 
 amongst  Bishops,  have  used  to  do.    The  ground  therefore 
 of  their  pre-eminence  above  Bishops,  is  the  necessity  of 
 often  concurrency  of  many  Bishops  about  the  public  af- 
 fairs of  the  Church  :  as,  consecrations  of  Bishops,  consul- 
 tations of  remedy  of  general  disorders,  audience  judicial, 
 when  the  actions  of  any  Bishop  should  be  called  in  ques- 
 tion, or  appeals  are  made  from  his  sentence  by  such  as 
 think  themselves  wronged.    These,  and  the  like  affairs, 
 usually  requiring  that  many  Bishops  should  orderly  as- 
 semble, begin,  and  conclude  somewhat;  it  hath  seemed, 
 in  the  eyes  of  reverend  antiquity,  a  thing  most  requisite, 
 that  the  Church  should  not  only  have  Bishops,  but  even 
 amongst  Bishops  some  to   be  in  Authority  chiefest. 
 Unto  which  purpose,  the  very  state  of  the  whole  world, 
 immediately  before  Christianity  took  place,  doth  seem  by 
 the  special  providence  of  God  to  have  been  prepared. 
 For  we  must  know,  that  the  countries  where  the  Gospel 
 was  first  planted,  were  for  the  most  part  subject  to  the 
 Roman  empire.    The  Romans'  use  was  commonly,  when 
 by  war  they  had  subdued  foreign  nations,  to  make  them 
 Provinces,  that  is,  to  place  over  them  Roman  Governors, 
 such  as  might  order  them  according  to  the  Laws  and  Cus- 
 toms of  Rome.    And,  to  the  end  that  all  things  might  be 
 more  easily  and  orderly  done,  a  whole  country  being  divi- 
 ded into  sundry  parts,  there  was  in  each  part  some  one 
 city,  whereinto  they  about  did  resort  for  justice.  Every 
 such  part  was  termed  a  Diocess.*    Howbeit,  the  name 
 
 *  '  Si  quid  habebis  cum  aliquo  Hellespontio  controversiae,  ut  in  illam  Aioix>iriv 
 rejicias.'  Cic.  Fam.  Ep.  53.  lib.  xiii.  The  suit  which  Tully  maketh  was  this, 
 that  the  party,  in  whose  behalf  he  wrote  to  the  Proprietor,  might  have  his  causes 
 put  over  to  that  Court  which  was  held  in  the  Diocess  of  Hellespont,  where  the 
 
272 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY 
 
 Diocess  is  sometime  so  generally  taken,  that  it  containeth 
 not  only  more  such  parts  of  a  Province,  but  even  more 
 Provinces  also  than  one  ;  as,  the  Diocess  of  Asia  contain- 
 ing eight,  the  Diocess  of  Africa  seven.    Touching  Dio- 
 cesses  according  unto  a  stricter  sense,  whereby  they  are 
 taken  for  apart  of  a  Province,  the  words  of  Livy  do  plainly 
 shew  what  orders  the  Romans  did  observe  in  them.  For 
 at  what  time  they  had  brought  the  Macedonians  into  sub- 
 jection, the  Roman  Governor,  by  order  from  the  Senate  of 
 Rome,  gave  charge  that  Macedonia  should  be  divided 
 fiib.xiv.into  four  Regions  or  Diocesses.    "  Capita  Regionum  ubi 
 c"9  ]    Concilia  fierent,  primae  sedis  Amphipolim,  secundas  Thes- 
 salonicen,  tertiae  Pellam,  quartae  Pelagoniam  fecit.  Eo, 
 Concilia  suae  cujusque  regionis  indici,  pecuniam  conferri, 
 ibi  Magistratus  creari  jussit."    This  being  before  the  days 
 of  the  Emperors,  by  their  appointment  Thessalonica  was 
 afterwards  the  chiefest,  and  in  it  the  highest  Governor  of 
 Macedonia  had  his  seat.    Whereupon  the  other  three 
 Diocesses  were  in  that  respect  inferior  unto  it,  as  daughters 
 unto  a  Mother-city  ;  for  not  unto  every  town  of  justice  was 
 that  title  given,  but  was  peculiar  unto  those  cities  wherein 
 principal  Courts  were  kept.    Thus  in  Macedonia  the 
 cic.ad  Mother-city  was  Thessalonica;  in  Asia,  Ephesus;  in 
 lib.  v.   Africa,  Carthage;  for  so  Justinian  in  his  time  made  it.* 
 ftem"  The  Governors,  Officers,  and  inhabitants  of  those  Mother- 
 observ.  cities  were  termed  for  difference'  sake  Metropolites,  that 
 officio    is  to  say,  Mother-city  men  ;  than  which  nothing  could  pos- 
 ^lTe"  sibty  have  been  devised  more  fit  to  suit  with  the  nature 
 Legati.  of  that  Form  of  spiritual  Regiment,  under  which  afterwards 
 the  Church  should  live.    Wherefore,  if  the  Prophet  saw 
 cause  to  acknowledge  unto  the  Lord,  that  the  light  of  his 
 gracious  providence  did  shine  no  where  more  apparently 
 to  the  eye,  than  in  preparing  the  land  of  Canaan  to  be  a 
 Psali    receptacle  for  that  Church  which  was  of  old,  "  Thou  hast 
 ixxx.    brought  a  vine  out  of  Egypt,  thou  hast  cast  out  the  Heathen 
 and  planted  it,  thou  madest  room  for  it,  and  when  it  had 
 taken  root  it  filled  the  land  ;"  how  much  more  ought  we 
 to  wonder  at  the  handy-work  of  Almighty  God,  who,  to 
 settle  the  Kingdom  of  his  dear  Son,  did  not  cast  out  any 
 
 man  did  abide,  and  not  to  his  trouble  be  forced  to  follow  them  at  Ephesus,  which 
 was  the  chiefest  Court  in  that  Province. 
 
 *  *  Sancimus,  ut  sicutOriens  atque  Illyricum,  ita  et  Africa  praetoriana  maxima 
 potestate  specialiter  a  nostra  dementia  decoretur.  Cujus  sedem  jubemus  esse 
 Carthaginem  ;  et  ab  ea,  auxiliante  Deo,  septem  Provinciae  cum  suis  Judicibus  dis- 
 ponantnr.'   Lib.  i.  Tit.  27.  1. 1.  sect.  1,  2.  Cod.  Justinian. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 273 
 
 one  people,  but  directed  in  such  sort  the  politic  counsels 
 of  them  who  ruled  far  and  wide  over  all,  that  they  through- 
 out all  nations,  people,  and  countries,  upon  earth,  should 
 unwittingly  prepare  the  field  wherein  the  Vine  which  God 
 did  intend,  that  is  to  say,  the  Church  of  his  dearly-beloved 
 Son,  was  to  take  root  ?  For  unto  nothing  else  can  we  at- 
 tribute it,  saving  only  unto  the  very  incomprehensible 
 force  of  Divine  Providence,  that  the  world  was  in  so  mar- 
 vellous fit  sort  divided,  levelled,  and  laid  out  before- 
 hand. Whose  work  could  it  be  but  his  alone  to  make 
 such  provision  for  the  direct  implantation  of  his  Church  ? 
 "Wherefore,  inequality  of  Bishops  being  found  a  thing  con- 
 venient for  the  Church  of  God,  in  such  consideration  as 
 hath  been  shewed,  when  it  came  secondly  in  question, 
 which  Bishops  should  be  higher  and  which  lower,  it  seemed 
 herein  not  to  the  Civil  Monarch  only,  but  to  the  most,  expe- 
 dient that  the  dignity  and  celebrity  of  Mother-cities  should 
 be  respected.*  They  which  dream,  that  if  Civil  Authority 
 had  not  given  such  pre-eminence  unto  one  city  more 
 than  another,  there  had  never  grown  an  inequality  among 
 Bishops,  are  deceived.  Superiority  of  one  Bishop  over  an- 
 other would  be  requisite  in  the  Church,  although  that  Civil 
 distinction  were  abolished.  Other  causes  having  made  it  ne- 
 cessary, even  amongstBishops,  to  have  some  in  degree  higher 
 than  the  rest,  the  Civil  dignity  of  place  was  considered 
 only  as  a  reason  wherefore  this  Bishop  should  be  preferred 
 before  that :  which  deliberation  had  been  likely  enough  to 
 have  raised  no  small  trouble,  but  that  such  was  the  circum- 
 stance of  place,  as  being  followed  in  that  choice,  besides 
 the  manifest  conveniency  thereof,  took  away  all  show  of 
 partiality,  prevented  secret  emulations,  and  gave  no  man 
 occasion  to  think  his  person  disgraced,  in  that  another  was 
 preferred  before  him. 
 
 Thus  we  see  upon  what  occasion  Metropolitan  Bishops 
 became  Archbishops.  Now  while  the  whole  Christian 
 world,  in  a  manner,  still  continued  under  the  Civil  Govern- 
 ment, there  being  oftentimes,  within  some  one  more  large 
 territory,  divers  and  sundry  Mother-churches,  the  Metro- 
 
 *  Tohf  xzd'  iitau-rnv  'ETriexomvi;  iiSevat  j(jph  tJv  ev  t?  MnrjoiroXsi  irftia-rvrit 
 
 wavra^idiv  crim-pi^iiv  narrat;  -roue  t«  ir^iyfxaTa  e^ovt*;,  o'9iv  !$o£{  xai  tk  n/xn  tr^ov- 
 yst>9ai  al-rm.    Concil.  Antiochen.  cap.  9. 
 
 VOL.  II.  T 
 
274 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 politans  whereof  were  Archbishops,  as,  for  order's  sake, 
 it  grew  hereupon  expedient,  there  should  be  a  difference 
 also  among  them  ;  so  no  way  seemed,  in  those  times,  more 
 fit  than  to  give  pre-eminence  unto  them  whose  Metropoli- 
 tan Sees  were  of  special  desert  or  dignity.  For  which 
 cause  these,  as  being  Bishops  in  the  chiefest  Mother- 
 churches,  were  termed  Primates,  and  at  the  length,  by  way 
 of  excellency,  Patriarchs :  for  ignorant  we  are  not,  how 
 sometimes  the  title  of  Patriarch  is  generally  given  to  all  Me- 
 de* statu"  tropolitan  Bishops.  They  are  mightily  therefore  to  blame 
 primi-  which  are  so  bold  and  confident,  as  to  affirm  that,  for  the 
 ciesia;.  space  of  above  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after  Christ, 
 all  Metropolitan  Bishops  were  in  every  respect  equals, 
 till  the  second  Council  of  Constantinople  exalted  certain 
 Metropolitans  above  the  rest.  True  it  is,  they  were  equals, 
 as  touching  the  exercise  of  Spiritual  Power  within  their 
 Diocesses,  when  they  dealt  with  their  own  flock.  For  what 
 is  it  that  one  of  them  might  do  within  the  compass  of  his 
 own  precinct,  but  another  within  his  might  do  the  same  ? 
 But  that  there  was  no  subordination  at  all  of  one  of  them 
 unto  another  ;  that  when  they  all,  or  sundry  of  them,  were 
 to  deal  in  the  same  causes,  there  was  no  difference  of  first 
 and  second  in  degree,  no  distinction  of  higher  and  lower  in 
 Authority  acknowledged  amongst  them,  is  most  untrue. 
 The  great  Council  of  Nice  was  after  our  Saviour  Christ  but 
 three  hundred  and  twenty-four  years,  and  in  that  Council 
 certain  Metropolitans  are  said  even  then  to  have  had  an- 
 cient pre-eminence  and  dignity  above  the  rest ;  namely, 
 the  Primate  of  Alexandria,  of  Rome,  and  of  Antioch. 
 8  Threescore  years  after  this,  there  were  Synods  under  the 
 Emperor  Theodosius ;  which  Synod  was  the  first  at  Con- 
 stantinople, whereat  one  hundred  and  fifty  Bishops  were 
 assembled :  at  which  Council  it  was  decreed,  that  the  Bi- 
 shop of  Constantinople  should  not  only  be  added  unto  the 
 former  Primates,  but  also  that  his  place  should  be  second 
 amongst  them,  the  next  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome  in  dignity, 
 can.  S8.  The  same  Decree  was  again  renewed  concerning  Constan- 
 tinople, and  the  reason  thereof  laid  open  in  the  Council  of 
 can.  39.  Chalcedon.  At  the  length  came  that  second  of  Constanti- 
 ple,  whereat  were  six  hundred  and  thirty  Bishops  for  a 
 third  confirmation  thereof.  Laws  Imperial  there  are  like- 
 wise extant  to  the  same  effect.    Herewith  the  Bishop  of 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 275 
 
 Constantinople  being  overmuch  puffed  up,  not  only  could 
 not  endure  that  See  to  be  in  estimation  higher,  whereunto 
 his  own  had  preferment  to  be  the  next,  but  he  challenged 
 more  than  ever  any  Christian  Bishop  in  the  world  before 
 either  had,  or  with  reason  could  have.  What  he  chal- 
 lenged, and  was  therein  as  then  refused  by  the  Bishop  of 
 Rome,  the  same  Bishop  of  Rome  in  process  of  time  ob- 
 tained for  himself,  and,  having  gotten  it  by  bad  means,  hath 
 both  upheld  and  augmented  it,  and  upholdeth  it  by  acts 
 and  practices  much  worse.  But  Primates,  according  to  Novel, 
 their  first  institution,  were  all,  in  relation  unto  Archbishops,  H*m' 
 the  same  by  prerogative  which  Archbishops  were  being 
 compared  unto  Bishops.  Before  the  Council  of  Nice, 
 albeit  there  were  both  Metropolitans  and  Primates,  yet 
 could  not  this  be  a  means  forcible  enough  to  procure  the 
 peace  of  the  Church :  but  all  things  were  wonderful  tumul- 
 tuous and  troublesome,  by  reason  of  one  special  practice 
 common  unto  the  Heretics  of  those  times ;  which  was,  that 
 when  they  had  been  condemned  and  cast  out  of  the  Church 
 by  the  sentence  of  their  own  Bishops,  they,  contrary  to  the 
 ancient-received  Orders  of  the  Church,  had  a  custom  to 
 wander  up  and  down,  and  to  insinuate  themselves  into  fa- 
 vour where  they  were  not  known,  imagining  themselves  to 
 be  safe  enough,  and  not  to  be  clean  cut  off  from  the  body 
 of  the  Church,  if  they  could  any  where  find  a  Bishop  which 
 was  content  to  communicate  with  them ;  whereupon  en- 
 sued, as  in  that  case  there  needs  must,  every  day  quarrels 
 and  jars  unappeasable  amongst  Bishops.  The  Nicene 
 Council,  for  redress  hereof,  considered  the  bounds  of  every 
 Archbishop's  Ecclesiastical  Jurisdictions,  what  they  had 
 been  in  former  times ;  and  accordingly  appointed  unto 
 each  grand  part  of  the  Christian  world  some  one  Primate, 
 from  whose  judgment  no  man  living  within  his  territory 
 might  appeal,  unless  it  were  to  a  Council-general  of  all  Bi- 
 shops. The  drift  and  purport  of  which  Order  was,  that 
 neither  any  man  oppressed  by  his  own  particular  Bishop 
 might  be  destitute  of  a  remedy,  through  appeal  unto  the 
 more  indifferent  sentence  of  some  other  ordinary  Judge  ; 
 nor  yet  every  man  be  left  to  such  liberty,  as  before,  to 
 shift  himself  out  of  their  hands  for  whom  it  was  most  meet 
 to  have  the  hearing  and  determining  of  his  cause.  The 
 evil,  for  remedy  whereof  this  Order  was  taken,  annoyed  at 
 
 T  2 
 
270 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 that  present  especially  the  Church  of  Alexandria  in  Egypt, 
 where  Arianism  begun.  For  which  cause  the  state  of  that 
 Church  is  in  the  Nicene  Canons,  concerning  this  matter, 
 mentioned  before  the  rest.  The  words  of  their  sacred  Edict 
 cone  are  these  :  "  Let  those  customs  remain  in  force  which  have 
 c.V  been  of  old  the  customs  of  Egypt,  and  Libya,  and  Penta- 
 polis  ;  by  which  customs  the  Bishop  of  Alexandria  hath 
 Authority  over  all  these;  the  rather,  for  that  this  hath  also 
 been  the  use  of  the  Bishops  of  Rome,  yea,  the  same  hath 
 been  kept  in  Antioch,  and  in  other  Provinces."    Now,  be- 
 cause the  custom  likewise  had  been,  that  greathonour  should 
 be  done  to  the  Bishop  of  .^Elia  or  Jerusalem  ;  therefore, 
 lest  their  Decree  concerning  the  Primate  of  Antioch  should 
 any  whit  prejudice  the  dignity  and  honour  of  that  See, 
 Ejmd.  special  provision  is  made,  that  although  it  were  inferior  in 
 c ,7!'  degree,  not  only  unto  Antioch  the  chief  of  the  East,  but 
 even  unto  Cassarea  too ;  yet  such  pre-eminence  it  should 
 retain  as  belonged  to  a  Mother-city",  and  enjoy  whatsoever 
 special  prerogative  or  privilege  it  had  besides.    Let  men, 
 therefore,  hereby  judge  of  what  continuance  this  Order 
 which  upholdeth  degrees  of  Bishops  must  needs  have  been, 
 when  a  General  Council  of  three  hundred  and  eighteen  Bi- 
 shops, living  themselves  within  three  hundred  years  after 
 Christ,  doth  reverence  the  same  for  antiquity's  sake,  as  a 
 thing  which  had  been  even  then  of  old  observed  in  the 
 most  renowned  parts  of  the  Christian  world.  "Wherefore, 
 needless  altogether  are  those  vain  and  wanton  demands, 
 No  mention  of  an  Archbishop  in  Theophilus  Bishop  of 
 Antioch?  None  in  Ignatius  ?    None  in  Clemens  of  Alex- 
 andria? None  in  Justin  Martyr,  Irenanis,  Tertullian,  Cy- 
 prian ?    None  in  all  those  old  Historiographers,  out  of 
 which  Eusebius  gathereth  his  story  ?    None  till  the  time  of 
 the  Council  of  Nice,  three  hundred  and  twenty  years  after 
 Christ?*  As  if  the  mention,  which  is  thereof  made  in 
 
 *  '  What !  no  mention  of  him  in  Theophilus  Bishop  of  Antioch  ?  none  in  Clemens 
 Aleiandrinus !  none  in  Ignatius  I  none  in  Justin  MartvT?  in  Irenaeus,  in  Tertul- 
 lian, in  Origen,  in  Cyprian !  in  those  old  Historiographers,  out  of  which  Euse- 
 bius gathered  his  story  ?  Was  it  for  his  baseness  and  smallness  that  he  could 
 not  be  seen  amongst  the  Bishops,  Elders,  and  Deacons,  beine  the  chief  and  prin- 
 cipal of  them  all  i  Can  the  cedar  of  Lebanon  be  hidden  amongst  the  box-trees  ? 
 T.  C.  lib.  i.  92.  '  A  Metropolitan  Bishop  was  nothing  else  but  a  Bishop  of  that 
 place  which  it  pleased  the  Emperor  or  Magistrate  to  make  the  chief  of  the 
 Diocess  ot  Shire;  and  as  for  this  name,  it  makes  no  more  difference  between  a 
 Bishop  and  a  Bishop,  than  when  I  say  a  Minister  of  London  and  a  Minister  of 
 Newington.'  T.  C.  lib.  i.  ubi  supra. 
 
book  vn. 
 
 277 
 
 that  very  Council  where  so  many  Bishops  acknowledge 
 Archiepiscopal  Dignity  even  then  ancient,  were  not  of  far 
 more  weight  and  value  than  if  every  of  those  Fathers  had 
 written  large  discourses  thereof.    But  what  is  it  which 
 they  will  blush  at  who  dare  so  confidently  set  it  down, 
 that  in  the  Council  of  Nice  some  Bishops  being  termed 
 Metropolitans,  no  more  difference  is  thereby  meant  to 
 have  been  between  one  Bishop  and  another  than  is  shewed 
 between  one  Minister  and  another,  when  we  say  such  a 
 one  is  a  Minister  in  the  city  of  London,  and  such  a  one  a 
 Minister  in  the  town  of  Newington  ?  So  that,  to  be  termed 
 a  Metropolitan  Bishop  did,  in  their  conceit,  import  no 
 more  pre-eminence  above  other  Bishops,  than  we  mean 
 that  a  girdler  hath  over  others  of  the  same  trade,  if  we 
 term  him  which  doth  inhabit  some  Mother-city  for  diffe- 
 rence' sake  a  Metropolitan  girdler.    But  the  truth  is  too 
 manifest  to  be  eluded ;  a  Bishop  at  that  time  had  Power 
 in  his  own  Diocess  over  all  other  Ministers  there,  and  a 
 Metropolitan  Bishop  sundry  pre-eminences  above  other 
 Bishops,  one  of  which  pre-eminences  was,  in  the  Ordina- 
 tion of  Bishops,  to  have  kvqoq  twv  yivo/xtvwv,  the  chief 
 Power  of  ordering  all  things  done.    Which  pre-eminence 
 that  Council  itself  doth  mention,*  as  also  a  greater  be- 
 longing unto  the  Patriarch  or  Primate   of  Alexandria, 
 concerning  whom  it  is  there  likewise  said,  that  to  him  did 
 belong  i^ovaia,  authority  and  power  over  all  Egypt,  Penta- 
 polis,  and  Libya:  within  which  compass  sundry  Metropo- 
 litan Sees  to  have  been,  there  is  no  man  ignorant,  which  in 
 those  antiquities  have  any  knowledge.    Certain  preroga- 
 tives there  are  wherein  Metropolitans  excelled  other  Bi- 
 shops, certain  also  wherein  Primates  excelled  other  Metro- 
 politans. Archiepiscopal  or  Metropolitan  prerogatives  are 
 those  mentioned  in  the  old  Imperial  Constitutions,  to  con-  Novel- 
 vocate  the  holy  Bishops  under  them,  within  the  compass  of  cu.io. 
 their  own  Provinces,  when  need  required  their  meeting  to- 
 gether for  inquisition  and  redress  of  public  disorders ;  to  Novcl- 
 grant  unto  Bishops  under  them  leave  and  faculty  of  absence  can.  9. 
 from  their  own  Diocesses,  when  it  seemed  necessary  that 
 they  should  otherwhere  converse  for  some  reasonable  while ; 
 
 *  Cone.  Nicen.  c.  6.  '  Ulud  autem  omnino  manifestum,  quod  siquis  absque  Me- 
 tropolitan! sententia  factus  sit  Episcopus,  hunc  magna  Synodus  definivit  Epis- 
 copum  esse  non  oportere.'    Can.  4. 
 
27S 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 fxlix1'   t0  ^ve  not^ce  unt0  Bishops  under  them  of  things  corn- 
 can. 2.    manded  by  supreme  authority;  to  haYe  the  hearing  and 
 cxTiu.   first  determining  of  such  causes  as  any  man  had  against  a 
 SJ^f"  Bishop ;  to  receiYe  the  appeals  of  the  inferior  Clergy,  in 
 csxiii.    case  they  found  themselves  overborne  by  the  Bishop,  their 
 can'"3'  immediate  Judge.    And  lest  haply  it  should  be  imagined 
 that  Canons  Ecclesiastical  we  want  to  make  the  self-same 
 thing  manifest ;  in  the  Council  of  Antioch  it  was  thus  de- 
 can.o.  creed :  "  The  Bishop  in  every  Province  must  know,  that  he 
 which  is  Bishop  in  the  Mother-city  hath  not  only  charge 
 of  his  own  Parish  or  Diocess,  but  even  of  the  whole  Pro- 
 vince also.1'    Again:  "  It  hath  seemed  good,  that  other 
 Bishops  without  him  should  do  nothing  more  than  only 
 that  which  concerns  each  one's  Parish,  and  the  places  un- 
 c>d.i6.  derrieath  it."  Further,  by  the  self-same  Council  all  Councils 
 Provincial  are  reckoned  void  and  frustrate,  unless  the 
 Bishop  of  the  Mother-city  within  that  Province  where  such 
 Councils  should  be,  were  present  at  them.    So  that  the 
 want  of  his  presence,  and,  in  Canons  for  Church-govern- 
 ment, want  of  his  approbation  also,  did  disannul  them  : 
 not  so  the  want  of  any  others.    Finally,  concerning  elec- 
 C30;  *•  tion  of  Bishops,  the  Council  of  Nice  hath  this  general  Rule, 
 -        That  the  chief  ordering  of  all  things  here,  is  in  every  Pro- 
 vince committed  to  the  Metropolitan.    Touching  them, 
 who  amongst  Metropolitans  were  also  Primates,  and  had 
 of  sundry  united  Provinces,  the  chiefest  Metropolitan  See, 
 c»D.c3.  0f  sach  that  Canon  in  the  Council  of  Carthage  was  eminent, 
 whereby  a  Bishop  is  forbidden  to  go  beyond  seas  without 
 the  licence  of  the  highest  Chair  within  the  same  Bishop's 
 own  country;  and  of  such  which  beareth  the  name  Apos- 
 can.34.  tolical,  is  that  ancient  Canon  likewise,  which  chargeth  the 
 Bishop  of  each  Xation  to  know  him  which  is  First  amongst 
 them,  and  to  esteem  of  him  as  a  Head,  and  to  do  no  ex- 
 traordinary thing  but  -with  his  leave.  The  chief  Primates  of 
 the  Christian  world  were  the  Bishops  of  Rome,  Alexandria, 
 and  Antioch.     To  whom  the  Bishop  of  Constantinople 
 beinz  afterwards  added,  St.  Chrvsostom  the  Bishop  of  that 
 
 in  Vita  0  J  * 
 
 See  is  in  that  respect  said  to  have  had  the  care  and  charge 
 not  only  of  the  city  of  Constantinople,  "  sed  etiam  totius 
 Eocies.  Thraciae,  quae  sex  Praefecturis  est  divisa,  et  Asiae  totius, 
 quae  ab  undecim  Praesidibus  regitur."  The  rest  of  the  East 
 was  under  Antioch,  the  South  under  Alexandria,  and  the 
 
book  vii.  279 
 
 West  under  Rome.  Whereas,  therefore,  John  the  Bishop 
 of  Jerusalem  being  noted  of  Heresy,  had  written  an  Apo- 
 logy for  himself  unto  the  Bishop  of  Alexandria,  named 
 Thcophilus  ;  St.  Jerome  reproveth  his  breach  of  the  Order 
 of  the  Church  herein,  saying,  "Tu,  qui  regulas  quasris  Ec-  nierou. 
 clesiasticas,  et  Niceni  Concilii  Canonibus  uteris,  responde 
 mihi,  ad  Alexandrinum  Episcopum  Palasstina  quid  pertinet?  *• 36  ] 
 Ni  fallor,  hoc  ibi  decernitur,  ut  Palaestinas  Metropolis 
 Caesarea  sit,  et  totius  Orientis  Antiochia.  Aut  igitur  ad 
 Caesariensem  Episcopum  referre  debueras;  aut  si  procul 
 expetendum  judicium  erat,  Antiochiam  potius  literas  diri- 
 gendae."  Thus  much  concerning  that  local  compass  which 
 was  anciently  set  out  to  Bishops ;  within  the  bounds  and 
 limits  whereof  we  find,  that  they  did  accordingly  exercise 
 that  Episcopal  Authority  and  Power  which  they  had  over 
 the  Church  of  Christ. 
 
 9.  The  first  whom  we  read  to  have  bent  themselves  i»  »hat 
 against  the  Superiority  of  Bishops  were  Aerius  and  his  fol-  EpUco? 
 lowers.    Aerius  seeking  to  be  made  a  Bishop,  could  not  j^JJut" 
 brook  that  Eustathius  was  thereunto  preferred  before  him.  hathbeen 
 Whereas  therefore  he  saw  himself  unable  to  rise  to  that  of  ofa  by 
 greatness  which  his  ambitious  pride  did  affect,  his  way  of  ^""j; 
 revenge  was  to  try  what  wit,  being  sharpened  with  envy  Ila:rjadlt 
 and  malice,  could  do  in  raising  a  new  seditious  Opinion,  deum. 
 that  the  superiority  which  Bishops  had  was  a  thing  which 
 they  should  not  have;  that  a  Bishop  might  not  ordain  ;  and 
 that  a  Bishop  ought  not  any  way  to  be  distinguished  from 
 a  Presbyter.  For  so  doth  St.  Augustine  deliver  the  opinion 
 of  Aerius.  Epiphanius  not  so  plainly  nor  so  directly,  but 
 after  a  more  rhetorical  sort.  "  His  speech  was  rather  furi-  [Epiphan. 
 ous  than  convenient  for  man  to  use :  What  is  (saith  he)  ^"Taj 
 a  Bishop  more  than  a  Presbyter  ?  The  one  doth  differ  from 
 the  other  nothing.    For  their  Order  is  one,  their  Honour 
 one,  one  their  Dignity.    A  Bishop  imposeth  his  hands,  so 
 doth  a  Presbyter.    A  Bishop  baptizeth,  the  like  doth  a 
 Presbyter.    The  Bishop  is  a  Minister  of  divine  Service,  a 
 Presbyter  the  same.    The  Bishop  sitteth  as  a  judge  in  a 
 throne,  even  the  Presbyter  sitteth  also."    A  Presbyter 
 therefore  doing  thus  far  the  self-same  thing  which  a  Bishop 
 
 *  '  Aeriani  ab  Aerio  quodam  sunt  nominati ;  qui  quum  esset  Presbyter,  doluisss 
 £ertur,  quod  Episcopus  non  potest  ordinari.  Ditebat  Episcopum  a  Presbytero  nulla 
 ratione  debcrc  disccrni.'  Aug.  dc  Haer.  [53.] 
 
280 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 did,  it  was  by  Aerius  enforced,  that  they  ought  not  in  any 
 thing  to  differ.  Are  we  to  think  Aerius  had  wrong  in  be- 
 ing judged  a  Heretic  for  holding  this  opinion?  Surely,  if 
 Heresy  be  an  error  falsely  fathered  upon  Scriptures,  but 
 indeed  repugnant  to  the  truth  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  by 
 the  consent  of  the  universal  Church  in  the  Councils,  or  in 
 her  contrary  uniform  practice  throughout  the  whole  world, 
 declared  to  be  such;  and  the  opinion  of  Aerius  in  this 
 point  be  a  plain  error  of  that  nature  :  there  is  no  remedy, 
 but  Aerius,  so  schismatically  and  stiffly  maintaining  it,  must 
 even  stand  where  Epiphanius  and  Augustine  have  placed 
 him.  An  error  repugnant  unto  the  truth  of  the  Word  of 
 God  is  held  by  them,  whosoever  they  be,  that  stand  in  de- 
 fence of  any  conclusion  drawn  erroneously  out  of  Scripture, 
 and  untruly  thereon  fathered.  The  opinion  of  Aerius  there- 
 fore being  falsely  collected  out  of  Scripture,  must  needs  be 
 acknowledged  an  error  repugnant  unto  the  truth  of  the 
 Word  of  God.  His  opinion  was,  that  there  ought  not  to  be 
 any  difference  between  a  Bishop  and  a  Presbyter.  His 
 grounds  and  reasons  for  his  opinion  were  sentences  of 
 Scripture.  Under  pretence  of  which  sentences,  whereby 
 it  seemed  that  Bishops  and  Presbyters  at  the  first  did  not 
 differ,  it  was  concluded  by  Aerius,  that  the  Church  did  ill 
 in  permitting  any  difference  to  be  made.  The  answer  which 
 Epiphanius  maketh  unto  some  part  of  the  proofs  by  Aerius 
 alleged,  was  not  greatly  studied  or  laboured  ;  for  through  a 
 contempt  of  so  base  an  error  (for  this  himself  did  perceive 
 and  profess)  yieldeth  he  thereof  expressly  this  reason :  Men 
 that  have  wit  do  evidently  see  that  all  this  is  mere  foolish- 
 ness. But  how  vain  and  ridiculous  soever  his  opinion 
 seemed  unto  wise  men,  with  it  Aerius  deceived  many  ;* 
 for  which  cause  somewhat  was  convenient,  to  be  said 
 against  it.  And  in  that  very  extemporal  slightness  which 
 Epiphanius  there  useth,  albeit  the  answer  made  to  Aerius 
 [Haer  75.  be  in  part  butraw,f  yet  ought  not  hereby  the  truth  to  find 
 *'5,]     any  less  favour  than  in  other  oauses  it  doth,  where  we  do 
 
 *  'Ev  toutu)  moXhov;  Wartiae.  [Haer.  75.  §•  5.] 
 
 t  As  in  that  he  saith,  the  Apostle  doth  name  sometimes  Presbyters  and  not 
 Bishops,  lTim.  iv.  14.  sometimes  Bishops  and  not  Presbyters,  Fhil.i.  1 .  because  all 
 Churches  had  not  both,  for  want  of  able  and  sufficient  men.  In  such  Churches, 
 therefore,  as  had  but  the  one,  the  Apostle  could  not  mention  the  other.  Which 
 answer  is  nothing  to  the  latter  place  abovementioned :  for  that  the  Church  of 
 Philippi  should  have  more  Bishops  than  one,  and  want  a  few  able  men  to  be  Pres- 
 byters under  the  Regiment  of  one  Bishop,  how  shall  we  think  it  probable  or  likely  1 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 281 
 
 not  therefore  judge  Heresy  to  have  the  better,  because  now 
 and  then  it  allegeth  that  for  itself,  which  defenders  of  the 
 truth  do  not  always  so  fully  answer.  Let  it  therefore  suf- 
 fice, that  Aerius  did  bring  nothing  unanswerable.  The 
 weak  solutions  which  the  one  doth  give,  are  to  us  no  pre- 
 judice against  the  cause,  as  long  as  the  other's  oppositions 
 are  of  no  greater  strength  and  validity.  Did  not  Aerius, 
 trow  ye,  deserve  to  be  esteemed  as  a  new  Apolos,  mighty 
 and  powerful  in  the  Word,  which  could  for  maintenance  of 
 his  cause  bring  forth  so  plain  divine  authorities,  to  prove 
 by  the  Apostles'  own  writings  that  Bishops  ought  not  in 
 any  thing  to  differ  from  other  Presbyters  ?  For  example, 
 where  it  is  said  that  Presbyters  made  Timothy  Bishop,  is 
 it  not  clear  that  a  Bishop  should  not  differ  from  a  Pres- 
 byter, by  having  Power  of  Ordination?  Again,  if  a  Bishop 
 might  by  Order  be  distinguished  from  a  Presbyter,  would 
 the  Apostle  have  given  as  he  doth  unto  Presbyters  the  title 
 of  Bishops?*  These  were  the  invincible  demonstrations 
 wherewith  Aerius  did  so  fiercely  assault  Bishops.  But  the 
 sentence  of  Aerius  perhaps  was  only,  that  the  difference  be- 
 tween a  Bishop  and  a  Presbyter  hath  grown  by  the  Order 
 and  Custom  of  the  Church,  the  Word  of  God  not  appoint- 
 ing that  any  such  difference  should  be.  Well,  let  Aerius 
 then  find  the  favour  to  have  his  sentence  so  construed  ;  yet 
 his  fault  in  condemning  the  Order  of  the  Church,  his  not 
 submitting  himself  unto  that  Order,  the  schism  which  he 
 caused  in  the  Church  about  it,  who  can  excuse?  No,  the 
 truth  is,  that  these  things  did  even  necessarily  ensue,  by 
 force  of  the  very  opinion  which  he  and  his  followers  did 
 hold.  His  conclusion  was,  that  there  ought  to  be  no  dif- 
 ference between  a  Presbyter  and  a  Bishop.  His  proofs, 
 those  Scripture-sentences  which  make  mention  of  Bishops 
 and  Presbyters  without  any  such  distinction  or  difference. 
 So  that  if  between  his  conclusion  and  the  proofs  whereby 
 he  laboured  to  strengthen  the  same,  there  be  any  show  of 
 coherence  at  all,  we  must  of  necessity  confess,  that  when 
 Aerius  did  plead,  there  is  by  the  Word  of  God  no  diffe- 
 
 •  1  Tim.  iv.  14.  With  the  imposition  of  the  Presbytery's  hand.  Of  which 
 Presbytery  St.  Paul  was  chief,  2  Tim.  i.  6.  And  I  think  no  man  will  deny  that 
 St.  Paul  had  more  than  a  simple  Presbyter's  Authority,  Phil.  i.  1.  To  all  the 
 Saints  at  Philippi,  with  the  Bishops  and  Deacons.  For  as  yet  in  the  Church  of 
 Philippi,  there  was  no  one  which  had  authority  besides  the  Apostles,  but  their 
 Presbyters  or  Bishops  were  all  both  in  Title  and  in  Power  equal. 
 
282 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 rcnce  between  a  Presbyter  and  a  Bishop,  his  meaning  was, 
 not  only  that  the  Word  of  God  itself  appointeth  not,  but 
 that  it  enforceth  on  us  the  duty  of  not  appointing,  or  allow- 
 ing, that  any  such  difference  should  be  made, 
 in  what     10.  And  of  the  self-same  mind  are  the  enemies  of  Govern- 
 
 respects  i       -n  •  -i  .  m 
 
 Episco-  ment  by  Bishops,  even  at  this  present  day.  They  hold,  as 
 mentis81  Aerius  did,  that  if  Christ  and  his  Apostles  were  obeyed, 
 8*"^  a  Bishop  should  not  be  permitted  to  ordain  ;  that  between 
 by  the  a  Presbyter  and  a  Bishop  the  Word  of  God  alloweth  not 
 of  pre™  any  inequality  or  difference  to  be  made  ;  that  their  Order, 
 ieform  tne*r  Authority,  their  Power,  ought  to  be  one ;  that  it  is 
 tion  at  but  by  usurpation  and  corruption  that  the  one  sort  are  suf- 
 this  day.  fere(j  to  jiave  rnie  over  t]je  other,  or  to  be  any  way  superior 
 
 unto  them.  Which  opinion  having  now  so  many  defenders, 
 shall  never  be  able  while  the  world  doth  stand  to  find  in 
 some,  believing  antiquity,  as  much  as  one  which  hath 
 given  it  countenance,  or  borne  any  friendly  affection  to- 
 wards it.  Touching  these  men,  therefore,  whose  desire  is 
 to  have  all  equal,  three  ways  there  are  whereby  they 
 usually  oppugn  the  received  Order  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 
 First,  by  disgracing  the  inequality  of  Pastors,  as  a  new 
 and  mere  human  invention,  a  thing  which  was  never  drawn 
 out  of  Scripture,  where  all  Pastors  are  found  (they  say)  to 
 have  one  and  the  same  Power  both  of  Order  and  Jurisdic- 
 tion :  secondly,  by  gathering  together  the  differences  be- 
 tween that  Power  which  wegive  to  Bishops,  and  that  which 
 was  given  them  of  old  in  the  Church  ;  so  that,  albeit  even 
 the  ancient  took  more  than  was  warrantable,  yet  so  far 
 they  swerved  not  as  ours  have  done  :  thirdly,  by  endeavour- 
 ing to  prove,  that  the  Scripture  directly  forbiddeth,  and 
 that  the  judgment  of  the  wisest,  the  holiest,  the  best,  in  all 
 ages,  condemneth  utterly  the  inequality  which  we  allow. 
 Their  ar.  That  inequality  of  Pastors  is  a  mere  human  inven- 
 
 guments 
 
 in  dis.   tion,  a  thing  not  found  in  the  Word  of  God,  they  prove 
 
 grace  of 
 Regi 
 
 thus : 
 
 Bis'hV's  *"  "AH  the  places  of  Scripture  where  the  word  Bishop  is 
 as  being'  used,  or  any  other  derived  of  that  name,  signify  an  over- 
 i'nven-6  sight  in  respect  of  some  particular  congregation  only,  and 
 m°n°f  never  in  regard  of  Pastors  committed  unto  his  oversight, 
 and  not  por  which  cause  the  names  of  Bishops,  and  Presbyters, 
 scr"P-  'D  or  Pastoral  Elders,  are  used  indifferently,  to  signify  one 
 w'ered?5  and tnc  self-same  thing.  Which  so  indifferent  and  common 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 283 
 
 use  of  these  words  for  one  and  the  self-same  Office,  so  con-  T'<"s 
 stantly  and  perpetually  in  all  places,  declareth  that  the  i".  -nm. 
 word  Bishop  in  the  Apostles'  writing  importeth  not  a  Pas-  "^f/ 
 tor  of  higher  Power  and  Authority  over  other  Pastors."  •• 
 
 ii.  "All  Pastors  are  called  to  their  Office  by  the  same  1,2!' 
 means  of  proceeding ;  the  Scripture  maketh  no  difference 
 
 in  the  manner  of  their  Trial,  Election,  Ordination  :  which 
 proveth  their  Office  and  Power  to  be  by  Scripture  all  one." 
 
 iii.  "  The  Apostles  were  all  of  equal  Power,  and  all  Pas- 
 tors do  alike  succeed  the  Apostles  in  their  Ministry  and 
 Power,  the  commission  and  authority  whereby  they  suc- 
 ceed being  in  Scripture  but  one  and  the  same  that  was 
 committed  to  the  Apostles,  without  any  difference  of  com- 
 mitting to  one  Pastor  more,  or  to  another  less." 
 
 iv.  "  The  Power  of  the  Censures  and  Keys  of  the  Church, 
 and  of  ordaining  and  ordering  Ministers  (in  which  two 
 points  especially  this  Superiority  is  challenged),  is  not  com- 
 mitted to  any  one  Pastor  of  the  Church  more  than  to  ano- 
 ther ;  but  the  same  is  committed  thing  to  be  carried 
 equally  in  the  guidance  of  the  Church.  Whereby  it  ap- 
 peareth,  that  Scripture  maketh  all  Pastors,  not  only  in  the 
 Ministry  of  the  Word  and  Sacraments,  but  also  in  all 
 Ecclesiastical  Jurisdiction  and  Authority,  equal." 
 
 v.  f<  The  Council  of  Nice  doth  attribute  this  difference, 
 not  unto  any  Ordination  of  God,  but  to  an  ancient  Custom 
 used  in  former  times,  which  judgment  is  also  followed 
 afterwards  by  other  Councils:  Concil.  Antioch.  cap.  9." 
 
 vi.  Upon  these  premises,  their  summary  collection  and 
 conclusion  is,  "  That  the  Ministry  of  the  Gospel,  and  the 
 functions  thereof,  ought  to  be  from  Heaven  and  of  God 
 (John  i.  23.);  that  if  they  be  of  God^and  from  Heaven, 
 then  are  they  set  down  in  the  Word  of  God  ;*  that  if  they 
 be  not  in  the  Word  of  God  (as  by  the  premises  it  doth  ap- 
 pear (they  say)  that  our  kinds  of  Bishops  are  not),  it  fol- 
 loweth,  they  are  invented  by  the  brain  of  men,  and  are  of 
 the  earth,  and  that  consequently  they  can  do  no  good  in 
 the  Church  of  Christ,  but  harm." 
 
 Our  answer  hereunto  is,  first,  that  their  proofs  are  un-  Answer. 
 
 *  '  So  that  it  appeareth  that  the  Ministry  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  functions 
 thereof,  ought  to  be  from  Heaven  :  from  Heaven,  1  say,  and  heavenly,  because 
 although  it  be  executed  by  earthly  men,  and  Ministers  are  chosen  also  by  men  like 
 unto  themselves,  yet  because  it  is  done  by  the  Word  and  Institution  of  God,  it 
 way  well  be  accounted  to  come  from  Heaven  and  from  God.'    T.  C.  lib.  i.  p.  13. 
 
284 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 available  to  shew  that  Scripture  affordeth  no  evidence  for 
 the  inequality  of  Pastors  :  secondly,  that  albeit  the  Scrip- 
 ture did  no  way  insinuate  the  same  to  be  God's  Ordinance, 
 and  the  Apostles  to  have  brought  it  in,  albeit  the  Church 
 were  acknowledged  by  all  men  to  have  been  the  first  be- 
 ginner thereof  a  long  time  after  the  Apostles  were  gone ; 
 yet  is  not  the  Authority  of  Bishops  hereby  disannulled,  it 
 is  not  hereby  proved  unfit  or  unprofitable  for  the  Church. 
 
 (1.)  '  That  the  Word  of  God  doth  acknowledge  no  ine- 
 quality of  Power  amongst  Pastors  of  the  Church,'  neither 
 doth  it  appear  by  the  signification  of  this  word  Bishop,  nor 
 by  the  indifferent  use  thereof.  For,  concerning  significa- 
 tion, first,  it  is  clearly  untrue  that  no  other  thing  is  there- 
 by signified  but  only  an  oversight  in  respect  of  a  particu- 
 lar Church  and  Congregation.  For,  I  beseech  you,  of 
 what  Parish  or  particular  Congregation  was  Matthias 
 i.y.  Bishop?  His  Office  Scripture  doth  term  Episcopal :  which 
 being  no  other  than  was  common  unto  all  the  Apos- 
 tles of  Christ,  forasmuch  as  in  that  number  there  is  not 
 any  to  whom  the  oversight  of  many  Pastors  did  not  be- 
 long by  force  and  virtue  of  that  Office ;  it  followeth  that 
 the  very  word  doth  sometimes,  even  in  Scripture,  signify 
 an  oversight  such  as  includeth  charge  over  Pastors  them- 
 selves. And  if  we  look  to  the  use  of  the  word,  being  ap- 
 plied with  reference  unto  some  one  Church,  as  Ephesus, 
 Philippi,  and  such  like,  albeit  the  guides  of  those  Churches 
 be  interchangeably  in  Scripture  termed  sometime  Bishops, 
 sometime  Presbyters,  to  signify  men  having  oversight  and 
 charge,  without  relation  at  all  unto  other  than  the  Chris- 
 tian Laity  alone;  yet  this  doth  not  hinder,  but  that  Scrip- 
 ture may  in  some  place  have  other  names,  whereby  certain 
 of  those  Presbyters  or  Bishops  are  noted  to  have  the  over- 
 fly sight  and  charge  of  Pastors,  as  out  of  all  peradventure 
 they  had  whom  St.  John  doth  entitle  Angels. 
 
 (2.)  '  As  for  those  things  which  the  Apostle  hath  set  down 
 concerning  Trial,  Election,  and  Ordination  of  Pastors,  that 
 he  maketh  no  difference  in  the  manner  of  their  calling,' 
 this  also  is  but  a  silly  argument  to  prove  their  Office  and 
 their  Power  equal  by  the  Scripture.  The  Form  of  admit- 
 ting each  sort  unto  their  offices,  needed  no  particular  in- 
 struction: there  was  no  fear,  but  that  such  matters  of 
 course  would  easily  enough  be  observed.    The  Apostle, 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 285 
 
 therefore,  toucheth  those  things  wherein  judgment,  wis- 
 dom, and  conscience  are  required ;  he  carefully  admonish- 
 eth  of  what  quality  Ecclesiastical  persons  should  be,  that 
 their  dealing  might  not  be  scandalous  in  the  Church.  And, 
 forasmuch  as  those  things  are  general,  we  see  that  of 
 Deacons  there  are  delivered,  in  a  manner,  the  self- same 
 precepts  which  are  given  concerning  Pastors,  so  far  as 
 concerneth  their  Trial,  Election,  and  Ordination.  Yet  who 
 doth  hereby  collect  that  Scripture  maketh  Deacons  and 
 Pastors  equal  ?  If  notwithstanding  it  be  yet  demanded, 
 'Wherefore  he  which  teacheth  what  kind  of  persons 
 Deacons  and  Presbyters  should  be,  hath  nothing  in  parti- 
 cular about  the  quality  of  Chief-Presbyters,  whom  we  call 
 Bishops  ?  '  I  answer  briefly,  that  there  it  was  no  fit  place 
 for  any  such  discourse  to  be  made,  inasmuch  as  the  Apo- 
 stle wrote  unto  Timothy  and  Titus,  who,  having  by  com- 
 mission Episcopal  Authority,  were  to  exercise  the  same  in 
 ordaining,  not  Bishops  (the  Apostles  themselves  yet  liv- 
 ing, and  retaining  that  power  in  their  own  hands)  but 
 Presbyters,  such  as  the  Apostles  at  the  first  did  create 
 throughout  all  Churches.  Bishops  by  restraint  (only  James 
 at  Jerusalem  excepted)  were  not  yet  in  being. 
 
 (3.)  About  equality  amongst  the  Apostles  there  is  by  us 
 no  controversy  moved.  If  in  the  rooms  of  the  Apostles, 
 which  were  of  equal  Authority,  all  Pastors  do  by  Scripture 
 succeed  alike,  where  shall  we  find  a  commission  in  Scrip- 
 ture which  they  speak  of,  which  appointed  all  to  succeed 
 in  the  self-same  equality  of  Power  ?  except  that  commission 
 which  doth  authorize  to  preach  and  baptize  should  be  al- 
 leged, which  maketh  nothing  to  the  purpose ;  for  in  such 
 things  all  Pastors  are  still  equal.  We  must,  I  fear  me, 
 wait  very  long  before  any  other  will  be  shewed.  For  how- 
 soever the  Apostles  were  equals  amongst  themselves,  all 
 other  Pastors  were  not  equals  with  the  Apostles  while 
 they  lived,  neither  are  they  any  where  appointed  to  be 
 afterwards  each  other's  equals.  Apostles  had,  as  we  know, 
 Authority  over  all  such  as  were  no  Apostles  ;  by  force  of 
 which  their  Authority  they  might  command  and  judge.  It 
 was  for  the  singular  good  and  benefit  of  those  Disciples 
 whom  Christ  left  behind  him,  and  of  the  Pastors  which 
 were  afterwards  chosen ;  for  the  great  good,  I  say,  of  all 
 sorts,  that  the  Apostles  were  in  Power  above  them.  Every 
 
286 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 day  brought  forth  somewhat  wherein  they  saw  by  expe- 
 rience, how  much  it  stood  them  in  stead  to  be  nnder  con- 
 trolment  of  those  Superiors  and  higher  Governors  of  God's 
 House.  Was  it  a  thing  so  behoveful  that  Pastors  should  be 
 subject  unto  Pastors  in  the  Apostles'  own  times  ?  and  is 
 there  any  commandment  that  this  subjection  should  cease 
 with  them,  and  that  the  Pastors  of  the  succeeding  ages 
 should  be  all  equals?  No,  no,  this  strange  and  absurd 
 conceit  of  equality  amongst  Pastors  (the  mother  of  schism 
 and  of  confusion)  is  but  a  dream  newly  brought  forth,  and 
 seen  never  in  the  Church  before. 
 
 (4.)  Power  of  Censure  and  Ordination  appeareth  even  by 
 Scripture  marvellous  probable  to  have  been  derived  from 
 Christ  to  his  Church,  without  this  surmised  equality  in 
 them  to  whom  he  hath  committed  the  same.  For  I  would 
 know,  whether  Timothy  and  Titus  were  commanded  by 
 St.  Paul  to  do  any  thing  more  than  Christ  hath  authorized 
 Pastors  to  do?  And  to  the  one  it  is  Scripture  which saith, 
 iTim.  "  Against  a  Presbyter  receive  thou  no  accusation,  saving 
 v-  !y>  under  two  or  three  witnesses  ;"  Scripture  which  likewise 
 Tit .  s,  hath  said  to  the  other,  "  For  this  very  cause  left  I  thee  in 
 Crete,  that  thou  shouldest  redress  the  things  that  remain, 
 and  shouldest  ordain  Presbyters  in  every  city,  as  I  ap- 
 pointed thee"  In  the  former  place  the  power  of  Censure 
 is  spoken  of,  and  the  power  of  Ordination  in  the  latter. 
 Will  they  say,  that  every  Pastor  there  was  equal  to  Timo- 
 thy and  Titus  in  these  things?  If  they  do,  the  Apostle  him- 
 self is  against  it,  who  saith,  that  of  their  two  very  persons 
 he  had  made  choice,  and  appointed  in  those  places  them 
 for  performances  of  those  duties  :  whereas,  if  the  same  had 
 belonged  unto  others  no  less  than  to  them,  and  not  princi- 
 pally unto  them  above  others,  it  had  been  fit  for  the  Apo- 
 stle accordingly  to  have  directed  his  letters  concerning 
 these  things  in  general  unto  them  all  which  had  equal  in- 
 terest in  them  ;  even  as  it  had  been  likewise  fit  to  have 
 written  those  Epistles  in  St.  John's  Revelation,  unto 
 whole  Ecclesiastical  Senates,  rather  than  only  unto  the 
 Angels  of  each  Church,  had  not  some  one  been  above  the 
 rest  in  Authority  to  order  the  affairs  of  the  Church.  Scrip- 
 ture, therefore,  doth  most  probably  make  for  the  inequality 
 of  Pastors,  even  in  all  Ecclesiastical  affairs,  and  by  very 
 express  mention,  as  well  in  Censures,  as  Ordinations. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 287 
 
 (5.)  In  the  Niccne  Council  there  are  confirmed  certain 
 prerogatives  and  dignities  belonging  unto  Primates  or 
 Archbishops,  and  of  them  it  is  said,  that  the  ancient  Cus- 
 tom of  the  Church  had  been  to  give  them  such  pre-emi- 
 nence, but  no  syllable  whereby  any  man  should  conjecture 
 that  those  Fathers  did  not  honour  the  Superiority  which 
 Bishops  had  over  other  Pastors  only  upon  ancient  Custom, 
 and  not  as  true  Apostolical,  Heavenly,  and  Divine  Ordi- 
 nance. 
 
 (6.)  Now,  although  we  should  leave  the  general-received 
 persuasion  held  from  the  first  beginning,  that  the  Apostles 
 themselves  left  Bishops  invested  with  Power  above  other 
 Pastors ;  although,  I  say,  wre  would  give  over  this  opinion, 
 and  embrace  that  other  conjecture  which  so  many  have 
 thought  good  to  follow,*  and  which  myself  did  sometime 
 judge  a  great  deal  more  probable  than  now  I  do,  merely 
 that  after  the  Apostles  were  deceased,  Churches  did  agree 
 amongst  themselves,  for  preservation  of  peace  and  order, 
 to  make  one  Presbyter  in  each  city  chief  over  the  rest, 
 and  to  translate  unto  him  that  Power  by  force  and  virtue 
 whereof  the  Apostles,  while  they  were  alive,  did  preserve 
 and  uphold  Order  in  the  Church,  exercising  spiritual  Juris- 
 diction, partly  by  themselves,  and  partly  by  Evangelists, 
 because  they  could  not  always  every  where  themselves  be 
 present :  this  Order  taken  by  the  Church  itself  (for  so  let 
 us  suppose,  that  the  Apostles  did  neither  by  word  nor  deed  m 
 appoint  it)  were  notwithstanding  more  warrantable,  than  1 
 that  it  should  give  place  and  be  abrogated,  because  the 
 Ministry  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  functions  thereof,  ought  to  johu 
 be  from  Heaven.  There  came  Chief-Priests  and  Elders  unto  '* S5' 
 our  Saviour  Christ  as  he  was  teaching  in  the  Temple,  and 
 the  question  which  they  moved  unto  him  was  this,  "  By  Matt, 
 what  authority  doest  thou  these  things,  and  who  gave  thee  ll]'^' 
 this  authority  ?"  their  question  he  repelled  with  a  counter- 
 demand,  "  The  Baptism  of  John,  whence  was  it,  from  Hea- 
 ven, or  of  men?"  Hereat  they  paused,  secretly  disputing 
 within  themselves,  "  If  we  should  say,  From  Heaven,  he 
 will  ask,  Wherefore  did  ye  not  then  believe  him  ?  and  if 
 we  say,  Of  men,  we  fear  the  people,  for  all  hold  John  a 
 
 *  They  of  Walden,  JEn.  Syl.  hist.  Bohem.  [c.  35.]  Marsilius  defens.  pac.  Nicl. 
 Thomas  Wald.  c.  1.  lib.  ii.  c.  60.  Calvin.  Com.  in  1.  ad  Tit.  Bullinger,  Decad.  1. 
 Ser.  3.  Juel.  Def.  apol.  par.  t,  e.  9.  Di.  X.  Fulk.  answ.  to  the  Test. 
 
288 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Prophet."  What  is  it  now  which  hereupon  these  men 
 would  infer  ?  That  all  functions  Ecclesiastical  ought  in 
 such  sort  to  be  from  Heaven,  as  the  function  of  John  was? 
 No  such  matter  here  contained.  Nay,  doth  not  the  con- 
 trary rather  appear  most  plainly  by  that  which  is  here  set 
 down?  For  when  our  Saviour  doth  ask  concerning  the 
 Baptism,  that  is  to  say,  the  whole  spiritual  function  of 
 John,  whether  it  were  "from  Heaven,  or  of  men,"  he  giveth 
 clearly  to  understand  that  men  give  authority  unto  some, 
 and  some  God  himself  from  Heaven  doth  authorize.  Nor 
 is  it  said,  or  in  any  sort  signified,  that  none  have  lawful 
 authority  which  have  it  not  in  such  manner  as  John,  from 
 Heaven.  Again,  when  the  Priests  and  Elders  were  loth 
 to  say,  that  John  had  his  calling  "  of  men,"  the  reason 
 was  not  because  they  thought  that  so  John  should  not 
 have  any  good  or  lawful  calling,  but  because  they  saw  that 
 by  this  means  they  should  somewhat  embase  the  calling  of 
 John ;  whom  all  men  knew  to  have  been  sent  from  God, 
 according  to  the  manner  of  Prophets,  by  a  mere  celestial 
 vocation.  So  that  out  of  the  evidence  here  alleged,  these 
 things  we  may  directly  conclude :  first,  that  whoso  doth 
 exercise  any  kind  of  function  in  the  Church,  he  cannot  law- 
 fully so  do,  except  Authority  be  given  him  ;  secondly,  that 
 if  Authority  be  not  given  him  from  men,  as  the  Authority  of 
 teaching  was  given  unto  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  it  must  be 
 given  him  from  Heaven,  as  Authority  was  given  unto  Christ, 
 Elias,  John  Baptist,  and  the  Prophets.  For  these  two 
 only  ways  there  are  to  have  Authority.  But  a  strange  con- 
 clusion it  is,  God  himself  did  from  Heaven  authorize  John 
 to  bear  witness  of  the  Light,  to  prepare  a  way  for  the  pro- 
 mised Messiah,  to  publish  the  nearness  of  the  Kingdom  of 
 God,  to  preach  Repentance,  and  to  baptize  (for  by  this  part, 
 which  was  in  the  function  of  John  most  noted,  all  the  rest 
 are  together  signified) ;  therefore  the  Church  of  God  hath 
 no  power  upon  new  occurrences  to  appoint,  to  ordain  an 
 Ecclesiastical  function,  as  Moses  did  upon  Jethro's  advice 
 devise  a  Civil.  All  things  we  grant  which  are  in  the  Church 
 ought  to  be  of  God.  But,  forasmuch  as  they  may  be  two 
 ways  accounted  such  :  one,  if  they  be  of  his  own  institu- 
 tion, and  not  of  ours ;  another,  if  they  be  of  ours,  and  yet 
 with  his  approbation  :  this  latter  way  there  is  no  impedi- 
 ment, but  that  the  same  thing  which  is  of  men,  may  be  also 
 
BOOK  VIT. 
 
 289 
 
 justly  and  truly  said  to  be  of  God,  the  same  thing  from 
 Heaven  which  is  from  earth.  Of  all  good  things  God  him- 
 self is  author,  and  consequently  an  approver  of  them. 
 The  Rule  to  discern  when  the  actions  of  men  are  good, 
 when  they  are  such  as  they  ought  to  be,  is  more  ample  and 
 large  than  the  Law  which  God  hath  set  particular  down  in 
 his  holy  Word  ;  the  Scripture  is  but  a  part  of  that  Rule,  as 
 hath  beeu  heretofore  at  large  declared.  If  therefore  all 
 things  be  of  God  which  are  well  done;  and  if  all  things  be 
 well  done,  which  are  according  to  the  Rule  of  well-doing ;  lib.  i. 
 and  if  the  Rule  of  well-doing  be  more  ample  than  the  Scrip- 
 ture :  what  necessity  is  there,  that  every  thing  which  is  of 
 God  should  be  set  down  in  Holy  Scripture?  True  it  is  in 
 things  of  some  one  kind,  true  it  is,  that  what  we  are  now 
 of  necessity  for  ever  bound  to  believe  or  observe  in  the 
 special  mysteries  of  salvation,  Scripture  must  needs  give 
 notice  of  it  unto  the  world  ;  yet  true  it  cannot  be,  touching 
 all  things  that  are  of  God.  Sufficient  it  is  for  the  proof  of 
 lawfulness  in  any  thing  done,  if  we  can  shew  that  God  ap- 
 proveth  it.  And  of  his  approbation  the  evidence  is  suffi- 
 cient, if  either  himself  have  by  Revelation  in  hisWord  war- 
 ranted it,  or  we  by  some  discourse  of  Reason  find  it  good 
 of  itself,  and  unrepugnant  unto  any  of  his  revealed  Laws 
 and  Ordinances.  Wherefore,  injurious  we  are  unto  God, 
 the  author  and  giver  of  human  capacity,  judgment,  and 
 wit,  when,  because  of  some  things  wherein  he  precisely 
 forbiddeth  men  to  use  their  own  inventions,  we  take  occa- 
 sion to  disauthorize  and  disgrace  the  works  which  he  doth 
 produce  by  the  hand  either  of  Nature  or  of  Grace  in  them. 
 We  offer  contumely,  even  unto  him,  when  we  scornfully 
 reject  what  we  list,  without  any  other  exception  than  this, 
 "  The  brain  of  man  hath  devised  it."  Whether  we  look 
 into  the  Church  or  Commonweal,  as  well  in  the  one  as  in 
 the  other,  both  the  Ordination  of  Officers,  and  the  very  in- 
 stitution of  their  Offices,  may  be  truly  derived  from  God, 
 and  approved  of  him,  although  they  be  not  always  of  him 
 in  such  sort  as  those  things  are  which  are  in  Scripture. 
 Doth  not  the  Apostle  term  the  Law  of  Nature,  even  as  the  tiom. 
 Evangelist  doth  the  Law  of  Scripture,  AiKai'wjua  row  Otov,  'i^ 
 God's  own  righteous  Ordinance  ?  The  Law  of  Nature  then  '■ 6- 
 being  his  Law,  that  must  needs  be  of  him  which  it  hath 
 directed  men  unto.  Great  odds,  I  grant,  there  is  between 
 vol.  if.  u 
 
290 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 things  devised  by  men,  although  agreeable  with  the  Law  of 
 Nature,  and  things  in  Scripture  set  down  by  the  finger  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost.    Howbeit  the  dignity  of  these  is  no  hin- 
 derance,  but  that  those  be  also  reverently  accounted  of  in 
 their  place.    This  much  they  very  well  saw,  who  although 
 not  living  themselves  under  this  kind  of  Church  Polity,  yet 
 being,  through  some  experience,  more  moderate,  grave,  and 
 circumspect  in  their  judgment,  have  given  hereof  their 
 confess,  sounder  and  better-advised  sentence.  "  That  which  the  holy 
 l69'     Fathers  (saith  Zanchius)  have  by  common  consent,  with- 
 out contradiction  of  Scripture,  received,  for  my  part,  I 
 neither  will,  nor  dare  with  good  conscience,  disallow."  And 
 what  more  certain,  than  that  the  ordering  of  Ecclesiastical 
 persons,  one  in  Authority  above  another,  was  received  into 
 the  Church  by  the  common  consent  of  the  Christian  world? 
 What  am  I,  that  I  should  take  upon  me  to  control  the  whole 
 Church  of  Christ  in  that  which  is  so  well  known  to  have 
 been  lawfully,  religiously,  and  to  notable  purpose,  insti- 
 tuted ?  Calvin  maketh  mention  even  of  Primates  that  have 
 EPi5t.   Authority  above  Bishops :  "  It  was  (saith  he)  the  institu- 
 19°*     tion  of  the  ancient  Church,  to  the  end  that  the  Bishops 
 might,  by  this  bond  of  concord,  continue  the  faster  linked 
 amongst  themselves."    And,  lest  any  man  should  think 
 that  as  well  he  might  allow  the  Papacy  itself,  to  prevent 
 this  he  addeth,  "  Aliud  est  moderatum  gerere  et  honorem, 
 quam  totum  tcrrarum  orbem  immenso  imperio  complecti." 
 These  things  standing  as  they  do,  we  may  conclude,  that, 
 albeit  the  Offices  which  Bishops  execute  had  been  commit- 
 ted unto  them  only  by  the  Church,  and  that  the  Superiority 
 which  they  have  over  other  Pastors  were  not  first  by  Christ 
 himself  given  to  the  Apostles,  and  from  them  descended  to 
 others,  but  afterwards  in  such  consideration  brought  in  and 
 agreed  upon,  as  is  pretended;  yet  could  not  this  be  a  just 
 or  lawful  exception  against  it. 
 Their  ar-    12.  But  they  will  say,  "  There  was  no  necessity  of 
 to  prove  instituting  Bishops ;  the  Church  might  have  stood  well 
 w"eno  enough  without  them ;  they  are  as  those  superfluous  things, 
 necessity  which  neither  while  they  continue  do  good,  nor  do  harm 
 tut'ing    when  they  are  removed,  because  there  is  not  any  profitable 
 £isth°ps  use  whereunto  they  should  serve.    For  first,  in  the  primi- 
 church.  tive  Church  their  Pastors  were  all  equal,  the  Bishops  of 
 those  days  were  the  very  same  which  Pastors  of  Parish- 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 291 
 
 churches  at  this  day  are  with  us,  no  one  at  commandment 
 or  controlment  by  any  other's  authority  amongst  them. 
 The  Church  therefore  may  stand  and  flourish  without 
 Bishops:  if  they  be  necessary,  wherefore  were  they  not 
 sooner  instituted  ?"  ii.  "Again,  if  any  such  thing  were  need- 
 ful for  the  Church,  Christ  would  have  set  it  down  in  Scrip- 
 ture, as  he  did  all  kind  of  Officers  needful  for  Jewish  Regi- 
 ment. He  which  prescribed  unto  the  Jews  so  particularly 
 the  least  thing  pertinent  unto  their  Temple,  would  not  have 
 left  so  weighty  offices  undetermined  of  in  Scripture,  but 
 that  he  knew  the  Church  could  never  have  any  profitable 
 use  of  them."  iii.  "  Furthermore,  it  is  the  judgment  of  Cy-  (ep-  3- 
 prian,  that  equality  requireth  every  man's  cause  to  be  heard,  0U59. 
 where  the  fault  he  is  charged  with  was  committed :  and  c' 10  ] 
 the  reason  he  allegeth  is,  forasmuch  as  there  they  may  have 
 both  accusers  and  witnesses  in  their  cause.  Sith  therefore 
 every  man's  cause  is  meetest  to  be  handled  at  home  by  the 
 judges  of  his  own  Parish,  to  what  purpose  serveth  their 
 device,  which  have  appointed  Bishops  unto  whom  such 
 causes  may  be  brought,  and  Archbishops  to  whom  they 
 may  be  also  from  thence  removed  ? 
 
 13.  What  things  have  necessary  use  in  the  Church,  The  fore, 
 they  of  all  others  are  the  most  unfit  to  judge,  who  bend  arguments 
 themselves  purposely  against  whatsoever  the  Church  useth, 31 
 except  it  please  themselves  to  give  it  the  grace  and  coun- 
 tenance of  their  faithful  approbation  ;  which  they  willingly 
 do  not  yield  unto  any  part  of  Church  Polity,  in  the  fore- 
 head whereof  there  is  not  the  mark  of  that  new-devised 
 stamp.  But  howsoever  men  like  or  dislike,  whether  they 
 judge  things  necessary  or  needless  in  the  House  of  God,  a 
 conscience  they  should  have  touching  that  which  they 
 boldly  affirm  or  deny.  (1.)  "  In  the  primitive  Church  no 
 Bishops,  no  Pastor  having  Power  over  other  Pastors,  but 
 all  equals,  every  man  supreme  commander  and  ruler  within 
 the  kingdom  of  his  own  Congregation  or  Parish.  The 
 Bishops  that  are  spoken  of  in  the  time  of  the  primitive 
 Church,  all  such  as  Parsons  or  Rectors  of  Parishes  are 
 with  us?"  If  thus  it  hath  been  in  the  prime  of  the  Church, 
 the  question  is,  how  far  they  will  have  that  prime  to  ex- 
 tend? and  where  the  latter  spring  of  that  new- supposed 
 disorder  to  begin  ?  That  primitive  Church,  wherein  they 
 hold  that  amongst  the  Fathers  all  which  had  pastoral 
 
 u  2 
 
292 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 charge  were  equal,  they  must  of  necessity  so  far  enlarge  as 
 to  contain  some  hundred  of  years,  because  for  proof  hereof 
 they  allege  boldly  and  confidently  St.  Cyprian,  who  suf- 
 fered martyrdom  about  two  hundred  and  threescore  years 
 after  our  blessed  Lord's  Incarnation.  A  Bishop,  they  say, 
 such  as  Cyprian  doth  speak  of,  had  only  a  Church  or  Con- 
 gregation, such  as  the  Ministers  and  Pastors  with  us, 
 which  are  appointed  unto  several  towns.  Every  Bishop 
 in  Cyprian's  time  was  Pastor  of  one  only  Congregation, 
 assembled  in  one  place  to  be  taught  of  one  man.*  A  thing 
 impertinent,  although  it  were  true.  For  the  question  is 
 about  personal  inequality  amongst  Governors  of  the  Church. 
 Now  to  shew  there  was  no  such  thing  in  the  Church  at 
 such  time  as  Cyprian  lived,  what  bring  they  forth  ?  For- 
 sooth that  Bishops  had  then  but  a  small  circuit  of  place 
 for  the  exercise  of  their  Authority.  Be  it  supposed,  that 
 no  one  Bishop  had  more  than  one  only  Town  to  govern, 
 one  only  Congregation  to  rule;  doth  it  by  Cyprian  appear, 
 that  in  any  such  Town  or  Congregation  being  under  the  care 
 and  charge  of  some  one  Bishop,  there  were  not,  besides 
 that  one  Bishop,  others  also  Ministers  of  the  Word  and 
 Sacraments :  yet  subject  to  the  Power  of  the  same  Bishop  ? 
 If  this  appear  not,  how  can  Cyprian  be  alleged  for  a  wit- 
 ness that  in  those  times  there  were  no  Bishops  which  did 
 differ  from  other  Ministers,  as  being  above  them  in  degree 
 of  Ecclesiastical  Power?  But  a  gross  and  a  palpable  un- 
 truth it  is,  "  That  Bishops  with  Cyprian  were  as  Ministers 
 are  with  us  in  Parish-churches ;  and  that  each  of  them  did 
 guide  some  Parish  without  any  other  Pastors  under  him." 
 St.  Cyprian's  own  person  may  serve  for  a  manifest  disproof 
 hereof.  Pontius,  being  Deacon  under  Cyprian,  noteth  that 
 his  admirable  virtues  caused  him  to  be  Bishop  with  the 
 soonest;  which  advancement  thereof  himself  endeavoured 
 for  a  while  to  avoid.  It  seemed  in  his  own  eyes  too  soon 
 for  him  to  take  the  Title  of  so  great  honour,  in  regard 
 whereof  a  Bishop  is  termed  Pontifex,  Sacerdos,  Antistes 
 Dei.  Yet  such  was  his  quality,  that  whereas  others  did 
 hardly  perform  that  duty  whereunto  the  Discipline  of  their 
 Order,  together  with  the  Religion  of  the  Oath  they  took  at 
 
 •  '  The  Bishop  which  Cyprian  speaketh  of,  is  nothing  else  but  such  as  we  call 
 Pastor,  or,  as  the  common  name  with  us  is,  Parson  ;  and  his  Church,  whereof  he  is 
 Bishop,  is  neither  Diocess  nor  Province,  but  a  Congregation  which  met  together  in 
 one  place,  and  to  be  taught  of  one  man.'  T.  C.  lib.  i.  p.  99,  tOO. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 293 
 
 their  entrance  into  the  Office,  even  constrained  them ;  him 
 the  Chair  did  not  make,  but  receive,  such  a  one,  as  behoved 
 that  a  Bishop  should  be.    But  soon  after  followed  that 
 prescription,  whereby  being  driven  into  exile,  and  con- 
 tinuing in  that  estate  for  the  space  of  some  two  years,  he 
 ceased  not  by  letters  to  deal  with  his  Clergy,  and  to  direct 
 them  about  the  public  affairs  of  the  Church.    They  unto 
 whom  these  Epistles  were  written,*  he  commonly  entitled 
 the  Presbyters  and  Deacons  of  that  Church.    If  any  man 
 doubt  whether  those  Presbyters  of  Carthage  were  Minis- 
 ters of  the  Word  and  Sacraments  or  no,  let  him  consider 
 but  that  one  only  place  of  Cyprian,  where  he  giveth  them 
 this  careful  advice,  how  to  deal  with  circumspection  in  the 
 perilous  times  of  the  Church,  that  neither  they  which  were 
 for  the  truth's  sake  imprisoned  might  want  those  ghostly 
 comforts  which  they  ought  to  have,  nor  the  Church  by  mi- 
 nistering the  same  unto  them  incur  unnecessary  danger 
 and  peril.   In  which  Epistle  it  doth  expressly  appear,  that 
 the  Presbyters  of  whom  he  speakefh  did  offer,  that  is  to 
 say,  administer  the  Eucharist ;  and  that  many  there  were 
 of  them  in  the  Church  of  Carthage,  so  as  they  might  have 
 every  day  change  for  performance  of  that  duty.    Nor  will 
 any  man  of  sound  judgment,  I  think,  deny,  that  Cyprian  was 
 in  Authority  and  Power  above  the  Clergy  of  that  Church, 
 above  those  Presbyters  unto  whom  he  gave  direction.  It 
 is  apparently  therefore  untrue,  that  in  Cyprian's  time  Mi- 
 nisters of  the  Word  and  Sacraments  were  all  equal,  and 
 that  no  one  of  them  had  either  Title  more  excellent  than  the 
 rest,  or  Authority  and  Government  over  the  rest.  Cyprian, 
 being  Bishop  of  Carthage,  was  clearly  superior  unto  all 
 other  Ministers  there :  yea,  Cyprian  was,  by  reason  of  the 
 dignity  of  his  See,  an  Archbishop,  and  so  consequently  su- 
 perior unto  Bishops.    Bishops,  we  say,  there  have  been 
 always,  even  as  long  as  the  Church  of  Christ  itself  hath 
 been.    The  Apostles  who  planted  it,  did  themselves  rule 
 as  Bishops  over  it ;  neither  could  they  so  well  have  kept 
 
 •  '  Etsi  Fratres  pro  dilectione  sua  cupidi  sunt  ad  conveniendum  et  visitandum 
 Confessores  bonos,  quos  illustravit  jam  gloriosis  initiis  divina  dignatio,  tamen 
 caute  hoc,  et  non  glomeratim  nec  per  multitudinem  simul  junctam,  puto  esse  faci- 
 endum; ne  ex  hoc  ipso  invidia  concitetur,  et  introeundi  aditus  denegetar,  et  dum 
 insatiabiles  multum  volumus,  totum  perdamus  :  consulite  ergo  et  providete  ut  cum 
 temperamento  hoc  agi  tutius  possit;  ita  ut  Presbyteri  quoque,  qui  illic  apud  Con- 
 fessores offerunt,  singuli  cum  singulis  Diaconis  per  vices  alternent,  quia  et  muta- 
 tio  personarum,  et  vicissitudo  convenientium  minuit  invidiam.'  Ep.  5.  [c.  2.] 
 
294 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 things  in  order  during  their  own  times,  but  that  Episcopal 
 Authority  was  given  them  from  above,  to  exercise  far  and 
 wide  over  all  other  Guides  and  Pastors  of  God's  Church. 
 The  Church  indeed  for  a  time  continued  without  Bishops 
 by  restraint,  every  where  established  in  Christian  cities. 
 But  shall  we  thereby  conclude  that  the  Church  hath  no 
 use  of  them,  that  without  them  it  may  stand  and  flourish  ? 
 No ;  the  cause  wherefore  they  were  so  soon  universally 
 appointed  was,  for  that  it  plainly  appeared,  that  without 
 them  the  Church  could  not  have  continued  long.    It  was 
 by  the  special  providence  of  God,  no  doubt,  so  disposed, 
 that  the  evil  whereof  this  did  serve  for  remedy  might  first 
 be  felt,  and  so  the  reverend  Authority  of  Bishops  be  made 
 by  so  much  the  more  effectual,  when  our  general  expe- 
 rience had  taught  men  what  it  was  for  Churches  to  want 
 them.    Good  Laws  are  never  esteemed  so  good,  nor  ac- 
 knowledged so  necessary,  as  when  precedent  crimes  are 
 as  seeds  out  of  which  they  grow.    Episcopal  Authority 
 was  even  in  a  manner  sanctified  unto  the  Church  of 
 Christ  by  that  little  bitter  experience  which  it  first  had  of 
 the  pestilent  evil  of  schisms.    Again,  when  this  very  thing 
 was  proposed  as  a  remedy,  yet  a  more  suspicious  and 
 fearful  acceptance  it  must  needs  have  found,  if  the  self- 
 same provident  wisdom  of  Almighty  God  had  not  also 
 given  beforehand  sufficient  trial  thereof  in  the  Regiment  of 
 Jerusalem,  a  Mother-church,  which  having  received  the 
 same  Order  even  at  the  first,  was  by  it  most  peaceably  go- 
 verned, when  other  Churches  without  it  had  trouble.  So 
 that  by  all  means,  the  necessary  use  of  Episcopal  Govern- 
 ment is  confirmed,  yea,  strengthened  it  is  and  ratified,  even 
 by  the  not  establishment  thereof  in  all  Churches  every 
 where  at  the  first.  (2.)  When  they  further  dispute,  "That  if 
 any  such  thing  were  needful,  Christ  would  in  Scripture 
 have  set  down  particular  Statutes  and  Laws,  appointing 
 that  Bishops  should  be  made,  and  prescribing  in  what  Or- 
 der, even  as  the  Law  doth  for  all  kind  of  Officers  which 
 were  needful  in  the  Jewish  Regiment ;"  might  not  a  man 
 that  would  bend  his  wit  to  maintain  the  fury  of  the  Petro- 
 brusian  Heretics,  in  pulling  down  Oratories,  use  the  self- 
 same argument  with  as  much  countenance  of  reason?  "If 
 it  were  needful  that  we  should  assemble  ourselves  in 
 Churches,  would  that  God,  which  taught  the  Jews  so  ex- 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 295 
 
 actly  the  frame  of  their  sumptuous  Temple,  leave  us  no 
 particular  instructions  in  writing,  no  not  so  much  as  which 
 way  to  lay  any  one  stone  ?"  Surely  such  kind  of  argumen- 
 tation doth  not  so  strengthen  the  sinews  of  their  cause,  as 
 weaken  the  credit  of  their  judgment  which  are  led  there- 
 with.   (3.)  And  whereas,  thirdly,  in  disproof  of  that  use 
 which  Episcopal  Authority  hath  in  judgment  of  spiritual 
 causes,  they  bring  forth  the  verdict  of  Cyprian,  who  saith, 
 "  That  equity  requireth  every  man's  cause  to  be  heard,  Cypr. 
 where  the  fault  he  was  charged  with  was  committed,  for-  ep!  3. 
 asmuch  as  there  they  may  have  both  accusers  and  witnesses 
 in  the  cause;"  this  argument  grounding  itself  on  princi- 
 ples no  less  true  in  Civil  than  in  Ecclesiastical  causes, 
 unless  it  be  qualified  with  some  exceptions  or  limitations, 
 overturneth  the  highest  tribunal  seats  both  in  Church  and 
 Commonwealth;  it  taketh  utterly  away  all  appeals;  it  se- 
 cretly condemneth  even  the  blessed  Apostle  himself,  as 
 having  transgressed  the  Law  of  Equity,  by  his  appeal  from  Acts 
 the  Court  of  Judea  unto  those  higher  which  were  in  Rome. xxv-  "* 
 The  generality  of  such  kind  of  axioms  deceiveth,  unless  it 
 be  construed  with  such  cautions  as  the  matter  whereunto 
 they  are  appliable  doth  require.    A  usual  and  ordinary 
 transportation  of  causes  out  of  Africa  into  Italy,  out  of  one 
 Kingdom  into  another,  as  discontented  persons  list,  which 
 was  the  thing  which  Cyprian  disalloweth,  may  be  unequal 
 and  unmeet ;  and  yet  not  therefore  a  thing  unnecessary  to 
 have  the  Courts  erected  in  higher  places,  and  judgment 
 committed  unto  greater  persons,  to  whom  the  meaner  may 
 bring  their  causes  either  by  way  of  appeal  or  otherwise, 
 to  be  determined  according  to  the  Order  of  Justice ;  which 
 hath  been  always  observed  every  where  in  Civil  States, 
 and  is  no  less  requisite  also  for  the  State  of  the  Church  of 
 God.    The  reasons  which  teach  it  to  be  expedient  for  the 
 one,  will  shew  it  to  be  for  the  other  at  leastwise  not  un- 
 necessary.   Inequality  of  Pastors  is  an  Ordinance  both 
 divine  and  profitable.  Their  exceptions  against  it,  in  these 
 two  reasons,  we  have  shewed  to  be  altogether  causeless, 
 unreasonable,  and  unjust. 
 
 14.  The  next  thing  which  they  upbraided  us  with,  IS  Ad  an. 
 the  difference  between  that  inequality  of  Pastors  which  hath  ['{hose 
 been  of  old,  and  which  now  is.    For  at  length  they  grant,  "V"** 
 "  That  the  Superiority  of  Bishops  and  of  Archbishops  IS  objected. 
 
296 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 concern-  somewhat  ancient,  but  no  such  kind  of  Superiority  as  ours 
 
 ing  the       '  ' 
 
 differ,   have.     By  the  Laws  of  our  Discipline  a  Bishop  may  or- 
 tween6  dain  without  asking  the  people's  consent,  a  Bishop  may 
 rower  excommunicate  and  release  alone,  a  Bishop  may  imprison, 
 which   a  Bishop  may  bear  Civil  Office  in  the  Realm,  a  Bishop  may 
 n0y0ps  be  a  Counsellor  of  State;  those  things  ancient  Bishops 
 andthat  neilner  did  nor  might  do.    Be  it  granted,  that  ordinarily 
 «hich   neither  in  elections  nor  deprivations,  neither  in  excommu- 
 Bishops  nicating  nor  in  releasing  the  excommunicate,  in  none  of 
 J1^    the  weighty  affairs  of  Government,  Bishops  of  old  were 
 than     wont  to  do  any  thing  without  consultation  with  their  Clergy 
 ■presby-  and  consent  of  the  people  under  them;  be  it  granted,  that 
 ters-     the  same  Bishops  did  neither  touch  any  man  with  corporal 
 punishment,  nor  meddle  with  secular  affairs  and  offices, 
 the  whole  Clergy  of  God  being  then  tied,  by  the  strict  and 
 severe  Canons  of  the  Church,  to  use  no  other  than  ghostly 
 power,  to  attend  no  other  business  than  heavenly.  Tar- 
 quinius  was  in  the  Roman  Commonwealth  deservedly 
 hated,  of  whose  unorderly  proceedings  the  History  speaketh 
 thus :  "  Hie  Regum  primus  traditum  a  prioribus  morem 
 [c.49!]  de  omnibus  Senatum  consulendi  solvit;  domesticis  consi- 
 liis  Rempub.  administravit ;  bellum,  pacem,  foedera,  socie- 
 tates,  per  seipsum,  curaquibus  voluit,  injussu  Populi  ac 
 Senatus,  fecit  diremitque."    Against  Bishops  the  like  is 
 objected,  "  That  they  are  invaders  of  other  men's  rights, 
 and  by  intolerable  usurpation  take  upon  them  to  do  that 
 alone,  wherein  ancient  Laws  have  appointed  that  others, 
 not  they  only,  should  bear  sway."   Let  the  case  of  Bishops 
 be  put,  not  in  such  sort  as  it  is,  but  even  as  their  very 
 heaviest  adversaries  would   devise   it.     Suppose  that 
 Bishops  at  the  first  had  encroached  upon  the  Church ; 
 that  by  sleights  and  cunning  practices  they  had  appropri- 
 ated Ecclesiastical,  as  Augustus  did  Imperial  Pow  er ; 
 that  they  had  taken  the  advantage  of  men's  inclinable  af- 
 fections, which  did  not  suffer  them  for  revenue's  sake  to 
 be  suspected  of  ambition  ;  that  in  the  meanwhile  their 
 usurpation  had  gone  forward  by  certain  easy  and  insensi- 
 ble degrees  ;  that  being  not  discerned  in  the  growth,  when 
 it  was  thus  far  grown,  as  we  now  see  it  hath  proceeded, 
 the  world  at  length  perceiving  there  was  just  cause  of  com- 
 plaint, but  no  place  of  remedy  left,  had  assented  unto  it 
 by  a  general  secret  agreement  to  bear  it  now  as  a  helpless 
 
BOOK  vir. 
 
 297 
 
 evil :  all  this  supposed  for  certain  and  true ;  yet  surely  a 
 thing  of  this  nature,  as  for  the  superior  to  do  that  alone 
 unto  which  of  right  the  consent  of  some  other  inferiors 
 should  have  been  required  by  them  ;  though  it  had  an  indi- 
 rect entrance  at  the  first,  must  needs,  through  continuance 
 of  so  many  ages  as  this  hath  stood,  be  made  now  a  thing 
 more  natural  to  the  Church,  than  that  it  should  be  oppress- 
 ed with  the  mention  of  contrary  Orders  worn  so  many 
 ages  since  quite  and  clean  out  of  ure.    But  with  Bishops 
 the  case  is  otherwise :  for  in  doing  that  by  themselves 
 which  others  together  with  them  have  been  accustomed  to 
 do,  they  do  not  any  thing  but  that  whereunto  they  have 
 been  upon  just  occasions  authorized  by  orderly  means. 
 All  things  natural  have  in  them  naturally,  more  or  less,  the 
 power  of  providing  for  their  own  safety  ;  and  as  each  par- 
 ticular man  hath  this  power,  so  every  politic  Society  of 
 men  must  needs  have  the  same,  that  thereby  the  whole 
 may  provide  for  the  good  of  all  parts  therein.    For  other 
 benefit  we  have  not  any,  by  sorting  ourselves  into  politic 
 Societies,  saving  only  that  by  this  means  each  part  hath 
 that  relief  which  the  virtue  of  the  whole  is  able  to  yield  it. 
 The  Church,  therefore,  being  a  politic  Society  or  Body,  can- 
 not possibly  want  the  power  of  providing  for  itself;  and 
 the  chiefest  part  of  that  power  consisteth  in  the  authority 
 of  making  Laws.    Now,  forasmuch  as  Corporations  are 
 perpetual,  the  Law  of  the  ancienter  Church  cannot  choose 
 but  bind  the  latter,  while  they  are  in  force.    But  we  must 
 note  withal,  that  because  the  Body  of  the  Church  continueth 
 the  same,  it  hath  the  same  authority  still,  and  may  abro- 
 gate old  Laws,  or  make  new,  as  need  shall  require.  Where- 
 fore, vainly  are  the  ancient  Canons  and  Constitutions  ob- 
 jected as  Laws,  when  once  they  are  either  let  secretly  to 
 die  by  disusage,  or  are  openly  abrogated  by  contrary  Laws. 
 The  ancients  had  cause  to  do  no  otherwise  than  they  did; 
 and  yet  so  strictly  they  judged  not  themselves  in  conscience 
 bound  to  observe  those  Orders,  but  that  in  sundry  cases 
 they  easily  dispensed  therewith,  which  I  suppose  they 
 would  never  have  done,  had  they  esteemed  them  as  things 
 whereunto  everlasting,  immutable,  and  indispensable  ob- 
 servation did  belong.    The  Bishop  usually  promoted  none 
 which  were  not  first  allowed  as  fit,  by  conference  had  with 
 
29S 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 the  rest  of  his  Clergy  and  with  the  people.  Notwithstand- 
 ing, in  the  case  of  Aurelius,  St.  Cyprian  did  otherwise.  In 
 matters  of  deliberation  and  counsel,  for  disposing  of  that 
 which  belongeth  generally  to  the  whole  Body  of  the  Church, 
 or  which  being  more  particular,  is  nevertheless  of  so  great 
 consequence,  that  it  needeth  the  force  of  many  judgments 
 conferred ;  in  such  things  the  common  saying  must  neces- 
 sarily take  place,  "  An  eye  cannot  see  that  which  eyes 
 can."  As  for  Clerical  Ordinations,  there  are  no  such  rea- 
 sons alleged  against  the  Order  which  is,  but  that  it  may  be 
 esteemed  as  good  in  every  respect  as  that  which  hath  been, 
 and,  in  some  considerations,  better  ;  at  leastwise  (which  is 
 sufficient  to  our  purpose)  it  may  be  held  in  the  Church  of 
 Christ  without  transgressing  any  Law,  either  ancient  or  late, 
 divine  or  human,  which  we  ought  to  observe  and  keep.  The 
 Form  of  making  Ecclesiastical  Offices  hath  sundry  parts, 
 neither  are  they  all  of  equal  moment.  When,  Deacons 
 having  not  been  before  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  the  Apostles 
 saw  it  needful  to  have  such  ordained,  they  first  assemble  the 
 multitude,  and  shew  them  how  needful  it  is  that  Deacons  be 
 made :  secondly,  they  name  unto  them  what  number  they 
 judge  convenient,  what  quality  the  men  must  be  of,  and  to 
 the  people  they  commit  the  care  of  finding  such  out : 
 thirdly,  the  people  hereunto  assenting,  make  their  choice 
 of  Stephen  and  the  rest;  those  chosen  men  they  bring  and 
 present  before  the  Apostles  ;  howbeit,  all  this  doth  not  en- 
 due them  with  any  Ecclesiastical  Power.  But  when  so 
 much  was  done,  the  Apostles  finding  no  cause  to  take  excep- 
 tion, did  with  Prayer  and  Imposition  of  Hands  make  them 
 Deacons.  This  was  it  which  gave  them  their  very  being ; 
 all  other  things  besides  were  only  preparations  unto  this. 
 Touching  the  Form  of  making  Presbyters,  although  it  be 
 not  wholly  of  purpose  any  where  set  down  in  the  Apostles' 
 writings,  yet  sundry  speeches  there  are  which  insinuate 
 the  chiefest  things  that  belong  unto  that  action :  as,  when 
 Act^  Paul  and  Barnabas  are  said  to  have  fasted,  prayed, 
 fTim.'  and  made  Presbyters:  when  Timothy  is  willed  to  "lay 
 *'  hands  suddenly  on  no  man,"  for  fear  of  participating  with 
 other  men's  sins.  For  this  cause  the  Order  of  the  pri- 
 mitive Church  was,  between  choice  and  Ordination,  to 
 have  some  space  for  such  probation  and  trial  as  the 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 299 
 
 Apostle  doth  mention  in  Deacons,  saying,  "  Let  them  [j  Tim. 
 first  be  proved,  then  minister,  if  so  be  they  be  found  blame-  UI' 10  ] 
 
 less." 
 
 Alexander  Severus  beholding  in  his  time  how  careful  iamprfd. 
 the  Church  of  Christ  was,  especially  for  this  point ;  how,  sever! 
 after  the  choice  of  their  Pastors,  they  used  to  publish  the  [c<  45  ] 
 names  of  the  parties  chosen,  and  not  give  them  the  usual 
 act  of  approbation,  till  they  saw  whether  any  let  or  impe- 
 diment would  be  alleged  ;  he  gave  commandment,  that  the 
 like  should  also  be  done  in  his  own  Imperial  Elections, 
 adding  this  as  a  reason  wherefore  he  so  required,  namely, 
 "  For  that  both  Christians  and  Jews  being  so  wary  about 
 the  Ordination  of  the  Priests,  it  seemed  very  unequal  for 
 him  not  to  be  in  like  sort  circumspect,  to  whom  he  com- 
 mitted the  Government  of  Provinces,  containing  power  over 
 men's  both  estates  and  lives."    This  the  Canon  itself  doth 
 provide  for,  requiring,  before  Ordination,  scrutiny :  "  Let  Dec 
 them  diligently  be  examined  three  days  together  before  the  £pt°d° 
 Sabbath,  and  on  the  Sabbath  let  them  be  presented  unto  ^t'ur 
 the  Bishop."    And  even  this  in  effect  also  is  the  very  use 
 of  the  Church  of  England,  at  all  solemn  Ordaining  of  Mini- 
 sters ;  and,  if  all  Ordaining  were  solemn,  I  must  confess  it 
 were  much  the  better. 
 
 The  pretended  disorder  of  the  Church  of  England  is, 
 that  Bishops  ordain  them  to  whose  election  the  people  give 
 no  voices,  and  so  the  Bishops  make  them  alone;  that  is 
 to  say,  they  give  Ordination  without  popular  election 
 going  before,  which  ancient  Bishops  neither  did  nor  might 
 do.  Now  in  very  truth,  if  the  multitude  have  hereunto  a 
 right,  which  right  can  never  be  translated  from  them  for 
 any  cause,  then  is  there  no  remedy  but  we  must  yield, 
 that  unto  the  lawful  making  of  Ministers  the  voice  of  the 
 people  is  required;  and  that,  according  to  the  adverse  Ecci. 
 party's  assertion,  such  as  make  Ministers  without  asking  D '^ipU 
 the  people's  consent,  do  but  exercise  a  certain  tyranny. 
 
 At  the  first  erection  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Rome,  the 
 people  (for  so  it  was  then  fittest)  determined  of  all  affairs : 
 afterwards,  this  growing  troublesome,  their  Senators  did 
 that  for  them  which  themselves  before  had  done :  in  the 
 end  all  came  to  one  man's  hands ;  and  the  Emperor  alone 
 was  instead  of  many  Senators. 
 
 In  these  things,  the  experience  of  time  may  breed  both 
 
300 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Civil  and  Ecclesiastical  change  from  that  which  hath  been 
 before  received ;  neither  do  latter  things  always  violently 
 exclude  former ;  but  the  one  growing  less  convenient  than 
 it  hath  been,  giveth  place  to  that  which  is  now  become 
 more.  That  which  was  fit  for  the  people  themselves  to  do 
 at  the  first,  might  afterwards  be  more  convenient  for  them 
 to  do  by  some  other :  which  other  is  not  hereby  proved  a 
 tyrant,  because  he  alone  doth  that  which  a  multitude  were 
 wont  to  do,  unless  by  violence  he  take  that  authority  upon 
 him,  against  the  order  of  Law,  and  without  any  public  ap- 
 pointment ;  as  with  us,  if  any  did,  it  should  (I  suppose) 
 not  long  be  safe  for  him  so  to  do. 
 
 This  answer  (I  hope)  will  seem  to  be  so  much  the  more 
 reasonable,  in  that  themselves,  who  stand  against  us,  have 
 furnished  us  therewith.  For,  whereas  against  the  making 
 of  Ministers  by  Bishops  alone,  their  use  hath  been  to  ob- 
 ject, what  sway  the  people  did  bear  when  Stephen  and  the 
 rest  were  ordained  Deacons;  they  begin  to  espy  how  their 
 own  platform  swerveth  not  a  little  from  that  example 
 wherewith  they  control  the  practices  of  others.  For, 
 touching  the  form  of  the  people's  concurrence  in  that 
 action,  they  observe  it  not ;  no,  they  plainly  profess,  that 
 they  are  not  in  this  point  bound  to  be  followers  of  the 
 Apostles.  The  Apostles  ordained  whom  the  people  had 
 first  chosen.  They  hold,  that  their  Ecclesiastical  Senate 
 ought  both  to  choose,  and  also  to  ordain.  Do  not  them- 
 selves then  take  away  that  which  the  Apostles  gave  the 
 people,  namely,  the  privilege  of  choosing  Ecclesiastical 
 Officers?  They  do.  But  behold  in  what  sort  they  an- 
 swer it. 
 
 DUcipi  "  *ne  s^xtn  an(*  fourteenth  of  the  Acts  (say  they)  it 
 foi. doth  appear,  that  the  people  had  the  chiefest  power  of 
 choosing.  Howbeit  that,  as  unto  me  it  seemeth,  was  done 
 upon  special  cause  which  doth  not  so  much  concern  us, 
 neither  ought  it  to  be  drawn  unto  the  ordinary  and  per- 
 petual Form  of  governing  the  Church.  For,  as  in  establish- 
 ing Commonweals,  not  only  if  they  be  popular,  but  even 
 being  such  as  are  ordered  by  the  power  of  a  few  the 
 chiefest,  or  as  by  the  sole  authority  of  one,  till  the  same 
 be  established,  the  whole  sway  is  in  the  people's  hands, 
 who  voluntarily  appoint  those  Magistrates  by  whose  au- 
 thority they  may  be  governed ;  so  that  afterward  not  the 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 301 
 
 multitude  itself,  but  those  Magistrates  which  are  chosen 
 by  the  multitude,  have  the  ordering  of  public  affairs :  after 
 the  self-same  manner  it  fared  in  establishing  also  the 
 Church;  when  there  was  not  as  yet  any  placed  over  the 
 people,  all  authority  was  in  them  all ;  but  when  they  all 
 had  chosen  certain  to  whom  the  Regiment  of  the  Church 
 was  committed,  this  power  is  not  now  any  longer  in  the 
 hands  of  the  whole  multitude,  but  wholly  in  theirs  who 
 are  appointed  Guides  of  the  Church.  Besides,  in  the  choice 
 of  Deacons,  there  was  also  another  special  cause  where- 
 fore the  whole  Church  at  that  time  should  choose  them. 
 For  inasmuch  as  the  Grecians  murmured  against  the  He- 
 brews, and  complained  that  in  the  daily  distribution  which 
 was  made  for  relief  of  the  poor,  they  were  not  indifferently 
 respected,  nor  such  regard  had  of  their  widows  as  was 
 meet;  this  made  it  necessary  that  they  all  should  have  to 
 deal  in  the  choice  of  those  unto  whom  that  care  was  after- 
 wards to  be  committed,  to  the  end  that  all  occasion  of 
 jealousies  and  complaints  might  be  removed.  Wherefore, 
 that  which  was  done  by  the  people  for  certain  causes, 
 before  the  Church  was  fully  settled,  may  not  be  drawn  out 
 and  applied  unto  a  constant  and  perpetual  Form  of  order- 
 ing the  Church." 
 
 Let  them  cast  the  Discipline  of  the  Church  of  England 
 into  the  same  scales  where  they  weigh  their  own,  let  them 
 give  us  the  same  measure  which  here  they  take,  and  our 
 strifes  shall  soon  be  brought  to  a  quiet  end.  When  they 
 urge  the  Apostles  as  precedents ;  when  they  condemn  us 
 of  tyranny,  because  we  do  not  in  making  Ministers  the 
 same  which  the  Apostles  did ;  when  they  plead,  "  That 
 with  us  one  alone  doth  ordain,  and  that  our  Ordinations 
 are  without  the  people's  knowledge,  contrary  to  the  exam- 
 ple which  the  blessed  Apostles  gave ;"  we  do  not  request 
 at  their  hands  allowance  as  much  as  of  one  word  we  speak 
 in  our  own  defence,  if  that  which  we  speak  be  of  our  own ; 
 but  that  which  themselves  speak,  they  must  be  content  to 
 listen  unto.  To  exempt  themselves  from  being  over-far 
 pressed  with  the  Apostles'  example,  they  can  answer, 
 "  That  which  was  done  by  the  people  once  upon  special 
 causes,  when  the  Church  was  not  yet  established,  is  not  to 
 be  made  a  Rule  for  the  constant  and  continual  ordering  of 
 the  Church."    In  defence  of  their  own  election,  although 
 
302 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 they  did  not  therein  depend  on  the  people  so  much  as  the 
 Apostles  in  the  choice  of  Deacons,  they  think  it  a  very 
 sufficient  apology,  that  there  were  special  considerations 
 why  Deacons  at  that  time  should  be  chosen  by  the  whole 
 Church,  but  not  so  now.  In  excuse  of  dissimilitudes  be- 
 tween their  own  and  the  Apostles'  Discipline,  they  are 
 contented  to  use  this  answer,  M  That  many  things  were 
 done  in  the  Apostles'  times,  before  the  settling  of  the 
 Church,  which  afterwards  the  Church  was  not  tied  to  ob- 
 serve." For  countenance  of  their  own  proceedings,  wherein 
 their  Governors  do  more  than  the  Apostles,  and  their  people 
 less  than  under  the  Apostles  the  first  Churches  are  found 
 to  have  done  at  the  making  of  Ecclesiastical  Officers,  they 
 deem  it  a  marvellous  reasonable  kind  of  pleading  to  say, 
 "  That  even  as  in  Commonweals,  when  the  multitude  have 
 once  chosen  many,  or  one  to  rule  over  them,  the  right 
 which  was  at  the  first  in  the  whole  body  of  the  people  is 
 now  derived  unto  those  many,  or  that  one  which  is  so 
 chosen ;  and,  that  this  being  done,  it  is  not  the  whole  mul- 
 titude, to  whom  the  administration  of  such  public  affairs 
 any  longer  appertaineth,  but  that  which  they  did,  their 
 Rulers  may  now  do  lawfully  without  them  :  after  the  self- 
 same manner  it  standeth  with  the  Church  also." 
 
 How  easy  and  plain  might  we  make  our  defence,  how 
 clear  and  allowable  even  unto  them,  if  we  could  but  obtain 
 of  them  to  admit  the  same  things  consonant  unto  equity  in 
 our  mouths,  which  they  require  to  be  so  taken  from  their 
 own!  If  that  which  is  truth,  being  uttered  in  mainte- 
 nance of  Scotland  and  Geneva,  do  not  cease  to  be  truth 
 when  the  Church  of  England  once  allegeth  it,  this  great 
 crime  of  tyranny,  wherewith  we  are  charged,  hath  a  plain 
 and  an  easy  defence.  Yea,  but  we  do  not  at  all  ask  the 
 people's  approbation,  which  they  do,  whereby  they  shew 
 themselves  more  indifferent  and  more  free  from  taking 
 away  the  people's  right.  Indeed,  when  their  Lay-elders 
 have  chosen  whom  they  think  good,  and  the  people's 
 consent  thereunto  is  asked,  and,  if  they  give  their  ap- 
 probation, the  thing  standeth  warranted  for  sound  and 
 good.  But  if  not,  is  the  former  choice  overthrown? 
 No,  but  the  people  are  to  yield  to  reason ;  and,  if  they 
 which  have  made  the  choice,  do  so  like  the  people's  reason, 
 as  to  reverse  their  own  deed  at  the  hearing  of  it,  then  a 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 303 
 
 new  election  to  be  made ;  otherwise  the  former  to  stand,  Ecdes. 
 notwithstanding  the  people's  negative  and  dislike.  What  p.'«.p 
 is  this  else  but  to  deal  with  the  people,  as  those  nurses  do 
 with  infants,  whose  mouths  they  besmear  with  the  backside 
 of  the  spoon,  as  though  they  had  fed  them,  when  they  them- 
 selves do  devour  the  food  ?  They  cry  in  the  ears  of  the 
 people,  that  all  men's  consent  should  be  had  unto  that 
 which  concerns  all;  they  make  the  people  believe  we 
 wrong  them,  and  deprive  them  of  their  right  in  making 
 Ministers,  whereas  with  us  the  people  have  commonly  far 
 more  sway  and  force  than  with  them.  For,  inasmuch  as 
 there  are  but  two  main  things  observed  in  every  Ecclesi- 
 astical function,  power  to  exercise  the  duty  itself,  and 
 some  charge  of  people  whereon  to  exercise  the  same ;  the 
 former  of  these  is  received  at  the  hands  of  the  whole  visible 
 Catholic  Church.  For  it  is  not  any  one  particular  multi- 
 tude that  can  give  power,  the  force  whereof  may  reach  far 
 and  wide  indefinitely,  as  the  Power  of  Order  doth,  which 
 whoso  hath  once  received,  there  is  no  action  which  be- 
 longeth  thereunto  but  he  may  exercise  effectually  the 
 same  in  any  part  of  the  world  without  iterated  Ordination. 
 They  whom  the  whole  Church  hath  from  the  beginning 
 used  as  her  agents  in  conferring  this  Power,  are  not  either 
 one  or  more  of  the  Laity,  and  therefore  it  hath  not  been 
 heard  of  that  ever  any  such  were  allowed  to  ordain  Mi- 
 nisters :  only  persons  Ecclesiastical,  and  they,  in  place  of 
 calling,  superiors  both  unto  Deacons  and  unto  Presbyters; 
 only  such  persons  Ecclesiastical  have  been  authorized  to 
 ordain  both,  and  give  them  the  Power  of  Order,  in  the 
 name  of  the  whole  Church.  Such  were  the  Apostles,  such 
 was  Timothy,  such  was  Titus,  such  are  Bishops.  Not  that 
 there  is  between  these  no  difference,  but  that  they  all  agree 
 in  pre-eminence  of  place  above  both  Presbyters  and 
 Deacons,  whom  they  otherwise  might  not  ordain.*  Now 
 whereas  hereupon  some  do  infer,  that  no  Ordination  can 
 stand  but  only  such  as  is  made  by  Bishops,  which  have 
 had  their  Ordination  likewise  by  other  Bishops  before  them, 
 till  we  come  to  the  very  Apostles  of  Christ  themselves  ;  in 
 which  respect  it  was  demanded  of  Beza  at  Poissie,  "  By 
 what  Authority  he  could  administer  the  holy  Sacraments, 
 
 *  '  Neque  enim  fas  erat  autlicebat,  ut  inferior  ordinaret  majorem.'  Comment, 
 q.  Ambros.  tribuuntur,  in  1  Tim.  3.  [§.  7.] 
 
304 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITV. 
 
 being  not  thereunto  ordained  by  any  other  than  Calvin,  or 
 by  such  as  to  whom  the  Power  of  Ordination  did  not  belong, 
 according  to  the  ancient  Order  and  Customs  of  the  Church ; 
 sith  Calvin  and  they  who  joined  with  him  in  that  action 
 [Apoi.  were  no  Bishops?"  and  Athanasius  maintaineth  the  fact  of 
 A°r";n.  Macarius  a  Presbyter,  which  overthrew  the  Holy  Table 
 c12-    whereat  one  Ischvras  would  have  ministered  the  blessed 
 
 sqq.]  ' 
 
 Sacrament,  having  not  been  consecrated  thereunto  by  Lay- 
 ing on  of  some  Bishop's  Hands,*  according  to  the  Eccle- 
 siastical Canons ;  as  also  Epiphanius  inveigheth  sharply 
 against  divers  for  doing  the  like,  when  they  had  not  Epis- 
 copal Ordination — to  this  we  answer,  that  there  may  be 
 sometimes  very  just  and  sufficient  reason  to  allow  Ordina- 
 tion made  without  a  Bishop.  The  whole  Church  visible 
 being  the  true  original  subject  of  all  Power,  it  hath  not  or- 
 dinarily allowed  any  other  than  Bishops  alone  to  ordain : 
 howbeit,  as  the  ordinary  course  is  ordinarily  in  all  things 
 to  be  observed,  so  it  may  be  in  some  cases  not  unneces- 
 sary that  we  decline  from  the  ordinary  ways.  Men  may 
 be  extraordinarily,  yet  allowably,  two  ways  admitted  unto 
 spiritual  functions  in  the  Church.  One  is,  when  God  him- 
 self doth  of  himself  raise  up  any,  whose  labour  he  useth 
 without  requiring  that  men  should  authorize  them;  but 
 then  he  doth  ratify  their  calling  by  manifest  signs  and 
 tokens  himself  from  Heaven  :  and  thus  even  such  as  be- 
 lieved not  our  Saviour's  teaching,  did  yet  acknowledge  him 
 [John  a  lawful  Teacher  sent  from  God:  "Thou  art  a  Teacher 
 sent  from  God,  otherwise  none  could  do  those  things 
 which  thou  doest."  Luther  did  but  reasonably,  there- 
 fore, in  declaring  that  the  Senate  of  Melheuse  should 
 do  well  to  ask  of  Muncer,  from  whence  he  received 
 Power  to  teach?  who  it  was  that  had  called  him?  and  if 
 his  answer  were,  that  God  had  given  him  his  charge, 
 then  to  require  at  his  hands  some  evident  sign  thereof 
 for  men's  satisfaction :  because  so  God  is  wont,  when 
 he  himself  is  the  author  of  any  extraordinary  calling. 
 Another  extraordinary  kind  of  vocation  is,  when  the  exi- 
 gence of  necessity  doth  constrain  to  leave  the  usual  ways 
 of  the  Church,  which  otherw  ise  we  would  willingly  keep  : 
 where  the  Church  must  needs  have  some  ordained,  and 
 neither  hath,  nor  can  have  possibly,  a  Bishop  to  ordain ; 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 305 
 
 in  case  of  such  necessity,  the  ordinary  institution  of  God 
 hath  given  oftentimes,  and  may  give,  place.  And  therefore 
 we  are  not,  simply  without  exception,  to  urge  a  lineal 
 descent  of  Power  from  the  Apostles  by  continued  succes- 
 sion of  Bishops  in  every  effectual  Ordination.  These 
 cases  of  inevitable  necessity  excepted,  none  may  ordain 
 but  only  Bishops :  by  the  Imposition  of  their  Hands  it  is, 
 that  the  Church  giveth  Power  of  Order  both  unto  Pres- 
 byters and  Deacons.  Now,  when  that  Power  so  received 
 is  once  to  have  any  certain  subject  whereon  it  may  work, 
 and  whereunto  it  is  to  be  tied,  here  cometh  in  the  people's 
 consent,  and  not  before.  The  Power  of  Order  I  may  law- 
 fully receive,  without  asking  leave  of  any  multitude ;  but 
 that  Power  I  cannot  exercise  upon  any  one  certain  people 
 utterly  against  their  wills;  neither  is  there  in  the  Church 
 of  England  any  man,  by  order  of  Law,  possessed  with 
 Pastoral  charge  over  any  Parish,  but  the  people  in  effect 
 do  choose  him  thereunto.  For,  albeit,  they  choose  not  by 
 giving  every  man  personally  his  particular  voice,  yet  can 
 they  not  say,  that  they  have  their  Pastors  violently  ob- 
 truded upon  them,  inasmuch  as  their  ancient  and  original 
 interest  therein  hath  been  by  orderly  means  derived  into 
 the  Patron  who  chooseth  for  them.  And  if  any  man  be 
 desirous  to  know  how  Patrons  came  to  have  such  interest, 
 we  are  to  consider,  that  at  the  first  erection  of  Churches, 
 it  seemed  but  reasonable  in  the  eyes  of  the  whole  Christian 
 world  to  pass  that  right  to  them  and  their  successors,  on 
 whose  soil  and  at  whose  charge  the  same  were  founded. 
 This  all  men  gladly  and  willingly  did,  both  in  honour  ot 
 so  great  piety,  and  for  encouragement  of  many  others  unto 
 the  like,  who  peradventure  else  would  have  been  as  slow 
 to  erect  Churches,  or  to  endow  them,  as  we  are  forward 
 both  to  spoil  them,  and  to  pull  them  down. 
 
 It  is  no  true  assertion,  therefore,  in  such  sort  as  the  pre- 
 tended Reformers  mean  it,  "  That  all  Ministers  of  God's 
 Word  ought  to  be  made  by  consent  of  many,  that  is  to 
 say,  by  the  people's  suffrages;  that  ancient  Bishops 
 neither  did  nor  might  ordain  otherwise ;  and  that  ours  do 
 herein  usurp  a  far  greater  power  than  was,  or  then  lawfully 
 could  have  been,  granted  unto  Bishops  which  were  of 
 old."  Furthermore,  as  touching  Spiritual  Jurisdiction, 
 our  Bishops,  they  say,  do  that  which  of  all  things  is  most 
 
 VOL.  II.  X 
 
306 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 intolerable,  and  which  the  ancient  never  did ;  "  Our  Bishops 
 excommunicate  and  release  alone,  whereas  the  censures  of 
 the  Church  neither  ought,  nor  were  wont  to  be,  admi- 
 nistered otherwise  than  by  consent   of  many."  Their 
 meaning  here,  when  they  speak  of  many,  is  not  as  before 
 it  was.  When  they  hold  that  Ministers  should  be  made  with 
 consent  of  many,  they  understand  by  many,  the  multitude, 
 or  common  people;  but  in  requiring  that  many  should 
 evermore  join  with  the  Bishop  in  the  administration  of 
 Church-censures,  they  mean  by  many,  a  few  Lay-elders 
 chosen  out  of  the  rest  of  the  people  to  that  purpose.  This, 
 concii.  they  say,  is  ratified  by  ancient  Councils,  by  ancient  Bishops 
 ?"c^s!  this  was  practised.    And  the  reason  hereof,  as  Beza  sup- 
 Cypr.   poseth,  was,  "  Because  if  the  Power  of  Ecclesiastical 
 ip.  10.  Censures  did  belong  unto  any  one,  there  would  this  great 
 it  It]  inconvenience  follow ;  Ecclesiastical  Regiment  should  be 
 a  'i>iEp'  changed  into  mere  tyranny,  or  else  into  a  Civil  Royalty : 
 *2]     therefore  no  one,  either  Bishop  or  Presbyter,  should  or 
 can  alone  exercise  that  Power,  butAvith  his  Ecclesiastical 
 Consistory  he  ought  to  do  it,  as  may  appear  by  the  old 
 Discipline." 
 
 And  is  it  possible,  that  one  so  grave  and  judicious 
 should  think  it  in  earnest  tyranny  for  a  Bishop  to  excom- 
 municate, whom  Law  and  Order  hath  authorized  so  to  do  ? 
 or  be  persuaded,  that  Ecclesiastical  Regiment  degene- 
 rateth  into  Civil  Regality,  when  one  is  allowed  to  do  that 
 which  hath  been  at  any  time  the  deed  of  more  ?  Surely, 
 far  meaner  witted  men  than  the  world  accounteth  Mr. 
 Beza  do  easily  perceive,  that  tyranny  is  Power  violently 
 exercised  against  Order,  against  Law;  and  that  the  diffe- 
 rence of  these  two  Regiments  Ecclesiastical  and  Civil, 
 consisteth  in  the  matter  about  which  the  actions  of  each 
 are  conversant ;  and  not  in  this,  that  Civil  Royalty  ad- 
 mitteth  but  one,  Ecclesiastical  Government  requireth 
 many  supreme  correctors.  Which  allegation,  were  it  true, 
 would  prove  no  more  than  only,  that  some  certain  number 
 is  necessary  for  the  assistance  of  the  Bishop  :  but  that  a 
 number  of  such  as  they  do  require  is  necessary,  how  doth 
 it  prove  >  Wherefore,  albeit  Bishops  should  now  do  the 
 very  same  which  the  ancients  did,  using  the  College  of 
 Presbyters  under  them  as  their  assistants  when  they  ad- 
 minister Church-censures,  yet  should  they  still  swerve 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 307 
 
 utterly  from  that  which  these  men  so  busily  labour  for, 
 because  the  agents  whom  they  require  to  assist  in  those 
 cases  are  a  sort  of  Lay-elders,  such  as  no  ancient  Bishop 
 ever  was  assisted  with. 
 
 Shall  these  fruitless  jars  and  janglings  never  cease?  shall 
 we  never  see  end  of  them  ?  How  much  happier  were  the 
 world  if  those  eager  taskmasters,  whose  eyes  are  so  curious 
 and  sharp  in  discerning  what  should  be  done  by  many,  and 
 what  by  few,  were  all  changed  into  painful  doers  of  that 
 which  every  good  Christian  man  ought  either  only  or 
 chiefly  to  do,  and  to  be  found  therein  doing  when  that 
 great  and  glorious  Judge  of  all  men's  both  deeds  and  words 
 shall  appear  ?  In  the  meanwhile,  be  it  one  that  hath  this 
 charge,  or  be  they  many  that  be  his  assistants,  let  there  be 
 careful  provision  that  justice  may  be  administered,  and 
 in  this  shall  our  God  be  glorified  more  than  by  such  con- 
 tentious disputes. 
 
 15.  Of  which  nature  that  also  is,  wherein  Bishops  are,  concem- 
 over  and  besides  all  this,  accused  "to  have  much  moreclvii" 
 excessive  Power  than  the  ancient,  inasmuch  as  unto  their  f°j  "u. 
 Ecclesiastical  Authority,  the  Civil  Magistrate,  for  the  better  Olo.rity 
 repressing  of  such  as  contemn  Ecclesiastical  Censures,  our  Bi- 
 hath  for  divers  ages  annexed  Civil.    The  crime  of  Bishops  ^™v* 
 herein  is  divided  into  these  two  several  branches — the 
 one,  that  in  causes  Ecclesiastical  they  strike  with  the  sword 
 of  secular  punishments ;  the  other,  that  offices  are  granted 
 them,  by  virtue  whereof  they  meddle  with  Civil  affairs." 
 Touching  the  one,  it  reacheth  no  further  than  only  unto 
 restraint  of  liberty  by  imprisonment  (which  yet  is  not  done 
 but  by  the  Laws  of  the  land,  and  by  virtue  of  Authority 
 derived  from  the  Prince).    A  thing  which  being  allowable 
 in  Priests  amongst  the  Jews,  must  needs  have  received 
 some  strange  alteration  in  nature  since,  if  it  be  now  so 
 pernicious  and  venomous  to  be  coupled  with  a  spiritual 
 vocation  in  any  man  which  beareth  Office  in  the  Church 
 of  Christ.    Shemaiah  writing  to  the  College  of  Priests 
 which  were  in  Jerusalem,  and  to  Zephaniah  the  principal 
 of  them,  told  them  they  were  appointed  of  God,  "  that Jer 
 they  might  be  officers  in  the  House  of  the  Lord,  for  every  xxlx,s6- 
 man  which  raved,  and  did  make  himself  a  Prophet,"  to  the 
 end  that  they  might,  by  the  force  of  this  their  authority, 
 "  put  such  in  prison,  and  in  the  stocks."   His  malice  is 
 
 x  2 
 
308 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY . 
 
 reproved,  for  that  he  provoketh  them  to  shew  their  power 
 against  the  innocent.    But  surely,  when  any  man  justly 
 punishable  had  been  brought  before  them,  it  could  be  no 
 unjust  thing  for  them  even  in  such  sort  then  to  have 
 punished.    As  for  Offices,  by  virtue  whereof  Bishops  have 
 to  deal  in  Civil  affairs,  we  must  consider  that  Civil  affairs 
 are  of  divers  kinds  ;  and  as  they  be  not  all  fit  for  Ecclesi- 
 astical persons  to  meddle  with,  so  neither  is  it  necessary, 
 nor  at  this  day  haply  convenient,  that  from  meddling  with 
 any  such  thing  at  all  they  all  should  without  exception  be 
 secluded.    I  will  therefore  set  down  some  few  causes, 
 wherein  it  cannot  but  clearly  appear  unto  reasonable  men 
 that  Civil  and  Ecclesiastical  functions  may  be  lawfully 
 united  in  one  and  the  same  person. 
 
 First,  therefore,  in  case  a  Christian  Society  be  planted 
 amongst  their  professed  enemies,  or  by  toleration  do  live 
 under  some  certain  State  whereinto  they  are  not  incorpo- 
 rated, whom  shall  we  judge  the  meetest  man  to  have  the 
 hearing  and  determining  of  such  mere  Civil  controversies 
 as  are  every  day  wont  to  grow  between  man  and  man  ? 
 Such  being  the  state  of  the  Church  of  Corinth,  the  Apo- 
 icor.vi.  stle  giveth  them  this  direction,  "  Dare  any  of  you,  having 
 1~7'  business  against  another,  be  judged  by  the  unjust,  and  not 
 under  Saints?  Do  ye  not  know  that  the  Saints  shall  judge 
 the  world?  If  the  world  then  shall  be  judged  by  you,  are 
 ye  unworthy  to  judge  the  smallest  matters  ?  Know  ye 
 not  that  we  shall  judge  the  Angels?  how  much  more 
 things  that  appertain  to  this  life  ?  If  then  ye  have  judg- 
 ment of  things  pertaining  to  this  life,  setup  them  which 
 are  least  esteemed  in  the  Church.  I  speak  it  to  your 
 shame  ;  is  it  so,  that  there  is  not  a  wise  man  amongst 
 you  ?  no,  not  one  that  can  judge  between  his  brethren,  but 
 a  brother  goeth  to  law  with  a  brother,  and  that  under  the 
 Infidels  ?  Now  therefore  there  is  utterly  a  fault  among 
 you,  because  ye  go  to  law  one  with  another;  why  rather 
 suffer  ye  not  wrong,  why  rather  sustain  ye  not  harm?"  In 
 which  speech  there  are  these  degrees  :  better  to  suffer  and 
 to  put  up  injuries,  than  to  contend;  better  to  end  con- 
 tention by  arbitrement,  than  by  judgment ;  better  by  judg- 
 ment before  the  wisest  of  their  own,  than'  before  the  sim- 
 pler ;  better  before  the  simplest  of  their  own,  than  the 
 wisest  of  them  without:  so  that  if  judgment  of  secular 
 
BOOK  VII.  309 
 
 affairs  should  be  committed  unto  wise  men,  unto  men  of  vide 
 chief'est  credit  and  account  amongst  them,  when  the  Pas- 
 tors  of  their  souls  are  such,  who  more  fit  to  be  also  their  Antiq.^ 
 Judges  lor  the  ending  of  strifes?    The  wisest  in  things  A  c.  16. 
 divine  may  also  be  in  things  human  the  most  skilful. 
 At  leastwise  they  are  by  likelihood  commonly  more  able  to 
 know  right  from  wrong,  than  the  common  unlettered  sort. 
 And  what  St.  Augustine  did  hereby  gather,  his  own  words 
 do  sufficiently  shew.    "I  call  God  to  witness  upon  myAug.de 
 soul  (saith  he),  that  according  to  the  Order  which  is  kept  Monkch. 
 in  well-ordered  Monasteries,  I  could  wish  to  have  every  °-29, 
 day  my  hours  of  labouring  with  my  hands,  my  hours  of 
 reading  and  of  praying,  rather  than  to  endure  these  most 
 tumultuous  perplexities  of  other  men's  causes,  which  I  am 
 forced  to  bear  while  I  travel  in  secular  businesses,  either 
 by  judging  to  discuss  them,  or  to  cut  them  off  by  entreaty : 
 unto  which  toils  that  Apostle,  who  himself  sustained  them 
 not,  for  any  thing  we  read,  hath  notwithstanding  tied  us 
 not  of  his  own  accord,  but  being  thereunto  directed  by 
 that  Spirit  which  speaks  in  him.    His  own  Apostleship, 
 which  drew  him  to  travel  up  and  down,  suffered  him  not 
 to  be  any  where  settled  to  this  purpose ;  wherefore  the 
 wise,  faithful,  and  holy  men  which  were  seated  here  and 
 there,  and  not  them  which  travelled  up   and  down  to 
 preach,  he  made  examiners  of  such  businesses.  Where- 
 upon of  him  it  is  no  where  written,  that  he  had  leisure  to 
 attend  these  things,  from  which  we  cannot  excuse  our- 
 selves although  we  be  simple :  because  even  such  he  re- 
 quireth,  if  wise  men  cannot  be  had,  rather  than  that  the 
 affairs  of  Christians  should  be  brought  into  public  judg- 
 ment.   Howbeit,  not  without  comfort  in  our  Lord  are 
 these  travels  undertaken  by  us,  for  the  hope's  sake  of 
 eternal  Life,  to  the  end  that  with  patience  we  may  reap  the 
 fruit."  So  far  is  St.  Augustine  from  thinking  it  unlawful  for 
 Pastors  in  such  sort  to  judge  Civil  causes,  that  he  plainly 
 collecteth  out  of  the  Apostle's  words  a  necessity  to  under- 
 take that  duty;  yea,  himself  he  comforteth  with  the  hope 
 of  a  blessed  reward,  in  lieu  of  travel  that  way  sustained. 
 
 Again,  even  where  whole  Christian  Kingdoms  are,  how 
 troublesome  were  it  for  Universities,  and  other  great  Col- 
 legiate societies,  erected  to  serve  as  nurseries  unto  the 
 
310 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Church  of  Christ,  if  every  thing  which  civilly  doth  concern 
 them  were  to  be  carried  from  their  own  peculiar  Gover- 
 nors, because  for  the  most  part  they  are  (as  fittest  it  is 
 they  should  be)  persons  of  Ecclesiastical  calling  1  It  was 
 by  the  wisdom  of  our  famous  predecessors  foreseen  how 
 unfit  this  would  be,  and  hereupon  provided  by  grant  of 
 special  Charters,  that  it  might  be  as  now  it  is  in  the  Uni- 
 versities ;  where  their  Vicechancellors,  being  for  the  most 
 part  Professors  of  Divinity,  are  nevertheless  Civil  Judges 
 over  them  in  the  most  of  their  ordinary  causes. 
 
 And  to  go  yet  some  degrees  farther,  a  thing  impossible 
 it  is  not,  neither  altogether  unusual  for  some  who  are  of 
 Royal  blood  to  be  consecrated  unto  the  Ministry  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  and  so  to  be  the  nurses  of  God's  Church,  not  only 
 as  the  Prophet  did  foretell,  but  also  as  the  Apostle  St.  Paul 
 was.  Now  in  case  the  Crown  should  by  this  means  descend 
 unto  such  persons,  perhaps  when  they  are  the  very  last, 
 or  perhaps  the  very  best,  of  their  race,  so  that  a  greater 
 benefit  they  are  not  able  to  bestow  upon  a  Kingdom,  than 
 by  accepting  their  right  therein ;  shall  the  sanctity  of  their 
 Order  deprive  them  of  that  honour  whereunto  they  have 
 right  by  blood  ?  or  shall  it  be  a  bar  to  shut  out  the  public 
 good  that  may  grow  by  their  virtuous  Regiment?  If  not,  then 
 must  they  cast  off  the  Office  which  they  received  by  di- 
 vine Imposition  of  Hands ;  or,  if  they  carry  a  more  reli- 
 gious opinion  concerning  that  heavenly  function,  it  follow- 
 eth,  that  being  invested  as  well  with  the  other,  they  re- 
 main God's  lawful  anointed  both  ways.  With  men  of 
 skill  and  mature  judgment  there  is  of  this  so  little  doubt, 
 that  concerning  such  as  at  this  day  are  under  the  Arch- 
 bishops of  Mentz,  Colen,  and  Trevers,  being  both  Arch- 
 bishops and  Princes  of  the  Empire ;  yea,  such  as  live 
 within  the  Pope's  own  civil  territories,  there  is  no  cause 
 why  any  should  deny  to  yield  them  Civil  obedience  in  any 
 thing  which  they  command,  not  repugnant  to  Christian 
 piety ;  yea,  even  that  civilly,  for  such  as  are  under  them, 
 not  to  obey  them,  were  but  the  part  of  seditious  persons : 
 howbeit,  for  persons  Ecclesiastical  thus  to  exercise  Civil 
 dominion  of  their  own,  is  more  than  when  they  only  sustain 
 some  public  Office,or  deal  in  some  business  Civil,  being  there- 
 unto even  by  supreme  authority  required.  As  Nature  doth  not 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 311 
 
 any  thing  in  vain,  so  neither  Grace.  Wherefore,  if  it  please 
 God  to  bless  some  principal  attendants  on  his  own  Sanc- 
 tuary, and  to  endue  them  with  extraordinary  parts  of  excel- 
 lency, some  in  one  kind,  some  in  another,  surely  a  great 
 derogation  it  were  to  the  very  honour  of  him  who  bestow- 
 ed so  precious  graces,  except  they  on  whom  he  hath  be- 
 stowed them  should  accordingly  be  employed,  that  the  fruit 
 of  those  heavenly  gifts  might  extend  itself  unto  the  body 
 of  the  Commonwealth  wherein  they  live ;  which  being  of 
 purpose  instituted  (for  so  all  Commonwealths  are)  to  the 
 end  that  all  might  enjoy  whatsoever  good  it  pleaseth  the 
 Almighty  to  endue  each  one  with,  must  needs  suffer  loss, 
 when  it  hath  not  the  gain  which  eminent  Civil  ability 
 in  Ecclesiastical  persons  is  now  and  then  found  apt  to 
 afford.  Shall  we  then  discommend  the  people  of  Milan  for 
 using  Ambrose  their  Bishop  as  an  Ambassador  about  their 
 public  and  politic  affairs;  the  Jews  for  electing  their 
 Priests  sometimes  to  be  leaders  in  war ;  David  for  making 
 the  High-priest  his  chiefest  Counsellor  of  State :  finally, 
 all  Christian  Kings  and  Princes  which  have  appointed 
 unto  like  services  Bishops  or  other  of  the  Clergy  under 
 them  ?  No,  they  have  done  in  this  respect  that  which 
 most  sincere  and  religious  wisdom  alloweth.  Neither  is 
 it  allowable  only,  when  either  a  kind  of  necessity  doth 
 cast  Civil  offices  upon  them,  or  when  they  are  thereunto 
 preferred  in  regard  of  some  extraordinary  fitness;  but 
 further  also,  when  there  are  even  of  right  annexed  unto 
 some  of  their  places  or  of  course  imposed  upon  certain  of 
 their  persons,  functions  of  dignity  and  account  in  the 
 Commonwealth;  albeit  no  other  consideration  be  had 
 therein  save  this,  that  their  credit  and  countenance  may 
 by  such  means  be  augmented.  A  thing,  if  ever  to  be 
 respected,  surely  most  of  all  now,  when  God  himself  is 
 for  his  own  sake  generally  no  where  honoured,  Religion 
 almost  no  where,  no  where  religiously  adored,  the  Mini- 
 stry of  the  Word  and  Sacraments  of  Christ  a  very  cause 
 of  disgrace  in  the  eyes  both  of  high  and  low,  where  it  hath 
 not  somewhat  besides  itself  to  be  countenanced  with. 
 For  unto  this  very  pass  are  things  come,  that  the  glory  of 
 God  is  constrained  even  to  stand  upon  borrowed  credit, 
 which  yet  were  somewhat  the  more  tolerable,  if  there  were 
 not  that  dissuade  to  lend  it  him.    No  practice  so  vile, 
 
312  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITV. 
 
 but  pretended  holiness  is  made  sometimes  a  cloak  to 
 hide  it. 
 
 The  French  King,  Philip  V alois,  in  his  time  made  an 
 Ordinance,  tliat  all  Prelates  and  Bishops  should  be  clean 
 excluded  from  Parliaments,  where  the  affairs  of  the  King- 
 dom were  handled;  pretending  that  a  King,  with  good 
 conscience,  cannot  draw  Pastors,  having  cure  of  souls, 
 from  so  weighty  a  business,  to  trouble  their  heads  with 
 consultations  of  State.    But  irreligious  intents  are  not 
 able  to  hide  themselves,  no,  not  when  holiness  is  made 
 their  cloak.    This  is  plain  and  simple  truth,  that  the  coun- 
 sels of  wicked  men  hate  always  the  presence  of  them 
 whose  virtue,  though  it  should  not  be  able  to  prevail 
 against  their  purposes,  would  notwithstanding  be  unto 
 their  minds  a  secret  corrosive :  and  therefore,  till  either 
 by  one  shift  or  another  they  can  bring  all  things  to  their 
 own  hands  alone,  they  are  not  secure.    Ordinances  holier 
 and  better  there  stand  as  yet  in  force  by  the  grace  of  Al- 
 mighty God,  and  the  works  of  his  providence,  amongst  us. 
 Let  not  envy  so  far  prevail,  as  to  make  us  account  that  a 
 blemish,  which  if  there  be  in  us  any  spark  of  sound  judg- 
 ment, or  of  religious  conscience,  we  must  of  necessity  ac- 
 knowledge to  be  one  of  the  chiefest  ornaments  unto  this 
 land  :  by  the  ancient  Laws  whereof,  the  Clergy  being  held 
 for  the  chief  of  those  Three  Estates,  which  together  make 
 up  the  entire  body  of  this  Commonwealth,  under  one  su- 
 preme Head  and  Governor,  it  hath  all  this  time  ever  borne 
 a  sway  proportionable  in  the  weighty  affairs  of  the  land ; 
 wise  and  virtuous  Kings  condescending  most  willingly 
 thereunto,  even  of  reverence  to  the  Most  High ;  with  the 
 flower  of  whose  sanctified  inheritance,  as  it  were  with  a 
 kind  of  divine  presence,  unless  their  chiefest  Civil  assem- 
 blies were  so  far  forth  beautified  as  might  be,  without  any 
 notable  impediment  unto  their  heavenly  functions,  they 
 could  not  satisfy  themselves  as  having  shewed  towards 
 God  an  affection  most  dutiful. 
 
 Thus,  first,  in  defect  of  other  Civil  Magistrates ;  secondly, 
 for  the  ease  and  quietness  of  Scholastical  Societies ;  thirdly, 
 by  way  of  political  necessity ;  fourthly,  in  regard  of  quality, 
 care,  and  extraordinancy ;  fifthly,  for  countenance  unto 
 the  Ministry;  and,  lastly,  even  of  devotiou  and  reverence 
 towards  God  himself:  there  may  be  admitted,  at  leastwise 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 313 
 
 in  some  particulars  well  and  lawfully  enough  a  conjunction 
 of  Civil  and  Ecclesiastical  Power,  except  there  be  some 
 such  Law  or  Reason  to  the  contrary,  as  may  prove  it  to  be 
 a  thing  simply  in  itself  naught. 
 
 Against  it  many  things  are  objected,  as,  first,  "  That 
 the  matters  which  are  noted  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  to 
 have  belonged  unto  the  ordinary  Office  of  any  Ministers  of 
 God's  holy  Word  and  Sacraments,  are  these  which  follow, 
 with  such  like,  and  no  other;  namely,  the  watch  of  the 
 Sanctuary,  the  business  of  God,  the  ministry  of  the  Word 
 and  Sacraments,  oversight  of  the  House  of  God,  watching 
 over  his  flock,  prophecy,  prayer,  dispensations  of  the  mys- 
 teries of  God,  charge  and  care  of  men's  souls.  If  a  man 
 would  shew  what  the  offices  and  duties  of  a  Chirurgeon  or 
 Physician  are,  I  suppose  it  were  not  his  part,  so  much  as 
 to  mention  any  thing  belonging  to  the  one  or  the  other,  in 
 case  either  should  be  also  a  Soldier,  or  a  Merchant,  or  a 
 Housekeeper,  or  a  Magistrate :  because  the  functions  of 
 these  are  different  from  those  of  the  former,  albeit  one  and 
 the  same  man  may  haply  be  both.  The  case  is  like, 
 when  the  Scripture  teacheth  what  duties  are  required  in 
 an  Ecclesiastical  Minister ;  in  describing  of  whose  Office, 
 to  teach  any  other  thing  than  such  as  properly  and  directly 
 toucheth  his  Office  that  way,  were  impertinent. 
 
 Yea,  "  But  in  the  Old  Testament  the  two  Powers  Civil 
 and  Ecclesiastical  were  distinguished,  not  only  in  nature, 
 but  also  in  person ;  the  one  committed  unto  Moses,  and 
 the  Magistrates  joined  with  him ;  the  other  to  Aaron  and 
 his  sons.  Jehosaphat  in  his  reformation  doth  not  only 
 distinguish  causes  Ecclesiastical  from  Civil,  and  erecteth 
 divers  Courts  for  them,  but  appointeth  also  divers  Judges." 
 With  the  Jews  these  two  Powers  were  not  so  distinguished, 
 but  that  sometimes  they  might  and  did  concur  in  one  and 
 the  same  person.  Was  not  Eli  both  Priest  and  Judge  ? 
 after  their  return  from  captivity,  Ezra  a  Priest,  and  the 
 same  their  chief  Governor  even  in  Civil  affairs  also  ?  These 
 men  which  urge  the  necessity  of  making  always  a  personal 
 distinction  of  these  two  Powers,  as  if  by  Jehosaphat's  ex- 
 ample the  same  person  ought  not  to  deal  in  both  causes, 
 yet  are  not  scrupulous  to  make  men  of  Civil  place  and 
 calling  Presbyters  and  Ministers  of  Spiritual  Jurisdiction 
 in  their  own  Spiritual  Consistories. 
 
314 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 if  it  be  against  the  Jewish  precedents  for  us  to  give  Civil 
 Power  unto  such  as  have  Ecclesiastical ;  is  it  not  as  much 
 against  the  same  for  them  to  give  Ecclesiastical  Power 
 unto  such  as  have  Civil?  They  will  answer,  perhaps,  that 
 their  position  is  only  against  conjunction  of  Ecclesiastical 
 Power  of  Order,  and  the  Power  of  Civil  Jurisdiction  in  one 
 person.  But  this  answer  will  not  stand  with  their  proofs, 
 which  make  no  less  against  the  Power  of  Civil  and  Eccle- 
 siastical Jurisdiction  in  one  person;  for  of  these  two 
 Powers  Jehosaphat's  example  is:  besides,  the  contrary 
 example  of  Eli  and  of  Ezra,  by  us  alleged,  do  plainly  shew, 
 that  among  the  Jews  even  the  Power  of  Order  Ecclesias- 
 tical and  Civil  Jurisdiction  were  sometimes  lawfully  united 
 in  one  and  the  same  person.  Pressed  further  we  are  with 
 our  LoTd  and  Saviour's  example,  who  "  denieth  his  King- 
 dom to  be  of  this  world,  and  therefore,  as  not  standing 
 with  his  calling,  refused  to  be  made  a  King,  to  give  sen- 
 tence in  a  Criminal  cause  of  adultery,  and  in  a  Civil  of 
 dividing  an  inheritance." 
 
 The  Jews  imagining  that  their  Messiah  should  be  a 
 potent  Monarch  upon  earth,  no  marvel,  though  when  they 
 did  otherwise  wonder  at  Christ's  greatness,  they  sought 
 forthwith  to  have  him  invested  with  that  kind  of  dignity, 
 to  the  end  he  might  presently  begin  to  reign.  Others  of 
 the  Jews,  which  likewise  had  the  same  imagination  of  the 
 Messiah,  and  did  somewhat  incline  to  think  that  peradven- 
 ture  this  might  be  he,  thought  good  to  try  whether  he  would 
 take  upon  him  that  which  he  might  do,  being  a  King,  such 
 as  they  supposed  their  true  Messiah  should  be.  But  Christ 
 refused  to  be  a  King  over  them,  because  it  was  no  part  of 
 the  Office  of  their  Messiah,  as  they  did  falsely  conceive ; 
 and  to  intermeddle  in  those  acts  of  Civil  judgment  he 
 refused  also,  because  he  had  no  such  Jurisdiction  in  that 
 Commonwealth,  being,  in  regard  of  his  Civil  person,  a  man 
 of  mean  and  low  calling.  As  for  repugnancy  between 
 Ecclesiastical  and  Civil  Power,  or  any  inconvenience  that 
 these  two  Powers  should  be  united,  it  doth  not  appear 
 that  this  was  the  cause  of  his  resistance  either  to  reign,  or 
 else  to  judge. 
 
 What  say  we  then  to  the  blessed  Apostles  who  teach, 
 2  Tim.  «  That  soldiers  entangle  not  themselves  with  the  busi- 
 nesses of  this  life,  but  leave  them,  to  the  end  they  may 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 315 
 
 please  him  who  hath  chosen  them  to  serve ;  and  that  so 
 the  good  soldiers  of  Christ  ought  to  do." 
 
 The  Apostles  which  taught  this,  did  never  take  upon 
 them  any  place  or  office  of  Civil  Power.    No,  they  gave 
 over  the  Ecclesiastical  care  of  the  poor,  that  they  might 
 wholly  attend  upon  the  Word  and  Prayer.    St.  Paul  in- 
 deed doth  exhort  Timothy  after  this  manner,  "  Suffer  thou 
 evil  as  a  noble  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ :  no  man  warring  is 
 entangled  with  the  affairs  of  life,  because  he  must  serve 
 such  as  have  pressed  him  unto  warfare."    The  sense  and 
 meaning  whereof  is  plain,  that  soldiers  may  not  be  nice 
 and  tender,  that  they  must  be  able  to  endure  hardness, 
 that  no  man  betaking  himself  unto  wars  continueth  en- 
 tangled with  such  kind  of  businesses,  as  tend  only  unto 
 the  ease  and  quiet  felicity  of  this  life  ;  but  if  the  service 
 of  him  who  hath  taken  them  under  his  banner  require  the 
 hazard,  yea  the  loss,  of  their  lives,  to  please  him  they 
 must  be  content  and  willing,  with  any  difficulty,  any  peril, 
 be  it  never  so  much  against  the  natural  desire  which  they 
 have  to  live  in  safety.    And  at  this  point  the  Clergy  of  God 
 must  always  stand ;  thus  it  behoveth  them  to  be  affected  as 
 oft  as  their  Lord  and  Captain  leadeth  them  into  the  field, 
 whatsoever  conflicts,  perils,  or  evils,  they  are  to  endure. 
 Which  duty  being  not  such,  but  that  therewith  the  Civil  Dig- 
 nities, which  Ecclesiastical  persons  amongst  us  do  enjoy, 
 may  well  enough  stand  ;  the  exhortation  of  Paul  to  Timo- 
 thy is  but  a  slender  allegation  against  them.  As  well  might 
 we  gather  out  of  this  place,  that  men  having  children  or 
 wives,  are  not  fit  to  be  Ministers  (which  also  hath  been 
 collected,  and  that  by  sundry  of  the  ancients);*  and  that  it 
 is  requisite  the  Clergy  be  utterly  forbidden  Marriage.  For, 
 as  the  burden  of  Civil  Regiment  doth  make  them  who  bear 
 it  the  less  able  to  attend  their  Ecclesiastical  charge ;  even 
 so  St.  Paul  doth  say,  that  the  married  are  careful  for  the 
 world,  the  unmarried  freer  to  give  themselves  wholly  to  the 
 service  of  God.    Howbeit,  both  experience  hath  found  it 
 safer,  that  the  Clergy  should  bear  the  cares  of  honest  mar- 
 
 •  *  Convenit  liujusmodi  eligi  et  ordinari  Sacerdotes,  quibus  nec  liberi  sunt  nec 
 nepotes.  Etenim  fieri  tlx  potest,  ut  vacans  hujus  vita;  quotidiana;  curis,  quas 
 liberi  crcant  parentibus  maxime,  omne  studium  omnemque  cogitationem  circa 
 divinam  Liturgiam  ctres  Ecclesiasticas  consumat.'  Lib.  xlii.  sect.  1.  c.  de  Episc. 
 et  Cler. 
 
316 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 riage,  than  be  subject  to  the  inconveniences  which  single 
 life,  imposed  upon  them,  would  draw  after  it ;  and  as  many 
 as  are  of  sound  judgment  know  it  to  be  far  better  for  this 
 present  age,  that,  the  detriment  be  borne  which  haply  may 
 grow  through  the  lessening  of  some  fewr  men's  spiritual  la- 
 bours, than  that  the  Clergy  and  Commonwealth  should  lack 
 the  benefit  which  both  the  one  and  the  other  may  reap 
 through  their  dealing  in  Civil  affairs.  In  w  hich  considera- 
 tion, that  men  consecrated  unto  the  spiritual  service  of 
 God  be  licensed  so  far  forth  to  meddle  with  the  secular  af- 
 fairs of  the  w  orld,  as  doth  seem  for  some  special  good 
 cause  requisite,  and  may  be  without  any  grievous  preju- 
 dice unto  the  Church,  surely,  there  is  not  in  the  Apostle's 
 words,  being  rightly  understood,  any  let.  That  no  Apostle 
 did  ever  bear  Office,  may  it  not  be  a  wonder,  considering 
 the  great  devotion  of  the  age  wherein  they  lived,  and  the 
 zeal  of  Herod,  of  Nero  the  great  commander  of  the  known 
 world,  and  of  other  Kings  of  the  earth  at  that  time,  to  ad- 
 vance by  all  means  Christian  Religion?  Their  deriving 
 unto  others  that  smaller  charge  of  distributing  of  the  goods 
 which  were  laid  at  their  feet,  and  of  making  provision  for 
 the  poor,  which  charge,  being  in  part  Civil,  themselves  had 
 before  (as  I  suppose,  lawfully)  undertaken,  and  their  fol- 
 lowing of  that  which  was  weightier,  may  serve  as  a  marvel- 
 lous good  example  for  the  dividing  of  one  man's  Office  into 
 divers  slips,  and  the  subordination  of  inferiors  to  discharge 
 some  part  of  the  same,  when,  by  reason  of  multitude  in- 
 creasing, that  labour  waxeth  great  and  troublesome,  which 
 before  was  easy  and  light :  but  very  small  force  it  hath  to 
 infer  a  perpetual  divorce  between  Ecclesiastical  and  Civil 
 Power  in  the  same  persons.  The  most  that  can  be  said  in 
 this  case  is,  "  That  sundry  eminent  Canons,  bearing  the 
 name  of  Apostolical,  and  divers  Councils  likewise  there 
 are,  which  have  forbidden  the  Clergy  to  bear  any  secular 
 Office ;  and  have  enjoined  them  to  attend  altogether  upon 
 reading,  preaching,  and  prayer  :  whereupon  the  most  of 
 the  ancient  Fathers  have  shewed  great  dislikes  that  these 
 two  Powers  should  be  united  in  one  person." 
 
 For  a  full  and  final  answer  whereunto,  I  would  first  de- 
 mand, whether  commension  and  separation  of  these  two 
 powers  be  a  matter  of  mere  positive  Law,  or  else  a  thing 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 317 
 
 simply  with  or  against  the  Law  immutable  of  God  and 
 Nature  ?  That  which  is  simply  against  this  latter  Law 
 can  at  no  time  be  allowable  in  any  person,  more  than 
 adultery,  blasphemy,  sacrilege,  and  the  like.  But  con- 
 junction of  Power  Ecclesiastical  and  Civil,  what  Law  is 
 there  which  hath  not  at  some  time  or  other  allowed  as  a 
 thing  convenient  and  meet?  In  the  Law  of  God  we  have 
 examples  sundry,  whereby  it  doth  most  manifestly  appear, 
 how  of  him  the  same  hath  oftentime  been  approved.  No 
 kingdom  or  nation  in  the  world,  but  hath  been  thereunto 
 accustomed  without  inconvenience  and  hurt.  In  the  prime 
 of  the  world,  Kings  and  Civil  Rulers  were  Priests  for  the 
 most  part  all.  The  Romans*  note  it  as  a  thing  beneficial 
 in  (heir  own  Commonwealth,  and  even  to  themf  apparently 
 forcible  for  the  strengthening  of  the  Jews'  Regiment  under 
 Moses  and  Samuel.  I  deny  not,  but  sometime  there  may 
 be,  and  hath  been  perhaps,  just  cause  to  ordain  otherwise. 
 Wherefore  we  are  not  to  urge  those  things  which  hereto- 
 fore have  been  either  ordered  or  done,  as  thereby  to  pre- 
 judice those  Orders,  which,  upon  contrary  occasion,  and 
 the  exigence  of  the  present  time,  by  like  authority  have 
 been  established.  For,  what  is  there  which  doth  let,  but 
 that  from  contrary  occasions  contrary  Laws  may  grow,  and 
 each  be  reasoned  and  disputed  for  by  such  as  are  subject 
 thereunto,  during  the  time  they  are  in  force;  and  yet  nei- 
 ther so  opposite  to  other,  but  that  both  may  laudably  con- 
 tinue, as  long  as  the  ages  which  keep  them  do  see  no 
 necessary  cause  which  may  draw  them  unto  alteration  ? 
 Wherefore  in  these  things,  Canons,  Constitutions,  and 
 Laws,  which  have  been  at  one  time  meet,  do  not  prove 
 that  the  Church  should  always  be  bound  to  follow  them. 
 Ecclesiastical  persons  were  by  ancient  Order  forbidden  to 
 
 *  Cum  multa  divinitus,  Pontifices,  a  majoribus  nostris  inventa  atque  instituta 
 sunt,  turn  nihil  praeclarius,  quara  quod  vos  eosdem  et  Religionibus  Deorum  immorta- 
 lium,  et  summae  Reipub.  prasesse  voluerunt.'  Cic.pro  Domo  sua  ad  Pontiff,  [c.  l.J 
 
 t  '  Honor  Sacerdotii  firmamentum  potentise  assumebatur.'  Tacit.  Hist.  lib.  v. 
 [c.  8.  fin.]  He  sheweth  the  reason  wherefore  their  Rulers  were  also  Priests.  The 
 joining  of  these  two  Powers,  as  now,  so  then  likewise,  profitable  for  the  public 
 State,  but  in  respect  clean  opposite  and  contrary.  For,  whereas  then  divine  things 
 being  more  esteemed,  were  used  as  helps  for  the  countenance  of  secular  power  ; 
 the  casein  these  latter  ages  is  turned  upside  down,  earth  hath  now  brought  Heaven 
 under  foot,  and,  in  the  course  of  the  world,  hath  of  the  two  the  greater  credit. 
 Priesthood  was  then  a  strengthening  to  Kings,  which  now  is  forced  to  take  strength 
 and  credit  from  far  meaner  degrees  of  Civil  authority.  '  Hie  mos  apud  Judaeos 
 fuit,  ut  eosdem  Reges  et  Sacerdotes  haberent,  quorum  Justitia  Religioni  pennixta 
 incredibile  quantum  evaluere.'  Just.  Hist.  lib.  xxxvi.  [c.  2.]  Lib.  xlii.  sect.  22.  c. 
 de  Episc. 
 
318 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 be  executors  of  any  man's  testament,  or  to  undertake  the 
 wardship  of  children.  Bishops,  by  the  Imperial  Law, 
 are  forbidden  to  bequeath  by  testament,  or  otherwise  to 
 alienate,  any  thing  grown  unto  them  after  they  were  made 
 Bishops.  Is  there  no  remedy  but  that  these,  or  the  like 
 Orders,  must  therefore  every  where  still  be  observed  ?  The 
 reason  is  not  always  evident,  why  former  Orders  have 
 been  repealed  and  other  established  in  their  room.  Herein 
 therefore  we  must  remember  the  axiom  used  in  the  Civil 
 Laws,  "  That  the  Prince  is  always  presumed  to  do  that 
 with  reason,  which  is  not  against  reason  being  done,  al- 
 though no  reason  of  his  deed  be  expressed."  Which 
 being  in  every  respect  as  true  of  the  Church,  and  her  di- 
 vine Authority  in  making  Laws,  it  should  be  some  bridle 
 unto  those  malapert  and  proud  spirits,  whose  wits  not  con- 
 ceiving the  reason  of  Laws  that  are  established,  they 
 adore  their  own  private  fancy  as  the  supreme  Law  of  all, 
 and  accordingly  take  upon  them  to  judge  that  whereby 
 they  should  be  judged.  But  why  labour  we  thus  in  vain? 
 For  even  to  change  that  which  now  is,  and  to  establish  in- 
 stead thereof  that  which  themselves  would  acknowledge 
 the  very  self-same  which  hath  been,  to  what  purpose  were 
 t.  c.  it,  sith  they  protest,  "  That  they  utterly  condemn  as  well 
 p.bK6.  that  which  hath  been,  as  that  which  is ;  as  well  the  ancient, 
 as  the  present  Superiority,  Authority,  and  Power  of  Eccle- 
 siastical persons." 
 The  ar-  16.  Now  where  they  lastly  allege,  "  That  the  Law  of 
 guments  our  j^rd  jesus  Christ,  and  the  judgment  of  the  best  in  all 
 
 answer-  7  Jo 
 
 ed,      ages,  condemn  all  ruling  Superiority  of  Ministers  over  Mi- 
 
 whereby 
 
 they  nisters  ;"  they  are  in  this,  as  in  the  rest,  more  bold  to  affirm, 
 proved  than  able  to  prove,  the  things  which  they  bring  for  support 
 that  the  of  their  weak  and  feeble  cause.  "The  bearing  of  dominion 
 
 Law  of  ° 
 
 God,  or  the  exercising  of  authority  (they  say),  is  that  wherein 
 andtoe  ^e  Civil  Magistrate  is  severed  from  the  Ecclesiastical  Of- 
 mentof  ficer  according  to  the  words  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour, 
 
 the  best  ° 
 
 in  aii  '  Kings  of  nations  bear  rule  over  them,  but  it  shall  not  be 
 11"'  so  with  you  :'  therefore  bearing  of  dominion  doth  not  agree 
 demueth     one  Minister  over  another."    This  place  hath  been,  and 
 
 the  rul-         >      <  r 
 
 ing  su-  still  is,  although  falsely,  yet  with  far  greater  show  of  like- 
 ty  "f  "m  lihood  and  truth,  brought  forth  by  the  Anabaptists,  to  prove 
 Minuter  that  the  church  of  Christ  ought  to  have  no  Civil  Magis- 
 »nother.  trates,  but  to  be  ordered  only  by  Christ.   Wherefore  they 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 319 
 
 urge  the  opposition  between  Heathens  and  them  unto  t. 
 whom  our  Saviour  speaketh.    For,  sith  the  Apostles  were  *\ 
 opposite  to  Heathens,  not  in  that  they  were  Apostles,  but 
 in  that  they  were  Christians,  the  Anabaptists'  inference 
 is,  "  That  Christ  doth  here  give  a  Law,  to  be  for  ever  ob- 
 served by  all  true  Christian  men,  between  whom  and  Hea- 
 thens there  must  be  always  this  difference,  that  whereas 
 Heathens  have  Kings  and  Princes  to  rule,  Christians  ought 
 not  in  this  thing  to  be  like  unto  them."  Wherein  their  con- 
 struction hath  the  more  show,  because  that  which  Christ 
 doth  speak  to  his  Apostles  is  not  found  always  agreeable 
 unto  them  as  Apostles,  or  as  Pastors  of  men's  souls,  but 
 oftentimes  it  toucheth  them  in  generality,  as  they  are 
 Christians  ;  so  that  Christianity  being  common  unto  them 
 with  all  believers,  such  speeches  must  be  so  taken  that  they 
 may  be  applied  unto  all,  and  not  only  unto  them.  They 
 which  consent  with  us,  in  rejecting  such  collections  as  the 
 Anabaptist  maketh  with  more  probability,  must  give  us 
 leave  to  reject  such  as  themselves  have  made  with  less ; 
 for  a  great  deal  less  likely  it  is,  that  our  Lord  should  here 
 establish  an  everlasting  difference,  not  between  his  Church 
 and  Pagans,  but  between  the  Pastor  of  his  Church  and  Ci- 
 vil Governors.    For,  if  herein  they  must  always  differ,  that 
 the  one  may  not  bear  rule,  the  other  may ;  how  did  the  Apo- 
 stles themselves  observe  this  difference,  the  exercise  of 
 whose  authority,  both  in  commanding  and  in  controlling 
 others,  the  Scripture  hath  made  so  manifest  that  no  gloss  can 
 overshadow  it?  Again,  it  being,  as  they  would  have  it,  our 
 Saviour's  purpose  to  withhold  his  Apostles,  and  in  them  all 
 other  Pastors,  from  bearing  rule,  why  should  Kingly  domi- 
 nion be  mentioned,  which  occasions  men  to  gather,  that  not 
 all  dominion  and  rule,  but  this  one  only  form,  was  prohibit- 
 ed, and  that  authority  was  permitted  them,  so  it  were  not 
 Regal  ?    Furthermore,  in  case  it  had  been  his  purpose  to 
 withhold  Pastors  altogether  from  bearing  rule,  why  should 
 Kings  of  nations  be  mentioned,  as  if  they  were  not  for- 
 bidden to  exercise,  no,  not  Regal  dominion  itself,  but  only 
 such  Regal  dominion  as  Heathen  Kings  do  exercise  ?  The 
 very  truth  is,  our  Lord  and  Saviour  did  aim  at  a  far  other 
 mark  than  these  men  seem  to  observe.    The  end  of  his 
 speech  was  to  reform  their  particular  mispersuasion  to 
 whom  he  spake  :  and  their  mispersuasion  was,  that  which 
 
320 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 was  also  the  common  fancy  of  the  Jews  at  that  time,  that 
 their  Lord  being  the  Messias  of  the  world,  should  restore 
 unto  Israel  that  Kingdom,  whereof  the  Romans  had  as 
 then  bereaved  them ;  they  imagined  that  he  should  not 
 only  deliver  the  State  of  Israel,  but  himself  reign  as  King 
 in  the  throne  of  David  with  all  secular  pomp  and  dignity ; 
 that  he  should  subdue  the  rest  of  the  world,  and  make  Jeru- 
 salem the  seat  of  universal  Monarchy.  Seeing  therefore 
 they  had  forsaken  all  to  follow  him,  being  now  in  so  mean 
 condition,  they  did  not  think  but  that  together  with  him 
 they  also  should  rise  in  state ;  that  they  should  be  the  first 
 and  the  most  advanced  by  him. 
 
 Of  this  conceit  it  came,  that  the  mother  of  the  sons  of 
 Zebedee  sued  for  her  children's  preferment;  of  this  conceit 
 it  grew,  that  the  Apostles  began  to  question  amongst  them- 
 selves which  of  them  should  be  greatest ;  and  in  control- 
 ment  of  this  conceit  it  was,  that  our  Lord  so  plainly  told 
 them,  that  the  thoughts  of  their  hearts  were  vain.  The 
 Kings  of  nations  have  indeed  their  large  and  ample  domi- 
 nions, they  reign  far  and  wide,  and  their  servants  they 
 advance  unto  honour  in  the  world ;  they  bestow  upon  them 
 large  and  ample  secular  preferments,  in  which  respect 
 they  are  also  termed  many  of  them  benefactors,  because  of 
 the  liberal  hand  which  they  use  in  rewarding  such  as  have 
 done  them  service :  but,  was  it  the  meaning  of  the  ancient 
 Prophets  of  God  that  the  Messias,  the  King  of  Israel,  should 
 be  like  unto  these  Kings,  and  his  retinue  grow  in  such  sort 
 as  theirs  ?  "  Wherefore  ye  are  not  to  look  for  at  my  hands 
 such  preferment  as  Kings  of  nations  are  wont  to  bestow 
 upon  their  attendants,  '  With  you  not  so.'  Your  reward 
 in  Heaven  shall  be  most  ample,  on  earth  jour  chiefest 
 honour  must  be  to  suffer  persecution  for  righteousness' 
 sake ;  submission,  humility,  and  meekness  are  things  fitter 
 for  you  to  inure  your  minds  withal,  than  these  aspiring 
 cogitations ;  if  any  amongst  you  be  greater  than  other,  let 
 him  shew  himself  greater  in  being  lowliest,  let  him  be  above 
 them  in  being  under  them,  even  as  a  servant  for  their  good. 
 These  are  affections  which  you  must  put  on  ;  as  for  degrees 
 of  preferment  and  honour  in  this  world,  if  ye  expect  any 
 such  thing  at  my  hands  ye  deceive  yourselves,  for  in  the 
 world  your  portion  is  rather  the  clear  contrary."  Where- 
 fore they  who  allege  this  place  against  Episcopal  Authority 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 321 
 
 abuse  it,  they  many  ways  deprave  and  wrest  it  clean  from  the 
 true  understanding  wherein  our  Saviour  himself  did  utter  it. 
 
 For  first,  whereas  he  by  way  of  mere  negation  had  said, 
 "  With  you  it  shall  not  be  so,"  foretelling  them  only  that  it 
 should  not  so  come  to  pass  as  they  vainly  surmised;  these 
 men  take  his  words  in  a  plain  nature  of  a  prohibition,  as  if 
 Christ  had  thereby  forbidden  all  inequality  of  Ecclesiastical 
 Power.  Secondly,  whereas  he  did  but  cut  off  their  idle  hope 
 of  secular  advancements ;  all  standing  Superiority  amongst 
 persons  Ecclesiastical  these  men  would  rase  off  with  the 
 edge  of  his  speech.  Thirdly,  whereas  he  in  abating  their 
 hope  even  of  secular  advancements  spake  but  only  with 
 relation  unto  himself,  informing  them  that  he  would  be  no 
 such  munificent  Lord  unto  them  in  their  temporal  dignity 
 and  honour,  as  they  did  erroneously  suppose ;  so  that  any 
 Apostle  might  afterwards  have  grown  by  means  of  others 
 to  be  even  Emperors  of  Rome  for  any  thing  in  those  words 
 to  the  contrary  :  these  men,  removing  quite  and  clean  the 
 hedge  of  all  restraints,  enlarge  so  far  the  bounds  of  his 
 meaning,  as  if  his  very  precise  intent  and  purpose  had  been 
 not  to  reform  the  error  of  his  Apostles  conceived  as  touch- 
 ing him,  and  to  teach  what  himself  would  not  be  towards 
 them ;  but  to  prescribe  a  special  Law  both  to  them  and  their 
 successors  for  ever,  a  Law  determining  what  they  should 
 not  be  in  relation  of  one  to  another,  a  Law  forbidding  that 
 any  such  title  should  be  given  to  any  Minister  as  might 
 import  or  argue  in  him  a  Superiority  over  other  Ministers. 
 Being  thus  defeated  of  that  succour  which  they  thought  t.  c. 
 their  cause  might  have  had  out  of  the  words  of  our  Saviour  pb,ol 
 Christ,  they  try  their  adventure  in  seeking  what  aid  man's  p-95- 
 testimony  will  yield  them:  "  Cyprian  objecteth  it  to  Floren-  ep-'- 
 tius  as  a  proud  thing,  that  by  believing  evil  report,  and  mis-  9.'$! 
 judging  of  Cyprian,  he  made  himself  Bishop  of  a  Bishop,  and  66'  c'~ 
 Judge  over  him  whom  God  had  for  tbe  time  appointed  to 
 be  Judge."  "  The  endeavour  of  godly  men  to  strike  at  these 
 insolent  names  may  appear  in  the  Council  of  Carthage  : 
 where  it  was  decreed,  that  the  Bishop  of  the  chief  See 
 should  not  be  entitled  the  Exarch  of  Priests,  01  the  Highest 
 Priest,  or  any  other  thing  of  like  sense,  but  only  the  Bishop  of 
 the  chiefest  See;*  whereby  are  shut  out  the  name  of  Arch- 
 
 'JEjta  h  T9icuT«T{07rcv  ti'  WOTS,  aMi  fycovoy  'Eiriawnov  rnt  w^w-m?  KaSffyaj.  Can.  39. 
 VOL.  II.  Y 
 
322 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 bishop,  and  all  other  such  haughty  Titles."  In  these  alle- 
 gations it  fareth  as  in  broken  reports  snatched  out  of  the 
 author's  mouth,  and  broached  before  they  be  half  either  told 
 on  the  one  part,  or  on  the  other  understood.  The  matter 
 which  Cyprian*  complaineth  of  in  Florentius  was  thus : 
 Novatus  misliking  the  easiness  of  Cyprian  to  admit  men 
 into  the  fellowship  of  believers  after  they  had  fallen  away 
 from  the  bold  and  constant  confession  of  Christian  Faith, 
 took  thereby  occasion  to  separate  himself  from  the  Church ; 
 and  being  united  with  certain  excommunicate  persons,  they 
 joined  their  wits  together,  and  drew  out  against  Cyprian, 
 their  lawful  Bishop,  sundry  grievous  accusations;  the 
 crimes  such,  as  being  true,  had  made  him  incapable  of  that 
 Office  whereof  he  was  six  years  as  then  possessed  ;  they 
 went  to  Rome,  and  to  other  places,  accusing  him  every 
 where  as  guilty  of  those  faults  of  which  themselves  had 
 lewdly  condemned  him,  pretending  that  twenty -five  African 
 Bishops  (a  thing  most  false)  had  heard  and  examined  his 
 cause  in  a  solemn  Assembly,  and  that  they  all  had  given 
 their  sentence  against  him,  holding  his  election  by  the 
 Canons  of  the  Church  void.  The  same  factious  and  sedi- 
 tious persons  coming  also  unto  Florentius,  who  was  at 
 that  time  a  man  imprisoned  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  but  yet  a  favourer  of  the  error  of  Novatus,  their 
 malicious  accusations  he  over-willingly  hearkened  unto, 
 gave  them  credit,  concurred  with  them,  and  unto  Cy- 
 prian, in  fine,  wrote  his  letters  against  Cyprian :  which 
 letters  he  justly  taketh  in  marvellous  evil  part,  and  there- 
 fore severely  controlleth  his  so  great  presumption  in 
 making  himself  a  Judge  of  a  Judge,  and,  as  it  were,  a 
 Bishop's  Bishop,  to  receive  accusations  against  him,  as 
 one  that  had  been  his  Ordinary.  "  What  height  of  pride  is 
 this  (saith  Cyprian),  what  arrogancy  of  spirit,  what  a  puff- 
 ing up  of  mind,  to  call  Guides  and  Priests  to  be  examined 
 and  sifted  before  him !  So  that,  unless  we  shall  be  cleared 
 in  your  Court,  and  absolved  by  your  sentence,  behold  for 
 these  six  years'  space  neither  shall  the  brotherhood  have 
 had  a  Bishop,  nor  the  people  a  Guide,  nor  the  flock  a 
 Shepherd,  nor  the  Church  a  Governor,  nor  Christ  a  Prelate, 
 nor  God  a  Priest."  This  is  the  pride  which  Cyprian  con- 
 demneth  in  Florentius,  and  not  the  Title  or  Name  of  Arch- 
 bishop ;  about  which  matter  there  was  not  at  that  time  so 
 much  as  the  dream  of  any  controversy  at  all  between  them. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 323 
 
 A  silly  collection  it  is,  that  because  Cyprian  reproveth 
 Florentius  for  lightness  of  belief  and  presumptuous  rash- 
 ness of  judgment,  therefore  he  held  the  Title  of  Archbishop 
 to  be  a  vain  and  proud  name.    Archbishops  were  chief 
 amongst  Bishops,  yet  Archbishops  had  not  over  Bishops 
 that  full  Authority  which  every  Bishop  had  over  his  own 
 particular  Clergy.    Bishops  were  not  subject  unto  their 
 Archbishops  as  an  Ordinary,  by  whom  at  all  times  they 
 were  to  be  judged,  according  to  the  manner  of  inferior 
 Pastors,  within  the  compass  of  each  Diocess.  A  Bishop 
 might  suspend,  excommunicate,  depose,  such  as  were  of 
 his  own  Clergy  without  any  other  Bishop's  assistance;  not 
 so  an  Archbishop  the  Bishops  that  were  in  his  own  Pro- 
 vince, above  whom  divers  prerogatives  were  given  him, 
 howbeit  no  such  Authority  and  Power  as  alone  to  be  Judge 
 over  them.    For  as  a  Bishop  could  not  be  ordained,  so 
 neither  might  he  be  judged  by  any  one  only  Bishop,  albeit 
 that  Bishop  were  his  Metropolitan.    Wherefore  Cyprian, 
 concerning  the  liberty  and  freedom  which  every  Bishop 
 had,  spake  in  the  Council  of  Carthage,  whereat  fourscore 
 and  seven  Bishops  were  present,  saying,  "  It  resteth  that  concii. 
 every  of  us  declare  what  we  think  of  this  matter,  neither  deii^f.' 
 judging  nor  severing  from  the  right  of  Communion  any  that 
 shall  think  otherwise :  for  of  us  there  is  not  any  which  [Cone, 
 maketh  himself  a  Bishop  of  Bishops,  or  with  tyrannical  i. 
 fear  constraineth  his  colleagues  unto  the  necessity  of  obedi-  'g*n 
 ence,  inasmuch  as  every  Bishop,  according  to  the  reach  of  l6ls  ] 
 his  liberty  and  power,  hath  his  own  free  judgment,  and  can 
 have  no  more  another  his  Judge,  than  himself  to  be  Judge 
 to  another."  Whereby  it  appeareth,  that  among  the  African 
 Bishops  none  did  use  such  Authority  over  any  as  the 
 Bishop  of  Rome  did  afterwards  claim  over  all,  forcing  upon 
 them  opinions  by  main  and  absolute  Power.  Wherefore,  unto 
 the  Bishop  of  Rome  the  same  Cyprian  also  writeth  concern- 
 ing his  opinion  about  Baptism :  "  These  things  we  present  Lib.ii. 
 unto  your  conscience,  most  dear  brother,  as  well  for  com-  ^.Ve. 
 mon  honour's  sake,  as  of  single  and  sincere  love,  trusting c- 21 
 that  as  you  are  truly  yourself  religious  and  faithful,  so  those 
 things  which  agree  with  Religion  and  Faith  will  be  accept- 
 able unto  you  :  howbeit  wc  know,  that  what  some  have 
 over-drunk  in,  they  will  not  let  go,  neither  easily  change 
 their  mind,  but  with  care  of  preserving  whole  amongst  their 
 
 y2 
 
324 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 brethren  the  bond  of  peace  and  concord,  retaining  still  to 
 themselves  certain  their  own  opinions  wherewith  they  have 
 been  innred  ;  wherein  we  neither  use  force,  nor  prescribe  a 
 Law  unto  any,  knowing  that  in  the  Government  of  the 
 Church  every  Ruler  hath  his  own  voluntary  free  judgment, 
 and  of  that  which  he  doth  shall  render  unto  the  Lord  him- 
 self an  account."  As  for  the  Council  of  Carthage,  doth 
 not  the  very  first  Canon  thereof  establish  with  most  effec- 
 tual terms  all  things  which  were  before  agreed  on  in  the 
 Council  of  Nice?  and  that  the  Council  of  Nice  did  ratify 
 the  pre-eminence  of  Metropolitan  Bishops,  who  is  igno- 
 rant?* The  name  of  an  Archbishop  importeth  only  a 
 Bishop  having  Chiefty  of  certain  prerogatives  above  his 
 brethren  of  the  same  Order.  Which  thing,  since  the  Coun- 
 cil of  Nice  doth  allow,  it  cannot  be  that  the  other  of  Car- 
 thage should  condemn  it,  inasmuch  as  this  doth  yield  unto 
 that  a  Christian  unrestrained  approbation. 
 
 The  thing  provided  for  by  the  Synod  of  Carthage  can  be 
 no  other,  therefore,  than  only  that  the  chiefest  Metropo- 
 litan, where  many  Archbishops  were  within  any  greater 
 Province,  should  not  be  termed  by  those  names,  as  to  im- 
 port the  Power  of  an  ordinary  Jurisdiction  belonging  in 
 such  degree  and  manner  unto  him  over  the  rest  of  the 
 Bishops  and  Archbishops  as  did  belong  unto  every  Bishop 
 over  other  Pastors  under  him.  But  much  more  absurd  it 
 is  to  affirm,  that  both  Cyprian  and  the  Council  of  Carthage 
 condemn  even  such  Superiority  also  of  Bishops  them- 
 selves over  Pastors  their  inferiors,  as  the  words  of  Igna- 
 
 T- c-    tius  imply,  in  terming  the  Bishop  "  a  Prince  of  Priests." 
 
 p.  ii3.  Bishops  to  be  termed  Arch-priests,  in  regard  of  their 
 Superiority  over  Priests,  is  in  the  writings  of  the  ancient 
 Fathers  a  thing  so  usual  and  familiar,  as  almost  no  one 
 thing  more.  At  the  Council  of  Nice,  saith  Theodoret, 
 three  hundred  and  eighteen  Arch-priests  were  present.f 
 Were  it  the  meaning  of  the  Council  of  Carthage,  that  the 
 Title  of  Chief-priests  and  such  like  ought  not  in  any  sort 
 at  all  to  be  given  unto  any  Christian  Bishop,  what  excuse 
 
 *  "n.rrl  Ta  Iv  tv  Nixoewv  ZuvcSjj  ojis-&£»Ta  7ravTi  Tfinrip  ■nafa^u\aypi)!ma.i.  [Conc. 
 t.  i.  par.i.  p.  572!  Can.  xiii.] 
 
 t  Theod.  Hist.  Eccles.  lib.  i.  cap.  7.  'A^ispEiV.  Hieronymus  contra  Lucifer. 
 [§.  9.]  salutem  Ecclesis  pendere  dicit  a  summi  Sacerdotis  dignitate,  id  est,  Epi- 
 scopi.  Idemestin  Hieronymo  Summus  Sacerdos  quod  'AKpof  'ltft'vf  in  Carthaginensi 
 Concilio.  Vide  C.  omnes,  38.  dist.  Item  C.  Pontifices,  12.  q.  3.  Item  C.  de  his,  de 
 conseq.  dist.  5. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 325 
 
 should  we  make  for  so  many  ancient  both  Fathers,  and 
 Synods  of  Fathers,  as  have  generally  applied  the  Title  of 
 Arch-priest  unto  every  Bishop's  Office?  High  time  I  think  it 
 is,  to  give  over  the  obstinate  defence  of  this  most  miserable 
 forsaken  cause ;  in  the  favour  whereof  neither  God,  nor 
 amongst  so  many  wise  and  virtuous  men  as  antiquity  hath 
 brought  forth,  any  one  can  be  found  to  have  hitherto 
 directly  spoken.  Irksome  confusion  must  of  necessity  be 
 the  end  whereunto  all  such  vain  and  ungrounded  confidence 
 doth  bring,  as  hath  nothing  to  bear  it  out  but  only  an  ex- 
 cessive measure  of  bold  and  peremptory  words,  holpen  by 
 the  start  of  a  little  time,  before  they  came  to  be  examin- 
 ed. In  the  writings  of  the  ancient  Fathers,  there  is  not 
 any  thing  with  more  serious  asseveration  inculcated,  than 
 that  it  is  God  which  maketh  Bishops,  that  their  Authority 
 hath  divine  allowance,  that  the  Bishop  is  the  Priest  of 
 God,  that  he  is  Judge  in  Christ's  stead,  that,  according  to 
 God's  own  Law,  the  whole  Christian  fraternity  standeth 
 bound  to  obey  him.  Of  this  there  was  not  in  the  Chris- 
 tian world  of  old  any  doubt  or  controversy  made  ;  it  was 
 a  thing  universally  every  where  agreed  upon.  What  should 
 move  men  to  judge  that  now  so  unlawful  and  naught, 
 which  then  was  so  reverently  esteemed?  Surely  no  other 
 cause  but  this:  men  were  in  those  times  meek,  lowly, 
 tractable,  willing  to  live  in  dutiful  awe  and  subjection  unto 
 the  Pastors  of  their  souls,  now,  we  imagine  ourselves  so 
 able  every  man  to  teach  and  direct  all  others,  that  none  of 
 us  can  brook  it  to  have  superiors,  and,  for  a  mask  to  hide 
 our  pride,  we  pretend  falsely  the  Law  of  Christ,  as  if  we 
 did  seek  the  execution  of  his  will,  when  in  truth  we  labour 
 for  the  mere  satisfaction  of  our  own  against  his. 
 
 17.  The  chiefest  cause  of  disdain  and  murmur  against  The 
 Bishops  in  the  Church  of  England  is,  that  evil-affected  eye  "ai°cfolls 
 wherewith  the  world  looked  upon  them  since  the  time  that  thius 
 irreligious  profaneness,  beholding  the  due  and  just  ad-  the  state 
 vancement  of  God's  Clergy,  hath  under  pretence  of  enmity  11^*1'^* 
 unto  ambition  and  pride  proceeded  so  far,  that  the  con-  obloquy, 
 tumely  of  old  offered  unto  Aaron  in  the  like  quarrel  may  Honour, 
 seem  very  moderate  and  quiet  dealing,  if  we  compare  it  with 
 the  fury  of  our  own  times.  The  ground  and  original  of  both 
 their  proceedings  one  and  the  same  ;  in  declaration  of  their 
 grievances  they  differ  not ;  the  complaints  as  well  of  the 
 
320 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Numb,  one  as  the  other  are,  "  Wherefore  lift  ye  up  yourselves  thus 
 far  above  the  congregation  of  the  Lord  ?  It  is  too  much 
 which  you  take  upon  you ;  too  much  Power,  and  too  much 
 Honour."  Wherefore,  as  we  have  shewed  that  there  is  not 
 in  their  Power  any  thing  unjust  or  unlawful,  so  it  resteth 
 that  in  their  Honour  also  the  like  be  done.  The  labour  we 
 take  unto  this  purpose  is  by  so  much  the  harder,  in  that  we 
 are  forced  to  wrestle  with  the  stream  of  obstinate  affection, 
 mightily  carried  by  a  wilful  prejudice,  the  dominion  where- 
 of is  so  powerful  over  them  in  whom  it  reigneth,  that  it 
 giveth  them  no  leave,  no  not  so  much  as  patiently  to 
 hearken  unto  any  speech  which  doth  not  profess  to  feed 
 them  in  this  their  bitter  humour.  Notwithstanding,  for- 
 asmuch as  I  am  persuaded  that  against  God  they  will 
 not  strive,  if  they  perceive  once  that  in  truth  it  is  he  against 
 whom  they  open  their  mouths,  my  hope  is  their  own  con- 
 fession will  be  at  the  length,  *  Behold,  we  have  done  ex- 
 ceeding foolishly ;  it  was  the  Lord,  and  we  knew  it  not ; 
 him  in  his  Ministers  we  have  despised,  we  have  in  their 
 Honour  impugned  his."  But  the  alteration  of  men's  hearts 
 must  be  his  good  and  gracious  work,  whose  most  omnipo- 
 tent power  framed  them.  Wherefore,  to  come  to  our  pre- 
 sent purpose,  Honour  is  no  where  due,  saving  only  unto 
 such  as  have  in  them  that  whereby  they  are  found,  or  at 
 the  least  presumed,  voluntarily  beneficial  unto  them  of 
 whom  they  are  honoured.  Wheresoever  Nature  seeth  the 
 countenance  of  a  man,  it  still  presumeth  that  there  is  in  him 
 a  mind  willing  to  do  good,  if  need  require,  inasmuch  as  by 
 nature  so  it  should  be ;  for  which  cause  men  unto  men  do 
 honour,  even  for  very  humanity's  sake  :  and  unto  whom 
 we  deny  all  honour,  we  seem  plainly  to  take  from  them  all 
 opinion  of  human  dignity,  to  make  no  account  or  reckon- 
 ing of  them,  to  think  them  so  utterly  without  virtue,  as  if 
 no  good  thing  in  the  world  could  be  looked  for  at  their 
 hands.  Seeing  therefore  it  seemeth  hard  that  we  should 
 so  hardly  think  of  any  man,  the  Precept  of  St.  Peter  is, 
 
 i  ph.  "Honour  all  men."  Which  duty  of  every  man  towards 
 all  doth  vary  according  to  the  several  degrees  whereby 
 they  are  more  or  less  beneficial,  whom  we  do  honour. 
 
 Eccius.  «  Honour  the  Physician,"  saith  the  Wise  Man :  the  reason 
 
 i-       why,  because  for  necessity's  sake  God  created  him. 
 
 xix  ae.  Again,  "  Thou  shalt  rise  up  before  the  hoary  head,  and 
 
 ! 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 327 
 
 honour  the  person  of  the  aged  : "  the  reason  why,  because 
 the  younger  sort  have  great  benefit  by  their  gravity,  expe- 
 rience, and  wisdom ;  for  which  cause,  these  things  the  Wise  Eccius 
 man  termeth  the  crown  or  diadem  of  the  aged.    Honour  is  Xltv' 6 
 due  to  parents  :  the  reason  why,  because  we  have  our  be- 
 ginning from  them  ;  "  Obey  the  father  that  hath  begotten  prov. 
 thee,  the  mother  that  bare  thee  despise  thou  not."    Ho-  XX1"' 
 nour  is  due  unto  Kings  and  Governors :  the  reason  why, 
 because  God  hath  set  them  "  for  the  punishment  of  evil-  *  Pet- 
 
 ii.  14. 
 
 doers,  and  for  the  praise  of  them  that  do  well."  Thus  we 
 see  by  every  of  these  particulars,  that  there  is  always 
 some  kind  of  virtue  beneficial,  wherein  they  excel  who 
 receive  Honour ;  and  that  degrees  of  Honour  are  distin- 
 guished according  to  the  value  of  those  effects  which  the 
 same  beneficial  virtue  doth  produce. 
 
 Nor  is  Honour  only  an  inward  estimation,  whereby  they 
 are  reverenced  and  well  thought  of  in  the  minds  of  men ; 
 but  Honour,  whereof  we  now  speak,  is  defined  to  be  an 
 external  sign,  by  which  we  give  a  sensible  testification  that 
 we  acknowledge  the  beneficial  virtue  of  others.  Sarah 
 honoured  her  husband  Abraham ;  this  appeareth  by  the 
 title  she  gave  him.  The  brethren  of  Joseph  did  him  Honour 
 in  the  land  of  Egypt ;  their  lowly  and  humble  gesture 
 sheweth  it.  Parents  will  hardly  persuade  themselves  that 
 this  intentional  Honour,  which  reacheth  no  farther  than  the 
 inward  conception  only,  is  the  Honour  which  their  children 
 owe  them. 
 
 Touching  that  Honour  which,  mystically  agreeing  unto 
 Christ,  was  yielded  literally  and  really  unto  Solomon,  the 
 words  of  the  Psalmist  concerning  it  are,  "  Unto  him  they 
 shall  give  of  the  gold  of  Sheba,  they  shall  pray  for  him 
 continually,  and  daily  bless  him."  Weigh  these  things  in 
 themselves,  titles,  gestures,  presents,  other  the  like  exter- 
 nal signs  wherein  Honour  doth  consist,  and  they  are  mat- 
 ters of  no  great  moment.  Howbeit,  take  them  away,  let 
 them  cease  to  be  required,  and  they  are  not  things  of  small 
 importance,  which  that  surcease  were  likely  to  draw  after 
 it.  Let  the  Lord  Mayor  of  London,  or  any  other  unto 
 whose  Office  Honour  belongeth,  be  deprived  but  of  that 
 Title  which  in  itself  is  a  matter  of  nothing;  and  suppose 
 we  that  it  would  be  a  small  maim  unto  the  credit,  force, 
 and  countenance  of  his  Office  ?  It  hath  not  without  the 
 
328 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 singular  wisdom  of  God  been  provided,  that  the  ordinary 
 outward  tokens  of  Honour  should  for  the  most  part  be  in 
 themselves  things  of  mean  account ;  for  to  the  end  they 
 might  easily  follow  as  faithful  testimonies  of  that  bene- 
 ficial virtue  whereunto  they  are  due,  it  behoved  them  to 
 be  of  such  nature,  that  to  himself  no  man  might  over- 
 eagerly  challenge  them,  without  blushing  ;  nor  any  man 
 where  they  are  due  withhold  them,  but  with  manifest  ap- 
 pearance of  too  great  malice  or  pride.  Now,  forasmuch 
 as,  according  to  the  ancient  Orders  and  Customs  of  this 
 Land,  as  of  the  Kingdom  of  Israel,  and  all  Christian  King- 
 doms through  the  world,  the  next  in  degree  of  Honour 
 unto  the  chief  Sovereign  are  the  chief  Prelates  of  God's 
 Church  ;  what  the  reason  hereof  may  be,  it  resteth  next  to 
 be  inquired. 
 
 what  18.  Other  reason  there  is  not  any,  wherefore  such  Ho- 
 d°th  nour  hath  been  judged  due,  saving  only  that  public  good 
 pubiick-  which  the  Prelates  of  God's  Clergy  are  authors  of.    For  I 
 
 ly  grow 
 
 from  the  would  know  which  of  these  things  it  is  whereof  we  make 
 Fre  acy*  any  question,  either  that  the  favour  of  God  is  the  chiefest 
 pillar  to  bear  up  Kingdoms  and  States  ;  or,  that  true  Reli- 
 gion publickly  exercised  is  the  principal  mean  to  retain  the 
 favour  of  God  ;  or,  that  the  Prelates  of  the  Church  are  they 
 without  whom  the  exercise  of  true  Religion  cannot  well 
 and  long  continue.  If  these  three  be  granted,  then  cannot 
 the  public  benefit  of  Prelacy  be  dissembled.  And  of  the 
 first  or  second  of  these  I  look  not  for  any  professed  denial: 
 the  world  at  this  will  blush,  not  to  grant,  at  the  leastwise  in 
 word,  as  much  as  Heathens  themselves  have  of  old  with 
 most  earnest  asseveration  acknowledged,*  concerning  the 
 force  of  divine  grace  in  upholding  Kingdoms.  Again, 
 though  his  mercy  doth  so  far  strive  with  men's  ingratitude, 
 that,  all  kinds  of  public  iniquities  deserving  his  indignation, 
 iheir  safety  is  through  his  gracious  providence  many  times 
 nevertheless  continued,  to  the  end  that  amendment  might, 
 if  it  were  possible,  avert  their  envy ;  so  that  as  well  Com- 
 monweals as  particular  persons  both  may  and  do  en- 
 
 •  '  Quis  est  tam  vecors,  qui  aut  cum  suspexerit  in  ccelum,  Deos  esse  non sentiat, 
 et  ea,  quse  tanta  mente  fiunt  ut  vix  quisquam  arte  ulla  ordinem  rerum  ac  necessi- 
 tudinem  persequi  possit,  casu  fieri  putet ;  aut,  cum  Deos  esse  intellexerit,  non  in- 
 telligat  eorum  numine  hoc  tantum  Imperium  esse  natum  et  auctum  et  retentum  f 
 Cic.  Orat.  de  Harus.resp.  [c.  9.] 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 329 
 
 dure  much  longer,  when  they  are  careful,  as  they  should 
 be,  to  use  the  roost  effectual  means  of  procuring  his  favour 
 on  whom  their  continuance  principally  dependeth :  yet 
 this  point  no  man  will  stand  to  argue,  no  man  will  openly 
 arm  himself  to  enter  into  set  disputation  against  the  Em- 
 perors Theodosius  and  Valentinian,  for  making  unto  their 
 Laws  concerning  Religion  this  Preface,  "  Decere  arbitra-  Tit.  1. 
 mur  nostrum  Imperium,  subditos  nostros  de  Religione  J^'"- 
 commonefacere.  Ita  enim  et  pleniorem  acquiri  Dei  ac  Sal-  >™raa 
 vatoris  nostri  Jesu  Christi  benignitatem  possibile  esse  ex- 
 istimamus,  si  quando  et  nos  pro  viribus  ipsi  placere  studue- 
 rimus,  et  nostros  subditos  ad  cam  rem  instituerimus :"  or 
 against  the  Emperor  Justinian,  for  that  he  also  maketh  the 
 like  profession  :  "  Per  sanctissimas  Ecclesias  et  nostrum  Lib.  in. 
 Imperium  sustineri,  et  communes  res  clementissimi  Dei  Epids' 
 gratia  muniri,  credimus."    And  in  another  place,  "  Certis-  £i£ler* 
 sime  credimus,  quia  Sacerdotum  puritas  et  decus,  et  ad  xxxiv. 
 Dorainum  Deum  ac  Salvatorem  nostrum  Jesum  Christum  e^c. 
 fervor,  et  ab  ipsis  missae  perpetuae  preces,  multum  favorem  audiend' 
 nostras  Reipublicae  et  incrementum  praebent." 
 
 Wherefore  only  the  last  point  is  that  which  men  will 
 boldly  require  us  to  prove;  for  no  man  feareth  now  to 
 make  it  a  question,  <c  Whether  the  Prelacy  of  the  Church 
 be  any  thing  available  or  no,  to  effect  the  good  and  long 
 continuance  of  true  Religion?"  Amongst  the  principal 
 blessings  wherewith  God  enriched  Israel,  the  Prophet  in 
 the  Psalm  acknowledgeth  especially  this  for  one,  "Thou  Psai. 
 didst  lead  thy  people  like  sheep  by  the  hands  of  Moses  and  io""' 
 Aaron."  That  which  sheep  are,  if  Pastors  be  wanting,  the 
 same  are  the  people  of  God,  if  so  be  they  want  Governors  : 
 and  that  which  the  principal  Civil  Governors  are,  in  compa- 
 rison of  Regents  under  them,  the  same  are  the  Prelates  of 
 the  Church,  being  compared  with  the  rest  of  God's  Clergy. 
 
 Wherefore  inasmuch  as  amongst  the  Jews  the  benefit 
 of  Civil  Government  grew  principally  from  Moses,  he  being 
 their  principal  Governor  ;  even  so  the  benefit  of  Spiritual 
 Regiment  grew  from  Aaron  principally,  he  being  in  the 
 other  kind  their  principal  Rector,  although  even  herein 
 subject  to  the  sovereign  dominion  of  Moses.  For  which 
 cause,  these  two  alone  are  named  as  the  heads  and  well- 
 springs  of  all.  As  for  the  good  which  others  did  in  service 
 either  of  the  Commonwealth  or  of  the  Sanctuary,  the 
 
330 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 chiefest  glory  thereof  did  belong  to  the  chiefest  Governors 
 of  the  one  sort  and  of  the  other,  whose  vigilant  care  and 
 oversight  kept  them  in  their  due  order.  Bishops  are  now 
 as  High-priests  were  then,  in  regard  of  Power  over  other 
 Priests,  and  in  respect  of  subjection  unto  High-priests.* 
 What  Priests  were  then,  the  same  now  Presbyters  are,  by 
 way  of  their  place  under  Bishops.  The  one's  Authority 
 therefore  being  so  profitable,  how  should  the  other's  be 
 thought  unnecessary  ?  Is  there  any  man  professing  Chris- 
 tian Religion  which  holdeth  it  not  as  a  maxim,  that  the 
 Church  of  Jesus  Christ  did  reap  a  singular  benefit  by  Apo- 
 stolical Regiment,  not  only  for  other  respects,  but  even  in  re- 
 gard of  that  Prelacy  whereby  they  had  and  exercised  Power 
 of  Jurisdiction  over  lower  Guides  of  the  Church  ?  Prelates 
 are  herein  the  Apostles'  successors,  as  hath  been  proved. 
 
 Thus  we  see  that  Prelacy  must  needs  be  acknowledged 
 exceedingly  beneficial  in  the  Church ;  and  yet  for  more 
 perspicuity's  sake,  it  shall  not  be  pains  superfluously 
 taken,  if  the  manner  how  be  also  declared  at  large.  For 
 this  one  thing  not  understood  by  the  vulgar  sort,  causeth 
 all  contempt  to  be  offered  unto  higher  powers,  not  only  Ec- 
 clesiastical, but  Civil :  whom  when  proud  men  have  dis- 
 graced, and  are  therefore  reproved  by  such  as  carry  some 
 dutiful  affection  of  mind,  the  usual  apologies  which  they 
 make  for  themselves  are  these  :  "  What  more  virtue  in 
 these  great  ones  than  in  others  ?  We  see  no  such  eminent 
 good  which  they  do  above  other  men."  We  grant  indeed, 
 that  the  good  which  higher  Governors  do  is  not  so  imme- 
 diate and  near  unto  every  of  us,  as  many  times  the  meaner 
 labours  of  others  under  them,  and  this  doth  make  it  to  be 
 less  esteemed. 
 
 But  we  must  note,  that  it  is  in  this  case  as  in  a  ship ; 
 he  that  sitteth  at  the  stern  is  quiet,  he  moveth  not,  he 
 seemeth  in  a  manner  to  do  little  or  nothing  in  comparison 
 of  them  that  sweat  about  other  toil,  yet  that  which  he  doth 
 is  in  value  and  force  more  than  all  the  labours  of  the  residue 
 laid  together.  The  influence  of  the  heavens  above  worketh 
 infinitely  more  to  our  good,  and  yet  appeareth  not  half  so 
 sensible  as  the  force  doth  of  things  below.    We  consider 
 
 *  '  Qui  Sacerdotes  in  Veteri  Testamento  rocabantur,  hi  sunt  qui  nunc  Presbyteri 
 appellantur  :  et  qui  tunc  Princeps  Sacerdotum,  nunc  Episcopus  vocatur.'  Raba. 
 Maur.  de  iastit.  Cler.  lib.  iii.  cap.  6. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 331 
 
 not  what  it  is  which  we  reap  by  the  authority  of  our 
 chiefest  spiritual  Governors,  nor  are  likely  to  enter  into 
 any  consideration  thereof,  till  we  want  them  ;  and  that  is 
 the  cause  why  they  are  at  our  hands  so  unthankfully  re- 
 warded. Authority  is  a  constraining  power ;  which  power 
 were  needless  if  we  were  all  such  as  we  should  be,  willing 
 to  do  the  things  we  ought  to  do  without  constraint.  But, 
 because  generally  we  are  otherwise,  therefore  we  all  reap 
 singular  benefit  by  that  authority  which  permitteth  no 
 men,  though  they  would,  to  slack  their  duty.  It  doth  not 
 suffice,  that  the  Lord  of  a  Household  appoint  labourers  what 
 they  should  do,  unless  he  set  over  them  some  chief  work- 
 men to  see  they  do  it.  Constitutions  and  Canons  made 
 for  the  ordering  of  Church-affairs  are  dead  taskmasters. 
 The  due  execution  of  Laws  spiritual  dependeth  most  upon 
 the  vigilant  care  of  the  chiefest  spiritual  Governors,  whose 
 charge  is  to  see  that  such  Laws  be  kept  by  the  Clergy  and 
 people  under  them :  with  those  duties  which  the  Law  of 
 God  and  the  Ecclesiastical  Canons  require  in  the  Clergy, 
 Lay-governors  are  neither  for  the  most  part  so  well  ac- 
 quainted, nor  so  deeply  and  nearly  touched.  Requisite 
 therefore  it  is,  that  Ecclesiastical  persons  have  authority 
 in  such  things  ;  which  kind  of  authority  maketh  them  that 
 have  it  Prelates.  If  then  it  be  a  thing  confessed,  as  by  all 
 good  men  it  needs  must  be,  to  have  Prayers  read  in  all 
 Churches,  to  have  the  Sacraments  of  God  administered,  to 
 have  the  Mysteries  of  Salvation  plainly  taught,  to  have  God 
 every  where  devoutly  worshipped,  and  all  this  perpetually, 
 and  with  quietness,  bringeth  unto  the  whole  Church,  and 
 unto  every  member  thereof,  inestimable  good  ;  how  can 
 that  Authority  which  hath  been  proved  the  Ordinance  of 
 God  for  preservation  of  these  duties  in  the  Church,  how 
 can  it  choose  but  deserve  to  be  held  a  thing  publickly  most 
 beneficial  1  It  were  to  be  wished  and  is  to  be  laboured 
 for,  as  much  as  can  be,  that  they  who  are  set  in  such  rooms 
 may  be  furnished  with  honourable  qualities  and  graces 
 every  way  fit  for  their  calling.  But,  be  they  otherwise, 
 howsoever,  so  long  as  they  are  in  authority,  all  men  reap 
 some  good  by  them,  albeit  not  so  much  good  as  if  they 
 were  abler  men.  There  is  not  any  amongst  us  all,  but  is  a 
 great  deal  more  apt  to  exact  another  man's  duty,  than  the 
 best  of  us  is  to  discharge  exactly  his  own ;  aud  therefore 
 
332 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Prelates,  although  neglecting  many  ways  their  duty  unto 
 God  and  men,  do  notwithstanding  by  their  Authority  great 
 good,  in  that  they  keep  others,  at  the  leastwise,  in  some 
 awe  under  them. 
 
 It  is  our  duty,  therefore,  in  this  consideration,  to  honour 
 them  that  rule  as  Prelates,  which  Office  if  they  discharge 
 
 i  Tim.  weu>  the  Apostle's  own  verdict  is,  that  the  Honour  they  have 
 they  be  worthy  of,  yea,  though  it  were  double.  And  if  their 
 government  be  otherwise,  the  judgment  of  sage  men  hath 
 ever  been  this,  that  albeit  the  dealings  of  Governors  be  cul- 
 pable, yethonourable  they  must  be,  in  respect  of  that  autho- 
 rity by  which  they  govern.  Great  caution  must  be  used  that 
 we  neither  be  emboldened  to  follow  them  in  evil,  whom  for 
 authority's  sake  we  honour,  nor  induced  in  authority  to  dis- 
 honour them,  whom  as  examples  we  may  not  follow-  In  a 
 word,  not  to  dislike  sin,  though  it  should  be  in  the  highest, 
 were  unrighteous  meekness,  and  proud  righteousness  it  is 
 to  contemn  or  dishonour  highness,  though  it  should  be  in 
 the  sinfullest  men  that  live.  But  so  hard  it  is  to  obtain  at 
 our  hands,  especially  as  now  things  stand,  the  yielding  of 
 honour  to  whom  honour  in  this  case  belongeth,  that  by  a 
 brief  declaration  only  what  the  duties  of  men  are  towards 
 
 Jf0™'  the  principal  Guides  and  Pastors  of  their  souls,  we  cannot 
 greatly  hope  to  prevail,  partly  for  the  malice  of  their  open 
 adversaries,  and  partly  for  the  cunning  of  such  as  in  a 
 sacrilegious  intent,  work  their  dishonour  under  covert,  by 
 more  mystical  and  secret  means.  Wherefore  requisite, 
 and  in  a  manner  necessary,  it  is,  that  by  particular  in- 
 stances we  make  it  even  palpably  manifest  what  singular 
 benefit  and  public  use  the  nature  of  Prelates  is  apt  to  yield. 
 
 First,  no  man  doubteth  but  that  unto  the  happy  con- 
 dition of  Commonweals  it  is  a  principal  help  and  further- 
 ance, when  in  the  eye  of  foreign  States  their  estimation 
 and  credit  is  great.  In  which  respect,  the  Lord  himself 
 commending  his  own  Laws  unto  his  people,  mentioneth 
 this  as  a  thing  not  meanly  to  be  accounted  of,  that  their 
 
 ihut.  careful  obedience  yielded  thereunto  should  purchase  them 
 
 *v*6-  a  great  good  opinion  abroad,  and  make  them  every  where 
 famous  for  wisdom.  Fame  and  reputation  grow  especially 
 by  the  virtue,  not  of  common  ordinary  persons,  but  of  them 
 which  are  in  each  estate  most  eminent  by  occasion  of  their 
 higher  place  and  calling.    The  mean  man's  actions,  be 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 333 
 
 they  good  or  evil,  they  reach  not  far,  they  are  not  greatly 
 inquired  into,  except  perhaps  by  such  as  dwell  at  the  next 
 door :  whereas  men  of  more  ample  dignity  are  as  cities  on  Matt, 
 the  tops  of  hills,  their  lives  are  viewed  afar  off ;  so  that 
 the  more  there  are  which  observe  aloof  what  they  do,  the 
 greater  glory  by  their  well-doing  they  purchase  both  unto 
 God  whom  they  serve,  and  to  the  State  wherein  they  live. 
 Wherefore,  if  the  Clergy  be  a  beautifying  unto  the  Body  of 
 this  Commonweal  in  the  eyes  of  foreign  beholders,  and  if 
 in  the  Clergy  the  Prelacy  be  most  exposed  unto  the  world's 
 eye,  what  public  benefit  doth  grow  from  that  Order,  in  re- 
 gard of  reputation  thereby  gotten  to  the  Land  from  abroad, 
 we  may  soon  conjecture.  Amongst  the  Jews  (their  Kings 
 excepted)  who  so  renowned  throughout  the  world  as  their 
 High-priest?  Who  so  much  or  so  often  spoken  of  as  their 
 Prelates  ? 
 
 (2.)  Which  Order  is  not  for  the  present  only  the  most  in 
 sight,  but  for  that  very  cause  also  the  most  commended 
 unto  posterity.  For  if  we  search  those  records  wherein 
 there  hath  descended  from  age  to  age  whatsoever  notice 
 and  intelligence  we  have  of  those  things  which  were  before 
 us,  is  there  any  thing  almost  else,  surely  not  any  thing  so 
 much,  kept  in  memory,  as  the  successions,  doings,  suffer- 
 ings, and  affairs  of  Prelates.  So  that  either  there  is  not 
 any  public  use  of  that  light  which  the  Church  doth  receive 
 from  antiquity ;  or  if  this  be  absurd  to  think,  then  must 
 we  necessarily  acknowledge  ourselves  beholden  more  unto 
 Prelates  than  unto  others  their  inferiors,  for  that  good 
 of  direction  which  Ecclesiastical  actions  recorded  do 
 always  bring. 
 
 (3.)  But  to  call  home  our  cogitations,  and  more  inwardly 
 to  weigh  with  ourselves  what  principal  commodity  that 
 Order  yieldeth,  or  at  leastwise  is  of  its  own  disposition  and 
 nature  apt  to  yield  :  Kings  and  Princes,  partly  for  infor- 
 mation of  their  own  consciences,  partly  for  instruction 
 what  they  have  to  do  in  a  number  of  most  weighty  affairs, 
 entangled  with  the  cause  of  Religion,  having,  as  all  men 
 know,  so  usual  occasion  of  often  consultations  and  con- 
 ferences with  their  Clergy;  suppose  we,  that  no  public 
 detriment  would  follow  upon  the  want  of  honourable  per- 
 sonages Ecclesiastical  to  be  used  in  those  cases?  It  will 
 be  haply  said,  "  That  the  highest  might  learn  to  stoop,  and 
 
334 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 not  to  disdain  the  advice  of  some  circumspect,  wise,  and 
 virtuous  Minister  of  God,  albeit  the  Ministry  were  not  by 
 such  degrees  distinguished."  What  Princes  in  that  case 
 might  or  should  do,  it  is  not  material.  Such  difference 
 being  presupposed  therefore,  as  we  have  proved  already 
 to  have  been  the  Ordinance  of  God,  there  is  no  judicious 
 man  will  ever  make  any  question  or  doubt,  but  that  fit  and 
 direct  it  is  for  the  highest  and  chiefest  Order  in  God's 
 Clergy  to  be  employed  before  others  about  so  near  and 
 necessary  offices  as  the  sacred  estate  of  the  greatest  on 
 earth  doth  require.  For  this  cause  Joshua  had  Eleazar ; 
 David,  Abiathar;  Constantine,  Hosius  Bishop  of  Corduba; 
 other  Emperors  and  Kings  their  Prelates,  by  whom  in  pri- 
 vate (for  with  Princes  this  is  the  most  effectual  way  of 
 doing  good)  to  be  admonished,  counselled,  comforted,  and 
 if  need  were,  reproved. 
 
 Whensoever  Sovereign  Rulers  are  willing  to  admit  these 
 so  necessary  private  conferences  for  their  spiritual  and 
 ghostly  good,  inasmuch  as  they  do  for  the  time,  while  they 
 take  advice,  grant  a  kind  of  Superiority  unto  them  of  whom 
 they  receive  it,  albeit  haply  they  can  be  contented  even  so 
 far  to  bend  to  the  gravest  and  chiefest  persons  in  the  Order 
 of  God's  Clergy,  yet  this  of  the  very  best  being  rarely  and 
 hardly  obtained,  now  that  there  are  whose  greater  and 
 higher  callings  do  somewhat  more  proportion  them  unto 
 that  ample  conceit  and  spirit  wherewith  the  minds  of  so 
 powerful  persons  are  possessed  ;  what  should  we  look  for 
 in  case  God  himself  not  authorizing  any  by  miraculous 
 means,  as  of  old  he  did  his  Prophets,  the  equal  meanness 
 of  all  did  leave,  in  respect  of  calling,  no  more  place  of 
 decency  for  one  than  for  another  to  be  admitted  ?  Let  in- 
 experienced wits  imagine  what  pleaseth  them,  in  having 
 to  deal  with  so  great  personages  these  personal  differences 
 are  so  necessary  that  there  must  be  regard  had  of  them. 
 
 (4.)  Kingdoms  being  principally  (next  unto  God's  Al- 
 mightiness,  and  the  sovereignty  of  the  highest  under  God) 
 upheld  by  wisdom  and  by  valour,  as  by  the  chiefest  hu- 
 man means  to  cause  continuance  in  safety  with  honour 
 (for  the  labours  of  them  who  attend  the  service  of  God,  we 
 reckon  as  means  divine,  to  procure  our  protection  from 
 Heaven);  from  hence  it  riseth,  that  men  excelling  in 
 either  of  these,  or  descending  from  such,  as  for  excellency 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 335 
 
 either  way  have  been  ennobled,  or  possessing  howsoever 
 the  rooms  of  such  as  should  be  in  politic  wisdom  or  in 
 martial  prowess  eminent,  are  had  in  singular  recommen- 
 dation. Notwithstanding,  because  they  are  by  the  state 
 of  Nobility  great,  but  not  thereby  made  inclinable  to  good 
 things ;  such  they  oftentimes  prove  even  under  the  best 
 Princes,  as  under  David  certain  of  the  Jewish  Nobility 
 were.  In  Polity  and  Council  the  world  had  not  Achi- 
 tophel's  equal,  nor  hell  his  equal  in  deadly  malice.  Joab 
 the  General  of  the  Host  of  Israel,  valiant,  industrious,  for- 
 tunate in  war,  but  withal  headstrong,  cruel,  treacherous, 
 void  of  piety  towards  God ;  in  a  word,  so  conditioned, 
 that  easy  it  is  not  to  define,  whether  it  were  for  David 
 harder  to  miss  the  benefit  of  his  warlike  ability,  or  to  bear 
 the  enormity  of  his  other  crimes.  As  well  for  the  cherish- 
 ing of  those  virtues  therefore,  wherein  if  Nobility  do  chance 
 to  flourish,  they  are  both  an  ornament  and  a  stay  to  the 
 Commonwealth  wherein  they  live  ;  as  also  for  the  bridling 
 of  those  disorders,  which  if  they  loosely  run  into,  they  are 
 by  reason  of  their  greatness  dangerous ;  what  help  could 
 there  ever  have  been  invented  more  divine,  than  the  sort- 
 ing of  the  Clergy  into  such  degrees,  that  the  chiefest  of  the 
 Prelacy  being  matched  in  a  kind  of  equal  yoke,  as  it  were, 
 with  the  higher,  the  next  with  the  lower  degree  of  Nobility, 
 the  reverend  Authority  of  the  one  might  be  to  the  other  as 
 a  courteous  bridle,  a  mean  to  keep  them  lovingly  in  awe 
 that  are  exorbitant,  and  to  correct  such  excesses  in  them, 
 as  whereunto  their  courage,  state,  and  dignity  make  them 
 over-prone?  O  that  there  were  for  encouragement  of 
 Prelates  herein,  that  inclination  of  all  Christian  Kings  and 
 Princes  towards  them,  which  sometime  a  famous  King  of 
 this  Land  either  had,  or  pretended  to  have,  for  the  coun- 
 tenancing of  a  principal  Prelate  under  him  in  the  actions 
 of  Spiritual  Authority ! 
 
 "  Let  my  Lord  Archbishop  know  (saith  he),  that  if  a  Petr- 
 Bishop,  or  Earl,  or  any  other  great  person,  yea,  if  my  own  j>p!  T' 
 chosen  Son,  shall  presume  to  withstand,  or  to  hinder  his  [,om' xi 
 will  and  disposition,  whereby  he  may  be  withheld  from  p  704- 
 performing  the  work  of  the  embassage  committed  unto  m''.0" 
 him  ;  such  a  one  shall  find,  that  of  his  contempt  I  will  Lat  1 
 shew  myself  no  less  a  persecutor  and  revenger,  than  if 
 treason  were  committed  against  mine  own  very  Crown 
 
336 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 and  Dignity."  Sith,  therefore,  by  the  Fathers  and  first 
 Founders  of  this  Commonwealth  it  hath,  upon  great  expe- 
 rience and  forecast,  being  judged  most  for  the  good  of  all 
 sorts,  that  as  the  whole  Body  Politic  wherein  we  live 
 should  be  for  strength's  sake  a  threefold  cable,  consisting 
 of  the  King  as  a  supreme  Head  over  all,  of  Peers  and 
 Nobles  under  him,  and  of  the  People  under  them ;  so  like- 
 wise, that  in  this  conjunction  of  states,  the  second  wreath  of 
 that  cable  should,  for  important  respects,  consist  as  well 
 of  Lords  Spiritual  as  Temporal.  Nobility  and  Prelacy 
 being  by  this  mean  twined  together,  how  can  it  possibly 
 be  avoided,  but  that  the  tearing  away  of  the  one  must 
 needs  exceedingly  weaken  the  other,  and  by  consequence 
 impair  greatly  the  good  of  all  ? 
 
 (5.)  The  force  of  which  detriment  there  is  no  doubt  but  that 
 the  common  sort  of  men  would  feel  to  their  helpless  wo, 
 how  goodly  a  thing  soever  they  now  surmise  it  to  be,  that 
 themselves  and  their  godly  Teachers  did  all  alone  without 
 controlment  of  their  Prelate.  For,  if  the  manifold  jeopardies 
 whereto  a  people  destitute  of  Pastors  is  subject,  be  unavoid- 
 able without  Government,  and  if  the  benefit  of  Government, 
 whether  it  be  Ecclesiastical  or  Civil,  do  grow  principally 
 from  them  who  are  principal  therein,  as  hath  been  proved 
 out  of  the  Prophet,  who,  albeit  the  people  of  Israel  had 
 sundry  inferior  Governors,  ascribeth  not  unto  them  the  pub- 
 lic benefit  of  Government,  but  maketh  mention  of  Moses 
 and  Aaron  only,  the  chief  Prince  and  chief  Prelate,  be- 
 cause they  were  the  well-spring  of  all  the  good  which 
 others  under  them  did ;  may  we  not  boldly  conclude,  that 
 to  take  from  the  people  their  Prelate,  is  to  leave  them  in 
 effect  without  guides ;  at  leastwise,  without  those  guides 
 which  are  the  strongest  hands  that  God  doth  direct  them 
 fxvii  ky?  "  Thou  didst  lead  thy  people  like  sheep  (saith  the 
 20.      Prophet)  by  the  hands  of  Moses  and  Aaron." 
 
 If  now  there  arise  any  matter  of  grievance  between  the 
 Pastor  and  the  people  that  are  under  him,  they  have  their 
 Ordinary,  a  Judge  indifferent  to  determine  their  causes, 
 and  to  end  their  strife.  But  in  case  there  were  no  such 
 appointed  to  sit,  and  to  hear  both,  what  would  then  be  the 
 end  of  their  quarrels  ?  They  will  answer,  perhaps,  "  That 
 for  such  purposes  their  Synods  shall  serve."  Which  is,  as 
 if  in  the  Commonwealth,  the  higher  Magistrates  being  re- 
 
BOOK  vir. 
 
 337 
 
 moved,  every  Township  should  be  a  State  altogether  free 
 and  independent ;  and  the  controversies  which  they  can- 
 not end  speedily  within  themselves,  to  the  contentment  of 
 both  parties,  should  be  all  determined  by  solemn  Parlia- 
 ments. Merciful  God  !  where  is  the  light  of  wit  and  judg- 
 ment, which  this  age  doth  so  much  vaunt  of  and  glory  in, 
 when  unto  these  such  odd  imaginations  so  great  not  only 
 assent,  but  also  applause,  is  yielded  ? 
 
 (6.)  As  for  those  in  the  Clergy  whose  place  and  calling  is 
 lower,  were  it  not  that  their  eyes  are  blinded  lest  they 
 should  see  the  thing  that  of  all  others  is  for  their  good 
 most  effectual,  somewhat  they  might  consider  the  benefit 
 which  they  enjoy  by  having  such  in  authority  over  them  as 
 are  of  the  self-same  profession,  society,  and  body  with 
 them ;  such  as  have  trodden  the  same  steps  before ;  such 
 as  know  by  their  own  experience  the  manifold  intolerable 
 contempts  and  indignities  which  faithful  Pastors,  inter- 
 mingled with  the  multitude,  are  constrained  every  day  to 
 suffer  in  the  exercise  of  their  spiritual  charge  and  function; 
 unless  their  superiors,  taking  their  causes  even  to  heart, 
 be,  by  a  kind  of  sympathy,  drawn  to  relieve  and  aid  them 
 in  their  virtuous  proceedings  no  less  effectually,  than 
 loving  parents  their  dear  children. 
 
 Thus  therefore  Prelacy,  being  unto  all  sorts  so  beneficial, 
 ought  accordingly  to  receive  Honour  at  the  hands  of  all ; 
 but  we  have  just  cause  exceedingly  to  fear  that  those  mi- 
 serable times  of  confusion  are  drawing  on,  wherein  "  the 
 people  shall  be  oppressed  one  of  another;"  inasmuch  as  '"'5' 
 already  that  which  prepareth  the  way  thereunto  is  come  to 
 pass,  "  Children  presume  against  the  ancient,  and  the  vile 
 against  the  honourable."  Prelacy,  the  temperature  of  ex- 
 cesses in  all  estates,  the  glue  and  soder  of  the  public-weal, 
 the  ligament  which  tieth  and  connecteth  the  limbs  of  this 
 body-politic  each  to  other,  hath,  instead  of  deserved 
 Honour,  all  extremity  of  disgrace.  The  foolish  every  where 
 plead,  that  unto  the  wise  in  heart  they  owe  neither  service, 
 subjection,  nor  Honour. 
 
 19.  Now  that  we  have  laid  open  the  causes  for  which  What 
 Honour  is  due  unto  Prelates,  the  next  thing  we  are  to  con-  iionou" 
 sider  is,  what  kinds  of  Honour  be  due.  The  good  Govern-  J^jue 
 ment  either  of  the  Church  or  the  Commonwealth  depend-  Bishops, 
 eth  scarcely  on  any  one  external  thing  so  much  as  on  the 
 
 vol.  n.  z 
 
338 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 public  marks  and  tokens  whereby  the  estimation  that  Go- 
 vernors are  in  is  made  manifest  to  the  eyes  of  men.  True 
 it  is,  that  Governors  are  to  be  esteemed  according  to  the 
 excellency  of  their  virtues ;  the  more  virtuous  they  are, 
 the  more  they  ought  to  be  honoured,  if  respect  be  had  unto 
 that  which  every  man  should  voluntarily  perform  unto  his 
 superiors.  But  the  question  is  now,  of  that  Honour  which 
 public  Order  doth  appoint  unto  Church-governors,  in  that 
 they  are  Governors ;  the  end  whereof  is,  to  give  open  sen- 
 sible testimony,  that  the  place  which  they  hold  is  judged 
 publickly  in  such  degree  beneficial,  as  the  marks  of  their 
 excellency,  the  Honours  appointed  to  be  done  unto  them,  do 
 import.  Wherefore  this  Honour  we  are  to  do  them,  with- 
 out presuming  ourselves  to  examine  how  worthy  they  are ; 
 and  withdrawing  it,  if  by  us  they  be  thought  unworthy. 
 It  is  a  note  of  that  public  judgment  which  is  given  of  them ; 
 and  therefore  not  tolerable  that  men  in  private  should,  by 
 refusal  to  do  them  such  Honour,  reverse,  as  much  as  in 
 them  lieth,  the  public  judgment.  If  it  deserve  such  griev- 
 ous punishment,  when  any  particular  person  adventureth 
 to  deface  those  marks  whereby  is  signified  what  value 
 some  small  piece  of  coin  is  publickly  esteemed  at ;  is  it 
 sufferable  that  Honours,  the  character  of  that  estimation 
 which  publickly  is  had  of  public  estates  and  callings  in  the 
 Church  or  Commonwealth,  should  at  every  man's  pleasure 
 be  cancelled  ?  Let  us  not  think  that  without  most  necessary 
 cause  the  same  have  been  thought  expedient.  The  first 
 authors  thereof  were  wise  and  judicious  men ;  they  knew 
 it  a  thing  altogether  impossible,  for  each  particular  in  the 
 multitude  to  judge  what  benefit  doth  grow  unto  them  from 
 their  Prelates,  and  thereupon  uniformly  to  yield  them  con- 
 venient Honour.  Wherefore,  that  all  sorts  might  be  kept 
 in  obedience  and  awe,  doing  that  unto  their  superiors  of 
 every  degree,  not  which  every  man's  special  fancy  should 
 think  meet,  but  which,  being  beforehand  agreed  upon  as 
 meet  by  public  sentence  and  decision,  might  afterwards 
 stand  as  a  rule  for  each  in  particular  to  follow ;  they  found 
 that  nothing  was  more  necessary  than  to  allot  unto  all  de- 
 grees their  certain  Honour,  as  marks  of  public  judgment 
 concerning  the  dignity  of  their  places ;  which  mark  when 
 the  multitude  should  behold,  they  might  be  thereby  given 
 to  know,  that  of  such  or  such  estimation  their  Governors 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 339 
 
 are,  and  in  token  thereof  do  carry  those  notes  of  excel- 
 lency. Hence  it  groweth,  that  the  different  notes  and  signs 
 of  Honour  do  leave  a  correspondent  impression  in  the  minds 
 of  common  beholders.  Let  the  people  be  asked,  who  are 
 the  chiefest  in  any  kind  of  calling?  who  most  to  be  lis- 
 tened unto?  who  of  greatest  account  and  reputation?  and 
 see  if  the  very  discourse  of  their  minds  lead  them  not  unto 
 those  sensible  marks,  according  to  the  difference  whereof 
 they  give  their  suitable  judgment,  esteeming  them  the 
 worthiest  persons  who  carry  the  principal  note  and  pub- 
 lic mark  of  worthiness.  If  therefore  they  see  in  other 
 estates  a  number  of  tokens  sensible,  whereby  testimony  is 
 given  what  account  there  is  publickly  made  of  them,  but 
 no  such  thing  in  the  Clergy  ;  what  will  they  hereby,  or 
 what  can  they  else  conclude,  but  that  where  they  behold 
 this,  surely  in  that  Commonwealth,  Religion,  and  they' that 
 are  conversant  about  it,  are  not  esteemed  greatly  benefi- 
 cial ?  Whereupon,  in  time,  the  open  contempt  of  God  and 
 godliness  must  needs  ensue :  "  Qui  bona  fide  Deus  colit,  Pr=f- 
 amat  et  Sacerdotes,"  saith  Papinius.  In  vain  doth  that  siw. 
 Kingdom  or  Commonwealth  pretend  zeal  to  the  Honour  of 
 God,  which  doth  not  provide  that  his  Clergy  also  may  have 
 Honour.  Now  if  all  that  are  employed  in  the  service  of 
 God  should  have  one  kind  of  Honour,  what  more  confused, 
 absurd,  and  unseemly  ?  Wherefore,  in  the  Honour  which 
 hath  been  allotted  unto  God's  Clergy,  we  are  to  observe, 
 how  not  only  the  kinds  thereof,  but  also  in  every  particu- 
 lar kind,  the  degrees  do  differ.  The  Honour  which  the 
 Clergy  of  God  hath  hitherto  enjoyed,  consisteth  especially 
 in  the  pre-eminence  of  title,  place,  ornament,  attendance, 
 privilege,  endowment.  In  every  of  which  it  hath  been 
 evermore  judged  meet,  that  there  should  be  no  small  odds 
 between  Prelates  and  the  inferior  Clergy. 
 
 20.  Concerning  Title,  albeit  even  as  under  the  Law,  all  Hononr 
 they  whom  God  hath  severed  to  offer  him  sacrifice  were  p^'ce'' 
 generallv  termed  Priests :  so  likewise  the  name  of  Pastor  orna- 
 or  Presbyter  be  now  common  unto  all  that  serve  him  in  the  tendance, 
 Ministry  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ ;  yet  both  then  and  SuegV. 
 now  the  higher  Orders,  as  well  of  the  one  sort  as  of  the 
 other,  have  by  one  and  the  same  congruity  of  reason  their 
 different  Titles  of  Honour,  wherewith  we  find  them  in  the 
 phrase  of  ordinary  speech  exalted  above  others.  Thus 
 
 z  2 
 
340 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 the  Heads  of  the  twenty-four  companies  of  Priests  are  in 
 •ApptiEfEft  Scripture  termed  Arch-priests  ;  Aaron  and  the  successors 
 of  Aaron  being  above  those  Arch-priests  ;  themselves  arc 
 in  that  respect  further  entitled  High  and  Great.  After 
 what  sort  antiquity  hath  used  to  style  Christian  Bishops, 
 and  to  yield  them  in  (hat  kind  Honour  more  than  was  meet 
 for  inferior  Pastors,  I  may  the  better  omit  to  declare,  both 
 because  others  have  sufficiently  done  it  already,  and  in  so 
 slight  a  thing  it  were  but  a  loss  of  time  to  bestow  further 
 travel.  The  allegation  of  Christ's  prerogative  to  be 
 named  an  Arch-pastor  simply,  in  regard  of  his  absolute 
 excellency  over  all,  is  no  impediment  but  that  the  like  Title 
 in  an  unlike  signification  may  be  granted  unto  others  be- 
 side him,  to  note  a  more  limited  superiority,  whereof  men 
 are  capable  enough  without  derogation  from  his  glory, 
 than  which  nothing  is  more  sovereign.  To  quarrel  at  syl- 
 lables, and  to  take  so  poor  exceptions  at  the  first  four  let 
 ters  in  the  name  of  an  Archbishop,  as  if  they  were  mani 
 festly  stolen  goods  whereof  restitution  ought  to  be  made 
 to  the  Civil  Magistrate,  toucheth  no  more  the  Prelates  that 
 now  are,  than  it  doth  the  very  blessed  Apostle,  who  giveth 
 unto  himself  the  title  of  an  Arch-builder. 
 
 As  for  our  Saviour's  words  alleged  against  the  Title  of 
 Lordship  and  Grace,  we  have  before  sufficiently  opened  how 
 far  they  are  drawn  from  their  natural  meaning,  to  bolster  up  a 
 cause  which  they  nothing  at  all  concern.  Bishops Theodoret 
 Hist,     entitled  '  most  honourable :'  Emperors  writing  unto  Bi- 
 shops,  have  not  disdained  to  give  them  their  appellations  of 
 c  8.     Honour,  *  Your  Holiness,'  'Your  Blessedness,' '  Your  Am- 
 c!deVl   plitude,'  'Your  Highness,'  and  the  like  :  such  as  purposely 
 *umn!a  have  done  otherwise  are  noted  of  insolent  singularity  and 
 >■  "«»■  pride. 
 
 EPisc.  et     Honour  done  by  giving  pre-eminence  of  Place  unto  one 
 f'Vvi6*  sor^  before  another,  is,  for  decency,  order,  and  quietness' 
 c  <)e    sake,  so  needful,  that  both  Imperial  Laws  and  Canons  Ec- 
 E«ies."  clesiastical  have  made  their  special  provisions  for  it.  Our 
 Saviour's  invective  against  the  vain  affectation  of  Superi- 
 ority, whether  in  Title  or  in  Place,*  may  not  hinder  these 
 seemly  differences  usual  in  giving  and  taking  Honour, 
 either  according  to  the  one  or  the  other. 
 
 •  "  They  love  to  Lave  the  chief  seats  in  the  assemblies,  and  to  be  called  of  men 
 Rabbi."  Matt,  xxiii.  6, 7. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 341 
 
 Something  there  is,  even  in  the  Ornaments  of  Honour 
 also ;  otherwise  it  had  been  idle  for  the  Wise  Man,  speak- 
 ing of  Aaron,  to  stand  so  much  upon  the  circumstances  of 
 his  Priestly  Attire,  and  to  urge  it  as  an  argument  of  such 
 dignity  and  greatness  in  him :  "  An  everlasting  covenant  j^1 
 God  made  with  Aaron,  and  gave  him  the  Priesthood  among 
 the  people,  and  made  him  blessed  through  his  comely  Orna- 
 ment, and  clothed  him  with  the  Garment  of  Honour."  The 
 robes  of  a  Judge  do  not  add  to  his  virtue ;  the  chiefest  orna- 
 ment of  Kings  is  justice;  holiness  and  purity  of  conversa- 
 tion do  much  more  adorn  a  Bishop,  than  his  peculiar  form 
 of  clothing.  Notwithstanding,  both  Judges,  through  the 
 Garments  of  judicial  Authority,  and  through  the  Ornaments 
 of  Sovereignty,  Princes  ;  yea,  Bishops,  through  the  very 
 attire  of  Bishops,  are  made  blessed,  that  is  to  say,  marked 
 and  manifested  they  are  to  be  such  as  God  hath  poured 
 his  blessing  upon,  by  advancing  them  above  others,  and 
 placing  them  where  they  may  do  him  principal  good  service. 
 Thus  to  be  called  is  to  be  blessed,  and  therefore  to  be  ho- 
 noured with  the  signs  of  such  a  calling  must  needs  be  in  part 
 a  blessing  also  ;  for  of  good  things  even  the  signs  are  good. 
 
 Of  Honour,  another  part  is  Attendancy ;  and  therefore  in 
 the  visions  of  the  glory  of  God,  Angels  are  spoken  of  as  his 
 Attendants.  In  setting  out  the  Honour  of  that  mystical 
 Queen,  the  Prophet  mentioneth  the  Virgin  Ladies  which 
 waited  on  her.  Amongst  the  tokens  of  Solomon's  honour- 
 able condition,  his  Servants  and  Waiters  the  Sacred  His- 
 tory omitteth  not.  This  doth  prove  Attendants  a  part  of 
 Honour :  but  this  as  yet  doth  not  shew  with  what  Attend- 
 ancy Prelates  are  to  be  honoured.  Of  the  High-priest's 
 retinue  amongst  the  Jews,  somewhat  the  Gospel  itself  doth 
 intimate.  And,  albeit  our  Saviour  came  to  minister,  and 
 not,  as  the  Jews  did  imagine  their  Messias  should,  to  be 
 ministered  unto,  in  this  world,  yet,  attended  on  he  was  by 
 his  blessed  Apostles,  who  followed  him  not  only  as  Scho- 
 lars, but  even  as  Servants  about  him.  After  that  he  had 
 sent  them,  as  himself  was  sent  of  God,  in  the  midst  of  that 
 hatred  and  extreme  contempt  which  they  sustained  at  the 
 world's  hands,  by  Saints  and  Believers  this  part  of  Honour 
 was  most  plentifully  done  unto  them.  Attendants  they 
 had  provided  in  all  places  where  they  went  ;  which  custom 
 of  the  Church  was  still  continued  in  Bishops  their  succes- 
 
342  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 sors,  as  by  Ignatius  it  is  plain  to  be  seen.  And  from 
 hence  no  doubt  those  Acolythes  took  their  beginning,  of 
 whom  so  frequent  mention  is  made  ;  the  Bishop's  Attend- 
 ants, his  Followers  they  were :  in  regard  of  which  service 
 the  name  of  Acolythes  seemeth  plainly  to  have  been  given. 
 Novei.6.  The  custom  for  Bishops  to  be  attended  upon  by  many  is,  as 
 Justinian  doth  shew,  ancient:  the  affairs  of  Regiment, 
 wherein  Prelates  are  employed,  make  it  necessary  that 
 they  always  have  many  about  them  whom  they  may  com- 
 mand, although  no  such  thing  did  by  way  of  Honour  belong 
 unto  them. 
 
 Some  men's  judgment  is,  that  if  Clerks,  Students,  and 
 religious  persons  were  more,  common  Serving-men  and 
 Lay-retainers  fewer  than  they  are,  in  Bishops'  Palaces,  the 
 use  and  the  honour  thereof  would  be  much  more  suitable 
 than  now.  But  these  things,  concerning  the  number  and 
 quality  of  persons  fit  to  attend  on  Prelates,  either  for  ne- 
 cessity, or  for  Honour's  sake,  are  rather  in  particular  discre- 
 tion to  be  ordered,  than  to  be  argued  of  by  disputes.  As 
 t-.c-  for  the  vain  imagination  of  some,  who  teach  the  original 
 p.  126.  hereof  to  have  been  a  preposterous  imagination  of  Maxi- 
 ju5.of  minus  the  Emperor,  who  being  addicted  unto  Idolatry, 
 1.  vui.  cnose  of  the  choicest  Magistrates  to  be  Priests,  and,  to  the 
 end  they  might  be  in  great  estimation,  gave  unto  each  of 
 them  a  train  of  followers ;  and  that  Christian  Emperors, 
 thinking  the  same  would  promote  Christianity  which  pro- 
 moted Superstition,  endeavoured  to  make  their  Bishops 
 encounter  and  match  with  those  idolatrous  Priests :  such 
 frivolous  conceits  having  no  other  ground  than  conceit,  we 
 weigh  not  so  much  as  to  frame  any  answer  unto  them ;  our 
 declaration  of  the  true  original  of  ancient  Attendancy  on 
 Bishops  being  sufficient.  Now,  if  that  which  the  light  of 
 sound  reason  doth  teach  to  be  fit,  have  upon  like  induce- 
 ments reasonable,  allowable,  and  good,  approved  itself  in 
 such  wise  as  to  be  accepted,  not  only  of  us,  but  of  Pagans 
 and  Infidels  also,  doth  conformity  with  them  that  are  evil 
 in  that  which  is  good,  make  that  thing  which  is  good,  evil? 
 "We  have  not  herein  followed  the  Heathens,  nor  the  Hea- 
 thens us,  but  both  we  and  they  one  and  the  self-same  divine 
 Rule,  the  light  of  a  true  and  sound  understanding;  which 
 sheweth  what  Honour  is  fit  for  Prelates,  and  what  Attend- 
 ancy convenient  to  be  a  part  of  their  Honour. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 343 
 
 Touching  Privileges  granted  for  Honour's  sake,  partly  in  j^™-^ 
 general  unto  the  Clergy,  and  partly  unto  Prelates,  the  chief-  Eccks. 
 est  persons  Ecclesiastical,  in  particular;  of  such  quality  aVwcr. 
 and  number  they  are,  that  to  make  but  rehearsal  of  them  we  fc^- 
 scarce  think  it  safe,  lest  the  very  entrails  of  some  of  our  de  EPisc. 
 
 et  Cler 
 
 godly  brethren,  as  they  term  themselves,  shouldt  hereat  i.  x.  c! 
 haply  burst  in  sunder.  ftcier?' 
 
 21.  And  yet  of  all  these  things  rehearsed,  it  may  be  Honour 
 there  never  would  have  grown  any  question,  had  Bishops  t°Th 
 been  honoured  only  thus  far  forth.    But  the  honouring  of  lands  and 
 the  Clergy  with  wealth,  this  is,  in  the  eyes  of  them  which  lw"ss* 
 pretend  to  seek  nothing  but  mere  reformation  of  abuses,  a 
 sin  that  can  never  be  remitted. 
 
 How  soon,  O  how  soon,  might  the  Church  be  perfect, 
 even  without  any  spot  or  wrinkle,  if  public  authority 
 would  at  the  length  say  Amen  unto  the  holy  and  devout 
 requests  of  those  godly  brethren,  who  as  yet  with  out- 
 stretched necks  groan  in  the  pangs  of  their  zeal  to  see  the 
 Houses  of  Bishops  rifled,  and  their  so-long-desired  Livings 
 gloriously  divided  amongst  the  righteous !  But  there  is  an 
 impediment,  a  let,  which  somewhat  hindereth  those  good 
 men's  prayers  from  taking  effect :  they  in  whose  hands  the 
 Sovereignty  of  Power  and  Dominion  over  this  Church  doth 
 rest,  are  persuaded  there  is  a  God  ;  for  undoubtedly,  either 
 the  name  of  Godhead  is  but  a  feigned  thing,  or,  if  in  Hea- 
 ven there  be  a  God,  the  sacrilegious  intention  of  Church- 
 robbers,  which  lurketh  under  this  plausible  name  of  refor- 
 mation, is  in  his  sight  a  thousand  times  more  hateful  than 
 the  plain  professed  malice  of  those  very  miscreants  who 
 threw  their  vomit  in  the  open  face  of  our  blessed  Saviour. 
 
 They  are  not  words  of  persuasion  by  which  true  men  can 
 hold  their  own  when  they  are  over-beset  with  thieves.  And 
 therefore  to  speak  in  this  cause  at  all  were  but  labour  lost, 
 saving  only  in  respect  of  them,  who  being  as  yet  unjoined 
 unto  this  conspiracy,  may  be  haply  somewhat  stayed,  when 
 they  shall  know  betimes  what  it  is  to  see  thieves,  and  to  run 
 on  with  them,  as  the  Prophet  in  the  Psalm  speaketh; 
 "  When  thou  sawest  a  thief,  then  thou  consentedst  with  Psal' 
 him,  and  hast  been  partaker  with  adulterers." 
 
 For  the  better  information  therefore  of  men  which  carry 
 true,  honest,  and  indifferent  minds,  these  things  we  will  en- 
 deavour to  make  most  clearly  manifest. 
 
344 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  rOLITY. 
 
 First,  That  in  Goods  and  Livings  of  the  Church  none 
 hath  propriety  but  God  himself. 
 
 Secondly,  That  the  Honour  which  the  Clergy  therein 
 hath,  is  to  be,  as  it  were,  God's  receivers  ;  the  Honour  of 
 Prelates,  to  be  his  chief  and  principal  receivers. 
 
 Thirdly,  That  from  him  they  have  right,  not  only  to  re- 
 ceive, but  also  to  use  such  goods,  the  lower  sort  in  smaller, 
 and  the  higher  in  larger,  measure. 
 
 Fourthly,  That  in  case  they  be  thought,  yea,  or  found  to 
 abuse  the  same,  yet  may  not  such  Honour  be  therefore  law- 
 fully taken  from  them,  and  be  given  away  unto  persons  of 
 other  calling. 
 
 Ecciesf  P°ssessi°ns>  Lands,  and  Livings  spiritual,  the 
 
 asticai   wealth  of  the  Clergy,  the  goods  of  the  Church,  are  in  such 
 an°d°co'n-  s01^  the  Lord's  own,  that  man  can  challenge  no  propriety 
 Pofthe  *n  l^em-    His  they  are,  and  not  ours;  all  things  are  his, 
 Lands    in  that  from  him  they  have  their  being:  "  My  corn,  and 
 livings,  my  wine,  and  mine  oil,"  saith  the  Lord.    All  things  his,  in 
 BUhops  *nat  ne  na*n  aDS°lute  power  to  dispose  of  them  at  his  plea- 
 enjoy,    sure.    "  Mine  (saith  he)  are  the  sheep  and  oxen  of  a  thou- 
 priety"  sand  hills."    All  things  his,  in  that  when  we  have  them,  we 
 ett^unto  may  say  w'tn        "God  hath  given  ;"  and  when  we  are 
 God     deprived  of  them,  "  The  Lord,"  whose  they  are,  hath  like- 
 hos.h.o.  wise  "  taken  them  away"  again.  But  these  sacred  Posses- 
 j'5^-    sions  are  his  by  another  tenure;  his,  because  those  men 
 job  i.  si.  who  first  received  them  from  him,  have  unto  him  returned 
 them  again,  by  way  of  religious  gift  or  oblation  :  and  in 
 this  respect  it  is,  that  the  Lord  doth  term  those  houses, 
 h!?io.   wherein  such  gifts  and  oblations  were  laid,"  his  Treasuries." 
 The  ground  whereupon  men  have  resigned  their  own  inte- 
 rest in  things  temporal,  and  given  over  the  same  unto  God, 
 is  that  Precept  which  Solomon  borroweth  from  the  Law  of 
 Prov.    Nature,  "  Honour  the  Lord  out  of  thy  substance,  and  of  the 
 "l" 9'    chiefest  of  all  thy  revenue  :  so  shall  thy  barns  be  filled 
 with  plenty,  and  with  new  wine  the  fat  of  thy  press  shall 
 overflow."    For  although  it  be  by  one  most  fitly  spoken 
 against  those  superstitious  persons,  who  only  are  scrupu- 
 seneca.  lous  in  external  Rites ;  "  Wilt  thou  win  the  favour  of 
 God?  Be  virtuous.    They  best  worship  him  that  are  his 
 followers."    It  is  not  the  bowing  of  your  knees,  but  of 
 your  hearts;  it  is  not  the  number  of  your  oblations,  but 
 the  integrity  of  your  lives;  not  your  incense,  but  your 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 345 
 
 obedience,  which  God  is  delighted  to  be  honoured  by: 
 nevertheless,  we  must  beware,  lest  simply  understanding 
 this,  which  comparatively  is  meant;  that  is  to  say,  whereas 
 the  meaning  is,  that  God  doth  chiefly  respect  the  inward 
 disposition  of  the  heart,  we  must  take  heed  we  do  not 
 hereupon  so  worship  him  in  spirit,  that  outwardly  we  take 
 all  worship,  reverence,  and  honour  from  him. 
 
 Our  God  will  be  glorified  both  of  us  himself,  and  for  us 
 by  others :  to  others,  because  our  hearts  are  known,  and 
 yet  our  example  is  required  for  their  good  ;  therefore  it  is 
 not  sufficient  to  carry  Religion  in  our  hearts,  as  fire  is 
 carried  in  flint-stones,  but  we  are  outwardly,  visibly,  ap- 
 parently, to  serve  and  honour  the  living  God  ;  yea,  to 
 employ  that  way,  as  not  only  for  our  souls,  but  our  bo- 
 dies, so  not  only  our  bodies,  but  our  goods;  yea,  the 
 choice,  the  flower,  the  chiefest  of  all  thy  revenue,  saith 
 Solomon.    If  thou  hast  anything  in  all  thy  possessions 
 of  more  value  and  price  than  other,  to  what  use  shouldest 
 thou  convert  it,  rather  than  to  this  ?  Samuel  was  dear  unto 
 Hannah  his  mother  :  the  child  that  Hannah  did  so  much 
 esteem,  she  could  not  choose  but  greatly  wish  to  advance; 
 and  her  religious  conceit  was,  that  the  honouring  of  God 
 with  it  was  the  advancing  of  it  unto  honour.    The  chiefest 
 of  the  offspring  of  men  are  the  males  which  be  first  born  : 
 and  for  this  cause,  in  the  ancient  world  they  all  were  by 
 right  of  their  birth  Priests  of  the  Most  High.    By  these 
 and  the  like  precedents,  it  plainly  enough  appeareth,  that 
 in  what  heart  soever  doth  dwell  unfeigned  Religion,  in  the 
 same  there  resteth  also  a  willingness  to  bestow  upon  God 
 that  soonest  which  is  most  dear.    Amongst  us  the  Law  is, 
 that  sith  gold  is  the  chiefest  of  metals,  if  it  be  any  where 
 found  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  it  belongeth  in  right  of 
 honour,  as  all  men  know,  to  the  King:  whence  hath  this 
 custom  grown,  but  only  from  a  natural  persuasion,  whereby 
 men  judge  it  decent,  for  the  highest  persons  always  to  be 
 honoured  with  the  choicest  things  ?  "  If  ye  offer  unto  God 
 the  blind  (saith  the  Prophet  Malachi),  is  it  not  evil  ?  if  the  '* 
 lame  and  sick,  is  it  good  enough?  Present  it  unto  thy 
 Prince,  and  see  if  he  will  content  himself,  or  accept  thy 
 person,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."   When  Abel  presented 
 God  with  an  offering,  it  was  the  fattest  of  all  the  lambs  in 
 his  whole  flock;  he  honoured  God  not  only  out  of  his  sub- 
 
346  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 stance,  but  out  of  the  very  chiefest  therein ;  whereby  we 
 may  somewhat  judge  how  religiously  they  stand  affected 
 towards  God,  who  grudge  that  any  thing  worth  the  having 
 should  be  his.    Long  it  were  to  reckon  up  particularly 
 what  God  was  owner  of  under  the  Law ;  for  of  this  sort 
 was  all  which  they  spent  in  legal  sacrifices;  of  this  sort, 
 their  usual  Oblations  and  Offerings ;  of  this  sort,  Tithes  and 
 Firstfruits ;  of  this  sort,  that  which  by  extraordinary  occa- 
 sions they  vowed  unto  God  ;  of  this  sort,  all  that  they  gave 
 to  the  building  of  the  Tabernacle ;  of  this  sort,  all  that 
 which  was  gathered  amongst  them  for  erecting  of  the  Tem- 
 ple, and  the  adorning  of  it  erected  ;*  of  this  sort,  whatso- 
 ever their  Corban  contained,  wherein  that  blessed  widow's 
 deodate  was  laid  up.  Now,  either  this  kind  of  Honour  was 
 prefiguratively  altogether  Ceremonial,  and  then  our  Saviour 
 accepteth  it  not;  or,  if  we  find  that  to  him  also  it  hath 
 been  done,  and  that  with  divine  approbation  given  for 
 encouragement  of  the  world,  to  shew,  by  such  kind  of  ser- 
 vice, their  dutiful  hearts  towards  Christ ;  there  will  be  no 
 place  left  for  man  to  make  any  question  at  all  whether 
 herein  they  do  well  or  no. 
 
 Wherefore,  to  descend  from  the  Synagogue  unto  the 
 Church  of  Christ :  albeit  sacrifices,  wherewith  sometimes 
 God  was  highly  honoured,  be  not  accepted  as  heretofore 
 Psai.  i.  at  the  hands  of  men,  yet,  forasmuch  as  "  Honour  God 
 with  thy  riches,"  is  an  edict  of  the  inseparable  Law  of  Na- 
 ture, so  far  forth  as  men  are  therein  required  by  such  kind 
 PMi.    of  homage  to  testify  their  thankful  minds,  this  sacrifice 
 God  doth  accept  still.    Wherefore  as  it  was  said  of  Christ, 
 rsa|-    that  "  all  Kings  shall  worship  him,  and  all  Nations  do  him 
 
 lnii.ll.  f.  1  ' 
 
 service ;  so  this  very  kind  of  worship  or  service  was  like- 
 wise mentioned,  lest  we  should  think  that  our  Lord  and 
 ver.  10.  Saviour  would  allow  of  no  such  thing:  "The  Kings  of 
 Tarshish  and  of  the  isles  shall  bring  presents ;  the  Kings 
 of  Sheba  and  Seba  shall  bring  gifts."  And,  as  it  maketh 
 not  a  little  to  the  praise  of  those  sages  mentioned  in  the 
 Gospel,  that  the  first  amongst  men  which  did  solemnly 
 honour  our  Saviour  on  earth  were  they ;  so  it  soundeth  no 
 less  to  the  dignity  of  this  particular  kind,  that  the  rest  by 
 it  were  prevented ;  "  They  fell  down  and  worshipped  him, 
 
 •  "  Because  (saith  David)  I  have  a  delight  in  the  House  of  my  God,  therefore  I 
 have  given  thereunto  of  my  own  both  gold  and  silver  to  adorn  it  with."  1  Chron. 
 xxix.  3. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 347 
 
 and  opened  their  treasures,  and  presented  unto  him  gifts ;  ™a,t- 
 gold,  incense,  and  myrrh." 
 
 Of  all  those  things  which  were  done  to  the  honour  of 
 Christ  in  his  lifetime,  there  is  not  one  whereof  he  spake  in 
 such  sort  as  when  Mary,  to  testify  the  largeness  of  her 
 affection,  seemed  to  waste  away  a  gift  upon  him,  the  price 
 of  which  gift  might,  as  they  thought  who  saw  it,  much  better 
 have  been  spent  in  works  of  mercy  towards  the  poor : 
 "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  wheresoever  this  Gospel  shall  be 
 preached,  throughout  all  the  world,  there  shall  also  this 
 that  she  hath  done  be  spoken  of,  for  p„  memorial  of  her." 
 Of  service  to  God,  the  best  works  are  they  which  continue  j0hn 
 longest ;  and,  for  permanency,  what  like  donation,  where- l6* 
 by  things  are  unto  him  for  ever  dedicated  ?  That  the  an- 
 cient Lands  and  Livings  of  the  Church  were  all  in  such  sort 
 given  into  the  hands  of  God  by  the  just  lords  and  ow  ners 
 of  them,  that  unto  him  they  passed  over  their  whole  inte- 
 rest and  right  therein,  the  form  of  sundry  the  said  dona- 
 tions, as  yet  extant,  most  plainly  sheweth.  And  where 
 time  hath  left  no  such  evidence  as  now  remaining  to  be 
 seen,  yet  the  same  intention  is  presumed  in  all  donors, 
 unless  the  contrary  be  apparent.  But  to  the  end  it  may 
 yet  more  plainly  appear  unto  all  men  under  what  title  the 
 several  kinds  of  Ecclesiastical  possessions  are  held,  "  Our  Aug. 
 Lord  himself  (saith  St.  Augustine)  had  coffers  to  keep  those  deFme?.l 
 things  which  the  faithful  offered  unto  him.  Then  was  the  dac- 
 form  of  the  Church-treasury  first  instituted,  to  the  end,  that 
 withal  we  might  understand,  that,  in  forbidding  to  be  care- 
 ful for  to-morrow,  his  purpose  was  not  to  bar  his  saints 
 from  keeping  money,  but  to  withdraw  them  from  doing 
 God  service  for  wealth's  sake,  and  from  forsaking  righte- 
 ousness through  fear  of  losing  their  wealth." 
 
 The  first  gifts  consecrated  unto  Christ  after  his  departure 
 out  of  the  world,  were  sums  of  money  ;  in  process  of  time 
 other  moveables  were  added,  and  at  length  goods  unmove- 
 able ;  Churches  and  Oratories  hallowed  to  the  honour  of 
 his  glorious  name ;  houses  and  lands  for  perpetuity  con- 
 veyed unto  him;  inheritance  given  to  remain  his  as  long 
 as  the  world  should  endure.    "  The  Apostles  (saith  Mel-  c.w. 
 chiades),  they  foresaw  that  God  would  have  his  Church  ^p."  15. 
 amongst  the  Gentiles,  and  for  that  cause  in  Judea  they  took et  l6* 
 no  Lands,  but  price  of  Lands  sold."  This  he  conjecturcth 
 
34  S 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 to  have  been  the  cause  why  the  Apostles  did  that  which 
 the  History  reporteth  of  them. 
 
 The  truth  is,  that  so  the  state  of  those  times  did  require, 
 as  well  otherwhere  as  in  Judea.    Wherefore,  when  after- 
 wards it  did  appear  much  more  commodious  for  the  Church 
 to  dedicate  such  inheritances,  than  the  value  and  price  of 
 them  being  sold,  the  former  custom  was  changed  for  this, 
 as  for  the  better.  The  devotion  of  Constantine  herein,  all 
 the  world,  even  till  this  very  day,  admireth.   They  that 
 lived  in  the  prime  of  the  Christian  world,  thought  no  testa- 
 ment Christianly  made,  nor  any  thing  therein  well  be- 
 queathed, unless  something  were  thereby  added  unto 
 Christ's  patrimony.    Touching  which  men,  what  judgment 
 that  the  world  doth  now  give,  I  know  not ;  perhaps  we 
 deem  them  to  have  been  herein  but  blind  and  superstitious 
 persons.    Nay,  we  in  these  cogitations  are  blind;  they 
 r-rov.  contrariwise  did  with  Solomon  plainly  know  and  persuade 
 '"■ 10,  themselves,  that  thus  to  diminish  their  wealth  was,  not  to 
 diminish  but  to  augment  it;  according  to  that  which  God 
 Mai.    doth  promise  to  his  own  people  by  the  Prophet  Malachi, 
 schJon.  and  which  they  by  their  own  particular  experience  found 
 xxxi.io  true.    IfWickliff  therefore  were  of  that  opinion  which  his 
 adversaries  ascribe  unto  him  (whether  truly,  or  of  purpose 
 to  make  him  odious,  I  cannot  tell,  for  in  his  writings  I  do 
 Th.     not  find  it),  namely,  "  That  Constantine,  and  others  fol- 
 Zmfi  lowing  his  steps,  did  evil,  as  having  no  sufficient  ground 
 «b.  w.  whereby  they  might  gather,  that  such  donations  are  accept- 
 able to  Jesus  Christ ;"  it  was  in  Wickliff  a  palpable  error. 
 I  will  use  but  one  only  argument,  to  stand  in  the  stead  of 
 many.    Jacob,  taking  his  journey  unto  Haran,  made  in  this 
 Gen.    sort  his  solemn  vow :  "  If  God  will  be  with  me,  and  will  keep 
 20-22.  me  in  this  journey  which  T  go,  and  will  give  me  bread  to  eat, 
 and  clothes  to  put  on,  so  that  I  come  again  to  my  father's 
 house  in  safety  ;  then  shall  the  Lord  be  my  God,  and  this 
 stone  which  I  have  set  up  a  pillar  shall  be  the  House  of  God, 
 and  of  all  that  thou  shalt  give  me,  will  I  give  the  Tenth  unto 
 thee."  May  a  Christian  man  desire  as  great  things  as  Jacob 
 did  at  the  hands  of  God  ?  May  he  desire  them  in  as  earnest 
 manner?    May  he  promise  as  great  thankfulness  in  ac- 
 knowledging the  goodness  of  God?    May  he  vow  any 
 certain  kind  of  public  acknowledgment  beforehand  ?  Or, 
 though  he  vow  it  not,  perform  it  after,  in  such  sort  that 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 349 
 
 men  may  see  he  is  persuaded  how  the  Lord  hath  been  his 
 God  ?  Are  these  particular  kinds  of  testifying  thankful- 
 ness to  God,  the  erecting  of  Oratories,  the  dedicating  of 
 Lands  and  Goods  to  maintain  them,  forbidden  any  where? 
 Let  any  mortal  man  living  shew  but  one  reason  where- 
 fore in  this  point  to  follow  Jacob's  example,  should  not  be 
 a  thing  both  acceptable  unto  God,  and  in  the  eyes  of  the 
 world  for  ever  most  highly  commendable.  Concerning 
 goods  of  this  nature,  goods,  whereof  when  we  speak,  we 
 term  them  ra  6t<J  dtyupuiSlvra,  the  goods  that  are  con- 
 secrated unto  God,  and,  as  Tertullian  speaketh,  deposita  fAPo1- 
 pietatis,  things  which  piety  and  devotion  hath  laid  up  as 
 it  were  in  the  bosom  of  God;  touching  such  goods,  the 
 Law  Civil,  following  mere  light  of  Nature,  defineth  them 
 to  be  no  man's,  because  no  mortal  man,  or  community  of 
 men,  hath  right  of  propriety  in  them. 
 
 23.  Persons  Ecclesiastical  are  God's  Stewards,  not  T,hatEc; 
 
 clesiasti- 
 
 only  for  that  he  hath  set  them  over  his  family,  as  the  cai  per- 
 Ministers  of  ghostly  food,  but  even  for  this  very  cause  receivers 
 also,  that  they  are  to  receive  and  dispose  his  temporal  re-  °efn^°.d'3 
 venues,  the  gifts  and  oblations  which  men  bring  him.  Of  and  that 
 the  Jews  it  is  plain  that  their  Tithes  they  offered  unto  the  ^""f 
 Lord,  and  those  offerings  the  Lord  bestowed  upon  the  ^ret'0a,be* 
 Levites.  When  the  Levites  gave  the  Tenth  of  their  Tithes,  thereof 
 this  their  gift  the  Law  doth  term  the  Lord's  Heave-otfering, 
 
 receivers : 
 
 and  appoint  that  the  High-priest  should  receive  the  same.  °°'tiTber- 
 Of  spoils  taken  in  war,  that  part  which  they  were  accus-  from 
 tomed  to  separate  unto  God,  they  brought  it  before  the  eTo8™"1" 
 Priest  of  the  Lord,  by  whom  it  was  laid  up  in  the  Taber-  ^"j^ 
 nacle  of  the  Congregation,  for  a  memorial  of  their  thank-  "me 
 fulness  towards  God,  and  his  goodness  towards  them  in  theircwr. 
 fighting  for  them  against  their  enemies.    As  therefore  the  "^Va".*11 
 Apostle  magnifieth  the  honour  of  Melchisedec,  in  that  he,  manner, 
 being  a  High-priest,  did  receive  at  the  hands  of  Abraham  xvin.' 
 the  Tithes  which  Abraham  did  honour  God  with;  so  it  ^-f' 
 argueth  in  the  Apostles  themselves  great  Honour,  that  at  H.^b- 
 their  feet  the  price  of  those  possessions  was  laid,  which  Acts ' 
 men  thought  good  to  bestow  on  Christ.    St.  Paul,  com- 1V'34' 
 mending  the  Churches  which  were  in  Macedonia,  for  their 
 exceeding  liberality  this  way,  saith  of  them,  that  he  him- 
 self would  bear  record,  they  had  declared  their  forward 
 minds  according  to  their  power,  yea,  beyond  their  power, 
 and  had  so  much  exceeded  his  expectation  of  them,  that 
 
350 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 s cm.  "  they  seemed  as  it  were  even  to  give  away  themselves  first 
 to  the  Lord  (saith  the  Apostle),  and  then  by  the  will  of 
 God  unto  us:"  to  him,  as  the  owner  of  such  gifts;  to  us, 
 as  his  appointed  receivers  and  dispensers.   The  gift  of  the 
 
 Acts    Church  of  Antioch,  bestowed  unto  the  use  of  distressed 
 
 x'i.  30. 
 
 ip.  brethren  which  were  in  Judea,  Paul  and  Barnabas  did 
 *"•  17 •  deliver  unto  the  Presbyters  of  Jerusalem  ;  and  the  Head 
 of  those  Presbyters  was  James,  he  therefore  the  chiefest 
 disposer  thereof. 
 
 Amongst  those  Canons  which  are  entitled  Apostolical, 
 one  is  this,  "  We  appoint  that  the  Bishop  have  care  of 
 those  things  which  belong  to  the  Church;"*  the  meaning 
 is,  of  Church-goods,  as  the  reason  following  sheweth  : 
 "  For  if  the  precious  souls  of  men  must  be  committed  unto 
 him  of  trust,  much  more  it  behoveth  the  charge  of  money 
 to  be  given  him,  that  by  his  authority  the  Presbyters  and 
 Deacons  may  administer  all  things  to  them  that  stand  in 
 need."  So  that  he  which  hath  done  them  the  Honour  to  be, 
 as  it  were,  his  Treasurers,  hath  left  them  also  Authority  and 
 Power  to  use  these  treasures,  both  otherwise  and  for  the 
 maintenance  even  of  their  own  estate:  the  lower  sort  of  the 
 Clergy,  according  unto  a  meaner ;  the  higher,  after  a  larger, 
 proportion.  The  use  of  Spiritual  Goods  and  Possessions 
 hath  been  a  matter  much  disputed  of;  grievous  com- 
 plaints there  are  usually  made  against  the  evil  and  un- 
 lawful usage  of  them,  but  with  no  certain  determination 
 hitherto  on  what  things  and  persons,  with  what  proportion 
 and  measure  they  being  bestowed,  do  retain  their  lawful 
 use.  Some  men  condemn  it  as  idle,  superfluous,  and  alto- 
 gether vain,  that  any  part  of  the  treasure  of  God  should 
 be  spent  upon  costly  ornaments  appertaining  unto  his 
 joi  n.  service :  who  being  best  worshipped,  when  he  is  served  in 
 ,v  u'  spirit  and  truth,  hath  not  for  want  of  pomp  and  magnifi- 
 cence rejected  at  any  time  those  who  with  faithful  hearts 
 have  adored  him.  Whereupon  the  Heretics,  termed  Hen- 
 riciani  and  Petrobusiani,  threw  down  Temples  and  Houses 
 of  Prayer,  erected  with  marvellous  great  charge,  as  being 
 in  that  respect  not  fit  for  Christ  by  us  to  be  honoured  in. 
 We  deny  not,  but  that  they  who  sometime  wandered  as 
 pilgrims  on  earth,  and  had  no  Temples,  but  made  caves 
 
 •'EuriVxoTrov  £j££iv  t2v  tni  'ExxXna'ia?  Ttfaypawv  tfyve-iav ,  watt  Jioikjii1  t'f  w«vt«c 
 Stopivovi  i*tta  trams  £iiXa0£ia;xai  qfflov  ©sow.  Can.  40.  et  Conc.  Antioch.  [Conc.  tom. 
 \.  par.  i.  p.  415.  Can.  25.] 
 
BOOK  VII.  351 
 
 and  dens  to  pray  in,  did  God  such  honour  as  was  most 
 acceptable  in  his  sight :  God  did  not  reject  them  for  their  neb- 
 poverty  and  nakedness'  sake ;  their  Sacraments  were  not x'' 
 abhorred  for  want  of  vessels  of  gold. 
 
 Howbeit,  let  them  who  thus  delight  to  plead,  answer  me: 
 when  Moses  first,  and  afterwards  David,  exhorted  the 
 people  of  Israel  unto  matter  of  charge  about  the  service  of 
 God;  suppose  we  it  had  been  allowable  in  them  to  have 
 thus  pleaded :  "  Our  Fathers  in  Egypt  served  God  devoutly, 
 God  was  with  them  in  all  their  afflictions,  he  heard  their 
 prayers,  pitied  their  case,  and  delivered  them  from  the  ty- 
 ranny of  their  oppressors ;  what  House,  Tabernacle,  or 
 Temple  had  they?"  Such  argumentations  are  childish 
 and  fond ;  God  doth  not  refuse  to  be  honoured  at  all  where 
 there  lacketh  wealth ;  but  where  abundance  and  store  is, 
 he  there  requireth  the  flower  thereof,  being  bestowed  on 
 him,  to  be  employed  even  unto  the  ornament  of  his  service. 
 In  Egypt  the  state  of  his  people  was  servitude,  and  there- 
 fore his  service  was  accordingly.  In  the  desert  they  had  no 
 sooner  aught  of  their  own,  but  a  Tabernacle  is  required  ; 
 and  in  the  Land  of  Canaan  a  Temple.  In  the  eyes  of 
 David  it  seemed  a  thing  not  fit,  a  thing  not  decent,  that 
 himself  should  be  more  richly  seated  than  God. 
 
 But  concerning  the  use  of  Ecclesiastical  Goods  bestowed 
 this  way,  there  is  not  so  much  contention  amongst  us,  as 
 what  measure  of  allowance  is  fit  for  Ecclesiastical  persons 
 to  be  maintained  with.    A  better  rule  in  this  case  to  judge 
 things  by  we  cannot  possibly  have,  than  the  wisdom  of 
 God  himself:  by  considering  what  he  thought  meet  for 
 each  degree  of  the  Clergy  to  enjoy  in  time  of  the  Law ; 
 what  for  Levites,  what  for  Priests,  and  what  for  High- 
 priests,  somewhat  we  shall  be  the  more  able  to  discern 
 rightly  what  may  be  fit,  convenient,  and  right  for  the 
 Christian  Clergy  likewise.    Priests  for  their  maintenance  Num. 
 had  those  first-fruits  of  cattle,  corn,  wine,  oil,  and  other  ™"'5™' 
 commodities  of  the  earth,  which  the  Jews  were  accustomed 
 yearly  to  present  God  with.    They  had  the  price  which 
 was  appointed  for  men  to  pay  in  lieu  of  the  firstborn  of 
 their  children,  and  the  price  of  the  first-born  also  amongst  ver.  s. 
 cattle  which  were  unclean:  they  had  the  vowed  gifts  of  the  „^i.Ul 
 people,  or  the  prices,  if  they  were  redeemable  by  the 
 donors  after  vow,  as  some  things  were:  they  had  the  free 9- 21.2s. 
 
352 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 and  unvovved  oblations  of  men:  they  had  the  remainder  of 
 things  sacrificed  :  with  Tithes  the  Levites  were  maintained ; 
 and  with  the  Tithe  of  their  Tithes  the  High-priest. 
 
 In  a  word,  if  the  quality  of  that  which  God  did  assign  to 
 his  Clergy  be  considered,  and  their  manner  of  receiving  it, 
 without  labour,  expence,  or  charge,  it  will  appear  that  the 
 tribe  of  Levi,  being  but  the  twelfth  part  of  Israel,  had  in 
 effect  as  good  as  four  twelfth  parts  of  all  such  goods  as  the 
 Holy  Land  did  yield:  so  that  their  worldly  estate  was  four 
 times  as  good  as  any  other  tribe's  in  Israel  besides.  But 
 the  High-priests'  condition,  how  ample  ?  to  whom  belonged 
 the  Tenth  of  all  the  Tithe  of  this  land,  especially  the  Law 
 providing  also,  that  as  the  people  did  bring  the  best  of  all 
 things  unto  the  Priests  and  Levites,  so  the  Levites  should 
 deliver  the  choice  and  flower  of  all  their  commodities  to 
 the  High-priest,  and  so  his  tenth  part  by  that  means  be 
 made  the  very  best  part  amongst  ten :  by  which  propor- 
 tion, if  the  Levites  were  ordinarily  in  all  not  above  thirty 
 thousand  men  (whereas  when  David  numbered  them,  he 
 mIITs'  f°unc*  almost  thirty-eight  thousand  above  the  age  of  thirty 
 years),  the  High-priest,  after  this  very  reckoning,  had  as 
 much  as  three  or  four  thousand  others  of  the  Clergy  to 
 xwiez  ^ve  uPoa*    Over  and  besides  all  this,  lest  the  Priests  of 
 Egypt,  holding  lands,  should  seem  in  that  respect  better 
 provided  for  than  the  Priests  of  the  true  God,  it  pleased 
 Num.   him  further  to  appoint  unto  them  forty  and  eight  whole  cities 
 with  territories  of  land  adjoining,  to  hold  as  their  own 
 free  inheritance  for  ever.    For  to  the  end  they  might  have 
 all  kind  of  encouragement,  not  only  to  do  what  they  ought, 
 josh.    ]jUt  t0  take  pleasure  in  that  they  did  ;  albeit  they  were  ex- 
 pressly forbidden  to  have  any  part  of  the  Land  of  Canaan 
 laid  out  whole  to  themselves,  by  themselves,  in  such  sort 
 Deut.     as  the  rest  of  the  tribes  had  ;  forasmuch  as  the  will  of 
 lIv.'  xxI.  God  was  rather  that  they  should  throughout  all  tribes 
 33,34.    t,e  dispersed,  for  the  easier  access  of  the  people  unto 
 knowledge;  yet  were  they  not  barred  altogether  to  hold 
 land,  nor  yet  otherwise  the  worst  provided  for,  in  re- 
 spect of  that  former  restraint ;  for  God,  by  way  of  special 
 pre-eminence,  undertook  to  feed  them  at  his  own  table, 
 and  out  of  his  own  proper  treasury  to  maintain  them, 
 that  want  and  penury  they  might  never  feel,  except  God 
 himself  did  first  receive  injury.    A  thing  most  worthy  our 
 
BOOK  VI  r. 
 
 353 
 
 consideration  is  the  wisdom  of  God  herein;  for  the  common 
 sort  being  prone  unto  envy  and  murmur,  little  considereth 
 of  what  necessity,  use,  and  importance  the  sacred  duties 
 of  the  Clergy  are,  and  for  that  cause  hardly  yieldeth  them 
 any  such  honour  without  repining  and  grudging  thereat ; 
 they  cannot  brook  it,  that  when  they  have  laboured  and 
 come  to  reap,  there  should  so  great  a  portion  go  out  of  the 
 fruit  of  their  labours,  and  be  yielded  up  unto  such  as 
 sweat  not  for  it.  But  when  the  Lord  doth  challenge  this 
 as  his  own  due,  and  require  it  to  be  done  by  way  of  ho- 
 mage unto  him,  whose  mere  liberality  and  goodness  had 
 raised  them  from  a  poor  and  servile  estate,  to  place  them 
 where  they  had  all  those  ample  and  rich  possessions ;  they 
 must  be  worse  than  brute  beasts,  if  they  would  storm  at 
 any  thing  which  he  did  receive  at  their  hands.  And  for 
 him  to  bestow  his  own  on  his  own  servants  (which  liberty 
 is  not  denied  unto  the  meanest  of  men),  what  man  liveth 
 that  can  think  it  other  than  most  reasonable.  Wherefore 
 no  cause  there  was,  why  that  which  the  Clergy  had  should 
 in  any  man's  eye  seem  too  much,  unless  God  himself  were 
 thought  to  be  of  an  over-having  disposition. 
 
 This  is  the  mark  whereat  all  those  speeches  drive,  "Levi  Deut- 
 hath  no  part  nor  inheritance  with  his  brethren,  the  Lord  is 
 his  inheritance  ;"  again,  "  To  the  tribe  of  Levi  he  gave  no  Josh- 
 inheritance,  the  sacrifices  of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  are  an 
 inheritance  of  Levi ;"  again,  "  The  Tithes  of  the  which  Num. 
 they  shall  offer,  as  an  offering  unto  the  Lord,  I  have  given 3tv"'-" 
 the  Levites  for  an  inheritance  ;"  and  again,  "  All  the  heave-  ver.iy. 
 offerings  of  the  holy  things  which  the  children  of  Israel 
 shall  offer  unto  the  Lord,  I  have  given  thee,  and  thy  sons, 
 and  thy  daughters  with  thee,  to  be  a  duty  for  ever ;  it  is  a 
 perpetual  covenant  of  salt  before  the  Lord."    Now  that, 
 if  such  provision  be  possible  to  be  made,  the  Christian 
 Clergy  ought  not  herein  to  be  inferior  unto  the  Jewish,  what 
 sounder  proof  than  the  Apostle's  own  kind  of  argument? 
 "  Do  ye  not  know  that  they  which  minister  about  the  holy  i  cor. 
 things,  eat  of  the  things  of  the  Temple  ?  and  they  which '"' 
 wait  at  the  altar,  are  partakers  with  the  altar?  (even 
 so)  hath  the  Lord  ordained  that  they  which  preach  the 
 Gospel,  should  live  of  the  Gospel."    Upon  which  words 
 I  thus  conclude,  that  if  the  people  of  God  do  abound,  and 
 abounding  can  so  far  forth  find  in  their  hearts  to  shew 
 
 VOL.  II.  2  A 
 
354 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 themselves  towards  Christ  their  Saviour  thankful  as  to 
 honour  him  with  their  riches  (which  no  Law  of  God  or 
 Nature  forbiddeth),  no  less  than  the  ancient  Jewish  peo- 
 ple did  honour  God ;  the  plain  Ordinance  of  Christ  ap- 
 pointeth  as  large  and  as  ample  proportion  out  of  his  own 
 treasure  unto  them  that  serve  him  in  the  Gospel,  as  ever 
 the  Priests  of  the  Law  did  enjoy  ?  What  further  proof 
 can  we  desire  ?  It  is  the  blessed  Apostle's  testimony,  That 
 "  even  so  the  Lord  hath  ordained."  Yea,  I  know  not  whether 
 it  be  sound  to  interpret  the  Apostle  otherwise  than  that, 
 lTim.  whereas  he  judgeth  the  Presbyters  "which  rule  well  in  the 
 v' 17'    Church  of  Christ  to  be  worthy  of  double  honour,"  he  means 
 double  unto  that  which  the  Priests  of  the  Law  received  ; 
 c  cor.   «  For  if  that  Ministry  which  was  of  the  Letter  were  so  glo- 
 vl'deW.  rious,  how  shall  not  the  Ministry  of  the  Spirit  be  more 
 arJL'    glorious  ?"  If  the  Teachers  of  the  Law  of  Moses,  which 
 God  delivered  written  with  letters  in  tables  of  stone, 
 were  thought  worthy  of  so  great  honour,  how  shall  not  the 
 Teachers  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  be  in  his  sight  most  wor- 
 thy, the  Holy  Ghost  being  sent  from  Heaven  to  engrave 
 the  Gospel  on  their  hearts  who  first  taught  it,  and  whose 
 successors  they  that  teach  it  at  this  day  are?  So  that,  ac- 
 cording to  the  Ordinance  of  God  himself,  their  estate  for 
 worldly  maintenance  ought  to  be  no  worse  that  is  granted 
 unto  other  sorts  of  men,  each  according  to  that  degree 
 they  were  placed  in.    Neither  are  we  so  to  judge  of  their 
 worldly  condition  as  if  they  were  servants  of  men,  and  at 
 men's  hands  did  receive  those  earthly  benefits  by  way  of 
 stipend  in  lieu  of  pains  whereunto  they  are  hired ;  nay, 
 that  which  is  paid  unto  them  is  homage  and  tribute  due 
 unto  the  Lord  Christ.    His  servants  they  are,  and  from 
 him  they  receive  such  goods  by  way  of  stipend.    Not  so 
 from  men :  for  at  the  hands  of  men  he  himself  being  ho- 
 noured with  such  things,  hath  appointed  his  servants 
 therewith  according  to  their  several  degrees  and  places  to 
 be  maintained.    And  for  their  greater  encouragement  who 
 are  his  labourers,  he  hath  to  their  comfort  assured  them 
 iTim.  for  ever,  that  they  are,  in  his  estimation,  ie  worthy  the 
 hire"  which  he  alloweth  them  ;  and  therefore,  if  men  should 
 withdraw  from  him  the  store  which  those  his  servants 
 that  labour  in  his  work  are  maintained  with,  yet  he  in 
 his  word  shall  be  found  everlastingly  true,  their  labour  in 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 355 
 
 the  Lord  shall  not  be  forgotten ;  the  hire  he  accountcth 
 them  worthy  of,  they  shall  surely  have  either  one  way  or 
 other  answered. 
 
 In  the  prime  of  the  Christian  world,  that  which  was  Acts^ 
 brought  and  laid  down  at  the  Apostles'  feet,  they  disposed 
 of  by  distribution  according  to  the  exigence  of  each  man's 
 need.    Neither  can  we  think  that  they,  who  out  of  Christ's 
 treasury  made  provision  for  all  others,  were  careless  to 
 furnish  the  Clergy  with  all  things  fit  and  convenient  for 
 their  estate :  and  as  themselves  were  chiefest  in  place  of 
 authority  and  calling,  so  no  man  doubteth  but  that  pro- 
 portionally they  had  power  to  use  the  same  for  their  own 
 decent  maintenance.    The  Apostles,  with  the  rest  of  the 
 Clergy  in  Jerusalem,  lived  at  that  time  according  to  the 
 manner  of  a  Fellowship,  or  Collegiate  Society,  maintaining 
 themselves  and  the  poor  of  the  Church  with  a  common 
 purse,  the  rest  of  the  faithful  keeping  that  purse  conti- 
 nually stored.  And  in  that  sense  it  is,  that  the  Sacred  His- 
 tory saith,  "  All  which  believed  were  in  one  place,  and  Ac£ 
 had  all  things  common."    In  the  histories  of  the  Church, 
 and  in  the  writings  of  the  ancient  Fathers  for  some  hun- 
 dreds of  years  after,  we  find  no  other  way  for  the  main- 
 tenance of  the  Clergy  but  only  this,  the  treasury  of  Jesus 
 Christ  furnished  through  men's  devotion,  bestowing  some- 
 times Goods,  sometimes  Lands  that  way,  and  out  of  his 
 treasury  the  charge  of  the  service  of  God  was  defrayed,  the 
 Bishop  and  the  Clergy  under  him  maintained,  the  poor  in 
 their  necessity  ministered  unto.    For  which  purpose,  every  Disp. 
 Bishop  had  some  one  of  the  Presbyters  under  him  to  be  d™^ 
 Treasurer  of  the  Church,  to  receive,  keep,  and  deliver  all ;  f3<£,en,PI- 
 which  Office  in  Churches  Cathedral  remaineth  even  till  this  <=•  «■ 
 day,  albeit  the  use  thereof  be  not  altogether  so  large  now  1.  ih. 
 as  heretofore.    The  disposition  of  these  Goods  was  by  the  $'J* 
 appointment  of  the  Bishop.    Wherefore  Prosper,  speak-  E^es- 
 ing  of  the  Bishop's  care  herein,  saith,  "  It  was  necessary  7.  in 
 for  one  to  be  troubled  therewith,  to  the  end  that  the  rest  p""c,i>- 
 under  him  might  be  freer  to  attend  quietly  their  spiritual 
 businesses."    And  lest  any  man  should  imagine,  that  Bi- 
 shops by  this  means  were  hindered  themselves  from  at- 
 tending the  service  of  God,  "  Even  herein  (saith  he)  they  ^"P^ 
 do  God  service  ;  for  if  those  things  which  are  bestowed  on  contempi. 
 the  Church  be  God's,  he  doth  the  work  of  God,  who,  not  c".i6. 
 
 2  a  2 
 
350 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 of  a  covetous  mind,  but  with  purpose  of  most  faithful  ad- 
 ministration, taketh  care  of  things  consecrated  unto  God." 
 And  forasmuch  as  the  Presbyters  of  every  Church  could 
 not  all  live  with  the  Bishop,  partly  for  that  their  number 
 was  great,  and  partly  because  the  people  being  once  divid- 
 ed into  Parishes,  such  Presbyters  as  had  severally  charge 
 of  them  were  by  that  mean  more  conveniently  to  live  in 
 the  midst  each  of  his  own  particular  flock,  therefore  a 
 competent  number  being  fed  at  the  same  table  with  the 
 Bishop,  the  rest  had  their  whole  allowance  apart,*  which 
 several  allowances  were  called  sportulcs,  and  they  who 
 received  them,  sportulantes  fratres.    Touching  the  Bishop, 
 as  his  place  and  estate  was  higher,  so  likewise  the  propor- 
 tion of  his  charges  about  himself  being  for  that  cause  in 
 all  equity  and  reason  greater  ;  yet,  forasmuch  as  his  stint 
 herein  was  no  other  than  it  pleased  himself  to  set,  the  rest 
 (as  the  manner  of  inferiors  is  to  think  that  they  which  are 
 over  them  always  have  too  much)  grudged  many  times  at 
 the  measure  of  the  Bishop's  private  expence,  perhaps  not 
 without  cause.    Howsoever,  by  this  occasion  there  grew 
 «  amongst  them  great  heart-burning,  quarrel,  and  strife  : 
 where  the  Bishops  were  found  culpable,  as  eating  too 
 much  beyond  their  tether,  and  drawing  more  to  their  own 
 private  maintenance  than  the  proportion  of  Christ's  patri- 
 mony, being  not  greatly  abundant,  could  bear,  sundry  Con- 
 stitutions hereupon  were  made  to  moderate  the  same,  ac- 
 cording to  the  Church's  condition  in  those  times.  Some 
 before  they  were  made  Bishops,  having  been  owners  of 
 ample  possessions,  sold  them  and  gave  them  away  to  the 
 devlta  poor:  thus  did  Paulinus,  Hilary,  Cyprian,  and  sundry 
 fempi    °thers.    Hereupon  they,  who,  entering  into  the  same  spi- 
 ).  si. '  ritual  and  high  function,  held  their  secular  possessions 
 p'oo',.    still,  were  hardly  thought  of:  and  even  when  the  case  was 
 tavite'  ^u^y  resolved,  that  so  to  do  was  not  unlawful,  yet  it 
 cypr.    grew  a  question,  "  Whether  they  lawfully  might  then 
 
 *  'Presbyterii  honorem  designasse  nos  illis  jamsciatis,  ut  et  sportulis  eisdem 
 cum  Presbyteris  honorentur  et  divisiones  mensurata9  ajquatis  quantitatibus  par- 
 tiantur,  sessuri  nobiscum  provectis  etcorroboratis  annis  suis.'  Cypr.  lib.  iv.  ep.  5. 
 [al.  39.  c.  2.]  Which  words  of  Cyprian  do  shew,  that  every  Presbyter  had  his 
 standing  allowance  out  of  the  Church-treasury  ;  that  besides  the  same  allowance 
 called  sjiortula,  some  also  had  their  portion  in  that  dividend  which  was  the  re- 
 mainder of  every  mouth's  expence  ;  thirdly,  that  out  of  the  Presbyters  under  him, 
 the  Bishop  as  then  had  a  certain  number  of  the  gTavest,  who  lived  and  commoned 
 always  with  him. 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 357 
 
 take  any  thing  out  of  the  public  treasury  of  Christ?" 
 a  question,  "  Whether  Bishops,  holding  by  Civil  Title 
 sufficient  to  live  of  their  own,  were  bound  in  con- 
 science to  leave  the  Goods  of  the  Church  altogether  to 
 the  use  of  others?"  Of  contentions  about  these  matters 
 there  was  no  end,  neither  appeared  there  any  possible 
 way  for  quietness  otherwise  than  by  making  partition 
 of  Church-revenues  according  to  the  several  ends  and 
 uses  for  which  they  did  serve,  that  so  the  Bishop's  part 
 might  be  certain.  Such  partition  being  made,  the  Bi- 
 shop enjoyed  his  proportion  several  to  himself ;  the  rest 
 of  the  Clergy  likewise  theirs  ;  a  third  part  was  severed  to 
 the  furnishing  and  upholding  of  the  Church ;  a  fourth  to 
 the  erection  and  maintenance  of  houses  wherein  the  poor 
 might  have  relief.  After  which  separation  made,  Lands 
 and  Livings  began  every  day  to  be  dedicated  unto  each  use 
 severally,  by  means  whereof  every  of  them  became  in  short 
 time  much  greater  than  they  had  been  for  worldly  mainte- 
 nance; the  fervent  devotion  of  men  being  glad  that  this 
 new  opportunity  was  given  of  shewing  zeal  to  the  House 
 of  God  in  more  certain  order. 
 
 By  these  things  it  plainly  appeareth  what  proportion  of 
 maintenance  hath  been  ever  thought  reasonable  for  a  Bi- 
 shop; sith  in  that  very  partition  agreed  on  to  bring  him 
 unto  his  certain  stint,  as  much  is  allowed  unto  him  alone 
 as  unto  all  the  Clergy  under  him,  namely,  a  fourth  part  of 
 the  whole  yearly  rents  and  revenues  of  the  Church.  Nor 
 is  it  likely,  that  before  those  temporalities,  which  now  are 
 such  eyesores,  were  added  unto  the  Honour  of  Bishops, 
 their  state  was  so  mean  as  some  imagine.  For,  if  we  had 
 no  other  evidence  than  the  covetous  and  ambitious  humour 
 of  Heretics,  whose  impotent  desires  of  aspiring  thereunto, 
 and  extreme  discontentment  as  oft  as  they  were  defeated, 
 even  this  doth  shew  that  the  state  of  Bishops  was  not  a 
 few  degrees  advanced  above  the  rest.  Wherefore,  of  grand 
 Apostates  which  were  in  the  very  prime  of  the  primitive 
 Church,  thus  Lactantius  above  thirteen  hundred  years 
 sithence  testified,  "Men  of  a  slippery  faith  they  were,  who  i^ct.  de 
 feigning  that  they  knew  and  worshipped  God,  but  seeking  l,".]**9 
 only  that  they  might  grow  in  wealth  and  honour,  affected  c<  30- 
 the  place  of  the  highest  Priesthood ;  whereunto,  when  their 
 betters  were  chosen  before  them,  they  thought  it  better  to 
 
358 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 leave  the  Church,  and  to  draw  their  favourers  with  them, 
 than  to  endure  those  men  their  Governors,  whom  them- 
 selves desired  to  govern."  Now,  whereas  against  the  pre- 
 sent estate  of  Bishops,  and  the  greatness  of  their  port,  and 
 the  largeness  of  their  expences  at  this  day,  there  is  not  any 
 thing  more  commonly  objected  than  those  ancient  Canons, 
 whereby  they  are  restrained  unto  a  far  more  sparing  life  ; 
 their  houses,  their  retinue,  their  diet,  limited  within  a  far 
 more  narrow  compass  than  is  now  kept ;  we  must  know, 
 that  those  Laws  and  Orders  were  made  when  Bishops  lived 
 of  the  same  purse  which  served  as  well  for  a  number  of 
 others  as  them,  and  yet  all  at  their  disposing.    So  that 
 convenient  it  was  to  provide  that  there  might  be  a  mode- 
 rate stint  appointed  to  measure  their  expences  by,  lest 
 others  should  be  urged  by  their  wastefulness.  Contrari- 
 wise, there  is  now  no  cause  wherefore  any  such  Law 
 should  be  urged,  when  Bishops  live  only  of  that  which 
 hath  been  peculiarly  allotted  unto  them.    They  having, 
 therefore,  temporalities  and  other  revenues  to  bestow  for 
 their  own  private  use,  according  to  that  which  their  state 
 requireth,  and  no  other  having  with  them  any  such  com- 
 mon interest  therein,  their  own  discretion  is  to  be  their  Law 
 for  this  matter ;  neither  are  they  to  be  pressed  with  the 
 rigour  of  such  ancient  Canons  as  were  framed  for  other 
 times,  much  less  so  odiously  to  be  upbraided  with  uncon- 
 formity unto  the  pattern  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour's  estate, 
 in  such  circumstances  as  himself  did  never  mind  to  require 
 that  the  rest  of  the  world  should  of  necessity  be  like  him. 
 Thus  against  the  wealth  of  the  Clergy  they  allege  how 
 meanly  Christ  himself  was  provided  for;  against  Bishops' 
 Palaces,  his  want  of  a  hole  to  hide  his  head  in ;  against  the 
 service  done  unto  them,  that  "  he  came  to  minister,  and 
 not  to  be  ministered  unto  in  the  world."    Which  things,  as 
 they  are  not  unfit  to  control  covetous,  proud,  or  ambitious 
 desires  of  the  Ministers  of  Christ,  and  even  of  all  Christians, 
 whatsoever  they  be,  and  to  teach  men  contentment  of 
 mind,  how  mean  soever  their  estate  is,  considering  that 
 they  are  but  servants  to  him,  whose  condition  was  far  more 
 abased  than  theirs  is,  or  can  be ;  so  to  prove  such  difference 
 in  state  between  us  and  him  unlawful,  they  are  of  no 
 force  or  strength  at  all.  If  one  convented  before  their  Con- 
 sistories, when  he  standcth  to  make  his  answer,  should 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 359 
 
 break  out  into  invectives  against  their  Authority,  and  tell 
 thcni  that  Christ,  when  he  was  on  earth,  did  not  sit  to 
 judge,  but  stand  to  be  judged  ;  would  they  hereupon  think 
 it  requisite  to  dissolve  their  Eldership,  and  to  permit  no 
 tribunals,  no  judges  at  all,  for  fear  of  swerving  from  our 
 Saviour's  example?  If  those  men,  who  have  nothing  in 
 their  mouths  more  usual  than  the  poverty  of  Jesus  Christ  and 
 his  Apostles,  allege  not  this  as  Julian  sometime  did  beati 
 pauperes,  unto  Christians,  when  his  meaning  was  to  spoil 
 them  of  that  they  had ;  our  hope  is  then,  that  as  they  seri- 
 ously and  sincerely  wish,  that  our  Saviour  Christ  in  this 
 point  may  be  followed,  and  to  that  end  only  propose  his 
 blessed  example  ;  so,  at  our  hands  again,  they  will  be 
 content  to  hear  with  like  willingness  the  holy  Apostle's 
 exhortation  made  unto  them  of  the  Laity  also,  "  Be  ye  fol-  i  cor. 
 lowers  of  us,  even  as  we  are  of  Christ;  let  us  be  your  ex-  •" 
 ample,  even  as  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  ours,  that  we  may  Phil, 
 all  proceed  by  one  and  the  same  rule."  l6' 
 
 24.  But  beware  we  of  following  Christ  as  thieves  That  for 
 follow  true  men,  to  take  their  Goods  by  violence  from  worth*- 
 them.    Be  it  that  Bishops  were  all  unworthy,  not  only  of  ^"iw 
 Livings,  but  even  of  life,  yet  what  hath  our  Lord  Jesus  both  them 
 Christ  deserved,  for  which  men  should  judge  him  worthy  succes'  r 
 to  have  things  that  are  his  given  away  from  him  unto  *°^of 
 others  that  have  no  right  unto  them  ?    For  at  this  mark  it  g°ods. 
 is  that  the  head  Lay-reformers  do  all  aim.  Must  these  un-  conve°y 
 worthy  Prelates  give  place?    What  then?    Shall  better 
 succeed  in 'their  rooms?    Is  this  desired,  to  the  end  that of sm- 
 others may  enjoy  their  Honours  which  shall  do  Christ  more  inhere 
 faithful  service  than  they  have  done  ?    Bishops  are  the 
 worst  men  living  upon  earth ;  therefore  let  their  sanctified  eious  in- 
 
 justice 
 
 possessions  be  divided :  amongst  whom  ?  O  blessed  Re- 
 formation !  O  happy  men,  that  put  to  their  helping  hands 
 for  the  furtherance  of  so  good  and  glorious  a  work ! 
 Wherefore,  albeit  the  whole  world  at  this  day  do  already 
 perceive,  and  posterity  be  like  hereafter  a  great  deal  more 
 plainly  to  discern,  not  that  the  Clergy  of  God  is  thus 
 heaved  at  because  they  arc  wicked,  but  that  means  are 
 used  to  put  it  into  the  heads  of  the  simple  multitude  that 
 they  are  such  indeed,  to  the  end  that  those  who  thirst  for 
 the  spoil  of  spiritual  possessions  may,  till  such  time  as 
 they  have  their  purpose^  %e  thought  to  covet  nothing  but 
 
360 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 only  the  just  extinguishment  of  unreformable  persons;  so 
 that  in  regard  of  such  men's  intentions,  practices,  and  ma- 
 chinations against  them,  the  part  that  suffereth  these  things 
 psai.  may  most  fitly  pray  with  David,  "  Judge  thou  me,  O  Lord, 
 v"'8' according  to  my  righteousness,  and  according  unto  mine 
 innocency :  0  let  the  malice  of  the  wicked  come  to  an  end, 
 and  be  thou  the  guide  of  the  just :"  notwithstanding,  foras- 
 much as  it  doth  not  stand  with  Christian  humility  other- 
 wise to  think,  than  that  this  violent  outrage  of  men  is  a 
 rod  in  the  ireful  hands  of  the  Lord  our  God,  the  smart 
 whereof  we  deserve  to  feel ;  let  it  not  seem  grievous  in  the 
 eyes  of  my  reverend  Lords  the  Bishops,  if  to  their  good 
 consideration  I  offer  a  view  of  those  sores  which  are  in  the 
 kind  of  their  heavenly  function  most  apt  to  breed,  and 
 which,  being  not  in  time  cured,  may  procure  at  the  length 
 that  which  God  of  his  infinite  mercy  avert.    Of  Bishops 
 in  his  time  St.  Jerome  complaineth,  that  they  took  it  in 
 great  disdain  to  have  any  fault,  great  or  small,  found  with 
 Ep'Ph-  them.    Epiphanius  likewise,  before  Jerome,  noteth  their 
 JXes.  impatiency  this  way  to  have  been  the  very  cause  of  a 
 ter.'ro  schism  in  the  Church  of  Christ;  at  what  time  one  Audius, 
 c- 1-    a  man  of  great  integrity  of  life,  full  of  faith  and  zeal  towards 
 God,  beholding  those  things  which  were  corruptly  done 
 in  the  Church,  told  the  Bishops  and  Presbyters  their 
 faults  in  such  sort  as  those  men  are  wont  who  love  the 
 truth  from  their  hearts,  and  walk  in  the  paths  of  a  most 
 exact  life.    Whether  it  were  covetousness  or  sensuality  in 
 their  lives,  absurdity  or  error  in  their  teaching,  any 
 breach  of  the  Laws  and  Canons  of  the  Church  wherein  he 
 espied  them  faulty,  certain  and  sure  they  were  to  be  thereof 
 most  plainly  told.  Which  thing  they,  whose  dealings  were 
 justly  culpable,  could  not  bear  ;  but,  instead  of  amending 
 their  faults,  bent  their  hatred  against  him  who  sought  their 
 amendment,  till  at  length  they  drove  him,  by  extremity  of 
 infestation,  through  weariness  of  striving  against  their  in- 
 juries, to  leave  both  them,  and  with  them  the  Church. 
 Amongst  the  manifold  accusations,  either  generally  in- 
 tended against  the  Bishops  of  this  our  Church,  or  laid 
 particularly  to  the  charge  of  any  of  them,  I  cannot  find 
 that  hitherto  their  spitefullest  adversaries  have  been  able 
 to  say  justly,  that  any  man  for  telling  them  their  personal 
 faults  in  good  and  Christian  sort  hath  sustained  in  that 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 361 
 
 respect  much  persecution.  Wherefore,  notwithstanding 
 mine  own  inferior  state  and  calling  in  God's  Church,  the 
 consideration  whereof  assureth  me,  that  in  this  kind  the 
 sweetest  sacrifice  which  I  can  offer  unto  Christ  is  meek 
 obedience,  reverence,  and  awe,  unto  the  Prelates  which  he 
 hath  placed  in  seats  of  higher  Authority  over  me,  embold- 
 ened I  am,  so  far  as  may  conveniently  stand  with  that  duty 
 of  humble  subjection,  meekly  to  crave  my  good  Lords 
 your  favourable  pardon,  if  it  shall  seem  a  fault  thus  far 
 to  presume ;  or,  if  otherwise,  your  wonted  courteous  ac- 
 ceptation. 
 
   Sine  me  hsec  baud  mollia  fatu 
 
 Sublatis  aperire  dolis.  JEneid.  lib.  xii.  [25.] 
 
 (1.)  In  Government,  be  it  of  what  kind  soever,  but  espe- 
 cially if  it  be  of  such  kind  of  Government  as  Prelates  have 
 over  the  Church,  there  is  not  one  thing  publickly  more  hurtful, 
 than  that  ahard  opinion  should  be  conceived  of  Governors 
 at  the  first :  and  a  good  opinion  how  should  the  world  ever 
 conceive  of  them  for  their  after-proceeding  in  Regiment, 
 whose  first  access  and  entrance  thereunto  giveth  just  oc- 
 casion to  think  them  corrupt  men,  which  fear  not  that  God 
 in  whose  name  they  are  to  rule  ?  Wherefore  a  scandalous 
 thing  it  is  to  the  Church  of  God,  and  to  the  actors  them- 
 selves dangerous,  to  have  aspired  unto  rooms  of  Prelacy 
 by  wicked  means.  We  are  not  at  this  day  troubled  much 
 with  that  tumultuous  kind  of  ambition  wherewith  the 
 elections  of  Damasus  in  St.  Jerome's  age,  and  of  Maximus  Ammian. 
 in  Gregory's  time,  and  of  others,  were  long  sithence  stain-  JfbVxxTH. 
 ed.    Our  greatest  fear  is  rather  the  evil  which  Leo*  and  £-6J. 
 
 °  Vide  in 
 
 Anthemius  did  by  Imperial  Constitution  endeavour  asvuaGreg. 
 much  as  in  them  lay  to  prevent.    He  which  granteth,  or  ^opp! 
 he  which  receiveth,  the  Office  and  Dignity  of  a  Bishop,  \f3^T' 
 otherwise  than  beseemeth  a  thing  divine  and  most  holy; 
 he  which  bestoweth  and  he  which  obtaineth  it,  after  any 
 
 •  '  Nemo  gradum  Sacerdotii  pretii  venalitate  mercetur  ;  quantum  quisque  mere- 
 atur,  non  quantum  dare  sufficiat,  testimetur.  Profecto  eniru,  quis  locus  tutus  et 
 qu<e  causa  esse  poterit  excusata,  si  veneranda  Dei  Templa  pecuniis  expugnentur  ? 
 Quem  murum  integritatis  aut  vallum  providebimus,  si  auri  sacra  fames  in  pene- 
 tralia veneranda  proserpat  ?  quid  denique  cautum  esse  poterit  aut  securum,  si 
 sanctitas  incorrupta  corrumpatur  ?  Cesset  altaribus  imminere  profanus  ardor 
 avaritia;,  et  a  sacris  adytis  repellatur  piaculare  flagitium.  ltaque  castus  et  humilis 
 nostris  temporibus  eligatur  Episcopus,  ut  quocunque  locorum  perveneril,  omnia 
 vita;  propria;  integritate  puriricet.  Nec  pretio  sed  precibus  ordinctur  Antistes.' 
 Lib.  xxxi.  C.  de  Episc.  et  Cler. 
 
362 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 other  sort  than  were  honest  and  lawful  to  use,  if  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ  were  present  himself  on  earth  to  bestow  it 
 even  with  his  own  hands,  sinneth  a  sin  by  so  much  more 
 grievous  than  the  sin  of  Belshazzar,  by  how  much  offices 
 and  functions  heavenly  are  more  precious  than  the  mean- 
 est ornaments  or  implements  which  thereunto  appertain. 
 If  it  be,  as  the  Apostle  saith,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  doth 
 make  Bishops,  and  that  the  whole  action  of  making  them 
 is  God's  own  deed,  men  being  therein  but  his  agents,  what 
 spark  of  the  fear  of  God  can  there  possibly  remain  in  their 
 hearts,  who,  representing  the  person  of  God  in  naming 
 worthy  men  to  Ecclesiastical  charge,  do  sell  that  which 
 in  his  name  they  are  to  bestow ;  or  who,  standing  as  it 
 were  at  the  throne  of  the  living  God,  do  bargain  for  that 
 which  at  his  hands  they  are  to  receive  ?  Wo  worth  such 
 impious  and  irreligious  profanations !  The  Church  of 
 Christ  hath  been  hereby  made,  not  "  a  den  of  thieves," 
 but  in  a  manner  the  very  dwelling-place  of  foul  spirits ; 
 for  undoubtedly  such  a  number  of  them  have  been  in  all 
 ages  who  thus  have  climbed  into  the  seat  of  Episcopal 
 Regiment. 
 
 (2.)  Men  may  by  orderly  means  be  invested  with  Spiritual 
 Authority  and  yet  do  harm,  by  reason  of  ignorance  how  to 
 use  it  to  the  good  of  the  Church.  "  It  is  (saith  Chrysos- 
 tom)  noWov  fitv  a^iwjuarot;,  SwctkoAov  ittigkotthv  ;  a  thing 
 highly  to  be  accounted  of,  but  a  hard  thing  to  be  that 
 which  a  Bishop  should  be."  Yea,  a  hard  and  a  toilsome 
 thing  it  is  for  a  Bishop  to  know  the  things  that  belong  unto 
 a  Bishop.  A  right  good  man  may  be  a  very  unfit  Magis- 
 trate. And  for  discharge  of  a  Bishop's  Office,  to  be  well 
 minded  is  not  enough,  no  not  to  be  well  learned  also. 
 Skill  to  instruct  is  a  thing  necessary,  skill  to  govern  much 
 more  necessary,  in  a  Bishop.  It  is  not  safe  for  the  Church 
 of  Christ,  when  Bishops  learn  what  belongeth  unto  Govern- 
 ment, as  empirics  learn  physic  by  killing  of  the  sick. 
 Bishops  were  wont  to  be  men  of  great  learning  in  the 
 Laws,  both  Civil  and  of  the  Church  ;  and  while  they  were 
 so,  the  wisest  men  in  the  land  for  counsel  and  government 
 were  Bishops. 
 
 (3.)  Know  we  never  so  well  what  belongeth  unto  a  charge 
 of  so  great  moment,  yet  can  we  not  therein  proceed  but 
 with  hazard  of  public  detriment,  if  we  rely  on  ourselves 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 363 
 
 alone,  and  use  not  the  benefit  of  conference  with  others. 
 A  singular  mean  to  unity  and  concord  amongst  them- 
 selves, a  marvellous  help  unto  uniformity  in  their  dealings, 
 no  small  addition  of  weight  and  credit  unto  that  which  they 
 do,  a  strong  bridle  unto  such  as  watch  for  occasions  to  stir 
 against  them ;  finally,  a  very  great  stay  unto  all  that  are 
 under  their  Government,  it  could  not  choose  but  be  soon 
 found,  if  Bishops  did  often  and  seriously  use  the  help  of 
 mutual  consultation.  These  three  rehearsed  are  things  only 
 preparatory  unto  the  course  of  Episcopal  proceedings.  But 
 the  hurt  is  more  manifestly  seen  which  doth  grow  to  the 
 Church  of  God  by  faults  inherent  in  their  several  actions  : 
 as,  when  they  carelessly  ordain ;  when  they  institute  negli- 
 gently ;  when  corruptly  they  bestow  Church-livings,  Bene- 
 fices, Prebends,  and  Booms  especially  of  Jurisdictions; 
 when  they  visit  for  gain's  sake,  rather  than  with  serious 
 intent  to  do  good  ;  when  their  Courts  erected  for  the  main- 
 tenance of  good  order  are  disordered :  when  they  regard 
 not  the  Clergy  under  them  ;  when  neither  Clergy  nor  Laity 
 are  kept  in  that  awe  for  which  this  Authority  should  serve  ; 
 when  any  thing  appeareth  in  them  rather  than  a  fatherly 
 affection  towards  the  flock  of  Christ;  when  they  have  no 
 respect  to  posterity ;  and  finally,  when  they  neglect  the  true 
 and  requisite  means  whereby  their  Authority  should  be 
 upheld.  Surely,  the  hurt  which  groweth  out  of  these  de- 
 fects must  needs  be  exceeding  great.  In  a  Minister  igno- 
 rance and  disability  to  teach  is  a  maim ;  nor  is  it  held  a 
 thing  allowable  to  ordain  such,  were  it  not  for  the  avoiding 
 of  a  greater  evil  which  the  Church  must  needs  sustain,  if 
 in  so  great  scarcity  of  able  men,  and  insufficiency  of  most 
 Parishes  throughout  the  land  to  maintain  them,  both 
 Public  Prayer  and  the  administration  of  Sacraments  should 
 rather  want,  than  any  man  thereunto  be  admitted  lacking 
 dexterity  and  skill  to  perform  that  which  otherwise  was 
 most  requisite.  Wherefore  the  necessity  of  ordaining 
 such  is  no  excuse  for  the  rash  and  careless  ordaining  of 
 every  one  that  hath  but  a  friend  to  bestow  some  two  or 
 three  words  of  ordinary  commendation  in  his  behalf.  By 
 reason  whereof  the  Church  groweth  burdened  with  silly 
 creatures  more  than  need,  whose  noted  baseness  and  in- 
 sufficiency bring  their  very  Order  itself  into  contempt. 
 It  may  be  that  the  fear  of  a  Quare  impedit  doth  cause 
 
364 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Institutions  to  pass  more  easily  than  otherwise  they  would. 
 And  to  speak  plainly  the  very  truth,  it  may  be  that  Writs  of 
 Quare  non  impedit  were  for  these  times  most  necessary  in 
 the  other's  place  :  yet  where  Law  will  not  suffer  men  to 
 follow  their  own  judgment,  to  shew  their  judgment  they  are 
 not  hindered.  And  I  doubt  not  but  that  even  conscience- 
 less and  w  icked  Patrons,  of  which  sort  the  swarms  are  too 
 great  in  the  Church  of  England,  are  the  more  emboldened 
 to  present  unto  Bishops  any  refuse,  by  finding  so  easy 
 acceptation  thereof.  Somewhat  they  might  redress  this 
 sore,  notwithstanding  so  strong  impediments,  if  it  did 
 plainly  appear  that  they  took  it  indeed  to  heart,  and  were 
 not  in  a  manner  contented  with  it. 
 
 Shall  we  look  for  care  in  admitting  whom  others  present, 
 if  that  which  some  of  yourselves  confer  be  at  any  time  cor- 
 ruptly bestowed?  A  foul  and  an  ugly  kind  of  deformity  it 
 hath,  if  a  man  do  but  think  what  it  is  for  a  Bishop  to  drawr 
 commodity  and  gain  from  those  things  whereof  he  is  left  a 
 free  bestower,  and  that  in  trust,  without  any  other  obliga- 
 tion than  his  sacred  Order  only,  and  that  religious  inte- 
 grity which  hath  been  presumed  on  in  him.  Simoniacal 
 corruption  I  may  not  for  honour's  sake  suspect  to  be 
 amongst  men  of  so  great  place.  So  often  they  do  not,  I 
 trust,  offend  by  sale,  as  by  unadvised  gift  of  such  Prefer- 
 can.  ments,  wherein  that  ancient  Canon  should  specially  be 
 75post'  remembered,  which  forbiddeth  a  Bishop  to  be  led  by  human 
 affection,  in  bestowing  the  things  of  God.  A  fault  no 
 where  so  hurtful,  as  in  bestowing  places  of  Jurisdiction, 
 and  in  furnishing  Cathedral  Churches,  the  Prebendaries 
 and  other  Dignities  whereof  are  the  very  true  successors 
 of  those  ancient  Presbyters  which  were  at  the  first  as 
 Counsellors  unto  Bishops.  A  foul  abuse  it  is,  that  any 
 one  man  should  be  loaded  as  some  are  with  Livings  in 
 this  kind,  yea,  some  even  of  them  who  condemn  utterly 
 the  granting  of  any  two  Benefices  unto  the  same  man, 
 whereas  the  other  is  in  truth  a  matter  of  far  greater  se- 
 quel, as  experience  would  soon  shew,  if  Churches  Cathe- 
 dral being  furnished  with  residence  of  a  competent  num- 
 ber of  virtuous,  grave,  wise,  and  learned  Divines,  the  rest 
 of  the  Prebends  of  every  such  Church  were  given  within 
 the  Diocess  unto  men  of  w  orthiest  desert  for  their  better 
 encouragement  unto  industry  and  travel ;  unless  it  seem 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 365 
 
 also  convenient  to  extend  the  benefit  of  them  unto  the 
 learned  in  Universities,  and  men  of  special  employment 
 otherwise  in  the  affairs  of  the  Church  of  God.  But  how- 
 soever, surely  with  the  public  good  of  the  Church  it  will 
 hardly  stand,  that  in  any  one  person  such  favours  be  more 
 multiplied  than  Law  permitteth  in  those  Livings  which  are 
 with  Cure. 
 
 Touching  Bishops'  Visitations,  the  first  institution  of 
 them  was  profitable,  to  the  end  that  the  state  and  condition 
 of  Churches  being  known,  there  might  be  for  evils  growing 
 convenient  remedies  provided  in  due  time.  The  observa- 
 tion of  Church-laws,  the  correction  of  faults  in  the  service 
 of  God,  and  manners  of  men,  these  are  things  that  Visitors 
 should  see.  When  these  things  are  inquired  of  formally, 
 and  but  for  custom's  sake,  fees  and  pensions  being  the 
 only  thin  g  which  is  sought,  and  little  else  done  by  Visita- 
 tions ;  we  are  not  to  marvel,  if  the  baseness  of  the  end 
 doth  make  the  action  itself  loathsome.  The  good  which 
 Bishops  may  do  not  only  by  these  Visitations  belonging 
 ordinarily  to  their  Office,  but  also  in  respect  of  that  Power 
 which  the  Founders  of  Colleges  have  given  them  of  spe- 
 cial trust,  charging  even  fearfully  their  consciences  there- 
 with— the  good,  I  say,  which  they  might  do  by  this  their 
 Authority,  both  within  their  own  Diocess,  and  in  the  well- 
 springs  themselves,  the  Universities,  is  plainly  such  as 
 cannot  choose  but  add  weight  to  their  heavy  accounts  in 
 that  dreadful  day,  if  they  do  it  not. 
 
 In  their  Courts,  where  nothing  but  singular  integrity  and 
 justice  should  prevail,  if  palpable  and  gross  corruptions  be 
 found,  by  reason  of  Offices  so  often  granted  unto  men  who 
 seek  nothing  but  their  own  gain,  and  make  no  account 
 what  disgrace  doth  grow  by  their  unjust  dealings  unto 
 them  under  whom  they  deal,  the  evil  hereof  shall  work 
 more  than  they  which  procure  it  do  perhaps  imagine. 
 
 At  the  hands  of  a  Bishop,  the  first  thing  looked  for  is  a 
 care  of  the  Clergy  under  him,  a  care,  taht  in  doing  good 
 they  may  have  whatsoever  comforts  and  encouragements 
 his  countenance,  authority,  and  place  may  yield.  Other- 
 wise what  heart  shall  they  have  to  proceed  in  their  painful 
 course,  all  sorts  of  men  besides  being  so  ready  to  malign, 
 despise,  and  every  way  oppress  them  ?  Let  them  find  no- 
 thing but  disdain  in  Bishops ;  in  the  enemies  of  present 
 
366 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Government,  if  that  way  they  list  to  betake  themselves, 
 all  kind  of  favourable  and  friendly  help :  unto  which  part 
 think  we  it  likely  that  men  having  wit,  courage,  and 
 stomach,  will  incline  ? 
 
 As  great  a  fault  is  the  want  of  severity  when  need  re- 
 quireth,  as  of  kindness  and  courtesy,  in  Bishops.  But 
 touching  this,  what  with  ill  usage  of  their  Power  among 
 the  meaner,  and  what  with  disusage  amongst  the  higher 
 sort,  they  are  in  the  eyes  of  both  sorts  as  bees  having  lost 
 their  sting.  It  is  a  long  time  sithence  any  great  one  hath 
 felt,  or  almost  any  one  much  feared,  the  edge  of  that  Ec- 
 clesiastical severity,  which  sometime  held  Lords  and  Dukes 
 in  a  more  religious  awe  than  now  the  meanest  are  able  to 
 be  kept. 
 
 A  Bishop,  in  whom  there  did  plainly  appear  the  marks 
 and  tokens  of  a  fatherly  affection  towards  them  that  are 
 under  his  charge,  what  good  might  he  do  ten  thousand  ways 
 more  than  any  man  knows  how  to  set  down  ?  But  the 
 souls  of  men  are  not  loved ;  that  which  Christ  shed  his 
 blood  for  is  not  esteemed  precious.  This  is  the  very  root, 
 the  fountain  of  all  negligence  in  Church-government. 
 
 Most  wretched  are  the  terms  of  men's  estate  when  once 
 they  are  at  a  point  of  wretchlessness  so  extreme,  that  they 
 bend  not  their  wits  any  further  than  only  to  shift  out  the 
 present  time,  never  regarding  what  shall  become  of  their 
 successors  after  them.  Had  our  predecessors  so  loosely 
 cast  oft'  from  them  all  care  and  respect  to  posterity,  a 
 Church  Christian  there  had  not  been,  about  the  Regiment 
 whereof  we  should  need  at  this  day  to  strive.  It  was  the 
 barbarous  affection  of  Nero,  that  the  ruin  of  his  own  Im- 
 perial seat  he  could  have  been  well  enough  contented  to 
 see,  in  case  he  might  also  have  seen  it  accompanied  with 
 the  fall  of  the  whole  world  :  an  affection  not  more  intoler- 
 able than  theirs,  who  care  not  to  overthrow  all  posterity, 
 so  they  may  purchase  a  few  days  of  ignominious  safety 
 unto  themselves  and  their  present  estates ;  if  it  may  be 
 termed  a  safety  which  tendeth  so  fast  unto  their  overthrow 
 that  are  the  purchasers  of  it  in  so  vile  and  base  manner. 
 
 Men  whom  it  standeth  upon  to  uphold  a  reverend  esti- 
 mation of  themselves  in  the  minds  of  others,  without  which 
 the  very  best  things  they  do  are  hardly  able  to  escape  dis- 
 grace, must,  before  it  be  over-late,  remember  how  much 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 367 
 
 easier  it  is  to  retain  credit  once  gotten,  than  to  recover  it 
 being  lost.    The  executors  of  Bishops  are  sued,  if  their 
 Mansion-house  be  suffered  to  go  to  decay :  but  whom  shall 
 their  successors  sue  for  the  dilapidations  which  they  make 
 of  that  credit,  the  unrepaired  diminutions  whereof  will  in 
 time  bring  to  pass,  that  they  which  would  most  do  good  in 
 that  calling  shall  not  be  able,  by  reason  of  prejudice  gene- 
 rally settled  in  the  minds  of  all  sorts  against  them?  By 
 what  means  their  estimation  hath  hitherto  decayed,  it  is  no 
 hard  thing  to  discern.    Herod  and  Archelaus  are  noted  to  e 
 have  sought  out  purposely  the  dullest  and  most  ignoble  that  c. 
 could  be  found  amongst  the  people,  preferring  such  to  the 
 High-priest's  Office,  thereby  to  abate  the  great  opinion 
 which  the  multitude  had  of  that  Order,  and  to  procure  a 
 more  expedite  course  for  their  own  wicked  counsels, 
 whereunto  they  saw  the  High-priests  were  no  small  impe- 
 diment, as  long  as  the  common  sort  did  much  depend  upon 
 them.    It  may  be  there  hath  been  partly  some  show  and 
 just  suspicion  of  like  practice  in  some,  in  procuring  the  un- 
 deserved Preferments  of  some  unworthy  persons,  the  very 
 cause  of  whose  advancement  hath  been  principally  their 
 unworthiness  to  be  advanced.    But  neither  could  this  be 
 done  altogether  without  the  inexcusable  fault  of  some  pre- 
 ferred before,  and  so  oft  we  cannot  imagine  it  to  have  been 
 done,  that  either  only  or  chiefly  from  thence  this  decay  of 
 their  estimation  may  be  thought  to  grow.    Somewhat  it  is 
 that  the  malice  of  their  cunning  adversaries,  but  much  more 
 which  themselves  have  effected  against  themselves.  A 
 Bishop's  estimation  doth  grow  from  the  excellency  of  vir- 
 tues suitable  unto  his  place.    Unto  the  place  of  a  Bishop 
 those  high  divine  virtues  are  judged  suitable,  which  vir- 
 tues being  not  easily  found  in  other  sorts  of  great  men,  do 
 make  him  appear  so  much  the  greater  in  whom  they  are 
 found. 
 
 Devotion,  and  the  feeling  sense  of  Religion,  are  not  usual 
 in  the  noblest,  wisest,  and  chiefest  personages  of  State,  by 
 reason  their  wits  are  so  much  employed  another  way,  and 
 their  minds  so  seldom  conversant  in  heavenly  things.  If 
 therefore  wherein  themselves  are  defective  they  see  that 
 Bishops  do  blessedly  excel,  it  frameth  secretly  their  hearts 
 to  a  stooping  kind  of  disposition,  clean  opposite  to  con- 
 tempt. The  very  countenance  of  Moses  was  glorious  after 
 
3G8 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 that  God  had  conferred  with  him :  and  where  Bishops  are, 
 the  powers  and  faculties  of  whose  souls  God  hath  pos- 
 sessed, those  very  actions,  the  kind  whereof  is  common 
 unto  them  with  other  men,  have  notwithstanding  in  them  a 
 more  high  and  heavenly  form,  which  draweth  correspond- 
 ent estimation  unto  it,  by  virtue  of  that  celestial  impression 
 which  deep  meditation  of  holy  things,  and,  as  it  were,  con- 
 versation with  God,  doth  leave  in  their  minds.    So  that 
 Bishops,  which  will  be  esteemed  of  as  they  ought,  must  frame 
 themselves  to  that  very  pattern  from  whence  those  Asian 
 Bishops  unto  whom  St.  John  writeth  were  denominated, 
 even  so  far  forth  as  this  our  frailty  will  permit ;  shine  they 
 must  as  Angels  of  God  in  the  midst  of  perverse  men. 
 They  are  not  to  look  that  the  world  should  always  carry  the 
 affection  of  Constantine,  to  bury  that  which  might  derogate 
 from  them,  and  to  cover  their  imbecilities.    More  than 
 high  time  it  is,  that  they  bethink  themselves  of  the  Apostle's 
 admonition,  Atlende  tibi, '  Have  a  vigilant  eye  to  thyself.' 
 They  err,  if  they  do  not  persuade  themselves,  that  whereso- 
 ever they  walk  or  sit,  be  it  in  their  Churches  or  in  their 
 Consistories,  abroad  or  at  home,  at  their  tables  or  in  their 
 closets,  they  are  in  the  midst  of  snares  laid  for  them. 
 Wherefore  as  they  are  with  the  Prophet  every  one  of  them 
 to  make  it  their  hourly  prayer  unto  God,  "  Lead  me,  O 
 Lord,  in  thy  righteousness,  because  of  enemies;"  so  it  is 
 not  safe  for  them,  no  not  for  a  moment,  to  slacken  their 
 industry  in  seeking  every  way  that  estimation  which  may 
 further  their  labours  unto  the  Church's  good.  Absurdity, 
 though  but  in  words,  must  needs  be  this  way  a  maim,  where 
 nothing  but  wisdom,  gravity,  and  judgment  are  looked  for. 
 That  which  the  son  of  Sirach  hath  concerning  the  writings  of 
 the  old  Sages,  "  Wise  sentences  are  found  in  them,"  should 
 be  the  proper  mark  and  character  of  Bishops'  speeches, 
 whose  lips,  as  doors,  are  not  to  be  opened,  but  for  egress  of 
 instruction  and  sound  knowledge.    If  base  servility  and 
 dejection  of  mind  be  ever  espied  in  them,  how  should  men 
 esteem  them  as  worthy  the  Rooms  of  the  great  Ambassadors 
 of  God  ?    A  wretched  desire  to  gain  by  bad  and  unseemly 
 means  standeth  not  with  a  mean  man's  credit,  much  less 
 with  that  reputation  which  Fathers  of  the  Church  should 
 be  in.    But,  if  besides  all  this  there  be  also  coldness  in 
 works  of  piety  and  charity,  utter  contempt  even  of  learning 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 369 
 
 itself,  no  care  to  further  it  by  any  such  helps  as  they  easily 
 might  and  ought  to  afford,  no  not  as  much  as  that  due  re- 
 spect unto  their  very  families  about  them,  which  all  men 
 that  are  of  account  do  order,  as  near  as  they  can,  in  such 
 sort  that  no  grievous  offensive  deformity  be  therein  noted  ; 
 if  there  still  continue  in  that  most  reverend  Order  such  as 
 by  so  many  engines  work  day  and  night  to  pull  down  the 
 whole  frame  of  their  own  estimation  amongst  men,  some  of 
 the  rest  secretly  also  permitting  others  their  industrious 
 opposites  every  day  more  to  seduce  the  multitude,  how 
 should  the  Church  of  God  hope  for  great  good  at  their 
 hands  ? 
 
 What  we  have  spoken  concerning  these  things,  let  not 
 malicious  accusers  think  themselves  therewith  justified, 
 no  more  than  Shimei  was  by  his  Sovereign's  most  humble 
 and  meek  acknowledgment  even  of  that  very  crime  which 
 so  infamous  a  caitiff's  tongue  upbraided  him  withal ;  the 
 one  in  the  virulent  rancour  of  a  cankered  affection  took 
 that  delight  for  the  present  which  in  the  end  did  turn  to 
 his  own  more  tormenting  wo,  the  other  in  the  contrite 
 patience  even  of  deserved  malediction  had  yet  this  com- 
 fort, "  It  maybe  the  Lord  will  look  on  mine  affliction,  and  SSam- 
 do  me  good  for  his  cursing  this  day."    As  for  us,  over 
 whom  Christ  hath  placed  them  to  be  the  chiefest  Guides 
 and  Pastors  of  our  souls,  our  common  fault  is,  that  we 
 look  for  much  more  in  our  Governors  than  a  tolerable  suf- 
 ficiency can  yield,  and  bear  much  less  than  humanity  and 
 reason  do  require  we  should.    Too  much  perfection  over 
 rigorously  exacted  in  them,  cannot  but  breed  in  us  per- 
 petual discontentment,  and  on  both  parts  cause  all  things 
 to  be  unpleasant.    It  is  exceedingly  worth  the  noting, 
 which  Plato  hath  about  the  means  whereby  men  fall  in- 
 to an  utter  dislike  of  all  men  with  whom  they  converse : 
 "  This  sourness  of  mind  which  maketh  every  man's  deal-  Piat.tn 
 ings  unsavoury  in  our  taste,  entereth  by  an  unskilful  over- 
 weening,  which  at  the  first  we  have  of  one,  and  so  of  an- epj203- 
 other,  in  whom  we  afterwards  find  ourselves  to  have  been  Bipont.] 
 deceived,  they  declaring  themselves  in  the  end  to  be  frail 
 men,  whom  we  judged  demigods :  when  we  have  oftentimes 
 been  thus  beguiled,  and  that  far  besides  expectation,  we 
 grow  at  the  length  to  this  plain  conclusion,  that  there  is 
 nothing  at  all  sound  in  any  man.   Which  bitter  conceit  is 
 vol.  II.  2  B 
 
370 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 unseemly,  and  plain  to  have  risen  from  lack  of  mature 
 judgment  in  human  affairs  :  which  if  so  be  we  did  handle 
 with  art,  we  would  not  enter  into  dealings  with  men,  other- 
 wise than  being  beforehand  grounded  in  this  persuasion, 
 that  the  number  of  persons  notably  good  or  bad  is  but  very 
 small ;  that  the  most  part  of  good  have  some  evil,  and  of 
 evil  men  some  good  in  them."  So  true  our  experience  doth 
 m.  Tris.  find  those  Aphorisms  of  Mercurius  Trismegistus,  'ABvvotov 
 
 maiidro,  TO  ayaSbv  tvSaSe  KaSaptveiv  Trig  KttKiag,  To  purge  goodness 
 
 B.V.]"'  quite  and  clean  from  all  mixture  of  evil  here  is  a  thing  im- 
 [ibid.]   possible.' — Again,  To  /irj  \'tav  kclkov  ivSaSe  to  ayaSov  Igti, 
 '  When  in  this  world  we  term  a  thing  good,  we  cannot  by 
 exact  construction  have  any  other  true  meaning,  than  that 
 the  said  thing  so  termed  is  not  noted  to  be  a  thing  exceed- 
 ed.] jng  evil.' — And  again,  Movov,  w  'AmcX/jine,  r<>  bvofia  tov 
 ayaSov  Iv  av^pwiroig,  to  $s  tpyov  ouoajuou,  'Amongst  men, 
 O  Asclepius,  the  name  of  that  which  is  good  we  find,  but 
 no  where  the  very  true  thing  itself.' — When  we  censure  the 
 deeds  and  dealings  of  our  superiors,  to  bring  with  us  a  fore- 
 conceit  thus  qualified  shall  be  as  well  on  our  part  as  theirs 
 a  thing  available  unto  quietness.    But  howsoever  the  case 
 doth  stand  with  men's  either  good  or  bad  quality,  the  ver- 
 dict which  our  Lord  and  Saviour  hath  given  should  con- 
 tinue for  ever  sure.    "  Quae  Dei  sunt,  Deo,"  Let  men  bear 
 the  burden  of  their  own  iniquity ;  as  for  those  things  which 
 are  God's,  let  not  God  be  deprived  of  them.   For,  if  only 
 Mai.    to  withhold  that  which  should  be  given  be  no  better  than 
 n1"8'    to  rob  God,  if  to  withdraw  any  mite  of  that  which  is  but  in 
 purpose  only  bequeathed,  though  as  yet  undelivered  into 
 Acls    the  sacred  treasure  of  God,  be  a  sin  for  which  Ananias  and 
 v'2'     Sapphira  felt  so  heavily  the  dreadful  hand  of  divine  re- 
 venge; quite  and  clean  to  take  that  away  which  we  never 
 gave,  and  that  after  God  hath  for  so  many  ages  therewith 
 been  possessed,  and  that  without  any  other  show  of  cause, 
 saving  only  that  it  seemeth  in  their  eyes  who  seek  it  too 
 much  for  them  which  have  it  in  their  hands,  can  we  term  it 
 or  think  it  less  than  most  impious  injustice,  most  heinous 
 Gen.    sacrilege?  Such  was  the  religious  affection  of  Joseph,  that 
 22*"'    it  suffered  him  not  to  take  that  advantage,  no  not  against 
 the  very  idolatrous  Priests  of  Egypt,  which  he  took  for  the 
 purchasing  of  other  men's  lands  to  the  King ;  but  he  con- 
 sidered, that  albeit  their  Idolatry  deserved  hatred,  yet  for 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 371 
 
 the  honour's  sake  due  unto  Priesthood,  better  it  was  the 
 King  himself  should  yield  them  relief  in  public  extremity, 
 than  permit  that  the  same  necessity  should  constrain  also 
 them  to  do  as  the  rest  of  the  people  did.  But  it  may  be, 
 men  have  now  found  out,  that  God  hath  proposed  the 
 Christian  Clergy  as  a  prey  for  all  men  freely  to  seize  upon; 
 that  God  hath  left  them  as  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  which 
 every  man  that  listeth  to  gather  into  his  net  may ;  or  that 
 there  is  no  God  in  Heaven  to  pity  them,  and  to  regard  the 
 injuries  which  man  doth  lay  upon  them :  yet  the  public 
 good  of  this  Church  and  Commonwealth  doth,  I  hope, 
 weigh  somewhat  in  the  hearts  of  all  honestly-disposed  men. 
 Unto  the  public  good  no  one  thing  is  more  directly  avail- 
 able, than  that  such  as  are  in  place,  whether  it  be  of  Civil 
 or  of  Ecclesiastical  Authority,  be  so  much  the  more  largely 
 furnished  even  with  external  helps  and  ornaments  of  this 
 life,  how  much  the  more  highly  they  are  in  power  and  call- 
 ing advanced  above  others.  For  Nature  is  not  contented 
 with  bare  sufficiency  unto  the  sustenance  of  man,  but  doth 
 evermore  covet  a  decency  proportionable  unto  the  place 
 which  man  hath  in  the  body  or  society  of  others.  For  ac- 
 cording unto  the  greatness  of  men's  calling,  the  measure  of 
 all  their  actions  doth  grow  in  every  man's  secret  expecta- 
 tion, so  that  great  men  do  always  know  that  great  things 
 are  at  their  hands  expected.  In  a  Bishop  great  liberality, 
 great  hospitality,  actions  in  every  kind  great,  are  looked 
 for:  and  for  actions  which  must  be  great,  mean  instruments 
 will  not  serve.  Men  are  but  men,  what  room  soever 
 amongst  men  they  hold.  If,  therefore,  the  measure  of 
 their  worldly  abilities  be  beneath  that  proportion  which 
 their  calling  doth  make  to  be  looked  for  at  their  hands, 
 a  stronger  inducement  it  is  than  perhaps  men  are  aware 
 of  unto  evil  and  corrupt  dealings  for  supply  of  that  defect. 
 For  which  cause  we  must  needs  think  it  a  thing  necessary 
 unto  the  common  good  of  the  Church,  that,  great  jurisdiction 
 being  granted  unto  Bishops  over  others,  a  state  of  wealth 
 proportionable  should  likewise  be  provided  for  them. 
 Where  wealth  is  had  in  so  great  admiration,  as  generally 
 in  this  golden  age  it  is,  that  without  it  angelical  perfections 
 are  not  able  to  deliver  from  extreme  contempt,  surely  to 
 make  Bishops  poorer  than  they  are,  were  to  make  them  of 
 less  account  and  estimation  than  they  should  be.  Where- 
 
372 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 fore,  if  detriment  and  dishonour  do  grow  to  Religion,  to 
 God,  to  his  Church,  when  the  public  account  which  is 
 made  of  the  chief  of  the  Clergy  decayeth,  how  should  it  be, 
 but  in  this  respect,  for  the  good  of  Religion,  of  God,  of  his 
 Church,  that  the  wealth  of  Bishops  be  carefully  preserved 
 from  further  diminution  ?    The  travels  and  crosses  where- 
 with Prelacy  is  never  unaccompanied,  they  which  feel 
 them  know  how  heavy  and  how  great  they  are.  Unless 
 such  difficulties,  therefore,  annexed  unto  that  estate  be 
 tempered  by  co-annexing  thereunto  things  esteemed  of  in 
 this  world,  how  should  we  hope  that  the  minds  of  men, 
 shunning  naturally  the  burdens  of  each  function,  will  be 
 drawn  to  undertake  the  burden  of  Episcopal  care  and  la- 
 bour in  the  Church  of  Christ  ?  Wherefore,  if  long  we  desire 
 to  enjoy  the  peace,  quietness,  order,  and  stability  of  Re- 
 ligion, which  Prelacy  (as  hath  been  declared)  causeth,  then 
 must  we  necessarily,  even  in  favour  of  the  public  good, 
 uphold  those  things,  the  hope  whereof  being  taken  away, 
 it  is  not  the  mere  goodness  of  the  charge,  and  the  divine 
 acceptation  thereof,  that  will  be  able  to  invite  many  there- 
 unto.    What  shall  become  of  that  Commonwealth  or 
 Church  in  the  end,  which  hath  not  the  eye  of  learning  to 
 beautify,  guide,  and  direct  it?  At  the  length,  what  shall 
 become  of  that  learning,  which  hath  not  wherewith  any 
 more  to  encourage  her  industrious  followers?  And  finally, 
 what  shall  become  of  that  courage  to  follow  learning,  which 
 hath  already  so  much  failed  through  the  only  diminution  of 
 her  chiefest  rewards,  Bishopricks  ?  Surely,  wheresoever  this 
 wicked  intendment  of  overthrowing  Cathedral  Churches,  or 
 of  taking  away  those  Livings,  Lands,  and  Possessions, 
 which  Bishops  hitherto  have  enjoyed,  shall  once  prevail,  the 
 handmaids  attending  thereupon  will  be  Paganism  and  ex- 
 treme Barbarity.  In  the  Law  of  Moses  how  careful  provision 
 is  made  that  goods  of  this  kind  might  remain  to  the  Church 
 Numb.  f°r  ever:  "  Ye  shall  not  make  common  the  holy  things  of 
 sviii.32.  the  children  of  Israel,  lest  ye  die,  saith  the  Lord."  Touch- 
 ing the  fields  annexed  unto  Levitical  cities,  the  Law  was 
 plain,  they  might  not  be  sold ;  and  the  reason  of  the  Law 
 Lev.     this,  "  for  it  was  their  possession  for  ever."  He  which  was 
 xxv.  34.  Lo,^  an(j  owner  of  it,  his  will  and  pleasure  was,  that  from 
 the  Levites  it  should  never  pass  to  be  enjoyed  by  any 
 other.    The  Lord's  own  portion,  without  his  own  commis- 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 373 
 
 sion  and  grant,  how  should  any  man  justly  hold?  They 
 which  hold  it  by  his  appointment  had  it  plainly  with  this 
 condition,  "  They  shall  not  sell  of  it,  neither  change  it,  nor  Ezek. 
 alienate  the  first-fruits  of  the  land;  for  it  is  holy  unto  the  14.  ' ' 
 Lord."  It  falleth  sometimes  out,  as  the  Prophet  Habakkuk 
 noteth,  that  the  very  "  prey  of  savage  beasts  becometh  ?abak- 
 dreadful  unto  themselves."    It  did  so  in  Judas,  Achan, 
 Nebuchadnezzar;  their  evil-purchased  goods  were  their 
 snare,  and  their  prey  their  own  terror;  a  thing  no  where  so 
 likely  to  follow,  as  in  those  goods  and  possessions,  which 
 being  laid  where  they  should  not  rest,  have  by  the  Lord's 
 own  testimony  his  most  bitter  curse,  their  undividable  com-  Mai. 
 panion.    These  persuasions  we  use  for  other  men's  cause,  m'9' 
 not  for  theirs  with  whom  God  and  Religion  are  parts  of  the 
 abrogated  Law  of  Ceremonies.  Wherefore,  not  to  continue 
 longer  in  the  cure  of  a  sore  desperate,  there  was  a  time  when 
 the  Clergy  had  almost  as  little  as  these  good  people  wish. 
 But  the  Kings  of  this  Realm  and  others,  whom  God  had 
 blessed,  considered  devoutly  with  themselves,  as  David  in 
 like  case  sometime  had  done,  "  Is  it  meet  that  we  at  the 
 hands  of  God  should  enjoy  all  kinds  of  abundance,  and  God's 
 Clergy  suffer  want?"  They  considered  that  of  Solomon, 
 "  Honour  God  with  thy  substance,  and  the  chiefest  of  all  Trov- 
 thy  revenue ;  so  shall  thy  barns  be  filled  with  corn,  and  thy  '"' 
 vessels  shall  run  over  with  new  wine."    They  considered 
 how  the  care  which  Jehosaphat  had,  in  providing  that  the  echron. 
 Levites  might  have  encouragement  to  do  the  work  of  the  xix' 
 Lord  cheerfully,  was  left  of  God  as  a  fit  pattern  to  be  fol- 
 lowed in  the  Church  for  ever.    They  considered  what  pro- 
 mise our  Lord  and  Saviour  had  made  unto  them,  at  whose 
 hands  his  Prophets  should  receive  but  the  least  part  of 
 the  meanest  kind  of  friendliness,  though  it  were  but  a 
 draught  of  water;  which  promise  seemeth  not  to  be 
 taken,  as  if  Christ  had  made  them  of  any  higher  courtesy 
 incapable,  and  had  promised  reward  unto  such  as  give 
 them  but  that,  but  unto  such  as  leave  them  but  that. 
 They  considered  how  earnest  the  Apostle  is,  that  if  the 
 Ministers  of  the  Law  were  so  amply  provided  for,  less 
 ire  then  ought  not  to  be  had  of  them,  who  under  the  Gos- 
 
 *  of  Jesus  Christ  possessed  correspondent  Rooms  in  the 
 rch.    They  considered  how  needful  it  is,  that  they  who 
 
 Pr^ke  all  others  unto  works  of  mercy  and  charity  should 
 
374 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 especially  have  wherewith  to  be  examples  of  such  tilings, 
 and  by  such  means  to  win  them,  with  whom  other  means, 
 without  those,  do  commonly  take  very  small  effect. 
 
 In  these  and  the  like  considerations,  the  Church-reve- 
 nues were  in  ancient  times  augmented,  our  Lord  thereby 
 performing  manifestly  the  promise  made  to  his  servants, 
 that  they  which  did  "  leave  either  father,  or  mother,  or 
 lands,  or  goods,  for  his  sake,  should  receive  even  in  this 
 world  a  hundred  fold."  For  some  hundreds  of  years  to- 
 gether, they  which  joined  themselves  to  the  Church  were 
 fain  to  relinquish  all  worldly  emoluments  and  to  endure  the 
 hardness  of  an  afflicted  estate.  Afterward  the  Lord  gave 
 rest  to  his  Church,  Kings  and  Princes  became  as  Fathers 
 thereunto,  the  hearts  of  all  men  inclined  towards  it,  and 
 by  his  providence  there  grew  unto  it  every  day  earthly 
 possessions  in  more  and  more  abundance,  till  the  great- 
 ness thereof  bred  envy,  which  no  diminutions  are  able  to 
 satisfy.  For,  as  those  ancient  nursing  Fathers  thought 
 they  did  never  bestow  enough  ;  even  so  in  the  eye  of  this 
 present  age,  as  long  as  any  thing  remaineth,  it  seemeth  to 
 be  too  much.  Our  Fathers  we"  imitate  in  perversum,  as 
 Tertullian  speaketh  ;  like  them  we  are,  by  being,  in  equal 
 degree,  the  contrary  unto  that  which  they  were.  Unto 
 those  earthly  blessings  which  God  as  then  did  with  so  great 
 abundance  pour  down  upon  the  Ecclesiastical  state,  we 
 may,  in  regard  of  most  near  resemblance,  apply  the  self- 
 v.  same  words  which  the  Prophet  hath,  "  God  blessed  them 
 exceedingly ;  and,  by  this  very  mean,  turned  the  hearts  of 
 their  own  brethren  to  hate  them,  and  to  deal  politicly  with 
 his  servants."  Computations  are  made,  and  there  are  huge 
 sums  set  down  for  Princes,  to  see  how  much  they  may  am- 
 plify and  enlarge  their  own  treasure ;  how  many  public 
 burdens  they  may  ease ;  what  present  means  they  have  to 
 reward  their  servants  about  them,  if  they  please  but  to 
 grant  their  assent,  and  to  accept  of  the  spoil  of  Bishops, 
 by  whom  Church-goods  are  but  abused  unto  pomp  and 
 vanity.  Thus  albeit  they  deal  with  one  whose  princely 
 virtue  giveth  them  small  hope  to  prevail  in  impious  and 
 sacrilegious  motions ;  yet  shame  they  not  to  move  he 
 Royal  Majesty  even  with  a  suit  not  much  unlike  unto  tir 
 wherewith  the  Jewish  High-priest  tried  Judas,  whom  tl 
 solicited  unto  treason  against  his  Master,  and  propr 
 
 / 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 375 
 
 unto  him  a  number  of  silver  pence  in  lieu  of  so  virtuous 
 and  honest  a  service.  But  her  sacred  Majesty  disposed  to 
 be  always  like  herself,  her  heart  so  far  estranged  from 
 willingness  to  gain  by  pillage  of  that  estate,  the  only  awe 
 whereof  under  God  she  hath  been  unto  this  present  hour, 
 as  of  all  other  parts  of  this  noble  Commonwealth,  whereof 
 she  hath  vowed  herself  a  protector  till  the  end  of  her  days 
 on  earth,  which  if  Nature  could  permit,  we  wish,  as  good 
 cause  we  have,  endless :  this  her  gracious  inclination  is 
 more  than  a  seven-times-sealed  warrant,  upon  the  same 
 assurance  whereof  touching  time  and  action,  so  dishonour- 
 able as  this,  we  are  on  her  part  most  secure,  not  doubting 
 but  that  unto  all  posterity  it  shall  for  ever  appear,  that 
 from  the  first  to  the  very  last  of  her  sovereign  proceedings 
 there  hath  not  been  one  authorized  deed  other  than  conso- 
 nant with  that  Symmachus  saith,  "  Fiscus  bonorum  Prin-  x. 
 cipum,  non  Sacerdotum  damnis,  sed  hostium  spoliis  auge-  ddd. 
 atur:"  consonant  with  the  Imperial  Law,  "  Ea  quse  ad  ^odes 
 beatissimae  Ecclesiee  jura  pertinent,  tanquam  ipsam  sacro-  et  Arcad. 
 sanctam  et  religiosam  Ecclesiam,  intacta  convenit  venera-  c.  d'e' 
 biliter  custodiri ;  ut  sicut  ipsa  Religionis  et  Fidei  Mater  |ac^°ss* 
 perpetua  est,  ita  ejus  patrimonium  jugiter  servetur  illae- 
 sum."  As  for  the  case  of  public  burdens,  let  any  Poli- 
 tician living  make  it  appear,  that  by  confiscation  of  Bi- 
 shops' Livings,  and  their  utter  dissolution  at  once,  the 
 Commonwealth  shall  ever  have  half  that  relief  and  ease 
 which  it  receiveth  by  their  continuance  as  now  they  are, 
 and  it  shall  give  us  some  cause  to  think,  that  albeit  we  see 
 they  are  impiously  and  irreligiously  minded,  yet  we  may 
 esteem  them  at  least  to  be  tolerable  Commonweal th's-men. 
 But  the  case  is  too  clear  and  manifest,  the  world  doth  but 
 too  plainly  see  it,  that  no  one  Order  of  subjects  whatso- 
 ever within  this  Land  doth  bear  the  seventh  part  of  that 
 proportion  which  the  Clergy  beareth  in  the  burdens  of  the 
 Commonwealth:  no  revenue  of  the  Crown  like  unto  it, 
 either  for  certainty  or  for  greatness.  Let  the  good  which 
 this  way  hath  grown  to  the  Commonwealth  by  the  dissolu- 
 tion of  religious  Houses,  teach  men  what  ease  unto  pub- 
 lic burdens  there  is  like  to  grow  by  the  overthrow  of  the 
 Clergy.  My  meaning  is  not  hereby  to  make  the  state  of 
 Bishopricks  and  of  those  dissolved  companies  alike,  the  one 
 no  less  unlawful  to  be  removed  than  the  other.  For  those 
 religious  persons  were  men  which  followed  only  a  special 
 
37G 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 kind  of  contemplative  life  in  the  Commonwealth,  they 
 were  properly  no  portion  of  God's  Clergy  (only  such 
 amongst  them  excepted  as  were  also  Priests),  their  goods 
 (that  excepted  which  they  unjustly  held  through  the  Pope's 
 usurped  power  of  appropriating  Ecclesiastical  Livings 
 unto  them)  may  in  part  seem  to  he  of  the  nature  of  Civil 
 possessions,  held  by  other  kinds  of  Corporations,  such  as 
 the  city  of  London  hath  divers.  Wherefore,  as  their  insti- 
 tution was  human,  and  their  end  for  the  most  part  super- 
 stitious, they  had  not  therein  merely  that  holy  and  divine 
 interest  which  belongeth  unto  Bishops,  who  being  employ- 
 ed by  Christ  in  the  principal  service  of  his  Church,  are 
 receivers  and  disposers  of  his  patrimony,  as  hath  been 
 shewed,  which  whosoever  shall  withhold  or  withdraw  at 
 any  time  from  them,  he  undoubtedly  robbeth  God  himself. 
 If  they  abuse  the  goods  of  the  Church  unto  pomp  and 
 vanity,  such  faults  we  do  not  excuse  in  them.  Only  we 
 wish  it  to  be  considered  whether  such  faults  be  verily  in 
 them,  or  else  but  objected  against  them  by  such  as  gape 
 after  spoil,  and  therefore  are  no  competent  judges  what  is 
 moderate  and  what  excessive  in  them,  whom  under  this 
 pretence  they  would  spoil.  But  the  accusation  may  be 
 just.  In  plenty  and  fulness  it  may  be  we  are  of  God  more 
 forgetful  than  were  requisite.  Notwithstanding  men  should 
 remember  how  not  to  the  Clergy  alone  it  was  said  by 
 Moses  in  Deuteronomy,  "  Ne  cum  manducaveris,  et  bibe- 
 ris,  et  domos  optimas  aedificaveris."  If  the  remedy  pre- 
 scribed for  this  disease  be  good,  let  it  impartially  be  ap- 
 plied. "  Interest  Reipub.  ut  re  sua  quisque  bene  utatur." 
 Let  all  states  be  put  to  their  moderate  pensions,  let  their 
 Livings  and  Lands  be  taken  away  from  them  whomsoever 
 they  be,  in  whom  such  ample  possessions  are  found  to 
 have  been  matters  of  grievous  abuse  :  were  this  just?  would 
 noble  families  think  this  reasonable  ?  The  title  which  Bi- 
 shops have  to  their  Livings  is  as  good  as  the  title  of  any 
 sort  of  men  unto  whatsoever  we  account  to  be  most  justly 
 held  by  them ;  yea,  in  this  one  thing  the  claim  of  Bishops 
 hath  pre-eminence  above  all  secular  titles  of  right,  in  that 
 God's  own  interest  is  the  tenure  whereby  they  hold,  even  as 
 also  it  was  to  the  Priests  of  the  Law  an  assurance  of  their 
 spiritual  goods  and  possessions,  whereupon  though  they 
 many  times  abused  greatly  the  goods  of  the  Church,  yet 
 was  not  God's  patrimony  therefore  taken  away  from  them, 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 377 
 
 and  made  saleable  unto  other  tribes.  To  rob  God,  to  ran- 
 sack the  Church,  to  overthrow  the  whole  Order  of  Christian 
 Bishops,  and  to  turn  them  out  of  land  and  living,  out  of 
 house  and  home,  what  man  of  common  honesty  can  think 
 it  for  any  manner  of  abuse  to  be  a  remedy  lawful  or  just? 
 We  must  confess  that  God  is  righteous  in  taking  away  that 
 which  men  abuse :  but  doth  that  excuse  the  violence  of 
 thieves  and  robbers?  Complain  we  will  not  with  St.  Je- 
 rome, *"  That  the  hands  of  men  are  so  straitly  tied,  and 
 their  liberal  minds  so  much  bridled  and  held  back  from 
 doing  good  by  augmentation  of  the  Church-patrimony." 
 For  we  confess  that  herein  mediocrity  may  be  and  hath 
 been  sometime  exceeded.  There  did  want  heretofore  a 
 Moses  to  temper  men's  liberality,  to  say  unto  them  who 
 enriched  the  Church,  Sufficit,  Stay  your  hands,  lest  fervour 
 of  zeal  do  cause  you  to  empty  yourselves  too  far.  It  may 
 be  the  largeness  of  men's  hearts  being  then  more  moderate, 
 had  been  after  more  durable ;  and  one  state  by  too  much 
 overgrowing  the  rest,  had  not  given  occasion  unto  the  rest 
 to  undermine  it.  That  evil  is  now  sufficiently  cured :  the 
 Church-treasury,  if  then  it  were  over  full,  hath  since  been 
 reasonably  well  emptied.  That  which  Moses  spake  unto 
 givers,  we  must  now  inculcate  unto  takers  away  from  the 
 Church,  Let  there  be  some  stay,  some  stint  in  spoiling. 
 If  ",  grape-gatherers  came  unto  them  (saith  the  Prophet),  °bad; 
 would  they  not  leave  some  remnant  behind?"  But  it  hath 
 fared  with  the  wealth  of  the  Church  as  with  a  tower,  which 
 being  built  at  the  first  with  the  highest,  overthroweth  itself 
 after  by  its  own  greatness ;  neither  doth  the  ruin  thereof 
 cease  with  the  only  fall  of  that  which  hath  exceeded  me- 
 diocrity, but  one  part  beareth  down  another,  till  the  whole 
 be  laid  prostrate.  For  although  the  State  Ecclesiastical, 
 both  others  and  even  Bishops  themselves,  be  now  fallen  to 
 so  low  an  ebb,  as  all  the  world  at  this  day  doth  see ;  yet, 
 because  there  remaineth  still  somewhat  which  insatiable 
 minds  can  thirst  for,  therefore  we  seem  not  to  have  been  hi- 
 therto sufficiently  wronged .  Touching  that  which  hath  been 
 taken  from  the  Church  in  appropriations  known  to  amount 
 to  the  value  of  one  hundred  twenty-six  thousand  pounds 
 yearly,  we  rest  contentedly  and  quietly  without  it,  till  it 
 
 *  '  Pudet  dicere,  Sacerdotes  idolorum,  aurigfe,  mimi  et  scorta  hasreditates 
 capiunt,  solis  Clericis  et  Monachis  id  lege  probibetur,  et  proliibetur  non  a  perse- 
 cutoribus  sed  Principibus  Christianis.  Nec  de  lege  conqueror,  bed  dolto  (juod 
 rnerucriraus  hanc  Legem.'  Ad  Nepot.  'J.  [al.  ep.  34.  §•  6.] 
 
ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITT. 
 
 shall  please  God  to  touch  the  hearts  of  men,  of  their  own 
 voluntary  accord,  to  restore  it  to  hirn  again;  judging 
 thereof  no  otherwise  than  some  others  did  of  those  goods 
 which  were  by  Sylla  taken  away  from  the  citizens  of  Rome, 
 that  albeit  they  were  in  truth  male  capta,  unconscionably 
 taken  away  from  the  right  owners  at  the  first,  nevertheless, 
 seeing  that  such  as  w  ere  after  possessed  of  them  held  them 
 not  without  some  title,  which  Law  did  after  a  sort  make 
 nor.  good,  "  repetitio  eorum  proculdubio  labefactabat  compo- 
 c.j3. 'sitam  Civitatem."  What  hath  been  taken  away  as  dedi- 
 cated unto  uses  superstitious,  and  consequently  not  given 
 unto  God,  or  at  the  leastwise  not  so  rightly  given,  we  re- 
 pine not  thereat.  That  which  hath  gone  by  means  secret 
 and  indirect,  through  corrupt  compositions  or  compacts, 
 we  cannot  help.  What  the  hardness  of  men's  hearts  doth 
 make  them  loth  to  have  exacted,  though  being  due  by 
 Law,  even  thereof  the  want  we  do  also  bear.  Out  of  that 
 which  after  all  these  deductions  cometh  clearly  unto  our 
 hands,  I  hope  it  will  not  be  said  that  towards  the  public 
 charge  we  disburse  nothing.  And  doth  the  residue  seem 
 yet  excessive  ?  The  ways  whereby  temporal  men  provide 
 for  themselves  and  their  families  are  fore-closed  unto  us. 
 All  that  we  have  to  sustain  our  miserable  life  with,  is  but 
 a  remnant  of  God's  own  treasure,  so  far  already  diminished 
 and  clipped,  that  if  there  were  any  sense  of  common  hu- 
 manity left  in  this  hard-hearted  world,  the  impoverished 
 state  of  the  Clergy  of  God  would  at  the  length  even  of  very 
 commiseration  be  spared.  The  mean  gentleman  that 
 hath  but  a  hundred  pound  land  to  live  on,  would  not  be 
 hasty  to  change  his  worldly  estate  and  condition  with 
 many  of  these  so  over-abounding  Prelates;  a  common 
 artisan  or  tradesman  of  the  city,  with  ordinary  Pastors  of 
 the  Church.  It  is  our  hard  and  heavy  lot,  that  no  other 
 sort  of  men  being  grudged  at,  how  little  benefit  soever  the 
 public-weal  reap  by  them,  no  state  complained  of  for  hold- 
 ing that  which  hath  grown  unto  them  by  lawful  means ; 
 only  the  governors  of  our  souls,  they  that  study  night  and 
 day  so  to  guide  us,  that  both  in  this  world  we  may  have 
 comfort,  and  in  the  world  to  come  endless  felicity  and 
 joy  (for  even  such  is  the  very  scope  of  all  their  endeavours ; 
 this  they  wish,  for  this  they  labour,  how  hardly  soever  we 
 use  to  construe  of  their  intents) :  hard,  that  only  they 
 should  be  thus  continually  lifted  at  for  possessing  but 
 
BOOK  VII. 
 
 379 
 
 that  whereunto  they  have,  by  Law  both  of  God  and  Man, 
 most  just  title.  If  there  should  be  no  other  remedy,  but 
 that  the  violence  of  men  in  the  end  must  needs  bereave  them 
 of  all  succour,  further  than  the  inclinations  of  others  shall 
 vouchsafe  to  cast  upon  them,  as  it  were  by  way  of  alms, 
 for  their  relief  but  from  hour  to  hour;  better  they  are  not 
 than  their  fathers,  who  have  been  contented  with  as  hard  a 
 portion  at  the  world's  hands  :  let  the  light  of  the  sun  and 
 moon,  the  common  benefit  of  heaven  and  earth,  be  taken 
 away  from  Bishops,  if  the  question  were,  whether  God 
 should  lose  his  glory,  and  the  safety  of  his  Church  be  ha- 
 zarded, or  they  relinquish  the  right  and  interest  which 
 they  have  in  the  things  of  this  world.  Butsith  the  question 
 in  truth  is,  whether  Levi  shall  be  deprived  of  the  portion 
 of  God  or  no,  to  the  end  that  Simeon  or  Reuben  may  de- 
 vour it  as  their  spoil,  the  comfort  of  the  one,  in  sustaining 
 the  injuries  which  the  other  would  ofFer,  must  be  that 
 Prayer  poured  out  by  Moses,  the  Prince  of  Prophets,  in 
 most  tender  affection  to  Levi,  "  Bless,  O  Lord,  his  sub-  ^ 
 stance,  accept  thou  the  work  of  his  hands  ;  smite  through  n- 
 the  loins  of  them  that  rise  up  against  him,  and  of  them 
 which  hate  him,  that  they  rise  no  more." 
 
 BOOK  VIII. 
 
 Containing  their  seventh  Assertion,  That  to  no  Civil  Prince  or  Governor  there 
 may  be  given  such  Power  of  Ecclesiastical  Dominion,  as  by  the  Laws  of  this 
 Land  belongeth  unto  the  supreme  Regent  thereof. 
 
 Wl  come  now  to  the  last  thing  whereof  there  is  controversy 
 moved,  namely,  The  Power  of supreme  Jurisdiction;  which 
 for  distinction's  sake  we  call,  The  Power  of  Ecclesiastical 
 Dominion.  It  was  not  thought  fit  in  the  Jews'  Common- 
 wealth, that  the  exercise  of  Supremacy  Ecclesiastical 
 should  be  denied  unto  him,  to  whom  the  exercise  of  Chiefty 
 Civil  did  appertain ;  and  therefore  their  Kings  were  in- 
 vested with  both.  This  Power  they  gave  unto  Simon,  when  1 
 they  consented  that  be  should  be  their  Prince,  not  only  to 
 set  men  over  their  works,  and  country,  and  weapons,  but 
 also  to  provide  for  the  holy  things  ;  and  that  he  should  be 
 obeyed  of  every  man,  and  that  the  writings  of  the  country 
 should  be  made  in  his  name,  and  that  it  should  not  be 
 
380 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 lawful  lor  any  of  the  people  or  Priests  to  withstand  bis 
 words,  or  to  call  any  congregation  in  the  country  without 
 him.  And  if  haply  it  be  surmised,  that  thus  much  was 
 given  to  Simon,  as  being  both  Prince  and  High-priest, 
 which  otherwise  (being  their  Civil  Governor)  he  could  not 
 lawfully  have  enjoyed ;  we  must  note,  that  all  this  is  no 
 more  than  the  ancient  Kings  of  that  people  had,  being 
 Kings  and  not  Priests.  By  this  power  David,  Asa,  Jeho- 
 shaphat,  Josias,  and  the  rest,  made  those  Laws  and  Orders 
 which  Sacred  History  speaketh  of,  concerning  matters  of 
 mere  Religion,  the  affairs  of  the  Temple,  and  service  of 
 God.  Finally,  had  it  not  been  by  the  virtue  of  this  Power, 
 how  should  it  possibly  have  come  to  pass,  that  the  piety 
 or  impiety  of  the  Kings  did  always  accordingly  change  the 
 public  face  of  Religion,  which  things  the  Prophets  by 
 themselves  never  did,  nor  at  any  time  could,  hinder  from 
 being  done  ?  Had  the  Priests  alone  been  possessed  of  all 
 Power  in  Spiritual  affairs,  how  should  any  thing  concern- 
 ing matter  of  Religion  have  been  made  but  only  by  them? 
 In  them  it  had  been,  and  not  in  the  King,  to  change  the 
 face  of  Religion  at  any  time;  the  altering  of  Religion,  the 
 making  of  Ecclesiastical  Laws,  with  other  the  like  actions 
 belonging  unto  the  Power  of  Dominion,  are  still  termed 
 The  deeds  of  the  King  ;  to  shew,  that  in  him  was  placed 
 the  Supremacy  of  Power  in  this  kind  over  all,  and  that 
 unto  their  Priests  the  same  was  never  committed,  saving 
 only  at  such  times  as  the  Priests  were  also  Kings  and 
 Princes  over  them.  According  to  the  pattern  of  which 
 example  the  like  Power  in  causes  Ecclesiastical  is  by  the 
 Laws  of  this  Realm  annexed  unto  the  Crown :  and  there 
 are  which  do  imagine,  that  Kings,  being  mere  Lay-persons, 
 do  by  this  means  exceed  the  lawful  bounds  of  their  call- 
 ings ;  which  thing  to  the  end  that  they  may  persuade,  they 
 first  make  a  necessary  separation  perpetual  and  personal 
 between  the  Church  and  the  Commonwealth.  Secondly, 
 they  so  tie  all  kind  of  Power  Ecclesiastical  unto  the 
 Church,  as  if  it  were  in  every  degree  their  only  right  who 
 are  by  proper  spiritual  functions  termed  Church-governors, 
 and  might  not  unto  Christian  Princes  in  any  wise  apper- 
 tain. To  lurk  under  shifting  ambiguities  and  equivoca- 
 tions of  words  in  matter  of  principal  weight,  is  childish. 
 A  Church  and  a  Commonwealth  we  grant  are  things  in 
 
BOOK   VIII.  381 
 
 nature  one  distinguished  from  the  other.  A  Common- 
 wealth is  one  way,  and  a  Church  another  way,  defined. 
 In  their  opinions  the  Church  and  Commonwealth  are 
 Corporations,  not  distinguished  only  in  nature  and  defi- 
 nition, but  in  substance  perpetually  severed ;  so  that  they 
 which  are  of  the  one  can  neither  appoint  nor  execute  in 
 whole  nor  in  part  the  duties  which  belong  to  them  which 
 are  of  the  other,  without  open  breach  of  the  Law  of  God, 
 which  hath  divided  them,  and  doth  require  that  so  being 
 divided  they  should  distinctly  or  severally  work,  as  de- 
 pending both  upon  God,  and  not  hanging  one  upon  the 
 other's  approbation  for  that  which  either  hath  to  do.  We 
 say  that  the  care  of  Religion  being  common  to  all  Societies 
 politic,  such  Societies  as  do  embrace  the  true  Religion 
 have  the  name  of  the  Church  given  unto  every  one  of 
 them  for  distinction  from  the  rest;  so  that  every  Body 
 politic  hath  some  Religion,  but  the  Church  that  Re- 
 ligion which  is  only  true.  Truth  of  Religion  is  the  pro- 
 per difference  whereby  a  Church  is  distinguished  from 
 other  politic  Societies  of  men ;  we  here  mean  true  Re- 
 ligion in  gross,  and  not  according  to  every  particular. 
 For  they  which  in  some  particular  points  of  Religion  do 
 sever  from  the  truth,  may  nevertheless  truly  (if  we  com- 
 pare them  to  men  of  a  Heathenish  Religion)  be  said  to  hold 
 and  profess  that  Religion  which  is  true.  For  which  cause, 
 there  being  of  old  so  many  politic  Societies  established 
 through  the  world,  only  the  Commonwealth  of  Israel  which 
 had  the  truth  of  Religion  was  in  that  respect  the  Church 
 of  God  :  and  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  is  every  such 
 politic  Society  of  men  as  doth  in  Religion  hold  that  truth 
 which  is  proper  to  Christianity.  As  a  politic  Society  it 
 doth  maintain  Religion,  as  a  Church  that  Religion  which 
 God  hath  revealed  by  Jesus  Christ.  With  us  therefore 
 the  name  of  a  Church  importeth  only  a  Society  of  men, 
 first  united  into  some  public  Form  of  Regiment,  and  se- 
 condly, distinguished  from  other  Societies  by  the  exercise 
 of  Religion.  With  them  on  the  other  side  the  name  of 
 the  Church  in  this  present  question  importeth  not  only  a 
 multitude  of  men  so  united  and  so  distinguished,  but  also 
 further  the  same  divided  necessarily  and  perpetually  from 
 the  body  of  the  Commonwealth ;  so  that  even  in  such  a 
 politic  Society  as  consisteth  of  none  but  Christians,  yet  the 
 
382 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Church  and  Commonwealth  are  two  Corporations  inde- 
 pendently subsisting  by  themselves. 
 
 We  hold,  that  seeing  there  is  not  any  man  of  the  Church 
 of  England  but  the  same  man  is  also  a  member  of  the 
 Commonwealth,  nor  any  member  of  the  Commonwealth 
 which  is  not  also  of  the  Church  of  England,  therefore  as 
 in  a  figure  triangle  the  base  doth  differ  from  the  sides 
 thereof,  and  yet  one  and  the  self-same  line  is  both  a  base 
 and  also  a  side ;  a  side  simply,  a  base  if  it  chance  to  be 
 the  bottom  and  underlie  the  rest :  so,  albeit  properties  and 
 actions  of  one  do  cause  the  name  of  a  Commonwealth, 
 qualities  and  functions  of  another  sort  the  name  of  the 
 Church,  to  be  given  to  a  multitude,  ye  tone  and  the  self-same 
 multitude  may  in  such  sort  be  both.  Nay,  it  is  so  with 
 us,  that  no  person  appertaining  to  the  oue  can  be  denied 
 also  to  be  of  the  other  :  contrariwise,  unless  they  against 
 us  should  hold,  that  the  Church  and  the  Commonwealth  are 
 two,  both  distinct  and  separate  societies ;  of  which  two 
 one  comprehendeth  always  persons  not  belonging  to  the 
 other  (that  which  they  do),  they  could  not  conclude  out  of 
 the  difference  between  the  Church  and  the  Commonwealth, 
 namely,  that  the  Bishops  may  not  meddle  with  the  affairs 
 of  the  Commonwealth,  because  they  are  Governors  of 
 another  Corporation,  which  is  the  Church ;  nor  Kings, 
 with  making  Laws  for  the  Church,  because  they  have 
 Government,  not  of  this  Corporation,  but  of  another  di- 
 vided from  it,  the  Commonwealth ;  and  the  walls  of  sepa- 
 ration between  these  two  must  for  ever  be  upheld :  they 
 hold  the  necessity  of  personal  separation,  which  clean 
 excludeth  the  power  of  one  man's  dealing  with  both  ;  we 
 of  natural,  but  that  one  and  the  same  person  may  in  both 
 bear  principal  sway. 
 
 The  causes  of  common-received  errors  in  this  point  seem 
 to  have  been  especially  two  :  one,  that  they  who  embrace 
 true  Religion  living  in  such  Commonwealths  as  are  oppo- 
 site thereunto,  and  in  other  public  affairs,  retaining  Civil 
 communion  with  such,  are  constrained,  for  the  exercise 
 of  their  Religion,  to  have  a  several  communion  with  those 
 who  are  of  the  same  Religion  with  them.  This  was  the 
 state  of  the  Jewish  Church  both  in  Egypt  and  Babylon, 
 the  state  of  Christian  Churches  a  long  time  after  Christ. 
 And  in  this  case,  because  the  proper  affairs  and  actions  6t 
 
HOOK  VIII. 
 
 333 
 
 the  Church,  as  it  is  the  Church,  hath  no  dependance  on  the 
 Laws,  or  upon  the  Government  of  the  Civil  State,  an  opi- 
 nion hath  thereby  grown,  that  even  so  it  should  be  always. 
 This  was  it  which  deceived  Allen  in  the  writing  of  his 
 Apology :  "  The  Apostles  (saith  he)  did  govern  the  Church 
 in  Rome,  when  Nero  bare  rule,  even  at  this  day  in  all  the 
 Church's  dominions.    The  Church  hath  a  spiritual  Regi- 
 ment without  dependence,  and  so  ought  she  to  have 
 amongst  Heathens,  or  with  Christians."  Another  occasion 
 of  which  misconceit  is,  that  things  appertaining  to  Religion 
 are  both  distinguished  from  other  affairs,  and  have  always 
 had  in  the  Church  spiritual  persons  chosen  to  be  exercised 
 about  them.    By  which  distinction  of  spiritual  affairs,  and 
 persons  therein  employed,  from  temporal,  the  error  of  per- 
 sonal separation  always  necessary  between  the  Church 
 and  Commonwealth  hath  strengthened  itself.   For  of  every 
 politic  Society  that  being  true  which  Aristotle  saith,  namely, 
 "  That  the  scope  thereof  is  not  simply  to  live,  nor  the  duty  A"st- 
 so  much  to  provide  for  the  life,  as  for  the  means  of  living  nb.  in. 
 well:"  and  that  even  as  the  soul  is  the  worthier  part  of cap"6, 
 man,  so  human  Societies  are  much  more  to  care  for  that 
 which  tendeth  properly  to  the  soul's  estate,  than  for  such 
 temporal  things  which  the  life  hath  need  of;  other  proof 
 there  needeth  none  to  shew  that  as  by  all  men  the  Kingdom 
 of  God  is  to  be  sought  first,  so  in  all  Commonwealths  things 
 spiritual  ought  above  temporal  to  be  sought  for;  and  of 
 things  spiritual,  the  chiefest  is  Religion.    For  this  cause, 
 persons  and  things  employed  peculiarly  about  the  affairs 
 of  Religion,  are  by  an  excellency  termed  Spiritual.  The 
 Heathens  themselves  had  their  Spiritual  laws,  and  causes, 
 and  affairs,  always  severed  from  their  temporal ;  neither  Arist. 
 did  this  make  two  independent  estates  among  them.    God  libVvi. 
 by  revealing  true  Religion  doth  make  them  that  receive  it  7 
 his  Church.    Unto  the  Jews  he  so  revealed  the  truth  tfuM. 
 Religion,  that  he  gave  them  in  special  considerations  Laws, [(  '20,1 
 not  only  for  the  administration  of  things  spiritual,  but  also 
 temporal.    The  Lord  himself  appointing  both  the  one  and 
 the  other  in  that  Commonwealth,  did  not  thereby  distract 
 it  into  several  independent  communities,  but  institute  se- 
 veral functions  of  one  and  the  self-same  community.  Some 
 reasons  therefore  must  there  be  alleged  why  it  should  be 
 otherwise  in  the  Church  of  Christ. 
 
384 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  FOLITV. 
 
 Three  I  shall  not  need  to  spend  any  great  store  of  words  in  an- 
 
 of  their  swering  that  which  is  brought  out  of  the  Holy  Scripture  to 
 
 proofs  snew  tnat  secuiar  arj(j  Ecclesiastical  affairs  and  offices  are 
 
 taken  distinguished :  neither  that  which  hath  been  borrowed  from 
 
 from  the  . 
 
 differ-  antiquity,  using  by  phrase  of  speech  to  oppose  the  Com- 
 ^"r°f  monweal  to  the  Church  of  Christ ;  neither  yet  their  reasons 
 and      which  are  wont  to  be  brought  forth  as  witnesses,  that  the 
 
 offices. 
 
 Church  and  Commonweal  were  always  distinct.  For  whe- 
 ther a  Church  or  Commonweal  do  differ,  is  not  the  question 
 we  strive  for ;  but  our  controversy  is  concerning  the  kind 
 of  distinction  whereby  they  are  severed  the  one  from  the 
 other;  whether  as  under  Heathen  Kings  the  Church  did 
 deal  with  her  own  affairs  within  herself  without  depending 
 at  all  upon  any  in  Civil  Authority,  and  the  Commonweal  in 
 hers,  altogether  without  the  privity  of  the  Church ;  so  it 
 ought  to  continue  still  even  in  such  Commonweals  as  have 
 now  publickly  embraced  the  truth  of  Christian  Religion  ; 
 whether  they  ought  evermore  to  be  two  Societies  in  such 
 sort,  several  and  distinct.    I  ask  therefore,  what  Society 
 was  that  in  Rome,  whereunto  the  Apostle  did  give  the 
 name  of  the  Church  of  Rome  in  his  time  ?    If  they  answer 
 (as  needs  they  must)  that  the  Church  of  Rome  in  those 
 days  was  that  whole  Society  of  men  which  in  Rome  profes- 
 sed the  name  of  Christ,  and  not  that  Religion  which  the 
 Laws  of  the  Commonweal  did  then  authorize  ;  we  say  as 
 much,  and  therefore  grant  that  the  Commonweal  of  Rome 
 was  one  Society,  and  the  Church  of  Rome  another,  in  such 
 sort  that  there  was  between  them  no  natural  dependence. 
 But  when  whole  Rome  became  Christian,  when  they  all 
 embraced  the  Gospel,  and  made  Laws  in  defence  thereof, 
 if  it  be  held  that  the  Church  and  Commonweal  of  Rome 
 did  then  remain  as  before ;  there  is  no  way  how  this  could 
 be  possible,  save  only  one,  and  that  is,  they  must  restrain 
 the  name  of  a  Church  in  a  Christian  Commonweal  to  the 
 Clergy,  excluding  all  the  rest  of  believers,  both  Prince  and 
 people.  For,  if  all  that  believe  be  contained  in  the  name 
 of  the  Church,  how  should  the  Church  remain  by  personal 
 subsistence  divided  from  the  Commonweal,  when  the  whole 
 Commonweal  doth  believe?    The  Church  and  the  Com- 
 monweal are  in  this  case  therefore  personally  one  Society, 
 which  Society  being  termed  a  Commonweal  asitlivethunder 
 whatsoever  Form  of  secular  Law  and  Regiment,  a  Church 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 385 
 
 as  it  liveth  under  the  spiritual  Law  of  Christ ;  forasmuch  as 
 these  two  Laws  contain  so  many  and  different  Offices,  there 
 must  of  necessity  be  appointed  in  it  some  to  one  charge, 
 and  some  to  another,  yet  without  dividing  the  whole  and 
 making  it  two  several  impaled  Societies. 
 
 The  difference  therefore  either  of  affairs  or  offices  Eccle-  1  chron. 
 siastical  from  Secular,  is  no  argument  that  the  Church  and  j^.  t\ 
 Commonweal  are  always  separate  and  independent  the  one 
 on  the  other :  which  thing  even  Allen  himself  considering  Aiieu, 
 somewhat  better,  doth  in  this  point  a  little  correct  Ms1*",!*"' 
 former  judgment  beforementioned.and  confesseth  in  his  De- 
 fence of  English  Catholics,  that  the  Power  political  hath  her 
 Princes,  Laws,  Tribunals  ;  the  spiritual,  her  Prelates,  Ca- 
 nons, Councils,  Judgments,  and  those  (when  the  temporal 
 Princes  were  Pagans)  wholly  separate;  but  in  Christian 
 Commonweals  joined  though  not  confounded.  Howbeit 
 afterward  his  former  sting  appeareth  again ;  for  in  a  Com- 
 monwealth he  holdeth,  that  the  Church  ought  not  to  depend 
 at  all  upon  the  Authority  of  any  Civil  person  whatsoever,  as 
 in  England  he  saith  it  doth. 
 
 It  will  be  objected,  that  the  Fathers  do  oftentimes  men-  2  Taken 
 tion  the  Commonweal  and  the  Church  of  God  bv  way  of  op-  fromt|ie 
 
 .  Speeches 
 
 position.    Can  the  same  thing  be  opposed  to  itself?  Ifofthe 
 one  and  the  same  Society  be  both  Church  and  Common-  opposite 
 wealth,  what  sense  can  there  be  in  that  speech,  "  That  they  the  one  ,0 
 
 '  1  J  the  other. 
 
 suffer  and  flourish  together?'    What  sense  is  that  which  Euseb. 
 maketh  one  thing  to  be  adjudged  to  the  Church,  and  an-  CoMtant. 
 other  to  the  Commonweal  ?   Finally,  in  that  which  putteth  "j 
 a  difference  between  the  causes  of  the  Province  and  the  167.  01. 
 Church,  doth  it  not  hereby  appear  that  the  Church  and  the 89,5 
 Commonweal  are  things  evermore  personally  separate? 
 No,  it  doth  not  hereby  appear  that  there  is  perpetually 
 any  such  separation ;  we  speak  of  them  as  two,  we  may 
 sever  the  rights  and  the  causes  of  the  one  well  enough 
 from  the  other,  in  regard  of  that  difference  which  we  grant 
 is  between  them,  albeit  we  make  no  personal  difference. 
 For  the  truth  is,  that  the  Church  and  the  Commonwealth 
 are  names  which  import  things  really  different;  but  those 
 things  are  accidents,  and  such  accidents  as  may,  and 
 always  should,  lovingly  dwell  together  in  one  subject. 
 Wherefore  the  real  difference  between  the  accidents  signi- 
 fied by  these  names,  doth  not  prove  different  subjects  for 
 vol.  11.  2  c 
 
386 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 them  always  to  reside  in.  For  albeit  the  subjects  wherein 
 they  be  resident  be  sometimes  different,  as  when  the  people 
 of  God  have  their  residence  among  Infidels ;  yet  the  nature 
 of  them  is  not  such  but  that  their  subject  may  be  one,  and 
 therefore  it  is  but  a  changeable  accident,  in  those  accidents 
 they  are  to  be  divers.  There  can  be  no  error  in  our  own 
 conceit  concerning  this  point,  if  we  remember  still  what 
 accident  that  is  for  which  a  Society  hath  the  name  of  a 
 Commonwealth,  and  what  accident  that  which  doth  cause 
 it  to  be  termed  a  Church.  A  Commonwealth  we  name  it 
 simply  in  regard  of  some  Regiment  or  Policy  under  which 
 men  live ;  a  Church  for  the  truth  of  that  Religion  which 
 they  profess.  Now  names  betokening  accidents  inab- 
 stracted,  betoken  not  only  the  accidents  themselves,  but 
 also  together  with  them  subjects  whereunto  they  cleave. 
 As  when  we  name  a  Schoolmaster  and  a  Physician,  those 
 names  do  not  only  betoken  two  accidents,  teaching  and 
 curing,  but  also  some  person  or  persons  in  whom  those 
 accidents  are.  For  there  is  no  impediment  but  both  may 
 be  in  one  man,  as  well  as  they  are  for  the  most  part  in 
 divers.  The  Commonweal  and  Church  therefore  being 
 such  names,  they  do  not  only  betoken  these  accidents  of 
 Civil  Government  and  Christian  Religion  which  we  have 
 mentioned,  but  also  together  with  them  such  multitudes  as 
 are  the  subjects  of  those  accidents.  Again,  their  nature 
 being  such  as  they  may  well  enough  dwell  together  in  one 
 subject,  itfolloweth  that  their  names,  though  always  imply- 
 ing that  difference  of  accidents  that  hath  been  set  down,  yet 
 do  not  always  imply  different  subjects  also.  When  we  op- 
 pose therefore  the  Church  and  Commonwealth  in  Christian 
 Society,  we  mean  by  the  Commonwealth  that  Society  with 
 relation  to  all  the  public  affairs  thereof,  only  the  matter  of 
 true  Religion  excepted ;  by  the  Church,  the  same  Society 
 with  only  reference  unto  the  matter  of  true  Religion,  with- 
 out any  affairs  besides :  when  that  Society  which  is  both 
 a  Church  and  a  Commonwealth  doth  flourish  in  those 
 things  which  belong  unto  it  as  a  Commonwealth,  we  then 
 say,  the  Commonwealth  doth  flourish ;  when  in  both  of 
 them,  we  then  say,  the  Church  and  Commonwealth  do 
 flourish  together, 
 isai  i.  The  Prophet  Esay  to  note  corruptions  in  the  Common- 
 21  '23'  wealth  complaineth,  "That  where  justice  and  judgment 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 387 
 
 had  lodged  now  were  murderers;  Princes  were  become 
 companions  of  thieves;  every  one  loved  gifts  and  rewards, 
 but  the  fatherless  was  not  judged,  neither  did  the  widow's 
 cause  come  before  them."    To  shew  abuses  in  the  Church, 
 Malachy  doth  make  his  complaint :  "  Ye  offer  unclean  mm.  i. 
 bread  upon  mine  altar:  if  ye  offer  the  blind  for  sacrifice, 7'8' 
 it  is  not  evil  as  ye  think  ;  if  the  lame  and  the  sick,  nothing 
 is  amiss."   The  treasure  which  David  bestowed  upon  the  1  chron- 
 Temple  did  argue  the  love  which  he  bore  unto  the  Church  : 
 the  pains  which  Nehemiah  took  for  building  the  walls  of  Nehem. 
 the  City  are  tokens  of  his  care  for  the  Commonwealth. 
 Causes  of  the  Commonwealth,  or  Province,  are  such  as 
 Gallio  was  content  to  be  judge  of:  "  If  it  were  a  matter  of  Acts 
 wrong,  or  an  evil  deed  (O  ye  Jews),  I  would  according  to  ' 
 reason  maintain  you :"  causes  of  the  Church  are  such  as 
 Gallio  there  reciteth  :  "  If  it  be  a  question  of  your  Law,  ver.  15. 
 look  ye  to  it,  I  will  be  no  judge  thereof."    In  respect,  of 
 this  difference  therefore  the  Church  and  the  Commonwealth 
 may  in  speech  be  compared  or  opposed  aptly  enough  the 
 one  to  the  other ;  yet  this  is  no  argument  that  they  are  two 
 independent  Societies. 
 
 Some  other  reasons  there  are  which  seem  a  little  more  3.Taken 
 nearly  to  make  for  the  purpose,  as  long  as  they  are  but  [^of 
 heard  and  not  sifted.  For  what  though  a  man  being  severed  Pu"'sh- 
 
 °  meat  ln- 
 
 by  excommunication  from  the  Church,  be  not  thereby  de-  dieted  by 
 prived  of  freedom  in  the  City,  or  being  there  discommoned,  theortie" 
 is  not  therefore  forthwith  excommunicated  and  excluded 
 the  Church  ?  what  though  the  Church  be  bound  to  receive 
 them  upon  repentance,  whom  the  Commonweal  may  refuse 
 again  to  admit?  if  it  chance  the  same  man  to  be  shut  out 
 of  both,  division  of  the  Church  and  Commonweal,  which 
 they  contend  for,  will  very  hardly  hereupon  follow.  For 
 we  must  note,  that  members  of  a  Christian  Commonweal 
 have  a  triple  state ;  a  Natural,  a  Civil,  and  a  Spiritual.  No 
 man's  Natural  estate  is  cut  off  otherwise  than  by  that  ca- 
 pital execution :  after  which  he  that  is  none  of  the  Body  of 
 the  Commonwealth  doth  not,  I  think,  remain  fit  in  the  Body 
 of  that  visible  Church.  And  concerning  man's  Civil  estate, 
 the  same  is  subject  partly  to  inferior  abatements  of  liberty, 
 and  partly  to  diminution  in  the  highest  degree,  such  as 
 banishment  is ;  sith  it  casteth  out  quite  and  clean  from  the 
 Body  of  the  Commonweal,  it  must  needs  also  consequently 
 
 2  c  2 
 
388 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 cast  the  banished  party  even  out  of  the  very  Church  he  was 
 of  before,  because  that  Church  and  the  Commonweal  he 
 was  of  were  both  one  and  the  same  Society :  so  that  what- 
 soever doth  utterly  separate  a  man's  person  from  the  one,  it 
 separateth  from  the  other  also.  As  for  such  abatements 
 of  Civil  estate  as  take  away  only  some  privilege,  dignity, 
 or  other  benefit  which  a  man  enjoyeth  in  the  Commonweal, 
 they  reach  only  to  our  dealing  with  public  affairs,  from 
 which  what  may  let  but  that  men  may  be  excluded  and 
 thereunto  restored  again  without  diminishing  or  augment- 
 ing the  number  of  persons  in  whom  either  Church  or  Com- 
 monwealth consisteth?  Hethatbyway  of  punishment  loseth 
 his  voice  in  a  public  election  of  Magistrates,  ceaseth  not 
 thereby  to  be  a  citizen.  A  man  disfranchised  may  not- 
 withstanding enjoy  as  a  subject  the  common  benefit  of  pro- 
 tection under  Laws  and  Magistrates.  So  that  these  in- 
 ferior diminutions  which  touch  men  civilly,  but  neither  do 
 clean  extinguish  their  estates  as  they  belong  to  the  Com- 
 monwealth, nor  impair  a  whit  their  condition  as  they  are 
 of  the  Church  of  God : — these,  I  say,  do  clearly  prove  a 
 difference  of  the  one  from  the  other,  but  such  a  difference 
 as  maketh  nothing  for  their  surmise  of  distracted  Societies. 
 
 And  concerning  Excommunication,  it  cutteth  off  indeed 
 from  the  Church,  and  yet  not  from  the  Commonwealth ; 
 howbeit  so,  that  the  party  excommunicate  is  not  thereby 
 severed  from  one  Body  which  subsisteth  in  itself,  and  re- 
 tained by  another  in  like  sort  subsisting  ;  but  he  which  be- 
 fore had  fellowship  with  that  Society  whereof  he  was  a 
 member,  as  well  touching  things  Spiritual  as  Civil,  is  now 
 by  force  of  Excommunication,  although  not  severed  from 
 the  Body  in  Civil  affairs,  nevertheless  for  the  time  cut  off 
 from  it  as  touching  communion  in  those  things  which  belong 
 to  the  same  Body,  as  it  is  the  Church.  A  man  having  been 
 both  excommunicated  by  the  Church,  and  deprived  of  Civil 
 dignity  in  the  Commonwealth,  is  upon  his  repentance  ne- 
 cessarily reunited  into  the  one,  but  not  of  necessity  into 
 the  other.    What  then  ?  that  which  he  is  admitted  unto  is 
 a  communion  in  things  divine,  whereof  both  parts  are  par- 
 takers ;  that  from  which  he  is  withheld  is  the  benefit  of 
 some  human  privilege  or  right  which  other  citizens  hap- 
 pily enjoy.    But  are  not  these  saints  and  citizens  one  and 
 the  same  people  ?  are  they  not  one  and  the  same  society  ? 
 
book  viii.  389 
 
 doth  it  hereby  appear  that  the  Church  which  received  an 
 excommunicate,  can  have  no  dependency  on  any  person 
 which  hath  chief  authority  and  power  of  these  things  in 
 the  Commonwealth  whereunto  the  same  party  is  not  ad- 
 mitted ?  Wherefore  to  end  this  point,  I  conclude  ■  first, 
 that  under  the  dominions  of  Infidels  the  Church  of  Christ 
 and  their  Commonwealth  were  two  Societies  independent. 
 Secondly,  that  in  those  Commonwealths,  where  the  Bishop 
 of  Rome  beareth  sway,  one  Society  is  both  the  Church  and 
 the  Commonwealth ;  but  the  Bishop  of  Rome  doth  divide 
 the  Body  into  two  divers  bodies,  and  doth  not  suffer  the 
 Church  to  depend  upon  the  power  of  any  Civil  Prince  and 
 Potentate.  Thirdly,  that  within  this  Realm  of  England 
 the  case  is  neither  as  in  the  one,  nor  as  in  the  other  of  the 
 former  two :  but  from  the  state  of  Pagans  we  differ,  in  that 
 with  us  one  Society  is  both  the  Church  and  Commonwealth, 
 which  with  them  it  was  not;  as  also  from  the  state  of  those 
 nations  which  subjected  themselves  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome, 
 in  that  our  Church  hath  dependence  from  the  Chief  in  our 
 Commonwealth,  which  it  hath  not  when  he  is  suffered  to 
 rule.  In  a  word,  our  state  is  according  to  the  pattern  of 
 God's  own  ancient  elect  people,  which  people  was  not 
 part  of  them  the  Commonwealth,  and  part  of  them  the 
 Church  of  God,  but  the  self-same  people  whole  and  entire 
 were  both  under  one  chief  Governor  on  whose  supreme 
 authority  they  did  all  depend.  Now  the  drift  of  all  that 
 hath  been  alleged  to  prove  perpetual  separation  and  inde- 
 pendency between  the  Church  and  the  Commonwealth  is, 
 that  this  being  held  necessary,  it  might  consequently  be 
 thought  fit,  that  in  a  Christian  Kingdom  he  whose  power  is 
 greatest  over  the  Commonwealth,  may  not  lawfully  have 
 Supremacy  of  Power  also  over  the  Church,  that  is  to  say, 
 so  far  as  to  order  thereby  and  to  dispose  of  Spiritual  af- 
 fairs, so  far  as  the  highest  uncommanded  Commander  in 
 them.  Whereupon  it  is  grown  a  question,  whether  Govern- 
 ment Ecclesiastical,  and  Power  of  Dominion  in  such  de- 
 grees as  the  Laws  of  this  Land  do  grant  unto  the  Sovereign 
 Governor  thereof,  may  by  the  said  Supreme  Governor  law- 
 fully be  enjoyed  and  held?  For  resolution  wherein,  we  are, 
 first,  to  define  what  the  Power  of  Dominion  is  :  secondly, 
 then  to  shew  by  what  right:  thirdly,  after  what  sort :  fourthly, 
 in  what  measure  :  fifthly,  in  what  inconveniency,  and  ac- 
 
390 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 cording  to  whose  example  Christian  Kings  may  have  it.  And 
 when  these  generals  are  opened,  to  examine  afterwards  how 
 lawful  that  is  which  we  in  regard  of  Dominion  do  attribute 
 unto  our  own :  namely,  the  title  of  Headship  over  the 
 Church,  so  far  as  the  bounds  of  this  Kingdom  do  reach : 
 secondly,  the  prerogative  of  calling  and  dissolving  great 
 assemblies,  about  spiritual  affairs  public:  thirdly,  the 
 right  of  assenting  unto  all  those  Orders  concerning  Reli- 
 gion, which  must  after  be  in  force  as  Law :  fourthly,  the 
 advancement  of  principal  Church-governors  to  their  rooms 
 of  Prelacy  :  fifthly,  judicial  Authority  higher  than  others 
 are  capable  of:  and  sixthly,  exemption  from  being  punish- 
 able with  such  kind  of  censures  as  the  Platform  of  Refor- 
 mation doth  teach  that  they  ought  to  be  subject  unto. 
 
 What  the  Power  of  Dominion  is. 
 
 Luke    Without  order  there  is  no  living  in  public  Society,  because 
 x'17,    the  want  thereof  is  the  mother  of  confusion,  whereupon  di- 
 icor.    vision  of  necessity  followeth;  and  out  of  division  destruc- 
 iiv.  40.  j.jon>  The  Apostle,  therefore,  giving  instruction  to  public  So- 
 cieties, requireth  that  all  things  be  orderly  done.  Order  can 
 have  no  place  in  things,  except  it  be  settled  amongst  the 
 persons  that  shall  by  office  be  conversant  about  them ;  and 
 if  things  and  persons  be  ordered,  this  doth  imply  that  they 
 are  distinguished  by  degrees  :  for  Order  is  a  gradual  dis- 
 position.   The  whole  world  consisting  of  parts  so  many,  so 
 different,  is  by  this  only  thing  upheld ;  he  which  framed 
 them,  hath  set  them  in  order.    The  very  Deity  itself  both 
 keepeth  and  requireth  for  ever  this  to  be  kept  as  a  Law,  that 
 wheresoever  there  is  a  coagmentation  of  many,  the  lowest 
 be  knit  unto  the  highest  by  that  which  being  interjacent  may 
 cause  each  to  cleave  to  the  other,  and  so  all  to  continue  one. 
 This  order  of  things  and  persons  in  public  Societies  is  the 
 work  of  Policy,  and  the  proper  instrument  thereof  in  every 
 degree  is  Power  ;  Power  being  that  ability  which  we  have 
 of  ourselves,  or  receive  from  others  for  performance  of  any 
 action.    If  the  action  which  we  have  to  perform  be  con- 
 versant about  matters  of  mere  Religion,  the  Power  of  per- 
 forming it  is  then  Spiritual ;  and  if  that  Power  be  such  as 
 hath  not  other  to  over-rule  it,  we  term  it  Dominion  or  Power 
 supreme,  so  far  as  the  bounds  thereof  extend.    When  there- 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 391 
 
 fore  Christian  Kings  are  said  to  have  Spiritual  Dominion  or 
 supreme  Power  in  Ecclesiastical  affairs  and  causes,  the 
 meaning  is,  that  within  their  own  precincts  and  territories 
 they  have  an  authority  and  power  to  command  even  in 
 matters  of  Christian  Religion,  and  that  there  is  no  higher 
 nor  greater  that  can  in  those  cases  over-command  them, 
 where  they  are  placed  to  reign  as  Kings.  But  withal  we 
 must  likewise  note  that  their  Power  is  termed  Supremacy, 
 as  being  the  highest,  not  simply  without  exception  of  any 
 thing.  For  what  man  is  so  brain-sick,  as  not  to  except  in 
 such  speeches  God  himself,  the  King  of  all  dominion?  Who 
 doubteth  but  that  the  King  who  receiveth  it  must  hold  it  of 
 and  under  the  Law,  according  to  that  old  axiom,  "  Attribuat 
 Rex  Legi,  quod  Lex  attribuat  ei  potestatem  :"  and  again, 
 "  Rex  non  debet  esse  sub  nomine,  sed  sub  Deo  et  Lege." 
 Thirdly,  whereas  it  is  altogether  without  reason,  '*  that 
 Kings  are  judged  to  have  by  virtue  of  their  dominion,  al- 
 though greater  Power  than  any,  yet  not  than  all  the  state  of 
 those  Societies  conjoined,  wherein  such  sovereign  Rule  is 
 given  them  ;"  there  is  not  any  thing  hereunto  to  the  contrary 
 by  us  affirmed,  no,  not  when  we  grant  supreme  Authority 
 unto  Kings,  because  Supremacy  is  not  otherwise  intended 
 or  meant  to  exclude  partly  foreign  Powers  and  partly  the 
 Power  which  belongeth  in  several  unto  others,  contained 
 as  parts  in  that  politic  Body  over  which  those  Kings  have 
 Supremacy :  **  Where  the  King  hath  Power  of  Dominion,  or 
 supreme  Power,  there  no  foreign  State  or  Potentate,  no  State 
 or  Potentate  domestical,  whether  it  consistest  of  one  or 
 many,  can  possibly  have  in  the  same  affairs  and  causes  Au- 
 thority higher  than  the  King."  Power  of  spiritual  Dominion 
 therefore  is  in  causes  Ecclesiastical  that  ruling  authority 
 which  neither  any  foreign  State  nor  yet  any  part  of  that  politic 
 Body  at  home,  wherein  the  same  is  established,  can  lawfully 
 over-rule.  It  hath  been  declared  already  in  general  how 
 "  the  best  established  Dominion  is  where  the  Law  doth  most 
 rule  the  King :"  the  true  effect  whereof  particularly  is  found 
 as  well  in  Ecclesiastical  as  Civil  affairs.  In  these  the 
 King,  through  his  supreme  Power,  may  do  sundry  great 
 things  himself,  both  appertaining  to  peace  and  war,  both  at 
 home,  and  by  command,  and  by  commerce  with  States 
 abroad,  because  the  Law  doth  so  much  permit.  Sometimes 
 on  the  other  side,  "  The  King  alone  hath  no  right  to  do 
 
392 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 without  consent  of  his  Lords  and  Commons  in  Parliament: 
 the  King  himself  cannot  change  the  nature  of  pleas,  nor 
 courts,  no  not  so  much  as  restore  blood,"  because  the  Law 
 is  a  bar  unto  him ;  the  positive  Laws  of  the  Realm  have  a 
 privilege  therein,  and  restrain  the  King's  Power;  which 
 positive  Laws,  whether  by  custom  or  otherwise  established, 
 without  repugnancy  to  the  Laws  of  God  and  Nature, 
 ought  not  less  to  be  in  force  even  in  supernatural  affairs  of 
 the  Church  :  wherefore,  in  regard  of  Ecclesiastical  Laws, 
 we  willingly  embrace  that  of  Ambrose,  "  Imperator  bonus 
 intra  Ecclesiam,  non  supra Ecclesiam,  est, — Kings  have  Do- 
 minion to  exercise  in  Ecclesiastical  causes,  but  according 
 to  the  Laws  of  the  Church ;"  whether  it  be  therefore  the 
 nature  of  Courts,  or  the  form  of  Pleas,  or  the  kind  of  Go- 
 vernors, or  the  order  of  proceeding  in  whatsoever  business, 
 for  the  received  Laws  and  Liberty  of  the  Church  u  the  King 
 hath  supreme  Authority  and  Power,  but  against  them  never." 
 What  such  positive  Laws  have  appointed  to  be  done  by 
 others  than  the  King,  or  by  others  with  the  King,  and  in 
 what  form  they  have  appointed  the  doing  of  it,  the  same  of 
 necessity  must  be  kept,  neither  is  the  King's  sole  Autho- 
 rity to  alter  it ;  yet,  as  it  were  a  thing  unreasonable,  if  in 
 Civil  affairs  the  King,  albeit  the  whole  universal  Body  did 
 join  with  him,  should  do  any  thing  by  their  absolute  Power 
 for  the  ordering  of  their  State  at  home,  in  prejudice  of  those 
 ancient  Laws  of  Nations  which  are  of  force  throughout  all 
 the  world,  because  the  necessary  commerce  of  Kingdoms 
 dependeth  on  them ;  so  in  principal  matters  belonging  to 
 Christian  Religion  a  thing  very  scandalous  and  offensive 
 it  must  needs  be  thought,  if  either  Kings  or  Laws  should 
 dispose  of  the  Law  of  God,  without  any  respect  had  unto 
 that  which  of  old  hath  been  reverently  thought  of  through- 
 out the  world,  and  wherein  there  is  no  Law  of  God  which 
 forceth  us  to  swerve  from  the  ways  wherein  so  many  and 
 holy  ages  have  gone.    Wherefore  not  without  good  con- 
 sideration the  very  Law  itself  hath  provided, "  That  Judges 
 Ecclesiastical  appointed  under  the  King's  commission 
 shall  not  adjudge  for  Heresy  any  thing  but  that  which 
 heretofore  hath  been  adjudged  by  the  Authority  of  the 
 Canonical  Scriptures,  or  by  the  first  four  General  Coun- 
 cils, or  by  some  other  General  Council  wherein  the  same 
 hath  been  declared  Heresy  by  the  express  words  of  the 
 said  Canonical  Scriptures,  or  such  as  hereafter  shall  be 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 393 
 
 determined  to  be  Heresy  by  the  high  Court  of  Parliament 
 of  this  Realm,  with  the  assent  of  the  Clergy  in  the  Convo- 
 cation: an.  1.  Reg.  Eliz.  By  which  words  of  the  Law, 
 who  doth  not  plainly  see,  how  that  in  one  branch  of  pro- 
 ceeding by  virtue  of  the  King's  supreme  Authority,  the  cre- 
 dit which  those  four  first  General  Councils  have  throughout 
 all  Churches,  and  evermore  had,  was  judged  by  the  making 
 of  the  aforesaid  Act  a  just  cause  wherefore  they  should 
 be  mentioned  in  that  case,  as  a  requisite  part  of  that  Rule 
 wherewith  Dominion  was  to  be  limited  ?  But  of  this  we  shall 
 further  consider  when  we  come  unto  that  which  Sovereign 
 Power  may  do  in  making  Ecclesiastical  Laws. 
 
 Unto  which  supreme  Power  in  Kings  two  kinds  of  adver-  The  right 
 saries  there  are  which  have  opposed  themselves :  one  sort  giVc,  God 
 defending,  "That  supreme  Power  in  causes  Ecclesiastical ratlfies- 
 throughout  the  world  appertaineth  of  divine  right  to  the 
 Bishop  of  Rome:"  another  sort,  '*  That  the  said  Power  be- 
 longeth  in  every  national  Church  unto  the  Clergy  thereof 
 assembled."  We  which  defend  as  well  against  the  one  as 
 against  the  other,  "  That  Kings  within  their  own  precincts 
 may  have  it,"  must  shew  by  what  right  it  must  come  unto 
 them.  First,  unto  me  it  seemeth  almost  out  of  doubt  and 
 controversy,  that  every  independent  multitude,  before  any 
 certain  Form  of  Regiment  established,  hath,  under  God, 
 supreme  Authority,  full  Dominion  over  itself,  even  as  a  man 
 not  tied  with  the  band  of  subjection  as  yet  unto  any  other, 
 hath  over  himself  the  like  power.  God  creating  mankind 
 did  endue  it  naturally  with  Power  to  guide  itself  in  what 
 kind  of  Society  soever  they  should  choose  to  live.  A  man 
 which  is  born  lord  of  himself  may  be  made  another's  ser- 
 vant. And  that  Power  which  naturally  whole  Societies 
 have,  may  be  derived  unto  many,  few,  or  one,  under  whom 
 the  rest  shall  then  live  in  subjection.  Some  multitudes  are 
 brought  into  subjection  by  force,  as  they  who  being  sub- 
 dued are  fain  to  submit  their  necks  unto  what  yoke  it 
 pleaseth  their  conquerors  to  lay  upon  them ;  which  con- 
 querors by  just  and  lawful  wars  do  hold  their  Power  over 
 such  multitudes  as  a  thing  descending  unto  them,  Divine 
 Providence  itself  so  disposing.  For  it  is  God  who  giveth 
 victory  in  the  day  of  war;  and  unto  whom  Dominion  in  this 
 sort  is  derived,  the  same  they  enjoy  according  to  the  Law  of 
 Nations,  which  Law  authorizeth  Conquerors  to  reign  as  ab- 
 
394 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 solute  Lords  over  them  whom  they  vanquish.  Sometimes 
 it  pleaseth  God  himself  by  special  appointment  to  choose 
 out  and  nominate  such  as  to  whom  Dominion  shall  be  given, 
 which  thing  he  did  often  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Israel. 
 They  which  in  this  sort  receive  Power  immediately  from 
 God,  have  it  by  mere  divine  right,  they  by  human  on 
 whom  the  same  is  bestowed  according  to  men's  discretion, 
 when  they  are  left  freely  by  God  to  make  choice  of  their 
 own  Governors.  By  which  of  these  means  soever  it  happen 
 that  Kings  or  Governors  be  advanced  unto  their  estates, 
 we  must  acknowledge  both  their  lawful  choice  to  be  ap- 
 proved of  God,  and  themselves  to  be  God's  Lieutenants, 
 and  confess  their  Power  which  they  have  to  be  his*.  As  for 
 supreme  Power  in  Ecclesiastical  affairs,  the  Word  of  God 
 doth  no  where  appoint  that  all  Kings  should  have  it,  nei- 
 ther that  any  should  not  have  it ;  for  which  cause  it  seemeth 
 to  stand  altogether  by  human  right,  that  unto  Christian 
 Kings  there  is  such  Dominion  given. 
 
 Again,  on  whom  the  same  isbestowed  atmen's  discretions, 
 they  likewise  do  hold  it  by  divine  right.  If  God  in  his  re- 
 vealed Word  hath  appointed  such  Power  to  be,  although  him- 
 self extraordinarily  bestow  it  not,  but  leave  the  appointment 
 of  persons  to  men;  yea,  albeit  God  do  neither  appoint  nor 
 assign  the  person,  nevertheless  when  men  have  assigned  and 
 established  both,  who  doth  doubt  but  that  sundry  duties  and 
 affairs  depending  thereupon  are  prescribed  by  the  Word  of 
 God,  and  consequently  by  that  very  right  to  be  exacted?  For 
 example's  sake,  the  Power  which  Roman  Emperors  had 
 over  foreign  Provinces  was  not  a  thing  which  the  Law  of 
 God  did  ever  institute,  neither  was  Tiberius  Caesar  by  es- 
 pecial commission  from  Heaven  therewith  invested ;  and 
 yet  payment  of  tribute  unto  Caesar,  being  now  made  Em- 
 peror, is  the  plain  Law  of  Jesus  Christ ;  unto  Kings  by  hu- 
 man right,  Honour  by  very  divine  right,  is  due ;  man's  Or- 
 dinances are  many  times  proposed  as  grounds  in  the  Statutes 
 of  God.  And  therefore  of  what  kind  soever  the  means  be 
 whereby  Governors  are  lawfully  advanced  to  their  States, 
 as  we  by  the  Laws  of  God  stand  bound  meekly  to  ac- 
 knowledge them  for  God's  Lieutenants,  and  to  confess  their 
 Power  his,  so  by  the  same  Law  they  are  both  authorized 
 and  required  to  use  that  Power  as  far  as  it  may  be  in  any 
 
 *  '  Corona  est  potestas  delegata  a  Deo.'  Bracton. 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 395 
 
 state  available  to  his  honour.  The  Law  appointeth  no  man 
 to  be  a  husband,  but  if  a  man  hath  betaken  himself  unto 
 that  condition,  it  giveth  him  power  and  authority  over  his 
 own  wife.  That  the  Christian  world  should  be  ordered  by 
 the  Kingly  Regiment,  the  Law  of  God  doth  not  any  where 
 command  ;  and  yet  the  Law  of  God  doth  give  them,  which 
 once  are  exalted  unto  that  place  of  estate,  right  to  exact  at 
 the  hands  of  their  subjects  general  obedience  in  whatsoever 
 affairs  their  Power  may  serve  to  command,  and  God  doth 
 ratify  works  of  that  sovereign  Authority  which  Kings  have 
 received  by  men.  This  is  therefore  the  right  whereby  Kings 
 do  hold  their  Power,  but  yet  in  what  sort  the  same  doth 
 rest  and  abide  in  them  it  somewhat  behoveth  further  to 
 search  ;  where,  that  we  be  not  enforced  to  make  over  large 
 discourses  about  the  different  conditions  of  sovereign  or 
 supreme  Power,  that  which  we  speak  of  Kings  shall  be  in 
 respect  of  the  State,  and  according  to  the  nature  of  this  King- 
 dom, where  the  people  are  in  no  subjection,  but  such  as 
 willingly  themselves  have  condescended  unto  for  their  own 
 most  behoof  and  security.  In  Kingdoms  therefore  of  this 
 quality  the  highest  Governor  hath  indeed  universal  Domi- 
 nion, but  with  dependency  upon  that  whole  entire  Body, 
 over  the  several  parts  whereof  he  hath  Dominion  ;  so  that 
 it  standeth  for  an  axiom  in  this  case,  The  King  is  "  major 
 singulis,  universis  minor."  The  King's  dependency  we  do 
 not  construe  as  some  have  done,  who  are  of  opinion  that  no 
 man's  birth  can  make  him  a  King,  but  every  particular 
 person  advanced  to  such  Authority  hath  at  his  entrance  into 
 his  Reign  the  same  bestowed  on  him,  as  an  estate  in  con- 
 dition, by  the  voluntary  deed  of  the  people,  in  whom  it  doth 
 lie  to  put  by  any  one,  and  to  prefer  some  other  before  him 
 better  liked  of,  or  judged  fitter  for  the  place,  and  that  the 
 party  so  rejected  hath  no  injury  done  unto  him,  no,  although 
 the  same  be  done  in  a  place  where  the  Crown  doth  go  dia 
 ylvoc,  by  succession,  and  to  a  person  which  is  capital,  and 
 hath  apparently,  if  blood  be  respected,  the  nearest  right. 
 They  plainly  affirm,  in  all  well-appointed  Kingdoms,  the 
 custom  evermore  hath  been,  and  is,  that  children  succeed 
 not  their  parents  till  the  people  after  a  sort  have  created 
 them  anew,  neither  that  they  grow  to  their  fathers  as  natu- 
 ral and  proper  heirs,  but  are  then  to  be  reckoned  for  Kings 
 when  at  the  hands  of  such  as  represent  the  King's  Majesty, 
 
390 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 they  have  by  sceptre  and  a  diadem  received  as  it  were  the 
 Junius  investiture  of  a  Kimlv  Power.  Their  very  words  are,  "  That 
 
 Brutus,  n  J  J 
 
 vindic.  where  such  Power  is  settled  into  a  family  or  kindred,  the 
 p"83'  stock  is  thereby  chosen,  but  not  the  twig  that  springeth  of 
 it.  The  next  of  the  stock  unto  him  that  reigneth  are  not 
 through  nearness  of  blood  made  Kings,  but  rather  set  forth 
 Pag.  85.  to  stand  for  the  Kingdom.  Where  Regal  Dominion  is  here- 
 ditary, it  is  notwithstanding  (if  we  look  to  the  persons 
 which  have  it)  altogether  elective."  To  this  purpose  are  se- 
 lected heaps  of  Scriptures  concerning  the  solemn  Corona- 
 tion or  Inauguration  of  Saul,  of  David,  of  Solomon,  and 
 others,  by  the  Nobles,  Ancients,  and  people  of  the  Com- 
 monweal of  Israel ;  as  if  these  Solemnities  were  a  kind  of 
 deed,  whereby  the  Right  of  Dominion  is  given.  Which 
 strange,  untrue,  and  unnatural  conceits,  set  abroad  by 
 seedsmen  of  rebellion,  only  to  animate  unquiet  spirits,  and 
 to  feed  them  with  possibility  of  aspiring  to  thrones,  if  they 
 can  win  the  hearts  of  the  people,  what  Hereditary  Title  so- 
 ever any  other  before  them  may  have — I  say,  these  unjust 
 and  insolent  positions  I  would  not  mention,  were  it  not 
 thereby  to  make  the  countenance  of  truth  more  orient ;  for 
 unless  we  will  openly  proclaim  defiance  unto  all  law, 
 equity,  and  reason,  we  must  (there  is  no  remedy)  acknow- 
 ledge, that  in  Kingdoms  hereditary  birth  giveth  Right  unto 
 sovereign  Dominion ;  and  the  death  of  the  predecessor 
 putteth  the  successor  by  blood  in  seisin.  Those  public  So- 
 lemnities before  specified  do  but  serve  for  an  open  testifi- 
 cation of  the  inheritor's  Right,  or  belong  unto  the  form  of 
 inducting  him  into  possession  of  that  thing  he  hath  Right 
 unto :  therefore  in  case  it  doth  happen  that  without  Right  of 
 Blood  a  man  in  such  wise  be  possessed,  all  these  new  elec- 
 tions and  investings  are  utterly  void,  they  make  him  no  inde- 
 feasible estate,  the  inheritor  by  blood  may  dispossess  him 
 as  a  usurper.  The  case  thus  standing,  albeit  we  judge  it  a 
 thing  most  true,  that  Kings,  even  inheritors,  do  hold  their 
 Right  in  the  Power  of  Dominion,  with  dependency  upon  the 
 whole  Body  politic  over  which  they  have  rule  as  Kings;  yet 
 so  it  may  not  be  understood  as  if  such  dependency  did 
 grow,  for  that  every  Supreme  Governor  doth  personally 
 take  from  thence  his  Power  by  way  of  gift,  bestowed  of 
 their  own  free  accord  upon  him  at  the  time  of  his  entrance 
 into  the  said  place  of  his  Sovereign  Government :  but  the 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 397 
 
 case  of  dependency  is  that  first  original  conveyance, 
 when  Power  was  derived  from  the  whole  into  one;  to 
 pass  from  him  unto  them,  whom  out  of  him  nature  by  law- 
 ful births  should  produce,  and  no  natural  or  legal  inability 
 make  incapable.  "  Neither  can  any  man  with  reason  Tuiiy 
 think,  but  that  the  first  institution  of  Kings,  a  sufficient d" ofi 
 consideration  wherefore  their  Power  should  always  depend 
 on  that  from  which  it  always  flows  by  original  influence  of 
 Power,  from  the  Body  unto  the  King,  is  the  cause  of  the 
 King's  dependency  in  Power  upon  the  Body."  By  depen- 
 dency we  mean  subordination  and  subjection.  A  mani- 
 fest token  of  which  dependency  may  be  this ;  as  there 
 is  no  more  certain  argument  that  lands  are  held  under 
 any  as  Lords,  than  if  we  see  that  such  lands  in  defect  of 
 heirs  fall  unto  them  by  escheat ;  in  like  manner  it  doth  fol- 
 low rightly,  that  seeing  Dominion  when  there  is  none  to  in- 
 herit it  returneth  unto  the  Body,  therefore  they  which  before 
 were  inheritors  thereof  did  hold  it  with  dependency  upon 
 the  Body,  so  that  by  comparing  the  Body  with  the  Head, 
 as  touching  Power,  it  seemeth  always  to  reside  in  both, 
 fundamentally  and  radically  in  the  one,  iu  the  other  deri- 
 vatively; in  one  the  habit,  in  the  other  the  act  of  Power. 
 May  a  Body  politic  then  at  all  times  withdraw,  in  whole 
 or  in  part,  the  influence  of  Dominion  which  passeth  from  if, 
 if  inconveniences  do  grow  thereby?  It  must  be  presumed, 
 that  Supreme  Governors  will  not  in  such  case  oppose  them- 
 selves, and  be  stiff  in  detaining  that,  the  use  whereof  is 
 with  public  detriment :  but  surely  without  their  consent  I 
 see  not  how  the  Body  by  any  just  means  should  be  able  to 
 help  itself,  saving  when  Dominion  doth  escheat ;  such  things 
 therefore  must  be  thought  upon  beforehand,  that  Power 
 may  be  limited  ere  it  be  granted,  which  is  the  next  thing 
 we  are  to  consider. 
 
 In  what  measure. 
 
 In  Power  of  Dominion,  all  Kings  have  not  an  equal  lati- 
 tude. Kings  by  conquest  make  their  own  charter;  so  that 
 how  large  their  Power,  either  Civil  or  Spiritual,  is,  we  can- 
 not with  any  certainty  define  further,  than  only  to  set  them 
 in  the  line  of  the  Law  of  God  and  Nature  for  bounds. 
 Kings  by  God's  own  special  appointment  have  also  that 
 largeness  of  Power  which  he  doth  assign  or  permit  with  ap- 
 
398 
 
 ECCLESl  ASTICA  L  POLITY. 
 
 probation.    Touching  Kings  which  were  first  instituted  by 
 agreement  and  composition  made  with  them  over  whom  they 
 reign,  and  how  far  their  Power  may  extend,  the  articles  of 
 compact  between  them  are  to  shew  :  not  only  the  articles  of 
 compact  at  the  first  beginning,  which  for  the  most  part  are 
 either  clean  worn  out  of  knowledge,  or  else  known  to  very 
 few,  but  whatsoever  hath  been  after  in  free  and  voluntary 
 manner  condescended  unto,  whether  by  express  consent 
 (whereof  positive  Laws  are  witnesses),  or  else  by  silent 
 allowance  famously  notified  through  custom,  reaching  be- 
 yond the  memory  of  man.    By  which  means  of  after-agree- 
 ment, it  cometh  many  times  to  pass  in  Kingdoms,  that  they 
 whose  ancient  predecessors  were  by  violence  and  force 
 made  subject,  do  by  little  and  little  grow  into  that  sweet 
 form  of  Kingly  Government  which  philosophers  define, 
 Anst    «  Regency  willingly  sustained,  and  endued  with  Chiefty  of 
 lib.  iii.  Power  in  the  greatest  things."    Many  of  the  ancients,  in 
 pytha!  their  writings,  do  speak  of  Kings  with  such  high  and  ample 
 fpudxr  terms,  as  if  Universality  of  Power,  even  in  regard  of  things 
 dam.  de  and  not  of  persons,  did  appertain  to  the  very  being  of  a 
 R«gno.  jjjjg^    rp^g  reason  jSj  because  their  speech  concerning 
 Kings  they  frame  according  to  the  state  of  those  Monarchs 
 to  whom  unlimited  Authority  was  given ;  which  some  not 
 observing,  imagine  that  all  Kings,  even  in  that  they  are 
 Kings,  ought  to  have  whatsoever  Power  they  judge  any 
 Sovereign  Ruler  lawfully  to  have  enjoyed.    But  the  most 
 judicious  Philosopher,  whose  eye  scarce  any  thing  did 
 escape  which  was  to  be  found  in  the  bosom  of  Nature,  he 
 considering  how  far  the  Power  of  one  Sovereign  Ruler 
 may  be  different  from  another  Regal  Authority,  noteth  in 
 E*™*-  Spartan  Kings,  "  That  of  all  others  they  were  most  tied 
 lib.  "iii.  to  Law,  and  so  the  most  restrained  Power."  A  King 
 cap' 14,3  which  hath  not  supreme  Power  in  the  greatest  things,  is 
 rather  entitled  a  King,  than  invested  with  real  Sovereignty. 
 "We  cannot  properly  term  him  a  King,  of  whom  it  may 
 not  be  said,  at  the  leastwise,  as  touching  certain  the 
 chiefest  affairs  of  the  State,  apyjuv,  apytaSai  virb  ovStvbg, 
 his  right  in  them  is  to  have  rule,  not  subject  to  any 
 other  predominancy.    I  am  not  of  opinion  that  simply  in 
 Kings  the  most,  but  the  best  limited,  Power  is  best  both  for 
 them  and  the  people :  the  most  limited  is  that  which  may 
 deal  in  fewest  things  ;  the  best  that  which  in  dealing  is  tied 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 399 
 
 unto  the  soundest,  perfectest,  and  most  indifferent  Rule, 
 which  Rule  is  the  Law  ;  I  mean  not  only  the  Law  of  Na- 
 ture and  of  God,  but  the  National  Law  consonant  there- 
 unto. "  Happier  that  people  whose  Law  is  their  King  in 
 the  greatest  things,  than  that  whose  King  is  himself  their 
 Law.  Where  the  King  doth  guide  the  State,  and  the  Law 
 the  King,  that  Commonwealth  is  like  a  harp  or  melodious 
 instrument,  the  strings  whereof  are  tuned  and  handled  all 
 by  one  hand,  following  as  Laws  the  Rules  and  Canons  of 
 musical  science."  Most  divinely,  therefore,  Archytas 
 maketh  unto  public  felicity  these  four  steps  and  degrees, 
 every  of  which  doth  spring  from  the  former,  as  from  ano- 
 ther cause,  6  St  fiamXsvg  vofxifiog,  6  St  up\ow  duoXovSroQ,  6 
 St  dp^ufiEvog  aTr6Xv7TOQ,  r)  Se  oXx]  koivwv'm  ivSalfxuv,  "  the  King 
 ruling  by  Law,  the  Magistrate  following,  the  subject  free, 
 and  the  whole  society  happy :"  adding  on  the  contrary 
 side,  that  where  this  order  is  not,  it  cometh  by  trangres- 
 sion  thereof  to  pass  that  a  King  groweth  a  tyrant ;  he  that 
 ruleth  under  him  abhorreth  to  be  guided  by  him,  or  com- 
 manded ;  the  people  subject  unto  both,  have  freedom  under 
 neither ;  and  the  whole  community  is  wretched.  In  which 
 respect,  I  cannot  choose  but  commend  highly  their  wisdom, 
 by  whom  the  foundation  of  the  Commonwealth  hath  been 
 laid ;  wherein  though  no  manner  of  person  or  cause  be  un- 
 subject  unto  the  King's  Power,  yet  so  is  the  Power  of  the 
 King  over  all,  and  in  all  limited,  that  unto  all  his  pro- 
 ceedings the  Law  itself  is  a  Rule.  The  axioms  of  our  Regal 
 Government  are  these,  "  Lex  facit  Regem :"  the  King's 
 grant  of  any  favour  made  contrary  to  the  Law  is  void ; 
 "  Rex  nihil  potest  nisi  quod  jure  potest."  Our  Kings, 
 therefore,  when  they  are  to  take  possession  of  the  Crown 
 they  are  called  unto,  have  it  pointed  out  before  their  eyes, 
 even  by  the  very  Solemnities  and  Rites  of  their  Inaugura- 
 tion, to  what  affairs,  by  the  same  Law,  their  supreme  Power 
 and  Authority  reacheth  ;  crowned  we  see  they  are,  enthron- 
 ized,  and  anointed;  the  Crown  a  sign  of  military  dominion  ; 
 the  Throne  of  sedentary  or  judicial ;  the  Oil  of  religious  and 
 sacred  Power.  It  is  not  on  any  side  denied,  that.Kings 
 may  have  Authority  in  secular  affairs.  The  question  then 
 is,  "  What  Power  they  may  lawfully  have,  and  exercise  in 
 causes  of  God."  "  A  Prince,  a  Magistrate,  or  a  Commu-  s^Pd'0. 
 nity  (saith  Dr.  Stapleton),  may  have  Power  to  lay  corporal  ?»nciP. 
 
400 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 lib.  v.  punishment  on  them  which  are  teachers  of  perverse  things ; 
 • c  "-  power  t0  mate  Laws  for  the  peace  of  the  Church ;  Power 
 to  proclaim,  to  defend,  and  even  by  revenge  to  preserve 
 dogmata,  the  very  Articles  of  Religion  themselves  from 
 violation."  Others,  in  affection  no  less  devoted  unto  the 
 Papacy,  do  likewise  yield,  that  the  Civil  Magistrate  may 
 by  his  Edicts  and  Laws  keep  all  Ecclesiastical  persons 
 within  the  bounds  of  their  duties,  and  constrain  them  to 
 observe  the  Canons  of  the  Church,  to  follow  the  Rule  of 
 ancient  Discipline.  That  if  Joash  was  commended  for  his 
 care  and  provision  concerning  so  small  a  part  of  Religion 
 as  the  Church-treasure ;  it  must  needs  be  both  unto  Chris- 
 tian Kings  themselves  greater  honour,  and  to  Christianity  a 
 larger  benefit,  when  the  custody  of  Religion  and  the  wor- 
 ship of  God  in  general  are  their  charge.  If,  therefore,  all 
 these  things  mentioned  be  most  properly  the  affairs  of 
 God's  Ecclesiastical  causes;  if  the  actions  specified  be 
 works  of  Power  ;  and  if  that  Power  be  such  as  Kings  may 
 use  of  themselves,  without  the  fear  of  any  other  power  su- 
 perior in  the  same  thing :  it  followeth  necessarily,  that 
 Kings  may  have  supreme  Power,  not  only  in  Civil,  but  also 
 in  Ecclesiastical,  affairs,  and  consequently  that  they  may 
 withstand  what  Bishop  or  Pope  soever  shall,  under  the  pre- 
 tended claim  of  higher  Spiritual  Authority,  oppose  them- 
 selves against  their  proceedings.  But  they  which  have 
 made  us  the  former  grant,  will  never  hereunto  condescend  ; 
 what  they  yield  that  Princes  may  do,  it  is  with  secret  ex- 
 ception always  understood,  if  the  Bishop  of  Rome  give 
 leave,  if  he  interpose  no  prohibition ;  wherefore  somewhat 
 it  is  in  show,  in  truth  nothing,  which  they  grant.  Our  own 
 reformers  do  the  very  like,  when  they  make  their  dis- 
 course in  general  concerning  the  Authority  which  Magis- 
 trates may  have,  a  man  would  think  them  to  be  far  from 
 withdrawing  any  jot  of  that  which  with  reason  may  be 
 t.c.  thought  due,  "  The  Prince  and  Civil  Magistrate  (saith  one 
 p.bi92.  of  them)  hath  to  see  the  Laws  of  God  touching  his  worship, 
 and  touching  all  matters,  and  all  orders  of  the  Church  to  be 
 executed,  and  duly  observed ;  and  to  see  every  Ecclesiastical 
 person  do  that  Office  whereunto  he  is  appointed,  and  to 
 punish  those  which  fail  in  their  Office  accordingly."  An- 
 Farmer-s  other  acknowledged,  "  That  the  Magistrate  may  lawfully 
 ^e''0    uphold  all  truth  by  his  sword,  punish  all  persons,  enforce 
 
BOOK   VI  i  r. 
 
 401 
 
 all  to  their  duties  towards  God  and  men;  maintain  by  his  «°dJy 
 Laws  every  point  of  God's  Word,  punish  all  vice  in  all  trate. 
 men  ;  see  into  all  causes,  visit  the  Ecclesiastical  estate,  and 
 correct  the  abuses  thereof:  finally,  to  look  to  his  subjects, 
 that  under  him  they  may  lead  their  lives  in  all  godliness 
 and  honesty."  A  third  more  frankly  professeth,  "  That  in  "r"^e 
 case  their  Church-discipline  were  established,  so  little  it  p.  163. ' 
 shorteneth  the  arms  of  sovereign  Dominion  in  causes  Ec- 
 clesiastical, that  her  gracious  Majesty,  for  any  thing  they 
 teach  or  hold  to  the  contrary,  may  no  less  than  now  remain 
 still  overall  persons,  in  all  things  supreme  Governess,  even 
 with  that  full  and  royal  authority,  superiority,  and  pre- 
 eminence, supremacy,  and  prerogative,  which  the  Laws 
 already  established  do  give  her,  and  her  Majesty's  Injunc- 
 tions, and  the  Articles  of  the  Convocation-house,  and  other 
 writings  apologetical  of  her  Royal  Authority  and  Supreme 
 Dignity,  do  declare  and  explain."  Posidonius  was  wont 
 to  say  of  the  Epicure,  "That  he  thought  there  were  no  gods,  ™e9T0> 
 but  that  those  things  which  he  spake  concerning  the  gods  de  Nat. 
 were  only  given  out  for  fear  of  growing  odious  amongst 
 men  ;  and,  therefore,  that  in  words  he  left  gods  remaining, 
 but  in  very  deed  overthrew  them,  insomuch  as  he  gave 
 them  no  kind  of  action."  After  the  very  self-same  manner, 
 when  we  come  unto  those  particular  effects,  Prerogatives 
 of  Dominion  which  the  Laws  of  this  Land  do  grant  unto  the 
 Kings  thereof,  it  will  appear  how  these  men,  notwithstand- 
 ing their  large  and  liberal  speeches,  abate  such  parcels  out 
 of  the  afore-alleged  grant  and  flourishing  show,  that  a  man, 
 comparing  the  one  with  the  other,  may  half  stand  in  doubt, 
 lest  their  opinion  in  very  truth  be  against  that  Authority 
 which  by  their  speeches  they  seem  mightily  to  uphold, 
 partly  for  the  avoiding  of  public  obloquy,  envy,  and  hatred; 
 partly  to  the  intent  they  may  both  in  the  end,  by  the  esta- 
 blishment of  their  Discipline,  extinguish  the  force  of 
 supreme  Power  which  Princes  have,  and  yet,  in  the  mean- 
 while, by  giving  forth  these  smooth  discourses,  obtain  that 
 their  favourers  may  have  somewhat  to  allege  for  them  by 
 way  of  apology,  and  that  such  words  only  sound  towards 
 all  kind  of  fulness  of  Power.  But  for  myself,  I  had  rather 
 construe  such  their  contradictions  in  the  better  part,  and 
 impute  their  general  acknowledgment  of  the  lawfulness  of 
 Kingly  Power  unto  the  force  of  truth,  presenting  itself  be- 
 
 VOL.  II.  2  D 
 
402 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 fore  them  sometimes  above  their  particular  contrarieties, 
 oppositions,  denials,  unto  that  error  which,  having  so  fully 
 possessed  their  minds,  casteth  things  inconvenient  upon 
 them;  of  which  things  in  their  due  place.  Touching  that 
 which  is  now  in  hand,  we  are  on  all  sides  fully  agreed :  first, 
 that  there  is  not  any  restraint  or  limitation  of  matter  for 
 Regal  Authority  and  Power  to  be  conversant  in,  but  of  Reli- 
 gion only;  and  of  whatsoever  cause  thereunto  appertaineth, 
 Kings  may  lawfully  have  charge,  they  lawfully  may  therein 
 exercise  Dominion,  and  use  the  temporal  sword :  secondly, 
 Kinds,  that  some  kind  of  actions  conversant  about  such  affairs 
 are  denied  unto  Kings ;  as,  namely,  actions  of  Power  and 
 Order,  and  of  Spiritual  Jurisdiction,  which  hath  with  it  in- 
 separably joined  Power  to  administer  the  Word  and  Sacra- 
 ments, Power  to  ordain,  to  judge  as  an  Ordinary,  to  bind 
 and  loose,  to  excommunicate,  and  such  like  :  thirdly,  that 
 By  what  even  in  those  very  actions  which  are  proper  unto  Domi- 
 rule"  nion,  there  must  be  some  certain  Rule,  whereunto  Kings  in 
 all  their  proceedings  ought  to  be  strictly  tied ;  which  Rule 
 for  proceeding  in  Ecclesiastical  affairs  and  causes  by  Regal 
 Power,  hath  not  hitherto  been  agreed  upon  with  such  uni- 
 form consent  and  certainty  as  might  be  wished.  The  dif- 
 ferent sentences  of  men  herein  I  will  not  now  go  about  to 
 examine,  but  it  shall  be  enough  to  propose  what  Rule  doth 
 seem  in  this  case  most  reasonable. 
 
 The  cause  of  deriving  supreme  Power  from  a  whole  en- 
 tire multitude  into  some  special  part  thereof,  is  partly  the 
 necessity  of  expedition  in  public  affairs ;  partly  the  incon- 
 venience of  confusion  and  trouble,  where  a  multitude  of 
 equals  dealeth;  and  partly  the  dissipation  which  must 
 needs  ensue,  in  companies  where  every  man  wholly 
 seeketh  his  own  particular  (as  we  all  would  do,  even  with 
 other  men's  hurts),  and  haply  the  very  overthrow  of  them- 
 selves, in  the  end  also,  if  for  the  procurement  of  the  com- 
 mon good  of  all  men,  by  keeping  every  several  man  in 
 order,  some  were  not  invested  with  Authority  over  all, 
 and  encouraged  with  Prerogative-honour  to  sustain  the 
 weighty  burden  of  that  charge.  The  good  which  is  proper 
 unto  each  man  belongeth  to  the  common  good  of  all, 
 as  part  to  the  whole  perfection ;  but  these  two  are 
 things  different ;  for  men  by  that  which  is  proper  are  se- 
 vered, united  they  are  by  that  which  is  common.  Where- 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 403 
 
 fore,  besides  that  which  moveth  each  man  in  particular  to 
 seek  his  own  private  good,  there  must  be  of  necessity  in 
 all  public  Societies  also  a  general  mover  directing  unto 
 common  good,  and  framing  every  man's  particular  unto  it. 
 The  end  whereunto  all  Government  was  instituted,  was 
 bonum  publicum,  the  universal  or  common  good.*  Our 
 question  is  of  Dominion,  for  that  end  and  purpose  derived 
 into  one :  such  as  all  in  one  public  State  have  agreed, 
 that  the  supreme  charge  of  all  things  should  be  committed 
 unto  one;  they,  I  say,  considering  what  inconveniency 
 may  grow  where  States  are  subject  unto  sundry  supreme 
 authorities,  have  for  fear  of  these  inconveniences  with- 
 drawn from  liking  to  establish  many ;  ovk  ayaObv  vo\vkoi- 
 pav'ni,  the  multitude  of  supreme  commanders  is  trouble- 
 some. "  No  man  (saith  our  Saviour)  can  serve  two  mas- 
 ters :"  surely  two  supreme  Masters  would  make  any  one's 
 service  somewhat  uneasy  in  such  cases  as  might  fall  out. 
 Suppose  that  to-morrow  the  Power  which  hath  Dominion 
 in  justice  require  thee  at  the  Court ;  that  which  in  war,  at 
 the  Field ;  that  which  in  Religion,  at  the  Temple ;  all 
 have  equal  authority  over  thee,  and  impossible  it  is,  that 
 then  in  such  case  thou  shouldest  be  obedient  unto  all :  by 
 choosing  any  one  whom  thou  wilt  obey,  certain  thou  art 
 for  thy  disobedience  to  incur  the  displeasure  of  the  other 
 two. 
 
 But  there  is  nothing  for  which  some  comparable  reason  Accord, 
 or  other  may  not  be  found.    Are  we  able  to  shew  any  what«- 
 commendable  state  of  Government,  which,  by  experience ample' 
 and  practice,  hath  felt  the  benefit  of  being  in  all  causes 
 subject  unto  the  supreme  Authority  of  one  ?  Against  the 
 Policy  of  the  Israelites,  I  hope  there  will  no  man  except, 
 where  Moses  deriving  so  great  a  part  of  his  burden  in  Go- 
 vernment unto  others,  did  notwithstanding  retain  to  him- 
 self universal  Supremacy ;  Jehoshaphat  appointing  one  to 
 be  chosen  in  the  affairs  of  God,  and  another  in  the  King's 
 affairs,  did  this  as  having  Dominion  over  them  in  both.  If 
 therefore,  from  approbation  of  Heaven,  the  Kings  of  God's 
 own  chosen  people  had  in  the  affairs  of  Jewish  Religion 
 supreme  Power,  why  not  Christian  Kings  the  like  also  in 
 Christian  Religion  ?  First,  unless  men  will  answer,  as  some 
 
 *  '  Ob  utilitatem  publicam  Reip.  per  unum  consuli  oportere,  prudentissimi  do- 
 cent.'    L.  C.  11.  F.  de  Origine  Juris  Civilis. 
 
 2  i>2 
 
404 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 s^f1-.  hare  done,  "  That  the  Jews'  Religion  was  of  far  less  per- 
 
 Doct?  fection  and  dignity  than  ours,  ours  being  that  truth  whereof 
 
 p"197"  theirs  was  but  a  shadow  ish  prefigurative  resemblance." 
 
 stap'-  Secondly,  "  That  all  parts  of  their  Relijion,  their  Laws, 
 
 ibid. 
 
 their  Sacrifices,  and  their  Rites  and  Ceremonies,  being 
 fully  set  down  to  their  hands,  and  needing  no  more  but 
 only  to  be  put  iu  execution,  the  Kings  might  well  have 
 highest  Authority  to  see  that  done  ;  whereas  with  us  there 
 are  a  number  of  mysteries  even  in  belief,  which  were  not 
 so  generally  for  them,  as  for  us,  necessary  to  be  with  sound 
 express  acknowledgment  understood  :  a  number  of  things 
 belonging  to  external  Government,  and  our  manner  of 
 serving  God,  not  set  down  by  particular  Ordinances,  and 
 delivered  to  us  in  writing,  for  which  cause  the  state  of  the 
 Church  doth  now  require  that  the  Spiritual  Authority  of 
 Ecclesiastical  persons  be  large,  absolute,  and  not  subor- 
 Idem  dinate  to  Re?al  Power.'"  Thirdlv,  "That  whereas  God 
 armed  Jewish  Religion  with  the  temporal  sword,  but 
 Christian  with  that  of  spiritual  punishment ;  the  one  with 
 Power  to  imprison,  to  scourge,  to  put  to  death,  the  other 
 with  bare  Authority  to  censure  and  excommunicate  ;  there 
 is  no  reason  that  the  Church,  which  hath  no  visible  sword, 
 should  in  Regiment  be  subject  unto  any  other  power,  than 
 only  unto  theirs  which  have  Authority  to  bind  and  loose." 
 Fourthly,  "That  albeit  whilst  the  Church  was  restrained 
 unto  one  people,  it  seemed  not  incommodious  to  grant  their 
 King  the  general  Chiefty  of  Power ;  yet  now  the  Church 
 having  spread  itself  over  all  nations,  great  inconveniences 
 must  thereby  grow,  if  every  Christian  King  in  his  several 
 territory  shall  have  the  like  Power."  Of  all  these  diffe- 
 rences, there  is  not  one  which  doth  prove  it  a  thing  repug- 
 nant to  the  Law  either  of  God  or  of  Nature,  that  all  Su- 
 premacy of  external  Power  be  in  Christian  Kingdoms 
 granted  unto  Kings  thereof,  for  preservation  of  quietness, 
 unity,  order,  and  peace,  in  such  manner  as  hath  been 
 shewed. 
 
 Of  tie  Tide  of  Headship. 
 
 For  the  Title  or  State  itself,  although  the  Laws  of  this 
 Land  have  annexed  it  to  the  Crown,  yet  so  far  we  should 
 
BOOK  VII  r. 
 
 405 
 
 not  strive,  if  so  be  men  were  nice  and  scrupulous  in  this 
 behalf  only  ;  because  they  do  wish  that,  for  reverence  to 
 Christ  Jesus,  the  Civil  Magistrate  did  rather  use  some 
 other  form  of  speech  wherewith  to  express  that  sovereign 
 Authority  which  he  lawfully  hath  over  all  both  persons 
 and  causes  of  the  Church.    But  I  see  that  hitherto  they 
 which  condemn  utterly  the  name  so  applied,  do  it  because 
 they  mislike  that  such  Power  should  be  given  to  Civil 
 Governors.    The  great  exception  that  Sir  Thomas  More 
 took  against  that  Title,  who  suffered  death  for  denial  of  it, 
 was  "  for  that  it  maketh  a  Lay,  a  Secular  person,  the  Head  Roffensu 
 of  the  State  Spiritual  or  Ecclesiastical ;"  as  though  God  p.P5i7. 
 himself  did  not  name  Saul  the  Head  of  all  the  tribes  of 
 Israel ;  and  consequently  of  that  tribe  also  among  the  rest, 
 whereunto  the  State  Spiritual  or  Ecclesiastical  belonged. 
 When  the  Authors  of  the  Centuries  reprove  it  in  Kings  and 
 Civil  Governors,  the  reason  is,  "istis  non  competit  iste  Praef. 
 Primatus;"  such  kind  of  Power  is  too  high  for  them,  they  Cent  7, 
 fit  it  not.    In  excuse  of  Mr.  Calvin,  by  whom  this  Realm  Calvin  in 
 is  condemned  of  blasphemy,  for  entitling  Henry  the  Eighth  a™oJ' 
 Supreme  Head  of  this  Church  tinder  Christ,  under  Christ,  a 13- 
 charitable  conjecture  is  made,  that  he  spake  by  misinfor- 
 mation ;  howbeit,  as  he  professeth  utter  dislike  of  that 
 name,  so  whether  the  name  be  used  or  no,  the  Power  itself 
 which  we  give  unto  Civil  Magistrates  he  much  complain- 
 eth  of,  and  protesteth,  "  That  their  Power  over  all  things 
 was  it  which  had  ever  wounded  him  deeply  :  that  unad- 
 vised persons  had  made  them  too  Spiritual,  that  throughout 
 Germany  this  fault  did  reign;  that  in  those  very  parts 
 where  Calvin  himself  was,  it  prevailed  more  than  was  to 
 be  wished ;  that  Rulers,  by  imagining  themselves  so  Spiri- 
 tual, have  taken  away  Ecclesiastical  Government;  that 
 they  think  they  cannot  reign  unless  they  abolish  all  the  Au- 
 thority of  the  Church,  and  be  themselves  the  chief  Judges, 
 as  well  in  Doctrine,  as  in  the  whole  Spiritual  Regency." 
 So  that,  in  truth,  the  question  is,  whether  the  Magistrate, 
 by  being  Head  in  such  sense  as  we  term  him,  do  use  or 
 exercise  any  part  of  that  Authority,  not  which  belongeth 
 unto  Christ,  but  which  other  men  ought  to  have. 
 
 These  things  being  first  considered  thus,  it  will  be  easier 
 to  judge  concerning  our  own  estate,  whether  by  force  of 
 Ecclesiastical  Government  Kings  have  any  other  kind  of 
 
406  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 prerogative  than  they  may  lawfully  hold  and  enjoy.  It  is, 
 as  some  do  imagine,  too  much,  that  Kings  of  England 
 should  be  termed  Heads,  in  relation  of  the  Church.  That 
 which  we  do  understand  by  Headship  is,  their  only  su- 
 preme Power  in  Ecclesiastical  affairs  and  causes.  That 
 which  lawful  Princes  are,  what  should  make  it  unlawful 
 for  men  in  spiritual  Styles  or  Titles  to  signify  ?  If  the  having 
 of  supreme  Power  be  allowed,  why  is  the  expressing 
 thereof  by  the  Title  of  Head  condemned  1  They  seem  in 
 words  (at  leastwise  some  of  them)  now  at  length  to  ac- 
 knowledge, that  Kings  may  have  Dominion  or  supreme 
 Government  even  over  all,  both  persons  and  causes.  We 
 in  terming  our  Princes  Heads  of  the  Church,  do  but  testify 
 that  we  acknowledge  them  such  Governors.  Again,  to 
 T.c  this  it  will  peradventure  be  replied,  "  That  howsoever  we 
 P.  in.  interpret  ourselves,  it  is  not  fit  for  a  mortal  man,  and  there- 
 fore not  fit  for  a  Civil  Magistrate,  to  be  entitled  the  Head 
 of  the  Church,  which  was  given  to  our  Saviour  Christ, 
 to  lift  him  above  all  Powers,  Rules,  Dominions,  Titles, 
 in  Heaven  or  in  earth.  Where,  if  this  Title  belong  also  to 
 Civil  Magistrates,  then  it  is  manifest  that  there  is  a  Power 
 in  earth  whereuuto  our  Saviour  Christ  is  not  in  this  point 
 superior.  Again,  if  the  Civil  Magistrate  may  have  this 
 Title,  he  may  be  termed  also  the  first-begotten  of  all  crea- 
 tures, the  first-begotten  of  all  the  dead,  yea,  the  Redeemer 
 of  his  people.  For  these  are  alike  given  him,  as  dignities 
 whereby  he  is  lifted  up  above  all  creatures.  Besides  this, 
 Ephej.  the  whole  argument  of  the  Apostle,  in  both  places,  doth 
 coif  lead  to  shew  that  this  Title,  Head  of  the  Church,  cannot  be 
 '■ I8-  said  of  any  creature.  And  further,  the  very  demonstra- 
 tive articles,  amongst  the  Hebrews  especially,  whom  St. 
 Paul  doth  follow,  serveth  to  tie  that  which  is  verified  of 
 one,  unto  himself  alone  :  so  that  when  the  Apostle  doth 
 say  that  Christ  is  Ke^oXt),  the  Head ;  it  is  as  if  he  should 
 say,  Christ,  and  none  other,  is  the  Head  of  the  Church." 
 Thus  have  we  against  the  entitling  of  the  Highest  Magis- 
 trate, Head,  with  relation  unto  the  Church,  four  several 
 arguments  gathered,  by  strong  surmise,  out  of  words  mar- 
 vellous unlikely  to  have  been  written  to  any  such  pur- 
 pose as  that  whereunto  they  are  now  used  and  urged. 
 EPhe».  i.  To  the  Ephesians  the  Apostle  writeth,  "  That  Christ,  God 
 had  set  on  his  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places  above  all 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 407 
 
 (he  regency,  and  authority,  and  power,  and  dominion,  and 
 whatsoever  name  is  named,  not  in  this  world  only,  but 
 in  that  which  shall  be  also:  and  hath  under  his  feet  set 
 all  things,  and  hath  given  him  Head  above  all  things  unto 
 the  Church,  which  is  his  Body,  even  the  fulness  of  him 
 which  accomplisheth  all  in  all."    To  the  Colossians  in 
 like  manner,  "  That  he  is  the  Head  of  the  Body  of  the  coi. 
 Church,  who  is  a  first-born  regency  out  of  the  dead,  to  the  '' 18 ' 
 end  he  might  be  made  amongst  them  all  such  a  one  as 
 hath  the  Chiefty :"  he  meaneth,  amongst  all  them  whom  he 
 mentioned  before,  saying,  "  By  him  all  things  that  are,  coi. 
 were  made  ;  the  things  in  the  Heavens,  and  the  things  in '' 
 the  earth,  the  things  that  are  visible,  and  the  things  that 
 are  invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or 
 regencies,"  &c.    Unto  the  fore-alleged  arguments  there- 
 fore we  answer:  first,  that  it  is  not  simply  the  Title  of 
 Head,  in  such  sort  understood,  as  the  Apostle  himself 
 meant  it;  so  that  the  same  being  imparted  in  another 
 sense  unto  others,  doth  not  any  ways  make  those  others 
 his  equals ;  inasmuch  as  diversity  of  things  is  usually  to 
 be  understood,  even  when  of  words  there  is  no  diversity ; 
 and  it  is  only  the  adding  of  one  and  the  same  thing  unto 
 divers  persons,  which  doth  argue  equality  in  them.    If  I 
 term  Christ  and  Caesar  Lords,  yet  this  is  no  equalizing 
 Caesar  with  Christ,  because  it  is  not  thereby  intended: 
 "  To  term  the  Emperor  Lord  (saith  Tertullian),  I,  for  my  [Ap  1. 
 part,  will  not  refuse,  so  that  I  be  not  required  to  call  him  Gent. 
 Lord  in  the  same  sense  that  God  is  so  termed."    Neither  c,3i] 
 doth  it  follow,  which  is  objected  in  the  second  place,  that 
 if  the  Civil  Magistrate  may  be  entitled  a  Head,  he  may  as 
 well  be  termed,  "  the  first-begotten  of  all  creatures,  the  first- 
 begotten  of  the  dead,  and  the  Redeemer  of  his  people." 
 For  albeit  the  former  dignity  doth  lift  him  up  no  less  than 
 these,  yet  these  terms  are  not  applicable  and  apt  to  sig- 
 nify any  other  inferior  dignity,  as  the  former  term  of  Head 
 was.  The  argument  of  matter  which  the  Apostle  followeth 
 hath  small  evidence  or  proof,  that  his  meaning  was  to  ap- 
 propriate unto  Christ  that  the  aforesaid  Title,  otherwise 
 than  only  in  such  sense  as  doth  make  it,  being  so  under- 
 stood, too  high  to  be  given  to  any  creature. 
 
 As  for  the  force  of  the  Article  where  our  Lord  and  Sa- 
 viour is  called  the  Head,  it  serveth  to  tie  that  unto  him  by 
 
408 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 way  of  excellency,  which  in  meaner  degrees  is  common  to 
 others  ;  it  doth  not  exclude  any  other  utterly  from  being 
 termed  Head,  but  from  being  entitled  as  Christ  is,  the 
 Head,  by  way  of  the  very  highest  degree  of  excellency. 
 Not  in  the  communication  of  names,  but  in  the  confusion 
 of  things,  there  is  error.  Howbeit,  if  Head  were  a  name 
 that  could  not  well  be,  nor  never  had  been,  used  to  signify 
 that  which  a  Magistrate  may  be  in  relation  to  some 
 Church,  but  were  by  continual  use  of  speech  appropriated 
 unto  the  only  thing  it  signifieth  ;  being  applied  unto  Jesus 
 Christ  then,  although  we  must  carry  in  ourselves  a  right 
 understanding,  yet  ought  we  otherwise  rather  to  speak, 
 unless  we  interpret  our  own  meaning  by  some  clause  of 
 plain  speech,  because  we  are  all  else  in  manifest  clanger  to 
 be  understood  according  to  that  construction  and  sense 
 wherein  such  words  are  personally  spoken.  But  here  the 
 rarest  construction,  and  most  removed  from  common  sense, 
 is  that  which  the  word  doth  import  being  applied  unto 
 Christ;  and  which  we  signify  by  it  in  giving  it  to  the  Ma- 
 gistrate, it  is  a  great  deal  more  familiar  in  the  common 
 conceit  of  men. 
 
 The  word  is  so  fit  to  signify  all  kinds  of  superiority, 
 pre-eminence,  and  chiefty,  that  nothing  is  more  ordinary 
 than  to  use  it  in  vulgar  speech,  and  in  common  understand- 
 ing so  to  take  it.*  If,  therefore,  Christian  Kings  may 
 have  any  pre-eminence  or  chiefty  above  all  others,  al- 
 though it  be  less  than  that  which  Theodore  Beza  giveth,  who 
 placeth  Kings  amongst  the  principal  members  whereunto 
 public  function  in  the  Church  belongeth,  and  denieth  not, 
 but  that  of  them  which  have  public  function,  the  Civil 
 Magistrate's  Power  hath  all  the  rest  at  command,  in  re- 
 gard of  that  part  of  his  Office,  which  is  to  procure  that 
 peace  and  good  order  be  especially  kept  in  things  concern- 
 ing the  first  Table ;  if  even  hereupon  they  term  him  the 
 Head  of  the  Church,  which  is  his  Kingdom,  it  should  not 
 seem  so  unfit  a  thing:  which  Title  surely  we  could  not 
 communicate  to  any  other,  no  not  although  it  should  at 
 our  hands  be  exacted  with  torments,  but  that  our  meaning 
 herein  is  made  known  to  the  world,  so  that  no  man  which 
 will  understand  can  easily  be  ignorant  that  we  do  not  im- 
 part unto  Kings,  when  we  term  them  Heads,  the  honour 
 
 *  Fellah  is  termed  the  Head  of  Samaria.  Esai.  vii.  9. 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 409 
 
 which  is  properly  given  to  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ, 
 when  the  blessed  Apostle  in  Scripture  doth  term  him  the 
 Head  of  the  Church. 
 
 The  Power  which  we  signify  in  that  name,  differeth 
 in  three  things  plainly  from  that  which  Christ  doth  chal- 
 lenge. 
 
 First,  it  differeth  in  order,  because  God  hath  given  him 
 
 to  his  Church  for  the  Head,  vTzlp  iravra,  VTrspdvu)  Truarjc  dp\rig, 
 "  far  above  all  principalities,  and  powers,  and  might,  and  Ephe*. 
 dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  in  this  world  ' 
 only,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come :"  whereas  the 
 Power  which  others  have,  is  subordinate  unto  his. 
 
 Secondly,  again,  as  he  differeth  in  order,  so  in  measure 
 of  Power  also :  because  God  hath  given  unto  him  the  ends  Psai. 
 of  the  earth  for  his  possession;  unto  him,  Dominion  from  n"8' 
 sea  to  sea;  unto  him,  all  Power  both  in  Heaven  and  earth; 
 unto  him,  such  Sovereignty,  as  doth  not  only  reach  over  all 
 places,  persons,  and  things,  but  doth  rest  in  his  own  only 
 person,  and  is  not  by  any  succession  continued ;  he 
 reigneth  as  Head  and  King,  nor  is  there  any  kind  of  Law 
 which  tieth  him,  but  his  own  proper  will  and  wisdom  ;  his 
 Power  is  absolute,  the  same  jointly  over  all  which  it  is 
 severally  over  each  :  not  so  the  Power  of  any  other  Head- 
 ship. How  Kings  are  restrained,  and  how  their  Power  is 
 limited,  we  have  shewed  before;  so  that  unto  him  is 
 given,  by  the  Title  of  Headship  over  the  Church,  that 
 largeness  of  Power,  wherein  neither  Man  nor  Angel  can 
 be  matched  or  compared  with  him. 
 
 Thirdly,  the  last  and  greatest  difference  between  him 
 and  them,  is  in  the  very  kind  of  their  Power.  The  Head 
 being,  of  all  other  parts  of  the  body,  most  divine,  hath 
 dominion  over  all  the  rest ;  it  is  the  fountain  of  sense,  of 
 motion;  the  throne  where  the  guide  of  the  soul  doth  reign ; 
 the  court  from  whence  direction  of  all  things  human  pro- 
 ceedeth.  Why  Christ  is  called  the  Head  of  the  Church, 
 these  causes  themselves  do  yield.  As  the  Head  is  the 
 chiefestpart  of  a  man,  above  which  there  is  none,  always 
 joined  with  the  body  ;  so  Christ,  the  highest  in  his  Church, 
 is  always  knit  to  it.  Again,  as  the  Head  giveth  sense  and 
 motion  unto  all  the  body,  so  he  quickeneth  us,  and,  to- 
 gether with  understanding  of  heavenly  things,  giveth 
 strength  to  walk  therein.    Seeing  therefore,  that  they  can- 
 
410 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 not  affirm  Christ  sensibly  present,  or  always  visibly  joined 
 unto  his  Body  the  Church  which  is  on  earth,  inasmuch  as 
 his  corporal  residence  is  in  Heaven  ;  again,  seeing  they  do 
 not  affirm  (it  were  intolerable  if  they  should)  that  Christ 
 doth  personally  administer  the  external  Regiment  of 
 outward  actions  in  the  Church,  but,  by  the  secret  inward 
 influence  of  his  grace,  giveth  spiritual  life  and  the  strength 
 of  ghostly  motions  thereunto :  impossible  it  is,  that  they 
 should  so  close  up  their  eyes,  as  not  to  discern  what  odds 
 there  is  between  that  kind  of  operation  which  we  imply  in 
 the  Headship  of  Princes,  and  that  which  agreeth  to  our 
 Saviour's  Dominion  over  the  Church.  The  Headship  which 
 we  give  unto  Kings  is  altogether  visibly  exercised,  and 
 ordereth  only  the  external  frame  of  the  Church-affairs  here 
 amongst  us ;  so  that  it  plainly  differeth  from  Christ's, 
 even  in  very  nature  and  kind.  To  be  in  such  sort  united 
 unto  the  Church  as  he  is  ;  to  work  as  he  worketh,  either 
 on  the  whole  Church,  or  upon  any  particular  assembly,  or 
 in  any  one  man,  doth  neither  agree,  nor  hath  any  possibility 
 of  agreeing,  unto  any  one  besides  him. 
 Against  the  first  distinction  or  difference,  it  is  to  be  ob- 
 t.c.  jected,  "That  to  entitle  a  Magistrate  Head  of  the  Church, 
 p.b4ii.  although  itbe  under  Christ,  is  absurd.  For  Christ  hath  a  two- 
 fold Superiority  ;  over  his  Church,  and  over  Kingdoms :  ac- 
 cording to  the  one,  he  hath  a  Superior,  which  is  his  Father ; 
 according  to  the  other,  none,  but  immediate  authority  with 
 his  Father ;  that  is  to  say,  of  the  Church  he  is  Head  and 
 Governor  only  as  the  Son  of  man  ;  Head  and  Governor  of 
 t.c.  Kingdoms  only  as  the  Son  of  God.  In  the  Church,  as 
 p. 4i8.  Man,  he  hath  officers  under  him,  which  officers  are  Eccle- 
 siastical persons.  As  for  the  Civil  Magistrate,  his  Office 
 belongethunto  Kingdoms,  and  to  Commonwealths,  neither 
 is  there  an  under  or  subordinate  Head,  considering  that  his 
 Authority  cometh  from  God,  simply  and  immediately, 
 even  as  our  Saviour  Christ's  doth."  Whereunto  the  sum 
 of  our  answer  is,  first,  that  as  Christ  being  Lord  or  Head 
 over  all,  doth  by  virtue  of  that  Sovereignty  rule  all ;  so  he 
 hath  no  more  a  Superior  in  governing  his  Church,  than  in 
 exercising  sovereign  Dominion  upon  the  rest  of  the  world 
 besides  :  secondly,  that  all  Authority,  as  well  Civil  as 
 Ecclesiastical,  is  subordinate  unto  him  :  and,  thirdly,  the 
 Civil  Magistrate  being  termed  Head,  by  reason  of  that  Au- 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 411 
 
 thority  in  Ecclesiastical  aflairs  which  hath  been  already 
 declared  that  themselves  do  acknowledge  to  be  lawful,  it 
 followeth,  that  he  is  a  Head  even  subordinated  of  Christ, 
 and  to  Christ.    For  more  plain  explication  whereof,  unto 
 God  we  acknowledge  daily,  that  kingdom,  power,  and 
 glory,  are  his  ;  that  he  is  the  immortal  and  invisible  King 
 of  ages  ;  as  well  the  future  which  shall  be,  as  the  present 
 which  now  is.    That  which  the  Father  doth  work  as  Lord 
 and  King  over  all,  he  worketh  not  without,  but  by  the 
 Son,  who  through  co-eternal  generation  received  of  the 
 Father  that  Power  which  the  Father  hath  of  himself. 
 And  for  that  cause  our  Saviour's  words  concerning  his 
 own  Dominion  are/' To  me  all  Power  both  in  Heaven  and 
 earth  is  given."    The  Father  by  the  Son  did  create,  and 
 doth  guide  all ;  wherefore  Christ  hath  supreme  Dominion 
 over  the  whole  universal  world.    Christ  is  God,  Christ  is 
 Aoyoc,  the  consubstantial  Word  of  God,  Christ  is  also  that 
 consubstantial  Word  which  made  man.    As  God,  he  saith 
 of  himself,  "  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  aPoc. 
 the  end  :  He  which  was,  and  which  is,  and  which  is  to  1  8' 
 come ;  even  the  very  Omnipotent."    As  the  consubstantial 
 Word  of  God,  he  hath  with  God,  before  the  beginning  of 
 the  world,  that  glory,  which,  as  he  was  man,  he  requireth 
 to  have  ;  "  Father,  glorify  thy  Son  with  that  glory  which  John 
 with  thee  he  enjoyed  before  the  world  was."    Further,  it xv"" 
 is  not  necessary  that  all  things  spoken  of  Christ  should 
 agree  to  him  either  as  God,  or  else  as  man ;  but  some  things 
 as  he  is  the  consubstantial  Word  of  God,  some  things  as  he 
 is  that  Word  incarnate.    The  works  of  supreme  Dominion 
 which  have  been  since  the  first  beginning  wrought  by  the 
 Power  of  the  Son  of  God,  are  now  most  properly  and  truly 
 the  works  of  the  Son  of  man:  the  Word  made  flesh  doth 
 sit  for  ever,  and  reign  as  sovereign  Lord  over  all.  Domi- 
 nion belongethunto  the  Kingly  Office  of  Christ,  as  propitia- 
 tion and  mediation  unto  his  Priestly;  instruction,  unto  his 
 Pastoral  and  Prophetical  Office.    His  works  of  Dominion 
 are,  in  sundry  degrees  and  kinds,  according  to  the  different 
 conditions  of  them  that  are  subject  unto  it :  he  presently 
 doth  govern,  and  hereafter  shall  judge  the  world,  entirely 
 and  wholly;  and  therefore  his  Regal  Power  cannot  be  with 
 truth  restrained  unto  a  proportion  of  the  world  only.  Not- 
 withstanding, forasmuch  as  all  do  not  shew  and  acknow- 
 ledge, with  dutiful  submission,  that  obedience  which  they 
 
412  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 owe  unto  him ;  therefore  such  as  do,  their  Lord  he  is  termed 
 by  way  of  excellency,  no  otherwise  than  the  Apostle  doth 
 term  God  the  Saviour  generally  of  all,  but  especially  of 
 the  faithful :  these  being  brought  to  the  obedience  of  faith, 
 are  every  where  spoken  of  as  men  translated  into  that 
 Kingdom,  wherein  whosoever  is  comprehended,  Christ  is 
 the  author  of  eternal  salvation  unto  them  ;  they  have  a 
 high  and  ghostly  fellowship  with  God,  and  Christ,  and 
 Saints;  or,  as  the  Apostle  in  more  ample  manner  speaketh, 
 h<*.  .<  Aggregated  they  are  unto  Mount  Sion,  and  to  the  City  of 
 22-24.  the  living  God,  the  celestial  Jerusalem,  and  to  the  com- 
 pany of  innumerable  Angels,  and  to  the  Congregation  of 
 the  First-born,  which  are  written  in  Heaven,  and  to  God  the 
 Judge  of  all,  and  to  the  Spirits  of  just  and  perfect  men,  and 
 to  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  New  Testament."  In  a  word, 
 they  are  of  that  mystical  Body,  which  we  term  the  Church 
 of  Christ.  As  for  the  rest,  we  account  them  "  aliens  from 
 the  Commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  that  live  injthe  Kingdom 
 of  darkness,  and  that  are  in  this  present  world  without 
 God."  Our  Saviour's  Dominion  is  therefore  over  these,  as 
 over  rebels ;  over  them,  as  over  dutiful  and  loving  subjects. 
 Which  things  being  in  Holy  Scriptures  so  plain,  I  some- 
 what muse  at  that  strange  position,  that  Christ  in  the  Go- 
 vernment of  his  Church,  and  Superiority  over  the  officers 
 of  it,  hath  himself  a  Superior  which  is  the  Father  ;  but  in 
 governing  of  Kingdoms  and  Commonwealths,  and  in  the 
 Superiority  which  he  hath  over  Kingdoms,  no  Superior. 
 t.c.  Again,  "That  the  Civil  Magistrate's  Authority  cometh 
 p.Vb.  fr°m  God  immediately,  as  Christ's  doth,  and  is  not  subordi- 
 nate unto  Christ."  In  what  Evangelist,  Apostle,  or  Prophet, 
 is  it  found,  that  Christ  (supreme  Governor  of  the  Church) 
 should  be  so  unequal  to  himself,  as  he  is  supreme  Gover- 
 nor of  Kingdoms  ?  The  works  of  his  providence  for  the 
 preservation  of  mankind  by  upholding  Kingdoms,  not  only 
 obedient  unto,  but  also  obstinate  and  rebellious  against, 
 him,  are  such  as  proceed  from  divine  Power  ;  and  are  not 
 the  works  of  his  providence  for  safety  of  God's  elect,  by 
 gathering,  inspiring,  comforting,  and  every  way  preserving, 
 his  Church,  such  as  proceed  from  the  same  Power  likewise? 
 Surely,  if  Christ,  as  God  and  man,  hath  ordained  certain 
 means  for  the  gathering  and  keeping  of  his  Church,  seeing 
 this  doth  belong  to  the  Government  of  that  Church;  it  must 
 in  reason  follow,  I  think,  that  as  God  and  man  he  workelh 
 
hook  vrn. 
 
 413 
 
 in  Church-regiment;  and  consequently  hath  no  more  there 
 any  superiors,  than  in  the  Government  of  the  Common- 
 wealth.   Again,  to  "  be  in  the  midst  of  his,  wheresoever 
 they  are  assembled  in  his  name,"  and  to  be  "  with  them 
 to  the  world's  end,"  are  comforts  which  Christ  doth  perform 
 to  his  Church  as  Lord  and  Governor ;  yea,  such  as  he  can- 
 not perform  but  by  that  very  Power  wherein  he  hath  no  Su- 
 perior.   Wherefore,  unless  it  can  be  proved,  that  all  the 
 works  of  our  Saviour's  Government  in  the  Church  are  done 
 by  the  mere  and  only  force  of  his  human  nature,  there  is  no 
 remedy  but  to  acknowledge  it  a  manifest  error,  that  Christ 
 in  the  Government  of  the  World  is  equal  to  the  Father,  but 
 not  in  the  Government  of  the  Church.  Indeed,  to  the  honour 
 of  this  Dominion,  it  cannot  be  said,  that  God  did  exalt  him 
 otherwise  than  only  according  to  that  human  nature  where- 
 in he  was  made  low.    For,  as  the  Son  of  God,  there  could 
 no  advancement  or  exaltation  grow  unto  him:  and  yet  the 
 Dominion  whereunto  he  was  in  his  human  nature  lifted  up, 
 is  not  without  divine  Power  exercised.    It  is  by  divine 
 Power,  that  the  Son  of  man,  who  sitteth  in  Heaven,  doth 
 work  as  King  and  Lord  upon  us  which  are  on  earth.  The 
 exercise  of  his  Dominion  over  the  Church  Militant  cannot 
 choose  but  cease,  when  there  is  no  longer  any  Militant 
 Church  in  the  world.    And  therefore,  as  Generals  of  Ar- 
 mies, when  they  have  finished  the  work,  are  wont  to  yield 
 up  such  commissions  as  were  given  for  that  purpose,  and 
 to  remain  in  the  state  of  subjects,  and  not  as  Lords, 
 concerning  their  former  authority;   even  so,  when  the 
 end  of  all  things  is  come,  the  Son  of  man  (who  till  then 
 reigneth)  shall  do  the  like,  as  touching  Regiment  over  the 
 Militant  Church  on  the  earth.    So  that  between  the  Son 
 of  man  and  his  brethren,  over  whom  he  reigneth  now  in 
 this  their  warfare,  there  shall  be  then,  as  touching  the  ex- 
 ercise of  that  Regiment,  no  such  difference ;  they  not  war- 
 faring  any  longer  under  him,  but  he,  together  with  them, 
 under  God,  receiving  the  joys  of  everlasting  triumph,  that  so 
 God  may  be  all  in  all;  all  misery  in  all  the  wicked,  through 
 his  justice ;  in  all  the  righteous,  through  his  love,  all  felicity 
 and  bliss.  In  the  meanwhile  he  reigneth  over  the  world  as 
 King,  and  doth  those  things  wherein  none  is  Superior  unto 
 him,  whether  we  respect  the  works  of  his  Providence 
 and  Kingdom,  or  of  his  Regiment  over  the  Church.  The 
 
414 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 cause  of  error  in  this  point  doth  seem  to  have  been  a 
 misconceit,  that  Christ,  as  Mediator,  being  inferior  to  his 
 Father,  doth,  as  Mediator,  all  works  of  Regiment  over 
 the  Church ;  when,  in  truth,  Regiment  doth  belong  to 
 his  Kingly  Office,  Mediatorship  to  his  Priestly.  For,  as 
 the  High-priest  both  offered  sacrifices  for  expiation  of  the 
 people's  sins,  and  entered  into  the  Holy  Place,  there  to 
 
 Heb.  make  intercession  for  them;  so  Christ,  having  finished  upon 
 the  Cross  that  part  of  his  Priestly  Office  which  wrought  the 
 propitiation  for  our  sins,  did  afterwards  enter  into  the  very 
 Heaven,  and  doth  there,  as  Mediator  of  the  New  Testa- 
 ment, appear  in  the  sight  of  God  for  us.    A  like  sleight  of 
 
 t^c.    judgment  it  is,  when  they  hold,  that  Civil  Authority  is  from 
 
 p.  4i5.  God,  but  not  immediately  through  Christ,  nor  with  any 
 subordination  to  Christ,  nor  doth  any  thing  from  God  by 
 the  hands  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.    They  deny  it  not 
 
 Prov-    to  be  said  of  Christ  in  the  Old  Testament,  "  By  me  Princes 
 
 VUI.  10.  J 
 
 rule,  and  the  Nobles,  and  all  the  Judges  of  the  earth."  In 
 Rev.i.s.  the  New  as  much  is  taught,  u  That  Christ  is  the  Prince  of 
 xiii?i.  the  Kings  of  the  earth."    "Wherefore,  to  the  end  it  may 
 moiTod6  more  plainly  appear  how  all  Authority  of  man  is  derived 
 p.  63.    from  God  through  Christ,  and  must  by  Christian  men  be 
 acknowledged  to  be  no  otherwise  held  than  of  and  under 
 him  ;  we  are  to  note,  that,  because  whatsoever  hath  ne- 
 cessary being,  the  Son  of  God  doth  cause  it  to  be,  and 
 those  things  without  which  the  world  cannot  well  continue, 
 have  necessary  being  in  the  world ;  a  thing  of  so  great  use 
 as  Government  cannot  choose  but  be  originally  from  him. 
 Touching  that  Authority  which  Civil  Magistrates  have  in 
 Ecclesiastical  affairs,  it,  being  from  God  by  Christ,  as  all 
 other  good  things  are,  cannot  choose  but  be  held  as  a  thing 
 received  at  his  hands  ;  and  because  such  Power  is  of  neces- 
 sity for  the  ordering  of  Religion,  wherein  the  essence  and 
 very  being  of  the  Church  consisteth,  and  can  no  otherwise 
 flow  from  him,  than  according  to  that  special  care  which 
 he  hath  to  govern  and  guide  his  own  people,  it  followeth, 
 that  the  said  Authority  is  of  and  under  him  after  a  more 
 special  manner,  in  that  "  he  is  Head  of  the  Church,"  and 
 i  cor.  not  in  respect  of  his  general  Regency  over  the  world.  "  All 
 22.23.  things  (saith  the  Apostle,  speaking  unto  the  Church)  are 
 yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's."  Kings 
 are  Christ's  as  Saints,  because  they  are  of  the  Church,  if 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 415 
 
 not  collectively,  yet  divisively  understood.  It  is  over  each 
 particular  person  within  that  Church  where  they  are  Kings : 
 surely,  Authority  reaching  both  unto  all  men's  persons,  and 
 to  all  kinds  of  causes  also,  it  is  not  denied  but  that  they 
 may  have  and  lawfully  exercise  it ;  such  Authority  it  is, 
 for  which,  and  for  no  other  in  the  world,  we  term  them 
 Heads;  such  Authority  they  have  under  Christ,  because  he 
 in  all  things  is  Lord  over  all ;  and  even  of  Christ  it  is  that 
 they  have  received  such  Authority,  inasmuch  as  of  him  all 
 lawful  Powers  are  :  therefore  the  Civil  Magistrate  is,  in 
 regard  of  this  Power,  an  under  and  subordinate  Head  of 
 Christ's  people. 
 
 It  is  but  idle  where  they  speak,  "  That  although,  for  se-  t.  c. 
 veral  companies  of  men,  there  may  be  several  Heads  or  p.!i;3. 
 Governors,  differing  in  the  measure  of  their  authority  from 
 the  chiefest,  who  is  Head  over  all;  yet  it  cannot  be  in  the 
 Church,  for  that  the  reason  why  Head-magistrates  appoint 
 others  for  such  several  places  is,  because  they  cannot  be 
 present  every  where  to  perform  the  Office  of  a  Head.  But 
 Christ  is  never  from  his  body,  nor  from  any  part  of  it,  and 
 therefore  needeth  not  to  substitute  any,  which  may  be 
 Heads,  some  over  one  Church  and  some  over  another." 
 Indeed  the  consideration  of  man's  imbecility,  which  maketh 
 many  Heads  necessary  where  the  burden  is  too  great  for 
 one,  moved  Jethro  to  be  a  persuader  of  Moses,  that  a  num- 
 ber of  Heads  or  Rulers  might  be  instituted  for  discharge  of 
 that  duty  by  parts,  which  in  whole  he  saw  was  trouble- 
 some.   Now  although  there  be  not  in  Christ  any  such  de- 
 fect or  weakness,  yet  other  causes  there  be  divers,  more 
 than  we  are  able  to  search  into,  wherefore  it  might  seem 
 unto  him  expedient  to  divide  his  Kingdom  into  many  Pro- 
 vinces, and  place  many  Heads  over  it,  that  the  Power  which 
 each  of  them  hath  in  particular  with  restraint,  might  illus- 
 trate the  greatness  of  his  unlimited  Authority.  Besides, 
 howsoever  Christ  be  spiritually  always  united  unto  every 
 part  of  his  Body,  which  is  the  Church ;  nevertheless,  we  do 
 all  know,  and  they  themselves  who  allege  this,  will,  I  doubt 
 not,  confess  also,  that  from  every  Church  here  visible, 
 Christ,  touching  visible  and  corporal  presence,  is  removed 
 as  far  as  Heaven  from  the  earth  is  distant.  Visible  Govern- 
 ment is  a  thing  necessary  for  the  Church ;  and  it  doth  not 
 appear  how  the  exercise  of  visible  Government  over  such 
 
41G 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 multitudes  every  where  dispersed  throughout  the  world, 
 should  consist  without  sundry  visible  Governors ;  whose 
 Power  being  the  greatest  in  that  kind,  so  far  as  it  reacheth, 
 they  are  in  consideration  thereof  termed  so  far  Heads. 
 Wherefore,  notwithstanding  the  perpetual  conjunction,  by 
 virtue  whereof  our  Saviour  always  remaineth  spiritually 
 united  unto  the  parts  of  his  mystical  Body ;  Heads  indeed 
 with  supreme  Power,  extending  to  a  certain  compass,  are 
 for  the  exercise  of  a  visible  Regiment  not  unnecessary. 
 Some  other  reasons  there  are  belonging  unto  this  branch 
 which  seem  to  have  been  objected,  rather  for  the  exercise 
 of  men's  wits  in  dissolving  sophisms,  than  that  the  authors 
 of  them  could  think  in  likelihood  thereby  to  strengthen 
 t.  c.  1.  their  cause.  For  example,  "  If  the  Magistrate  be  Head  of 
 utntn?'  the  Church  within  his  own  Dominion,  then  is  he  none  of  the 
 8  6  9-  Church:  for  all  that  are  of  the  Church  make  the  Body  of 
 Christ,  and  every  one  of  the  Church  fulfilleth  the  place  of 
 one  member  of  the  Body.  By  making  the  Magistrate  there- 
 fore Head,  we  do  exclude  him  from  being  a  member  sub- 
 ject to  the  Head,  and  so  leave  him  no  place  in  the  Church." 
 By  which  reason,  the  name  of  a  Body  politic  is  supposed 
 to  be  always  taken  of  the  inferior  sort  alone,  excluding  the 
 principal  Guides  and  Governors,  contrary  to  all  men's  cus- 
 toms of  speech.  The  error  ariseth  by  misconceiving  of 
 some  Scripture-sentences,  where  Christ  as  the  Head,  and 
 the  Church  as  the  Body,  are  compared  or  opposed  the  one 
 to  the  other.  And  because  in  such  comparisons  or  oppo- 
 sitions, the  Body  is  taken  from  those  only  parts  which  are 
 subject  unto  the  Head,  they  imagine  that  whoso  is  the 
 the  Head  of  any  Church,  he  is  therefore  even  excluded 
 from  being  a  part  of  that  Church ;  that  the  Magistrate  can 
 be  none  of  the  Church,  if  so  we  make  him  the  Head  of  the 
 Church  in  his  own  Dominions ;  a  chief  and  principal  part 
 of  the  Church  therefore  next  this,  is  surely  a  strange  con- 
 clusion. A  Church  doth  indeed  make  the  Body  of  Christ, 
 being  wholly  taken  together ;  and  every  one  in  the  same 
 Church  fulfilleth  the  place  of  a  member  in  the  Body,  but 
 not  the  place  of  an  inferior  member,  the  which  hath  su- 
 preme Authority  and  Power  over  all  the  rest.  Wherefore, 
 by  making  the  Magistrate  Head  in  his  own  Dominions,  we 
 exclude  him  from  being  a  member  subject  unto  any  other 
 person  which  may  visibly  there  rule  in  place  of  a  Supe- 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 417 
 
 rior  or  Head  over  him ;  but  so  far  are  we  off  from  leaving 
 him  by  this  means  no  place  in  the  Church,  that  we  do  grant 
 him  the  chief  place.  Indeed  the  Heads  of  those  visible 
 Bodies,  which  are  many,  can  be  but  parts  inferior  in  that 
 spiritual  Body  which  is  but  one ;  yea,  they  may  from  this 
 be  excluded  clean,  who  notwithstanding  ought  to  be 
 honoured,  as  possessing  in  order  the  highest  rooms  :  but 
 for  the  Magistrate  to  be  termed,  in  his  Dominions,  a  Head, 
 doth  not  bar  him  from  being  any  way  a  part  or  member 
 of  the  Church  of  God. 
 
 As  little  to  the  purpose  are  those  other  cavils :  "  A 
 Church  which  hath  the  Magistrate  for  Head,  is  perfect  man 
 without  Christ."  So  that  the  knitting  of  our  Saviour  there- 
 unto should  be  an  addition  of  that  which  is  too  much. 
 Again,  "  If  the  Church  be  the  Body  of  Christ,  and  of  the 
 Civil  Magistrate,  it  shall  have  two  Heads,  which  being  mon- 
 strous, is  to  the  great  dishonour  of  Christ  and  his  Church." 
 Thirdly,  u  If  the  Church  be  planted  in  a  popular  estate, 
 then,  forasmuch  as  all  govern  in  common,  and  all  have  au- 
 thority, all  shall  be  Heads  there,  and  no  Body  at  all ;  which 
 is  another  monster."  It  might  be  feared  what  this  birth  of 
 so  many  monsters  together  might  portend,  but  that  we 
 know  how  things,  natural  enough  in  themselves,  may  seem 
 monstrous,  through  misconceit ;  which  error  of  mind  is  in- 
 deed a  monster:  and  the  skilful  in  Nature's  mysteries  have 
 used  to  term  it  the  womb  of  monsters ;  if  any  be,  it  is  that 
 troubled  understanding,  wherein,  because  things  lie  con- 
 fusedly mixed  together,  what  they  are  it  appeareth  not. 
 A  Church  perfect  without  Christ,  I  know  not  how  a  man 
 shall  imagine ;  unless  there  may  be  either  Christianity 
 without  Christ,  or  else  a  Church  without  Christianity.  If 
 Magistrates  be  Heads  of  the  Church,  they  are  of  necessity 
 Christians,  then  is  their  Head  Christ.  The  adding  of 
 Christ  universal  Head  over  all,  unto  Magistrates'  particu- 
 lar Headship,  is  no  more  superfluous  in  any  Church  than 
 in  other  Societies ;  each  is  to  be  both  severally  subject  unto 
 some  Head,  and  to  have  a  Head  also  general  for  them  all 
 to  be  subject  unto.  For  so  in  Armies,  in  Civil  Corpora- 
 tions, we  see  it  fareth.  A  Body  politic,  in  such  respects, 
 is  not  like  a  natural  Body  ;  in  this,  more  Heads  than  one  is 
 superfluous  ;  in  that,  not.  It  is  neither  monstrous,  nor  yet 
 uncomely,  for  a  Church  to  have  different  Heads:  for  if 
 
 vol.  u.  2  E 
 
418 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Christian  Churches  be  in  number  many,  and  every  of  them 
 a  perfect  Body  by  itself,  Christ  being  Lord  and  Head  over 
 all ;  why  should  we  judge  it  a  thing  more  monstrous  for  one 
 Body  to  have  two  Heads,  than  one  Head  so  many  Bodies? 
 Him  that  God  hath  made  the  supreme  Head  of  the  whole 
 Church;  the  Head,  not  only  of  that  mystical  Body  which 
 the  eye  of  man  is  not  able  to  discern,  but  even  of  every 
 Christian  politic  Society,  of  every  visible  Church  in  the 
 world  ?  And  whereas,  lastly,  it  is  thought  so  strange,  that 
 in  popular  States  a  multitude  to  itself  should  be  both  Body 
 and  Head,  all  this  wonderment  doth  grow  from  a  little 
 oversight,  in  deeming  that  the  subject  wherein  Headship 
 ought  to  reside,  should  be  evermore  some  one  person ; 
 which  thing  is  not  necessary.  For  in  the  collective  Body 
 that  have  not  derived  as  yet  the  Principality  of  Power  into 
 some  one  or  few,  the  whole  of  necessity  must  be  Head 
 over  each  part;  otherwise  it  could  not  have  Power  possi- 
 bly to  make  any  one  certain  person  Head  ;  inasmuch  as 
 the  very  Power  of  making  a  Head  belongeth  unto  Head- 
 ship. These  supposed  monsters  we  see  therefore  are  no 
 such  giants,  as  that  there  should  need  any  Hercules  to 
 tame  them. 
 
 The  last  difference  which  we  have  between  the  Title  of 
 Head  when  we  give  it  unto  Christ,  and  when  we  give  it  to 
 other  Governors,  is,  that  the  kind  of  Dominion  which  it  iui- 
 porteth  is  not  the  same  in  both.  Christ  is  Head,  as  being 
 the  fountain  of  life  and  ghostly  nutriment,  the  wellspring 
 of  spiritual  blessings  poured  into  the  Body  of  the  Church; 
 they  Heads,  as  being  the  principal  instruments  for  the 
 Church's  outward  government;  he  Head,  as  Founder  of 
 the  House;  they,  as  his  chiefest  Overseers.  Against  this 
 is  exception  especially  taken,  and  our  purveyors  are  herein 
 said  to  have  their  provision  from  the  Popish  shambles:  for 
 by  Pigbius  and  Harding,  to  prove  that  Christ  alone  is  not 
 Head  of  the  Church,  this  distinction,  they  say,  is  brought, 
 that  according  to  the  inward  influence  of  grace,  Christ  only 
 is  Head ;  but  according  to  the  outward  government,  the 
 being  Head  is  a  thing  common  to  him  with  others.  To 
 raise  up  falsehoods  of  old  condemned,  and  bring  it  for  con- 
 firmation of  any  thing  doubtful,  which  already  hath  suffi- 
 ciently been  proved  an  error,  and  is  worthily  so  taken,  this 
 would  justly  deserve  censuring.    But  shall  manifest  truth 
 
BOOK  VIII.  419 
 
 therefore  be  reproached,  because  men  convicted  in  some 
 things  of  manifest  untruth  have  at  any  time  thought  or  al- 
 leged it?    If  too  much  eagerness  against  their  adversaries 
 had  not  made  them  forget  themselves,  they  might  remem- 
 ber, where  being  charged  as  maintainers  of  those  very 
 things,  for  which  others  before  them  had  been  condemned 
 of  Heresy,  yet,  lest  the  name  of  any  such  Heretic  holding 
 the  same  which  they  do,  should  make  them  odious;  they 
 stick  not  frankly  to  confess,  "  That  they  are  not  afraid  to  t.  c. 
 consent  in  some  points  with  Jews  and  Turks."    Which  P'.  m. 
 defence,  for  all  that,  were  a  very  weak  buckler  for  such 
 should  consent  with  Jews  and  Turks  in  that  which  they  have 
 been  abhorred  and  hated  for  in  the  Church.    But  as  for  this 
 distinction  of  Headship,  spiritual  and  mystical,  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  ministerial  and  outward  in  others  besides  Christ; 
 what  cause  is  there  to  mislike  either  Harding,  or  Pighius,  or 
 any  other  besides,  for  it?  That  which  they  have  been  reprov- 
 ed for,  is,  not  because  they  did  therein  utter  an  untruth,  but 
 such  a  truth  as  was  not  sufficient  to  bear  up  the  cause  which 
 they  did  thereby  seek  to  maintain.   By  this  distinction, 
 they  have  both  truly  and  sufficiently  proved  that  the  name 
 of  Head,  importing  Power  and  Dominion  over  the  Church, 
 might  be  given  to  others  besides  Christ,  without  prejudice  to 
 any  part  of  his  honour.  That  which  they  should  have  made 
 manifest  was,  thatthe  name  of  Head,  importingthe  Power  of 
 universal  Dominion  over  the  whole  Church  of  Christ  mili- 
 tant, doth,  and  that  by  divine  right,  appertain  to  the  Pope  of 
 Rome.  They  did  prove  it  lawful  to  grant  unto  others  besides 
 Christ,  the  Power  of  Headship  in  a  different  kind  from  his ;  but 
 they  should  have  proved  it  lawful  to  challenge,  as  they  did  to 
 the  Bishop  of  Rome,  a  Power  universal  in  that  different  kind. 
 Their  fault  was  therefore  in  exacting  wrongfully  so  great 
 Power  as  they  challenged  in  that  kind,  and  not  in  making 
 two  kinds  of  Power,  unless  some  reasons  can  be  shewed 
 for  which  this  distinction  of  Power  should  be  thought  er- 
 roneous and  false.    A  little  they  stir  (although  in  vain)  to 
 prove  that  we  cannot  with  truth  make  such  distinction  of 
 Power,  whereof  the  one  kind  should  agree  unto  Christ  only, 
 and  the  other  be  further  communicated.    Thus  therefore 
 they  argue,  "  If  there  be  no  Head  but  Christ,  in  respect  of  t.  c. 
 spiritual  Government,  there  is  no  Head  but  he  in  respect  of  v."415. 
 the  Word,  Sacraments,  and  Discipline,  administered  by 
 
 2  e  2 
 
420 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 those  whom  he  hath  appointed,  forasmuch  also  as  it  is  his 
 spiritual  Government."  Their  meaning  is,  that  whereas  we 
 make  two  kinds  of  Power,  of  which  two,  the  one  being  spi- 
 ritual is  proper  unto  Christ ;  the  other,  men  are  capable 
 of,  because  it  is  visible  and  external ;  we  do  amiss  alto- 
 gether in  distinguishing,  they  think,  forasmuch  as  the 
 visible  and  external  Power  of  Regiment  over  the  Church, 
 is  only  in  relation  unto  the  Word,  Sacraments,  and  Disci- 
 pline, administered  by  such  as  Christ  hath  appointed  there- 
 unto, and  the  exercise  of  this  Power  is  also  his  spiritual 
 Government :  therefore  we  do  but  vainly  imagine  a  visible 
 and  external  Power  in  the  Church  differing  from  his  spiritual 
 Power.  Such  disputes  as  this  do  somewhat  resemble  the 
 practising  of  well-willers  upon  their  friends  in  the  pangs  of 
 death ;  whose  manner  is,  even  then,  to  put  smoke  in  their 
 nostrils,  and  so  to  fetch  them  again,  although  they  know  it  a 
 matter  impossible  to  keep  them  living.  The  kind  of  affec- 
 tion which  the  favourers  of  this  labouring  cause  bear  to- 
 wards it  will  not  suffer  them  to  see  it  die,  although  by  what 
 means  they  should  make  it  live,  they  do  not  see.  But  they 
 may  see  that  these  wrestlings  will  not  help.  Can  they  be 
 ignorant  how  little  itbooteth  to  overcast  so  clear  a.light  with 
 some  mist  of  ambiguity  in  the  name  of  spiritual  Regiment? 
 To  make  things  therefore  so  plain,  that  henceforward  a 
 child's  capacity  may  serve  rightly  to  conceive  our  mean- 
 ing, we  make  the  spiritual  Regiment  of  Christ  to  be  gene- 
 rally that  whereby  his  Church  is  ruled  and  governed  in 
 things  spiritual.  Of  this  general  we  make  two  distinct 
 kinds ;  the  one  invisible,  exercised  by  Christ  himself  in  his 
 own  person;  the  other  outwardly  administered  by  them 
 whom  Christ  doth  allow  to  be  Rulers  and  Guides  of  his 
 Church.  Touching  the  former  of  these  two  kinds,  we  teach 
 that  Christ,  in  regard  thereof,  is  particularly  termed  the 
 Head  of  the  Church  of  God;  neither  can  any  other  creature, 
 in  that  sense  and  meaning,  be  termed  Head  besides  him  ; 
 because  it  importeth  the  conduct  and  government  of  our 
 souls  by  the  hand  of  that  blessed  Spirit  wherewith  we  are 
 sealed  and  marked,  as  being  peculiarly  his.  Him  only  do 
 we  acknowledge  to  be  the  Lord,  which  dwelleth,  liveth,  and 
 reigneth,  in  our  hearts ;  him  only  to  be  that  Head,  which 
 giveth  salvation  and  life  unto  his  Body ;  him  only  to  be  that 
 Fountain  from  whence  the  influence  of  heavenly  graces 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 421 
 
 distilletb,  and  is  derived  into  all  parts,  whether  the  Word, 
 or  the  Sacraments,  or  Discipline,  or  whatsoever  be  the 
 means  whereby  it  floweth.  As  for  the  Power  of  administer- 
 ing these  things  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  which  Power  we 
 call  the  Power  of  Order,  it  is  indeed  both  spiritual  and  his : 
 spiritual,  because  such  properly  concerns  the  Spirit ;  his, 
 because  by  him  it  was  instituted.  Howbeit,  neither  spi- 
 ritual, as  that  which  is  inwardly  and  invisibly  exercised ; 
 nor  his,  as  that  which  he  himself  in  person  doth  exercise. 
 Again,  that  Power  of  Dominion,  which  is  indeed  the  point 
 of  this  controversy,  aud  doth  also  belong  to  this  second 
 kind  of  spiritual  Government,  namely,  unto  that  Regiment 
 which  is  external  and  visible;  this  likewise  being  spiritual 
 in  regard  of  the  matter  about  which  it  dealeth,  and  being 
 his,  inasmuch  as  he  approveth  whatsoever  is  done  by  it, 
 must  notwithstanding  be  distinguished  also  from  that  Power 
 whereby  he  himself  in  person  administereth  the  former  kind 
 of  his  own  spiritual  Regiment,  because  he  himself  in  person 
 doth  not  administer  this;  we  do  not,  therefore,  vainly 
 imagine,  but  truly  and  rightly  discern  a  Power  external  and 
 visible  in  the  Church  exercised  by  men,  and  severed  in  na- 
 ture from  that  spiritual  Power  of  Christ's  own  Regiment: 
 which  Power  is  termed  spiritual,  because  it  worketh  se- 
 cretly, inwardly,  and  invisibly;  his,  because  none  doth,  nor 
 can,  it  personally  exercise,  either  besides  or  together  with 
 him;  seeing  that  him  only  we  may  name  our  Head,  in 
 regard  of  his  Power,  and  yet,  in  regard  of  that  other  Power 
 from  this,  term  others  also,  besides  him,  Heads,  without  any 
 contradiction  at  all.  Which  thing  may  very  well  serve  for 
 answer  unto  that  also  which  they  further  allege  against  the 
 aforesaid  distinction,  namely,  "  That  even  the  outward  so-  t 
 cieties  and  assemblies  of  the  Church,  where  one  or  two  are  j,-. 
 gathered  together  in  his  name,  either  for  hearing  of  the 
 Word,  or  for  Prayer,  or  any  other  Church-exercise,  our 
 Saviour  Christ  being  in  the  midst  of  them  as  Mediator, 
 must  be  their  Head :  and,  if  he  be  not  there  idle,  but  doing 
 the  Office  of  a  Head  fully,  it  followeth,  that  even  in  the 
 outward  societies  and  meetings  of  the  Church,  no  mere  man 
 can  be  called  the  Head  of  it,  seeing  that  our  Saviour  Christ 
 doing  the  whole  Office  of  the  Head  himself  alone,  leaveth 
 nothing  to  men,  by  doing  whereof  they  may  obtain  that 
 Title."    Which  objection  I  take  as  being  made  for  nothing 
 
422 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITV. 
 
 but  only  to  maintain  argument.  For  they  are  not  so  far 
 gone  as  to  argue  this  in  sooth  and  right  good  earnest.  "  God 
 standeth  (saith  the  Psalmist)  in  the  midst  of  gods  ;"  if  God 
 be  there  present,  he  must  undoubtedly  be  present  as  God ; 
 if  he  be  not  there  idle,  but  doing  the  Office  of  a  God  fully, 
 it  followeth,  that  God  himself  alone  doing  the  whole  Office 
 of  a  God,  leaveth  nothing  in  such  assemblies  to  any  other, 
 by  doing  whereof  they  may  obtain  so  high  a  name.  The 
 t-c:.  Psalmist,  therefore,  hath  spoken  amiss,  and  doth  ill  to  call 
 i>.  4i3.  Judges,  gods.  Not  so  ;  for  as  God  hath  this  Office  differing 
 from  theirs,  and  doth  fully  discharge  it  even  in  the  midst 
 of  them,  so  they  are  not  hereby  excluded  from  all  kind  of 
 duty,  for  which  that  name  should  be  given  unto  them  also, 
 but  in  that  duty  for  which  it  was  given  them  they  are  en- 
 couraged religiously  and  carefully  to  order  themselves  after 
 the  self-same  manner.  Our  Lord  and  Saviour  being  in  the 
 midst  of  his  Church  as  Head,  is  our  comfort,  without  the 
 abridgment  of  any  one  duty,  for  performance  whereof 
 others  are  termed  Heads  in  another  kind  than  he  is.  If 
 there  be  of  the  ancient  Fathers,  which  say,  "  That  there  is 
 but  one  Head  of  the  Church,  Christ;  and  that  the  Minister 
 that  baptizeth  cannot  be  the  Head  of  him  that  is  baptized, 
 because  Christ  is  the  Head  of  the  whole  Church;  and  that 
 Paul  could  not  be  Head  of  the  Church  which  he  planted, 
 because  Christ  is  the  Head  of  the  whole  Body;"  they 
 understand  the  name  of  Head  in  such  sort  as  we  grant 
 that  it  is  not  applicable  to  any  other,  no  not  in  relation  to 
 the  least  part  of  the  whole  Church ;  he  which  baptizeth, 
 baptizeth  into  Christ;  he  which  converteth,  converteth  into 
 Christ;  he  which  ruleth,  ruleth  for  Christ.  The  whole 
 Church  can  have  but  one  to  be  Head  as  Lord  and  Owner 
 of  all ;  wherefore,  if  Christ  be  Head  in  that  kind,  it  fol- 
 loweth, that  no  other  besides  can  be  so  either  to  the  whole 
 or  to  any  part. 
 
 To  call  and  dissolve  all  solemn  Assemblies  about  the  public  affairs  of  the  Church. 
 
 Amongst  sundry  prerogatives  of  Simon's  Dominion  over 
 the  Jews  there  is  reckoned,  as  not  the  least,  "That  no  man 
 might  gather  any  great  assembly  in  the  land  without 
 him."  For  so  the  manner  of  Jewish  Regiment  had  always 
 been,  that  whether  the  cause  for  which  men  assembled 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 423 
 
 themselves  in  peaceable,  good,  and  orderly  sort,  were  Ec- 
 clesiastical or  Civil,  supreme  Authority  should  assemble 
 them.  David  gathered  all  Israel  together  unto  Jerusalem; 
 when  the  Ark  was  to  be  removed,  he  assembled  the  sons  of 
 Aaron  and  the  Levites.  Solomon  did  the  like  at  such  time 
 as  the  Temple  was  to  be  dedicated :  when  the  Church  was 
 to  be  reformed,  Asa  in  his  time  did  the  same :  the  same 
 upon  like  ocasions  was  done  afterwards  by  Joash,  Heze- 
 kias,  Josiah,  and  others. 
 
 The  Consuls  of  Rome  Polybius  affirmeth  to  have  had  a  P°'/b- 
 
 "  I.  vi.  de 
 
 kind  of  regal  A  uthority,  in  that  they  might  call  together  the  Mint,  ac 
 Senate  and  people  whensoever  it  pleased  them.    Seeing,  £°™"$t' 
 therefore,  the  affairs  of  the  Church  and  Christian  Religion 
 are  public  affairs,  for  the  ordering  whereof  more  solemn 
 Assemblies  sometimes  are  of  as  great  importance  and  use, 
 as  they  are  for  secular  affairs ;  it  seemeth  no  less  an  act 
 of  supreme  Authority  to  call  the  one,  than  the  other.  Where- 
 fore the  Clergy,  in  such  wise  gathered  together,  is  an  Ec- 
 clesiastical Senate,  which  with  us,  as  in  former  times,  the 
 chiefest  Prelate  at  his  discretion  did  use  to  assemble;  so 
 that  afterward  in  such  considerations  as  have  been  be- 
 fore specified,  it  seemed  more  meet  to  annex  the  said  pre- 
 rogative to  the  Crown.    The  Plot  of  reformed  Discipline 
 not  liking  thereof  so  well,  taketh  order  that  every  former 
 Assembly  before  it  breaketh  up  should  itself  appoint  both 
 the  time  andplace  o  f  their  after-meeting  again.    But  be- 
 cause I  find  not  any  thing  on  that  side  particularly  alleged 
 against  us  herein,  a  longer  disputation  about  so  plain  a 
 cause  shall  not  need.  The  ancient  Imperial  Lawforbiddeth  >• 
 such  Assemblies  as  the  Emperor's  Authority  did  not  cause  niicit. 
 to  be  made.    Before  Emperors  became  Christians,  the  c0nven- 
 Church  had  never  any  General  Synod  ;  their  greatest  meet- ,icul'*' 
 ing  consisting  of  Bishops  and  other  the  gravest  in  each  Episc.  et 
 Province.    As  for  the  Civil  Governor's  Authority,  it  suf-  Presbyt- 
 fered  them  only  as  things  not  regarded,  or  not  accounted 
 of  at  such  times  as  it  did  suffer  them.  So  that  what  right  a  mewch. 
 Christian  King  hath  as  touching  Assemblies  of  that  kind,  c^."' 
 we  are  not  able  to  judge  till  we  come  to  later  times,  when 
 Religion  had  won  the  hearts  of  the  highest  Powers.  Con-  constant, 
 stantine  (as  Pighius  doth  grant)  was  not  only  the  first  that  Theodosio. 
 ever  did  call  any  General  Council  together,  but  even  the  ^n."*' 
 first  that  devised  the  calling  of  them  for  consultation  about  constant. 
 
424 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 the  businesses  of  God.    After  he  had  once  given  the  ex- 
 ample, his  successors  a  long  time  followed  the  same  ;  in- 
 somuch that  St.  Jerome,  to  disprove  the  Authority  of  a  Sy- 
 nod which  was  pretended  to  be  General,  useth  this  as  a 
 font?.11  forcible  argument,  "  Die,  quis  Imperator  hanc  Synodum 
 Ruffi-    iusserit  convocari?"  Their  answer  hereunto  is  no  answer, 
 Hb.ii.    which  say,  "  That  the  Emperors  did  not  this  without  con- 
 cti.24i5.]  ference  had  with  the  Bishops :"  for  to  our  purpose  it  is 
 enough,  if  the  Clergy  alone  did  it  not  otherwise  than  by 
 the  leave  and  appointment  of  their  Sovereign  Lords  and 
 sozomen.  Kings.    Whereas,  therefore,  it  is  on  the  contrary  side 
 cap.V.    alleged,  that  Valentinian  the  Elder  being  requested  by 
 £^5t.32.  Catholic  Bishops  to  grant  that  there  might  be  a  Synod  for 
 the  ordering  of  matters  called  in  question  by  the  Arians, 
 answered,  that  he  being  one  of  the  Laity  might  not  meddle 
 with  such  matters,  and  thereupon  willed,  that  the  Priests 
 and  Bishops,  to  whom  the  care  of  those  things  belongeth, 
 should  meet  and  consult  together  by  themselves  where  they 
 thought  good  ;  we  must,  with  the  Emperor's  speech,  weigh 
 the  occasion  and  drift  thereof.    Valentinian  and  Valens, 
 the  one  a  Catholic  and  the  other  an  Arian,  were  Emperors 
 together :  Valens  the  Governor  of  the  East,  and  Valen- 
 tinian of  the  West,  Empire.    Valentinian,  therefore,  taking 
 his  journey  from  the  East  unto  the  West  parts,  and  passing 
 for  that  intent  through  Thracia,  there  the  Bishops  which 
 held  the  soundness  of  Christian  belief,  because  they  knew 
 that  Valens  was  their  professed  enemy,  and  therefore  if  the 
 other  was  once  departed  out  of  those  quarters,  the  Catho- 
 lic cause  was  like  to  find  very  small  favour,  moved  pre- 
 sently Valentinian  about  a  Council  to  be  assembled  under 
 the  countenance  of  his  Authority  ;  who  by  likelihood  con- 
 sidering what  inconvenience  might  grow  thereby,  inasmuch 
 as  it  could  not  be  but  a  means  to  incense  Valens  the  more 
 against  them,  refused  himself  to  be  author  of,  or  present  at 
 any  such  Assembly  :  and  of  this  his  denial  gave  them  a 
 colourable  reason,  to  wit,  that  he  was,  although  an  Em- 
 peror, yet  a  secular  person,  and  therefore  not  able  in  mat- 
 ters of  so  great  obscurity  to  sit  as  competent  Judge;  but,  if 
 they  which  were  Bishops  and  learned  men  did  think  good 
 to  consult  thereof  together,  they  might.  Whereupon,  when 
 they  could  not  obtain  that  which  they  most  desired,  yet 
 that  which  he  granted  unto  them  they  took,  and  forthwith 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 425 
 
 had  a  Council.  Valcntinian  went  on  towards  Rome,  they 
 remaining  in  consultation  till  Valens  which  accompanied 
 him  returned  back  ;  so  that  now  there  was  no  remedy,  but 
 either  to  incur  a  manifest  contempt,  or  else  at  the  hands  of 
 Valens  himself  to  seek  approbation  of  that  they  had  done. 
 To  him,  therefore,  they  became  suitors :  his  answer  was 
 short,  "  Either  Arianism,  or  exile,  which  they  would;" 
 whereupon  their  banishment  ensued.  Let  reasonable  men 
 now  therefore  be  judges,  how  much  this  example  of  Valen- 
 tinian  doth  make  against  the  Authority,  which  we  say  that 
 Sovereign  Rulers  may  lawfully  have  as  concerning  Synods 
 and  Meetings  Ecclesiastical. 
 
 Of  the  Authority  of  making  Laws. 
 
 There  arc  which  wonder  that  we  should  account  any  Sta- 
 tute a  Law,  which  the  High  Court  of  Parliament  in  Eng- 
 land hath  established  about  the  matters  of  Church-regi- 
 ment; the  Prince  and  Court  having  (as  they  suppose)  no 
 more  lawful  means  to  give  order  to  the  Church  and  Clergy 
 in  those  things,  than  they  have  to  make  Laws  for  the 
 Hierarchies  of  Angels  in  Heaven ;  that  the  Parliament 
 being  a  mere  temporal  Court,  can  neither  by  the  Law  of 
 Nature,  nor  of  God,  have  competent  power  to  define  of 
 such  matters:  that  Supremacy  in  this  kind  cannot  belong 
 unto  Kings,  as  Kings,  because  Pagan  Emperors,  whose 
 princely  Power  was  true  Sovereignty,  never  challenged  so 
 much  over  the  Church ;  that  Power,  in  this  kind,  cannot 
 be  the  right  of  an  earthly  Crown,  Prince,  or  State,  in  that 
 they  be  Christians,  forasmuch  as  if  they  be  Christians, 
 they  all  owe  subjection  to  the  Pastors  of  their  souls;  that 
 the  Prince  therefore,  not  having  it  himself,  cannot  commu- 
 nicate it  to  the  Parliament,  and  consequently  cannot  make 
 Laws  here,  or  determine  of  the  Church's  Regiment  by 
 himself,  Parliament,  or  any  other  Court  subjected  unto  him. 
 
 The  Parliament  of  England,  together  with  the  Convoca- 
 tion annexed  thereunto,  is  that  whereupon  the  very  essence  of 
 all  Government  within  this  Kingdom  doth  depend :  it  is  even 
 the  body  of  the  whole  Realm :  it  consisteth  of  the  King, 
 and  of  all  that  within  the  Land  are  subject  unto  him.  The 
 Parliament  is  a  Court,  not  so  merely  temporal  as  if  it  might 
 
426 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 meddle  with  nothing  but  only  leather  and  wool.  Those  days 
 of  Queen  Mary  are  not  yet  forgotten,  wherein  the  Realm 
 did  submit  itself  unto  the  Legate  of  Pope  Julius,  at  which 
 time,  had  they  been  persuaded,  as  this  man  seemeth  now 
 to  be,  had  they  thought  that  there  is  no  more  force  in  Laws 
 by  Parliament  concerning  Church-affairs,  than  if  men  should 
 take  upon  them  to  make  Orders  for  the  Hierarchies  of 
 Angels  in  Heaven,  they  might  have  taken  all  former  Sta- 
 tutes of  that  kind  as  cancelled,  and,  by  reason  of  nullity, 
 abrogated.  What  need  was  there  that  they  should  bargain 
 with  the  Cardinal,  and  purchase  their  pardon  by  promise 
 made  beforehand,  that  what  Laws  they  had  made,  assented 
 unto,  or  executed,  against  the  Bishop  of  Rome's  Supre- 
 macy, the  same  they  would,  in  that  present  Parliament, 
 effectually  abrogate  and  repeal  ?  Had  they  power  to  re- 
 peal Laws  made,  and  none  to  make  Laws  concerning  the 
 Regiment  of  the  Church  ?  Again,  when  they  had  by  suit 
 obtained  his  confirmation  for  such  foundations  of  Bishop- 
 ricks,  Cathedral  Churches,  Hospitals,  Colleges,  and 
 Schools;  for  such  Marriages  before  made,  for  such  insti- 
 tutions into  Livings  Ecclesiastical,  and  for  all  such  judicial 
 processes,  as  having  been  ordered  according  to  the  Laws 
 before  in  force,  but  contrary  unto  the  Canons  and  Orders 
 of  the  Church  -  of  Rome,  were  in  that  respect  thought  de- 
 fective, although  the  Cardinal  in  his  Letters  of  Dispensa- 
 tion did  give  validity  unto  those  Acts,  even  "  Apostolicae 
 firmitatis  robur,  The  very  strength  of  Apostolical  solidity;" 
 what  had  all  these  been  without  those  grave  authentical 
 au.  i.  words?  "Be  it  enacted  by  the  Authority  of  this  present 
 Phii.  et  Parliament,  that  all  and  singular  Articles  and  Clauses  con- 
 l]  £■  tained  in  the  said  Dispensation,  shall  remain  and  be  reputed 
 and  taken  to  all  intents  and  constructions  in  the  Laws  of 
 this  Realm,  lawful,  good,  and  effectual,  to  be  alleged  and 
 pleaded  in  all  Courts  Ecclesiastical  and  Temporal,  for  good 
 and  sufficient  matter  either  for  the  plaintiff  or  defendant, 
 without  any  allegation  or  objection  to  be  made  against  the 
 ■validity  of  them,  by  pretence  of  any  general  Council,  Canon, 
 or  Decree,  to  the  contrary."  Somewhat  belike  they  thought 
 there  was  in  this  mere  Temporal  Court,  without  which  the 
 Pope's  own  mere  Ecclesiastical  Legate's  Dispensation  had 
 taken  small  effect  in  the  Church  of  England  ;  neither  did 
 they  or  the  Cardinal  imagine  anything  committed  against  the 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 427 
 
 Law  of  Nature,  or  of  God,  because  they  took  Order  for  the 
 Church's  afiairs,  and  that  even  in  the  Court  of  Parliament. 
 The  most  natural  and  religious  course  in  making  Laws  is, 
 that  the  matter  of  them  be  taken  from  the  judgment  of  the 
 wisest  in  those  things  which  they  are  to  concern.  In  mat- 
 ters of  God,  to  set  down  a  Form  of  Prayer,  a  solemn  Con- 
 fession of  the  Articles  of  the  Christian  Faith,  and  Cere- 
 monies meet  for  the  exercise  of  Religion ;  it  were  unnatural 
 not  to  think  the  Pastors  and  Bishops  of  our  souls  a  great 
 deal  more  fit,  than  men  of  secular  trades  and  callings:  how- 
 beit,  when  all  which  the  wisdom  of  all  sorts  can  do  is  done 
 for  the  devising  of  Laws  in  the  Church,  it  is  the  general 
 consent  of  all  that  giveth  them  the  form  and  vigour  of  the 
 Laws,  without  which  they  could  be  no  more  unto  us  than 
 the  counsel  of  Physicians  to  the  sick.  Well  might  they 
 seem  as  wholesome  admonitions  and  instructions ;  but 
 Laws  could  they  never  be,  without  the  consent  of  the 
 whole  Church,  to  be  guided  by  them ;  whereunto  both 
 Nature  and  the  practice  of  the  Church  of  God  set  down 
 in  Scripture,  is  found  every  way  so  fully  consonant, 
 that  God  himself  would  not  impose  his  own  Laws  upon 
 his  people  by  the  hand  of  Moses,  without  their  free  and 
 open  consent.  Wherefore,  to  define  and  determine,  even 
 of  the  Church's  affairs  by  way  of  assent  and  approba- 
 tion, as  Laws  are  defined  in  that  right  of  power,  which 
 doth  give  them  the  force  of  Laws ;  thus  to  define  of  our 
 own  Church's  Regiment,  the  Parliament  of  England  hath 
 competent  Authority. 
 
 Touching  that  Supremacy  of  Power  which  our  Kings 
 have  in  the  case  of  making  Laws,  it  resteth  principally  in 
 the  strength  of  a  negative  voice  ;  which  not  to  give  them, 
 were  to  deny  them  that,  without  which  they  were  Kings  but 
 by  a  mere  Title,  and  not  in  exercise  of  Dominion.  Be  it  in 
 Regiment  Popular,  Aristocratical,  or  Regal,  Principality 
 resteth  in  that  person,  or  those  persons,  unto  whom  is 
 given  right  of  excluding  any  kind  of  Law  whatsoever  it  be 
 before  establishment.  This  doth  belong  unto  Kings  as 
 Kings  ;  Pagan  Emperors,  even  Nero  himself  had  no  less, 
 but  much  more  than  this,  in  the  Laws  of  his  own  Empire. 
 That  he  challenged  not  any  interest  of  giving  voice  in  the 
 Laws  of  the  Church,  I  hope  no  man  will  so  construe,  as  if 
 the  cause  were  conscience  and  fear  to  encroach  upon  the 
 
428 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL   F  O  L I T  V . 
 
 Apostles'  right.    If  then  it  it  be  demanded,  by  what  right, 
 from  Constantine  downward,  the  Christian  Emperors  did 
 so  far  intermeddle  with  the  Church's  affairs,  either  we  must 
 herein  condemn  them,  as  being  over  presumptuously  bold, 
 or  else  judge  that,  by  a  Law,  which  is  termed  Regia,  that 
 is  to  say,  Regal,  the  people  having  derived  unto  their  Em- 
 perors their  whole  Power  for  making  of  Laws,  and  by  that 
 means  his  Edicts  being  made  Laws,*  what  matter  soever 
 they  did  concern;  as  Imperial  Dignity  endowed  them  with 
 competent  Authority  and  Power  to  make  Laws  for  Reli- 
 gion, so  they  were  thought  by  Christianity  to  use  their 
 Power,  being  Christians,  unto  the  benefit  of  the  Church  of 
 Christ.    Was  there  any  Christian  Bishop  in  the  world 
 which  did  then  judge  this  repugnant  unto  the  dutiful  sub- 
 jection which  Christians  do  owe  to  the  Pastors  of  their 
 souls?  to  whom,  in  respect  of  their  sacred  Order,  it  is  not 
 by  us,  neither  may  be,  denied,  that  Kings  and  Princes  are 
 as  much  as  the  very  meanest  that  liveth  under  them,  bound 
 in  conscience  to  shew  themselves  gladly  and  willingly  obe- 
 dient; receiving  the  Seals  of  Salvation,  the  blessed  Sacra- 
 ments at  their  hands,  as  at  the  hands  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ,  with  all  reverence,  not  disdaining  to  be  taught  and 
 admonished  by  them,  nor  withholding  from  them  as  much 
 as  the  least  part  of  their  due  and  decent  honour.  All 
 which,  for  any  thing  that  hath  been  alleged,  may  stand 
 very  well  without  resignation  of  Supremacy  of  Power  in 
 making  Laws,  even  Laws  concerning  the  most  spiritual  af- 
 fairs of  the  Church  ;  which  Laws  being  made  amongst  us, 
 are  not  by  any  of  us  so  taken  or  interpreted,  as  if  they  did 
 receive  their  force  from  Power  which  the  Prince  doth  com- 
 municate unto  the  Parliament,  or  unto  any  other  Court  un- 
 der him,  but  from  Power  which  the  whole  Body  of  the 
 Realm  being  naturally  possessed  with,  hath  by  free  and 
 deliberate  assent  derived  unto  him  that  ruleth  over  them, 
 so  far  forth  as  hath  been  declared.    So  that  our  Laws 
 made  concerning  Religion,  do  take  originally  their  essence 
 from  the  Power  of  the  whole  Realm  and  Church  of  Eng- 
 land, than  which,  nothing  can  be  more  consonant  unto  the 
 Law  of  Nature  and  the  will  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 T- c;      To  let  these  go,  and  return  to  our  oavti  men ;  "  Ecclesias- 
 p.92!  tical  Governors  (they  say)  may  not  meddle  with  making  of 
 
 *  '  Item  quod  Principi  placuit,  Legis  liabet  vigorem.'  Inst,  de  J.  N.  G.  et  C. 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 429 
 
 Civil  Laws,  and  of  Laws  for  the  Commonwealth ;  nor  the 
 Civil  Magistrate,  high  or  low,  with  making  of  Orders  for 
 the  Church."  It  seciueth  unto  me  very  strange,  that  these 
 men,  which  are  in  no  case  more  vehement  and  fierce  than 
 where  they  plead,  that  Ecclesiastical  persons  may  not 
 Kvpuvuv,  be  lords,  should  hold  that  the  Power  of  making 
 Ecclesiastical  Laws,  which  thing  of  all  other  is  most  proper 
 unto  Dominion,  belongeth  to  none  but  Ecclesiastical  per- 
 sons only.  Their  oversight  groweth  herein  for  want  of  ex- 
 act observation,  what  it  is  to  make  a  Law.  Tully,  speak- 
 ing of  the  Law  of  Nature,  saith,  "  That  thereof  God  himself 
 was  inventor,  disceptator,  lator,  the  deviser,  the  discusser, 
 and  deliverer :"  wherein  he  plainly  alludeth  unto  the  chief- 
 est  parts  which  then  did  appertain  to  his  public  action. 
 For  when  Laws  were  made,  the  first  thing  was  to  have  them 
 devised ;  the  second  to  sift  them  with  as  much  exactness 
 of  judgment  as  any  way  might  be  used ;  the  next  by  so- 
 lemn voice  of  Sovereign  Authority  to  pass  them,  and  give 
 them  the  force  of  Laws.  It  cannot  in  any  reason  seem 
 otherwise  than  most  fit,  that  unto  Ecclesiastical  persons  the 
 care  of  devising  Ecclesiastical  Laws  be  committed,  even  as 
 the  care  of  Civil  unto  them  which  are  in  those  affairs  most 
 skilful.  This  taketh  not  away  from  Ecclesiastical  persons 
 all  right  of  giving  voice  with  others,  when  Civil  Laws  are 
 proposed  for  Regiment  of  the  Commonwealth,  whereof 
 themselves,  though  now  the  world  would  have  them  anni- 
 hilated, are  notwithstanding  as  yet  a  part ;  much  less  doth 
 it  cut  off  that  part  of  the  Power  of  Princes,  whereby,  as 
 they  claim,  so  we  know  no  reasonable  cause  wherefore  we 
 may  not  grant  them,  without  offence  to  Almighty  God,  so 
 much  Authority  in  making  all  manner  of  Laws  within  their 
 own  Dominions,  that  neither  Civil  nor  Ecclesiastical  do 
 pass  without  their  royal  assent. 
 
 In  devising  and  discussing  of  Laws,  wisdom  especially 
 is  required  ;  but  that  which  establisheth  them  and  maketh 
 them,  is  power,  even  Power  of  Dominion ;  the  Chiefty 
 whereof  (amongst  us)  resteth  in  the  person  of  the  King. 
 Is  there  any  Law  of  Christ's  which  forbiddeth  Kings  and 
 Rulers  of  the  earth  to  have  such  sovereign  and  supreme 
 Power  in  the  making  of  Laws  either  Civil  or  Ecclesiasti- 
 cal? If  there  be,  our  controversy  hath  an  end.  Christ, 
 in  his  Church,  hath  not  appointed  any  such  Law  concern- 
 
430 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 ing  temporal  Power,  as  God  did  of  old  unto  the  Common- 
 wealth of  Israel ;  but  leaving  that  to  be  at  the  world's  free 
 choice,  his  chiefest  care  is,  that  the  Spiritual  Law  of  the 
 Gospel  might  be  published  far  and  wide.  They  that  re- 
 ceived the  Law  of  Christ  were,  for  a  long  time,  people 
 scattered  in  sundry  Kingdoms,  Christianity  not  exempting 
 them  from  the  Laws  which  they  had  been  subject  unto, 
 saving  only  in  such  cases  as  those  Laws  did  enjoin  that 
 which  the  Religion  of  Christ  did  forbid.  Hereupon  grew 
 their  manifold  persecutions  throughout  all  places  where 
 they  lived ;  as  oft  as  it  thus  came  to  pass,  there  was  no 
 possibility  that  the  Emperors  and  Kings  under  whom  they 
 lived,  should  meddle  any  whit  at  all  with  making  Laws  for 
 the  Church.  From  Christ,  therefore,  having  received 
 Power,  who  doubteth,  but  as  they  did,  so  they  might  bind 
 them  to  such  Orders  as  seemed  fittest  for  the  maintenance 
 of  their  Religion,  without  the  leave  of  high  or  low  in  the 
 Commonwealth  ;  forasmuch  as  in  Religion  it  was  divided 
 utterly  from  them,  and  they  from  it?  But  when  the 
 mightiest  began  to  like  of  the  Christian  Faith  ;  by  their 
 means,  whole  free  States  and  Kingdoms  became  obedient 
 unto  Christ.  Now  the  question  is,  whether  Kings,  by  em- 
 bracing Christianity,  do  thereby  receive  any  such  Law  as 
 taketh  from  them  the  weightiest  part  of  that  Sovereignty 
 which  they  had  even  when  they  were  Heathens  ?  whether, 
 being  Infidels,  they  might  do  more  in  causes  of  Religion, 
 than  now  they  can  by  the  Laws  of  God,  being  true  Believ- 
 ers. For,  whereas  in  Regal  States,  the  King,  or  Supreme 
 Head  of  the  Commonwealth,  had,  before  Christianity,  a 
 supreme  stroke  in  making  of  Laws  for  Religion ;  he  must 
 by  embracing  Christian  Religion  utterly  deprive  himself 
 thereof,  and  in  such  causes  become  subject  unto  his  sub- 
 jects, having  even  within  his  own  Dominions  them  whose 
 commandment  he  must  obey ;  unless  his  Power  be  placed 
 in  the  hand  of  some  foreign  spiritual  Potentate :  so  that 
 either  a  foreign  or  domestic  Commander  upon  earth,  he 
 must  admit  more  now,  than  before  he  had,  and  that  in  the 
 chiefest  things  whereupon  Commonwealths  do  stand.  But 
 apparent  it  is  unto  all  men  which  are  not  strangers  unto  the 
 doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  no  State  of  the  world  receiv- 
 ing Christianity  is  by  any  Law  therein  contained  bound  to 
 resign  the  Power  which  they  lawfully  held  before :  but  over 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 431 
 
 what  persons  and  in  what  causes  soever  the  same  hath 
 been  in  force,  it  may  so  remain  and  continue  still.  That 
 which,  as  Kings,  they  might  do  in  matters  of  Religion,  and 
 did  in  matter  of  false  Religion,  being  idolatrous  and  super- 
 stitious Kings,  the  same  they  are  now  even  in  every  respect 
 fully  authorized  to  do  in  all  affairs  pertinent  to  the  state  of 
 true  Christian  Religion.    And,  concerning  the  supreme  t 
 Power  of  making  Laws  for  all  persons  in  all  causes  to  be  ' 
 guided  by,  it  is  not  to  be  let  pass,  that  the  head  enemies  of 
 this  Headship  are  constrained  to  acknowledge  the  King 
 endued  even  with  this  very  Power,  so  that  he  may  and  ought 
 to  exercise  the  same,  taking  order  for  the  Church  and  her 
 affairs  of  what  nature  or  kind  soever,  in  case  of  necessity: 
 as  when  there  is  no  lawful  Ministry,  which  they  interpret 
 then  to  be  (and  this  surely  is  a  point  very  remarkable), 
 wheresoever  the  Ministry  is  wicked.    A  wicked  Ministry 
 is  no  lawful  Ministry ;  and  in  such  sort  no  lawful  Minis- 
 try, that  what  doth  belong  unto  them  as  Ministers  by  right 
 of  their  calling,  the  same  is  annihilated  in  respect  of  their 
 bad  qualities;  their  wickedness  is  itself  a  deprivation  of 
 right  to  deal  in  the  affairs  of  the  Church,  and  a  warrant  for 
 others  to  deal  in  them  which  are  held  to  be  of  a  clean  other 
 Society,  the  members  whereof  have  been  before  so  peremp- 
 torily for  ever  excluded  from  Power  of  dealing  with  affairs 
 of  the  Church.    They  which  once  have  learned  thoroughly 
 this  lesson,  will  quickly  be  capable  perhaps  of  another 
 equivalent  unto  it.    For  if  the  wickedness  of  the  Ministry 
 transfers  their  right  unto  the  King ;  in  case  the  King  be  as 
 wicked  as  they,  to  whom  then  shall  the  right  descend? 
 There  is  no  remedy,  all  must  come  by  devolution  at  length, 
 even  as  the  family  of  Brown  will  have  it,  unto  the  godly 
 among  the  people,  for  confusion  unto  the  wise  and  the 
 great  by  the  poor  and  the  simple;  some  Kniperdoling,  with 
 his  retinue,  must  take  this  work  of  the  Lord  in  hand ;  and 
 the  making  of  Church-laws  and  Orders  must  prove  to 
 be  their  right  in  the  end.    If  not  for  love  of  the  truth, 
 yet  for  shame  of  gross  absurdities,  let  these  contentions 
 and  trifling  fancies  be  abandoned.    The  Cause  which 
 moved  them  for  a  time  to  hold  a  wicked  Ministry  no  law- 
 ful Ministry ;  and,  in  this  defect  of  a  lawful  Ministry,  au- 
 thorized Kings  to  make  Laws  and  Orders  for  the  affairs  of 
 the  Church,  till  it  were  well  established,  is  surely  this : 
 
432 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 first,  they  see  that,  whereas  the  continual  dealings  of  the 
 Kings  of  Israel  in  the  affairs  of  the  Church  doth  make  now 
 very  strong  against  them,  the  burden  hereof  they  shall  in 
 time  well  enough  shake  off,  if  it  may  be  obtained,  that  it 
 is  indeed  lawful  for  Kings  to  follow  these  holy  examples ; 
 howbeit  no  longer  than  during  the  case  of  necessity,  while 
 the  wickedness,  and,  in  respect  thereof,  the  unlawfulness  of 
 the  Ministry  doth  continue.     Secondly,  they  perceive 
 right  well,  that  unless  they  should  yield  Authority  unto 
 Kings  in  case  of  such  supposed  necessity,  the  Discipline 
 they  urge  were  clean  excluded,  as  long  as  the  Clergy  of 
 England  doth  thereunto  remain  opposite.    To  open  there- 
 fore a  door  for  her  entrance,  there  is  no  reason  but  the  tenet 
 must  be  this:  that  now  when  the  Ministry  of  England  is 
 universally  wicked,  and,  in  that  respect,  hath  lost  all  Au- 
 thority, and  is  become  no  lawful  Ministry,  no  such  Minis- 
 try as  hath  the  right,  which  otherwise  should  belong  unto 
 them,  if  they  were  virtuous  and  godly,  as  their  adversaries 
 are;  in  this  necessity  the  King  may  do  somewhat  for  the 
 Church :  that  which  we  do  imply  in  the  name  of  Headship, 
 he  may  both  have  and  exercise  till  they  be  entered  which 
 will  disburden  and  ease  him  of  it ;  till  they  come,  the  King 
 is  licensed  to  hold  that  Power  which  we  call  Headship.  But 
 t.c.    what  afterward  ?  In  a  Church  ordereds,  that  w  hich  the  Su- 
 p^'igz  preme  Magistrate  hath  to  do,  is  to  see  that  the  Laws  of  God, 
 touching  his  worship,  and  touching  all  matters  and  orders 
 of  the  Church,  be  executed  and  duly  observed  ;  to  see  that 
 every  Ecclesiastical  person  do  that  Office  whereunto  he  is 
 appointed  ;  to  punish  those  that  fail  in  their  Office.    In  a 
 word,  that  which  Allen  himself  acknowledged,  unto  the 
 earthly  Power  which  God  hath  given  him  it  doth  belong  to 
 defend  the  Laws  of  the  Church,  to  cause  them  to  be  exe- 
 cuted, and  to  punish  rebels  and  transgressors  of  the  same ; 
 Apoi.i.  on  all  sides  therefore  it  is  confessed,  that  to  the  King  be- 
 pat  »!'  longeth  Power  of  maintaining  the  Laws  made  for  Church- 
 regiment,  and  of  causing  them  to  be  observed ;  but  Princi- 
 pality of  Power  in  making  them,  which  is  the  thing  we 
 attribute  unto  Kings,  this  both  the  one  sort  and  the  other 
 do  withstand. 
 
 power  Touching  the  King's  supereminent  Authority  in  com- 
 mand all  manding,  and  in  judging  of  causes  Ecclesiastical ;  first,  to 
 audtobL  explain  therein  our  meaning,  it  hath  been  taken  as  if  we 
 
HOOK  VIII. 
 
 433 
 
 did  hold,  that  Kings  may  prescribe  what  themselves  think  "J"-1 
 good  to  be  done  in  (he  service  of  God;  how  the  Word  taUies 
 shall  be  taught,  how  the  Sacraments  administered  :  that  fs™J.ea*'" 
 Kings  may  personally  sit  in  the  Consistory  where  the 
 Bishops  do,  hearing  and  determining  what  causes  soever  do 
 appertain  unto  the  Church :  that  Kings  and  Queens,  in 
 their  own  proper  persons,  are  by  judicial  sentence  to  de- 
 cide the  questions  which  do  arise  about  matters  of  Faith 
 and  Christian  Religion  :  that  Kings  may  excommunicate  : 
 finally,  that  Kings  may  do  whatsoever  is  incident  unto  the 
 office  and  duty  of  an  EcclesiasticalJudge.  "Which  opinion, 
 because  we  account,  as  absurd,  as  they  who  have  fathered 
 the  same  upon  us,  we  do  them  to  wit,  that  this  is  our  mean- 
 ing, and  no  otherwise.  There  is  not  within  this  Realm  an 
 Ecclesiastical  Officer,  that  may,  by  the  Authority  of  his  own 
 place,  command  universally  throughout  the  King's  domi- 
 nions: but  they  of  this  people  whom  one  may  command, 
 are  to  another's  commandment  unsubject.  Only  the  King's 
 royal  Power  is  of  so  large  a  compass,  that  no  man  com- 
 manded by  him  according  to  the  order  of  Law,  can  plead 
 himself  to  be  without  the  bounds  and  limits  of  that  Autho- 
 rity ;  I  say,  according  to  order  of  Law,  because  with  us  the 
 highest  have  thereunto  so  tied  themselves,  that  otherwise 
 than  so,  they  take  not  upon  them  to  command  any.  And, 
 that  Kings  should  be  in  such  sort  supreme  Commanders 
 over  all  men,  we  hold  it  requisite,  as  well  for  the  ordering 
 of  Spiritual  as  Civil  affairs ;  inasmuch  as  without  univer- 
 sal Authority  in  this  kind,  they  should  not  be  able  when 
 need  is,  to  do  as  virtuous  Kings  have  done.  "  Josiah,  2  ci.ron. 
 purposing  to  renew  the  House  of  the  Lord,  assembled  the  *"£ 
 Priests  and  Levites ;  and  when  they  were  together,  gave 
 them  their  charge,  saying,  Go  out  unto  the  cities  of  Judah, 
 and  gather  of  Israel  money  to  repair  the  House  of  the 
 Lord  from  year  to  year,  and  haste  the  things :  but  the  Le- 
 vites hastened  not.  Therefore  the  King  commanded  Je- 
 hoiada,  the  Chief-priest,  and  said  unto  him,  Why  hast  thou 
 not  required  of  the  Levites,  to  bring  in  out  of  Judah  and 
 Jerusalem,  the  tax  of  Moses,  the  servant  of  the  Lord,  and 
 of  the  congregation  of  Israel,  for  the  Tabernacle  of  the  tes- 
 timony ?  For  wicked  Athaliah  and  her  children  brake  up 
 the  House  of  the  Lord  God,  and  all  the  things  that  were 
 dedicated  for  the  House  of  the  Lord  did  they  bestow  upon 
 vol.  11.  2  F 
 
434 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 Baalim.  Therefore  the  King  commanded,  and  they  made 
 a  chest,  and  set  it  at  the  gate  of  the  House  of  the  Lord 
 without ;  and  they  made  a  proclamation  through  Judah  and 
 Jerusalem,  to  bring  unto  the  Lord  the  tax  that  Moses  the 
 servant  of  the  Lord  laid  upon  Israel  in  the  wilderness." 
 Could  either  he  have  done  this,  or  after  him  Hezekiah 
 the  like  concerning  the  celebration  of  the  Passover,  but 
 that  all  sorts  of  men  in  all  things  did  owe  unto  these  their 
 Sovereign  Rulers  the  same  obedience  which  sometimes 
 josh.  Joshua  had  them  by  vow  and  promise  bound  unto  1  "  Who- 
 1- 18*  soever  shall  rebel  against  thy  commandments,  and  will  not 
 obey  thy  words  in  all  thou  commandest  him, let  him  be  put  to 
 death;  only  be  strong  and  of  a  good  courage."  Furthermore, 
 Judgment  Ecclesiastical  we  say  is  necessary  for  decision 
 of  controversies  rising  between  man  and  man,  and  for  cor- 
 rection of  faults  committed  in  the  affairs  of  God  :  unto  the 
 due  execution  whereof  there  are  three  things  necessary, 
 Laws,  Judges,  and  Supreme  Governors  of  Judgments. 
 What  Courts  there  shall  be,  and  what  causes  shall  belong 
 unto  each  Court,  and  what  Judges  shall  determine  of  every 
 cause,  and  what  order  in  all  judgments  shall  be  kept;  of 
 these  things  the  Laws  have  sufficiently  disposed,  30  that 
 his  duty  who  sitteth  in  any  such  Court  is  to  judge,  not  of, 
 just,  but  after,  the  same  Law ;  "  Imprimis  illud  observare  debet 
 deoffic.  jU(jeXj  ne  aiiter  judicet  quam  Legibus,  Constitutionibus, 
 aut  Moribus  proditum  est,  ut  Imperator  Justinianus ;" 
 which  Laws  (for  we  mean  the  positive  Laws  of  our  Realm 
 concerning  Ecclesiastical  affairs)  if  they  otherwise  dispose 
 of  any  such  thing  than  according  to  the  Law  of  Reason 
 and  of  God,  we  must  both  acknowledge  them  to  be  amiss, 
 and  endeavour  to  have  tbem  reformed  :  but  touching  that 
 point,  what  may  be  objected  shall  after  appear.  Our 
 Judges  in  causes  Ecclesiastical  are  either  Ordinary  or 
 Commissionary:  Ordinary,  those  whom  we  term  Ordina- 
 ries ;  and  such,  by  the  Laws  of  this  Land,  are  none  but  Pre- 
 lates only,  whose  Power  to  do  that  which  they  do  is  in 
 themselves,  and  belonging  to  the  nature  of  their  Ecclesias- 
 tical calling.  In  spiritual  causes,  a  Lay-person  may  be  no 
 Ordinary ;  a  Commissionary  Judge  there  is  no  let  but  that 
 he  may  be ;  and  that  our  Laws  do  evermore  refer  the  or- 
 dinary judgment  of  spiritual  causes  unto  spiritual  persons, 
 such  as  are  termed  Ordinaries,  no  man  which  knoweth  any 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 435 
 
 thing  of  the  practice  of  this  Realm  can  easily  be  ignorant. 
 Now,  besides  them  which  are  authorized  to  judge  in  seve- 
 ral Territories,  there  is  required  a  universal  Power  which 
 reacheth  over  all,  imparting  supreme  Authority  of  Govern- 
 ment over  all  Courts,  all  Judges,  all  Causes ;  the  operation 
 of  which  Power  is  as  well  to  strengthen,  maintain,  and  up- 
 hold particular  Jurisdictions,  which  haply  might  else  be  of 
 small  effect ;  as  also  to  remedy  that  which  they  are  not  able 
 to  help,  and  to  redress  that  wherein  they  at  any  time  do 
 otherwise  than  they  ought  to  do.    This  Power  being  some- 
 time in  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  who  by  sinister  practices  had 
 drawn  it  into  his  hands,  was  for  just  considerations  by 
 public  consent  annexed  unto  the  King's  royal  Seat  and 
 Crown ;  from  thence  the  authors  of  reformation  would 
 translate  it  into  their  national  Assemblies  or  Synods; 
 which  Synods  are  the  only  helps  which  they  think  lawful 
 to  use  against  such  evils  in  the  Church,  as  particular  Juris- 
 dictions are  not  sufficient  to  redress.    In  which  cause  our  1  Eliz- 
 Laws  have  provided,  that  the  King's  supereminent  Autho-  ap 
 rity  and  Power  shall  serve :  as  namely,  when  the  whole 
 Ecclesiastical  state,  or  the  principal  persons  therein,  do 
 need  visitation  and  reformation ;  when,  in  any  part  of  the 
 Church,  errors,  schisms,  heresies,  abuses,  offences,  con- 
 tempts, enormities,  are  grown ;  which  men  in  their  seve- 
 ral Jurisdictions  either  do  not,  or  cannot  help :  whatso- 
 ever any  spiritual  Authority  and  Power  (such  as  Legates 
 from  the  See  of  Rome  did  sometimes  exercise)  hath  done 
 or  might  heretofore  have  done  for  the  remedies  of  those 
 evils  in  lawful  sort  (that  is  to  say,  without  the  violation  of 
 the  Laws  of  God  or  Nature  in  the  deed  done),  as  much  in 
 every  degree  our  Laws  have  fully  granted  that  the  King 
 for  ever  may  do,  not  only  by  setting  Ecclesiastical  Synods 
 on  work,  that  the  thing  may  be  their  act  and  the  King  their 
 motioner  unto  it,  for  so  much  perhaps  the  masters  of  the 
 reformation  will  grant ;  but  by  commissioners  few  or  many, 
 who  having  the  King's  Letters  Patent,  may  in  the  virtue 
 thereof  execute  the  premises  as  agents  in  the  right,  not 
 of  their  own  peculiar  and  ordinary,  but  of  his  super- 
 eminent,  Power.    When  men  are  wronged  by  inferior 
 Judges,  or  have  any  just  cause  to  take  exception  against 
 them ;  their  way  for  redress  is  to  make  their  appeal ; 
 an  appeal  is  a  present  delivery  of  him  which  maketh  it 
 
 2f2 
 
436 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 out  of  the  hands  of  their  Power  and  Jurisdiction  from 
 whence  it  is  made.  Pope  Alexander  having  sometimes 
 the  King  of  England  at  advantage,  caused  him,  amongst 
 other  things,  to  agree,  that  as  many  of  his  subjects  as 
 Machia-  would,  might  have  appeal  to  the  Court  of  Rome.    "  And 
 
 vel.  flist.  ,     ...  \    .  ,  .  . 
 
 i  iorent.  thus  (saith  one)  that  whereunto  a  mean  person  at  this  day 
 to'ei'.ti.  would  scorn  to  submit  himself,  so  great  a  King  was  con- 
 sent. tent  to  be  subject  to.  Notwithstanding,  even  when  the 
 1610  ]  J 
 
 Pope  (saith  he)  had  so  great  Authority  amongst  Princes 
 
 which  were  far  off,  the  Romans  he  could  not  frame  to  obe- 
 dience, nor  was  able  to  obtain  that  himself  might  abide  at 
 Rome,  though  promising  not  to  meddle  with  other  than 
 Ecclesiastical  affairs."  So  much  are  things  that  terrify 
 more  feared  by  such  as  behold  them  aloof  off  than  at  hand. 
 Reformers  I  doubt  not  in  some  causes  will  admit  appeals, 
 but  appeals  made  to  their  Synods;  even  as  the  Church  of 
 Rome  doth  allow  of  them  so  they  be  made  to  the  Bishop 
 25  Hen.  of  Rome.    As  for  that  kind  of  appeal  which  the  English 
 
 VIII  • 
 
 c.  ig'  Laws  do  approve  from  the  Judge  of  any  certain  particular 
 Court  unto  the  King,  as  the  only  Supreme  Governor  on 
 earth,  who  by  his  delegates  may  give  a  final  definitive  sen- 
 tence, from  which  no  further  appeal  can  be  made ;  will 
 their  Platform  allow  of  this  ?  Surely,  forasmuch  as  in  that 
 estate  which  they  all  dream  of,  the  whole  Church  must  be 
 divided  into  Parishes,  in  which  none  can  have  greater  or 
 less  Authority  and  Power  than  another  ;  again,  the  King 
 himself  must  be  but  a  common  member  in  the  body  of  his 
 own  Parish,  and  the  causes  of  that  only  Parish  must  be  by 
 the  Officers  thereof  determinable  ;  in  case  the  King  had  so 
 much  favour  or  preferment,  as  to  be  made  one  of  those 
 Officers  (for  otherwise  by  their  positions  he  were  not  to 
 meddle  any  more  than  the  meanest  amongst  his  subjects 
 with  the  judgment  of  any  Ecclesiastical  cause),  how  is  it 
 possible  they  should  allow  of  appeals  to  be  made  from 
 any  other  abroad  to  the  King?  To  receive  appeals  from 
 all  other  Judges,  belongeth  to  the  highest  in  Power  of  all, 
 and  to  be  in  Power  over  all  (as  touching  judgment  in 
 Ecclesiastical  causes),  this,  as  they  think,  belongeth  only 
 to  Synods.  Whereas  therefore,  with  us  Kings  do  exercise 
 over  all  things,  persons,  and  causes,  supreme  Power,  both 
 of  voluntary  and  litigious  Jurisdictions;  so  that  according 
 to  the  one  they  incite,  reform,  and  command ;  according  to 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 437 
 
 the  other,  they  judge  universally,  doing  both  in  far  other 
 sort  than  such  as  have  ordinary  Spiritual  Power ;  oppugned 
 we  are  herein  by  some  colourable  show  of  argument,  as  if 
 to  grant  thus  much  to  any  secular  person  it  were  unrea- 
 sonable :  "  For  sith  it  is  (say  they)  apparent  out  of  the  t.  c. 
 Chronicles,  that  judgment  in  Church-matters  pertaineth  to  p".  im. 
 God  ;  seeing  likewise  it  is  evident  out  of  the  Apostles,  that  ~x^%0' 
 the  High-priest  is  set  over  those  matters  in  God's  behalf;  Heb> 
 it  must  needs  follow  that  the  principality  or  direction  of 
 the  judgment  of  them  is,  by  God's  Ordinance,  appertaining 
 to  the  High-priest,  and  consequently  to  the  Ministry  of 
 the  Church :  and  if  it  be  by  God's  Ordinance  appertaining 
 unto  them,  how  can  it  be  translated  from  them  to  the  Civil 
 Magistrate  ?"  Which  argument,  briefly  drawn  into  form, 
 lieth  thus  : — That  which  belongeth  unto  God,  may  not  be 
 translated  Tinto  any  other  but  whom  he  hath  appointed  to 
 have  it  in  his  behalf;  but  Principality  of  Judgment  in 
 Church-matters  appertaineth  unto  God,  which  hath  ap- 
 pointed the  High-priest,  and  consequently  the  Ministry  of 
 the  Church  alone,  to  have  it  in  his  behalf ;  ergo,  it  may  not 
 from  them  be  translated  to  the  Civil  Magistrate.    The  first 
 of  which  propositions  we  grant,  as  also  in  the  second  that 
 branch  which  ascribeth  unto  God  Principality  in  Church- 
 matters.    But,  that  either  he  did  appoint  none  but  only 
 the  High-priest  to  exercise  the  said  Principality  for  him ; 
 or  that  the  Ministry  of  the  Church  may  in  reason  from 
 thence  be  concluded  to  have  alone  the  same  Principality 
 by  his  appointment,  these  two  points  we  deny  utterly. 
 For,  concerning  the  High-priest,  there  is,  first,  no  such 
 Ordinance  of  God  to  be  found ;  "  Every  High-priest  (saith  mt>. 
 the  Apostle)  is  taken  from  amongst  men,  and  is  ordained  v'1- 
 for  men  in  things  pertaining  to  God ;"  whereupon  it  may 
 well  be  gathered,  that  the  Priest  was  indeed  ordained  of 
 God  to  have  Power  in  things  appertaining  unto  God.  For 
 the  Apostle  doth  there  mention  the  Power  of  offering  gifts 
 and  sacrifices  for  sin;  which  kind  of  Power  was  not  only 
 given  of  God  unto  Priests,  but  restrained  unto  Priests  only. 
 The  Power  of  Jurisdiction  and  ruling  Authority,  this  also 
 God  gave  them,  but  not  them  alone.    For  it  is  held,  as  all 
 men  know,  that  others  of  the  Laity  were  herein  joined  by 
 the  Law  with  them.     But,  concerning  Principality  in 
 Church-affairs  (for  of  this  our  question  is,  and  of  no  other). 
 
438 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 the  Priest  neither  had  it  alone,  nor  at  all,  but  in  Spiritual 
 or  Church-affairs  (as  hath  been  already  shewed)  it  was  the 
 Royal  prerogative  of  Kings  only.  Again,  though  it  were 
 so,  that  God  had  appointed  the  High-priest  to  have  the 
 said  Principality  of  Government  in  those  matters ;  yet  how 
 can  they  who  allege  this,  enforce  thereby,  that  conse- 
 quently the  Ministr y  of  the  Church,  and  no  other,  ought  to 
 have  the  same,  when  they  are  so  far  off  from  allowing  so 
 much  to  the  Ministry  of  the  Gospel,  as  the  Priesthood  of 
 the  Law  had  by  God's  appointment,  that  we  but  collecting 
 thereout  a  difference  in  Authority  and  Jurisdiction  amongst 
 the  Clergy,  to  be  for  the  Polity  of  the  Church  not  inconve- 
 nient ;  they  forthwith  think  to  close  up  our  mouths  by  an- 
 swering, "That  the  Jewish  High-priest  had  Authority 
 above  the  rest,  only  in  that  they  prefigured  the  Sovereignty 
 of  Jesus  Christ;  as  for  the  Ministers  of  the  Gospel,  it  is 
 altogether  unlawful  to  give  them  as  much  as  the  least  title, 
 any  syllable  whereof  may  sound  to  Principality  ?"  And  of 
 the  Regency  which  may  be  granted,  they  hold  others  even 
 of  the  Laity  no  less  capable  than  the  Pastors  themselves. 
 How  shall  these  things  cleave  together  ?  The  truth  is,  that 
 they  have  some  reason  to  think  it  not  at  all  of  the  fittest 
 for  Kings  to  sit  as  ordinary  Judges  in  matters  of  Faith  and 
 Religion.  An  ordinary  Judge  must  be  of  the  quality  which 
 in  a  supreme  Judge  is  not  necessary :  because  the  person 
 of  the  one  is  charged  with  that  which  the  other  Authority 
 dischargeth,  without  employing  personally  himself  therein. 
 It  is  an  error  to  think,  that  the  King's  Authority  can  have 
 no  force  nor  power  in  the  doing  of  that  which  himself  may 
 not  personally  do.  For  first,  impossible  it  is  that  at  one 
 and  the  same  time,  the  King  in  person  should  order  so  many 
 and  so  different  affairs,  as  by  his  own  Power  every  where 
 present  are  wont  to  be  ordered  both  in  peace  and  war,  at 
 home  and  abroad.  Again,  the  King  in  regard  of  his  Non- 
 age or  Minority  may  be  unable  to  perform  that  thing 
 wherein  years  of  discretion  are  requisite  for  personal 
 action  ;  and  yet  his  Authority  even  then  be  of  force.  For 
 wJich  cause  we  say,  that  the  King's  Authority  dieth  not, 
 but  is,  and  worketh,  always  alike.  Sundry  considerations 
 there  may  be  effectual  to  withhold  the  King's  person  from 
 being  a  doer  of  that  which  notwithstanding  his  Power  must 
 give  force  unto,  even  in  Civil  affairs ;  where  nothing  doth 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 439 
 
 more  either  concern  the  duty,  or  better  beseem  the  majesty 
 of  Kings,  than  personally  to  administer  justice  to  their 
 people  (as  most  famous  Princes  have  done)  :  yet  if  it  be  in 
 case  of  Felony  or  Treason,  the  learned  in  the  Law  of  this 
 Realm  do  affirm,  that  well  may  the  King  commit  his  Au-  stamf. 
 thority  to  another  to  judge  between  him  and  the  offender ;  of\te 
 but  the  King  being  himself  there  a  party,  he  cannot  per-  j0™.""' 
 sonally  sit  to  give  judgment.  3. 
 
 As  therefore  the  person  of  the  King  may,  for  just  consi- 
 derations, even  where  the  cause  is  Civil,  be  notwithstand- 
 ing withdrawn  from  occupying  the  Seat  of  Judgment,  and 
 others  under  his  Authority  be  fit,  he  unfit  himself  to  judge ; 
 so  the  considerations  for  which  it  were  haply  not  conve- 
 nient for  Kings  to  sit  and  give  sentence  in  Spiritual  Courts, 
 where  causes  Ecclesiastical  are  usually  debated,  can  be 
 no  bar  to  that  force  and  efficacy  which  their  sovereign 
 Power  hath  over  those  very  Consistories,  and  for  which  we 
 hold,  without  any  exception,  that  all  Courts  are  the  King's. 
 All  men  are  not  for  all  things  sufficient,  and  therefore  pub- 
 lic affairs  being  divided,  such  persons  must  be  authorized 
 Judges  in  each  kind,  as  common  reason  may  presume  to 
 be  most  fit:  which  cannot  of  Kings  and  Princes  ordinarily 
 be  presumed  in  causes  merely  Ecclesiastical ;  so  that  even 
 common  sense  doth  rather  adjudge  this  burden  unto  other 
 men.  We  see  it  hereby  a  thing  necessary,  to  put  a  differ- 
 ence, as  well  between  that  Ordinary  Jurisdiction  which  be- 
 longeth  unto  the  Clergy  alone,  and  that  Commissionary 
 wherein  others  are  for  just  considerations  appointed  to  join 
 with  them;  as  also  between  both  these  Jurisdictions,  and  a 
 third,  whereby  the  King  hath  transcendent  Authority,  *and 
 that  in  all  causes  over  both.  "Why  this  may  not  lawfully 
 be  granted  unto  him  there  is  no  reason.  A  time  there  was 
 when  Kings  were  not  capable  of  any  such  Power,  as,  namely, 
 when  they  professed  themselves  open  enemies  unto  Christ 
 and  Christianity.  A  time  there  followed,  when  they,  being 
 capable,  took  sometimes  more,  sometimes  less,  to  them- 
 selves, as  seemed  best  in  their  own  eyes,  because  no  cer- 
 tainty, touching  their  right,  was  as  yet  determined.  The 
 Bishops,  who  alone  were  before  accustomed  to  have  the 
 ordering  of  such  affairs,  saw  very  just  cause  of  grief,  when 
 the  highest,  favouring  Heresy,  withstood,  by  the  strength 
 of  sovereign  Authority,  religious  proceedings.  Whero- 
 
440  ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 upon  they  oftentimes,  against  this  irresistible  Power, plead- 
 ed the  use  and  custom  which  had  been  to  the  contrary ; 
 namely,  that  the  affairs  of  the  Church  should  be  dealt  in  by 
 the  Clergy,  and  by  no  other ;  unto  which  purpose,  the  sen- 
 tences that  then  were  uttered  in  defence  of  unabolished  Or- 
 ders and  Laws,  against  such  as  did  of  their  own  heads  con- 
 trary thereunto,  are  now  altogether  impertinently  brought 
 in  opposition  against  them,  who  use  but  that  Power  which 
 Laws  have  given  them,  unless  men  can  shew  that  there  is 
 in  those  Laws  some  manifest  iniquity  or  injustice.  Whereas 
 T- c-    therefore  against  the  force  Judicial  and  Imperial,  which  su- 
 
 ].  iii. 
 
 P.  155.  preme  Authority  hath,  itis  alleged,  how  Constantine  termeth 
 Euseb.  Church-officers,  "Overseers  of  things  within  the  Church," 
 con-'1  himself,  *' of  those  without  the  Church;"  how  Augustine 
 sunt.    witnesseth,  that  the  Emperor  not  daring  to  judge  of  the 
 [c.  24.]  Bishop's  cause,  committed  it  to  the  Bishops ;  and  was  to 
 ep.  j62.  crave  pardon  of  the  Bishops,  for  that  by  the  Donatists' 
 [ca'^4]3'  importunity,  which  made  no  end  of  appealing  unto  him, 
 ep.m.  he  was,  being  weary  of  them,  drawn  to  give  sentence  in  a 
 c.s".]     matter  of  theirs;  how  Hilary  beseecheth  the  Emperor 
 Ld'con-  Constance  to  provide  that  the  Governors  of  his  Provinces 
 stam.    should  not  presume  to  take  upon  them  the  judgment  of 
 $.  ij"    Ecclesiastical  causes,  to  whom  only  Commonwealth-mat- 
 Arabros.  ters  belonged;  how  Ambrose  affirmeth,  that  Palaces  be- 
 ^pb^_"  long  unto  the  Emperor,  Churches  to  the  Ministry ;  that  the 
 [ai.  so.  Emperor  hath  the  Authority  over  the  common  walls  of  the 
 city,  and  not  in  holy  things ;  for  which  cause  he  never 
 would  yield  to  have  the  causes  of  the  Church  debated  in 
 the  Prince's  Consistories,  but  excused  himself  to  the  Em- 
 peror Valentinian,  for  that  being  convented  to  answer 
 concerning  Church-matters  in  a  Civil  Court,  he  came  not : 
 we  may  by  these  testimonies  drawn  from  antiquity,  if  we 
 list  to  consider  them,  discern  how  requisite  it  is  that  Au- 
 thority should  always  follow  received  Laws  in  the  manner 
 of  proceeding.    For,  inasmuch  as  there  was  at  the  first  no 
 certain  Law  determining  what  force  the  principal  Civil 
 Magistrate's  Authority  should  be  of,  how  far  it  should 
 reach,  and  what  order  it  should  observe  ;  but  Christian  Em- 
 perors from  time  to  time  did  what  themselves  thought  most 
 reasonable  in  those  affairs ;  by  this  means  it  cometh  to 
 pass  that  they  in  their  practice  vary,  and  are  not  uniform. 
 Virtuous  Emperors,  such  as  Constantine  the  Great  was, 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 441 
 
 made  conscience  to  swerve  unnecessarily  from  the  custom 
 which  had  been  used  in  the  Church,  even  when  it  lived  un- 
 der Infidels;  Constantine,  of  reverence  to  Bishops  and 
 their  spiritual  Authority,  rather  abstained  from  that  which 
 himself  might  lawfully  do,  than  was  willing  to  claim  a 
 Power  not  fit  or  decent  for  him  to  exercise.  The  Order 
 which  hath  been  before,  he  ratifieth,  exhorting  the  Bishops 
 to  look  to  the  Church,  and  promising  that  he  would  do  the 
 office  of  a  Bishop  over  the  Commonwealth ;  which  very 
 Constantine  notwithstanding,  did  not  thereby  so  renounce 
 all  Authority  in  judging  of  especial  causes,  but  that  some- 
 time he  took,  as  St.  Augustine  witnesseth,  even  personal 
 cognition  of  them ;  howbeit,  whether  as  purposing  to  give 
 therein  judicially  any  sentence,  I  stand  in  doubt.  For  if  the 
 other,  of  whom  St.  Augustine  elsewhere  speaketh,  did  in 
 such  sort  judge,  surely  there  was  cause  why  he  should  ex- 
 cuse it  as  a  thing  not  usually  done.  Otherwise  there  is  no 
 let,  but  that  any  such  great  person  may  hear  those  causes 
 to  and  fro  debated,  and  deliver  in  the  end  his  own  opinion 
 of  them,  declaring  on  which  side  himself  doth  judge  that 
 the  truth  is.  But  this  kind  of  sentence  bindeth  no  side  to 
 stand  thereunto ;  it  is  a  sentence  of  private  persuasion, 
 and  not  of  solemn  Jurisdiction,  albeit  a  King  or  an  Em- 
 peror pronounce  it.  Again,  on  the  contrary  part,  when 
 Governors  infected  with  Heresy  were  possessed  of  the 
 highest  Power,  they  thought  they  might  use  it  as  it  pleased 
 themselves,  to  further  by  all  means  that  opinion  which  they 
 desired  should  prevail ;  they,  not  respecting  at  all  what 
 was  meet,  presumed  to  Command  and  judge  all  men  in  all 
 causes,  without  either  care  of  orderly  proceeding,  or  regard 
 to  such  Laws  and  Customs  as  the  Church  had  been  wont  to 
 observe.  So  that  the  one  sort  feared  to  do  even  that 
 which  they  might;  and  that  which  the  other  ought  not, 
 they  boldly  presumed  upon  ;  the  one  sort  of  modesty  ex- 
 cused themselves  where  they  scarce  needed;  the  other, 
 though  doing  that  which  is  inexcusable,  bare  it  out  with 
 main  power,  not  enduring  to  be  told  by  any  man  how  far 
 they  roved  beyond  their  bounds.  So  great  odds  was  be- 
 tween them  whom  before  we  mentioned,  and  such  as  the 
 younger  Valentinian,  by  whom  St.  Ambrose  being  com- 
 manded to  yield  up  one  of  the  Churches  under  him  unto 
 the  Arians,  whereas  they  which  were  sent  on  his  message 
 
442 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 alleged,  that  the  Emperor  did  but  use  his  own  right,  foras- 
 much as  all  things  were  in  his  Power;  the  answer  which 
 the  holy  Bishop  gave  them  was,  "  That  the  Church  is  the 
 House  of  God,  and  that  those  things  that  are  God's  are 
 not  to  be  yielded  up,  and  disposed  of  at  the  Emperor's 
 will  and  pleasure  ;  his  Palaces  he  might  grant  to  whomso- 
 ever he  pleaseth,  but  God's  own  habitation  not  so."  A 
 cause  why  many  times  Emperors  do  more  by  their  abso- 
 lute Authority  than  could  very  well  stand  with  reason,  was 
 the  over-great  importunity  of  wicked  Heretics,  who,  being 
 enemies  to  peace  and  quietness,  cannot  otherwise  than  by 
 violent  means  be  supported. 
 
 In  this  respect  therefore  we  must  needs  think  the  state  of 
 our  own  Church  much  better  settled  than  theirs  was ;  be- 
 cause our  Laws  have  with  far  more  certainty  prescribed 
 bounds  unto  each  kind  of  Power.  All  decision  of  things 
 doubtful,  and  correction  of  things  amiss,  are  proceeded  in 
 by  order  of  Law,  what  person  soever  he  be  unto  whom  the 
 administration  of  judgment  belongeth.  It  is  neither  per- 
 mitted unto  Prelates  nor  Prince  to  judge  and  determine  at 
 their  own  discretion,  but  Law  hath  prescribed  what  both 
 shall  do.  What  Power  the  King  hath,  he  hath  it  by  Law, 
 the  bounds  and  limits  of  it  are  known;  the  entire  commu- 
 nity giveth  general  order  by  Law,  how  all  things  publickly 
 are  to  be  done,  and  the  King,  as  the  Head  thereof,  the 
 highest  in  Authority  over  all,  causeth,  according  to  the 
 same  Law,  every  particular  to  be  framed  and  ordered 
 thereby.  The  whole  Body  politic  maketh  Laws,  which 
 Laws  give  Power  unto  the  King ;  and  the  King  having 
 bound  himself  to  use  according  unto  Law  that  Power,  it  so 
 falleth  out,  that  the  execution  of  the  one  is  accomplished 
 by  the  other  in  most  religious  and  peaceable  sort.  There 
 is  no  cause  given  unto  any  to  make  supplication,  as  Hilary 
 did,  that  Civil  Governors,  to  whom  Commonwealth-mat- 
 ters only  belong,  may  not  presume  to  take  upon  them  the 
 judgment  of  Ecclesiastical  causes.  If  the  cause  be  spi- 
 ritual, Secular  Courts  do  not  meddle  with  it :  we  need  not 
 excuse  ourselves  with  Ambrose,  but  boldly  and  lawfully 
 we  may  refuse  to  answer  before  any  Civil  Judge  in  a  mat- 
 ter which  is  not  Civil,  so  that  we  do  not  mistake  either 
 the  nature  of  the  cause  or  of  the  Court,  as  we  easily  may 
 do  both,  without  some  better  direction  than  can  be  by  the 
 
book  viii.  443 
 
 Rules  of  this  new-found  Discipline.  But  of  this  most  cer- 
 tain we  are,  that  our  Laws  do  neither  suffer  a  Spiritual 
 Court*  to  entertain  those  causes  which  by  the  Law  are 
 Civil ;  nor  yet,  if  the  matter  be  indeed  Spiritual,  a  mere 
 Civil  Court  to  give  judgment  of  it.  Touching  supreme 
 Power,  therefore,  to  command  all  men,  and  in  all  manner 
 of  causes  of  judgment  to  be  highest,  let  thus  much  suffice 
 as  well  for  declaration  of  our  own  meaning,  as  for  defence 
 of  the  truth  therein. 
 
 The  cause  is  not  like  when  such  Assemblies  are  gathered 
 together  by  supreme  Authority  concerning  other  affairs  of 
 the  Church,  and  when  they  meet  about  the  making  of  Ec- 
 clesiastical Laws  or  Statutes.  For  in  the  one  they  are  only 
 to  advise,  in  the  other  to  decree.  The  persons  which  are 
 of  the  one,  the  King  doth  voluntarily  assemble,  as  being  in 
 respect  of  quality  fit  to  consult  withal ;  them  which  are  of 
 the  other  he  calleth  by  prescript  of  Law,  as  having  right 
 to  be  thereunto  called.  Finally,  the  one  are  but  them- 
 selves, and  their  sentence  hath  but  the  weight  of  their  own 
 judgment ;  the  other  represent  the  whole  Clergy,  and  their 
 voices  are  as  much  as  if  all  did  give  personal  verdict. 
 Now  the  question  is,  whether  the  Clergy  alone  so  assem- 
 bled ought  to  have  the  whole  Power  of  making  Ecclesias- 
 tical Laws,  or  else  consent  of  the  Laity  may  thereunto  be 
 made  necessary,  and  the  King's  assent  so  necessary  that 
 his  sole  denial  may  be  of  force  to  stay  them  from  being 
 Laws. 
 
 If  they  with  whom  we  dispute  were  uniform,  strong,  what 
 and  constant  in  that  which  they  say,  we  should  not  need  Lawsu 
 
 *        J  may  be 
 
 to  trouble  ourselves  about  their  persons,  to  whom  the  ™»de  for 
 power  of  making  Laws  for  the  Church  belongs.     For  fafrsof 
 they  are  sometime  very  vehement  in  contention^that  from  'chUrcb 
 the  greatest  thing  unto  the  least  about  the  Church,  all and  to  ' 
 
 *  See  the  Statute  of  Ed.  I.  and  Ed.  It  and  Nat.  Brev.  touching  prohibition.  See 
 also  in  Bracton  these  sentences,  lib.  v.  cap.  2.  '  Est  jurisdictio  ordinaria  qutcdam 
 delegata,  qua;  pertinet  ad  Sacerdotium,  et  Forum  Ecclesiasticum,  sicut  in  causis 
 Spiritualibus  et  Spiritualitati  annexis.  Est  etiam  alia  jurisdictio  ordinaria  vel  de- 
 legata, qua;  pertinet  ad  Coronam,  et  Dignitatem  Regis,  et  ad  Regnum  in  causis  et 
 placitis  rerum  temporalium  in  Foro  Seculari.'  Again  :  '  Cum  diverse  sinthinc  inde 
 jurisdictiones,  et  diversi  judices,  et  diversae  causae,  debet  quilibet  ipsorum  impri- 
 mis aestimare,  an  sua  sit  jurisdictio,  ne  falcem  videatur  ponere  in  messem  alienam.' 
 Again  :  'Non  pertinet  ad  Regem  injungere  pcenitentias,  nec  ad  Judicem  Secula- 
 rem  ;  nec  etiam  ad  eos  pertinet  cognoscere  de  iis,  quae  sunt  Spiritualibus  annexa, 
 sicut  de  Decimis  et  aliis  Ecclesis  proventionibus.'  Again  :  '  Non  est  Laicus  con- 
 veniendus  coram  Judice  Ecclesiastico  de  aliquo,  quod  in  Foro  Seculari  terminari 
 possit  et  debeat.' 
 
444 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 whom  must  needs  be  immediately  from  God.  And  to  this  they 
 power  of  aPP^y  the  pattern  of  the  ancient  Tabernacle  which  God 
 makiog  delivered  unto  Moses,  and  was  therein  so  exact,  that 
 
 them  ap-  7 
 
 pertam.  there  was  not  left  as  much  as  the  least  pin  for  the  wit  of 
 
 eth 
 
 man  to  devise  in  the  framing  of  it.    To  this  they  also 
 apply  that  strait  and  severe  charge  which  God  so  often 
 peut.    gave  concerning  his  own  Law,  "  Whatsoever  I  command 
 xii.32.  you,  take  heed  ye  do  it;  thou  shalt  put  nothing  thereto, 
 josh,    thou  shalt  take  nothing  from  it ;"  nothing,  whether  it  be 
 great  or  small.    Yet  sometimes  bethinking  themselves 
 better,  they  speak  as  acknowledging  that  it  doth  suffice  to 
 have  received  in  such  sort  the  principal  things  from  God, 
 and  that  for  other  matters  the  Church  had  sufficient  Autho- 
 rity to  make  Laws.  Whereupon  they  now  have  made  it  a 
 question,  what  persons  they  are  whose  right  it  is  to  take 
 order  for  the  Church's  affairs,  when  the  institution  of  any 
 Thom.  new  thing  therein  is  requisite  ?  Law  may  be  requisite  to  be 
 quffis.    made,  either  concerning  things  that  are  only  to  be  known 
 108-     and  believed  in,  or  else  touching  that  which  is  to  be 
 
 art.  2. 
 
 done  by  the  Church  of  God.  The  Law  of  Nature  and  the 
 Law  of  God  are  sufficient  for  declaration  in  both  what 
 belongeth  unto  each  man  separately,  as  his  soul  is  the 
 spouse  of  Christ ;  yea,  so  sufficient,  that  they  plainly 
 and  fully  shew  whatsoever  God  doth  require  by  way  of 
 necessary  introduction  unto  the  state  of  everlasting  bliss. 
 But  as  a  man  liveth  joined  with  others  in  common  society, 
 and  belongeth  to  the  outward  politic  Body  of  the  Church, 
 albeit  the  same  Law  of  Nature  and  Scripture  have  in  this 
 respect  also  made  manifest  the  things  that  are  of  greatest 
 necessity ;  nevertheless,  by  reason  of  new  occasions  still 
 arising,  which  the  Church,  having  care  of  souls,  must  take 
 order  for  as  need  requireth,  thereby  it  cometh  to  pass,  that 
 there  is,  and  ever  will  be,  so  great  use  even  of  human 
 Laws  and  Ordinances,  deducted  by  way  of  discourse  as  a 
 conclusion  from  the  former  divine  and  natural,  serving  as 
 principles  thereunto.  No  man  doubteth,  but  that  for 
 matters  of  action  and  practice  in  the  affairs  of  God,  for 
 manner  in  Divine  Service,  for  order  in  Ecclesiastical  pro- 
 ceedings about  the  Regiment  of  the  Church,  there  may  be 
 oftentimes  cause  very  urgent  to  have  Laws  made:  but  the 
 reason  is  not  so  plain,  wherefore  human  Laws  should  ap- 
 point men  what  to  believe.    Wherefore  in  this  we  must 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 445 
 
 note  two  things :  1,  That  in  matters  of  opinion,  the  Law 
 doth  not  make  that  to  be  truth  which  before  was  not,  as  in 
 matter  of  action  it  causeth  that  to  be  a  duty  which  was 
 not  before ;  but  manifesteth  only  and  giveth  men  notice  of 
 that  to  be  truth,  the  contrary  whereunto  they  ought  not  be- 
 fore to  have  believed.  2.  That  opinions  do  cleave  to  the 
 understanding,  and  are  in  heart  assented  unto,  it  is  not  in 
 the  power  of  any  human  Law  to  command  them,  because 
 to  prescribe  what  men  shall  think  belongeth  only  unto 
 God  :  "  Corde  creditur,  ore  fit  Confessio,"  saith  the  Apo- 
 stle. As  opinions  are  either  fit  or  inconvenient  to  be  pro- 
 fessed, so  man's  Laws  have  to  determine  of  them.  It  may, 
 for  public  unity's  sake,  require  men's  professed  assent,  or 
 prohibit  their  contradiction  to  special  articles,  wherein,  as 
 there  haply  hath  been  controversy  what  is  true,  so  the  same 
 were  like  to  continue  still,  not  without  grievous  detriment 
 uuto  a  number  of  souls,  except  Law,  to  remedy  that  evil, 
 should  set  down  a  certainty  which  no  man  afterwards  is  to 
 gainsay.  Wherefore,  as  in  regard  of  divine  Laws,  which 
 the  Church  receiveth  from  God,  we  may  unto  every  man 
 apply  those  words  of  wisdom  in  Solomon,  "  My  son,  keep  Prov. 
 thou  thy  father's  Precepts;  Conserva,  fili  mi,  Praecepta  V1'20' 
 patris  tui :"  even  so  concerning  the  Statutes  and  Ordi- 
 nances which  the  Church  itself  makes,  we  may  add  there- 
 unto the  words  that  follow,  "  Et  ne  dimittas  Legem  matris 
 tuae,  And  forsake  thou  not  thy  mother's  Law." 
 
 It  is  a  thing  even  undoubtedly  natural,  that  all  free  and 
 independent  Societies  should  themselves  make  their  own 
 Laws,  and  that  this  Power  should  belong  to  the  whole,  not 
 to  any  certain  part  of  a  politic  Body,  though  haply  some 
 one  part  may  have  greater  sway  in  that  action  than  the 
 rest ;  which  thing  being  generally  fit  and  expedient  in  the 
 making  of  all  Laws,  we  see  no  cause  why  to  think  other- 
 wise in  Laws  concerning  the  Service  of  God,  which  in  all 
 well-ordered  States  and  Commonwealths  is  the  first  thing 
 that  Law  hath  care  to  provide  for.*  When  we  speak  of 
 the  right  which  naturally  belongeth  to  a  Commonwealth, 
 
 *  Ae~  tov  vo/xov  Ta  TTEp!  ©eouc  Hal  Sai'^ovsj  xai  yovEaj,  xai  5\a>?  ri  xaXa.  n  r't/xia,  TTpira 
 TiSecrflai-  S£uTEgev  5e  t*  m^^EpovTo'  ti  ykf  /uixpi  to";  /xri^oriv  axoXouSE~v  Trjo^wsi. 
 Arrhit.  de  leg.  et  instit.  That  is,  It  behoveth  the  Law  first  to  establish  or  settle 
 those  things  which  belong  to  the  gods,  and  divine  powers,  and  to  our  parents, 
 and  universally  those  things  which  be  virtuous  and  honourable  :  in  the  second 
 place,  those  things  that  be  convenient  and  profitable  ;  for  it  is  fit  that  matters  of 
 the  less  weight  should  come  after  the  greater. 
 
446 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 we  speak  of  that  which  must  needs  belong  to  the  Church 
 of  God.  For  if  the  Commonwealth  be  Christian,  if  the 
 people  which  are  of  it  do  publickly  embrace  the  true  Reli- 
 gion, this  very  thing  doth  make  it  the  Church,  as  hath  been 
 shewed.  So  that  unless  the  verity  and  purity  of  Religion 
 do  take  from  them  which  embrace  it,  that  Power  wherewith 
 otherwise  they  are  possessed ;  look  what  Authority,  as 
 touching  Laws  for  Religion,  a  Commonwealth  hath  simply, 
 it  must  of  necessity  retain  the  same,  being  of  the  Christian 
 Religion. 
 
 It  will  be  therefore  perhaps  alleged,  that  a  part  of  the 
 verity  of  Christian  Religion  is  to  hold  the  Power  of 
 making  Ecclesiastical  Laws  a  thing  appropriated  unto  the 
 Clergy  in  their  Synods  ;  and  whatsoever  is  by  their  only 
 voices  agreed  upon,  it  needeth  no  further  approbation  to 
 give  unto  it  the  strength  of  a  Law,  as  may  plainly  appear 
 by  the  Canons  of  that  first  most  venerable  Assembly : 
 Acts  where,  those  things  the  Apostles  and  James  had  conclud- 
 *l-Q3.  ed,  were  afterwards  published  and  imposed  upon  the 
 Churches  of  the  Gentiles  abroad  as  Laws,  the  records 
 thereof  remaining  still  in  the  Book  of  God  for  a  testimony, 
 that  the  Power  of  making  Ecclesiastical  Laws  belongeth 
 to  the  Prelates  of  the  Church  of  God. 
 
 To  this  we  answer,  that  the  Council  of  Jerusalem  is  no 
 argument  for  the  Power  of  the  Clergy  to  make  Laws.  For 
 first,  there  has  not  been  sithence  any  Council  of  like  Au- 
 thority to  that  in  Jerusalem :  secondly,  the  cause  why 
 that  was  of  such  Authority  came  by  a  special  accident : 
 thirdly,  the  reason  why  other  Councils  being  not  like 
 unto  that  in  nature,  the  Clergy  in  them  should  have  no 
 Power  to  make  Laws  by  themselves  alone,  is  in  truth  so 
 forcible,  that  except  some  commandment  of  God  to  the 
 contrary  can  be  shewed,  it  ought  notwithstanding  the 
 aforesaid  example  to  prevail. 
 
 The  Decrees  of  the  Council  of  Jerusalem  were  not  as 
 the  Canons  of  other  Ecclesiastical  Assemblies,  human,  but 
 very  divine  Ordinances  :  for  which  cause  the  Churches 
 were  far  and  wide  commanded  every  where  to  see  them 
 kept,  no  otherwise  than  if  Christ  himself  had  personally 
 on  earth  been  the  author  of  them.  The  cause  why  that 
 Council  was  of  so  great  Authority  and  Credit  above  all 
 others  which  have  been  sithence,  is  expressed  in  those 
 xv.      words  of  principal  observation,  "Unto  the  Holy  Ghost 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 447 
 
 and  to  us  it  hath  seemed  good :"  which  form  of  speech, 
 though  other  Councils  have  likewise  used,  yet  neither 
 could  they  themselves  mean,  nor  may  we  so  understand 
 them,  as  if  both  were  in  equal  sort  assisted  with  the  Power 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost :  but  the  latter  had  the  favour  of  that  Matt:  m 
 
 *  '  ,  xxviiu  CO. 
 
 general  assistance  and  presence  which  Christ  doth  pro- 
 mise unto  all  his,  according  to  the  quality  of  their  several 
 estates  and  callings ;  the  former,  the  grace  of  special, 
 miraculous,  rare,  and  extraordinary  illumination,  in  rela- 
 tion whereunto  the  Apostle,  comparing  the  Old  Testament  r.c°r,6 
 and  the  New  together,  termeth  the  one  a  Testament  of  the  '"' 
 Letter,  for  that  God  delivered  it  written  in  stone;  the  other, 
 a  Testament  of  the  Spirit,  because  God  imprinted  it  in  the 
 hearts,  and  declared  it  by  the  tongues  of  his  chosen  Apo- 
 stles, through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  framing  both 
 their  conceits  and  speeches  in  most  divine  and  incompre- 
 hensible manner.    Wherefore,  inasmuch  as  the  Council 
 of  Jerusalem  did  chance  to  consist  of  men  so  enlightened, 
 it  had  Authority  greater  than  were  meet  for  any  other 
 Council  besides  to  challenge,  wherein  such  kind  of  per- 
 sons are,  as  now  the  state  of  the  Church  doth  stand; 
 Kings  being  not  then  that  which  now  they  are,  and  the 
 Clergy  not  now  that  which  then  they  were.    Till  it  be 
 proved  that  some  special  Law  of  Christ  hath  for  ever  an- 
 nexed unto  the  Clergy  alone  the  Power  to  make  Ecclesi- 
 astical Laws,  we  are  to  hold  it  a  thing  most  consonant 
 with  equity  and  reason,  that  no  Ecclesiastical  Laws  be 
 made  in  a  Christian  Commonwealth,  without  consent  as 
 well  of  the  Laity  as  of  the  Clergy,  but  least  of  all  without 
 consent  of  the  highest  Power. 
 
 For  of  this  thing  no  man  doubteth,  namely,  that  in  all  cap. 
 Societies,  Companies,  and  Corporations,  what  severally  dl'excess. 
 each  shall  be  bound  unto,  it  must  be  with  all  their  assents  !'raelatar 
 
 7  L.  per 
 
 ratified.    Against  all  equity  it  were,  that  a  man  should  fmdum 
 suffer  detriment  at  the  hands  of  men,  for  not  observing  that  praeV.  et' 
 which  he  never  did,  either  by  himself  or  by  others,  medi-  "Jj'jjum 
 ately  or  immediately,  agree  unto  ;  much  more  that  a  King  de  rerun> 
 should  constrain  all  others  to  the  strict  observation  of  any 
 such  human  Ordinance  as  passeth  without  his  own  appro- 
 bation. In  this  case  therefore  especially,  that  vulgar  axiom 
 is  of  force,  "  Quod  oranes  tangit,  ab  omnibus  tractari  et 
 approbaii  debet."    Whereupon  Pope  Nicholas,  although 
 
448 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 otherwise  not  admitting  Lay-persons,  no  not  Emperors 
 themselves,  to  be  present  at  Synods,  doth  notwithstanding 
 seem  to  allow  of  their  presence  when  matters  of  Faith  are 
 Gioss.   determined  whereunto  all  men  must  stand  bound :  "  Ubinam 
 «vi.  c  legistis  Imperatores,  antecessores  vestros,  Synodalibus 
 ubmam.  Conventibus  interfuisse  ;  nisi  forsitan  in  quibus  de  Fide 
 tractatum  est,  qua?  non  solum  ad  Clericos,  verum  etiam  ad 
 Laicos  et  omnes  pertinet  Christianos?"  A  Law,  be  it  Civil 
 or  Ecclesiastical,  is  a  public  obligation,  wherein,  seeing  that 
 the  whole  standeth  charged,  no  reason  it  should  pass  with- 
 out his  privity  and  will,  whom  principally  the  whole  doth 
 Extra    depend  upon.  "Sicut  Laici  jurisdictionem  Clericorum  per- 
 dic.  no.  turbare,  ita  Clerici  jurisdictionem  Laicorum  non  debent 
 Vlt-     minuere ;"  saith  Tnnocentius,  "  As  the  Laity  should  not 
 hinder  the  Clergy's  jurisdiction,  so  neither  is  it  reason  that 
 the  Laity's  right  should  be  abridged  by  the  Clergy,"  saith 
 Pope  Innocent.  But  were  it  so  that  the  Clergy  alone  might 
 give  Laws  unto  all  the  rest,  forasmuch  as  every  estate  doth 
 desire  to  enlarge  the  bounds  of  their  own  liberties,  is  it  not 
 easy  to  see  how  injurious  this  might  prove  to  men  of  other 
 conditions?  Peace  and  justice  are  maintained  by  preserv- 
 ing unto  every  order  their  right,  and  by  keeping  all  estates, 
 as  it  were,  in  an  even  balance.    Which  thing  is  no  way 
 better  done,  than  if  the  King,  their  common  parent,  whose 
 care  is  presumed  to  extend  most  indifferently  over  all,  do 
 bear  the  chiefest  sway  in  making  Laws  which  all  must  be 
 ordered  by.    Wherefore,  of  them  which  in  this  point  attri- 
 bute most  to  the  Clergy,  I  would  demand,  what  evidence 
 there  is  whereby  it  may  clearly  be  shewed,  that,  in  ancient 
 Kingdoms  Christian,  any  Canon  devised  by  the  Clergy 
 alone  in  their  Synods,  whether  Provincial,  National,  or 
 General,  hath  by  mere  force  of  their  agreement,  taken 
 place  as  a  Law,  making  all  men  constrainable  to  be  obe- 
 dient thereunto,  without  any  other  approbation  from  the 
 King,  before  or  afterwards  required  in  that  behalf?  But 
 what  speak  we  of  ancient  Kingdoms,  when  at  this  day,  even 
 Boet.    the  Papacy  itself,  the  very  Tridental  Council  hath  not 
 heroic,  every  where  as  yet  obtained  to  have  in  all  points  the 
 quaest.  strength  of  Ecclesiastical  Laws.    Did  not  Philip,  King  of 
 sect.     Spain,  publishing  that  Council  in  the  Low  Countries,  add 
 ~Si'     thereunto  an  express  clause  of  special  provision,  that  the 
 same  should  in  no  wise  prejudice,  hurt,  or  diminish,  any 
 
BOOK  VIM. 
 
 449 
 
 kind  of  privilege  which  the  King  or  his  vassals  aforetime 
 had  enjoyed,  touching  either  possessory  Judgments  of  Ec- 
 clesiastical Livings,  or  concerning  Nominations  thereunto, 
 or  belonging  to  whatsoever  right  they  had  else  in  such  af- 
 fairs? If  therefore  the  King's  exception,  taken  against 
 some  part  of  the  Canons  contained  in  that  Council,  were  a 
 sufficient  bar  to  make  them  of  none  effect  within  his  terri- 
 tories ;  it  follows  that  the  like  exception  against  any  other 
 part  had  been  also  of  like  efficacy,  and  so  consequently 
 that  no  part  thereof  had  obtained  the  strength  of  a  Law,  if 
 he  which  excepted  against  a  part  had  so  done  against  the 
 whole.  As,  what  reason  was  there,  but  that  the  same  Au- 
 thority which  limited,  might  quite  and  clean  have  refused 
 that  Council  ?  Whoso  alloweth  the  said  act  of  the  Catholic 
 King's  for  good  and  lawful,  must  grant  that  the  Canons, 
 even  of  General  Councils,  have  but  the  face  of  wise  men's 
 opinions  concerning  that  whereof  they  treat,  till  they  be 
 publickly  assented  unto,  where  they  are  to  take  place  as 
 Laws  ;  and  that,  in  giving  such  public  assent  as  maketh  a 
 Christian  Kingdom  subject  unto  those  Laws,  the  King's 
 Authority  is  the  chiefest.  That  which  a  University  of  men, 
 a  Company,  a  Corporation,  doth  without  consent  of  their 
 Rector,  is  as  nothing.  Except,  therefore,  we  make  the 
 King's  Authority  over  the  Clergy  less  in  the  greatest  things, 
 than  the  Power  of  the  meanest  Governor  is  in  all  things 
 over  the  College  or  Society  which  is  under  him ;  how  should 
 we  think  it  a  matter  decent,  that  the  Clergy  should  impose 
 Laws,  the  Supreme  Governor's  assent  not  asked  ? 
 
 Yea,  that  which  is  more,  the  Laws  thus  made,  God  him- 
 self doth  in  such  sort  authorize,  that  to  despise  them,  is  to 
 despise  in  them,  him.  It  is  a  loose  and  licentious  opinion, 
 which  the  Anabaptists  have  embraced,  holding  that  a 
 Christian  man's  liberty  is  lost,  and  the  soul  which  Christ 
 hath  redeemed  unto  himself  injuriously  drawn  into  servi- 
 tude under  the  yoke  of  human  Power,  if  any  Law  be  now 
 imposed  besides  the  Gospel  of  Christ ;  in  obedience  where- 
 unto  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  not  the  constraint  of  men,  is  to 
 lead  us,  according  to  that  of  the  blessed  Apostle,  "  Such  1*°™ 
 as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God, 
 and  not  such  as  live  in  thraldom"  unto  men.  Their  judg- 
 ment is,  therefore,  that  the  Church  of  Christ  should  admit 
 of  no  Lawmakers  but  the  Evangelists,  no  Courts  but  Presby- 
 
 vol.  II.  2  g 
 
450 
 
 E C C  L  E  S 1  A  S  T I  C  A  L  POLITY. 
 
 teries,  no  punishments  but  Ecclesiastical  censures.  Against 
 this  sort,  we  are  to  maintain  the  use  of  human  Laws,  and 
 the  continual  necessity  of  making  them  from  time  to  time, 
 as  long  as  this  present  world  doth  last;  so  likewise  the  Au- 
 thority of  Laws  so  made  doth  need  much  more  by  us  to 
 be  strengthened  against  another  sort,  who,  although  they 
 do  not  utterly  condemn  the  making  of  Laws  in  the  Church, 
 yet  make  they  a  deal  less  account  of  them  than  they 
 should  do.  There  are  which  think  simply  of  human  Laws, 
 that  they  can  in  no  sort  touch  the  conscience,  that  to 
 break  and  transgress  them  cannot  make  men  in  the  sight 
 of  God  culpable,  as  sin  doth ;  only  when  we  violate 
 such  Laws,  we  do  thereby  make  ourselves  obnoxious  unto 
 external  punishment  in  this  world,  so  that  the  Magistrate 
 may,  in  regard  of  such  offence  committed,  justly  correct 
 the  offender,  and  cause  him,  without  injury,  to  endure  such 
 pains  as  Law  doth  appoint,  but  further  it  reacheth  not. 
 For  first,  the  conscience  is  the  proper  court  of  God,  the 
 guiltiness  thereof  is  sin,  and  the  punishment  eternal  death; 
 men  are  not  able  to  make  any  Law  that  shall  command  the 
 heart,  it  is  not  in  them  to  make  inward  conceit  a  crime,  or 
 to  appoint  for  any  crime  other  punishment  than  corporal ; 
 their  Laws,  therefore,  can  have  no  power  over  the  soul, 
 neither  can  the  heart  of  man  be  polluted  by  transgressing 
 them.  St.  Augustine  rightly  defineth  sin  to  be  that  which 
 is  spoken,  done,  or  desired,  not  against  any  Laws,  but 
 against  the  Law  of  the  living  God.  The  Law  of  God  is 
 proposed  unto  man,  as  a  glass  wherein  to  behold  the  stains 
 and  the  spots  of  their  sinful  souls  :  by  it  they  are  to  judge 
 themselves,  and  when  they  feel  themselves  to  have  trans- 
 gressed against  it,  then  to  bewail  their  offences  with  David, 
 [Psai.  "  Against  thee  only,  O  Lord,  have  I  sinned,  and  done  wick- 
 U,4J  edly  in  thy  sight;"  that  so  our  present  tears  may  extin- 
 guish the  flames,  which  otherwise  we  are  to  feel,  and 
 which  God  in  that  day  shall  condemn  the  wicked  unto, 
 when  they  shall  render  account  of  the  evil  which  they  have 
 done,  not  by  violating  Statute-Laws  and  Canons,  but  by 
 disobedience  unto  his  Law  and  his  Word. 
 
 For  our  better  instruction,  therefore,  concerning  this 
 tl  Pet  point,  first  we  must  note,  that  the  Law  of  God  itself  doth 
 ii.  13.  require  at  our  hands  subjection.  "  Be  ye  subject,"  saith 
 au?ij  St.  Peter ;  and  St.  Paul,  "  Let  every  soul  be  subject;  sub- 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 451 
 
 ject  all  unto  such  Powers  as  are  set  over  us."  For  if  such 
 as  are  not  set  over  us  require  our  subjection,  we  by  deny- 
 ing it  are  not  disobedient  to  the  Law  of  God,  or  undutiful 
 unto  higher  Powers  ;  because,  though  they  be  such  in  re- 
 gard of  them  over  whom  they  have  lawful  Dominion,  yet 
 having  not  so  over  us,  unto  us  they  are  not  such.*  Sub- 
 jection, therefore,  we  owe,  and  that  by  the  Law  of  God; 
 we  are  in  conscience  bound  to  yield  it  even  unto  every  of 
 them  that  hold  the  Seats  of  Authority  and  Power  in  relation 
 unto  us.  Howbeit,  not  all  kinds  of  subjection  unto  every 
 such  kind  of  Power.  Concerning  Scribes  and  Pharisees, 
 our  Saviour's  precept  was,  "  Whatsoever  they  shall  tell  [Matt, 
 ye,  do  it:"  was  it  his  meaning,  that  if  they  should  at  any  X)""" 
 time  enjoin  the  people  to  levy  any  army,  or  to  sell  their 
 lands  and  goods  for  the  furtherance  of  so  great  an  enter- 
 prize  ;  and,  in  a  word,  that  simply  whatsoever  it  were 
 which  they  did  command,  they  ought,  without  any  excep- 
 tion, forthwith  to  be  obeyed?  No,  but  whatsoever  they 
 shall  tell  you,  must  be  understood  in  pertinentibus  ad 
 Cathedram,  it  must  be  construed  with  limitation,  and  re- 
 strained unto  things  of  that  kind  which  did  belong  to  their 
 Place  and  Power:  for  they  had  not  Power  general,  abso- 
 solutely  given  I  hem  to  command  all  things.  The  reason 
 why  we  are  bound  in  conscience  to  be  subject  unto  all 
 such  power  is,  because  all  "  Powers  are  of  God."  mCi. 
 
 They  are  of  God  either  instituting  or  permitting  them. 
 Power  is  then  of  divine  institution,  when  either  God  him- 
 self doth  deliver,  or  men  by  light  of  Nature  find  out,  the 
 kind  thereof.  So  that  the  Power  of  parents  over  children, 
 and  of  husbands  over  their  wives,  the  Power  of  all  sorts  of 
 superiors,  made  by  consent  of  Commonwealths  within 
 themselves,  or  grown  from  agreement  amongst  Nations, 
 such  Power  is  of  God's  own  institution  in  respect  of  the 
 kind  thereof.  Again,  if  respect  be  had  unto  those  parti- 
 cular persons  to  whom  the  same  is  derived,  if  they  either 
 receive  it  immediately  from  God,  as  Moses  and  Aaron 
 did ;  or  from  Nature,  as  parents  do ;  or  from  men  by  a 
 natural  and  orderly  course,  as  every  Governor  appointed 
 
 •  '  Verura  ac  proprium  cms  a  peregrino  discrimen  est,  quod  alter  imperio  ac 
 potestate  civili  obligatur;  alter  jussa  Principia  alieni  respuere  potest.  Ilium 
 Princeps  ab  hostium  «eque  ac  civium  injuria  tueri  tenetur  ;  hunc  non  item  nisi 
 rogatus  et  humanitatis  officiis  impulsus,'  saith  Bodin.  de  Rep.  lib.  i.  cap.  6.  non 
 multum  a  fine  p.  61.  edit.  Lugd.  B.  in  fol.  1586. 
 
 2  g  2 
 
452 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL  POLITY. 
 
 in  auy  Commonwealth,  by  the  order  thereof,  doth:  then  is 
 not  the  kind  of  their  Power  only  of  God's  instituting,  but 
 the  derivation  thereof  also  into  their  persons,  is  from  him. 
 He  hath  placed  them  in  their  Rooms,  and  doth  term  them 
 his  Ministers;  subjection,  therefore,  is  due  unto  all  such 
 Powers,  inasmuch  as  they  are  of  God's  own  institution, 
 even  then  when  they  are  of  man's  creation,  omni  humance 
 creatura:  which  things  the  Heathens  themselves  do  ac- 
 knowledge. 
 
 As  for  them  that  exercise  Power  altogether  against 
 Order,  although  the  kind  of  power  which  they  have  may  be 
 of  God,  yet  is  their  exercise  thereof  against  God,  and  there- 
 fore not  of  God,  otherwise  than  by  permission,  as  all  in- 
 justice is. 
 
 Touching  such  acts  as  are  done  by  that  Power  which  is 
 according  to  his  institution,  that  God  in  like  sort  doth  au- 
 thorize them,  and  account  them  to  be  his;  though  it  were 
 not  confessed,  it  might  be  proved  undeniably.    For  if  that 
 be  accounted  our  deed,  which  others  do,  whom  we  have 
 appointed  to  be  our  agents,  how  should  God  but  approve 
 those  deeds,  even  as  his  own,  which  are  done  by  virtue  of 
 cci.ron.  that  commission  and  power  which  he  hath  given.    "  Take 
 SIX  6'   heed  (saith  Jehoshaphat  to  his  Judges),  be  careful  and  cir- 
 cumspect what  ye  do  ;  ye  do  not  execute  the  judgments  of 
 man,  but  of  the  Lord."   The  Authority  of  Caesar  over  the 
 Jews,  from  whence  was  it?  Had  it  any  other  ground  than 
 the  Law  of  Nations,  which  maketh  Kingdoms,  subdued  by 
 just  war,  to  be  subject  unto  their  conquerors  ?    By  this 
 Power  Caesar  exacting  tribute,  our  Saviour  confesseth  it  to 
 be  his  right,  a  right  which  could  not  be  withheld  without 
 injury,  yea  disobedience  herein  unto  him,  and  even  rebel- 
 lion against  God.    Usurpers  of  Power,  whereby  we  do  not 
 mean  them  that  by  violence  have  aspired  unto  places  of 
 highest  Authority,  but  them  that  use  more  Authority  than 
 they  did  ever  receive  inform  and  manner  before  mentioned 
 (for  so  they  may  do,  whose  title  to  the  Rooms  of  Authority 
 which  they  possess,  no  man  can  deny  to  be  just  and  lawful: 
 even  as  contrariwise  some  men's  proceedings  in  Govern- 
 
 *  A  sceptre-swaying  King,  to  whom  even  Jupiter  himself  hath  given  power 
 and  commandment.    Horn.  II.  lib.  A.  [ver.  279.] 
 
BOOK  VIII. 
 
 453 
 
 ment  have  been  very  orderly,  who  notwithstanding  did  not 
 attain  to  be  made  Governors  without  great  violence  and 
 disorder);  such  usurpers  thereof,  as  in  the  exercise  of  their 
 Power  do  more  than  they  have  been  authorized  to  do,  can- 
 not in  conscience  biud  any  man  unto  obedience. 
 
 That  subjection  which  we  owe  unto  lawful  Powers,  doth 
 not  only  import  that  we  should  be  under  them  by  order  of 
 our  state,  but  that  we  shew  all  submission  towards  them 
 both  by  honour  and  obedience.  He  that  resisteth  them, 
 resisteth  God :  and  resisted  they  be,  if  either  the  Authority 
 itself  which  they  exercise  be  denied,  as  by  Anabaptists  all 
 secular  Jurisdictions ;  or  if  resistance  be  made  but  only  so 
 far  forth  as  doth  touch  their  persons  which  are  invested 
 with  Power  (for  they  which  said,  Nolumus  hunc  regnare, 
 did  not  utterly  exclude  Regiment ;  nor  did  they  wish  all 
 kind  of  Government  clearly  removed,  which  would  not  at 
 the  first  have  David  to  govern) ;  or  if  that  which  they  do 
 by  virtue  of  their  Power,  namely,  their  Laws,  Edicts,  Ser- 
 vices, or  other  acts  of  Jurisdiction,  be  not  suffered  to  take 
 effect,  contrary  to  the  blessed  Apostle's  most  holy  Rule, 
 "  Obey  them  who  have  the  oversight  of  you."  Or  if  they  H«b. 
 do  take  effect,  yet  is  not  the  will  of  God  thereby  satisfied  x'"' 
 neither,  as  long  as  that  which  we  do  is  contemptuously  or 
 repiningly  done,  because  we  can  do  no  otherwise.  In  such 
 sort  the  Israelites  in  the  Desert  obeyed  Moses,  and  were 
 notwithstanding  deservedly  plagued  for  disobedience. 
 The  Apostle's  Precept  therefore  is,  "  Be  subject  even  for 
 God's  cause;  be  subject,  not  for  fear,  but  of  mere  con- 
 science, knowing,  that  he  which  resisteth  them,  purchaseth 
 to  himself  condemnation."  Disobedience,  therefore,  unto 
 Laws  which  are  made  by  them,  is  not  a  thing  of  so  small 
 account  as  some  would  make  it. 
 
 Howbeit,  too  rigorous  it  were,  that  the  breach  of  every 
 human  Law  should  be  held  a  deadly  sin :  a  mean  there  is 
 between  these  extremities,  if  so  be  we  can  find  it  out. 
 
SUPPLICATION,  &c. 
 
 TO  THE  READER. 
 
 The  pleasures  of  thy  spacious  walks  in  Mr.  Hooker's 
 Temple-garden  (not  unfitly  so  called,  both  for  the  Temple 
 whereof  he  was  Master,  and  the  subject,  Ecclesiastical 
 Polity)  do  promise  acceptance  to  these  flowers,  planted 
 and  watered  by  the  same  hand,  and,  for  thy  sake,  composed 
 into  this  posy.  Sufficiently  are  they  commended  by  their 
 fragrant  smell,  in  the  dogmatical  truth ;  by  their  beautiful 
 colours,  in  the  accurate  style ;  by  their  medicinable  vir- 
 tue, against  some  diseases  in  our  neighbour  Churches,  now 
 proving  epidemical,  and  threatening  farther  infection  ;  by 
 their  straight  feature  and  speading  nature,  growing  from 
 the  root  of  Faith  (which,  as  here  is  proved,  can  never  be 
 rooted  up),  and  extending  the  branches  of  charity  to  the 
 covering  of  Noah's  nakedness;  opening  the  windows  of 
 hope  to  men's  misty  conceits  of  their  bemisted  forefathers. 
 Thus,  and  more  than  thus,  do  the  Works  commend  them- 
 selves :  the  workman  needs  a  better  workman  to  commend 
 him  (Alexander's  picture  requires  Appelles's  pencil) ;  nay, 
 he  needs  it  not,  His  own  Works  commend  him  in  the  gates ; 
 and,  being  dead  he  yet  speaketh ;  the  syllables  of  that  memo- 
 able  name,  Mr.  Richard  Hooker,  proclaiming  more,  than 
 if  I  should  here  style  him,  a  painful  Student,  a  profound 
 Scholar,  a  judicious  Writer,  with  other  due  titles  of  his 
 honour.  Receive  then  this  posthume  Orphan  for  his  own, 
 yea,  for  thine  own  sake  ;  and  if  the  Printer  hath,  with  over- 
 much haste,  like  Mephibosheth's  nurse,  lamed  the  child  with 
 slips  and  falls,  yet  be  thou  of  David's  mind,  shew  kindness 
 to  him  for  his  father  Jonathan's  sake.    God  grant,  that  the 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 455 
 
 rest  of  his  brethren  be  not  more  than  lamed,  and  that  as 
 Saul's  three  sons  died  the  same  day  with  him,  so  those  three 
 promised  to  perfect  his  Polity,  with  other  issues  of  that 
 learned  brain,  be  not  buried  in  the  grave  with  their  re- 
 nowned Father.  Farewell. 
 
 W.  S. 
 
 The  contents  of  the  Treatises  following. 
 
 I.  A  Supplication  made  to  the  Council  by  Master  Walter 
 
 Travers. 
 
 II.  Master  Hooker's  Answer  to  the  Supplication  that  Master 
 
 Travers  made  to  the  Council. 
 
 III.  A  learned  Discourse  of  Justification,  Works,  and  how 
 the  Foundation  of  Faith  is  overthrown. 
 
 IV.  A  learned  Sermon  of  the  Nature  of  Pride. 
 
 V.  A  Remedy  against  Sorrow  and  Fear,  delivered  in  a 
 
 Funeral  Sermon. 
 
 VI.  Of  the  Certainty  and  Perpetuity  of  Faith  in  the  Elect : 
 especially  the  Prophet  ffabakkuk's  Faith. 
 
 VII.  Two  Sermons  upon  part  of  St.  Jude's  Epistle. 
 
 VIII.  A  Sermon  upon  Matt.  vii.  7,  8. 
 
A 
 
 SUPPLICATION 
 
 MADE  TO  THE 
 
 COUNCIL 
 
 BY 
 
 MASTER  WALTER  TRAVERS. 
 
 Right  Honourable, 
 
 The  manifold  benefits  which  all  the  subjects  within  this  Do- 
 minion do  at  this  present,  and  have  many  yeafs  enjoyed, 
 under  her  Majesty's  most  happy  and  prosperous  reign,  by 
 your  godly  wisdom  and  careful  watching  over  this  estate 
 night  and  day,  I  truly  and  unfeignedly  acknowledge,  from 
 the  bottom  of  my  heart,  ought  worthily  to  bind  us  all  to  pray 
 continually  to  Almighty  God  for  the  continuance  and  in- 
 crease of  the  life  and  estate  of  your  Honours,  and  to  be 
 ready,  with  all  good  duties,  to  satisfy  and  serve  the  same 
 to  our  power.    Besides  public  benefits  common  unto  all, 
 I  must  needs,  and  do  willingly,  confess  myself  to  stand 
 bound  by  most  special  obligation,  to  serve  and  honour  you 
 more  than  any  other,  for  the  honourable  favour  it  hath 
 pleased  you  to  vouchsafe  both  oftentimes  heretofore,  and 
 also  now  of  late,  in  a  matter  more  dear  unto  me  than  my 
 earthly  commodity,  that  is,  the  upholding  and  furthering  of 
 my  service  in  the  ministering  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 For  which  cause,  as  I  have  been  always  careful  so  to  carry 
 myself  as  I  might  by  no  means  give  occasion  to  be  thought 
 unworthy  of  so  great  a  benefit,  so  do  I  still,  next  unto  her 
 Majesty's  gracious  countenance,  hold  nothing  more  dear 
 and  precious  to  me,  than  that  I  may  always  remain  in  your 
 Honours'  favour,  which  hath  oftentimes  been  helpful  and 
 comfortable  unto  me  in  my  Ministry,  and  to  all  such  as  reaped 
 any  fruit  of  my  simple  and  faithful  labour.    In  which  duti- 
 ful regard  I  humbly  beseech  your  Honours  to  vouchsafe  to 
 do  me  this  grace,  to  conceive  nothing  of  me  otherwise  than 
 
SUPPLICATION   TO  THE  COUNCIL.  457 
 
 according  to  the  duty  wherein  I  ought  to  live,  by  any  in- 
 formation against  me,  before  your  Honours  have  heard  my 
 answer,  and  been  thoroughly  informed  of  the  matter. 
 Which,  although  it  be  a  thing  that  your  Wisdoms,  not  in 
 favour,  but  in  justice,  yield  to  all  men,  yet  the  state  of  the 
 calling  into  the  Ministry,  whereunlo  it  hath  pleased  God  of 
 his  goodness  to  call  me,  though  unworthiest  of  all,  is  so 
 subject  to  misinformation,  as,  except  we  may  find  this  fa- 
 vour with  your  Honours,  we  cannot  look  for  any  other,  but 
 that  our  indifferent  parties  may  easily  procure  us  to  be 
 hardly  esteemed  of ;  and  that  we  shall  be  made  like  the 
 poor  fisher-boats  in  the  sea,  which  every  swelling  wave 
 and  billow  raketh  and  runneth  over.    AVherein  my  estate 
 is  yet  harder  than  any  others  of  my  rank  and  calling,  who 
 are  indeed  to  fight  against  flesh  and  blood  in  what  part  so- 
 ever of  the  Lord's  host  and  field  they  shall  stand  marshalled 
 to  serve,  yet  many  of  them  deal  with  it  naked,  and  unfur- 
 nished of  weapons:  but  my  service  was  in  a  place  where  I 
 was  to  encounter  with  it,  well  appointed  and  armed  with 
 skill  and  with  authority,  whereof,  as  I  have  always  thus 
 deserved,  and  therefore  have  been  careful  by  all  good  means 
 to  entertain  still  your  Honours'  favourable  respect  of  me, 
 so  have  I  special  cause  at  this  present,  wherein  misinfor- 
 mation to  the  Lord  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  other 
 of  the  High  Commission,  hath  been  able  so  far  to  prevail 
 against  me,  that  by  their  letter  they  have  inhibited  me  to 
 preach,  or  execute  any  act  of  Ministry,  in  the  Temple  or 
 elsewhere,  having  never  once  called  me  before  them,  to  un- 
 derstand by  mine  answer  the  truth  of  such  things  as  had  been 
 informed  against  me.    We  have  a  story  in  our  books  where- 
 in the  Pharisees,  proceeding  against  our  Saviour  Christ, 
 without  having  heard  him,  are  reproved  by  an  honourable 
 Counsellor(as  the  Evangelist  doth  term  him),  saying, "  Doth  [John, 
 our  Law  judge  a  man  before  it  hear  him,  and  know  what  he  v"' 51 
 hath  done  ?"    Which  I  do  not  mention,  to  the  end  that  by 
 an  indirect  and  covert  speech  I  might  so  compare  those 
 who  have,  without  ever  hearing  me,  pronounced  a  heavy 
 sentence  against  me ;  for  notwithstanding  such  proceedings, 
 I  purpose  by  God's  grace  to  carry  myself  towards  them  in  all 
 seeming  duty,  agreeable  to  their  places  :  much  less  do  I  pre- 
 sume to  liken  my  cause  to  our  Saviour  Christ's,  who  hold 
 it  my  chiefest  honour  and  happiness  to  serve  him,  though 
 
458 
 
 WALTER  TR  A  VERS  HIS 
 
 it  be  but  among  the  hinds  and  hired  servants  that  serve  him 
 in  the  basest  corners  of  his  House  :  but  my  purpose  in  men- 
 tioning it  is,  to  shew,  by  the  judgment  of  a  prince  and  great 
 man  in  Israel,  that  such  proceeding  standeth  not  with  the 
 Law  of  God,  and  in  a  princely  pattern  to  shew  it  to  be  a  noble 
 part  of  an  honourable  Counseller,  not  to  allow  of  indirect 
 dealings,  but  to  love  and  affect  such  a  course  in  justice  as 
 is  agreeable  to  the  Law  of  God.    We  have  also  a  plain 
 rule  in  the  Word  of  God,  not  to  proceed  any  otherwise 
 against  any  Elder  of  the  Church ;  much  less  against  one 
 that  laboureth  in  the  Word,  and  in  Teaching.    Which  rule 
 is  delivered  with  this  most  earnest  charge  and  obtestation, 
 [i  Tim  "  I  beseech  and  charge  thee  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  the 
 T'21'1  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  elect  Angels,  that  thou  keep 
 those  [rules]  without  preferring  one  before  another,  doing 
 nothing  of  partiality,  or  inclining  to  either  part ;"  which 
 Apostolical  and  most  earnest  charge,  I  refer  to  your 
 Honours'  wisdom  how  it  hath  been  regarded  in  so  heavy  a 
 judgment  against  me,  without  ever  hearing  my  cause ;  and 
 whether,  as  having  God  before  their  eyes,  and  the  Lord 
 Jesus,  by  whom  all  former  judgments  shall  be  tried  again ; 
 and,  as  in  the  presence  of  the  elect  Angels,  witnesses  and 
 observers  of  the  Regiment  of  the  Church,  they  have  pro- 
 ceeded thus  to  such  a  sentence.    They  allege  indeed  two 
 reasons  in  their  letters,  whereupon  they  restrain  my  Minis- 
 try ;  which,  if  they  were  as  strong  against  me  as  they  are 
 supposed,  yet  I  refer  to  your  Honours'  wisdoms,  whether 
 the  quality  of  such  an  offence  as  they  charge  me  with, 
 which  is  in  effect  but  an  indiscretion,  deserve  so  grievous  a 
 punishment  both  to  the  Church  and  me,  in  taking  away  my 
 Ministry,  and  that  poor  little  commodity  which  it  yieldeth 
 for  the  necessary  maintenance  of  my  life ;  if  so  unequal 
 a  balancing  of  faults  and  punishments  should  have  place  in 
 the  Commonwealth,  surely  we  should  shortly  have  no  ac- 
 tions upon  the  case,  nor  of  trespass,  but  all  should  be  pleas 
 of  the  Crown,  nor  any  man  amerced,  or  fined,  but  for  every 
 light  offence  put  to  his  ransom.    I  have  credibly  heard, 
 that  some  of  the  Ministry  have  been  committed  for  grievous 
 transgressions  of  the  Laws  of  God  and  men,  being  of  no 
 ability  to  do  other  service  in  the  Church  than  to  read ;  yet 
 hath  it  been  thought  charitable,  and  standing  with  Christian 
 moderation  and  temperance,  not  to  deprive  such  of  Minis- 
 
SUPPLICATION   TO  THE   COUNCIL.  459 
 
 try  and  beneficence,  but  to  inflict  some  more  tolerable 
 punishment.  Which  I  write  not  because  such,  as  1  think, 
 were  to  be  favoured,  but  to  shew  how  unlike  their  dealing 
 is  with  me,  being  through  the  goodness  of  God  not  to  be 
 touched  with  any  such  blame ;  and  one,  who,  according  to 
 the  measure  of  the  gift  of  God,  have  laboured  now  some 
 years  painfully,  in  regard  of  the  weak  estate  of  my  body, 
 in  preaching  the  Gospel,  and,  as  I  hope,  not  altogether 
 unprofitably,  in  respect  of  the  Church.  But  I  beseech  your 
 Honours  to  give  me  leave  briefly  to  declare  the  particular 
 reasons  of  their  letter,  and  what  answer  I  have  to  make  to 
 it. 
 
 The  first  is,  that,  as  they  say,  "  I  am  not  lawfully  called 
 to  the  function  of  the  Ministry,  nor  allowed  to  preach,  ac- 
 cording to  the  Laws  of  the  Church  of  England." 
 
 For  answer  to  this,  I  had  need  to  divide  the  points.  And 
 first  to  make  answer  to  the  former;  wherein,  leaving  to 
 shew  what  by  the  Holy  Scriptures  is  required  in  a  lawful 
 calling,  and  that  all  this  is  to  be  found  in  mine,  that  I  be 
 not  too  long  for  your  weighty  affairs,  I  rest  in  this  answer. 
 
 My  calling  to  the  Ministry  was  such  as,  in  the  calling 
 of  any  thereunto,  is  appointed  to  be  used  by  the  Orders 
 agreed  upon  in  the  National  Synods  of  the  Low  Countries, 
 for  the  direction  and  guidance  of  their  Churches ;  which 
 Orders  are  the  same  with  those  whereby  the  French  and 
 Scottish  Churches  are  governed ;  whereof  I  have  shewed 
 such  sufficient  testimonial  to  my  Lord  the  Archbishop  of 
 Canterbury,  as  is  requisite  in  such  a  matter :  whereby  it 
 must  needs  fall  out,  if  any  man  be  lawfully  called  to  the 
 Ministry  in  those  Churches,  then  is  my  calling,  being  the 
 same  with  theirs,  also  lawful.  But  I  suppose,  notwith- 
 standing they  use  this  general  speech,  they  mean  only,  my 
 calling  is  not  sufficient  to  deal  in  the  Ministry  within  this 
 Land,  because  I  was  not  made  Minister  according  to  that 
 Order,  which  in  this  case  is  ordained  by  our  Laws.  Where- 
 unto  I  beseech  your  Honours  to  consider  thoroughly  of 
 mine  answer,  because  exception  now  again  is  taken  to  my 
 Ministry,  whereas,  having  been  heretofore  called  in  ques- 
 tion for  it,  I  so  answered  the  matter,  as  I  continued  in  my 
 Ministry,  and,  for  any  thing  I  discerned,  looked  to  hear 
 that  no  more  would  be  objected  unto  me.    The  Coramu- 
 
460 
 
 M'  ALTER   T  B  A  VERS  HIS 
 
 nion  of  Saints  (which  every  Christian  man  professeth  to 
 believe)  is  such,  as  that  the  acts  which  are  done  in  any  true 
 Church  of  Christ's  according  to  his  Word,  are  held  as  law- 
 ful,  being  done  in  one  Church  as  in  another.  Which,  as  it 
 holdeth  in  other  acts  of  Ministry,  as  Baptism,  Marriage, 
 and  such  like,  so  doth  it  in  the  calling  to  the  Ministry ;  by 
 reason  whereof,  all  Churches  do  acknowledge  and  receive 
 him  for  a  Minister  of  the  Word,  who  hath  been  lawfully 
 called  thereunto  in  any  Church  of  the  same  profession.  A 
 Doctor  created  in  any  University  of  Christendom,  is  ac- 
 knowledged sufficiently  qualified  to  teach  in  any  country. 
 The  Church  of  Rome  itself,  and  the  Canon  Law  holdeth  it, 
 that  being  ordered  in  Spain,  they  may  execute  that  that 
 belongeth  to  their  Order,  in  Italy,  or  in  any  other  place. 
 And  the  Churches  of  the  Gospel  never  made  any  question 
 of  it;  which  if  they  shall  now  begin  to  make  doubt  of,  and 
 deny  such  to  be  lawfully  called  to  the  Ministry,  as  are 
 called  by  another  Order  than  our  own;  then  may  it  well 
 be  looked  for,  that  other  Churches  will  do  the  like  :  and  if 
 a  Minister  called  in  the  Low  Countries  be  not  lawfully 
 called  in  England,  then  may  they  say  to  our  Preachers 
 which  are  there,  that  being  made  of  another  Order  than 
 theirs,  they  cannot  suffer  them  to  execute  any  act  of  Minis- 
 try amongst  them ;  which  in  the  end  must  needs  breed  a 
 schism,  and  dangerous  divisions  in  the  Churches.  Further, 
 I  have  heard  of  those  that  are  learned  in  the  Laws  of  this 
 Land,  that  by  express  Statute  to  that  purpose,  anno  13  of 
 herMajesty's  reign,  upon  subscription  to  the  Articles  agreed 
 upon,  annol562,  that  they  who  pretend  to  have  been  ordered 
 by  another  Order  than  that  which  is  now  established,  are  of 
 like  capacity  to  enjoy  any  place  of  Ministry  within  the  Land, 
 as  they  which  have  been  ordered  according  to  that  which 
 is  now  by  Law  in  this  established.  Which  comprehending 
 manifestly  all,  even  such  as  were  made  Priests  according 
 to  the  Order  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  it  must  needs  be, 
 that  the  Law  of  a  Christian  land,  professing  the  Gospel, 
 should  be  as  favourable  for  a  Minister  of  the  Word,  as  for 
 a  Popish  Priest;  which  also  was  so  found  in  Mr.  Whit- 
 tingham's  case,  who,  notwithstanding  such  replies  against 
 him,  enjoyed  still  the  benefit  he  had  by  his  Ministry,  and 
 might  have  done  until  this  day,  if  God  had  spared  him  life 
 
SUPPLICATION   TO  THE  COUNCIL.  461 
 
 so  long ;  which  if  it  be  understood  so,  and  practised  in 
 others,  why  should  the  change  of  the  person  alter  the  right 
 which  the  Law  giveth  to  all  others? 
 
 The  place  of  Ministry  whereunto  I  was  called  was  not 
 presentative  :  and  if  it  had  been  so,  surely  they  would  never 
 have  presented  any  man  whom  they  never  knew ;  and  the 
 Order  of  this  Church  is  agreeable  herein  to  the  Word  of 
 God,  and  the  ancient  and  best  Canons,  that  no  man  should 
 be  made  a  Minister  sine  titulo :  therefore  having  none,  I 
 could  not  by  the  Orders  of  this  Church  have  entered  into 
 the  Ministry,  before  I  had  a  charge  to  tend  upon.  When 
 I  was  at  Antwerp,  and  to  take  a  place  of  Ministry  among 
 the  people  of  that  nation,  I  see  no  cause  why  I  should  have 
 returned  again  over  the  seas  for  Orders  here ;  nor  how  I 
 could  have  done  it,  without  disallowing  the  Orders  of  the 
 Churches  provided  in  the  country  where  I  was  to  live. 
 Whereby  I  hope  it  appeareth,  that  my  calling  to  the  Minis- 
 try is  lawful,  and  maketh  me,  by  our  Law,  of  capacity  to 
 enjoy  any  benefit  or  commodity,  that  any  other,  by  reason 
 of  his  Ministry,  may  enjoy.    But  my  cause  is  yet  more 
 easy,  who  reaped  no  benefit  of  my  Ministry  by  Law,  receiv- 
 ing only  a  benevolence  and  voluntary  contribution;  and 
 the  Ministry  I  dealt  with  being  Preaching  only,  which  every 
 Deacon  here  may  do  being  licensed,  and  certain  that  are 
 neither  Ministers  nor  Deacons.    Thus  I  answer  the  former 
 of  these  two  points,  whereof,  if  there  be  yet  any  doubt,  I 
 humbly  desire,  for  a  final  end  thereof,  that  some  competent 
 judges  in  Law  may  determine  of  it ;  whereunto  I  refer  and 
 submit  myself  with  all  reverence  and  duty. 
 
 The  second  is,  "That  I  preached  without  licence." 
 Whereunto  this  is  my  answer:  I  have  not  presumed,  upon 
 the  calling  I  had  to  the  Ministry  abroad,  to  preach  or  deal 
 with  any  part  of  the  Ministry  within  this  Church,  without 
 the  consent  and  allowance  of  such  as  were  to  allow  me 
 unto  it.  My  allowance  was  from  the  Bishop  of  London, 
 testified  by  his  two  several  letters  to  the  Inner  Temple, 
 who,  without  such  testimony,  would  by  no  means  rest 
 satisfied  in  it :  which  letters  being  by  me  produced,  I 
 refer  it  to  your  Honours'  wisdom,  whether  I  have  taken 
 upon  me  to  preach,  without  being  allowed  (as  they  charge) 
 according  to  the  Orders  of  the  Realm.    Thus  having  an- 
 
4G2 
 
 WALTER   TRAVERS  HIS 
 
 swered  the  second  point  also,  I  have  done  with  the  objec- 
 tion, "  Of  dealing  without  calling  or  licence." 
 
 The  other  reason  they  allege  is,  concerning  a  late  action, 
 wherein  I  had  to  deal  with  Mr.  Hooker,  Master  of  the 
 Temple.  In  the  handling  of  which  cause,  they  charge  me 
 with  an  indiscretion,  and  want  of  duty,  "  in  that  I  inveighed 
 (as  they  say)  against  certain  points  of  Doctrine  taught  by 
 him,  as  erroneous,  not  conferring  with  him,  nor  complain- 
 ing of  it  to  them."  My  answer  hereunto  standeth,  in  de- 
 claring to  your  Honours  the  whole  course  and  carriage  of 
 that  cause,  and  the  degrees  of  proceeding  in  it,  which  I  will 
 do  as  briefly  as  I  can,  and  according  to  the  truth,  God  be 
 my  witness,  as  near  as  my  best  memory,  and  notes  of  re- 
 membrance, may  serve  me  thereunto.  After  that  I  have 
 taken  away  that  which  seemed  to  have  moved  them  to  think 
 me  not  charitably  minded  to  Mr.  Hooker ;  which  is,  be- 
 cause he  was  brought  into  Mr.  Alvey's  place,  wherein  this 
 Church  desired  that  I  might  have  succeeded:  which  place, 
 if  I  would  have  made  suit  to  have  obtained,  or  if  I 
 had  ambitiously  affected  and  sought,  I  would  not  have 
 refused  to  have  satisfied,  by  subscription,  such  as  the  mat- 
 ter then  seemed  to  depend  upon :  whereas  contrariwise, 
 notwithstanding  I  would  not  hinder  the  Church  to  do  that 
 they  thought  to  be  the  most  for  their  edification  and  com- 
 fort, yet  did  I,  neither  by  speech  nor  letter,  make  suit  to 
 any  for  the  obtaining  of  it,  following  herein  that  resolution, 
 which  I  judge  to  be  most  agreeable  to  the  Word  and  will  of 
 God ;  that  is,  that  labouring  and  suing  for  places  and 
 charges  in  the  Church  is  not  lawful.  Further,  whereas,  at 
 the  suit  of  the  Church,  some  of  your  Honours  entertained 
 the  cause,  and  brought  it  to  a  near  issue,  that  there  seemed 
 nothing  to  remain,  but  the  commendation  of  my  Lord  the 
 Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  when  as  he  could  not  be  satis- 
 fied, but  by  my  subscribing  to  his  late  Articles ;  and  that  my 
 answer  (agreeing  to  subscribe  according  to  any  Law,  and  to 
 the  Statute  provided  in  that  case,  but  praying  to  be  respited 
 for  subscribing  to  any  other,  which  I  could  not  in  con- 
 science do,  either  for  the  Temple  (which  otherwise  he  said 
 he  would  not  commend  me  to),  nor  for  any  other  place  in  the 
 Church)  did  so  little  please  my  Lord  Archbishop,  as  he  re- 
 solved that  otherwise  I  should  not  be  commended  to  it :  I 
 
SUPPLICATION   TO  THE  COUNCIL.  463 
 
 had  utterly  here  no  cause  of  offence  against  Mr.  Hooker, 
 whom  I  did  in  no  sort  esteem  to  have  prevented  or  under- 
 mined me,  but  that  God  disposed  of  me  as  it  pleased  him, 
 by  such  means  and  occasions  as  I  have  declared. 
 
 Moreover,  as  I  have  taken  no  cause  of  offence  at  Mr. 
 Hooker  for  being  preferred,  so  there  were  many  witnesses, 
 that  I  was  glad  that  the  place  was  given  him,  hoping  to 
 live  in  all  godly  peace  and  comfort  with  him,  both  for  ac- 
 quaintance and  good-will  which  hath  been  between  us,  and 
 for  some  kind  of  affinity  in  the  marriage  of  his  nearest 
 kindred  and  mine.  Since  his  coming,  I  have  so  carefully 
 endeavoured  to  entertain  all  good  correspondence  and 
 agreement  with  him,  as  I  think  he  himself  will  bear  me  wit- 
 ness of  many  earnest  disputations  and  conferences  with 
 him  about  the  matter ;  the  rather,  because  that,  contrary 
 to  my  expectation,  he  inclined  from  the  beginning  but  sraally 
 thereunto,  but  joined  rather  with  such  as  had  always  op- 
 posed themselves  to  any  good  order  in  this  Church,  and 
 made  themselves  to  be  thought  indisposed  to  this  present 
 state  and  proceedings.  For,  both  knowing  that  God's  com- 
 mandment charged  me  with  such  duty,  and  discerning  how 
 much  our  peace  might  further  the  good  service  of  God  and 
 his  Church,  and  the  mutual  comfort  of  us  both,  I  had  re- 
 solved constantly  to  seek  for  peace  ;  and  though  it  should 
 fly  from  me  (as  I  saw  it  did  by  means  of  some,  who  little 
 desired  to  see  the  good  of  our  Church),  yet  according  to 
 the  rule  of  God's  Word,  to  follow  after  it.  Which  being 
 so  (as  hereof  I  take  God  to  witness,  who  searcheth  the 
 heart  and  reins,  and  who  by  his  Son  will  judge  the  world, 
 both  quick  and  dead),  I  hope  no  charitable  judgment  can 
 suppose  me  to  have  stood  evil-affected  towards  him  for 
 his  place,  or  desirous  to  fall  into  any  controversy  with 
 him. 
 
 Which  my  resolution  I  so  pursued,  that,  whereas  I  dis- 
 covered sundry  unsound  matters  in  his  doctrine  (as  many 
 of  his  Sermons  tasted  of  some  sour  leaven  or  other),  yet 
 thus  I  carried  myself  towards  him.  Matters  of  smaller 
 weight,  and  so  covertly  delivered,  that  no  great  offence  to 
 the  Church  was  to  be  feared  in  them,  I  wholly  passed  by, 
 as  one  that  discerned  nothing  of  them,  or  had  been  un- 
 furnished of  replies  ;  for  others  of  great  moment,  and  so 
 openly  delivered,  as  there  was  just  cause  of  fear  lest  the 
 truth  and  Church  of  God  should  be  prejudiced  and  perilled 
 
464 
 
 WALTER   TRAVERS  HIS 
 
 by  it,  and  such  as  the  conscience  of  my  duty  and  calling 
 would  not  suffer  me  altogether  to  pass  over,  this  was  my 
 course;  to  deliver,  when  I  should  have  just  cause  by  my 
 text,  the  truth  of  such  doctrine  as  he  had  otherwise  taught, 
 in  general  speeches,  without  touch  of  his  person  in  any 
 sort,  and  further  at  convenient  opportunity  to  confer  with 
 him  on  such  points. 
 
 According  to  which  determination,  whereas  he  had  taught 
 certain  things  concerning  Predestination  otherwise  than 
 the  Word  of  God  doth,  as  it  is  understood  by  all  Churches 
 professing  the  Gospel,  and  not  unlike  that  wherewith  Co- 
 ranus  sometime  troubled  this  Church,  I  both  delivered  the 
 truth  of  such  points  in  a  general  doctrine,  without  any 
 touch  of  him  in  particular,  and  conferred  with  him  also 
 privately  upon  such  articles.  In  which  conference,  I  re- 
 member, when  I  urged  the  consent  of  all  Churches  and 
 good  writers  against  him  that  I  knew ;  and  desired,  if  it 
 were  otherwise,  to  understand  what  authors  he  had  seen  of 
 such  doctrine :  he  answered  me,  that  his  best  author  was 
 his  own  reason ;  which  I  wished  him  to  take  heed  of,  as  a 
 matter  standing  more  with  Christian  modesty  and  wisdom 
 in  a  doctrine  not  received  by  the  Church,  not  to  trust  to  his 
 own  judgment  so  far  as  to  publish  it  before  he  had  conferred 
 with  others  of  his  profession  labouring  by  daily  prayer  and 
 study  to  know  the  will  of  God,  as  he  did,  to  see  how  they 
 understood  such  doctrine.  Notwithstanding,  he,  with 
 wavering,  replied,  that  he  would  some  other  time  deal 
 more  largely  in  the  matter.  I  wished  him,  and  prayed  him 
 not  so  to  do,  for  the  peace  of  the  Church,  which,  by  such 
 means,  might  he  hazarded  ;  seeing  he  could  not  but  think, 
 that  men,  who  make  any  conscience  of  their  Ministry,  will 
 judge  it  a  necessary  duty  in  them  to  teach  the  truth,  and 
 to  convince  the  contrary. 
 
 Another  time,  upon  like  occasion  of  this  doctrine  of  his, 
 "  That  the  assurance  of  that  we  believe  by  the  Word,  is 
 not  so  certain,  as  of  that  we  perceive  by  sense ;"  I  both 
 taught  the  doctrine  otherwise,  namely,  the  assurance  of 
 Faith  to  be  greater,  which  assured  both  of  things  above, 
 and  contrary  to  all  sense  and  human  understanding,  and 
 dealt  with  him  also  privately  upon  that  point :  according 
 to  which  course  of  late,  when  as  he  had  taught,  "  That  the 
 Church  of  Rome  is  a  true  Church  of  Christ,  and  a  sancti- 
 fied Church  by  profession  of  that  truth,  which  God  hath 
 
SUPPLICATION   TO  THE   COUNCIL.  465 
 
 revealed  unto  us  by  his  Son,  though  not  a  pure  and  perfect 
 Church and  further,  "  That  he  doubted  not,  but  that 
 thousands  of  the  Fathers,  which  lived  and  died  in  the  Su- 
 perstitions of  that  Church,  were  saved,  because  of  their 
 ignorance,  which  excused  them ;"  misalleging  to  that  end 
 a  text  of  Scripture  to  prove  it:  the  matter  being  of  set  1  Tim. 
 purpose  openly  and  at  large  handled  by  him,  and  of  that  '* 13- 
 moment,  thatmight  prejudice  the  Faith  of  Christ,  encourage 
 the  ill-affected  to  continue  still  in  their  damnable  ways,  and 
 others  weak  in  Faith  to  suffer  themselves  easily  to  be  se- 
 duced to  the  destruction  of  their  souls  ;  I  thought  it  my 
 most  bounden  duty  to  God  and  to  his  Church,  whilst  I 
 might  have  opportunity  to  speak  with  him,  to  teach  the 
 truth  in  a  general  speech  in  such  points  of  doctrine. 
 
 At  which  time  I  taught,  "  That  such  as  die,  or  have  died 
 at  any  time  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  holding  in  their  igno- 
 rance that  faith  which  is  taught  in  it,  and  namely,  justifi- 
 cation in  part  by  works,  could  not  be  said  by  the  Scriptures 
 to  be  saved."  In  which  matter,  foreseeing  that  if  I  waded 
 not  warily  in  it,  I  should  be  in  danger  to  be  reported  (as 
 hath  fallen  out  since  notwithstanding)  to  condemn  all  the 
 Fathers,  I  said  directly  and  plainly  to  all  men's  under- 
 standing, "  That  it  was  not  indeed  to  be  doubted,  but 
 many  of  the  Fathers  were  saved ;  but  the  means  (said  I) 
 was  not  their  ignorance,  which  excuseth  no  man  with  God, 
 but  their  knowledge  and  faith  of  the  truth,  which,  it  appear- 
 eth,  God  vouchsafed  them,  by  many  notable  monuments 
 and  records  extant  of  it  in  all  ages."  Which  being  the  last 
 point  in  all  my  Sermon,  rising  so  naturally  from  the  text  I 
 then  propounded,  as  would  have  occasioned  me  to  have 
 delivered  such  matter,  notwithstanding  the  former  doctrine 
 had  been  sound  ;  and  being  dealt  in  by  a  general  speech, 
 without  touch  of  his  particular;  I  looked  not  that  a  matter 
 of  controversy  would  have  been  made  of  it,  no  more  than 
 had  been  of  my  like  dealing  in  former  time.  But,  far 
 otherwise  than  I  looked  for,  Mr.  Hooker,  shewing  no  grief 
 of  offence  taken  at  my  speech  all  the  week  long,  the  next 
 Sabbath,  leaving  to  proceed  upon  his  ordinary  text,  pro- 
 fessed to  preach  again  that  he  had  done  the  day  before,  for 
 some  question  that  his  doctrine  was  drawn  into,  which  he 
 desired  might  be  examined  with  all  severity. 
 
 So  proceeding,  he  bestowed  his  whole  time,  in  that  dis- 
 
 VOL.  II.  2  H 
 
460  W'AL'IEK   TKAYLKS  HIS 
 
 course,  concerning  bis  former  doctrine,  and  answering  the 
 places  of  Scripture  which  I  had  alleged  to  prove  that  a 
 man  dying  in  the  Church  of  Rome  is  not  to  be  judged  by 
 the  Scriptures  to  be  saved.  In  which  long  speech,  and 
 utterly  impertinent  to  his  text,  under  colour  of  answering 
 for  himself,  he  impugned  directly  and  openly  to  all  men's, 
 understanding,  the  true  doctrine  which  I  had  delivered ; 
 and,  adding  to  his  former  points  some  other  like  (as  wil- 
 lingly one  error  follows  another),  that  is,  "  That  the  Gala- 
 tians  joining,  with  faith  in  Christ,  circumcision,  as  neces- 
 sary to  salvation,  might  be  saved ;  and  that  they  of  the 
 Church  of  Rome  may  be  saved  by  such  a  faith  of  Christ 
 as  they  had,  with  a  general  repentance  of  all  their  errors, 
 notwithstanding  their  opinion  of  justification  in  part  by 
 their  works  and  merits  :"  I  was  necessarily,  though  not 
 willingly,  drawn  to  say  something  to  the  points  he  objected 
 against  sound  doctrine  ;  which  I  did  in  a  short  speech  in 
 the  end  of  my  Sermon,  with  protestation  of  so  doing  not 
 of  any  sinister  affection  to  any  man,  but  to  bear  witness  to 
 the  truth  according  to  my  calling;  and  wished,  if  the  matter 
 should  needs  further  be  dealt  in,  some  other  more  conve- 
 nient way  might  be  taken  for  it.  Wherein,  I  hope,  my 
 dealing  was  manifest  to  the  consciences  of  all  indifferent 
 hearers  of  me  that  day,  to  have  been  according  to  peace, 
 and  without  any  uncharitableness,  being  duly  considered. 
 
 For  that  I  conferred  not  with  him  the  first  day,  I  have 
 shewed  that  the  cause  requiring  of  me  the  duty  at  the  least 
 not  to  be  altogether  silent  in  it,  being  a  matter  of  such  con- 
 sequence, the  time  also  being  short  wherein  I  was  to  preach 
 after  him,  the  hope  of  the  fruit  of  our  communication  being 
 small  upon  experience  of  former  conferences,  and  my  expec- 
 tation being  that  the  Church  should  be  no  further  troubled 
 with  it,  upon  the  motion  I  made  of  taking  some  other 
 course  of  dealing  ;  I  suppose  my  deferring  to  speak  with 
 him  till  some  fit  opportunity,  cannot  in  charity  be  judged 
 uncharitable. 
 
 The  second  day,  his  unlooked-for  opposition  with  the 
 former  reasons,  made  it  to  be  a  matter  that  required  of 
 necessity  some  public  answer  ;  which  being  so  temperate 
 as  I  have  shewed,  if  notwithstanding  it  be  censured  as  un- 
 charitable, and  punished  so  grievously  as  it  is,  what  should 
 have  been  my  punishment,  if  (without  all  such  cautions 
 
SUPPLICATION1   TO  THE  COUNCIL, 
 
 407 
 
 and  respects  as  qualified  ray  speech)  I  had  before  all,  and 
 in  the  understanding  of  all,  so  reproved  him  offending 
 openly,  that  others  might  have  feared  to  do  the  like  ?  which 
 yet,  if  I  had  done,  might  have  been  warranted  by  the  rule 
 and  charge  of  the  Apostle,  "  Them  that  offend  openly,  re- 1' 
 buke  openly,  that  the  rest  may  also  fear ;"  and  by  his  ex- 
 ample, who,  when  Peter  in  this  very  case  which  is  now 
 between  us,  had,  not  in  preaching,  but  in  a  matter  of  con- 
 versation, not  gone  with  a  right  foot,  as  was  fit  for  the 
 truth  of  the  Gospel,  conferred  not  privately  with  him,  but, 
 as  his  own  rule  required,  reproved  him  openly  before  all, 
 that  others  might  hear,  and  fear,  and  not  dare  to  do  the 
 like.  All  wilich  reasons  together  weighed,  I  hope,  will 
 shew  the  manner  of  my  dealing  to  have  been  charitable,  and 
 warrantable  in  every  sort. 
 
 The  next  Sabbath-day  after  this,  Mr.  Hooker  kept  the 
 way  he  had  entered  into  before,  and  bestowed  his  whole 
 hour  and  more  only  upon  the  questions  he  had  moved  and 
 maintained ;  wherein  he  so  set  forth  the  agreement  of  the 
 Church  of  Rome  with  us,  and  their  disagreement  from  us, 
 as  if  we  had  consented  in  the  greatest  and  weightiest  points, 
 and  differed  only  in  certain  smaller  matters :  which  agree- 
 ment noted  by  him  in  two  chief  points,  is  not  such  as  he 
 would  have  made  men  believe.  The  one,  in  that  he  said, 
 "  They  acknowledge  all  men  sinners,  even  the  blessed  Vir- 
 gin,though  some  of  them  freed  her  from  sin ;"  for  the  Council 
 of  Trent  holdeth,  that  she  was  free  from  sin.  Another,  in  that 
 he  said,  "  They  teach  Christ's  righteousness  to  be  the  only 
 meritorious  cause  of  taking  away  sin,  and  differ  from  us 
 only  in  the  applying  of  it :"  for  Thomas  Aquinas  their  chief 
 Schoolman,  and  Archbishop  Catherinus,  teach,  "That 
 Christ  took  away  only  original  sin,  and  that  the  rest  are  to 
 be  taken  away  by  ourselves ;"  yea,  the  Council  of  Trent 
 teacheth,  "  That  righteousness  whereby  we  are  righteous 
 in  God's  sight,  is  an  inherent  lighteousness ;"  which  must 
 needs  be  of  our  own  works,  and  cannot  be  understood  of 
 the  righteousness  inherent  only  in  Christ's  person,  and  ac- 
 counted unto  us.  Moreover  he  taught  the  same  time, 
 u  That  neither  the  Galatians,  nor  the  Church  of  Rome,  did 
 directly  overthrow  the  foundation  of  justification  by  Christ 
 alone,  but  only  by  consequent,  and  therefore  might  well  be 
 saved ;  or  else  neither  the  Churches  of  the  Lutherans,  nor  any 
 
 2  h  2 
 
4G8 
 
 WALTER  TRAVERS  HIS 
 
 which  hold  any  manner  of  error,  could  be  saved;  because 
 (saith  he)  every  error  by  consequent  overthroweth  the 
 foundation."  In  which  discourses,  and  such  like,  he  be- 
 stowed his  whole  time  and  more  ;  which,  if  he  had  affected 
 either  the  truth  of  God,  or  the  peace  of  the  Church,  he 
 would  truly  not  have  done. 
 
 Whose  example  could  not  draw  me  to  leave  the  Scripture 
 I  took  in  hand,  but  standing  about  an  hour  to  deliver  the 
 doctrine  of  it,  in  the  end,  upon  just  occasion  of  the  text, 
 leaving  sundry  other  his  unsound  speeches,  and  keeping  me 
 still  to  the  principal,  I  confirmed  the  believing  the  doctrine 
 of  justification  by  Christ  only,  to  be  necessary  to  the  justifi- 
 cation of  all  that  should  be  saved,  and  that  the  Church  of 
 Rome  directly  denieth,  that  a  man  is  saved  by  Christ,  or 
 by  Faith  alone,  without  the  works  of  the  Law.  Which  my 
 answer,  as  it  was  most  necessary  for  the  service  of  God 
 and  the  Church,  so  was  it  without  any  immodest  or  re- 
 proachful speech  to  Mr.  Hooker:  whose  unsound  and 
 wilful  dealings  in  a  cause  of  so  great  importance  to  the 
 Faith  of  Christ,  and  salvation  of  the  Church,  notwithstand- 
 ing I  knew  well  what  speech  it  deserved,  and  what  some 
 Mark  zealous  earnest  man  of  the  spirit  of  John  and  James,  sur- 
 '"' 1T'  named  Boanerges,  Sons  of  Thunder,  would  have  said  in 
 such  case;  yet  I  chose  rather  to  content  myself  in  exhorting 
 i  sam.  him  to  revisit  his  doctrine,  as  Nathan  the  Prophet  did  the 
 device,  which,  without  consulting  with  God,  he  had  of  him- 
 self given  to  David,  concerning  the  building  of  the  Temple : 
 Gai.  ii.  and,  with  Peter  the  Apostle,  to  endure  to  be  withstood  in 
 11  "14-  such  a  case,  not  unlike  unto  this.  This  in  effect  was  that 
 which  passed  between  us  concerning  this  matter,  and  the 
 invectives  I  made  against  him,  wherewith  I  am  charged. 
 Which  rehearsal,  I  hope,  may  clear  me  (with  all  that  shall 
 indifferently  consider  it)  of  the  blames  laid  upon  me  for 
 want  of  duty  to  Mr.  Hooker  in  not  conferring  with  him, 
 whereof  I  have  spoken  sufficiently  already;  and  to  the 
 High  Commission,  in  not  revealing  the  matter  to  them, 
 which  yet  now  I  am  further  to  answer.  My  answer  is,  that 
 I  protest,  no  contempt  nor  wilful  neglect  of  any  lawful  Au- 
 thority stayed  me  from  complaining  unto  them,  but  these 
 reasons  following: 
 
 First,  I  was  in  some  hope,  that  Mr.  Hooker,  notwith- 
 standing he  had  been  over-carried,  with  a  show  of  charity, 
 
SUPPLICATION   TO   THE  COUNCIL.  4G9 
 
 to  prejudice  the  truth,  yet  when  it  should  be  sufficiently 
 proved,  would  have  acknowledged  it,  or  at  the  least  in- 
 duced with  peace,  that  it  might  be  offered  without  any 
 offence  to  him,  to  such  as  would  receive  it ;  either  of 
 which  would  have  taken  away  any  cause  of  just  complaint. 
 When  neither  of  these  fell  out  according  to  my  expecta- 
 tion and  desire,  but  that  he  replied  to  the  truth,  and  ob- 
 jected against  it,  I  thought  he  might  have  some  doubts  and 
 scruples  in  himself ;  which  yet,  if  they  were  cleared,  he 
 would  either  embrace  sound  doctrine,  or  at  least  suffer  it 
 to  have  its  course :  which  hope  of  him  I  nourished  so  long, 
 as  the  matter  was  not  bitterly  and  immodestly  handled  be- 
 tween us. 
 
 Another  reason  was  the  cause  itself,  which,  according 
 to  the  parable  of  the  tares  (which  are  said  to  be  sown  among 
 the  wheat),  sprung  up  first  in  his  grass:  therefore,  as  the 
 servants  in  that  place  are  not  said  to  have  come  to  com- 
 plain to  the  Lord,  till  the  tares  came  to  shew  their  fruits  in 
 their  kind  ;  so  I,  thinking  it  yet  but  a  time  of  discovering 
 of  what  it  was,  desired  not  their  sickle  to  cut  it  down. 
 
 For  further  answer,  it  is  to  be  considered,  that  the  con- 
 science of  my  duty  to  God,  and  to  his  Church,  did  bind  me 
 at  the  first,  to  deliver  sound  doctrine  in  such  points  as  had 
 been  otherwise  uttered  in  that  place,  where  1  had  now  some 
 years  taught  the  truth ;  otherwise  the  rebuke  of  the  Pro-  Ezek. 
 phet  had  fallen  upon  me,  for  not  going  up  to  the  breach,  "iYu.6. 
 and  standing  in  it,  and  the  peril  of  answering  for  the  blood 
 of  the  city,  in  whose  watch-tower  I  sate ;  if  it  had  been  sur- 
 prised by  my  default.  Moreover,  my  public  protesta- 
 tion, in  being  willing,  that  if  any  were  not  yet  satisfied, 
 some  other  more  convenient  way  might  be  taken  for  it. 
 And,  lastly,  that  I  had  resolved  (which  I  uttered  before  to 
 some,  dealing  with  me  about  the  matter)  to  have  protested 
 the  next  Sabbath-day,  that  I  would  no  more  answer  in  that 
 place  any  objections  to  the  doctrine  taught  by  any  means, 
 but  some  other  way  satisfy  such  as  should  require  it. 
 
 These,  I  trust,  may  make  it  appear,  that  I  failed  not  in 
 duty  to  Authority,  notwithstanding  I  did  not  complain,  nor 
 give  over  so  soon  dealing  in  the  case.  If  I  did,  how  is  be 
 clear,  which  can  allege  none  of  all  these  for  himself?  who 
 leaving  the  expounding  of  the  Scriptures,  and  his  ordinary 
 calling,  voluntarily  discoursed  upon  school-points  and 
 
470 
 
 WALTER  TEA  VERS  HIS 
 
 questions,  neither  of  edification  nor  of  truth?  Who  after 
 all  this,  as  promising  to  himself,  and  to  untruth,  a  vic- 
 tory by  my  silence,  added  yet  in  the  next  Sabbath-day, 
 to  the  maintenance  of  his  former  opinions,  these  which 
 follow : 
 
 "  That  no  additament  taketh  away  the  foundation,  except 
 it  be  a  privative ;  of  which  sort  neither  the  works  added  to 
 Christ  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  nor  circumcision  by  the 
 Galatians,  were  ;  as  one  denieth  him  not  to  be  a  man,  that 
 saith,  he  is  a  righteous  man,  but  he  that  saith  he  is  a  dead 
 man:"  whereby  it  might  seem,  that  a  man  might,  without 
 hurt,  add  works  to  Christ,  and  pray  also  that  God  and  St. 
 Peter  would  save  them. 
 
 "  That  the  Galatians'  case  is  harder  than  the  case  of  the 
 Church  of  Rome,  because  the  Galatians  joined  circumci- 
 sion with  Christ,  which  God  had  forbidden  and  abolished; 
 but  that  which  the  Church  of  Rome  joined  with  Christ, 
 were  good  works,  which  God  had  commanded."  "Wherein 
 he  committed  a  double  fault :  one,  in  expounding  all  the 
 questions  of  the  Galatians,  and  consequently  of  the  Ro- 
 mans, and  other  Epistles,  of  circumcision  only,  and  the 
 ceremonies  of  the  Law  (as  they  do,  who  answer  for  the 
 Church  of  Rome  in  their  writings),  contrary  to  the  clear 
 meaning  of  the  Apostle,  as  may  appear  by  many  strong  and 
 sufficient  reasons ;  the  other,  in  that  he  said,  "  The  addition 
 of  the  Church  of  Rome  was  of  works  commanded  of  God." 
 Whereas  the  least  part  of  the  works  whereby  they  looked  to 
 merit,  was  of  such  works;  and  most  were  works  of  supere- 
 rogation, and  works  which  God  never  commanded,  but  was 
 highly  displeased  with,  as  of  Masses,  Pilgrimages,  Pardons, 
 Pains  of  Purgatory,  and  such  like.  Further,  "  That  no  one 
 sequel  urged  by  the  Apostle  against  the  Galatians  for  joining 
 circumcision  withChristjbutmightbeaswell  enforced  against 
 the  Lutherans  ;  that  is,  that  for  their  ubiquity  it  may  be  as 
 well  said  to  them,  If  ye  hold  the  Body  of  Christ  to  be  in  all 
 places,  you  are  fallen  from  grace,  you  are  under  the  curse 
 of  the  Law,  saying,  '  Cursed  be  he  that  fulnlleth  not  all 
 things  written  in  this  Book,' "  with  such  like.  He  added 
 yet  further,  "  That  to  a  Bishop  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  to 
 a  Cardinal,  yea,  to  the  Pope  himself,  acknowledging  Christ 
 to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  denying  other  errors,  and 
 being  discomforted  for  want  of  works  whereby  he  might  be 
 
SUPPLICATION  TO  THE  COUNCIL.  471 
 
 ustified,  he  would  not  doubt,  but  use  this  speech;  Thou 
 loldcst  the  foundation  of  Christian  Faith,  though  it  be  but 
 jy  a  slender  thread  ;  thou  holdest  Christ,  though  but  by  the 
 hem  of  his  garment;  why  shouldest  thou  not  hope  that 
 virtue  may  pass  from  Christ  to  save  thee?  That  which 
 thou  holdest  of  justification  by  thy  works,  overthroweth 
 indeed  by  consequent  the  foundation  of  Christian  Faith  ; 
 but  be  of  good  cheer,  thou  hast  not  to  do  with  a  captious 
 sophister,  but  with  a  merciful  God,  who  will  justify  thee 
 for  that  thou  holdest,  and  not  take  the  advantage  of  doubt- 
 fid  construction  to  condemn  thee.  And  if  this  (said  he)  be 
 an  error,  I  hold  it  willingly  ;  for  it  is  the  greatest  comfort  I 
 have  in  the  world,  without  which  I  would  not  wish  either 
 to  speak  or  live."  Thus  far,  being  not  to  be  answered  in  it 
 any  more,  he  was  bold  to  proceed,  the  absurdity  of  which 
 speech  I  need  not  to  stand  upon.  I  think  the  like  to  this, 
 and  other  such  in  this  Sermon,  and  the  rest  of  this  matter, 
 hath  not  been  heard  in  public  places  within  this  Land  since 
 Queen  Mary's  days.  What  consequence  this  doctrine  may 
 be  of,  if  he  be  not  by  authority  ordered  to  revoke  it,  I  be- 
 seech your  Honours,  as  the  truth  of  God  and  his  Gospel  is 
 dear  and  precious  unto  you,  according  to  your  godly  wis- 
 dom to  consider. 
 
 I  have  been  bold  to  offer  to  your  Honours  a  long  and 
 tedious  discourse  of  these  matters;  but  speech  being  like 
 to  tapestry,  which,  if  it  be  folded  up,  sheweth  but  pact  of 
 that  which  is  wrought,  and  being  unlapt  and  laid  open, 
 sheweth  plainly  to  the  eye  all  the  work  that  is  in  it;  I 
 thought  it  necessary  to  unfold  this  tapestry,  and  to  hang 
 up  the  whole  chamber  of  it  in  your  most  honourable  Senate, 
 that  so  you  may  the  more  easily  discern  of  all  the  pieces, 
 and  the  sundry  works  and  matters  contained  in  it.  Wherein 
 my  hope  is,  your  Honours  may  see  I  have  not  deserved  so 
 great  a  punishment  as  is  laid  upon  the  Church  for  my  sake, 
 and  also  upon  myself,  in  taking  from  me  the  exercise  of  my 
 Ministry.  Which  punishment,  how  heavy  it  may  seem  to 
 the  Church,  or  fall  out  indeed  to  be,  I  refer  it  to  them  to 
 judge,  and  spare  to  write  what  I  fear,  but  to  myself  it  is 
 exceeding  grievous,  for  that  it  taketh  from  me  the  exercise 
 of  my  calling.  Which  I  do  not  say  is  dear  unto  me,  as  the 
 means  of  that  little  benefit  whereby  I  live  (although  this  be 
 
472 
 
 WALTER  T  R  A  VERS  HIS 
 
 a  lawful  consideration,  and  to  be  regarded  of  me  in  due 
 place,  and  of  the  authority  under  whose  protection  I  most 
 willingly  live,  even  by  God's  commandment  both  unto  them 
 and  unto  me);  but  which  ought  to  be  more  precious  unto 
 me  than  my  life,  for  the  love  which  I  should  bear  to  the 
 glory  and  honour  of  Almighty  God,  and  to  the  edification 
 and  salvation  of  his  Church,  for  that  my  life  cannot  any 
 other  way  be  of  like  service  to  God,  nor  of  such  use  and 
 profit  to  men  by  any  means.  For  which  cause,  as  I  dis- 
 cern how  dear  my  Ministry  ought  to  be  unto  me,  so  it  is 
 my  hearty  desire,  and  most  humble  request  unto  God,  to 
 your  Honours,  and  to  all  the  Authority  I  live  under,  to 
 whom  any  dealing  herein  belongeth,  that  I  may  spend  my 
 life  (according  to  his  example,  who  in  a  word  of  like  sound, 
 but  of  fuller  sense,  comparing  by  it  the  bestowing  of  his  life 
 to  the  offering  poured  out)  upon  the  sacrifice  of  the  Faith  of 
 God's  people,  and  especially  of  this  Church,  whereupon  I 
 have  already  poured  out  a  great  part  thereof  in  the  same 
 calling,  from  which  I  stand  now  restrained.  And  if  your 
 Honours  shall  find  it  so,  that  I  have  not  deserved  so  great 
 a  punishment,  but  rather  performed  the  duty  which  a  good 
 and  faithful  servant  ought,  in  such  case,  to  do  to  his  Lord 
 and  the  people  he  putteth  him  in  trust  withal  carefully  to 
 keep  ;  I  am  a  most  humble  suitor  by  these  presents  to  your 
 Honours,  that,  by  your  godly  wisdom,  some  good  course 
 may  be  taken  for  the  restoring  of  me  to  my  Ministry  and 
 place  again.  Which  so  great  a  favour,  shall  bind  me  yet 
 in  a  greater  obligation  of  duty  (which  is  already  so  great, 
 as  it  seemed  nothing  could  be  added  unto  it  to  make  it 
 greater)  to  honour  God  daily  for  the  continuance  and  in- 
 crease of  your  good  estate,  and  to  be  ready,  with  all  the 
 poor  means  God  hath  given  me,  to  do  your  Honours  that 
 faithful  service  I  may  possibly  perform.  But  if,  notwith- 
 standing my  cause  be  never  so  good,  your  Honours  can  by 
 no  means  pacify  such  as  are  offended,  nor  restore  me  again, 
 then  am  I  to  rest  in  the  good  pleasure  of  God,  and  to  com- 
 mend to  your  Honours'  protection,  under  her  Majesty's, 
 my  private  life,  while  it  shall  be  led  in  duty;  and  the 
 Church  to  him,  who  hath  redeemed  to  himself  a  people 
 with  his  precious  blood,  and  is  making  ready  to  come  to 
 judge  both  the  quick  and  dead,  to  give  to  every  one  accord- 
 
SUPPLICATION  TO  THE  COUNCIL.  473 
 
 ing  as  he  hath  done  in  this  life,  be  it  good  or  evil ;  to  the 
 wicked  and  unbelievers,  justice  unto  death;  but  to  the 
 faithful,  and  such  as  love  his  truth,  mercy  and  grace  to 
 life  everlasting. 
 
 Your  Honours'  most  bounden,  and 
 
 Most  humble  Supplicant, 
 
 WALTER  TRAVERS, 
 
 Minister  of  the  Gospel. 
 
MR.  HOOKER'S  ANSWER 
 
 TO  THE 
 
 SUPPLICATION 
 
 THAT 
 
 MR.  TRAVERS  MADE  TO  THE  COUNCIL. 
 
 To  my  Lord  of  Canterbury  his  Grace. 
 
 1.  My  duty  in  my  most  humble  wise  remembered,  may  it 
 please  your  Grace  to  understand,  that  whereas  there  hath 
 been  a  late  controversy  raised  in  the  Temple,  and  pursued 
 by  Mr.  Travers,  upon  conceit  taken  at  some  words  by  me 
 uttered,  with  a  most  simple  and  harmless  meaning;  in  the 
 heat  of  which  pursuit,  after  three  public  invectives,  silence 
 being  enjoined  him  by  Authority,  he  hath  hereupon,  for  de- 
 fence of  his  proceedings,  both  presented  the  Right  Honour- 
 able Lords,  and  others  of  her  Majesty's  Privy  Council,  with 
 a  writing,  and  also  caused  or  suffered  the  same  to  be  co- 
 pied out,  and  spread  through  the  hands  of  so  many,  that 
 well  nigh  all  sorts  of  men  have  it  in  their  bosoms;  the 
 matters  wherewith  I  am  therein  charged,  being  of  such 
 quality  as  they  are,  and  myself  being  better  known  to  your 
 Grace  than  to  any  other  of  their  Honours  besides,  I  have 
 chosen  to  offer  to  your  Grace's  hands  a  plain  declaration  of 
 my  innocence  in  all  those  things  wherewith  I  am  so  hardly 
 and  so  heavily  charged  :  lest,  if  I  still  remain  silent,  that 
 which  I  do  for  quietness'  sake,  be  taken  as  an  argument, 
 that  I  lack  what  to  speak  truly  and  justly  in  mine  own 
 defence. 
 
 2.  First,  because  Mr.  Travers  thinketh  it  expedient  to 
 breed  an  opinion  in  men's  minds,  that  the  root  of  all  in- 
 
Jilt.  T RAVERS  S  SUPPLICATION. 
 
 475 
 
 convenient  events  which  are  now  sprung  out,  is  the  surly 
 and  unpeaceablc  disposition  of  the  man  with  whom  he 
 hath  to  do ;  therefore,  the  first  in  the  rank  of  accusations 
 laid  against  me,  is,  "  my  inconformity,  which  have  so  little 
 inclined  to  so  many  and  so  earnest  exhortations  and  con- 
 ferences, as  myself  (he  saith)  can  witness,  to  have  been 
 spent  upon  me,  for  my  better  fashioning  unto  good  corre- 
 spondence and  agreement." 
 
 3.  Indeed,  when  at  the  first,  by  means  of  special  well- 
 willers,  without  any  suit  of  mine,  as  they  very  well  know 
 (although  I  do  not  think  it  had  been  a  mortal  sin,  in  a  rea- 
 sonable sort,  to  have  shewed  a  moderate  desire  that  way), 
 yet  when  by  their  endeavour  without  instigation  of  mine, 
 some  Reverend  and  Honourable,  favourably  affecting  me, 
 had  procured  her  Majesty's  grant  of  the  place ;  at  the  very 
 point  of  my  entering  thereinto,  the  evening  before  I  was 
 first  to  preach,  he  came,  and  two  other  gentlemen  joined 
 with  him:  the  effect  of  his  conference  then  was,  "That  he 
 thought  it  his  duty  to  advise  me,  not  to  enter  with  a  strong 
 hand,  but  to  change  my  purpose  of  preaching  there  the 
 next  day,  and  to  stay  till  he  had  given  notice  of  me  to  the 
 congregation,  that  so  their  allowance  might  seal  my  calling." 
 The  effect  of  my  answer  was,  "  That,  as  in  a  place  where 
 such  order  is,  I  would  not  break  it;  so  here,  where  it  never 
 was,  I  might  not,  of  my  own  head,  take  upon  me  to  begin 
 it:"  but  likiog  very  well  the  motion,  for  the  opinion  which  I 
 had  of  his  good  meaning  who  made  it,  requested  him  not 
 to  mislike  my  answer,  though  it  were  not  correspondent  to 
 his  mind. 
 
 4.  When  this  had  so  displeased  some,  that  whatsoever 
 was  afterward  done  or  spoken  by  me,  it  offended  their  taste, 
 angry  informations  were  daily  sent  out,  intelligence  given 
 far  and  wide,  what  a  dangerous  enemy  was  crept  in;  the 
 worst  that  jealousy  could  imagine  was  spoken  and  written 
 to  so  many,  that  at  the  length  some  knowing  me  well,  and 
 perceiving  how  injurious  the  reports  were,  which  grew  daily 
 more  and  more  unto  my  discredit,  wrought  means  to  bring 
 Mr.  Travers  and  me  to  a  second  conference.  Wherein, 
 when  a  common  friend  unto  us  both  had  quietly  requested 
 him  to  utter  those  things  wherewith  he  found  himself  anyway 
 grieved,  he  first  renewed  the  memory  of  my  entering  into  this 
 charge,  by  virtue  only  of  a  human  creature  (for  so  the  want 
 
476 
 
 MR.   HOOKERS  ANSWEli  TO 
 
 of  that  formality*  of  popular  allowance  was  then  censured), 
 and  unto  this  was  annexed  a  catalogue,  partly  of  causeless 
 surmises,  as,  "  That  I  had  conspired  against  him,  and  that  1 
 sought  superiority  over  him;"  and  partly  of  faults,  which  to 
 no  te,  I  should  have  thought  it  a  greater  offence  than  to  commit, 
 if  I  did  account  them  faults,  and  had  heard  them  so  curiously 
 observed  in  any  other  than  myself;  they  are  such  silly  things, 
 as,  "  praying  in  the  entrance  of  my  Sermon  only,  and  not  in 
 the  end,"  "  naming  Bishops  in  my  Prayer,"  "  kneeling  when 
 I  pray,  and  kneeling  when  I  receive  the  Communion,"  with 
 such  like,  which  I  would  be  as  loth  to  recite,  as  I  was  sorry 
 to  hear  them  objected,  if  the  rehearsal  thereof  were  not  by 
 him  thus  wrested  from  me.  These  are  the  conferences  where- 
 with I  have  been  wooed  to  entertain  peace  and  good  agree 
 ment. 
 
 5.  As  for  the  vehement  exhortations  he  speaketh  of,  I 
 would  gladly  know  some  reason  wherefore  he  thought  them 
 needful  to  be  used.  Was  there  any  thing  found  in  my 
 speeches  or  dealings  that  gave  them  occasion,  who  are 
 studious  of  peace,  to  think  that  I  disposed  myself  with 
 some  unquiet  kind  of  proceedings  ?  Surely,  the  special  pro- 
 vidence of  God  I  do  now  see  it  was,  that  the  first  words  I 
 spake  in  this  place,  should  make  the  first  thing  whereof  I 
 am  accused  to  appear  not  only  untrue,  but  improbable,  to 
 as  many  as  then  heard  me  with  indifferent  ears ;  and  do,  I 
 doubt  not,  in  their  conscience  clear  me  of  this  suspicion. 
 Howbeit,  I  grant  this  were  nothing,  if  it  might  be  shewed, 
 that  my  deeds  following  were  not  suitable  to  my  words.  If 
 I  had  spoken  of  peace  at  the  first,  and  afterwards  sought 
 to  molest  and  grieve  him,  by  crossing  him  in  his  function, 
 by  storming,  if  my  pleasure  were  not  asked  and  my  will 
 obeyed  in  the  least  occurrences,  by  carping  needlessly 
 sometimes  at  the  manner  of  his  teaching,  sometimes  at  this, 
 sometimes  at  that  point  of  his  doctrine ;  I  might  then  with 
 some  likelihood  have  been  blamed,  as  one  disdaining  a 
 peaceable  hand  when  it  had  been  offered.  But  if  I  be  able 
 (as  I  am)  to  prove  that  myself  hath  now  a  full  year  together, 
 borne  the  continuance  of  such  dealings,  not  only  without 
 any  manner  of  resistance,  but  also  without  any  such  com- 
 
 *  A  mere  formality  it  had  been  to  me  in  that  place ;  where,  as  no  man  had  ever 
 used  it  before  me,  so  it  could  neither  further  me  if  I  did  use  it,  nor  binder  me  if  I 
 did  not. 
 
MR  TRAVERs's  SUPPLICATION'. 
 
 477 
 
 plaint,  as  might  let  or  hinder  him  in  his  course,  I  see  no 
 cause  in  the  world  why  of  this  I  should  be  accused,  unless 
 it  be,  lest  I  should  accuse,  which  I  mean  not.  If  therefore 
 I  have  given  him  occasion  to  use  conferences  and  exhorta- 
 tions to  peace,  if  when  they  were  bestowed  upon  me  I  have 
 despised  them,  it  will  not  be  hard  to  shew  some  one  word  or 
 deed  wherewith  I  have  gone  about  to  work  disturbance :  one 
 is  not  much,  I  require  but  one.  Only,  I  require  if  any  thing 
 be  shewed,  it  may  be  proved,  and  not  objected  only  as  this  is, 
 "  That  I  have  joined  with  such  as  have  always  opposed 
 themselves  to  any  goodOrder  in  the  Church,  and  made  them- 
 selves to  be  thought  indisposed  to  the  present  estate  and  pro- 
 ceedings." The  words  have  reference,  as  it  seemeth,  unto 
 some  such  things  as  being  attempted  before  my  coming 
 to  the  Temple,  went  not  so  effectually  forward  (perhaps) 
 as  he  that  devised  them  would  have  wished.  An  Order,  as  I 
 learn,  there  was  tendered,  that  Communicants  should  neither 
 kneel,  as  in  most  places  of  the  Realm ;  nor  sit,  as  in  this 
 place  the  custom  is  ;  but  walk  to  the  one  side  of  the  Table, 
 and  there  standing  till  they  had  received,  pass  afterward 
 away  round  about  by  the  other.  Which  being  on  a  sudden 
 begun  to  be  practised  in  the  Church,  some  sat  wondering 
 what  it  should  mean,  others  deliberating  what  to  do :  till 
 such  time  as  at  length  by  name  one  of  them  being  called 
 openly  thereunto,  requested  that  they  might  do  as  they  had 
 been  accustomed,  which  was  granted ;  and  as  Mr.  Travers 
 had  ministered  this  way  to  the  rest,  so  a  Curate  was  sent 
 to  minister  to  them  after  their  way.  Which  unprosperous 
 beginning  of  a  thing  (saving  only  for  the  inconvenience  of 
 needless  alterations  otherwise  harmless)  did  so  disgrace 
 that  Order,  in  their  conceit  who  had  to  allow  or  disallow 
 it,  that  it  took  no  place.  For  neither  could  they  ever  induce 
 themselves  to  think  it  good,  and  it  so  much  offended  Mr. 
 Travers,  who  supposed  it  to  be  the  best,  that  he,  since  that 
 time,  although  contented  to  receive  it  as  they  do,  at  the 
 hands  of  others,  yet  hath  not  thought  it  meet  that  they 
 should  ever  receive  it  of  his,  which  would  not  admit  that 
 Order  of  receiving  it,  and  therefore  in  my  time  hath  been 
 always  present  not  to  minister,  but  only  to  be  ministered 
 unto. 
 
 6.  Another  Order  there  was  likewise  devised,  but  an  Or- 
 der of  much  more  weight  and  importance.    This  soil,  in 
 
478 
 
 MR.    HOOKER'S   ANSWER  TO 
 
 respect  of  certain  immunities  and  other  specialties  belong- 
 ing unto  it,  seemed  likely  to  bear  that  which  in  other  places 
 of  the  Realm  of  England  doth  not  take.    For  which  cause, 
 request  was  made  to  her  Majesty's  Privy  Council,  that 
 whereas  it  is  provided  by  a  Statute  there  should  be  Col- 
 lectors and  Sidemen  in  Churches,  which  thing,  or  some- 
 what correspondent  unto  it,  this  place  did  greatly  want ; 
 it  would  please  their  Honours  to  motion  such  a  matter  to 
 the  Ancients  of  the  Temple.  And,  according  to  their  honour- 
 able manner  of  helping  forward  all  motions  so  grounded, 
 they  wrote  their  letters,  as  I  am  informed,  to  that  effect. 
 Whereupon,  although  these  Houses  never  had  use  of  such 
 Collectors  and  Sidemen  as  are  appointed  in  other  places, 
 yet  they  both  erected  a  box  and  received  men's  devotions 
 for  the  poor,  appointing  the  Treasurer  of  both  Houses  to 
 take  care  for  bestowing  it  where  need  was  ;  and  granting 
 further,  that  if  any  could  be  entreated  (as  in  the  end 
 some  were)  to  undertake  the  labour  of  observing  men's 
 slackness  in  divine  duties,  they  should  be  allowed,  their 
 complaints  heard  at  all  times,  and  the  faults  they  com- 
 plained of,  if  *Mr.  Alvey's  private  admonition  did  not  serve, 
 then  by  some  other  means  to  be  redressed ;  but  according 
 to  the  old  received  Orders  of  both  Houses.    Whereby  the 
 substance  of  their  Honours'  letters  was  indeed  fully  satis- 
 fied.   Yet  because  Mr.  Travers  intended  not  this,  but,  as  it 
 seemed,  another  thing;   therefore,  notwithstanding  the 
 Orders  which  have  been  taken,  and  for  any  thing  I  know, 
 do  stand  still  in  as  much  force  in  this  Church  now  as  at  any 
 time  heretofore,  he  complaineth  much  of  the  good  Orders 
 which  he  doth  mean  have  been  withstood.    Now  it  were 
 hard,  if  as  many  as  did  any  ways  oppose  unto  these  and  the 
 like  Orders,  in  his  persuasion  good,  do  thereby  make  them- 
 selves dislikers  of  the  present  state  and  proceedings.  If 
 they,  whom  he  aimeth  at,  have  any  other  ways  made  them- 
 selves to  be  thought  such,  it  is  likely  he  doth  know  where- 
 in, and  will,  I  hope,  disclose  wherein  it  appertaineth,  both 
 the  persons  whom  he  thinketh,  and  the  causes  why  he 
 thinketh  them  so  ill-affected.  But  whatsoever  the  men  be, 
 do  their  faults  make  me  faulty  ?  They  do,  if  I  join  myself 
 with  them.    I  beseech  him  therefore  to  declare  wherein  I 
 
 [*  A  MS.  preserved  in  the  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford,  for  Mr.  Alvey  reads 
 
 Mr.  Travers.] 
 
Mft  THAVEKSS   SUPPLICATION.  479 
 
 have  joined  with  them.  Other  joining  than  this  with  any 
 man  here,  I  cannot  imagine :  it  may  be  I  have  talked,  or 
 walked,  or  eaten,  or  interchangeably  used  the  duties  of 
 common  humanity,  with  some  such  as  he  is  hardly  per- 
 suaded of.  For  I  know  no  Law  of  God  or  man,  by  force 
 whereof  they  should  be  as  Heathens  and  Publicans  unto 
 me,  that  are  not  gracious  in  the  eyes  of  another  man,  per- 
 haps without  cause,  or  if  with  cause,  yet  such  cause  as  he 
 is  privy  unto,  and  not  I.  Could  he,  or  any  reasonable  man, 
 think  it  a  charitable  course  in  me,  to  observe  them  that 
 shew  by  external  courtesies  a  favourable  inclination  to- 
 wards him,  and  if  I  spy  out  any  one  amongst  them  of  whom 
 I  think  not  well,  hereupon  to  draw  such  an  accusation  as 
 this  against  him,  and  offer  it  where  he  hath  given  up  his 
 against  me  ?  which  notwithstanding  I  will  acknowledge  to 
 be  just  and  reasonable,  if  he  or  any  man  living  shall  shew, 
 that  I  use  as  much  as  the  bare  familiar  company  but  of  one, 
 who  by  word  or  deed  hath  ever  given  me  cause  to  suspect  or 
 conjecture  him  such  as  here  they  are  termed, with  whom  com- 
 plaint is  made  that  I  join  myself.  This  being  spoken,  there- 
 fore, and  written  without  all  possibility  of  proof,  doth  not  Mr. 
 Travers  give  me  over  great  cause  to  stand  in  some  fear  lest 
 he  make  too  little  conscience  how  he  useth  his  tongue  or 
 pen  ?  These  things  are  not  laid  against  me  for  nothing ;  they 
 are  to  some  purpose  if  they  take  place.  For  in  a  mind  per- 
 suaded that  I  am,  as  he  deciphereth  me,  one  who  refuses 
 to  be  at  peace  with  such  as  embrace  the  truth,  and  side 
 myself  with  men  sinisterly  affected  thereunto,  any  thing 
 that  shall  be  spoken  concerning  the  unsoundness  of  my 
 doctrine  cannot  choose  but  be  favourably  entertained.  This 
 presupposed,it  will  have  likelihood  enough  which  afterwards 
 followeth,  "  That  many  of  my  Sermons  have  tasted  of  some 
 sour  leaven  or  other,  that  in  them  he  hath  discovered  many 
 unsound  matters."  A  thing  much  to  be  lamented,  that  such 
 a  place  as  this,  which  might  have  been  so  well  provided 
 for,  hath  fallen  into  the  hands  of  one  no  better  instructed 
 in  the  truth.  But  what  if  in  the  end  it  be  found  that  he 
 judgeth  my  words,  as  they  do  colours,  which  look  upon 
 them  with  green  spectacles,  and  think  that  which  they  see  is 
 green,  when  indeed  that  is  green  whereby  they  see? 
 
 7.  Touching  the  first  point  of  this  discovery,  which  is 
 about  the  matter  of  Predestination,  to  set  down  that  I  spake 
 
480  mr.  hooker's  answer  to 
 
 (for  I  have  it  written),  to  declare  and  confirm  the  several 
 branches  thereof,  would  be  tedious  now  in  this  writing,  where 
 I  have  so  many  thiugs  to  touch,  that  I  can  but  touch  them 
 only.  Neither  is  it  herein  so  needful  for  me  to  justify  my 
 speech,  when  the  very  place  and  presence  where  I  spake, 
 doth  itself  speak  sufficiently  for  my  clearing.  This  matter 
 was  not  broached  in  a  blind  alley,  or  uttered  where  none 
 was  to  hear  it  that  had  skill  and  authority  to  control;  or 
 covertly  insinuated  by  some  gliding  sentence. 
 
 8.  That  which  I  taught  was  at  Paul's  Cross ;  it  was  not 
 huddled  in  amongst  other  matters,  in  such  sort  that  it  could 
 pass  without  noting  :  it  was  opened,  it  was  proved,  it  was 
 some  reasonable  time  stood  upon.  I  see  not  which  way  my 
 Lord  of  London,  who  was  present  and  heard  it,  can  excuse 
 so  great  a  fault,  as  patiently,  without  rebuke  or  control- 
 ment  afterward,  to  hear  any  man  there  teach  otherwise  than 
 "  the  Word  of  God  doth ;"  not  as  it  is  understood  by  the 
 private  interpretation  of  some  one  or  two  men,  or  by  a  spe- 
 cial construction  received  in  some  few  books  ;  but,  as  it  is 
 understood  "  by  all  Churches  professing  the  Gospel ;"  by 
 them  all,  and  therefore  even  by  our  own  also  amongst 
 others.  A  man  that  did  mean  to  prove  that  he  speaketh, 
 would  surely  take  the  measure  of  his  words  shorter. 
 
 9.  The  next  thing  discovered,  is  an  opinion  about  the  as- 
 surance of  men's  persuasions  in  matters  of  Faith.  I  have 
 taught,  he  saith,  "  That  the  assurance  of  things  which  we 
 believe  by  the  Word,  is  not  so  certain  as  of  that  we  per- 
 ceive by  sense."  And,  is  it  as  certain  ?  Yea,  I  taught,  as 
 he  himself,  I  trust,  will  not  deny,  that  the  things  which 
 God  doth  promise  in  his  Word  are  surer  unto  us  than  any 
 thing  which  we  touch,  handle,  or  see.  But  are  we  so  sure 
 and  certain  of  them  ?  if  we  be,  why  doth  God  so  often  prove 
 his  promises  unto  us,  as  he  doth  by  argument  taken  from 
 our  sensible  experience  ?  We  must  be  surer  of  the  proof, 
 than  of  the  thing  proved,  otherwise  it  is  no  proof.  How  is 
 it,  tbat  if  ten  men  do  all  look  upon  the  moon,  every  one  of 
 them  knoweth  it  is  as  certainly  to  be  the  moon  as  another; 
 but  many  believing  one  and  the  same  promise,  all  have  not 
 one  and  the  same  fulness  of  persuasion  ?  How  falleth  it 
 out,  that  men  being  assured  of  any  thing  by  sense,  can  be 
 no  surer  of  it  than  they  are ;  whereas  the  strongest  in  faith 
 that  liveth  upon  the  earth,  hath  always  need  to  labour  and 
 
MR.   TRAVERS'S  SUPPLICATION.  481 
 
 strive,  and  pray,  that  his  assurance  concerning  heavenly 
 and  spiritual  things,  may  grow,  increase,  and  be  aug- 
 mented ? 
 
 10.  The  Sermon  wherein  I  have  spoken  somewhat  largely 
 of  this  point  was,  long  before  this  late  controversy  rose 
 between  him  and  me,  upon  request  of  some  of  my  friends, 
 seen  and  read  by  many,  and  amongst  many,  some  who  are 
 thought  able  to  discern  ;  and  I  never  heard  that  any  one  of 
 them  hitherto  hath  condemned  it  as  containing  unsound 
 matter.  My  case  were  very  hard,  if,  as  oft  as  any  thing  I 
 speak  displeaseth  one  man's  taste,  my  doctrine  upon  his 
 only  word  should  be  taken  for  sour  leaven. 
 
 11.  The  rest  of  this  discovery  is  all  about  the  matter 
 now  in  question ;  wherein  he  hath  two  faults  predominant 
 which  would  tire  out  any  that  should  answer  unto  every 
 point  severally  :  unapt  speaking  of  School-controversies ; 
 and  of  my  words  so  untoward  a  reciting,  that  he  which  should 
 promise  to  draw  a  man's  countenance,  and  did  indeed  ex- 
 press the  parts,  at  leastwise  most  of  them,  truly,  but  per- 
 versely place  them,  could  not  represent  a  more  offensive 
 visage,  than  unto  me  my  own  speech  seemeth  in  some 
 places,  as  he  hath  ordered  it.  For  answer  whereunto,  that 
 writing  is  sufficient,  wherein  I  have  set  down  both  my 
 words  and  meaning  in  such  sort,  that  where  his  accusation 
 doth  deprave  the  one,  and  either  misinterpret,  or  without 
 just  cause  mislike  the  other,  it  will  appear  so  plainly,  that 
 I  may  spare  very  well  to  take  upon  me  a  new  needless  la- 
 bour here. 
 
 12.  Only  at  one  thing  which  is  there  to  be  found,  be- 
 cause Mr.  Travers  doth  here  seem  to  take  such  a  special 
 advantage,  as  if  the  matter  were  unanswerable,  he  con- 
 straineth  me  either  to  detect  his  oversight,  or  to  confess 
 mine  own  in  it.  In  settling  the  question  between  the 
 Church  of  Rome  and  us,  about  Grace  and  Justification, 
 lest  I  should  give  them  an  occasion  to  say,  as  commonly 
 they  do,  that  when  we  cannot  refute  their  opinions,  we  pro- 
 pose to  ourselves  such  instead  of  theirs,  as  we  can  refute  ; 
 I  took  it  for  the  best  and  most  perspicuous  way  of  teaching, 
 to  declare  first  how  far  we  do  agree,  and  then  to  shew  our 
 disagreement:  not  generally  (as  Mr.  Travers's  words*  would 
 
 •  His  words  be  these  :  "  The  next  Sabbath-day  after  this,  Mr.  Hooker  kept  the 
 way  he  had  entered  into  before,  and  bestowed  his  whole  hour  and  more,  only  upon  the 
 
 VOL.  II.  2  I 
 
482 
 
 MR.    HOOKER'S   ANSWER  TO 
 
 carry  it,  for  the  easier  fastening  that  upon  me  wherewith, 
 saving  only  by  him,  I  was  never  in  my  life  touched) ;  but 
 about  the  matter  only  of  Justification :  for  further  I  had 
 no  cause  to  meddle  at  this  time.  What  was  then  my  of- 
 fence in  this  case  ?  I  did,  as  he  saith,  so  set  it  out  as  if  we 
 had  consented  in  the  greatest  and  weightiest  points,  and 
 differed  only  in  smaller  matters.  It  will  not  be  found, 
 when  it  cometh  to  the  balance,  a  light  difference  where  we 
 disagree,  as  I  did  acknowledge  that  we  do,  about  the  very 
 essence  of  the  medicine  whereby  Christ  cureth  our  disease. 
 Did  I  go  about  to  make  a  show  of  agreement  in  the  weight- 
 iest points,  and  was  I  so  fond  as  not  to  conceal  our  disagree- 
 ment about  this?  I  do  wish  that  some  indifferency  were 
 used  by  them  that  have  taken  the  weighing  of  my  words. 
 
 13.  Yea,  but  our  agreement  is  not  such  in  two  of  the 
 chiefest  points,  as  I  would  have  men  believe  it  is :  and 
 what  are  they  ?  The  one  is,  I  said,  "  They  acknowledge  all 
 men  sinners,  even  the  Blessed  Virgin,  though  some  of  them 
 free  her  from  sin."  Put  the  case  I  had  affirmed,  that  only 
 some  of  them  free  her  from  sin,  and  had  delivered  it  as  the 
 most  current  opinion  amongst  them,  that  she  was  conceived 
 in  sin :  doth  not  Bonaventure  say  plainly,  <c  omnes  fere," 
 in  a  manner  all  men  do  hold  this  ?  doth  he  not  bring  many 
 reasons  wherefore  all  men  should  hold  it  ?  were  their  voices 
 since  that  time  ever  counted,  and  their  number  found 
 smaller  which  hold  it  than  theirs  that  hold  the  contrary? 
 Let  the  question  then  be,  whether  I  might  say,  the  most  of 
 them  "  acknowledged  all  men  sinners,  even  the  Blessed 
 Virgin  herself."  To  shew  that  their  general  received  opi- 
 nion is  the  contrary,  the  Tridentine  Council  is  alleged,  per- 
 adventure  not  altogether  so  considerately.  For,  if  that  Coun- 
 cil have  by  resolute  determination  freed  her,  if  it  hold,  as 
 
 questions  he  had  moved  and  maintained.  Wherein  he  so  set  forth  the  agreement  of 
 the  Church  of  Rome  with  us,  and  their  disagreement  from  us,  as  if  we  had  consented 
 in  the  greatest  and  weightiest  points,  and  differed  only  in  certain  smaller  matters. 
 Which  agreement,  noted  by  him  in  two  chief  points,  is  not  such  as  he  would  have 
 made  men  believe :  the  one,  in  that  he  said,  They  acknowledge  all  men  sinners,  even 
 the  Blessed  Virgin,  though  some  of  them  freed  her  from  sin :  for  the  Council  of 
 Trent  holdeth,  that  she  was  free  from  sin.  Another,  in  that  he  said,  They  teach 
 Christ's  righteousness  to  be  the  only  meritorious  cause  of  taking  away  sin,  and  dif- 
 fer from  us  only  in  the  applying  of  it.  For  Thomas  Aquinas,  their  chief  School- 
 man, and  Archbishop  Catiarinus,  teach,  That  Christ  took  away  only  original  sin, 
 and  that  the  rest  are  to  be  taken  away  by  ourselves :  yea,  the  Council  of  Trent 
 teacheth,  That  the  righteousness  whereby  we  are  righteous  in  God's  sight,  is  in- 
 herent righteousness ;  which  must  needs  be  of  our  own  works,  and  cannot  be 
 understood  of  the  righteousness  inherent  only  in  Christ's  person,  and  accounted 
 unto  us. 
 
MR.   TRAVERS's  SUPPLICATION. 
 
 483 
 
 Mr.  Travers  saith  it  doth,  that  she  was  free  from  sin ;  then 
 must  the  Church  of  Rome  needs  condemn  them  that  hold  the 
 contrary.    For  what  that  Council  holdeth,  the  same  they 
 all  do  and  must  hold.    But  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  who 
 knoweth  not,  that  it  is  a  thing  indifferent  to  think  and  de- 
 fend the  one  or  the  other :  so  that,  this  argument,  the 
 Council  of  Trent  holdeth  the  Virgin  free  from  sin,  ergo, 
 it  is  plain  than  none  of  them  may,  and  therefore  untrue  that 
 most  of  them  do  acknowledge  her  a  sinner,  were  forcible  to 
 overthrow  my  supposed  assertion,  if  it  were  true  that  the 
 Council  did  hold  this.    But  to  the  end  it  may  clearly  ap- 
 pear, how  it  neither  holdeth  this  nor  the  contrary,  I  will 
 open  what  many  do  conceive  of  the  Canon  that  concerneth 
 this  matter.    The  Fathers  of  Trent  perceived,  that  if  they 
 should  define  of  this  matter,  it  would  be  dangerous  howso- 
 ever it  were  determined.  If  they  had  freed  her  from  her  origi- 
 nal sin,  the  reasons  against  them  are  unanswerable,  which 
 Bonaventure  and  others  do  allege,  but  especially  Thomas, 
 whose  line,  as  much  as  may  be,  they  follow.    Again,  if 
 they  did  resolve  the  other  way,  they  should  control  them- 
 selves in  another  thing,  which  in  no  case  might  be  altered. 
 For  they  profess  to  keep  no  day  holy  in  the  honour  of  an 
 unholy  thing ;  and  the  Virgin's  Conception  they  honour 
 with  a  Feast,*  which  they  could  not  abrogate  without  can- 
 celling a  Constitution  of  Xystus  Quartus.  And,  that  which  is 
 worse,  the  world  might  perhaps  suspect,  that  if  the  Church 
 of  Rome  did  amiss  before  in  this,  it  is  not  impossible  for  her 
 to  fail  in  other  things.    In  the  end,  they  did  wisely  quote 
 out  their  Canon  by  a  middle  thread,  establishing  the  Feast 
 of  the  Virgin's  Conception,  and  leaving  the  other  question 
 doubtful  as  they  found  it ;  giving  only  a  caveat,  that  no 
 man  should  take  the  Decree  which  pronounceth  all  mankind 
 originally  sinful,  for  a  definitive  sentence  concerning  the 
 Blessed  Virgin.    This  in  my  sight  is  plain  by  their  own 
 words,  "  Declarat  hac  ipsa  sancta  Synodus,"  &c.  Where - 
 
 *  This  doth  much  trouble  Thomas,  holding  her  conception  stained  with  the  na- 
 tural blemish  inherent  in  mortal  seed.  And  therefore  he  putteth  it  off  with  two 
 answers  :  the  one,  that  the  Church  of  Rome  doth  not  allow,  but  tolerate,  the  Feast; 
 which  answer  now  will  not  serve  :  the  other,  that  being  sure  she  was  sanctified 
 before  birth,  but  unsure  how  long  a  while  after  her  conception,  therefore,  under  the 
 name  of  her  Conception-day,  they  honour  the  time  of  her  sanctification .  So  that, 
 besides  this,  they  have  now  no  soder  to  make  the  certain  allowance  of  their  Feast, 
 and  their  uncertain  sentence  concerning  her  sin,  to  cleave  together.  Tom.  iii. 
 part  1 .  quest.  27.  art.  ad  2  et  3. 
 
 2i  2 
 
484 
 
 MR,  HOOKERS  ANSWER  TO 
 
 lore  our  countrymen  at  Rhemes,  mentioning  this  point,  are 
 marvellous  wary  how  they  speak  ;  they  touch  it  as  though 
 AnDot.  it  were  a  hot  coal :  "  Many  godly  devout  men  judge  that  our 
 "sic™!).  Blessed  Lady  was  neither  born  nor  conceived  in  sin."  Is 
 it  their  wont  to  speak  nicely  of  things  definitively  set  down 
 in  that  Council  ? 
 
 In  like  sort,  we  find  that  the  rest,  which  have  since  the 
 time  of  the  Tridentine  Synod  written  of  original  sin,  are  in 
 this  point,  for  the  most  part,  either  silent,  or  very  sparing 
 in  speech :  and,  when  they  speak,  either  doubtful  what  to 
 think,  or  whatsoever  they  think  themselves,  fearful  to  set 
 down  any  certain  determination.  If  I  be  thought  to  take 
 the  Canon  of  that  Council  otherwise  than  they  themselves 
 do,  let  him  expound  it  whose  sentence  was  neither  last 
 asked,  nor  his  pen  least  occupied  in  setting  it  down;  I 
 mean  Andradius,  whom  Gregory  the  Thirteenth  hath  al- 
 Lib.^v.  lowed  plainly  to  confess,  that  it  is  a  matter  which  neither 
 express  evidence  of  Scripture,  nor  the  tradition  of  the  Fa- 
 thers, nor  the  sentence  of  the  Church,  hath  determined ;  that 
 they  are  too  surly  and  self-willed,  which,  defending  their 
 opinion,  are  displeased  with  them  by  whom  the  other  is 
 maintained :  finally,  that  the  Fathers  of  Trent  have  not  set 
 down  any  certainty  about  this  question,  but  left  it  doubtful 
 and  indifferent. 
 
 Now  whereas  my  words,  which  I  had  set  down  in  writ- 
 ing before  I  uttered  them,  were  indeed  these,  •*  Although 
 they  imagine,  that  the  Mother  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
 were,  for  his  honour,  and  by  his  special  protection,  pre- 
 served clean  from  all  sin :  yet  concerning  the  rest,  they 
 teach  as  we  do,  that  all  have  sinned."  Against  my  words 
 they  might,  with  more  pretence,  take  exception,  because 
 so  many  of  them  think  she  had  sin  :  which  exception  not- 
 withstanding, the  proposition  being  indefinite  and  the 
 matter  contingent,  they  cannot  take,  because  they  grant, 
 that  many  whom  they  account  grave  and  devout  amongst 
 them  think  that  she  was  clear  from  all  sin.  But  whether 
 Mr.  Travers  did  note  my  words  himself,  or  take  them 
 upon  the  credit  of  some  other  man's  noting,  the  tables 
 were  faulty  wherein  it  was  noted,  "  All  men  sinners, 
 even  the  Blessed  Virgin."  When  my  speech  was  ra- 
 ther, "  All  men  except  the  Blessed  Virgin."  To  leave  this ; 
 another  fault  he  findeth,  that  I  said,  "  They  teach  Christ's 
 
MR.   TRAVERSS  SUPPLICATION. 
 
 485 
 
 righteousness  to  be  the  only  meritorious  cause  of  taking 
 away  sin,  and  differ  from  us  only  in  the  applying  of  it."  I  did 
 say  and  do,  "  They  teach  as  we  do,  that  although  Christ 
 be  the  only  meritorious  cause  of  our  justice,  yet  as  a  me- 
 dicine, which  is  made  for  health,  doth  not  heal  by  being 
 made,  but  by  being  applied ;  so,  by  the  merits  of  Christ, 
 there  can  be  no  life  nor  justification,  without  the  applica- 
 tion of  his  merits  :  but  about  the  manner  of  applying 
 Christ,  about  the  number  and  power  of  means  whereby  he 
 is  applied,  we  dissent  from  them."  This  of  our  dissenting 
 from  them  is  acknowledged. 
 
 14.  Our  agreement  in  the  former  is  denied  to  be  such  as 
 I  pretend.    Let  their  own  words  therefore  and  mine  con- 
 cerning them  be  compared.    Doth  not  Andradius  plainly 
 confess  ;  "  Our  sins  do  shut,  and  only  the  merits  of  Christ  orthod. 
 open,  the  entering  into  blessedness  ?"    And  Soto,  "  It  is  l'nb's^'t 
 put  for  a  good  ground,  that  all,  since  the  fall  of  Adam,  ob-  djj^*-4 
 tain  salvation  only  by  the  Passion  of  Christ :  howbeit,  art.  e. 
 as  no  cause  can  be  effectual  without  applying,  so  neither 
 can  any  man  be  saved,  to  whom  the  suffering  of  Christ  is 
 not  applied."    In  a  word,  who  not  ?  When  the  Council  of 
 Trent,  reckoning  up  the  causes  of  our  first  Justification, 
 doth  name  no  end  but  God's  glory,  and  our  felicity ;  no  ef- 
 ficient but  his  mercy;  no  instrumental  but  Baptism;  no 
 meritorious  but  Christ ;  whom  to  have  merited  the  taking 
 away  of  no  sin  but  original,  is  not  their  opinion :  which 
 himself  will  find,  when  he  hath  well  examined  his  wit- 
 nesses, Catharinus  and  Thomas.    Their  Jesuits  are  mar- 
 vellous angry  with  the  men  out  of  whose  gleanings  Mr. 
 Travers  seemeth  to  have  taken  this ;  they  openly  disclaim 
 it ;  they  say  plainly,  "Of  all  the  Catholics  there  is  not  one 
 that  did  ever  so  teach ;"  they  make  solemn  protestation, 
 "  We  believe  and  profess,  that  Christ  upon  the  Cross  hath 
 altogether  satisfied  for  all  sins,  as  well  original  as  actual." 
 Indeed  they  teach,  that  the  merit  of  Christ  doth  not  take 
 away  actual  sin  in  such  sort  as  it  doth  original ;  wherein, 
 if  their  doctrine  had  been  understood,  I  for  my  speech  had 
 never  been  accused.    As  for  the  Council  of  Trent,  con- 
 cerning inherent  righteousness,  what  doth  it  here?  No  man 
 
 *  '  Nemo  Catbolicorum  unquam  sic  docuit ;  sed  credimus  et  profitemur,  Chri- 
 stum in  Cruce  pro  omnibus  omnino  peccatis  satisfecisse,  tam  originalibus  quam 
 actualibus.'  Bellarm.  Judic.  de  lib.  Concor.  Mendac.  18. 
 
486 
 
 mil  hooker's  answer  to 
 
 doubteth,  but  they  make  another  formal  cause  of  Justifica- 
 tion than  we  do.  In  respect  whereof,  I  have  shewed 
 already,  that  we  disagree  about  the  very  essence  of  that 
 which  cureth  our  spiritual  disease.  Most  true  it  is  which 
 the  grand  Philosopher  hath,  "  Every  man  judgeth  well  of 
 that  which  he  knoweth  ;"  and  therefore,  till  we  know  the 
 things  thoroughly  whereof  we  judge,  it  is  a  point  of  judg- 
 ment to  stay  our  judgment. 
 
 15.  Thus  much  labour  being  spent  in  discovering  the 
 unsoundness  of  my  doctrine,  some  pains  he  taketh  further 
 to  open  faults  in  the  manner  of  my  teaching,  as  that,  "I 
 bestowed  my  whole  hour  and  more,  my  time  and  more  than 
 my  time,  in  discourses  utterly  impertinent  to  my  text." 
 Which,  if  I  had  done,  it  might  have  past  without  com- 
 plaining of  to  the  Privy  Council. 
 
 16.  But  I  did  worse,  as  he  saith,  "  I  left  the  expounding 
 of  the  Scriptures,  and  my  ordinary  calling,  and  discoursed 
 upon  School-points  and  questions,  neither  of  edification, 
 nor  of  truth."  I  read  no  Lecture  in  the  Law,  or  in  Physic. 
 And,  except  the  bounds  of  ordinary  calling  may  be  drawn 
 like  a  purse,  how  are  they  so  much  wider  unto  him  than  to 
 me,  that  he  within  the  limits  of  his  ordinary  calling, 
 should  reprove  that  in  me,  which  he  understood  not ;  and  I 
 labouring  that  both  he  and  others  might  understand,  could 
 not  do  this  without  forsaking  my  calling  ?  The  matter 
 whereof  I  spake  was  such,  as  being  at  first  by  me  but 
 lightly  touched,  he  had  in  that  place  openly  contradicted, 
 and  solemnly  taken  upon  him  to  disprove.  If  therefore  it 
 were  a  School-question,  and  unfit  to  be  discoursed  of  there, 
 that  which  was  in  me  but  a  proposition  only  at  the  first, 
 wherefore  made  he  a  problem  of  it  ?  Why  took  he  first 
 upon  him  to  maintain  the  negative  of  that  which  I  had  af- 
 firmatively spoken  only  to  shew  mine  own  opinion,  little 
 thinking  that  ever  it  would  have  been  a  question?  Of 
 what  nature  soever  the  question  were,  I  could  do  no  less 
 than  there  explain  myself  to  them,  unto  whom  I  was  accused 
 of  unsound  doctrine ;  wherein  if  to  shew  what  had  been 
 through  ambiguity  mistaken  in  my  words,  or  misapplied 
 by  him  in  this  cause  against  me,  I  used  the  distinction  and 
 helps  of  Schools,  I  trust  that  herein  I  have  committed  no 
 unlawful  thing.  These  School-implements  are  acknowledged 
 
 tmt.  by  grave  and  wise  men  not  unprofitable  to  have  been  in- 
 
MR.  TRAVERs's  SUPPLICATION.  487 
 
 vented.  The  most  approved  for  learning  and  judgment  do 
 use  them  without  blame ;  the  use  of  them  hath  been  well  wet*,  y. 
 liked  in  some  that  have  taught  even  in  this  very  place 
 before  me :  the  quality  of  my  hearers  is  such,  that  I  could 
 not  but  think  them  of  capacity  very  sufficient,  for  the  most 
 part,  to  conceive  harder  sentences  than  I  used  any ;  the 
 cause  I  had  in  hand  did  in  my  judgment  necessarily  require 
 them  which  were  then  used:  when  my  words  spoken  gene- 
 rally without  distinctions  had  been  perverted,  what  other 
 way  was  there  for  me,  but  by  distinctions  to  lay  them  open 
 in  their  right  meaning,  that  it  might  appear  to  all  men  whe- 
 ther they  were  consonant  to  truth  or  no  ?  And  although 
 Mr.  Travers  be  so  inured  with  the  city,  that  he  thinketh 
 it  unmeet  to  use  any  speech  which  savoureth  of  the  School, 
 yet  his  opinion  is  no  Canon ;  though  unto  him,  his  mind 
 being  troubled,  my  speech  did  seem  like  fetters  and  ma- 
 nacles, yet  there  might  be  some  more  calmly  affected 
 which  thought  otherwise;  his  private  judgment  will  hardly 
 warrant  his  bold  words,  that  the  things  which  I  spake 
 "were  neither  of  edification  nor  truth."  They  might  edify 
 some  other,  for  any  thing  he  knoweth,  and  be  true  for  any 
 thing  he  proveth  to  the  contrary.  For  it  is  no  proof  to 
 cry,  "  Absurdities,  the  like  whereunto  have  not  been  heard 
 in  public  places  within  this  land  since  Queen  Mary's 
 days !"  If  this  came  in  earnest  from  him,  T  am  sorry  to 
 see  him  so  much  offended  without  cause  ;  more  sorry,  that 
 his  fit  should  be  so  extreme,  to  make  him  speak  he  know- 
 eth not  what.  That  I  neither  "  affected  the  truth  of  God, 
 nor  the  the  peace  of  the  Church,"  mihi  pro  minimo  est,  it 
 doth  not  much  move  me,  when  Mr.  Travers  doth  say  that, 
 which,  I  trust,  a  greater  than  Mr.  Travers  will  gainsay. 
 
 17.  Now  let  all  this  which  hitherto  he  hath  said  be 
 granted  him,  let  it  be  as  he  would  have  it,  let  my  doctrine 
 and  manner  of  teaching  be  as  much  disallowed  by  all  men's 
 judgments  as  by  his,  what  is  all  this  to  his  purpose  ?  He 
 allegeth  this  to  be  the  cause  why  he  bringeth  it  in ;  the 
 High  Commissioners  "charge  him  with  an  indiscretion 
 and  want  of  duty  in  that  he  inveighed  against  certain 
 points  of  doctrine  taught  by  me,  as  erroneous,  not  confer- 
 ring first  with  me,  nor  complaining  of  it  to  them."  Which 
 faults,  a  sea  of  such  matter  as  he  hath  hitherto  waded  in, 
 
488 
 
 MR.   HOOKER'S   ANSWER  TO 
 
 will  never  be  able  to  scour  from  him.  For  the  avoiding 
 of  schism  and  disturbance  in  the  Church,  which  must 
 needs  grow,  if  all  men  might  think  what  they  list,  and  speak 
 openly  what  they  think;  therefore  by  a  Decree*  agreed 
 upon  by  the  Bishops,  and  confirmed  by  her  Majesty's  Au- 
 thority, it  was  ordered  that  erroneous  doctrine,  if  it  were 
 taught  publickly,  should  not  be  publickly  refuted;  but 
 that  notice  thereof  should  be  given  unto  such  as  are  by  her 
 Highness  appointed  to  hear  and  to  determine  such  causes. 
 For  breach  of  which  Order,  when  he  is  charged  with  lack 
 of  duty,  all  the  faults  that  can  be  heaped  upon  me  will 
 make  but  a  weak  defence  for  him.  As  surely  his  defence 
 is  not  much  stronger,  when  he  alleges  for  himself,  that  "  he 
 was  in  some  hope  that  his  speech  in  proving  the  truth,  and 
 clearing  those  scruples  which  I  had  in  myself,  might  cause 
 me  cither  to  embrace  sound  doctrine,  or  suffer  it  to  be  em- 
 braced of  others ;  which,  if  I  did,  he  should  not  need  to 
 complain :"  that  "  it  was  meet  he  should  discover  first  what 
 I  had  sown,  and  make  it  manifest  to  be  tares,  and  then  de- 
 sire their  scythe  to  cut  it  down :"  that  "  conscience  did  bind 
 him  to  do  otherwise,  than  the  foresaid  Order  requireth ;" 
 that  "  he  was  unwilling  to  deal  in  that  public  manner,  and 
 wished  a  more  convenient  way  were  taken  for  it :''  that  "  he 
 had  resolved  to  have  protested  the  next  Sabbath-day,  that 
 he  would  some  other  way  satisfy  such  as  should  require  it, 
 and  not  deal  more  in  that  place."  Be  it  imagined  (let  me 
 not  be  taken  as  if  I  did  compare  the  offenders,  when  I  do 
 not,  but  their  answers  only)  that  a  libeller  did  make  this 
 apology  for  himself :  I  am  not  ignorant  that  if  I  have  just 
 matter  against  any  man  the  Law  is  open,  there  are  Judges 
 to  hear  it,  and  Courts  where  it  ought  to  be  complained  of ; 
 I  have  taken  another  course  against  such  or  such  a  man, 
 yet  without  a  breach  of  duty  ;  forasmuch  as  I  am  able  to 
 yield  a  reason  of  my  doing,  I  conceive  some  hope  that  a 
 little  discredit  amongst  men  would  make  him  ashamed  of 
 
 •  In  the  advertisements  published  in  the  seventh  year  of  her  Majesty's  reign  : 
 "  If  any  Preacher,  or  Parson,  Vicar,  or  Curate  so  licensed,  shall  fortune  to  preach 
 any  matter  tending  to  dissension,  or  to  derogation  of  the  Religion  and  Doctrine 
 received,  that  the  hearers  denounce  the  same  to  the  Ordinary,  or  to  the  next  Bishop 
 of  the  same  place,  but  not  openly  to  contrary,  or  to  impugn  the  same  speech  so 
 disorderly  uttered,  whereby  may  grow  offence,  and  disquiet  of  the  people,  but 
 shall  be  convinced  and  reproved  by  the  Ordinary,  after  such  agreeable  order  as 
 shall  be  seen  to  him,  according  to  the  gravity  of  the  offence  :  and  that  it  be  pre- 
 sented within  one  month  after  the  words  spoken." 
 
MR.  TRAVERs's   SUPPLICATION.  489 
 
 himself,  and  that  his  shame  would  work  his  amendment ; 
 which,  if  it  did,  other  accusation  there  should  not  need ; 
 could  his  answer  be  thought  sufficient,  could  it  in  the 
 judgment  of  discreet  men  free  him  from  all  blame  ?  No 
 more  can  the  hope  Mr.  Travers  conceived  to  reclaim  me 
 by  public  speech,  justify  his  fault  against  the  established 
 Order  of  the  Church. 
 
 18.  His  thinking  it  meet,  "he  should  first  openly  disco- 
 ver to  the  people  the  tares  that  had  been  sown  amongst 
 them,  and  then  require  the  hand  of  authority  to  mow  them 
 down  ;"  doth  only  make  it  a  question,  whether  his  opinion 
 that  this  was  meet,  may  be  a  privilege  or  protection  against 
 the  lawful  Constitution  which  had  before  determined  of  it 
 as  a  thing  unmeet?  Which  question  I  leave  for  them  to 
 discuss  whom  it  most  concerneth.  If  the  Order  be  such, 
 that  it  cannot  be  kept  without  hazarding  a  thing  so  pre- 
 cious as  a  good  conscience,  the  peril  whereof  could  be  no 
 greater  to  him,  than  it  needs  must  be  to  all  others  whom  it 
 toucheth  in  like  causes ;  when  this  is  evident,  it  will  be  an  ef- 
 fectual motive,  not  only  for  England,  but  also  for  other  re- 
 formed Churches,  even  Geneva  itself  (for  they  have  the 
 like),  to  change  or  take  that  away  which  cannot  but  with 
 great  inconvenience  be  observed.  In  the  meanwhile  the 
 breach  of  it  may,  in  such  consideration,  be  pardoned 
 (which  truly  I  wish,  howsoever  it  be),  yet  hardly  defended 
 as  long  as  it  standeth  in  force  uncancelled. 
 
 19.  Now,  whereas  he  confesseth  that  another  "way  had 
 been  more  convenient,"  and  that  he  found  in  himself  secret 
 unwillingness  to  do  that  which  he  did,  doth  he  not  say 
 plainly,  in  effect,  that  the  light  of  his  own  understanding 
 proved  the  way  that  he'took  perverse  and  crooked  ?  Reason 
 was  so  plain  and  pregnant  against  it,  that  his  mind  was  alie- 
 nated, his  will  averted  to  another  course,  yet  somewhat 
 there  was  that  so  far  over-ruled,  that  it  must  needs  be  done 
 even  against  the  very  stream ;  what  doth  this  bewray  1  Fi- 
 nally, his  purposed  protestation,  whereby  he  meant  open- 
 ly to  make  it  known,  that  he  did  not  allow  this  kind  of 
 proceeding,  and  therefore  would  satisfy  men  otherwise, 
 "  and  deal  no  more  in  this  place,"  sheweth  his  good  mind 
 in  this,  that  he  meant  to  stay  himself  from  further  offend- 
 ing ;  but  it  serveth  not  his  turn.  He  is  blamed  because 
 the  thing  he  hath  done  was  amiss,  and  his  answer  is,  That 
 
490 
 
 MR.   HOOKER'S   ANSWER  TO 
 
 which  I  would  have  done  afterward  had  been  well,  if  so  be 
 I  had  done  it. 
 
 20.  But  as  in  this  he  standeth  persuaded,  that  he  hath 
 done  nothing  besides  duty,  so  he  taketh  it  hardly,  that  the 
 High  Commissioners  should  charge  him  with  indiscretion. 
 Wherefore,  as  if  he  could  so  wash  his  hands,  he  maketh  a 
 long  and  a  large  declaration  concerning  the  carriage  of 
 himself;  how  he  waded  in  "  matters  of  smaller  weight," 
 and  how  in  things  of  "greater  moment;"  how  warily  he 
 dealt ;  how  "  naturally  he  took  things  rising  from  the  text ;" 
 how  "  closely  he  kept  himself  to  the  Scriptures  he  took  in 
 hand  ;"  how  "  much  pains  he  took  to  confirm  the  necessity 
 of  believing  Justification  by  Christ  only,"  and  to  shew  how 
 "the  Church  of  Rome  denieth  that  a  man  is  saved  by 
 Faith  alone,  without  Works  of  the  Law ;"  what  "  the  Sons 
 of  Thunder  would  have  done,"  if  they  had  been  in  his 
 case ;  that  his  "  answer  was  very  temperate,  without  im- 
 modest or  reproachful  speech;"  that  when  he  might  "  be- 
 fore all  have  reproved  me,"  he  did  not,  "but  contented 
 himself  with  exhorting  me"  before  all,  "  to  follow  Nathan's 
 example,  and  revisit  my  doctrine ;"  when  he  might  have 
 followed  St.  Paul's  example  in  "  reproving"  Peter,  he  did 
 not,  but  exhorted  me,  with  Peter,  to  "  endure  to  be  .with- 
 stood." This  testimony  of  his  discreet  carrying  himself 
 in  the  handling  of  his  matter,  being  more  agreeably  framed 
 and  given  him  by  another  than  by  himself,  might  make 
 somewhat  for  the  praise  of  his  person  ;  but  for  defence  of 
 his  action,  unto  them  by  whom  he  is  thought  indiscreet 
 for  not  conferring  privately  before  he  spake,  will  it  serve 
 to  answer,  than  when  he  spake,  he  did  it  considerately  ? 
 He  perceiveth  it  will  not,  and  therefore  addeth  reasons, 
 such  as  they  are ;  as,  namely,  how  he  purposed  at  the 
 first  to  take  another  course,  and  that  was  this,  "  Publickly 
 to  deliver  the  truth  of  such  doctrine  as  I  had  otherwise 
 taught,  and  at  convenient  opportunity  to  confer  with  me 
 upon  such  points."  Is  this  the  Rule  of  Christ?  If  thy 
 brother  offend  openly  in  his  speech,  control  it  first  with 
 contrary  speech  openly,  and  confer  with  him  afterwards 
 upon  it,  when  convenient  opportunity  serveth  ?  Is  there 
 any  Law  of  God  or  man,  whereupon  to  ground  such  a  re- 
 solution ?  any  Church  extant  in  the  world,  where  Teach- 
 ers are  allowed  thus  to  do,  or  to  be  done  unto  ?  He  cannot 
 
MR.   TRAVERSES   SUPPLICATION.  491 
 
 but  see  how  weak  an  allegation  it  is,  when  he  bringefh  in 
 his  following  discourse,  first  in  one  matter,  and  so  after- 
 ward in  another,  to  approve  himself  now  following  it 
 again.    For,  if  the  purpose  of  doing  of  a  thing  so  uncharit- 
 able be  a  fault,  the  deed  is  a  greater  fault ;  and  doth  the 
 doing  of  it  twice,  make  it  the  third  time  fit  and  allowable 
 to  be  done  ?  The  weight  of  the  cause,  which  is  his  third 
 defence,  relieveth  him  as  little.    The  weightier  it  was,  the 
 more  it  required  considerate  advice  and  consultation,  the 
 more  it  stood  upon  him  to  take  good  heed,  that  nothing 
 were  rashly  done  or  spoken  in  it.  But  he  meaneth  weighty, 
 in  regard  of  the  wonderful  danger,  except  he  had  presently 
 withstood  me  without  expecting  a  time  of  conference. 
 "  This  cause  being  of  such  moment  that  might  prejudice 
 the  faith  of  Christ,  encourage  the  ill-affected  to  continue 
 still  in  their  damnable  ways,  and  others  weak  in  faith  to 
 suffer  themselves  to  be  seduced,  to  the  destruction  of  their 
 souls,  he  thought  it  his  bounden  duty  to  speak  before  he 
 talked  with  me."    A  man  that  should  read  this,  and  not 
 know  what  I  had  spoken,  might  imagine  that  I  had  at  the 
 least  denied  the  Divinity  of  Christ.    But  they  which  were 
 present  at  my  speech,  and  can  testify  that  nothing  passed 
 my  lips  more  than  is  contained  in  their  writings,  whom,  for 
 soundness  of  doctrine,  learning,  and  judgment,  Mr.  Tra- 
 vers  himself  doth,  I  dare  say,  not  only  allow,  but  honour; 
 they  which  heard,  and  do  know,  that  the  Doctrine  here 
 signified  in  so  fearful  manner,  the  Doctrine  that  was  so 
 dangerous  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  that  was  so  likely  to  "  en- 
 courage ill-affected  men  to  continue  still  in  their  damna- 
 ble ways  ;"  that  gave  so  great  cause  to  tremble  for  fear 
 of  the  present  "  destruction  of  souls,"  was  only  this  ;  "  I 
 doubt  not  but  God  was  merciful  to  save  thousands  of  our 
 Fathers,  living  heretofore  in  Popish  Superstitions,  inas- 
 much as  they  sinned  ignorantly  ;"  and  this  spoken  in  a 
 Sermon,  the  greatest  part  whereof  was  against  Popery; 
 they  will  hardly  be  able  to  discern  how  Christianity  should 
 herewith  be  so  grievously  shaken. 
 
 21.  Whereby  his  fourth  excuse  is  also  taken  from  him. 
 For  what  doth  it  boot  him  to  say,  "  The  time  was  short 
 wherein  he  was  to  preach  after  me,"  when  his  preaching 
 of  this  matter  perhaps  ought,  surely  might  have  been  either 
 very  well  omitted,  or  at  least  more  conveniently  for  awhile 
 
492  mr.  hooker's  answer  to 
 
 deferred  ;  even  by  their  judgments  that  cast  the  most 
 favourable  aspect  towards  these  his  hasty  proceedings. 
 The  poison  which  men  had  taken  at  my  hands,  was  not  so 
 quick  and  strong  in  operation,  as  in  eight  days  to  make 
 them  past  cure ;  by  eight  days'  delay,  there  was  no  like- 
 lihood that  the  force  and  power  of  his  speech  could  die, 
 longer  meditation  might  bring  better  and  stronger  proofs 
 to  mind,  than  extemporal  dexterity  could  furnish  him  with. 
 And,  who  doth  know  whether  time,  the  only  mother  of 
 sound  judgment  and  discreet  dealing,  might  have  given 
 that  action  of  his  some  better  ripeness,  which  by  so  great 
 lestination  hath,  as  a  thing  born  out  of  time,  brought  small 
 joy  unto  him  that  begat  it  ?  Doth  he  think  it  had  not  been 
 better,  that  neither  my  speech  had  seemed  in  his  eyes  as 
 an  arrow  sticking  in  a  thigh  of  flesh ;  nor  his  own  as  a  child 
 whereof  he  must  needs  be  delivered  by  an  hour?  His  last 
 way  of  disburdening  himself  is,  by  casting  his  load  upon 
 my  back,  as  if  I  had  brought  him  by  former  conferences 
 out  of  hope,  that  any  fruit  should  ever  come  of  conferring 
 with  me.  Loth*  I  am  to  rip  up  those  conferences,  whereof 
 he  maketh  but  a  slippery  and  loose  relation.  In  one  of 
 them,  the  question  between  us  was,  whether  the  persua- 
 sion of  faith  concerning  remission  of  sins,  eternal  life,  and 
 whatsoever  God  doth  promise  unto  man,  be  as  free  from 
 doubting,  as  the  persuasion  which  we  have  by  sense  con- 
 cerning things  tasted,  felt,  and  seen  ?  For  the  negative,  I 
 mentioned  their  example,  whose  faith  in  Scripture  is  most 
 commended,  and  the  experience  which  all  faithful  men 
 have  continually  had  of  themselves.  For  proof  of  the 
 affirmative,  which  he  held,  I  desiring  to  have  some  reason, 
 heard  nothing  but  "  all  good  writers"  oftentimes  inculcat- 
 ed. At  the  length,  upon  request  to  see  some  one  of  them, 
 Peter  Martyr's  Common  Places  were  brought,  where  the 
 leaves  were  turned  down,  at  a  place  sounding  to  this 
 effect,  "  That  the  Gospel  doth  make  Christians  more  vir- 
 tuous than  Moral  Philosophy  doth  make  Heathens :" 
 which  came  not  near  the  question  by  many  miles. 
 
 22.  In  the  other  conference  be  questioned  about  the  mat- 
 ter of  Reprobation,  misliking  first,  that  I  had  termed  God 
 a  permissive,  and  no  positive  cause  of  the  evil  which  the 
 Schoolmen  do  call  malum  culpce.  Secondly,  that  to  their 
 objection,  who  say,  "  If  I  be  elected,  do  what  I  will  I  shall 
 
Mil.  TRAVERS'S  SUPPLICATION.  493 
 
 be  saved,"  I  had  answered,  that  the  will  of  God  in  this 
 thing  is  not  absolute,  but  conditional,  to  save  his  elect  be- 
 lieving, fearing,  and  obediently  serving  him.  Thirdly, 
 that  to  stop  the  mouths  of  such  as  grudge  and  repine 
 against  God  for  rejecting  castaways,  I  had  taught  that 
 they  are  not  rejected,  no  not  in  the  purpose  and  counsel 
 of  God,  without  a  foreseen  worthiness  of  rejection  going, 
 though  not  in  time,  yet  in  order,  before.  For,  if  God's 
 electing  do  in  order  (as  needs  it  must)  presuppose  the  fore- 
 sight of  their  being  that  are  elected,  though  they  be  elect- 
 ed before  they  be  ;  nor  only  the  positive  foresight  of  their 
 being,  but  also  the  permissive  of  their  being  miserable, 
 because  election  is  through  mercy,  and  mercy  doth  always 
 presuppose  misery :  it  followeth,  that  the  very  chosen  of 
 God  acknowledge,  to  the  praise  of  the  riches  of  his  ex- 
 ceeding free  compassion,  that  when  he  in  his  secret  deter- 
 maintion  set  it  down,  "  Those  shall  live  and  not  die,"  they 
 lay  as  ugly  spectacles  before  him,  as  lepers  covered  with 
 dung  and  mire,  as  ulcers  putrefied  in  their  father's  loins, 
 miserable,  worthy  to  be  had  in  detestation  ;  and  shall  any 
 forsaken  creature  be  able  to  say  unto  God,  Thou  didst 
 plunge  me  into  the  depth,  and  assign  me  unto  endless  tor- 
 ments, only  to  satisfy  thine  own  will,  finding  nothing  in 
 me  for  which  I  could  seem  in  thy  sight  so  well  wTorthy  to 
 feel  everlasting  flames  ? 
 
 23.  When  1  saw  that  Mr.  Travers  carped  at  these  things, 
 only  because  they  lay  not  open,  I  promised  at  some  conve- 
 nient time  to  make  them  clear  as  light,  both  to  him  and 
 all  others.  Which,  if  they  that  reprove  me  will  not  grant 
 me  leave  to  do,  they  must  think  that  they  are  for  some 
 cause  or  other  more  desirous  to  have  me  reputed  an  un- 
 sound man,  than  willing  that  my  sincere  meaning  should 
 appear  and  be  approved.  When  I  was  further  asked 
 what  my  grounds  were?  I  answered,  that  St.  Paul's 
 words  concerning  this  cause  were  my  grounds.  His  next 
 demand,  what  author  I  did  follow  in  expounding  St.  Paul, 
 and  gathering  the  doctrine  out  of  his  words,  against  the 
 judgment  (he  saith)  "of  all  Churches  and  all  good  writ- 
 ers ?"  I  was  well  assured,  that  to  control  this  over-reaching 
 speech,  the  sentences  which  I  might  have  cited  out  of 
 Church-confessions,  together  with  the  best  learned  monu- 
 ments of  former  times,  and  not  the  meanest  of  our  own,  were 
 
494 
 
 MR.    HOOKERS  ANSWER  TO 
 
 more  in  number  than  perhaps  he  would  willingly  have 
 heard  of:  but  what  had  this  booted  me  ?  For,  although  he 
 himself  in  generality  do  much  use  those  formal  speeches, 
 "  all  Churches,"  and  "  all  good  writers, "  yet  as  he  holdeth  it 
 in  the  pulpit  lawful  to  say  in  general,  the  Painims  think  this, 
 or  the  Heathens  that,  but  utterful  unlawful  to  cite  any  sen- 
 tence of  theirs  that  say  it ;  so  he  gave  me  at  that  time 
 great  cause  to  think,  that  my  particular  alleging  of  other 
 men's  words,  to  shew  their  agreement  with  mine,  would  as 
 much  have  displeased  his  mind,  as  the  thing  itself  for 
 which  it  had  been  alleged  ;  for  he  knoweth  how  often  he 
 hath  in  public  place  bitten  me  for  this,  although  I  did 
 never  in  any  Sermon  use  many  of  the  sentences  of  other 
 writers,  and  do  make  most  without  any ;  having  always 
 thought  it  meetest,  neither  to  affect  nor  contemn  the  use  of 
 them. 
 
 24.  He  is  not  ignorant,  that  in  the  very  entrance  to  the 
 talk  which  we  had  privately  at  that  time,  to  prove  it  un- 
 lawful altogether  in  preaching,  either  for  confirmation,  de- 
 claration, or  otherwise,  to  cite  any  thing  but  mere  Canoni- 
 cal Scripture,  he  brought  in,  "  The  Scripture  is  given  by 
 inspiration,  and  is  profitable  to  teach,  improve,  &c."  urging 
 much  the  vigour  of  these  two  clauses,  "  the  man  of  God," 
 and  "every  good  work."  If  therefore  the  work  were  good 
 which  he  required  at  my  hands,  if  privately  to  shew  why  I 
 thought  the  doctrine  I  had  delivered  to  be  according  to  St. 
 Paul's  meaning,  were  a  good  work,  can  they  which  take 
 the  place  before  alleged  for  a  Law,  condemning  every  man 
 of  God,  who  in  doing  the  work  of  preaching  any 
 way  useth  human  authority,  like  it  in  me,  if  in  the  work 
 of  strengthening  that  which  I  had  preached,  I  should 
 bring  forth  the  testimonies  and  the  sayings  of  mortal  men? 
 I  alleged  therefore  that  which  might  under  no  pretence  in 
 the  world  be  disallowed,  namely,  reasons ;  not  meaning 
 thereby  mine  own  reason  as  now  it  is  reported,  but  true, 
 sound,  divine  reason ;  reason  whereby  those  conclusions 
 might  be  out  of  St.  Paul  demonstrated,  and  not  probably 
 discoursed  of  only ;  reason,  proper  to  that  science  whereby 
 the  things  of  God  are  known  ;  theological  reason,  which  out 
 of  principles  in  Scripture  that  are  plain,  soundly  deduceth 
 more  doubtful  inferences,  in  such  sort,  that  being  heard 
 they  cannot  be  denied,  nor  any  thing  repugnant  unto  them 
 
MR.  traver's  supplication.  495 
 
 received ;  but  whatsoever  was  before  otherwise  by  miscol- 
 lectiug  gathered  out  of  dark  places,  is  thereby  forced  to 
 yield  itself,  and  the  true  consonant  meaning  of  sentences 
 not  understood  is  brought  to  light.  This  is  the  reason 
 which  I  intended.  If  it  were  possible  for  me  to  escape  the 
 ferula  in  any  thing  I  do  or  speak,  I  had  undoubtedly 
 escaped  in  this.  In  this  I  did  that  which  by  some  is  enjoin- 
 ed as  the  only  allowable,  but  granted  by  all  as  the  most 
 sure  and  safe  way,  whereby  to  resolve  things  doubted  of 
 in  matters  appertaining  to  Faith  and  Christian  Religion. 
 So  that  Mr.  Travers  had  here  small  cause  given  him  to 
 be  weary  of  conferring,  unless  it  was  in  other  respects 
 than  that  poor  one  which  is  here  pretended,  that  is  to 
 say,  the  little  hope  he  had  of  doing  me  any  good  by  con- 
 ference. 
 
 25.  Yet  behold  his  first  reason  of  not  complaining  to  the 
 High  Commission  is, "  That  sith  I  offended  only  through 
 an  over-charitable  inclination,  he  conceived  good  hope, 
 when  I  should  see  the  truth  cleared,  and  some  scruples 
 which  were  in  my  mind  removed  by  his  diligence,  I  would 
 yield."  But  what  experience  soever  he  had  of  former  con- 
 ferences, how  small  soever  his  hope  was  that  fruit  would 
 come  of  it,  if  he  should  have  conferred,  will  any  man  judge 
 this  a  cause  sufficient,  why  to  open  his  mouth  in  public, 
 without  any  word  privately  spoken?  He  might  have  con- 
 sidered that  men  do  sometimes  reap,  where  they  sow  but 
 with  small  hope  ;  he  might  have  considered,  that  although 
 unto  me  (whereof  he  was  not  certain  neither),  but  if  to  me 
 his  labour  should  be  as  water  spilt  or  poured  into  a  torn 
 dish,  yet  to  him  it  could  not  be  fruitless  to  do  that  which 
 Order  in  Christian  Churches,  that  which  charity  amongst 
 Christian  men,  that  which  at  many  men's  hands,  even  com- 
 mon humanity  itself,  at  his,  many  other  things  besides,  did 
 require.  What  fruit  could  there  come  of  his  open  contra- 
 dicting in  so  great  haste,  with  so  small  advice,  but  such 
 as  must  needs  be  unpleasant,  and  mingled  with  much  acer- 
 bity ?  Surely,  he  which  will  take  upon  him  to  defend,  that 
 in  this  there  was  no  oversight,  must  beware,  lest  by  such 
 defences  he  leave  an  opinion  dwelling  in  the  minds  of  men, 
 that  he  is  more  stiff  to  maintain  what  he  hath  done,  than 
 careful  to  do  nothing  but  that  which  may  justly  be  main- 
 tained. 
 
496 
 
 MR.   HOOKER'S   ANSWER  &C. 
 
 26.  Thus  have  I,  as  near  as  I  could,  seriously  answered 
 things  of  weight :  with  smaller  I  have  dealt  as  I  thought 
 their  quality  did  require,    I  take  no  joy  in  striving,  I  have 
 not  been  nuzzled  or  trained  up  in  it.    I  would  to  Christ 
 they  which  have  at  this  present  enforced  me  hereunto,  had 
 so  ruled  their  hands  in  any  reasonable  time,  that  I  might 
 never  have  been  constrained  to  strike  so  much  as  in  mine 
 own  defence.    Wherefore,  to  prosecute  this  long  and  tedi- 
 ous contention  no  further,  I  shall  wish  that  your  Grace, 
 and  their  Honours  (unto  whose  intelligence  the  dutiful 
 regard  which  I  have  of  their  judgments  maketh  me  de- 
 sirous, that  as  accusations  have  been  brought  against  me, 
 so  that  this  my  answer  thereunto  may  likewise  come),  did 
 both  with  the  one  and  the  other,  as  Constantine  with  books 
 containing  querelous  matter.    Whether  this  be  convenient 
 to  be  wished  or  no,  I  cannot  tell :  but  sith  there  can  come 
 nothing  of  contention,  but  the  mutual  waste  of  the  parties 
 contending,  till  a  common  enemy  dance  in  the  ashes  of 
 them  both,  I  do  wish  heartily  that  the  grave  advice  which 
 Constantine  gave  for  re-uniting  of  his  Clergy  so  many  times, 
 upon  some  small  occasions,  in  so  lamentable  sort  divided, 
 or  rather  the  strict  commandment  of  Christ  unto  his,  that 
 they  should  not  be  divided  at  all,  may  at  the  length,  if  it 
 be  his  blessed  will,  prevail  so  far,  at  least  in  this  corner  of 
 the  Christian  world,  to  the  burying  and  quite  forgetting 
 of  strife,  together  with  the  causes  that  have  either  bred  it, 
 or  brought  it  up,  that  things  of  small  moment  never  dis- 
 join them,  whom  one  God,  one  Lord,  one  Faith,  one  Spirit, 
 one  Baptism,  bands  of  so  great  force,  have  linked  ;  that 
 a  respective  eye  towards  things  wherewith  we  should  not 
 be  disquieted,  make  us  not,  as  through  infirmity  the  very 
 Patriarchs  themselves  sometimes  were,  full  gorged,  unable 
 to  speak   peaceably  to  their  own  brother;  finally,  that 
 no  strife  may  ever  be  heard  of  again,  but  this,  who  shall 
 hate  strife  most,  who  shall  pursue  peace  and  unity  with 
 swiftest  paces. 
 
TO  THE  CHRISTIAN  READER. 
 
 Whereas  many  desirous  of  resolution  in  some  points 
 handled  in  this  learned  Discourse,  were  earnest  to  have  it 
 copied  out;  lo  ease  so  many  labours,  it  hath  been  thought 
 most  worthy  and  very  necessary  to  be  printed  :  that  not 
 only  they  might  be  satisfied,  but  the  whole  Church  also 
 hereby  edified.    The  rather,  because  it  will  free  the  Author 
 from  the  suspicion  of  some  errors,  which  he  hath  been 
 thought  to  have  favoured.    Who  might  well  have  answered 
 with  Cremutius  in  Tacitus,  "  Verba  mea  arguuntur ;  adeo  Ub.  iv. 
 factorum  innocens  sum."    Certainly  the  event  of  that  time  [C?34]' 
 wherein  he  lived,  shewed  that  to  be  true  which  the  same 
 Author  spake  of  a  worse,  "  Cui  deerat  inimicus,  per  amicos  Lib-  >■ 
 oppressus ;"  and  that  there  is  not  "  minus  periculum  ex-  [c.2.] 
 magna  fama,  quam  ex  mala."    But  he  hath  so  quit  him- 
 self, that  all  may  see  how,  as  it  was  said  of  Agricola, 
 "Simul  suis  virtutibus,  simul  vitiis  aliorum,  in  ipsamInVita 
 gloriam  prasceps  agebatur."    Touching  whom  I  will  say  [cai.] 
 no  more,  but  that  which  my  Author  said  of  the  same  man, 
 "  Integritatem,  &c.  in  tanto  viro  referre,  injuria  virtutum 
 fuerit."    But  as  of  all  other  his  writings,  so  of  this  I  will 
 add  that  which  Velleius  spake  in  commendation  of  Piso, 
 "  Nemo  fuit,  qui  magis  quae  agenda  erant  curaret,  sine  ulla  Lib- 
 ostentatione  agendi."    So  not  doubting,  good  Christian  [°" 98-3 
 Reader,  of  thy  assent  herein,  but  wishing  thy  favourable 
 acceptance  of  this  work  (which  will  be  an  inducement  to 
 set  forth  others  of  his  learned  labours),  I  take  my  leave, 
 from  Corpus  Christi  College  in  Oxford,  the  6th  of  July, 
 1612. 
 
 Thine  in  Christ  Jesus, 
 
 Henry  Jackson. 
 
 vol.  n. 
 
A 
 
 LEARNED  DISCOURSE 
 
 OF 
 
 JUSTIFICATION,  WORKS,  AND  HOW  THE  FOUNDATION 
 OF  FAITH  IS  OVERTHROWN. 
 
 The  wicked  doth  compass  about  the  righteous  :  therefore  perverse  judgment  doth 
 proceed. — Habak.  i.  4. 
 
 For  the  better  manifestation  of  the  Prophet's  meaning  in 
 this  place,  we  are,  first,  to  consider  "  the  wicked,"  of 
 whom  he  saith,  "  that  they  compass  about  the  righteous :" 
 secondly,  "  the  righteous"  that  are  compassed  about  by 
 them  :  and  thirdly,  that  which  is  inferred  ;  "  therefore  per- 
 verse judgment  proceedeth."  Touching  the  first,  there  are 
 two  kinds  of  wicked  men,  of  whom  in  the  fifth  of  the  former 
 to  the  Corinthians,  the  blessed  Apostle  speaketh  thus  : 
 Ijais  "  D°  ye  not  jud§e  them  that  are  within  ?  but  God  judgeth 
 them  that  are  without."  There  are  wicked,  therefore,  whom 
 the  Church  may  judge,  and  there  are  wicked  whom  God  only 
 judgeth  ;  wicked  within,  and  wicked  without,  the  walls  of 
 the  Church.  If  within  the  Church,  particular  persons  be 
 apparently  such,  as  cannot  otherwise  be  reformed,  the 
 e  cor.  vi.  rule  of  the  Apostolical  judgment  is  this,  "  Separate  them 
 i4-i7.  f,.0Tn  among  you :"  if  whole  assemblies,  this,  "  Separate 
 yourselves  from  among  them  :  for  what  society  hath  light 
 with  darkness?"  But  the  wicked,  whom  the  Prophet  mean- 
 eth,  were  Babylonians,  and  therefore  without.  For  which 
 cause  we  have  heard  at  large  heretofore  in  what  sort  he 
 urgeth  God  to  judge  them. 
 
 2.  Now  concerning  the  righteous,  there  neither  is,  nor 
 ever  was,  any  mere  natural  man  absolutely  righteous  in 
 himself,  that  is  to  say,  void  of  all  unrighteousness,  of  all 
 sin.  We  dare  not  except,  no  not  the  Blessed  Virgin  her- 
 self, of  whom,  although  we  say  with  St.  Augustine,  for  the 
 
A   DISCOURSE  OK  JUSTIFICATION',  &C.  4(J9 
 
 honour-sake  which  we  owe  to  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
 Christ,  we  are  not  willing,  in  this  cause,  to  move  any  ques- 
 tion of  his  Mother ;  yet  forasmuch  as  the  Schools  of  Rome 
 have  made  it  a  question,  we  may  answer  with  Eusebius 
 Emissenus,*  who  speaketh  of  her,  and  to  her  in  this  ef- 
 fect: "Thou  didst  by  special  prerogative  nine  months  to-  [Hom.s. 
 gether  entertain  within  the  closet  of  thy  flesh  the  hope  of  i>ora.  p." 
 all  the  ends  of  the  earth,  the  honour  of  the  world,  the  f4*;  £ 
 common  joy  of  men.  He,  from  whom  all  things  had  their  be-  Bibiiotii. 
 ginning,  had  his  beginning  from  thee  ;  of  thy  body  he  took  Lut.j 
 the  blood  which  was  to  be  shed  for  the  life  of  the  world  ; 
 of  thee  he  took  that  which  even  for  thee  he  paid.  '  A  pec- 
 cati  enim  veteris  nexu,  per  se  non  est  immunis  ipsa  Genitrix 
 Redemptoris  :'f  The  Mother  of  the  Redeemer  himself  is  not 
 otherwise  loosed  from  the  bond  of  ancient  sin,  than  by  re- 
 demption." If  Christ  have  paid  a  ransom  for  all,  even  for 
 her,  it  followeth,  that  all,  without  exception,  were  captives. 
 If  one  have  died  for  all,  then  all  were  dead  in  sin  ;  all  sin- 
 ful, therefore,  none  absolutely  righteous  in  themselves  ; 
 but  we  are  absolutely  righteous  in  Christ.  The  world  then 
 must  shew  a  righteous  man,  otherwise  it  is  not  able  to  shew 
 a  man  that  is  perfectly  righteous :  u  Christ  is  made  to  us 
 wisdom,  justice,  sanctification,  and  redemption :"  Wisdom, 
 because  he  hath  revealed  his  Father's  will ;  Justice,  be- 
 cause he  hath  offered  up  himself  a  sacrifice  for  sin ;  Sanc- 
 tification, because  he  hath  given  us  his  Spirit ;  Redemp- 
 tion, because  he  hath  appointed  a  day  to  vindicate  his 
 children  out  of  the  bands  of  corruption  into  liberty  which  is 
 glorious.  How  Christ  is  made  Wisdom,  and  how  Redemp- 
 tion, it  may  be  declared  when  occasion  serveth  ;  but  how 
 Christ  is  made  the  Righteousness  of  men,  we  are  now  to 
 declare. 
 
 3.  There  is  a  glorifying  righteousness  of  men  in  the  world 
 to  come  :  as  there  is  a  justifying  and  sanctifying  righteous- 
 nesshere.  The  righteousness,  wherewith  we  shall  be  clothed 
 in  the  world  to  come,  is  both  perfect  and  inherent.  That 
 whereby  here  we  are  justified  is  perfect,  but  not  inherent. 
 
 *  Or  whosoever  it  be,  that  was  the  author  of  those  Homilies,  that  go  under  his 
 name. 
 
 t  Knowing  how  the  Schoolmen  hold  this  question,  some  critical  wits  may  per- 
 haps half  suspect  that  these  two  words,  per  se,  are  inmates.  But,  if  the  place 
 which  they  have  be  their  own,  their  sense  can  be  none  other  than  that  which  I 
 have  given  them  by  a  paraphrastical  interpretation. 
 
 2  k  2 
 
500     A    DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 That  whereby  we  are  sanctified  is  inherent,  but  not  perfect. 
 This  openeth  a  way  to  the  understanding  of  that  grand 
 question,  which  hangeth  yet  in  controversy  between  us 
 and  the  Church  of  Rome,  about  the  matter  of  justifying 
 righteousness. 
 
 4.  First,  although  they  imasine  that  the  Mother  of  our 
 Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  were  for  his  honour,  and 
 by  his  special  protection,  preserved  clean  from  all  sin,  yet 
 touching  the  rest,  they  teach  as  we  do,  that  infants  that 
 never  did  actually  offend,  have  their  natures  defiled,  des- 
 titute of  justice,  averted  from  God  ;  that  in  making  man 
 righteous,  none  do  efficiently  work  with  God,  but  God.* 
 They  teach  as  we  do,  that  unto  justice  no  man  ever  attained, 
 but  by  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  teach  as  we  do, 
 that  although  Christ  as  God  be  the  efficient,  as  man  the 
 meritorious,  cause  of  our  justice ;  yet  in  us  also  there  is 
 something  required.  God  is  the  cause  of  our  natural  life  ; 
 in  him  we  live :  but  he  quickeneth  not  the  body  without 
 the  soul  in  the  body.  Christ  hath  merited  to  make  us  just : 
 but  as  a  medicine  which  is  made  for  health,  doth  not  heal 
 by  being  made,  but  by  being  applied  ;  so,  by  the  merits  of 
 Christ  there  can  be  no  Justification,  without  the  application 
 of  his  merit.  Thus  far  we  join  hands  with  the  Church  of 
 Rome. 
 
 Thedif.     5.  Wherein  then  do  we  disagreee?    We  disagree  about 
 between  the  nature  and  essence  of  the  medicine  whereby  Christ 
 jJistfand  cureth  out  disease ;  about  the  manner  of  applying  it;  about 
 us  about  the  number  and  the  power  of  means,  which  God  requireth 
 catioc.  in  us  for  the  effectual  applying  thereof  to  our  soul's  comfort. 
 When  they  are  required  to  shew  what  the  righteousness  is 
 whereby  a  Christian  man  is  justified,  they  answer,  f  that  it 
 is  a  divine  spiritual  quality ;  which  quality  received  into 
 the  soul,  doth  first  make  it  to  be  one  of  them  who  are  born 
 of  God  :  and.,  secondly,  endue  it  with  power  to  bring  forth 
 
 *  They  teach  as  -we  do,  that  God  doth  justify  the  soul  of  man  alone,  without 
 any  coeffective  cause  of  justice.  '  Deus  sine  medio  coefFectivo  animamjustificat.' 
 Casal.  de  quadripart.  just.  lib.  vi.  Idem.  lib.  iii.  c.  9. 
 
 I  Tho.  Aquin.  1. 1.  qua?st.  100.  '  Gratia  gratum  faciens,  id  est,  justificans,  est  in 
 anima  quiddamreale  et  positivum,  qualitas  quxdam  (art  ii.  concl.)  supernaturalis, 
 non  eadem  cum  virtute  infusa,  ut  magister  ;  sed  aliquid  (art.  iii.)  prseter  virtu tes 
 infusas,  fidem,  spem,  charitatem,  habitudo  qusdam  (art.  iii.  ad  3.)  quae  przesup- 
 ponitur  in  virtutibus  istis  sicut  earum  principium  et  radix  ;  essentiam  animae  tan- 
 quam  subjectum  occupat,  non  potentias,  sed  ab  ipsa  (art.  iv.  ad  1.)  effiuunt  virtutes 
 in  potentias  anima?,  per  quas  potential  moventur  ad  actus.'  PJur.  vid.  quaest.  113. 
 de  Jusdficatione. 
 
A   DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  501 
 
 such  works,  as  they  do  that  are  born  of  him  ;  even  as  the 
 soul  of  man  being-  joined  to  his  body,  doth  first  make  him 
 to  be  of  the  number  of  reasonable  creatures,  and  secondly 
 enable  him  to  perform  the  natural  functions  which  are  pro- 
 per to  his  kind ;  that  it  maketh  the  soul  amiable  and  gra- 
 cious in  the  sight  of  God,  in  regard  whereof  it  is  termed 
 Grace;  that  it  purgeth,  purifieth,  and  washeth  out,  all  the 
 stains  aud  pollutions  of  sins ;  that  by  it,  through  the  merit  of 
 Christ  we  are  delivered  as  from  sin,  so  from  eternal  death 
 and  condemnation,  the  reward  of  sin.  This  Grace  they  will 
 have  to  be  applied  by  infusion ;  to  the  end,  that  as  the  body 
 is  warm  by  the  heat  which  is  in  the  body,  so  the  soul  might 
 be  righteous  by  inherent  Grace  ;  which  Grace  they  make 
 capable  of  increase ;  as  the  body  may  be  more  and  more 
 warm,  so  the  soul  more  and  more  justified,  according  as 
 Grace  should  be  augmented  ;  the  augmentation  whereof  is 
 merited  by  good  works,  as  good  works  are  made  merito- 
 rious by  it.    Wherefore,  the  first  receipt  of  Grace  in  their 
 divinity  is  the  first  Justification  ;  the  increase  thereof,  the 
 second  Justification.    As  Grace  may  be  increased  by  the 
 merit  of  good  works  ;  so  it  may  be  diminished  by  the  de- 
 merit of  sins  venial;  it  may  be  lost  by  mortal  sin.  Inas- 
 much, therefore,  as  it  is  needful  in  the  one  case  to  repair, 
 in  the  other  to  recover,  the  loss  which  is  made ;  the  infusion 
 of  Grace  hath  her  sundry  after-meals;  for  the  which  cause 
 they  make  many  ways  to  apply  the  infusion  of  Grace.  It  is 
 applied  to  infants  through  Baptism,  without  either  Faith  or 
 Works,  and  in  them  really  it  taketh  away  Original  sin,  and 
 the  punishment  due  unto  it ;  it  is  applied  to  infidels  and 
 wicked  men  in  the  first  Justification,  through  Baptism  with- 
 out Works,  yet  not  without  Faith  ;  and  it  taketh  away  both 
 sins  Actual  and  Original  together,  with  all  whatsoever 
 punishment,  eternal  or  temporal,  thereby  deserved.  Unto 
 such  as  have  attained  the  first  Justification,  that  is  to  say, 
 the  first  receipt  of  Grace,  it  is  applied  further  by  good  works 
 to  the  increase  of  former  Grace,  which  is  the  second  Justi- 
 fication.   If  they  work  more  and  more,  Grace  doth  more 
 increase,  and  they  are  more  and  more  justified.    To  such 
 as  diminish  it  by  venial  sins,  it  is  applied  by  Holy  Water, 
 Ave  Marias,  Crossings,  Papal  Salutations,  and  such  like, 
 which  serve  for  reparations  of  Grace  decayed.  To  such  as 
 have  lost  it  through  mortal  sin,  it  is  applied  by  the  Sacra- 
 ment (as  they  term  it)  of  Penance  ;  which  Sacrament  hath 
 
502        A   DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C 
 
 force  to  confer  Grace  anew,  yet  in  such  sort,  that  being  so 
 conferred,  it  hath  not  altogether  so  much  power  as  at  the 
 first.  For  it  only  cleanseth  out  the  stain  or  guilt  of  sin  com- 
 mitted, and  changeth  the  punishment  eternal  into  a  tempo- 
 ral satisfactory  punishment  here,  if  time  do  serve  :  if  not, 
 hereafter  to  be  endured,  except  it  be  lightened  by  Masses, 
 Works  of  Charity,  Pilgrimages,  Fasts,  and  such  like ;  or 
 else  shortened  by  pardon  for  term,  or  by  plenary  pardon 
 quite  removed  and  taken  away.  This  is  the  mystery  of  the 
 Man  of  sin.  This  maze  the  Church  of  Rome  doth  cause  her 
 followers  to  tread,  when  they  ask  her  the  way  to  Justifica- 
 tion. I  cannot  stand  now  to  unrip  this  building,  and  sift  it 
 piece  by  piece  ;  only  I  will  pass  it  by  in  few  words,  that  that 
 may  befall  Babylon,  in  the  presence  of  that  which  God 
 hath  builded,  as  happened  unto  Dagon  before  the  Ark. 
 
 6.  "  Doubtless  (saith  the  Apostle),  I  have  counted  all 
 things  lost,  and  judge  thern  to  be  dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ; 
 and  to  be  found  in  him,  not  having  my  own  righteousness, 
 but  that  which  is  through  the  Faith  of  Christ,  the  righteous- 
 ness which  is  of  God  through  Faith."  Whether  they  speak 
 of  the  first  or  second  Justification,  they  make  the  essence 
 of  a  divine  quality  inherent,  they  make  it  righteousness 
 ■which  is  in  us.  If  it  be  in  us,  then  it  is  ours,  as  our 
 souls  are  ours,  though  we  have  them  from  God,  and 
 can  hold  them  no  longer  than  pleaseth  him  ;  for  if  he 
 withdraw  the  breath  of  our  nostrils,  we  fall  to  dust:  but 
 the  righteousness  wherein  we  must  be  found,  if  we  will 
 be  justified,  is  not  our  own  ;  therefore  we  cannot  be  justi- 
 fied by  any  inherent  quality.  Christ  hath  merited  right- 
 eousness for  as  many  as  are  found  in  him.  In  him  God 
 findeth  us,  if  we  be  faithful ;  for  by  Faith  we  are'  incorpo- 
 rated into  Christ.  Then,  although  in  ourselves  we  be 
 altogether  sinful  and  unrighteous,  yet  even  the  man  which 
 is  impious  in  himself,  full  of  iniquity,  full  of  sin  ;  him  being 
 found  in  Christ  through  Faith,  and  having  his  sin  remitted 
 through  Repentance ;  him  God  beholdeth  with  a  gracious 
 eye,  putteth  away  his  sin  by  not  imputing  it,  taketh  quite 
 away  the  punishment  due  thereunto  by  pardoning  it, 
 and  accepteth  him  in  Jesus  Christ,  as  perfectly  righteous, 
 as  if  he  had  fulfilled  all  that  was  commanded  him  in  the 
 Law ;  shall  I  say  more  perfectly  righteous  than  if  himself 
 had  fulfilled  the  whole  Law  ?  I  must  take  heed  what  I  say : 
 but  the  Apostle  saith,  "  God  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who 
 
A   DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  503 
 
 knew  no  sin ;  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of 
 God  in  him."    Such  we  are  in  the  sight  of  God  the  Father, 
 as  is  the  very  Son  of  God  himself.  Let  it  be  counted  folly,  or 
 frenzy,  or  fury,  whatsoever,  it  is  our  comfort,  and  our  wis- 
 dom ;  we  care  for  no  knowledge  in  the  world  but  this,  that 
 man  hath  sinned,  and  God  hath  suffered ;  that  God  hath 
 made  himself  the  Son  of  man,  and  that  men  are  made  the 
 righteousness  of  God.  You  see,  therefore,  that  the  Church 
 of  Rome,  in  teaching  Justification  by  inherent  Grace,  doth 
 pervert  the  truth  of  Christ ;  and  that  by  the  hands  of  the 
 Apostles  we  have  received  otherwise  than  she  teacheth. 
 Now  concerning  the  righteousness  of  Sanctification,  we 
 deny  it  not  to  be  inherent ;  we  grant,  that  unless  we 
 work,  we  have  it  not ;  only  we  distinguish  it  as  a  thing  dif- 
 ferent in  nature  from  the  righteousness  of  Justification : 
 we  are  righteous  the  one  way,  by  the  Faith  of  Abraham ;  the 
 other  way,  except  we  do  the  works  of  Abraham,  we  are  not 
 righteous.    Of  the  one  St.  Paul,  "  To  him  that  worketh  [Rom. 
 not,  but  believeth,  Faith  is  counted  for  righteousness."    Of  5,] 
 the  other,  St.  John,  "  Qui  facit  justitiam,  Justus  est : — He  [!1.J£hn 
 is  righteous  which  worketh  righteousness."    Of  the  one, 
 St.  Paul  doth  prove  by  Abraham's  example,  that  we  have  [Rom.iv.] 
 it  of  Faith  without  Works.    Of  the  other,  St.  James  by  [Jam.  iit] 
 Abraham's  example,  that  by  Works  we  have  it,  and  not  only 
 by  Faith.    St.  Paul  doth  plainly  sever  these  two  parts  of 
 Christian  righteousness  one  from  the  other.    For  in  the 
 sixth  to  the  Romans  thus  he  writeth,  "  Being  freed  from  Rom. 
 sin,  and  made  servants  to  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  in  holi-  2Z' 
 ness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life."  "  Ye  are  made  free  from 
 sin,  and  made  servants  unto  God;"  this  is  the  righteous- 
 ness of  Justification ;  "  Ye  have  your  fruit  in  holiness 
 this  is  the  righteousness  of  Sanctification.    By  the  one  we 
 are  interested  in  the  right  of  inheriting ;  by  the  other  we 
 are  brought  to  the  actual  possession  of  eternal  bliss,  and 
 so  the  end  of  both  is  everlasting  life. 
 
 7.  The  Prophet  Habakkuk  doth  here  term  the  Jews 
 "  righteous  men,"  not  only  because  being  justified  by  Faith 
 they  were  free  from  sin ;  but  also  because  they  had  their 
 measure  of  fruits  in  holiness.  According  to  whose  example  of 
 charitable  judgment,  which  leaveth  it  to  God  to  discern  what 
 we  are,  and  speaketh  of  them  according  to  that  which  they 
 do  profess  themselves  to  be,  although  they  be  not  holy  men 
 whom  men  do  think,  but  whom  God  doth  know  indeed  to 
 
504        A   DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 be  such ;  yet  let  every  Christian  man  know,  that  in  Chris- 
 tian equity,  he  standeth  boundfor  to  think  and  speak  of  his 
 brethren,  as  of  men  that  have  a  measure  in  the  fruit  of  holi- 
 ness, and  a  right  unto  the  titles  wherewith  God,  in  token  of 
 special  favour  and  mercy,  vouchsafeth  to  honour  his  chosen 
 servants.  So  we  see  the  Apostles  of  our  Saviour  Christ  do  use 
 every  where  the  name  of  Saints;  so  the  Prophet  the  name  of 
 righteous.  But  let  us  all  be  such  as  we  desire  to  be  termed  : 
 "  Reatus  impii  est  pium  nomen,"  saith  Salvianus;  "Godly 
 names  do  not  justify  godless  men."  We  are  but  upbraided, 
 when  we  are  honoured  with  names  and  titles  whereunto  our 
 lives  and  manners  are  not  suitable.  If  indeed  we  have  our  fruit 
 in  holiness,  notwithstanding  we  must  note,  that  the  more 
 we  abound  therein,  the  more  need  we  have  to  crave  that  we 
 maybe  strengthened  and  supported.  Our  very  virtues  may 
 be  snares  unto  us.  The  enemy  that  waiteth  for  all  occa- 
 sions to  work  our  ruin,  hath  found  it  harder  to  overthrow  an 
 humble  sinner,  than  a  proud  Saint.  There  is  no  man's  case 
 so  dangerous  as  his  whom  Satan  hath  persuaded  that  his  own 
 righteousness  shall  present  him  pure  and  blameless  in  the 
 sight  of  God.  If  we  could  say,  we  were  not  guilty  of  any 
 thing  at  all  in  our  consciences  (we  know  ourselves  far  from 
 this  innocency,  we  cannot  say,  we  know  nothing  by  our- 
 selves ;  but  if  we  could),  should  we  therefore  plead  not 
 guilty  before  the  presence  of  our  Judge,  that  sees  further  in- 
 to our  hearts  than  we  ourselves  can  do  ?  If  our  hands  did 
 never  offer  violence  to  our  brethren,  a  bloody  thought  doth 
 prove  us  murderers  before  him  :  if  we  had  never  opened  our 
 mouth  to  utter  any  scandalous,  offensive,  or  hurtful  word, 
 the  cry  of  our  secret  cogitations  is  heard  in  the  ears  of  God. 
 If  we  did  not  commit  the  sins,which  daily  and  hourly  either  in 
 deed,  word,  orthoughts  w  e  do  commit;  yetin  the  good  things 
 which  we  do,  how  many  defects  are  there  intermingled  ! 
 God,  in  that  which  is  done,  respecteth  the  mind  and  intention 
 of  the  doer.  Cut  off  then  all  those  things  wherein  we  have 
 regarded  our  own  glory,  those  things  which  men  do  to 
 please  men,  and  to  satisfy  our  own  liking,  those  things 
 which  we  do  for  any  by-respect,  not  sincerely  and  purely  for 
 the  love  of  God,  and  a  small  score  will  serve  for  the  number 
 of  our  righteous  deeds.  Let  the  holiest  and  best  things 
 which  we  do  be  considered.  We  are  never  better  affected 
 unto  God  than  when  we  pray  ;  yet  when  we  pray,  how  are 
 our  affections  many  times  distracted  !  How  little  reverence 
 
A   DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  505 
 
 do  \vc  shew  unto  the  grand  Majesty  of  God,  unto  whom 
 we  speak  !  How  little  remorse  of  our  own  miseries !  How 
 little  taste  of  the  sweet  influence  of  his  tender  mercies  do 
 we  feel !  Are  we  not  as  unwilling  many  times  to  begin,  and 
 as  glad  to  make  an  end;  as  if  in  saying,  "  Call  upon  me," 
 he  had  set  us  a  very  burdensome  task?  It  may  seem  some- 
 what extreme,  which  I  will  speak ;  therefore  let  every  one 
 judge  of  it,  even  as  his  own  heart  shall  tell  him,  and  no 
 otherwise  ;  I  will  but  only  make  a  demand  :  If  God  should 
 yield  unto  us,  not  as  unto  Abraham,  if  fifty,  forty,  thirty, 
 t  wenty,  yea,  or  if  ten  good  persons  could  be  found  in  a  city, 
 for  their  sakes  this  city  should  not  be  destroyed  ;  but,  and  if 
 he  should  make  us  an  offer  thus  large,  Search  all  the  gene- 
 rations of  men  sithence  the  fall  of  our  father  Adam,  find 
 onc^nan,  that  hath  done  one  action/which  hath  passed'from 
 him  pure,  without  any  stain  or  blemish  at  all;  and  for  that 
 one  man's  only  action,  neither  Man  nor  Angel  shall  feel  the 
 torments  which  are  prepared  for  both.  Do  you  think  that 
 this  ransom,  to  deliver  Men  and  Angels,  could  be  found  to 
 be  among  the  sons  of  men  ?  The  best  things  which  we  do 
 have  somewhat  in  them  to  be  pardoned.  How  then  can  we 
 do  any  thing  meritorious,  or  wrorthy  to  be  rewarded?  Indeed, 
 God  doth  liberally  promise  whatsoever  appertaineth  to  a 
 blessed  life,  to  as  many  as  sincerely  keep  his  Law,  though 
 they  be  not  exactly  able  to  keep  it.  Wherefore,  we  ac- 
 knowledge a  dutiful  necessity  of  doing  well,  but  the  me- 
 ritorious dignity  of  doing  well  we  utterly  renounce.  We 
 see  how  far  we  are  from  the  perfect  righteousness  of  the 
 Law ;  the  little  fruit  which  we  have  in  holiness,  it  is,  God 
 knoweth,  corrupt  and  unsound :  we  put  no  confidence  at 
 all  in  it,  we  challenge  nothing  in  the  world  for  it,  we  dare 
 not  call  God  to  reckoning,  as  if  we  had  him  in  our  debt- 
 books  :  our  continual  suit  to  him  is,  and  must  be,  to  bear 
 with  our  infirmities,  and  pardon  our  offences. 
 
 8.  But  the  people  of  whom  the  Prophet  speaketh,  were 
 they  all,  or  were  the  most  part  of  them,  such  as  had  care  to 
 walk  uprightly  ?  did  they  thirst  after  righteousness  ?  did 
 they  wish,  did  they  long  with  the  righteous  Prophet, 
 "  O  that  our  ways  were  so  direct  that  we  might  keep  thy  [psai. 
 Statutes?"  did  they  lament  with  the  righteous  Apostle, cxU' 5 
 "  O  miserable  men,  the  good  which  we  wish  and  purpose,  [Rom. 
 and  strive  to  do,  we  cannot?"  No ;  the  words  of  another  Pro-  "''i0' 
 
506        A   DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 phet  concerning  this  people  do  shew  the  contrary.  How 
 [isa.  grievously  hath  Esay  mourned  over  them !  "  O  sinful  nation, 
 ,-4-] laden  with  iniquity,  wicked  seed,  corrupt  children!"  All 
 which  notwithstanding,  so  wide  are  the  bowels  of  his  com- 
 passion enlarged,  that  he  denieth  us  not,  no  not  when  we 
 were  laden  with  iniquity,  leave  to  commune  familiarly  with 
 him,  liberty  to  crave  and  entreat,  that  what  plagues  soever 
 we  have  deserved,  we  may  not  be  in  worse  case  than  unbe- 
 lievers, that  we  may  not  be  hemmed  in  by  Pagans  and  In- 
 fidels. Jerusalem  is  a  sinful  polluted  city  ;  but  Jerusalem 
 compared  with  Babylon  is  righteous.  And  shall  the  righte- 
 ous be  overborne  ?  Shall  they  be  compassed  about  by  the 
 wicked  ?  But  the  Prophet  doth  not  only  complain ;  Lord, 
 how  coraeth  it  to  pass  that  thou  handiest  us  so  hardly,  of 
 whom  thy  name  is  called,  and  bearest  with  the  Heathen 
 nations,  that  despise  thee  ?  no,  he  breaketh  out  through 
 extremity  of  grief,  and  inferreth  violently,  This  "  proceed- 
 ing is  perverse,"  the  righteous  are  thus  handled  ;  "  there- 
 fore perverse  judgment  doth  proceed." 
 
 9.  Which  illation  containeth  many  things,  whereof  it  were 
 better  much  both  for  you  to  hear,  and  me  to  speak,  if  necessity 
 Acts  didnot  drawme  to  another  task.  Paul  and  Barnabas  being 
 requested  to  preach  the  same  things  again  which  once  they  had 
 preached,  thought  it  their  duty  to  satisfy  the  godly  desires  of 
 men  sincerely  affected  to  the  truth.  Nor  may  it  seem  burden- 
 ous  for  me,  nor  for  you  unprofitable,  that  I  follow  their  exam- 
 ple, the  like  occasion  unto  theirs  being  offered  me.  "When 
 we  had  last  the  Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Hebrews  in  hand, 
 rub.  and  of  that  Epistle  these  words,  "  In  these  last  days  he  has 
 spoken  to  us  by  his  Son  ;"  after  we  had  thence  collected  the 
 nature  of  the  visible  Church  of  Christ,  and  had  defined  it  to 
 be  a  community  of  men*  sanctified  through  the  profession  of 
 the  truth  which  God  hath  taught  the  world  by  his  Son ;  and 
 had  declared,  that  the  scope  of  Christian  doctrine  is  the 
 comfort  of  them  whose  hearts  are  overcharged  with  the 
 burden  of  sin ;  and  had  proved  that  the  doctrine  professed 
 in  the  Church  of  Rome,  doth  bereave  men  of  comfort,  both 
 in  their  lives,  and  in  their  deaths :  the  conclusion  in  the 
 end,  whereunto  we  came,  was  this  ;  the  Church  of  Rome 
 being  in  faith  so  corrupted,  as  she  is,  and  refusing  to  be  re- 
 
 XIII. 
 
 41—44 
 
 *  Bv  sanctificalion,  I  mean  a  separation  from  others  not  professing  as  they  do. 
 For  true  holiness  consisteth  not  in  profeiiiiig,  but  in  obeying  the  truth  of  Christ. 
 
A   DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  507 
 
 formed,  as  she  doth,  we  arc  to  sever  ourselves  from  her; 
 the  example  of  our  Fathers  may  not  retain  us  in  commu- 
 nion with  that  Church,  under  hope  that  we  so  continuing, 
 may  be  saved  as  well  as  they.  God,  I  doubt  not,  was 
 merciful  to  save  thousands  of  them,  though  they  lived  in 
 Popish  Superstitions,  inasmuch  as  they  sinned  ignorantly: 
 but  the  truth  is  now  laid  before  our  eyes.  The  former  part 
 of  this  last  sentence,  namely,  these  words,  "  I  doubt  not 
 but  God  was  merciful  to  save  thousands  of  our  Fathers 
 living  in  Popish  Superstitions,  inasmuch  as  they  sinned 
 ignorantly :"  this  sentence  I  beseech  you  to  mark,  and  to 
 sift  it  with  the  severity  of  austere  judgment,  that  if  it  be 
 found  to  be  gold,  it  may  be  suitable  to  the  precious  foun- 
 dation whereon  it  was  then  laid  ;  for  I  protest,  that  if  it  be 
 hay  or  stubble,  my  own  hand  shall  set  fire  on  it.  Two 
 questions  have  risen  by  this  speech  before  alleged :  the 
 one, '  Whether  our  Fathers, infected  with  Popish  errors  and 
 superstitions,  may  be  saved  V  the  other,  '  Whether  their  ig- 
 norance be  a  reasonable  inducement  to  make  us  think  they 
 might  V  We  are  then  to  examine,  first,  what  possibility  ; 
 then,  what  probability  there  is,  that  God  might  be  merciful 
 unto  so  many  of  our  Fathers. 
 
 10.  So  many  of  our  Fathers  living  in  Popish  Supersti- 
 tions, yet  by  the  mercy  of  God  be  saved  ?   No  ;  this  could 
 not  be  :  God  hath  spoken  by  his  Angel  from  Heaven  unto 
 his  people  concerning  Babylon  (by  Babylon  we  understand 
 the  Church  of  Rome) :  "  Go  out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  ap°c 
 be  not  partakers  of  her  plagues."    For  answer  whereunto, 
 first,  I  do  not  take  the  words  to  be  meant  only  of  temporal 
 plagues,  of  the  corporal  death,  sorrow,  famine,  and  fire, 
 whereunto  God  in  his  wrath  had  condemned  Babylon  ;  and 
 that  to  save  his  chosen  people  from  these  plagues,  he  saitb, 
 "  Go  out ;"  with  like  intent,  as  in  the  Gospel,  speaking  of 
 Jerusalem's  desolations,  he  saith,  "  Let  them  that  are  in  Matt. 
 Judea  flee  unto  the  mountains,  and  them  that  are  in  the  XJ"V* 
 midst  thereof  depart  out ;"  or,  as  in  former  times  to  Lot, 
 "  Arise,  take  thy  wife  and  thy  daughters  which  are  there,  Gen. 
 lest  thou  be  destroyed  in  the  punishment  of  the  city :"  but  x'x'  " 
 forasmuch  as  here  it  is  said,  "  Go  out  of  Babvlon  ;"  we 
 doubt,  their  everlasting  destruction,  whicn  are  partakers 
 therein,  is  either  principally  meant,  or  necessarily  implied 
 in  this  sentence.    How  then  was  it  possible  for  so  many  of 
 
508        A    DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 our  Fathers  to  be  saved,  sith  they  were  so  far  from  depart- 
 ing out  of  Babylon,  that  they  took  her  for  their  Mother,  and 
 in  her  bosom  yielded  up  the  ghost? 
 
 11.  First,  for  the  plagues  being  threatened  unto  them 
 that  are  partakers  in  the  sins  of  Babylon,  we  can  define 
 nothing  concerning  our  Fathers  out  of  this  sentence ;  unless 
 we  shew  what  the  sins  of  Babylon  be,  and  what  they  be 
 which  are  such  partakers  of  them,  that  their  everlasting 
 plagues  are  inevitable.  The  sins  which  may  be  common 
 both  to  them  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  to  others  de- 
 parted thence,  must  be  severed  from  this  question.  He 
 which  saith,  "  Depart  out  of  Babylon,  lest  ye  be  partakers 
 of  her  sins,"  sheweth  plainly,  that  he  meaneth  such  sins, 
 as  except  wTe  separate  ourselves,  we  have  no  power  in  the 
 world  to  avoid  ;  such  impieties,  as  by  their  Law  they  have 
 established,  and  whereunto  all  that  are  among  them,  either 
 do  indeed  assent,  or  else  are,  by  powerable  means  forced  in 
 show  and  appearance  to  subject  themselves.  As  for  ex- 
 ample, in  the  Church  of  Rome  it  is  maintained,  that  the 
 same  credit  and  reverence  that  we  give  to  the  Scriptures  of 
 God,  ought  also  to  be  given  to  unwritten  verities ;  that  the 
 Pope  is  Supreme  Head  Ministerial  over  the  universal 
 Church  Militant ;  that  the  bread  in  the  Eucharist  is  tran- 
 substantiated into  Christ;  that  it  is  to  be  adored,  and  to 
 be  offered  up  unto  God,  as  a  sacrifice  propitiatory  for  quick 
 and  dead  ;  that  Images  are  to  be  worshipped,  Saints  to  be 
 called  upon  as  intercessors,  and  such  like.  Now,  because 
 some  Heresies  do  concern  things  only  believed,  as  the 
 Transubstantiation  of  the  Sacramental  Elements  in  the 
 Eucharist ;  some  concern  things  which  are  practised  and 
 put  in  ure,  as  the  Adoration  of  the  Elements  transubstan- 
 tiated :  we  must  note,  that  erroneously,  the  practice  of  that 
 is  sometime  received,  whereof  the  doctrine,  that  teachethit, 
 is  not  heretically  maintained.  They  are  all  partakers  of 
 the  maintenance  of  Heresies,  who  by  word  or  deed  allow 
 them,  knowing  them,  although  not  knowing  them  to  be 
 Heresies ;  as  also  they,  and  that  most  dangerously  of  all 
 others,  who  kuowing  Heresy  to  be  Heresy,  do  notwithstand- 
 ing, in  worldly  respects,  make  semblance  of  allowing  that, 
 which  in  heart  and  judgment  they  condemn :  but  Heresy  is 
 heretically  maintained,  by  such  as  obstinately  hold  it  after 
 wholesome  admonition.    Of  the  last  sort,  as  of  the  next 
 
A   DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  509 
 
 before,  I  make  no  doubt,  but  that  their  condemnation, 
 without  an  actual  repentance,  is  inevitable,  Lest  any  man 
 therefore  should  think,  that  in  speaking  of  our  Fathers,  I 
 should  speak  indifferently  of  them  all;  let  my  words,  I  be- 
 seech you,  be  well  marked,  "  I  doubt  not  but  God  was'mer- 
 ciful  to  save  thousands  of  our  Fathers :"  which  thing  I  will 
 now,  by  God's  assistance,  set  more  plainly  before  your 
 eyes. 
 
 12.  Many  are  partakers  of  the  error,  which  are  not  of  the 
 Heresy  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  The  people  following  the 
 conduct  of  their  guides,  and  observing  as  they  did,  exactly 
 that  which  was  prescribed,  thought  they  did  God  good  ser- 
 vice, when  indeed  they  did  dishonour  him.  This  was  their 
 error :  but  the  Heresy  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  their  dogma- 
 tical position  opposite  unto  Christian  truth,  what  one  man 
 among  ten  thousand  did  ever  understand  ?  Of  them,  which 
 understand  Roman  Heresies,  and  allow  them,  all  are  not 
 alike  partakers  in  the  action  of  allowing.  Some  allow  them 
 as  the  first  founders  and  establishes  of  them  ;  which  crime 
 toucheth  none  but  their  Popes  and  Councils :  the  people 
 are  clear  and  free  from  this.  Of  them  which  maintain  Po- 
 pish Heresies,  not  as  authors,  but  receivers,  of  them  from 
 others,  all  maintain  them  not  as  masters.  In  this  are  not 
 the  people  partakers  neither,  but  only  the  Predicants  and 
 Schoolmen.  Of  them  which  have  been  partakers  in  this 
 sin  of  teaching  Popish  Heresy,  there  is  also  a  difference ; 
 for  they  have  not  all  been  teachers  of  all  Popish  Heresy. 
 "  Put  a  difference  (saith  St.  Jude);  have  compassion  upon 
 some."  Shall  we  lap  up  all  in  one  condition?  shall  we 
 cast  them  all  headlong,  shall  we  plunge  them  all  into 
 that  infernal  and  everlasting  flaming  lake?  them  that 
 have  been  partakers  of  the  errors  of  Babylon,  together 
 with  them  which  are  in  the  Heresy  ?  them  which  have 
 been  the  authors  of  the  Heresy,  with  them  that  by  terror 
 and  violence  have  been  forced  to  receive  it?  them  who 
 taught  it,  with  them  whose  simplicity  hath  by  sleights  and 
 conveyances  of  false  teachers  been  seduced  to  believe  it? 
 them  which  have  been  partakers  in  one,  with  them  which 
 have  been  partakers  in  many?  them  which  in  many, 
 with  them  which  in  all  ? 
 
 13.  Notwithstanding  I  grant,  that  although  the  condem- 
 nation of  them  be  more  tolerable  than  of  these  :  yet  from 
 
<)10       A    DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 the  man  that  laboureth  at  the  plough,  to  him  that  sitteth  in 
 the  Vatican  ;  to  all  partakers  in  the  sins  of  Babylon ;  to 
 our  Fathers,  though  they  did  but  erroneously  practise  that 
 which  the  Guide  heretically  taught ;  to  all  without  excep- 
 tion, plagues  were  due.  The  pit  is  ordinarily  the  end,  as 
 well  of  the  guide,  as  of  the  guided  in  blindness.  But  wo 
 worth  the  hour  wherein  we  were  born,  except  we  might  pro- 
 mise ourselves  better  things;  things  which  accompany 
 man's  salvation,  even  where  we  know  that  worse  and  such 
 as  accompany  condemnation  are  due.  Then  must  we  shew 
 some  way  how^possibly  they  might  escape.  What  way  is 
 there  that  sinners  can  find  to  escape  the  judgment  of  God, 
 but  only  by  appealing  to  the  seat  of  his  saving  mercy? 
 which  mercy,  with  Origen,  we  do  not  extend  to  devils  and 
 damned  spirits.  God  hath  mercy  upon  thousands,  but 
 there  be  thousands  also  which  he  hardeneth.  Christ  bath 
 therefore  set  the  bounds,  he  hath  fixed  the  limits  of  his 
 
 joim  saying-  mercy  within  the  compass  of  these  terms :  "  God 
 sent  not  his  own  Son  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the 
 world  through  him  might  be  saved."  In  the  third  of  St. 
 John's  Gospel,  mercy  is  restrained  to  believers :  "  He  that 
 
 utl'w.  believeth  shall  not  be  condemned:  he  that  belie veth  not,  is 
 condemned  already,  because  he  believeth  not  in  the  Son  of 
 God."  In  the  second  of  the  Revelation,  mercy  is  re- 
 strained to  the  penitent.  For  of  Jezebel  and  her  sectaries 
 thus  he  speaketh :  "  I  gave  her  space  to  repent,  and  she 
 
 21-as!  repented  not.  Behold,  I  will  cast  her  into  a  bed,  and  them 
 that  commit  fornications  with  her  into  great  affliction,  ex- 
 cept they  repent  them  of  their  works ;  and  I  will  kill  her 
 children  with  death."  Our  hope  therefore  of  the  Fathers 
 is,  if  they  were  not  altogether  faithless  and  impenitent,  that 
 they  are  saved. 
 
 14.  They  are  not  faithless  that  are  weak  in  assenting  to 
 the  truth,  or  stiff  in  maintaining  things  opposite  to  the  truth 
 of  Christian  doctrine.  But  as  many  as  hold  the  foundation 
 which  is  precious,  though  they  hold  it  but  weakly,  and  as  it 
 were  with  a  slender  thread,  although  they  frame  many  base 
 and  unsuitable  things  upon  it,  things  that  cannot  abide  the 
 trial  of  the  fire ;  yet  shall  they  pass  the  fiery  trial  and  be 
 saved,  which  indeed  have  builded  themselves  upon  the 
 Rock,  which  is  the  foundation  of  the  Church.  If  then  our 
 Fathers  did  not  hold  the  foundation  of  Faith,  there  is  no 
 
A  DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  511 
 
 doubt  but  they  were  faithless.  If  many  of  them  held  it, 
 then  is  therein  no  impediment  but  many  of  them  might  be 
 saved.  Then  let  us  see  what  the  foundation  of  Faith  is, 
 and  whether  we  may  think  that  thousands  of  our  Fathers 
 being  in  Popish  Superstitions,  did  notwithstanding  hold  the 
 foundation. 
 
 15.  If  the  foundation  of  Faith  do  import  the  general 
 ground  whereupon  we  rest  when  we  do  believe,  the  writings 
 of  the  Evangelists  and  the  Apostles  are  the  foundation  of 
 Christian  Faith  :  "  Credimus  quia  legimus,"  saith  St.  Je- 
 rome. O  that  the  Church  of  Rome  did  as*  soundly  inter- 
 pret these  fundamental  writings  whereupon  we  build  our 
 Faith,  as  she  doth  willingly  hold  and  embrace  them! 
 
 16.  But  if  the  name  of  foundation  do  note  the  principal 
 thing  which  is  believed,  then  is  that  the  foundation  of  our 
 Faith  which  St.  Paul  hath  to  Timothy  :  "God  manifested  iTim. 
 in  the  flesh,  justified  m  the  Spirit,  &c:"  that  of  Nathanael, 11,1 " 
 "  Thou  art  the  Son  of  the  living  God  ;  thou  art  the  King  John 
 of  Israel  :"  that  of  the  inhabitants  of  Samaria,  "  This  is  \'^%_ 
 Christ  the  Saviour  of  the  world  :"  he  that  directly  denieth 
 this,  doth  utterly  raze  the  foundation  of  our  Faith.    I  have 
 proved  heretofore,  that  although  the  Church  of  Rome  hath 
 played  the  harlot  worse  than  ever  did  Israel,  yet  are  they 
 not,  as  now  the  Synagogue  of  the  Jews,  which  plainly 
 deny  Christ  Jesus,  quite  and  clean  excluded  from  the  new 
 Covenant.    But  as  Samaria  compared  with  Jerusalem  is 
 termed  Aholath,  a  Church  or  Tabernacle  of  her  own ;  con- 
 trariwise, Jerusalem  Aholibath,  the  resting  place  of  the 
 Lord :  so,  whatsoever  we  term  the  Church  of  Rome,  when 
 
 we  compare  her  with  reformed  Churches,  still  we  put  a 
 difference,  as  then  between  Babylon  and  Samaria,  so  now 
 between  Rome  and  the  Heathenish  assemblies.  Which 
 opinion  I  must  and  will  recall ;  I  must  grant  and  will, 
 that  the  Church  of  Rome,  together  with  all  her  children,  is 
 clean  excluded  ;  there  is  no  difference  in  the  world  be- 
 tween our  Fathers  and  Saracens,  Turks  and  Painims,  if 
 they  did  directly  deny  Christ  crucified  for  the  salvation  of 
 the  world. 
 
 17.  But  how  many  millions  of  them  were  known  so  to 
 
 •They  misinterpret,  not  only  by  making  false  and  corrupt  glosses  upon  the 
 Scripture,  but  also  by  forcing  the  old  vulgar  Translation  as  the  only  authentical  : 
 howbeit,  they  refuse  no  Book  which  is  Canonical,  though  they  admit  sundry  which 
 are  not. 
 
512        A   DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 have  ended  their  lives,  that  the  drawing  of  their  breath 
 hath  ceased  with  the  uttering  of  this  Faith,  "  Christ  my 
 Saviour,  my  Redeemer  Jesus?"  Answer  is  made,  that 
 this  they  might  unfeignedly  confess,  and  yet  be  far  enough 
 cai.  from  salvation.  For  behold,  saith  the  Apostle,  "  I,  Paul, 
 '  *  say  unto  you,  that  if  ye  be  circumcised,  Christ  shall  pro- 
 fit you  nothing."  Christ,  in  the  work  of  man's  salvation, 
 is  alone :  the  Galatians  were  cast  away  by  joining  Circum- 
 cision and  the  other  Rites  of  the  Law  with  Christ:  the 
 Church  of  Rome  doth  teach  her  children  to  join  other 
 things  likewise  with  him;  therefore  their  Faith,  their  Belief, 
 doth  not  profit  them  any  thing  at  all.  It  is  true,  that  they 
 do  indeed  join  other  things  with  Christ;  but  how?  Not 
 in  the  work  of  redemption  itself,  which  they  grant  that 
 Christ  alone  hath  performed  sufficiently  for  the  salvation 
 of  the  whole  world  ;  but  in  the  application  of  this  inestima- 
 ble treasure,  that  it  may  be  effectual  to  their  salvation : 
 how  demurely  soever  they  confess  that  they  seek  remis- 
 sion of  sins  no  otherwise  than  by  the  blood  of  Christ, 
 using  humbly  the  means  appointed  by  him  to  apply  the 
 benefit  of  his  holy  blood ;  they  teach,  indeed,  so  many 
 things  pernicious  in  Christian  Faith,  in  setting  down  the 
 means  whereof  they  speak,  that  the  very  foundation  of 
 Faith  which  they  hold,  is  thereby  plainly  overthrown,*  and 
 the  force  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  extinguished.  We 
 may  therefore,  disputing  with  them,  urge  them  even  with  as 
 dangerous  sequels,  as  the  Apostle  doth  the  Galatians.  But 
 I  demand,  if  some  of  those  Galatians,  heartily  embracing 
 the  Gospel  of  Christ,  sincere  and  sound  in  Faith  (this  one 
 only  error  excepted),  had  ended  their  lives  before  they 
 were  ever  taught  how  perilous  an  opinion  they  held  ;  shall 
 we  think  that  the  danger  of  this  error  did  so  overweigh  the 
 benefit  of  their  Faith,  that  the  mercy  of  God  might  not  save 
 them?  I  grant  they  overthrew  the  foundation  of  Faith  by 
 consequent :  doth  not  that  so  likewise  which  thef  Lutheran 
 
 *  Plainly  in  all  men's  sight  whose  eyes  God  hath  enlightened  to  behold  his 
 truth.  For  they  which  are  in  error  are  in  darkness,  and  see  not  that  which  in 
 light  is  plain.  In  that  which  they  teach  concerning  the  natures  of  Christ,  they 
 hold  the  same  with  Nestorius  fully,  the  same  with  Eutyches  about  the  proprieties 
 of  his  nature. 
 
 t  The  opinion  of  the  Lutherans,  though  it  be  no  direct  denial  of  the  foundation 
 may  notwithstanding  be  damnable  unto  some  ;  and  I  do  not  think  but  that  in 
 many  respects  it  is  less  damnable,  as  at  this  day  some  maintain  it,  than  it  was  in 
 them  which  held  it  at  first ;  as  Luther  and  others  whom  I  had  an  eye  unto  in  this 
 
A  DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  513 
 
 Churches  do  at  this  day  so  stiffly  and  so  firmly  maintain  ? 
 For  mine  own  part,  I  dare  not.  here  deny  the  possibility  of 
 their  salvation,  which  have  been  the  chiefcst  instruments 
 of  ours,  albeit  they  carried  to  their  graves  a  persuasion  so 
 greatly  repugnant  to  the  truth.  Forasmuch  therefore,  as 
 it  may  be  said  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  she  hath  yet  a 
 little  strength,  she  doth  not  directly  deny  the  foundation 
 of  Christianity :  I  may,  I  trust  without  offence,  persuade 
 myself  that  thousands  of  our  Fathers,  in  former  times, 
 living  and  dying  within  her  walls,  have  found  mercy  at 
 the  hands  of  God. 
 
 18.  What  although  they  repented  not  of  their  errors  ? 
 God  forbid  that  I  should  open  my  mouth  to  gainsay  that 
 which  Christ  himself  hath  spoken  :  "  Except  ye  repent,  ye 
 shall  all  perish."  And  if  they  did  not  repent,  they  perished . 
 But  withal  note,  that  we  have  the  benefit  of  a  double 
 repentance  :  the  least  sin  which  we  commit  in  deed,  thought, 
 or  word,  is  death,  without  repentance.  Yet  how  many 
 things  do  escape  us  in  every  of  these,  which  we  do 
 not  know  ?  how  many,  which  we  do  not  observe,  to  be 
 sins  ?  and  without  the  knowledge,  without  the  observation 
 of  sin,  there  is  no  actual  repentance.  It  cannot  then  be 
 chosen,  but  that  for  as  many  as  hold  the  foundation,  and 
 have  holden  all  sins  and  errors  in  hatred,  the  blessing  of 
 repentance  for  unknown  sins  and  errors  is  obtained  at  the 
 hands  of  God,  through  the  gracious  mediation  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  for  such  suitors  as  cry  with  the  Prophet  David, 
 "  Purge  me,  O  Lord,  from  my  secret  sins." 
 
 19.  But  we  wash  a  wall  of  loam ;  we  labour  in  vain  ; 
 all  this  is  nothing;  it  doth  not  prove,  it  cannot  justify,  that 
 which  we  go  about  to  maintain.  Infidels  and  Heathen  men 
 are  not  so  godless,  but  that  they  may,  no  doubt,  cry  God 
 mercy,  and  desire  in  general  to  have  their  sins  forgiven. 
 To  such  as  deny  the  foundation  of  Faith,  there  can  be  no 
 salvation  (according  to  the  ordinary  course  which  God 
 doth  use  in  saving  men)  without  a  particular  repentance 
 of  that  error.  The  Galatians,  thinking  that  unless  thev 
 were  circumcised,  they  could  not  be  saved,  overthrew  the 
 foundation  of  Faith  directly  :  therefore  if  any  of  them  did 
 
 speech.  The  question  is  not,  whether  an  error  with  such  and  such  circumstances  ; 
 but  simply,  whether  an  error  overthrowing  the  foundation,  do  exclude  all  possibi- 
 lity of  salvation,  if  it  be  not  recanted,  and  expressly  repented  of. 
 
 VOL.  II.  2  L 
 
514        A    DISCOURSE    OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C 
 
 die  so  persuaded,  whether  before  or  after  they  were  told 
 of  their  errors,  their  end  is  dreadful ;  there  is  no  way  with 
 them  but  one,  death  and  condemnation.  For  the  Apostle 
 speaketh  nothing  of  men  departed,  but  saith  generally  of 
 
 Gai.v.  all,  "  If  ye  be  circumcised,  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing. 
 
 5 '  '  Ye  are  abolished  from  Christ,  whosoever  are  justified  by 
 the  Law ;  ye  are  fallen  from  grace."  Of  them  in  the 
 Church  of  Rome  the  reason  is  the  same.  For  whom 
 Antichrist  hath  seduced,  concerning  them  did  not  St.  Paul 
 2Thess.  speak  long  before,  "  They  received  not  the  word  of  truth, 
 1 "  that  they  might  be  saved  ;  therefore  God  would  send 
 them  strong  delusions  to  believe  lies,  that  all  they  might 
 be  damned  which  believe  not  the  truth,  but  had  pleasure 
 
 Apoc.  in  unrighteousness?"  And  St.  John,  "  All  that  dwell  upon 
 the  earth  shall  worship  him,  whose  names  are  not  written 
 in  the  Book  of  Life  ?"  Indeed  many  in  former  times,  as 
 their  books  and  writings  do  yet  shew,  held  the  foundation, 
 to  wit,  salvation  by  Christ  alone,  and  therefore  might  be 
 saved.  God  hath  always  had  a  Church  among  them, 
 which  firmly  kept  his  saving  truth.  As  for  such  as  hold 
 with  the  Church  of  Rome,  that  we  cannot  be  saved  by 
 Christ  alone  without  Works ;  they  do  not  only  by  a  circle 
 of  consequence,  but  directly,  deny  the  foundation  of  Faith; 
 they  hold  it  not,  no  not  so  much  as  by  a  thread. 
 
 20.  This,  to  my  remembrance,  being  all  that  hath  been 
 opposed  with  any  countenance  or  show  of  reason,  I  hope, 
 if  this  be  answered,  the  cause  in  question  is  at  an  end. 
 Concerning  general  repentance,  therefore :  what  ?  a  mur- 
 derer, a  blasphemer,  an  unclean  person,  a  Turk,  a  Jew, 
 any  sinner  to  escape  the  wrath  of  God  by  a  general  re- 
 pentance, God  forgive  me  V  Truly,  it  never  came  within 
 my  heart,  that  a  general  repentance  doth  serve  for  all 
 sins :  it  serveth  only  for  the  common  oversights  of  our 
 sinful  life,  and  for  the  faults  which  either  we  do  not  mark, 
 or  do  not  know  that  they  are  faults.  Our  Fathers  were 
 actually  penitent  for  sins,  wherein  they  knew  they  displeas- 
 ed God :  or  else  they  fall  not  within  the  compass  of  my 
 first  speech.  Again,  that  otherwise  they  could  not  be 
 saved,  than  holding  the  foundation  of  Christian  Faith,  we 
 have  not  only  affirmed,  but  proved.  Why  is  it  not  then 
 confessed,  that  thousands  of  our  Fathers  which  lived  in 
 Popish  Superstitions,  might  yet,  by  the  mercy  of  God,  be 
 
A  DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 515 
 
 saved  ?  First,  if  they  had  directly  denied  the  very  founda- 
 tion of  Christianity,  without  repenting  them  particularly 
 of  that  sin,  he  which  saith,  there  could  be  no  salvation  for 
 them,  according  to  the  ordinary  course  which  God  doth 
 use  in  saving  men,  granteth  plainly,  or  at  the  least  closely 
 insinuateth,  that  an  extraordinary  privilege  of  mercy  might 
 deliver  their  souls  from  hell ;  which  is  more  than  I  re- 
 quired.   Secondly,  if  the  foundation  be  denied,  it  is  de- 
 nied for  fear  of  some  Heresy  which  the  Church  of  Rome 
 maintaineth.    But  how  many  were  there  amongst  our 
 Fathers,  who  being  seduced  by  the  common  error  of  that 
 Church,  never  knew  the  meaning  of  her  Heresies  ?  So 
 that  although  all  Popish  Heretics  did  perish,  thousands  of 
 them  which  lived  in  Popish  Superstitions  might  be  saved. 
 Thirdly,  seeing  all  that  held  Popish  Heresies  did  not 
 hold  all  the  Heresies  of  the  Pope  ;  why  might  not  thou- 
 sands which  were  infected  with  other  leaven,  die  unsoured 
 with  this,  and  so  be  saved  ?    Fourthly,  if  they  all  held  this 
 Heresy,  many  there  were  that  held  it,  no  doubt,  but  only 
 in  a  general  form  of  words,  which  a  favourable  interpreta- 
 tion might  expound  in  a  sense  differing  far  enough  from  the 
 poisoned  conceit  of  Heresy .  As  for  example ;  did  they  hold 
 that  we  cannot  be  saved  by  Christ  without  good  works?* 
 We  ourselves  do,  I  think,  all  say  as  much,  with  this  con- 
 struction, salvation  being  taken  as  in  that  sentence, 
 "  Corde  creditur  ad  justitiam,  ore  fit  confessio  ad  salu- 
 tem ;"  except  infants,  and  men  cut  off  upon  the  point  of 
 their  conversion,  of  the  rest  none  shall  see  God,  but  such 
 as  seek  peace  and  holiness,  though  not  as  a  cause  of  their 
 salvation,  yet  as  a  way  which  they  must  walk  which  will 
 be  saved.    Did  they  hold,  that  without  Works  we  are  not 
 justified?  Take  Justification  so  as  it  may  also  imply  Sanc- 
 tification,  and  St.  James  doth  say  as  much.    For  except 
 there  be  an  ambiguity  in  the  same  term,  St.  Paul  and  St. 
 James  do  contradict  each  the  other;  which  cannot  be. 
 Now  there  is  no  ambiguity  in  the  name  either  of  Faith  or 
 of  Works,  being  meant  by  them  both  in  one  and  the  same 
 sense.    Finding,  therefore,  that  Justification  is  spoken  of 
 by  St.  Paul  without  implying  Sanctification,  when  he 
 proveth  that  a  man  is  justified  by  Faith  without  Works; 
 
 *  For  this  is  the  only  thing  alleged  to  prove  the  impossibility  of  their  salva- 
 tion :  the  Church  of  Rome  joineth  works  with  Christ,  which  is  a  denial  of  the 
 foundation  ;  and  unless  we  hold  the  foundation,  we  cannot  be  saved. 
 
 2  l  2 
 
51G       A    DISCOURSE    OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 finding  likewise  that  Justification  doth  sometimes  imply 
 Sanctification  also  with  it ;  I  suppose  nothing  to  be  move 
 sound,  than  so  to  interpret  St.  James  speaking  not  in 
 that  sense,  but  in  this. 
 
 21.  We  have  already  shewed,  that  there  be  two  kinds 
 of  Christian  righteousness :  the  one  without  us,  which 
 we  have  by  imputation;  the  other  in  us,  which  consisteth 
 of  Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity,  and  other  Christian  virtues : 
 and  St.  James  doth  prove  that  Abraham  had  not  only 
 the  one,  because  the  thing  believed  was  imputed  unto 
 him  for  righteousness ;  but  also  the  other,  because  he 
 otfered  up  his  son.  God  giveth  us  both  the  one  justice 
 and  the  other :  the  one  by  accepting  us  for  righteous  in 
 Christ;  the  other  by  working  Christian  righteousness  in 
 us.  The  proper  and  most  immediate  efficient  cause  in 
 us  of  this  latter,  is,  the  Spirit  of  Adoption  we  have  receiv- 
 ed into  our  hearts.  That  whereof  it  consisteth,  whereof 
 it  is  really  and  formally  made,  are  those  infused  virtues 
 proper  and  peculiar  unto  Saints  ;  which  the  Spirit,  in  the 
 very  moment  when  first  it  is  given  of  God,  bringeth  with 
 it :  the  effects  whereof  are  such  actions  as  the  Apostle 
 doth  call  the  fruits  of  Works,  the  operations  of  the  Spirit ; 
 the  difference  of  the  which  operation  from  the  root  where- 
 of they  spring,  maketh  it  needful  to  put  two  kinds  like- 
 wise of  sanctifying  righteousness,  habitual  and  actual. 
 Habitual,  that  holiness,  wherewith  our  souls  are  inwardly 
 endued,  the  same  instant  when  first  we  begin  to  be  the 
 temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  actual,  that  holiness  which 
 afterward  beautifieth  all  the  parts  and  actions  of  our  life, 
 the  holiness  for  which  Enoch,  Job,  Zachary,  Elizabeth, 
 and  other  Saints,  are  in  the  Scriptures  so  highly  commend- 
 ed. If  here  it  be  demanded,  which  of  these  we  do  first 
 receive  ?  I  answer,  that  the  Spirit,  the  virtue  of  the  Spirit, 
 the  habitual  justice,  which  is  ingrafted,  the  external  jus- 
 tice of  Jesus  Christ,  which  is  imputed,  these  we  receive 
 all  at  one  and  the  same  time;  whensoever  we  have  any 
 of  these,  we  have  all ;  they  go  together :  yet  sith  no  man 
 is  justified  except  he  believe,  and  no  man  believeth  except 
 he  has  Faith,  and  no  man  except  he  hath  received  the 
 Spirit  of  Adoption,  hath  Faith,  forasmuch  as  they  do  ne- 
 cessarily infer  Justification,  and  Justification  doth  of  neces- 
 sity presuppose  them  ;  we  must  needs  hold  that  imputed 
 
A   DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION*,  &C.  517 
 
 righteousness,  in  dignity  being  the  clricfest,  is  notwithstand- 
 ing in  order  to  the  last  of  all  these,  but  actual  righteousness, 
 which  is  the  righteousness  of  good  works,  succeedeth  all, 
 followeth  alter  all,  both  in  order  and  time.  Which  being 
 attentively  marked,  sheweth  plainly  how  the  Faith  of  true 
 believers  cannot  be  divorced  from  Hope  and  Love  ;  how 
 Faith  is  a  part  of  Sanctification,  and  yet  unto  Justifica- 
 tion necessary ;  how  Faith  is  perfected  by  good  Works, 
 and  not  Works  of  ours  without  Faith :  finally,  how  our 
 Fathers  might  hold,  that  we  are  justified  by  Faith  alone, 
 and  yet  hold  truly  that  without  Works  we  are  not  justified. 
 Did  (hey  think  that  men  do  merit  rewards  in  Heaven  by 
 the  Works  they  perform  on  earth  1  The  Ancients  use  merit- 
 ing for  obtaining,  and  in  that  sense  they  of  Wittenberg 
 have  in  their  Confession ;  "  We  teach  that  good  Works 
 commanded  of  God  are  necessarily  to  be  done,  and  by  the 
 free  kindness  of  God  they  merit  their  certain  rewards." 
 Therefore,  speaking  as  our  Fathers  did,  and  we  taking 
 their  speech  in  a  sound  meaning,  as  we  may  take  our 
 Fathers',  and  might,  forasmuch  as  their  meaning  is  doubt- 
 ful, and  charity  doth  always  interpret  doubtful  things  fa- 
 vourably ;  what  should  induce  us  to  think  that  rather  the 
 damage  of  the  worst  construction  did  light  upon  them  all, 
 than  that  the  blessing  of  the  better  was  granted  unto  thou- 
 sands ?  Fifthly,  if  in  the  worst  construction  that  may  be 
 made,  they  had  generally  all  embraced  it  living,  might 
 not  many  of  them  dying  utterly  renounce  it  ?  Howsoever 
 men,  when  they  sit  at  ease,  do  vainly  tickle  their  hearts 
 with  the  v#in  conceit  of  I  know  not  what  proportionable 
 correspondence  between  their  merits  and  their  rewards, 
 which,  in  the  trance  of  their  high  speculations,  they  dream 
 that  God  hath  measured,  weighed,  and  laid  up,  as  it  were, 
 in  bundle  for  them ;  notwithstanding  we  see  by  daily  expe- 
 rience, in  a  number  even  of  them,  that  when  the  hour  of 
 death  approacheth,  when  they  secretly  hear  themselves 
 summoned  forthwith  to  appear,  and  stand  at  the  bar  of 
 that  Judge,  whose  brightness  causeth  the  eyes  of  the 
 Angels  themselves  to  dazzle,  all  these  idle  imaginations  do 
 then  begin  to  hide  their  faces ;  to  name  merits  then,  is  to 
 lay  their  souls  upon  the  rack,  the  memory  of  their  own 
 deeds  is  loathsome  unto  them,  they  forsake  all  things 
 wherein  they  have  put  any  trust  or  confidence  ;  no  staff  to 
 
518        A    DISCOURSE    OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 lean  upon,  no  ease,  no  rest,  no  comfort  then,  but  only  in 
 Jesus  Christ. 
 
 22.  Wherefore  if  this  proposition  were  true,  "  To  hold 
 in  such  wise,  as  the  Church  of  Rome  doth,  that  we  can- 
 not be  saved  by  Christ  alone  without  Works,  is  directly  to 
 deny  the  foundation  of  Faith ;"  I  say,  that  if  this  propo- 
 sition were  true,  nevertheless  so  many  ways  I  have  shew- 
 ed, whereby  we  may  hope  that  thousands  of  our  Fathers 
 which  lived  in  Popish  Superstition  might  be  saved.*  But 
 what  if  it  be  not  true  ?  What  if  neither  that  of  the  Gala- 
 lians  concerning  Circumcision,  nor  this  of  the  Church  of 
 Rome  by  Works,  be  any  direct  denial  of  the  foundation, 
 as  it  is  affirmed  that  both  are  ?  I  need  not  wade  so  far  as 
 to  discuss  this  controversy,  the  matter  which  was  first 
 brought  into  question  being  so  clear,  as  I  hope  it  is. 
 Howbeit,  because  I  desire  that  the  truth  even  in  that  also 
 should  receive  light,  I  will  do  mine  endeavour  to  set  down 
 somewhat  more  plainly ;  first,  the  foundation  of  Faith, 
 what  it  is :  secondly,  what  it  is  directly  to  deny  the  foun- 
 dation :  thirdly,  whether  they  whom  God  hath  chosen  to  be 
 heirs  of  life,  may  fall  so  far  as  directly  to  deny  it :  fourth- 
 ly, whether  theGalatians  did  so  by  admitting  the  error  about 
 Circumcision  and  the  Law  :  last  of  all,  whether  the  Church 
 of  Rome,  for  this  one  opinion  of  Works,  may  be  thought  to 
 do  the  like,  and  thereupon  to  be  no  more  a  Christian 
 Church,  than  are  the  assemblies  of  Turks  and  Jews, 
 what       23.  This  word  Foundation  being  figuratively  used,  hath 
 found   always  reference  to  somewhat  which  resembleth  a  ma- 
 iaithis.  tefial  building,  as  both  that  doctrine  of  Laws  and  the 
 community  of  Christians  do.    By  the  Masters  of  Civil 
 Policy  nothing  is  so  much  inculcated,  as  that  Common- 
 wealths are  founded  upon  Laws;  for  that  a  multitude 
 cannot  be  compacted  into  one  body  otherwise  than  by 
 a  common  acception  of  Laws,  whereby  they  are  to  be 
 kept  in  order.t    The  ground  of  all  Civil  Laws  is  this ; 
 "  No  man  ought  to  be  hurt  or  injured  by  another;" 
 take  away  this  persuasion,  and  ye  take  away  all  the 
 Laws ;  take  away  Laws,  and  what  shall  become  of  Com- 
 
 *  They  may  cease  to  put  any  confidence  in  Works,  and  yet  never  think,  living 
 in  Popish  Superstition,  they  did  amiss.  Pighius  died  Popish,  and  yet  denied 
 Popery  in  the  article  of  Justification  by  Works  long  before  his  death. 
 
 *  '  Vocata  ad  concionem  multiludine,  <ms  coalescere  in  populi  unius  corpus 
 nulla  re  pneterquam  legibus  poterat.'    Liv.  de  Rom.  lib.  i.  [c.  8.] 
 
A   DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  519 
 
 inonweals  ?  So  it  is  in  our  spiritual  Christian  Commu- 
 nity :  I  do  not  mean  that  body  mystical,  whereof  Christ  Ephes. 
 is  only  the  Head,  that  building  undiscernible  by  mortal  [v.  15, 
 eyes,  wherein  Christ  is  the  chief  Corner-stone :  but  I 
 speak  of  the  visible  Church ;  the  foundation  whereof  Ephes. 
 is  the  Doctrine  which  the  Prophets  and  the  Apostles "'  ' 
 professed.     The  mark  whereunto  their  Doctrine  tend- 
 eth,  is  pointed  at  in  these  words  of  Peter  unto  Christ, 
 "  Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  Life:"  in  those  words  of Joh" 
 
 vi.  68. 
 
 Paul  to  Timothy,  "  The  Holy  Scriptures  are  able  to  make  1  Tim. 
 thee  wise  unto  salvation."  It  is  the  demand  of  Nature  1M' 15' 
 itself,  "  What  shall  we  do  to  have  eternal  life?"  The  de- 
 sire of  immortality  and  the  knowledge  of  that  whereby  it 
 may  be  obtained,  is  so  natural  unto  all  men,  that  even  they 
 who  are  not  persuaded  that  they  shall,  do  notwithstand- 
 ing wish  that  they  might,  know  a  way  how  to  see  no  end 
 of  life.  And  because  natural  means  are  not  able  to  resist 
 the  force  of  death,  there  is  no  people  in  the  earth  so  savage, 
 which  hath  not  devised  some  supernatural  help  or  other,  to 
 fly  to  for  aid  and  succour  in  extremities,  against  the  enemies 
 of  the  Laws.  A  longing  therefore  to  be  saved,  without 
 understanding  the  true  way  how,  hath  been  the  cause  of 
 all  the  Superstitions  in  the  world.  O  that  the  miserable 
 state  of  others,  which  wander  in  darkness,  and  wot  not 
 whither  they  go,  could  give  us  understanding  hearts,  wor- 
 thily to  esteem  the  riches  of  the  mercy  of  God  towards  us, 
 before  whose  eyes  the  doors  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven 
 are  set  wide  open  !  Should  we  offer  violence  unto  it  ?  It 
 oflereth  violence  unto  us,  and  we  gather  strength  to  with- 
 stand it.  But  I  am  besides  my  purpose  when  I  fall  to 
 bewail  the  cold  affection  which  we  bear  towards  that  where- 
 by we  should  be  saved ;  my  purpose  being  only  to  set 
 down  what  the  ground  of  salvation  is.  The  doctrine  of 
 the  Gospel  proposeth  salvation  as  the  end :  and  doth  it 
 not  teach  the  way  of  attaining  thereunto  ?  Yet  the  Damsel 
 possessed  with  a  spirit  of  divination  spake  the  truth: 
 "  These  men  are  the  servants  of  the  most  high  God,  which  Acts 
 shew  unto  us  the  way  of  salvation:"  "A  new  and  living  Heb.'7' 
 way  which  Christ  hath  prepared  for  us  through  the  vail,  that 20' 
 is,  his  flesh  ;"  salvation  purchased  by  the  death  of  Christ. 
 By  this  foundation  the  children  of  God,  before  the  written 
 Law,  were  distinguished  from  the  sons  of  men ;  the  re- 
 
520       A    DISCOURSE    OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 verend  Patriarchs  both  possessed  it  living,  and  spake  ex- 
 Job  pressly  of  it  at  the  hour  of  their  death.  It  comforted  Job 
 x,x-  in  the  midst  of  grief ;  as  it  was  afterwards  the  anchor-hold  of 
 all  the  righteous  in  Israel,  from  the  writing  of  the  Law  to 
 the  time  of  Grace,  every  Prophet  making  mention  of  it.  It 
 was  famously  spoken  of,  about  the  time,  when  the  coming 
 of  Christ  to  accomplish  the  promises,  which  were  made 
 long  before  it,  drew  near,  that  the  sound  thereof  was  heard 
 even  amongst  the  Gentiles.  When  he  was  come,  as  many  as 
 were  his,  acknowledged  that  he  was  their  salvation ;  he, 
 that  long-expected  hope  of  Israel ;  he,  that "  seed,  in  whom 
 all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed."  So  that  now 
 he  is  a  name  of  ruin,  a  name  of  death  and  condem- 
 nation, unto  such  as  dream  of  a  new  Messias,  to  as  many 
 Acts  as  look  for  salvation  by  any  other  but  by  him:  "For 
 amongst  men  there  is  given  no  other  name  under  Heaven 
 whereby  we  must  be  saved."  Thus  much  St.  Mark  doth  in- 
 timate by  that  which  he  doth  put  in  the  front  of  his  book, 
 making  his  entrance  with  these  words  :  "  The  beginning  of 
 the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God."  His  doctrine 
 he  termeth  the  Gospel,  because  it  teacheth  salvation;  the 
 Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  because  it  teacheth 
 salvation  by  him.  This  is  then  the  foundation,  whereupon 
 Luke  the  frame  of  the  Gospel  is  erected ;  that  very  Jesus  whom 
 the  Virgin  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  Simeon 
 embraced  in  his  arms,  whom  Pilate  condemned,  whom  the 
 Jews  crucified,  whom  the  Apostles  preached,  he  is  Christ, 
 J  Cor-  the  Lord,  the  only  Saviour  of  the  world :  "  other  founda- 
 tion can  no  man  lay."  Thus  1  have  briefly  opened  that 
 principle  in  Christianity,  which  we  call  the  foundation  of 
 our  Faith.  It  followeth  now  that  I  declare  unto  you,  what 
 it  is  directly  to  overthrow  it.  This  will  be  better  opened, 
 if  we  understand,  what  it  is  to  hold  the  foundation  of 
 Faith. 
 
 24.  There  are  which  defend,  that  many  of  the  Gentiles, 
 who  never  heard  the  name  of  Christ,  held  the  foundation 
 of  Christianity  :  and  why?  they  acknowledged  many  of 
 them  the  providence  of  God,  his  infinite  wisdom,  strength, 
 power ;  his  goodness,  and  his  mercy  towards  the  children 
 of  men ;  that  God  hath  judgment  in  store  for  the  wicked, 
 but  for  the  righteous  which  serve  him  rewards,  &c.  In  this 
 which  ihey  confessed,  that  lieth  covered  which  we  believe; 
 
A   DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  521 
 
 in  tho  rudiments  of  their  knowledge  concerning  God,  the 
 foundation  of  our  Faith  concerning  Christ  lieth  secretly 
 wrapt  up,  and  is  virtually  contained  :  therefore  they  held 
 the  foundation  of  Faith,  though  they  never  had  it.  Might 
 we  not  with  as  good  a  colour  of  reason  defend,  that  every 
 ploughman  hath  all  the  sciences,  wherein  philosophers  have 
 excelled?  For  no  man  is  ignorant  of  their  first  principles, 
 which  do  virtually  contain  whatsoever  by  natural  means  is 
 or  can  be  known.  Yea,  might  we  not  with  as  great  reason 
 affirm,  that  a  man  might  put  three  mighty  oaks  whereso- 
 ever three  acorns  may  be  put  ?  For  virtually  an  acorn  is  an 
 oak.  To  avoid  such  paradoxes,  we  teach  plainly,  that  to 
 hold  the  foundation  is,  in  express  terms  to  acknoAvledge  it. 
 
 25.  Now,  because  the  foundation  is  an  affirmative  posi- 
 tion, they  all  overthrow  it,  who  deny  it ;  they  directly  over- 
 throw it,  who  deny  it  directly ;  and  they  overthrow  it  by 
 consequent,  or  indirectly,  which  hold  any  one  assertion 
 whatsoever,  whereupon  the  direct  denial  thereof  may  be 
 necessarily  concluded.  What  is  the  question  between  the 
 Gentiles  and  us,  but  this,  Whether  salvation  be  by  Christ? 
 What  between  the  Jews  and  us,  but  this,  Whether  by  this 
 Jesus,  whom  we  call  Christ,  yea,  or  no  ?  This  is  to  be  the 
 main  point  whereupon  Christianity  standeth,  it  is  clear  by 
 that  one  sentence  of  Festus  concerning  Paul's  accusers: 
 "  They  brought  no  crime  of  such  things  as  I  supposed,  but  [Acts 
 had  certain  questions  against  him  of  their  Superstitions,""'1 
 and  of  one  Jesus  which  was  dead,  whom  Paul  affirmed  to 
 be  alive."  Where  we  see  that  Jesus,  dead  and  raised  for 
 the  salvation  of  the  world,  is  by  Jews  denied,  despised  by 
 a  Gentile,  by  a  Christian  Apostle  maintained.  The  Fathers 
 therefore  in  the  primitive  Church,  when  they  wrote ;  Ter- 
 tu^'ian,  the  Book  which  he  called  Apologeticus ;  Minutius 
 Felix,  the  Book  which  he  entitled  Octavius ;  Arnobius, 
 the  seven  Books  against  the  Gentiles ;  Chrysostom,  his 
 Orations  against  the  Jews;  Eusebius,  his  ten  Books  of 
 Evangelical  Demonstration:  they  stand  in  defence  of  Chris- 
 tianity against  them,  by  whom  the  foundation  thereof  was 
 directly  denied.  But  the  writings  of  the  Fathers  against 
 Novatians,  Pelagians,  and  other  Heretics  of  the  like  note, 
 refcl  positions,  whereby  the  foundation  of  Christian  Faith 
 was  overthrown  by  consequent  only.  In  the  former  sort  of 
 writings  the  foundation  is  proved  ;  in  the  latter,  it  is  al- 
 
522       A   DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 ledged  as  a  proof,  which  to  men  that  had  been  known  di- 
 rectly to  deny  it,  must  needs  have  seemed  a  very  beggarly 
 kind  of  disputing.  All  Infidels  therefore  deny  the  founda- 
 tion of  Faith  directly ;  by  consequent,  many  a  Christian 
 man,  yea  whole  Christian  Churches,  denied  it,  and  do  deny 
 it  at  this  present  day.  Christian  Churches,  the  foundation 
 of  Christianity?  not  directly,  for  then  they  cease  to  be 
 Christian  Churches ;  but  by  consequent,  in  respect  whereof 
 we  condemn  them  as  erroneous,  although,  for  holding  the 
 foundation,  we  do  and  must  hold  them  Christians. 
 
 26.  We  see  what  it  is  to  hold  the  foundation ;  what 
 directly,  and  what  by  consequent,  to  deny  it.  The  next 
 thing  which  followeth  is,  whether  they  whom  God  hath 
 chosen  to  obtain  the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  may, 
 once  effectually  called,  and  through  Faith  justified  truly, 
 afterwards  fall  so  far,  as  directly  to  deny  the  foundation 
 which  their  hearts  have  before  embraced  with  joy  and 
 comfort  in  the  Holy  Ghost;  for  such  is  the  Faith,  which 
 indeed  doth  justify.  Devils  know  the  same  things  which  we 
 believe,  and  the  minds  of  the  most  ungodly  may  be  fully 
 persuaded  of  the  truth;  which  knowledge  in  the  one  and  in 
 the  other,  is  sometimes  termed  Faith,  but  equivocally,  be- 
 ing indeed  no  such  Faith  as  that  whereby  a  Christian  man 
 is  justified.  It  is  the  Spirit  of  Adoption  which  worketh 
 Faith  in  us,  in  them  not ;  the  things  which  we  believe,  are 
 by  us  apprehended,  not  only  as  true,  but  also  as  good,  and 
 that  to  us :  as  good,  they  are  not  by  them  apprehended ; 
 as  true,  they  are.  Whereupon  followeth  the  third  diffe- 
 rence ;  the  Christian  man  the  more  he  increaseth  in  Faith, 
 the  more  his  joy  and  comfort  abound :  but  they,  the  more 
 sure  they  are  of  the  truth,  the  more  they  quake  and  tremble 
 at  it.  This  begetteth  another  effect,  where  the  hearts*  of 
 the  one  sort  have  a  different  disposition  from  the  other, 
 [octar.  "  Non  ignoro  plerosque  conscientia  meritorum,  nihil  se 
 c'  3i']  esse  per  mortem  magis  optare  quam  credere;  malunt  enim 
 exstingui  penitus,  quam  ad  supplicia  reparari."  I  am  not  ig- 
 norant, saith  Minutius,  that  there  be  many,  who  being  con- 
 scious what  they  are  to  look  for,  do  rather  wish  that  they 
 might,  than  think  that  they  shall  cease,  when  they  cease  to 
 live ;  because  they  hold  it  better  that  death  should  consume 
 them  unto  nothing,  than  God  revive  them  unto  punishment. 
 So  it  is  in  other  articles  of  Faith,  whereof  wicked  men  think, 
 
A   DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  523 
 
 no  doubt,  many  times  they  are  too  true :  on  the  contrary 
 side,  to  the  other,  there  is  no  grief  or  torment  greater,  than 
 to  feel  their  persuasion  weak  in  things,  whereof,  when  they 
 are  persuaded,  they  reap  such  comfort  and  joy  of  spirit: 
 such  is  the  Faith  whereby  we  are  justified  ;  such,  I  mean, 
 in  respect  of  the  quality.  For  touching  the  principal  object 
 of  Faith,  longer  than  it  holdeth  the  foundation  whereof  we 
 have  spoken,  it  neither  justifieth,  nor  is  ;  but  ceaseth  to  be 
 Faith  when  it  ceaseth  to  believe,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
 only  Saviour  of  the  world.    The  cause  of  life  spiritual  in 
 us,  is  Christ,  not  carnally  or  corporally  inhabiting,  but 
 dwelling  in  the  soul  of  man,  as  a  thing  which  (when  the 
 mind  apprehendeth  it)  is  said  to  inhabit  or  possess  the 
 mind.    The  mind  conceiveth  Christ  by  hearing  the  Doc- 
 trine of  Christianity,  as  the  light  of  Nature  doth  cause  the 
 mind  to  apprehend  Ihose  truths  which  are  merely  rational ; 
 so  that  saving  truth,  which  is  far  above  the  reach  of 
 human  reason,  cannot  otherwise,  than  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
 Almighty,  be  conceived.    All  these  are  implied,  whereso- 
 ever any  of  them  is  mentioned  as  the  cause  of  the  spiritual 
 life.   Wherefore  if  we  have  read,  that  "  the  Spirit  is  our  Rom. 
 life ;"  or,  "  the  Word  our  life ;"  or,  "  Christ  our  life :"  we  ph"|.10' 
 are  in  every  of  these  to  understand,  that  our  life  is  Christ,  £• 161 
 by  the  hearing  of  the  Gospel  apprehended  as  a  Saviour,  m.  4. 
 and  assented  unto  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 The  first  intellectual  conceit  and  comprehension  of  Christ 
 so  embraced,  St.  Peter  calleth  the  seed  whereof  we  be  new  1  Pet. 
 born :  our  first  embracing  of  Christ,  is  our  first  reviving  from 
 the  state  of  death  and  condemnation.    "He  that  hath  they-^ 
 Son  hath  life,"  saith  St.  John,  "  and  he  that  hath  not  the  v.  12. 
 Son  of  God,  hath  not  life."    If  therefore  he  which  once 
 hath  the  Son,  may  cease  to  have  the  Son,  though  it  be  for 
 a  moment,  he  ceaseth  for  that  moment  to  have  life.  But  the 
 life  of  them  which  have  the  Son  of  God,  is  everlasting  in  1  John 
 the  world  to  come.  But  because  as  Christ  being  raised  from  ?'eiv'e_ 
 the  dead  died  no  more,  death  hath  no  more  power  over  SjS;0'- 
 him ;  so  justified  man,  being  allied  to  God  in  Jesus  Christ  Rom. 
 our  Lord,  doth  as  necessarily  from  that  time  forward  always  10 
 live,  as  Christ,  by  whom  he  hath  life,  liveth  always.    I Jol,n 
 might,  if  I  had  not  otherwhere  largely  done  it  already,  shew 
 by  many  and  sundry  manifest  and  clear  proofs,  how  the 
 motions  and  operations  of  life  are  sometime  so  undiscern- 
 
524       A   DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 iblc,  and  so  secret,  that  they  seem  stone-dead,  who  not- 
 withstanding are  still  alive  unto  God  in  Christ. 
 
 For  as  long  as  that  abideth  in  us,  which  animateth, 
 quickeneth,  and  giveth  life,  so  long  we  live;  and  wc 
 know  that  the  cause  of  our  Faith  abideth  in  us  for  ever.  If 
 Christ,  the  fountain  of  life,  may  flit  and  leave  the  habita- 
 tion wrhere  once  he  dwelleth,  what  shall  become  of  his  pro- 
 mise, "  I  am  with  you  to  the  world's  end?"  If  the  seed  of 
 God,  which  containeth  Christ,  may  be  first  conceived  and 
 i  Pet.   then  cast  out;  how  doth  St.  Peter  term  it  immortal?  How 
 
 i.  23. 
 
 i  John  doth  St.  John  affirm  it  abideth?  If  the  Spirit,  which  is  given 
 "'• 9-    to  cherish  and  preserve  the  seed  of  life,  may  be  given  and 
 Ephes.  taken  away,  how  is  it  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance  until 
 John    redemption;  how  doth  it  continue  with  us  for  ever?  If 
 1T'  therefore  the  man  which  is  once  just  by  Faith,  shall  live  by 
 Faith,  and  live  for  ever,  it  followeth,  that  he  which  once 
 doth  believe  the  foundation,  must  needs  believe  the  foun- 
 dation for  ever.    If  he  believe  it  for  ever,  how  can  he  ever 
 directly  deny  it?  Faith  holding  the  direct  affirmation  ;  the 
 direct  negation,  so  long  as  Faith  continueth,  is  excluded. 
 
 Object.  But  you  will  say,  "That  as  he  that  is  to-day 
 holy,  may  to-morrow  forsake  his  holiness,  and  become  im- 
 pure ;  as  a  friend  may  change  his  mind,  and  be  made  an 
 enemy  ;  as  hope  may  wither  :  so  Faith  may  die  in  the  heart 
 of  man,  the  Spirit  may  be  quenched,  Grace  may  be  extin- 
 guished, they  which  believe  maybe  quite  turned  away  from 
 the  truth." 
 
 Sol.  The  case  is  clear,  long  experience  hath  made  this 
 manifest,  it  needs  no  proof.    I  grant  we  are  apt,  prone, 
 and  ready,  to  forsake  God ;  but  is  God  as  ready  to  forsake 
 us?  Our  minds  are  changeable;  is  his  so  likewise?  Whom 
 God  hath  justified,  hath  not  Christ  assured,  that  it  is  "  his 
 Father's  will  to  give  them  a  Kingdom  ?"  Notwithstanding, 
 coi.     it  shall  not  be  otherwise  given  them,  than  "  if  they  continue 
 '■ 23'    grounded  and  stablished  in  the  Faith,  and  be  not  moved 
 i  Tim.  away  from  the  hope  of  the  Gospel ;"  "  if  they  abide  in  love 
 "' 15'    and  holiness."    Our  Saviour  therefore,  when  he  spake  of 
 the  sheep  effectually  called,  and  truly  gathered  into  his  fold, 
 John     "  I  give  unto  them  eternal  Life,  and  they  shall  never  perish, 
 *" 28'   neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand ;"  in  promis- 
 ing to  save  them,  he  promised,  no  doubt,  to  preserve  them 
 in  that  without  which  there  can  be  no  salvation,  as  also 
 
A   DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  525 
 
 from  that  whereby  it  is  irrecoverably  lost.  Every  error  in 
 things  appertaining-  unto  God  is  repugnant  unto  Faith  ; 
 every  fearful  cogitation,  unto  Hope;  unto  Love,  every  strag- 
 gling inordinate  desire ;  unto  Holiness,  every  blemish  where- 
 with cither  the  inward  thoughts  of  our  minds,  or  the  out- 
 ward actions  of  our  lives,  are  stained.  But  Heresy,  such 
 as  that  of  Ebiou,  Cerinthus,  and  others,  against  whom  the 
 Apostles  were  forced  to  bend  themselves,  both  by  word  and 
 also  by  writing ;  that  repining  discouragement  of  heart 
 which  tempteth  God,  whereof  we  have  Israel  in  the  Desert 
 for  a  pattern ;  coldness,  such  as  that  in  the  Angels  of 
 Ephesus ;  foul  sins,  known  to  be  expressly  against  the  first 
 or  second  Table  of  the  Law,  such  as  Noah,  Manasses, 
 David,  Solomon,  and  Peter,  committed :  these  are  each  in 
 their  kind  so  opposite  to  the  former  virtues,  that  they  leave 
 no  place  for  salvation  without  an  actual  repentance.  But 
 infidelity,  extreme  despair,  hatred  of  God  and  all  goodness, 
 obduration  in  sin,  cannot  stand  where  there  is  but  the  least 
 spark  of  Faith,  Hope,  Love,  and  Sanctity;  even  as  cold  in 
 the  lowest  degree  cannot  be,  where  heat  in  the  highest  de- 
 gree is  found.  Whereupon  I  conclude,  that  although  in  the 
 first  kind,  no  man  liveth  which  sinneth  not ;  and  in  the 
 second,  as  perfect  as  any  do  live,  may  sin:  yet  sith  the 
 man  which  is  born  of  God  hath  a  promise,  that  in  him 
 "  the  seed  of  God  shall  abide  ;"  which  seed  is  a  sure  pre-  1  Joim 
 servative  against  the  sins  that  are  of  the  third  suit ;  greater  111  9' 
 and  clearer  assurance  we  cannot  have  of  any  thing,  than 
 of  this,  that  from  such  sins  God  shall  preserve  the  righte- 
 ous, as  the  apple  of  his  eye,  for  ever.  Directly  to  deny  the 
 foundation  of  Faith,  is  plain  infidelity ;  where  Faith  is  en- 
 tered, there  infidelity  is  for  ever  excluded :  therefore  by  him 
 which  hath  once  sincerely  believed  in  Christ,  the  foundation 
 of  Christian  Faith  can  never  be  directly  denied.  Did  not 
 Peter?  did  not  Marcellinus?  did  not  others,  both  directly 
 deny  Christ  after  that  they  had  believed,  and  again  believe 
 after  they  had  denied  ?  No  doubt,  as  they  confess  in  words, 
 whose  condemnation  is  nevertheless  their  not  believing 
 (for  example  we  have  J udas) ;  so  likewise,  they  may  believe 
 in  heart  whose  condemnation,  without  repentance,  is  their 
 not  confessing.  Although,  therefore,  Peter  and  the  rest, 
 for  whose  faith  Christ  hath  prayed  that  it  might  not  fail, 
 did  not  by  denial  sin  the  sin  of  infidelity,  which  is  an  inward 
 
526       A   DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 abnegation  of  Christ  (for  if  they  had  done  this,  their  faith 
 had  clearly  failed) :  yet,  because  they  sinned  notoriously 
 and  grievously,  committing  that  which  they  knew  to  be 
 expressly  forbidden  by  the  Law,  which  saith,  "Thou  shall 
 worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve;" 
 necessary  it  was,  that  he  which  purposed  to  save  their 
 souls  should,  as  he  did,  touch  their  hearts  with  true  un- 
 feigned repentance,  that  his  mercy  might  restore  them 
 again  to  life,  whom  sin  had  made  the  children  of  death  and 
 condemnation.  Touching  the  point  therefore,  I  hope  I 
 may  safely  set  down,  that  if  the  justified  err,  as  he  may, 
 and  never  come  to  understand  his  error,  God  doth  save  him 
 through  general  repentance :  but  if  he  fall  into  Heresy, 
 he  calleth  him  one  time  or  other  by  actual  repentance ; 
 but  from  infidelity,  which  is  an  inward  direct  denial  of  the 
 foundation,  he  preserveth  him  by  special  providence  for 
 ever.  "Whereby  we  may  easily  know,  what  to  think  of 
 those  Galatians  whose  hearts  were  so  possessed  with  the 
 love  of  the  truth.,  that,  if  it  had  been  possible,  they  would 
 have  plucked  out  their  eyes  to  bestow  upon  their  Teachers. 
 It  is  true,  that  they  were  greatly*  changed,  both  in  persuasion 
 and  affection;  so  that  the  Galatians,  when  St. Paul  wrote 
 unto  them,  were  not  now  the  Galatians  which  they  had 
 been  in  former  time,  for  that  through  error  they  wandered, 
 although  they  were  his  sheep.  1  do  not  deny,  but  that  I 
 should  deny,  that  they  were  his  sheep,  if  I  should  grant, 
 that  through  error  they  perished.  It  was  a  perilous  opinion 
 that  they  held ;  perilous  even  in  them  that  held  it  only  as  an 
 error,  because  it  overthroweth  the  foundation  by  conse- 
 quent. But  in  them  which  obstinately  maintain  it,  I  cannot 
 think  it  less  than  a  damnable  Heresy.  We  must  therefore 
 put  a  difference  between  them  which  err  of  ignorance,  re- 
 taining nevertheless  a  mind  desirous  to  be  instructed  in 
 truth,  and  them  which,  after  the  truth  is  laid  open,  persist 
 in  the  stubborn  defence  of  their  blindness.  Heretical  de- 
 fenders, froward  and  stiff-necked  teachers  of  Circumcision, 
 
 *  Howsoever  men  be  changed  (for  changed  they  may  be,  even  the  best  amongst 
 men),  if  they  that  have  received,  as  it  seemeth  some  of  the  Galatians,  which  fell 
 into  error,  had  received,  the  gifts  and  graces  of  God,  which  are  called  a^Era^e^Ta, 
 such  as  faith,  hope,  and  charity  are,  which  God  doth  never  take  away  from  him 
 to  whom  they  are  given,  as  if  it  repented  him  to  have  given  them  ;  if  such  might  be 
 so  far  changed  by  error,  as  that  the  very  root  of  Faith  should  be  quite  extinguished 
 in  them,  and  so  their  salvation  utterly  lost,  it  would  shake  the  hearts  of  the  strong- 
 est and  stoutest  of  us  all.  See  the  contrary  in  Beza's  Observations  upon  the 
 Harmony  of  Confessions. 
 
A    DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C  527 
 
 the  blessed  Apostle  calls  dogs :  silly  men,  who  were  se- 
 duced to  think  they  taught  the  truth,  he  pitieth,  he  taketh 
 up  in  his  arms,  he  lovingly  erabraceth,  he  kisseth,  and  with 
 more  than  fatherly  tenderness  doth  so  temper,  qualify,  and 
 correct  the  speech  he  useth  towards  them,  that  a  man  can- 
 not easily  discern,  whether  did  most  abound,  the  love  which 
 he  bare  to  their  godly  affection,  or  the  grief  which  the 
 danger  of  their  opinion  bred  in  him.  Their  opinion  was 
 dangerous ;  was  not  theirs  also,  who  thought  the  Kingdom 
 of  Christ  should  be  earthly?  was  not  theirs,  which  thought 
 the  Gospel  only  should  be  preached  to  the  Jews  ?  What 
 more  opposite  to  Prophetical  doctrine,  concerning  the  com- 
 ing of  Christ,  than  the  one?  concerning  the  Catholic 
 Church,  than  the  other?  Yet  they  which  had  these  fancies, 
 even  when  they  had  them,  were  not  the  worst  men  in  the 
 world.  The  Heresy  of  Free-will  was  a  millstone  about  the 
 Pelagians'  neck;  shall  we  therefore  give  sentence  of  death 
 inevitably  against  all  those  Fathers  in  the  Greek  Church, 
 which  being  mispersuaded,  died  in  the  error  of  Free-will? 
 Of  these  Galatians,  therefore,  which  first  were  justified, 
 and  then  deceived,  as  I  can  see  no  cause,  why  as  many  as 
 died  before  admonition  might  not  by  mercy  be  received, 
 even  in  error;  so  I  make  no  doubt,  but  as  many  as  lived 
 till  they  were  admonished,  found  the  mercy  of  God  effec- 
 tual in  converting  them  from  their  error,*  lest  any  one  that 
 is  Christ's  should  perish.  Of  this,  I  take  it,  there  is  uo 
 controversy:  only  against  the  salvation  of  them  that  died, 
 though  before  admonition,  yet  in  error,  it  is  objected,  that 
 their  opinion  was  a  very  plain  direct  denial  of  the  founda- 
 tion. If  Paul  and  Barnabas  had  been  so  persuaded,  they 
 would  haply  have  used  the  terms  otherwise,  speaking  of 
 the  Masters  themselves,  who  did  first  set  that  error  abroach, 
 '*  certain  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  which  believed."  Acts 
 What  difference  was  there  between  these  Pharisees  and  xv' 5 
 other  Pharisees,  from  whom  by  a  special  description  they 
 are  distinguished,  but  this  ?  These  which  came  to  Autioch, 
 teaching  the  necessity  of  Circumcision,  were  Christians ; 
 the  other,  enemies  of  Christianity.  Why  then  should  these 
 be  termed  so  distinctly  believers,  if  they  did  directly  deny 
 
 *  Error  convicted,  and  afterwards  maintained,  is  more  than  error;  for  although 
 opinion  be  the  same  it  was,  in  which  respect  I  still  call  it  error,  yet  they  are  not 
 now  the  same  they  were  when  they  are  taught  what  the  truth  is,  and  plainly 
 taught. 
 
528       A    DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 the  foundation  of  our  belief;  besides  which,  there  was  do 
 other  thing,  that  made  the  rest  to  be  no  believers  ?  We  need 
 go  no  further  than  St.  Paul's  very  reasoning  against  them 
 for  proof  of  this  matter :  "  Seeing  you  know  God,  or  rather 
 are  known  of  God,  how  turn  you  again  to  impotent  rudi- 
 
 ver.  C4.  ments  ?  The  Law  engendereth  servants,  her  children  are 
 in  bondage :  they  which  are  begotten  by  the  Gospel,  are 
 
 ver.  3i.  free>  Brethren,  we  are  not  children  of  the  servant,  but  of 
 the  free  woman,  and  will  ye  yet  be  under  the  Law  ?"  That 
 they  thought  it  unto  salvation  necessary,  for  the  Church  of 
 
 ver.  10.  Christ  to  observe  days,  and  months,  and  times,  and  years,  to 
 keep  the  Ceremonies  and  Sacraments  of  the  Law,  this  was 
 their  error.  Yet  he  which  condemneth  their  error,  confesseth 
 that,  notwithstanding,  they  knew  God,  and  were  known  of 
 him ;  he  taketh  not  the  honour  from  them  to  be  termed  Sons 
 begotten  of  the  immortal  seed  of  the  Gospel.  Let  the 
 heaviest  words  which  he  useth  be  weighed;  consider  the 
 
 c.ai. v.  drift  0f  those  dreadful  conclusions:  "If  ye  be  circuni- 
 cised,  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing:  as  many  as  are  jus- 
 tified by  the  Law,  are  fallen  from  Grace."  It  had  been  to 
 no  purpose  in  the  world  so  to  urge  them,  had  not  the  Apos- 
 tle been  persuaded,  that  at  the  hearing  of  such  sequels, 
 "  No  benefit  by  Christ,  a  defection  from  Christ,"  their  hearts 
 would  tremble  and  quake  within  them :  and  why  ?  be- 
 cause that  they  knew,  that  in  Christ,  and  in  Grace,  their 
 salvation  lay,  which  is  a  plain  direct  acknowledgment  of 
 the  foundation.  Lest  I  should  herein  seem  to  hold  that 
 which  no  one  learned  or  godly  hath  done,  let  these  words 
 be  considered,  which  import  as  much  as  I  affirm.  Surely 
 
 Bucer-  those  brethren  which,  in  St.  Paul's  time,  thought  that  God 
 
 de  Unit.  '  >  o 
 
 Eccies.  did  lay  a  necessity  upon  them  to  make  choice  of  days  and 
 ^n'da  meats,  spake  as  they  believed,  and  could  not  but  in  words 
 condemn  the  liberty,  which  they  supposed  to  be  brought  in 
 against  the  authority  of  Divine  Scripture.  Otherwise  it 
 had  been  needless  for  St.  Paul  to  admonish  them,  not  to 
 condemn  such  as  eat,  without  scrupulosity,  whatsoever 
 was  set  before  them.  This  error,  if  you  weigh  what  it  is 
 of  itself,  did  at  once  overthrow  all  Scriptures,  whereby  we 
 are  taught  salvation  by  Faith  in  Christ,  all  that  ever  the 
 Prophets  did  foretell,  all  that  ever  the  Apostles  did  preach 
 of  Christ;  it  drew  with  it  the  denial  of  Christ  utterly :  in- 
 somuch, that  St.  Paul  complaineth,  that  his  labour  was 
 
A  DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  529 
 
 lost  upon  the  Galatians,  unto  whom  this  error  is  obtruded, 
 affirming  that  Christ,  if  so  be  they  were  circumcised,  should 
 not  profit  them  any  thing  at  all.  Yet  so  far  was  St.  Paul 
 from  striking  their  names  out  of  Christ's  Book,  that  he 
 commandeth  others  to  entertain  them,  to  accept  with  sin- 
 gular humanity,  to  use  them  like  brethren ;  he  knew  man's 
 imbecility,  he  had  a  feeling  of  our  blindness  which  are 
 mortal  men,  how  great  it  is,  and  being  sure  that  they  are 
 the  sons  of  God,  whosoever  be  endued  with  his  fear,  would 
 not  have  them  counted  enemies  of  that  whereunto  they 
 could  not  as  yet  frame  themselves  to  be  friends,  but  did 
 ever,  upon  a  very  religious  affection  to  the  truth,  willingly 
 reject  the  truth.  They  acknowledged  Christ  to  be  their 
 only  and  perfect  Saviour,  but  saw  not  how  repugnant  their 
 believing  the  necessity  of  Mosaical  Ceremonies  was  to 
 their  Faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  Hereupon  a  reply  is  made, 
 that  if  they  had  not  directly  denied  the  foundation,  they 
 might  have  been  saved ;  but  saved  they  could  not  be, 
 therefore  their  opinion  was,  not  only  by  consequent,  but 
 directly,  a  denial  of  the  foundation.  When  the  question 
 was  about  the  possibility  of  their  salvation,  their  denying 
 of  the  foundation  was  brought  to  prove  that  they  could  not 
 be  saved  :  now,  that  the  question  is  about  their  denial  of 
 the  foundation,  the  impossibility  of  their  salvation  is  alleged 
 to  prove  they  denied  the  foundation.  Is  there  nothing 
 which  excludeth  men  from  salvation,  but  only  the  founda- 
 tion of  Faith  denied  ?  I  should  have  thought,  that  besides 
 this,  many  other  things  are  death  unto  as  many  as,  under- 
 standing that  to  cleave  thereunto  was  to  fall  from  Christ, 
 did  notwithstanding  cleave  unto  them.  But  of  this  enough. 
 Wherefore  I  come  to  the  last  question,  "  Whether  that  the 
 doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  concerning  the  necessity 
 of  Works  unto  salvation,  be  a  direct  denial  of  our  Faith?" 
 
 27.  I  seek  not  to  obtrude  unto  you  any  private  opinion 
 of  my  own.  The  best  learned  in  our  profession  are  of  this 
 judgment,  that  all  the  corruptions  of  the  Church  of  Rome 
 do  not  prove  her  to  deny  the  foundation  directly  ;  if  they 
 did,  they  should  grant  her  simply  to  be  no  Christian  Church. 
 "  But  I  suppose  (saith  one)  that  in  the  Papacy  some  cai 
 Church  remaineth,  a  Church  crazed,  or,  if  you  will,  broken  Ep" 
 quite  in  pieces,  forlorn,  mishapen,  yet  some  Church :" 
 his  reason  is  this,  "Antichrist  must  sit  in  the  Temple  of 
 
 VOL.  II.  2  M 
 
530         A  DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 God."    Lest  any  man  should  think  such  sentences  as  these 
 to  be  true  only  in  regard  of  them  whom  that  Church  is 
 supposed  to  have  kept  by  the  special  providence  of  God, 
 as  it  were,  in  the  secret  corners  of  his  bosom,  free  from 
 infection,  and  sound  in  the  Faith,  as  we  trust,  by  his 
 mercy,  we  ourselves  are ;  I  permit  it  to  your  wise  consi- 
 derations, whether  it  be  more  likely,  that  as  frenzy,  though 
 it  take  away  the  use  of  reason,  doth  notwithstanding  prove 
 them  reasonable  creatures  which  have  it,  because  none  can 
 be  frantic  but  they ;  so  Antichristianity  being  the  bane  and 
 overthrow  of  Christianity,  may  nevertheless  argue,  the 
 Church  where  Antichrist  sitteth,  to  be  Christian.  Neither 
 have  I  hitherto  heard  or  read  any  one  word  alleged  of  force 
 to  warrant,  that  God  doth  otherwise  than  so  as  in  the  two 
 next  questions  before  hath  been  declared,  bind  himself  to 
 keep  his  elect  from  worshipping  the  Beast,  and  from  re- 
 ceiving his  mark  in  their  foreheads  ;  but  he  hath  preserved, 
 and  will  preserve,  them  from  receiving  any  deadly  wound 
 at  the  hands  of  the  Man  of  Sin,  whose  deceit  hath  prevailed 
 over  none  unto  death,  but  only  unto  such  as  never  loved 
 the  truth,  such  as  took  pleasure  in  unrighteousness  :  they 
 in  all  ages,  whose  hearts  have  delighted  in  the  principal 
 truth,  and  whose  souls  have  thirsted  after  righteousness,  if 
 they  received  the  mark  of  error,  the  mercy  of  God,  even 
 erring,  and  dangerously  erring,  might  save  them ;  if  they 
 received  the  mark  of  Heresy,  the  same  mercy  did,  I  doubt 
 not,  convert  them.    How  far  Romish  Heresies  may  pre- 
 vail over  God's  elect,  how  many  God  hath  kept  from  falling 
 into  them,  how  many  have  been  converted  from  them,  is 
 not  the  question  now  in  hand  :  for  if  Heaven  had  not  re- 
 ceived any  one  of  that  coat  for  these  thousand  years,  it 
 may  still  be  true,  that  the  Doctrine  which  this  day  they  do 
 profess,  doth  not  directly  deny  the  foundation,  and  so  prove 
 them  simply  to  be  no  Christian  Church.    One  I  have  al- 
 leged, whose  words,  in  my  ears,  sound  that  way :  shall  I 
 Mom.   add  another,  whose  speech  is  plain  ?    "I  deny  her  not  the 
 Eccies   name  °f  a  Church,"  saith  another,  "no  more  than  to  a  man 
 [c-  s-  5-  the  name  of  a  man,  as  long  as  he  liveth,  what  sickness 
 soever  he  hath."    His  reason  is  this :  "Salvation  in  Jesus 
 Christ,  which  is  the  mark  which  joineth  the  Head  with  the 
 Body,  Jesus  Christ  with  the  Church,  is  so  cut  off  by  many 
 merits,  by  the  merits  of  Saints,  by  the  Pope's  pardons,  and 
 
A  DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  531 
 
 snch  other  wickedness,  that  the  life  of  the  Church  holdeth 
 by  a  very  thread,"  yet  still  the  life  of  the  Chnrch  holdeth. 
 A  third  hath  these  words:  "  I  acknowledge  the  Church  Irfzaneh. 
 Rome,  even  at  this  present  day,  for  a  Church  of  Christ,  ae  iuiig 
 such  a  Church  as  Israel  did  Jeroboam,  yet  a  Church." 
 His  reason  is  this  :  "  Every  man  seeth,  except  he  willingly 
 hoodwink  himself,  that  as  always,  so  now,  the  Church  of 
 Rome  holdeth  firmly  and  stedfastly  the  doctrine  of  truth 
 concerning  Christ;  and  baptizeth  in  the  name  of  the 
 Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  confesseth  and 
 avoucheth  Christ  to  be  the  only  Redeemer  of  the  world, 
 and  the  Judge  that  shall  sit  upon  quick  and  dead,  receiving 
 true  believers  into  endless  joy,  faithless  and  godless  men 
 being  cast  with  Satan  and  his  Angels  into  flames  unquench- 
 able." 
 
 28.  I  may,  and  will,  rein  the  question  shorter  than  they 
 do.  Let  the  Pope  take  down  his  top,  and  captivate  no 
 more  men's  souls  by  his  Papal  jurisdiction;  let  him  no 
 longer  count  himself  Lord  Paramount  over  the  Princes  of 
 the  world,  no  longer  hold  Kings  as  his  servants  paravaile; 
 let  his  stately  Senate  submit  their  necks  to  the  yoke  of 
 Christ,  and  cease  to  die  their  garments,  like  Edom,  in 
 blood ;  let  them,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  hate  and 
 forsake  their  idolatry,  abjure  all  their  errors  and  heresies, 
 wherewith  they  have  any  way  perverted  the  truth  ;  let  them 
 strip  their  Church,  till  they  leave  no  polluted  rag,  but  only 
 this  one  about  her ;  "  By  Christ  alone,  without  Works,  we 
 cannot  be  saved  :"  it  is  enough  for  me,  if  I  shew,  that  the 
 holding  of  this  one  thing  doth  not  prove  the  foundation  of 
 Faith  directly  denied  in  the  Church  of  Rome. 
 
 29.  Works  are  an  addition:  be  it  so,  what  then?  the 
 foundation  is  not  subverted  by  every  kind  of  addition : 
 simply  to  add  unto  those  fundamental  words,  is  not  to 
 mingle  wine  with  water,  Heaven  and  earth,  things  polluted 
 with  the  sanctified  Blood  of  Christ :  of  which  crime  indict 
 them,  which  attribute  those  operations  in  whole  or  in  part 
 to  any  creature,  which  in  the  work  of  our  salvation  wholly 
 are  peculiar  to  Christ ;  and,  if  I  open  my  mouth  to  speak 
 in  their  defence,  if  I  hold  my  peace,  and  plead  not  against 
 them  as  long  as  breath  is  within  my  body,  let  me  be  guilty 
 of  all  the  dishonour  that  ever  hath  been  done  to  the  Son 
 of  God.    But  the  more  dreadful  a  thing  it  is  to  deny  sal- 
 
 2  m  2 
 
532 
 
 A  DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 vation  by  Christ  alone,  the  more  slow  and  fearful  I  am, 
 except  it  be  too  manifest,  to  lay  a  thing  so  grievous  to 
 any  man's  charge.  Let  us  beware,  lest  if  we  make  too 
 many  ways  of  denying  Christ,  we  scarce  leave  any  way  for 
 ourselves  truly  and  soundly  to  confess  him.  Salvation 
 only  by  Christ  is  the  true  foundation  whereupon  indeed 
 Christianity  standeth.  But  what  if  I  say  you  cannot  be 
 saved  only  by  Christ,  without  this  addition,  Christ  believed 
 in  heart,  confessed  with  mouth,  obeyed  in  life  and  conver- 
 sation ?  Because  I  add,  do  I  therefore  deny  that  which  I 
 did  directly  affirm?  There  may  be  an  additament  of  expli- 
 cation, which  overthroweth  not,  but  proveth  and  con- 
 cludeth  the  proposition  whereunto  it  is  annexed.  He 
 which  saith,  Peter  was  a  chief  Apostle,  doth  prove  that 
 
 \\  Is]*''  ^>e^er  was  an  Apostle  :  he  which  saith,  Our  salvation  is  of 
 the  Lord,  through  Sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  and  Faith 
 of  the  truth,  proveth  that  our  salvation  is  of  the  Lord. 
 But  if  that  which  is  added,  be  such  a  privation  as  taketh 
 away  the  very  essence  of  that  whereunto  it  is  added,  then 
 by  the  sequel  it  overthroweth  it.  He  which  saith,  Judas 
 is  a  dead  man,  though  in  word  he  granteth  Judas  to  be  a 
 man,  yet  in  effect  he  proveth  him  by  that  very  speech  no 
 man,  because  death  depriveth  him  of  being.    In  like  sort, 
 
 *0™-  he  that  should  say,  Our  election  is  of  grace  for  our  works' 
 sake,  should  grant  in  sound  of  words,  but  indeed  by  con- 
 sequent deny,  that  our  election  is  of  Grace;  for  the  grace 
 which  electeth  us  is  no  grace,  if  it  elect  us  for  our  works' 
 sake. 
 
 30.  Now  whereas  the  Church  of  Rome  addeth  Works,  we 
 must  note  further,  that  the  adding  of  Works*  is  not  like  the 
 adding  of  Circumcision  unto  Christ.  Christ  came  not  to  abro- 
 gate and  put  away  good  Works :  he  did,  to  change  Circumci- 
 sion ;  for  we  see  that  in  place  thereof  he  hath  substituted  Holy 
 Baptism.  To  say,  ye  cannotbe  saved  by  Christ  except  ye  be 
 circumcised,  is  to  add  a  thing  excluded,  a  thingnot  only  not 
 necessary  to  be  kept,  but  necessary  not  to  be  kept  by  them 
 
 *  I  deny  not  but  that  the  Church  of  R.ome  requireth  some  kinds  of  works  which 
 she  ought  not  to  require  at  men's  hands.  But  our  question  is  general  about  the 
 ending  of  good  works,  not  whether  such  or  such  works  be  good.  In  this  compa- 
 rison it  is  enough  to  touch  so  much  on  the  matter  in  question  between  St.  Paul 
 and  the  Galatians,  as  inferreth  those  conclusions.  "  Ye  are  fallen  from  grace  ; 
 Christ  can  profit  you  nothing :"  which  conclusions  will  follow  Circumcision  and 
 Rites  of  the  Law  Ceremonial,  if  they  be  required  as  things  necessary  to  salvation. 
 This  only  was  alleged  against  me  :  and  need  I  touch  more  than  was  alleged  ? 
 
A   DISCOURSE  OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  533 
 
 that  will  be  saved.  On  the  other  side,  to  say,  ye  cannot 
 be  saved  by  Christ  without  Works,  is  to  add  things  not  only 
 not  excluded,  but  commanded,  as  being  in  their  place  and 
 in  their  kind  necessary,  and  therefore  subordinated  unto 
 Christ,  by  Christ  himself,  by  whom  the  web  of  salvation  is 
 spun:  "Except  your  righteousness  exceed  the  righteous- Jrao^ 
 ness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  Luke 
 the  Kingdom  of  Heaven."  They  were  rigorous  exacters  of 
 things  not  utterly  to  be  neglected  and  left  undone,  washing 
 and  tithing,  &c.  As  they  were  in  these,  so  must  we  be  in 
 judgment  and  the  love  of  God.  Christ,  in  Works  Ceremo- 
 nial,  giveth  more  liberty,  in  Moral  much  less,  than  they 
 did.  Works  of  righteousness  therefore  are  added  in  the 
 one  proposition  ;  as  in  the  other  Circumcision  is. 
 
 31.  But  we  say,  our  salvation  is  by  Christ  alone  ;  there- 
 fore howsoever,  or  whatsoever,  we  add  unto  Christ  in  the 
 matter  of  salvation,  we  overthrow  Christ.  Our  case  were 
 very  hard,  if  this  argument,  so  universally  meant  as  it  is 
 supposed,  were  sound  and  good.  We  ourselves  do  not 
 teach  Christ  alone,  excluding  our  own  Faith,  unto  Justifica- 
 tion ;  Christ  alone,  excluding  our  own  Works,  unto  Sancti- 
 fication  ;  Christ  alone,  excluding  the  one  or  the  other  un- 
 necessary unto  salvation.  It  is  a  childish  cavil  wherewith  in 
 the  matter  of  Justification  our  adversaries  do  so  greatly  please 
 themselves,  exclaiming,  that  we  tread  all  Christian  virtues 
 under  our  feet,  and  require  nothing  in  Christians  but  Faith ; 
 because  we  teach  that  Faith  alone  justifieth  :  whereas  by 
 this  speech  we  never  meant  to  exclude  either  Hope  or  Cha- 
 rity from  being  always  joined  as  inseparable  mates  with 
 Faith  in  the  man  that  is  justified ;  or  Works  from  being  ad- 
 ded as  necessary  duties,  required  at  the  hands  of  every 
 justified  man :  but  to  shew  that  Faith  is  the  only  hand 
 which  putteth  on  Christ  unto  Justification  ;  and  Christ  the 
 only  garment,  which  being  so  put  on,  covereth  the  shame 
 of  our  defiled  natures,  hideth  the  imperfection  of  our  works, 
 preserveth  us  blameless  in  the  sight  of  God,  before  whom 
 otherwise  the  weakness  of  our  Faith  were  cause  sufficient 
 to  make  us  culpable,  yea,  to  shut  us  from  the  Kingdom  of 
 Heaven,  where  nothing  that  is  not  absolute  can  enter. 
 That  our  dealing  with  them  be  not  as  childish  as  theirs 
 with  us ;  when  we  hear  of  salvation  by  Christ  alone,  consi- 
 dering that  alone  as  an  exclusive-particle,  we  are  to  note 
 
534       A    DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 what  it  doth  exclude,  and  where.  If  I  say,  "  Such  a 
 Judge  only  ought  to  determine  such  a  case,"  all  things  in- 
 cident to  the  determination  thereof,  besides  the  person  of 
 the  Judge,  as  Laws,  Depositions,  Evidences,  &c.  are  not 
 hereby  excluded ;  persons  are  not  excluded  from  witnes- 
 sing herein,  or  assisting,  but  only  from  determining  and 
 giving  sentence.  How  then  is  our  salvation  wrought  by 
 Christ  alone  ?  is  it  our  meaning,  that  nothing  is  requisite 
 to  man's  salvation,  but  Christ  to  save,  and  he  to  be  saved 
 quietly  without  any  more  ado  ?  No,  we  acknowledge  no 
 such  foundation.  As  we  have  received,  so  we  teach  that 
 besides  the  bare  and  naked  work,  wherein  Christ,  without 
 any  other  associate,  finished  all  the  parts  of  our  redemp- 
 tion, and  purchased  salvation  himself  alone ;  for  convey- 
 ance of  this  eminent  blessing  unto  us,  many  things  are  of 
 necessity  required,  as,  to  be  known  and  chosen  of  God 
 before  the  foundation  of  the  world ;  in  the  world  to  be  cal- 
 led justified,  sanctified ;  after  we  have  left  the  world, 
 to  be  received  unto  glory ;  Christ  in  every  of  these  hath 
 somewhat  which  he  worketh  alone.  Through  him,  accord- 
 EPh.  ing  to  the  eternal  purpose  of  God  before  the  foundation  of 
 uUm  the  world,  born,  crucified,  buried,  raised,  &c.  we  were  in  a 
 gracious  acceptation  known  unto  God  long  before  we  were 
 seen  of  men :  God  knew  us,  loved  us,  was  kind  to  us  in 
 Jesus  Christ,  in  him  we  were  elected  to  be  heirs  of  life. 
 Thus  far  God  through  Christ  hath  wrought  in  such  sort 
 alone,  that  ourselves  are  mere  patients,  working  no  more 
 than  dead  and  senseless  matter,  wood,  stone,  or  iron,  doth 
 in  the  artificer's  hands  ;  no  more  than  clay,  when  the  pot- 
 ter appointeth  it  to  be  framed  for  an  honourable  use ;  nay, 
 not  so  much.  For  the  matter  whereupon  the  craftsman 
 worketh  he  chooseth,  being  moved  by  the  fitness  which  is 
 in  it  to  serve  his  turn ;  in  us  no  such  thing.  Touching  the 
 rest  which  is  laid  for  the  foundation  of  our  Faith,  it  im- 
 porteth  further,  that  by  him  we  are  called,  that  we  have 
 redemption,  remission  of  sins  through  his  Blood,  health  by 
 his  stripes ;  justice  by  him ;  that  he  doth  sanctify  his 
 Church,  and  make  it  glorious  to  himself;  that  entrance  into 
 joy  shall  be  given  us  by  him ;  yea,  all  things  by  him  alone. 
 Howbeit,  not  so  by  him  alone,  as  if  in  us,  to  our  Vocation, 
 the  hearing  of  tbe  Gospel ;  to  our  Justification,  Faith ;  to 
 our  Sanctification,  therfruits  of  the  Spirit ;  to  our  Entrance 
 
A  DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  535 
 
 into  rest,  perseverance  in  Hope,  in  Faith,  in  Holiness,  were 
 not  necessary. 
 
 32.  Then  what  is  the  fault  of  the  Church  of  Rome  ?  Not 
 that  she  requireth  Works  at  their  hands  which  will  be  saved: 
 but  that  she  attributeth  unto  Works  a  power  of  satisfying 
 God  for  sin ;  yea,  a  virtue  to  merit  both  grace  here,  and  in 
 Heaven  glory.  That  this  overthroweth  the  foundation  of* 
 Faith,  I  grant  willingly  ;  that  it  is  a  direct  denial  thereof,  I 
 utterly  deny.  What  it  is  to  hold,  and  what  directly  to  deny, 
 the  foundation  of  Faith,  I  have  already  opened.  Apply 
 it  particularly  to  this  cause,  and  there  needs  no  more  ado. 
 The  thing  which  is  handled,  if  the  form  under  which  it  is 
 handled  be  added  thereunto,  it  sheweth  the  foundation  of 
 any  doctrine  whatsoever.  Christ  is  the  matter  whereof 
 the  Doctrine  of  the  Gospel  treateth ;  and  it  treateth  of 
 Christ  as  of  a  Saviour.  Salvation  therefore  by  Christ 
 is  the  foundation  of  Christianity:  as  for  Works,  they 
 are  a  thing  subordinate,  no  otherwise  than  because  our 
 Sanctification  cannot  be  accomplished  without  them.  The 
 doctrine  concerning  them  is  a  thing  builded  upon  the  foun- 
 dation ;  therefore  the  doctrine  which  addeth  unto  them  the 
 power  of  satisfying,  or  of  meriting,  addeth  unto  a  thing 
 subordinated,  builded  upon  the  foundation,  not  to  the  very 
 foundation  itself;  yet  is  the  foundation  by  this  addition 
 consequently  overthrown,  forasmuch  as  out  of  this  addition 
 it  may  be  negatively  concluded,  he  which  maketh  any 
 work  good  and  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  proceed 
 from  the  natural  freedom  of  our  will ;  he  which  giveth  unto 
 anyjgood  Works  of  ours  the  force  of  satisfying  the  wrath  of 
 God  for  sin,  the  power  of  meriting  either  earthly  or  Hea- 
 venly rewards ;  he  which  holdeth  Works  going  before  our 
 Vocation,  in  congruity  to  merit  our  Vocation ;  Works  follow- 
 ing our  first,  to  merit  our  second  Justification,  and  by  con- 
 dignity  our  last  reward  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  pulleth 
 up  the  doctrine  of  Faith  by  the  roots;  for  out  of  every  of 
 these  the  plain  direct  denial  thereof  may  be  necessarily 
 concluded.  Not  this  only,  but  what  other  Heresy  is  there 
 that  doth  not  raze  the  very  foundation  of  Faith  by  conse- 
 quent? Hovvbeit,  we  make  a  difference  of  Heresies;  ac- 
 counting them  in  the  next  degree  to  Infidelity,  which  directly 
 deny  any  one  thing  to  be  which  is  expressly  acknowledged 
 in  the  Articles  of  our  Belief;  for  out  of  any  one  Article  so 
 
53G      A    DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 denied,  the  denial  of  the  very  foundation  itself  is  straightway 
 inferred.*  As  for  example  ;  if  a  man  should  say,  'There  is 
 no  Catholio  Church,'  it  followeth  immediately  thereupon, 
 that  this  Jesus  whom  we  call  the  Saviour,  is  not  the  Sa- 
 viour of  the  World ;  because  all  the  Prophets  bear  witness, 
 Acts  that  the  true  Messias  should  "  shew  light  unto  the  Gen- 
 xxvi.es.  tiles ;"  that  is  to  say,  gather  such  a  Church  as  is  Catholic, 
 not  restrained  any  longer  unto  one  circumcised  nation.  In 
 the  second  rank  we  place  them,  out  of  whose  positions  the 
 denial  of  any  the  foresaid  Articles  may  be  with  like  facility 
 concluded  ;  such  as  are  they  which  have  denied,  with  He- 
 bion,  or  with  Marcion,  his  Humanity;  an  example  whereof 
 Lib  vI  may  be  that  of  Cassianus  defending  the  Incarnation  of  the 
 deimar.  Son  of  God  against  Nestorius  Bishop  of  Antioch,  who 
 cJj"  17.  held,  that  the  Virgin,  when  she  brought  forth  Christ,  did 
 not  bring  forth  the  Son  of  God,  but  a  sole  and  mere  man. 
 Out  of  which  Heresy  the  denial  of  the  Articles  of  the 
 Christian  Faith  he  deduceth  thus:  "If  thou  dost  deny  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  denying  the  Son,  thou  canst  not 
 choose  but  deny  the  Father;  for,  according  to  the  voice  of 
 the  Father  himself,  'He  that  hath  not  the  Son,  hath  not  the 
 Father.'  Wherefore  denying  him  which  is  begotten,  thou 
 deniest  him  which  doth  beget."  Again,  "  Denying  the  Son 
 [ibid.]  qQ(j  jQ  jiave  Deen  born  in  the  flesh,  how  canst  thou 
 believe  him  to  have  suffered  ?  believing  not  his  Passion, 
 what  remaineth,  but  that  thou  deny  his  Resurrection?  For 
 we  believe  him  not  raised,  except  we  first  believe  him 
 dead :  neither  can  the  reason  of  his  rising  from  the  dead 
 stand,  without  the  Faith  of  his  death  going  before.  The 
 denial  of  his  Death  and  Passion  inferreth  the  denial  of  his 
 rising  from  the  depth.  Whereupon  it  followeth,  that  thou 
 also  deny  his  Ascension  into  Heaven.  The  Apostle  af- 
 firmeth,  '  That  he  which  ascended,  did  first  descend ;'  so 
 that,  as  much  as  lieth  in  thee,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  hath 
 neither  risen  from  the  depth,  nor  is  ascended  into  Heaven, 
 nor  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father,  neither 
 shall  hecome  at  the  day  of  the  final  account,  which  is  look- 
 ed for,  nor  shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.  And  darest 
 
 *  '  Hebc  ratio  Ecclesiastici  Sacramenti  et  Catholics  Fidei  est,  ut  qui  partem 
 divini  Sacramenti  negat,  partem  non  valeat  confiteri.  Ita  enim  sibi  connexa  et 
 concorporata  sunt  omnia,  ut  aliud  sine  alio  stare  non  possit,  et  qui  unum  ex  om- 
 nibus denegaverit,  alia  ei  omnia  credidisse  non  prosit.'  Cassian.  lib.  vi.  de  In- 
 carnat.  Doru.  [c.  17.] 
 
A   DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  537 
 
 thou  yet  set  foot  in  the  Church  ?  Canst  thou  think  thyself  a 
 Bishop,  when  thou  hast  denied  all  those  things  whereby 
 thou  dost  obtain  a  Bishoply  calling  ?"  Nestorius  confessed 
 all  the  Articles  of  the  Creed,  but  his  opinion  did  imply  the 
 denial  of  every  part  of  his  Confession.  Heresies  there  are 
 of  the  third  sort,  such  as  the  Church  of  Rome  maintaineth, 
 which  be  removed  by  a  greater  distance  from  the  founda- 
 tion, although  indeed  they  overthrow  it.  Yet  because  of 
 that  weakness,  which  the  Philosopher  noteth  in  men's  ca- 
 pacities when  he  saith,  that  the  common  sort  cannot  see 
 things  which  follow  in  reason,  when  they  follow,  as  it 
 were,  afar  olf  by  many  deductions ;  therefore  the  repug- 
 nancy of  such  Heresy  and  the  foundation  is  not  so  quickly 
 or  so  easily  found,  but  that  a  Heretic  of  this,  sooner  than 
 of  the  former  kind,  may  directly  grant,  and  consequently 
 nevertheless  deny,  the  foundation  of  Faith. 
 
 33.  If  reason  be  suspected,  trial  will  shew  that  the 
 Church  of  Rome  doth  no  otherwise,  by  teaching  the  doc- 
 trine she  doth  teach  concerning  good  Works.  Offer  them  the 
 very  fundamental  words,  and  what  man  is  there  that  will 
 refuse  to  subscribe  unto  them  ?  Can  they  directly  grant, 
 and  directly  deny,  one  and  the  very  self-same  thing  ?  Our 
 own  proceedings  in  disputing  against  their  Works  satisfac- 
 tory and  meritorious  do  shew,  not  only  that  they  hold,  but 
 that  we  acknowledge  them  to  hold,  the  foundation,  not- 
 withstanding their  opinion.  For  are  not  these  our  argu- 
 ments against  them  ?  "  Christ  alone  hath  satisfied  and  ap- 
 peased his  Father's  wrath  :  Christ  hath  merited  salvation 
 alone."  We  should  do  fondly  to  use  such  disputes,  neither 
 could  we  think  to  prevail  by  them,  if  that  whereupon  we 
 ground,  were  a  thing  which  we  know  they  do  not  hold, 
 which  we  are  assured  they  will  not  grant.  Their  very 
 answers  to  all  such  reasons,  as  are  in  this  controversy 
 brought  against  them,  will  not  permit  us  to  doubt  whether 
 they  hold  the  foundation  or  no.  Can  any  man,  that  hath 
 read  their  books  concerning  this  matter,  be  ignorant  how 
 they  draw  all  their  answers  unto  these  heads  ?  "  That  the 
 remission  of  all  our  sins,  the  pardon  of  all  whatsoever 
 punishments  thereby  deserved,  the  rewards  which  God 
 hath  laid  up  in  Heaven,  are  by  the  Blood  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ  purchased,  and  obtained  sufficiently  for  all 
 men  :  but  for  no  man  effectually  for  his  benefit  in  particu- 
 
538       A    DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 lar,  except  the  Blood  of  Christ  be  applied  particularly  to 
 him  by  such  means  as  God  hath  appointed  that  to  work 
 by.  That  those  means  of  themselves,  being  but  dead 
 things,  only  the  Blood  of  Christ  is  that  which  putteth  life, 
 force,  and  efficacy  in  them  to  work,  and  to  be  available, 
 each  in  his  kind,  to  our  salvation.  Finally,  that  Grace 
 being  purchased  for  us  by  the  Blood  of  Christ,  and  freely 
 without  any  merit  or  desert  at  the  first  bestowed  upon  us, 
 the  good  things  which  we  do,  after  Grace  received,  be 
 thereby  made  satisfactory  and  meritorious."  Some  of  their 
 sentences  to  this  effect  I  must  allege  for  mine  own  war- 
 rant. If  we  desire  to  hear  foreign  judgments,  we  find  in 
 Lewis  one  this  confession :  "  He  that  could  reckon  how  many  the 
 Granada  virtues  and  merits  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  have  been, 
 capd'  might  likewise  understand  how  many  the  benefits  have 
 last.  3.  been  that  are  to  come  to  us  by  him,  for  so  much  as  men 
 are  made  partakers  of  them  all  by  means  of  his  Passion  : 
 by  him  is  given  unto  us  remission  of  our  sins,  grace,  glory, 
 liberty,  praise,  salvation,  redemption,  justification,  justice, 
 satisfaction,  sacraments,  merits,  and  all  other  things  which 
 we  had,  and  were  behoveful  for  our  salvation."  In  another 
 we  have  these  oppositions  and  answers  made  unto  them  : 
 rauiga-  "  All  grace  is  given  by  Christ  Jesus.  True  ;  but  not  ex- 
 iet.a'n.  cept  Christ  Jesus  be  applied.  He  is  the  propitiation  for 
 our  sin;  by  his  stripes  we  are  healed  ;  he  hath  offered  him- 
 self up  for  us :  all  this  is  true,  but  apply  it.  We  put  all 
 satisfaction  in  the  Blood  of  Jesus  Christ ;  but  we  hold, 
 that  the  means  which  Christ  hath  appointed  for  us  in  the 
 case  to  apply  it,  are  our  penal  Works."  Our  countrymen 
 Annot.  in  Rhemes  make  the  like  answer,  that  they  seek  salva- 
 joha  i.  tion  no  other  way  than  by  the  Blood  of  Christ ;  and  that 
 humbly  they  do  use  Prayers,  Fastings,  Alms,  Faith,  Cha- 
 rity, Sacrifice,  Sacraments,  Priests,  only  as  the  means  ap- 
 pointed by  Christ,  to  apply  the  benefit  of  his  holy  Blood 
 unto  them :  touching  our  good  Works,  that  in  their  own 
 natures  they  are  not  meritorious,  nor  answerable  to  the 
 joys  of  Heaven  ;  it  cometh  by  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  not 
 of  the  work  itself,  that  we  have  by  well-doing  a  right  to 
 Heaven,  and  deserve  it  worthily.  If  any  man  think  that  I 
 seek  to  varnish  their  opinions,  to  set  the  better  foot  of  a 
 lame  cause  foremost;  let  him  know,  that  since  I  began 
 throughly  to  understand  their  meaning,  I  have  found  their 
 
A   DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  539 
 
 halting  greater  than  perhaps  it  seemeth  to  them  which 
 know  not  the  deepness  of  Satan,  as  the  blessed  Divine 
 spcaketh.  For,  although  this  be  proof  sufficient,  that  they 
 do  not  directly  deny  the  foundation  of  Faith  ;  yet,  if  there 
 were  no  other  leaven  in  the  lump  of  their  doctrine  but 
 this,  this  were  sufficient  to  prove,  that  their  doctrine  is  not 
 agreeable  to  the  foundation  of  Christian  Faith.  The  Pela- 
 gians being  over-great  friends  unto  Nature,  made  them- 
 selves enemies  unto  Grace,  for  all  their  confessing,  that 
 men  have  their  souls,  and  all  the  faculties  thereof,  their 
 wills  and  all  the  ability  of  their  wills,  from  God.    And  is 
 not  the  Church  of  Rome  still  an  adversary  to  Christ's 
 merits,  because  of  her  acknowledging,  that  we  have  re- 
 ceived the  power  of  meriting  by  the  Blood  of  Christ  ?  Sir  ia  his 
 Thomas  More  setteth  down  the  odds  between  us  and  the  Conso°a- 
 Church  of  Rome  in  the  matter  of  Works  thus  :  "  Like  as ti0Q- 
 we  grant  them,  that  no  good  work  of  man  is  rewardable  in 
 Heaven  of  its  own  nature,  but  through  the  mere  goodness 
 of  God,  that  lists  to  set  so  high  a  price  upon  so  poor  a 
 thing;  and  that  this  price  God  setteth  through  Christ's 
 Passion,  and  for  that  also  they  be  his  own  Works  with 
 us ;  for  good  Works  to  Godward  worketh  no  man,  with- 
 out God  work  in  him :  and  as  we  grant  them  also,  that 
 no  man  may  be  proud  of  his  Works,  for  his  imperfect 
 working;  and  for  that  in  all  that  man  may  do,  he  can 
 do  God  no  good,  but  is  a  servant  unprofitable,  and 
 doth  but  his  bare  duty :  as  we,  I  say,  grant  unto  them 
 these  things,  so  this  one  thing  or  twain  do  they  grant  us 
 again,  that  men  are  bound  to  work  good  Works,  if  they 
 have  time  and  power;  and  that  whoso  worketh  in  true 
 Faith  most,  shall  be  most  rewarded ;  but  then  set  they 
 thereto,  that  all  his  rewards  shall  be  given  him  for  his 
 Faith  alone,  and  nothing  for  his  Works  at  all,  because  his 
 Faith  is  the  thing,  they  say,  that  forceth  him  to  work  well." 
 I  see  by  this  of  Sir  Thomas  More,  how  easy  it  is  for  men 
 of  the  greatest  capacity  to  mistake  things  written  or  spoken 
 as  well  on  the  one  side  as  on  the  other.    Their  doctrine, 
 as  he  thought,  maketh  the  work  of  man  rewardable  in  the 
 world  to  come  through  the  goodness  of  God,  whom  it 
 pleased  to  set  so  high  a  price  upon  so  poor  a  thing ;  and 
 ours,  that  a  man  doth  receive  that  etecnal  and  high  re- 
 ward, not  for  his  Works,  but  for  his  Faith's  sake,  by  which 
 
540       A    DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 he  worketh :  whereas  in  truth  our  doctrine  is  no  other 
 than  that  we  have  learned  at  the  feet  of  Christ ;  namely, 
 that  God  doth  justify  the  believing  man,  yet  not  for  the 
 worthiness  of  his  belief,  but  for  the  worthiness  of  him 
 which  is  believed  ;  God  rewardeth  abundantly  every  one 
 which  worketh,  yet  not  for  any  meritorious  dignity  which 
 is,  or  can  be,  in  the  work,  but  through  his  mere  mercy,  by 
 whose  commandment  he  worketh.  Contrariwise,  their  doc- 
 trine is,  that  as  pure  water  of  itself  hath  no  savour,  but  if 
 it  pass  through  a  sweet  pipe,  it  taketh  a  pleasant  smell  of 
 the  pipe  through  which  it  passeth  ;  so,  although  before 
 Grace  received,  our  Works  do  neither  satisfy  nor  merit ; 
 yet  after,  they  do  both  the  one  and  the  other.  Every  vir- 
 tuous action  hath  then  power  in  such  to  satisfy;  that  if  we 
 ourselves  commit  no  mortal  sin,  no  heinous  crime,  where- 
 upon to  spend  this  treasure  of  satisfaction  in  our  own  be- 
 half, it  turneth  to  the  benefit  of  other  men's  release,  on 
 whom  it  should  please  the  Steward  of  the  House  of  God  to 
 bestow  it ;  so  that  we  may  satisfy  for  ourselves  and  others, 
 works  Dut  merit  only  for  ourselves.    In  meriting,  our  actions 
 
 ofSu-  J  °' 
 
 perero-  do  work  with  two  hands  :  with  one,  they  get  their  morning 
 ganon.  gtipgjj^  the  increase  of  grace  ;  with  the  other,  their  even- 
 ing hire,  the  everlasting  crown  of  glory.  Indeed  they 
 teach,  that  our  good  Works  do  not  these  things  as  they 
 come  from  us,  but  as  they  come  from  grace  in  us  ;  which 
 grace  in  us  is  another  thing  in  their  divinity,  than  is 
 the  mere  goodness  of  God's  mercy  towards  us  in  Christ 
 Jesus. 
 
 34.  If  it  were  not  a  long  deluded  spirit  which  hath  pos- 
 session of  their  hearts  ;  were  it  possible  but  that  they 
 should  see  how  plainly  they  do  herein  gainsay  the  very 
 ground  of  Apostolic  Faith  ?  Is  this  that  salvation  by 
 Grace,  whereof  so  plentiful  mention  is  made  in  the  Scrip- 
 tures of  God  ?  was  this  their  meaning,  which  first  taught 
 the  world  to  look  for  salvation  only  by  Christ?  By  Grace, 
 the  Apostle  saith,  and  by  Grace  in  such  sort  as  a  gift;  a 
 thing  that  cometh  not  of  ourselves,  nor  of  our  works,  lest 
 any  man  should  boast  and  say,  "  I  have  wrought  out  my 
 own  salvation."  By  Grace  they  confess;  but  by  Grace  in 
 such  sort,  that  as  many  as  wear  the  diadem  of  bliss,  they 
 wear  nothing  but  what  they  have  won.  The  Apostle,  as  if 
 he  had  foreseen  how  the  Church  of  Rome  would  abuse  the 
 
A   DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  541 
 
 world  in  time  by  ambiguous  terms,  to  declare  in  what  sense 
 the  name  of  Grace  must  be  taken,  when  we  make  it  the 
 cause  of  our  salvation,  saith,  "  He  saved  us  according  to 
 his  mercy :"  which  mercy,  although  it  exclude  not  the 
 washing  of  our  new  birth,  the  renewing  of  our  hearts  by 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  the  means,  the  virtues,  the  duties,  which 
 God  requireth  of  our  hands  which  shall  be  saved  ;  yet  it  is 
 so  repugnant  unto  merits,  that  to  say,  we  are  saved  for  the 
 worthiness  of  any  thing  which  is  ours,  is  to  deny  we  are 
 saved  by  Grace.  Grace  bestoweth  freely;  and  therefore 
 justly  requireth  the  glory  of  that  which  is  bestowed.  We 
 deny  the  Grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  we  abuse,  dis- 
 annul, and  annihilate  the  benefit  of  his  bitter  Passion,  if 
 we  rest  in  these  proud  imaginations,  that  life  is  deservedly 
 ours,  that  we  merit  it,  and  that  we  are  worthy  of  it. 
 
 35.  Howbeit,  considering  how  many  virtuous  and  just 
 men,  how  many  Saints,  how  many  Martyrs,  how  many  of 
 the  ancient  Fathers  of  the  Church,  have  had  their  sundry 
 perilous  opinions;  and  amongst  sundry  of  their  opinions 
 this,  that  they  hoped  to  make  God  some  part  of  amends 
 for  their  sins,  by  the  voluntary  punishment  which  they  laid 
 upon  themselves  ;  because  by  a  consequent  it  may  follow 
 hereupon,  that  they  were  injurious  unto  Christ,  shall  we 
 therefore  make  such  deadly  epitaphs,  and  set  them  upon 
 their  graves,  "  They  denied  the  foundation  of  Faith  di- 
 rectly, they  are  damned,  there  is  no  salvation  for  them?" 
 St.  Augustine  saith  of  himself,  "  Errare  possum,  Haereticus 
 esse  nolo."  And,  except  we  put  a  difference  between 
 them  that  err,  and  them  that  obstinately  persist  in  error, 
 how  is  it  possible  that  ever  any  man  should  hope  to  be 
 saved  ?  Surely,  in  this  case,  I  have  no  respect  of  any 
 person  either  alive  or  dead.  Give  me  a  man,  of  what 
 estate  or  condition  soever,  yea,  a  Cardinal  or  a  Pope, 
 whom  in  the  extreme  point  of  his  life  affliction  hath  made 
 to  know  himself;  whose  heart  God  hath  touched  with  true 
 sorrow  for  all  his  sins,  and  filled  with  love  towards  the 
 Gospel  of  Christ ;  whose  eyes  are  opened  to  see  the  truth, 
 and  his  mouth  to  renounce  all  Heresy  and  error  any  wise 
 opposite  thereunto,  this  one  opinion  of  merits  excepted ; 
 he  thinketh  God  will  require  at  his  hands,  and  because  he 
 wanteth,  therefore,  trembleth,  and  is  discouraged  ;  it  may 
 be  I  am  forgetful,  and  unskilful,  not  furnished  with  things 
 
542       A    DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 new  and  old,  as  a  wise  and  learned  Scribe  should  be,  nor 
 able  to  allege  that,  whereunto,  if  it  were  alleged,  he  doth 
 bear  a  mind  most  willing  to  yield,  and  so  to  be  recalled,  as 
 well  from  this,  as  from  other  errors :  and  shall  I  think,  be- 
 cause of  this  only  error,  that  such  a  man  toucheth  not  so 
 much  as  the  hem  off  Christ's  garment  ?  If  he  do,  where- 
 fore should  not  I  have  hope,  that  virtue  might  proceed 
 from  Christ  to  save  him  ?  Because  his  error  doth  by  con- 
 sequent overthrow  his  Faith,  shall  1  therefore  cast  him  off, 
 as  one  that  hath  utterly  cast  off  Christ  ?  one  that  holdeth 
 not  so  much  as  by  a  slender  thread  ?  No ;  I  will  not  be 
 afraid  to  say  unto  a  Pope  or  Cardinal  in  this  plight,  Be  of 
 good  comfort,  we  have  to  do  with  a  merciful  God,  ready  to 
 make  the  best  of  a  little  which  we  hold  well,  and  not  with 
 a  captious  Sophister,  which  gathereth  the  worst  out  of 
 every  thing  wherein  we  err.  Is  there  any  reason  that  I 
 should  be  suspected,  or  you  offended,  for  this  speech?  *Is 
 it  a  dangerous  thing  to  imagine,  that  such  men  may  find 
 mercy  ?  The  hour  may  come,  when  we  shall  think  it  a 
 blessed  thing  to  hear,  that  if  our  sins  were  the  sins  of  the 
 Pope  and  Cardinals,  the  bowels  of  the  mercy  of  God  are 
 larger.  I  do  not  propose  unto  you,  a  Pope  with  the  neck 
 of  an  Emperor  under  his  feet ;  a  Cardinal  riding  his  horse 
 to  the  bridle  in  the  blood  of  Saints  ;  but  a  Pope  or  a  Car- 
 dinal sorrowful,  penitent,  disrobed,  stripped,  not  only  of 
 usurped  power,  but  also  delivered  and  recalled  from  error 
 and  Antichrist,  converted  and  lying  prostrate  at  the  foot 
 of  Christ;  and  shall  I  think  that  Christ  shall  spurn  at 
 him  ?  and  shall  I  cross  and  gainsay  the  merciful  promises 
 of  God,  generally  made  unto  penitent  sinners,  by  opposing 
 the  name  of  a  Pope  or  Cardinal?  What  difference  is  there 
 in  the  world  between  a  Pope  and  a  Cardinal,  and  John  a 
 Style,  in  this  case  ?  If  we  think  it  impossible  for  them,  if 
 they  be  once  come  within  that  rank,  to  be  afterwards 
 touched  with  any  such  remorse,  let  that  be  granted.  The 
 Apostle  saith,  "  If  I,  or  an  Angel  from  Heaven,  preach 
 unto,"  &c.  Let  it  be  as  likely,  that  St.  Paul,  or  an  Angel 
 from  Heaven,  should  preach  Heresy,  as  that  a  Pope  or 
 Cardinal  should  be  brought  so  far  forth  to  acknowledge  the 
 truth ;  yet  if  a  Pope  or  Cardinal  should,  what  find  we  in 
 their  persons  why  they  might  not  be  saved  ?    It  is  not  the 
 
 *  Let  all  affection  be  laid  aside  ;  let  the  matter  indifferently  be  considered. 
 
A   DISCOURSE  OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  543 
 
 persons,  you  will  say,  but  the  error  wherein  I  suppose 
 them  to  die,  which  excludeth  them  from  the  hope  of  mercy; 
 the  opinion  of  merits  doth  take  away  all  possibility  of  sal- 
 vation from  them.    What  if  they  hold  it  only  as  an  error? 
 although  they  hold  the  truth  truly  and  sincerely  in  all  other 
 parts  of  Christian  Faith  ?  although  they  have  in  some  mea- 
 sure all  the  virtues  and  graces  of  the  Spirit,  all  other  tokens 
 of  God's  elect  children  in  them  ?  although  they  be  far  from 
 having  any  proud  presumptuous  opinion,  that  they  shall  be 
 saved  by  the  worthiness  of  their  deeds  '?  although  the  only 
 thing  which  troubleth  and  molesteth  them,  be  but  a  little 
 too  much  dejection,  somewhat  too  great  a  fear,  rising  from 
 an  erroneous  conceit  that  God  would  require  a  worthiness 
 in  them,  which  they  are  grieved  to  find  wanting  in  them- 
 selves ?  although  they  be  not  obstinate  in  this  persuasion  ? 
 although  they  be  willing,  and  would  be  glad  to  forsake  it, 
 if  any  one  reason  were  brought  sufficient  to  disprove  it  ? 
 although  the  only  let,  why  they  do  not  forsake  it  ere  they 
 die,  be  the  ignorance  of  the  means  by  which  it  might  be 
 disproved  ?  although  the  cause,  why  the  ignorance  in  this 
 point  is  not  removed,  be  the  want  of  knowledge  in  such  as 
 should  be  able,  and  are  not,  to  remove  it?  Let  me  die,  if 
 ever  it  be  proved,  that  simply  an  error  doth  exclude  a 
 Pope  or  a  Cardinal,  in  such  a  case,  utterly  from  hope  of 
 life.    Surely,  I  must  confess  unto  you,  if  it  be  an  error, 
 that  God  may  be  merciful  to  save  men  even  when  they  err, 
 my  greatest  comfort  is  my  error  ;  were  it  not  for  the  love 
 I  bear  unto  this  error,  I  would  never  wish  to  speak,  nor 
 to  live. 
 
 36.  Wherefore  to  resume  that  mother-sentence,  whereof 
 I  little  thought  that  so  much  trouble  would  have  grown, 
 "  I  doubt  not  but  God  was  merciful  to  save  thousands  of 
 our  Fathers,  living  in  Popish  Superstitions,  inasmuch  as 
 they  sinned  ignorantly."  Alas !  what  bloody  matter  is 
 there  contained  in  this  sentence,  that  it  should  be  an  occa- 
 sion of  so  many  hard  censures?  Did  I  say,  "  That  thou- 
 sands of  our  Fathers  might  be  saved?"  I  have  shewed 
 which  way  it  cannot  be  denied.  Did  I  say,  "  I  doubt  not 
 but  they  were  saved  ?"  I  see  no  impiety  in  this  persuasion, 
 though  I  had  no  reason  for  it.  Did  I  say,  "Their  ignorance 
 did  make  me  hope  they  did  find  mercy,  and  so  were 
 saved  ?"  What  hindereth  salvation  but  sin  ?    Sins  are  not 
 
544       A   DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 equal ;  and  ignorance,  though  it  doth  not  make  sin  to  be  no 
 sin,  yet  seeing  it  did  make  their  sin  the  less,  why  should  it 
 not  make  our  hope  concerning  their  life  the  greater?  We 
 pity  the  most,  and  doubt  not  but  God  hath  most  compas- 
 sion over  them  that  sin  for  want  of  understanding.  As 
 much  is  confessed  by  sundry  others,  almost  in  the  self-same 
 words  which  I  have  used.  It  is  but  only  my  evil  hap, 
 that  the  same  sentences  which  savour  verity  in  other  men's 
 books,  should  seem  to  bolster  Heresy  when  they  are  once 
 by  me  recited,  If  I  be  deceived  in  this  point,  not  they, 
 but  the  blessed  Apostle  hath  deceived  me.  What  I  said 
 of  others,  the  same  he  said  of  himself,  "  I  obtained  mercy, 
 for  I  did  it  ignorantly."  Construe  his  words,  and  you  can- 
 not misconstrue  mine.  I  spake  no  otherwise,  I  meant  no 
 otherwise,  than  he  did. 
 
 37.  Thus  have  I  brought  the  question  concerning  our 
 Fathers  at  length  unto  an  end.    Of  whose  estate,  upon  so 
 fit  an  occasion  as  was  offered  me,  handling  the  weighty 
 causes  of  separation  between  the  Church  of  Rome  and  us, 
 and  the  weak  motives  which  are  commonly  brought  to  re- 
 tain men  in  that  Society  ;  amongst  which  motives  the  ex- 
 amples of  our  Fathers  deceased  is  one ;  although  I  saw  it 
 convenient  to  utter  the  sentence  which  I  did,  to  the  end 
 that  all  men  might  thereby  understand,  how  untruly  we 
 are  said  to  condemn  as  many  as  have  been  before  us 
 otherwise  persuaded  than  we  ourselves  are ;  yet  more  than 
 that  one  sentence,  I  did  not  think  it  expedient  to  utter, 
 judging  it  a  great  deal  meeter  for  us  to  have  regard  to  our 
 own  estate,  than  to  sift  over-curiously  what  is  become  of 
 other  men  ;  and  fearing,  lest  that  such  questions  as  these, 
 if  voluntarily  they  should  be  too  far  waded  in,  might  seem 
 worthy  of  that  rebuke  which  our  Saviour  thought  needful 
 in  a  case  not  unlike,  "  What  is  this  unto  thee?"    When  I 
 was  forced,  much  beside  my  expectation,  to  render  a  reason 
 of  my  speech,  I  could  not  but  yield  at  the  call  of  others,  and 
 proceed  so  far  as  duty  bound  me,  for  the  fuller  satisfying 
 of  minds.    Wherein  I  have  walked,  as  with  reverence,  so 
 with  fear:  with  reverence,  in  regard  of  our  Fathers,  which 
 lived  in  former  times ;  not  without  fear,  considering  them 
 that  are  alive. 
 
 38.  I  am  not  ignorant  how  ready  men  are  to  feed  and 
 sooth  up  themselves  in  evil.    Shall  I  (will  the  man  say, 
 
A   DISCOURSE   OF  JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  545 
 
 \ 
 
 that  loveth  (lie  present  world  more  than  he  loveth  Christ), 
 shall  I  incur  the  highest  displeasure  of  the  mightiest  upon 
 earth  ?  shall  I  hazard  my  goods,  endanger  my  estate,  put 
 myself  into  jeopardy,  rather  than  to  yield  to  that  which  so 
 many  of  my  Fathers  embraced,  and  yet  found  favour  in 
 the  sight  of  God  ?    «  Curse  ye  Meroz  (saith  the  Lord,)  ^'"Jj5 
 curse  her  inhabitants,  because  they  helped  not  the  Lord, 
 they  helped  him  not  against  the  mighty."    If  I  should  not 
 only  not  help  the  Lord  against  the  mighty,  but  help  to 
 strengthen  them  that  are  mighty  against  the  Lord ;  wor- 
 thily might  I  fall  under  the  burden  of  that  curse,  worthy  I 
 were  to  bear  my  own  judgment:  but,  if  the  doctrine  which 
 I  teach  be  a  flower  gathered  in  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  a 
 part  of  the  saving  truth  of  the  Gospel,  from  whence  not- 
 withstanding poisonous  creatures  do  suck  venom ;  I  can 
 but  wish  it  were  otherwise,  and  content  myself  with  the 
 lot  that  hath  befallen  me,  the  rather,  because  it  hath  not 
 befallen  me  alone.    St.  Paul  taught  a  truth,  and  a  com- 
 fortable truth,  when  he  taught,  that  the  greater  our  misery 
 is,  in  respect  of  our  iniquities,  the  readier  is  the  mercy  of 
 God  for  our  release,  if  we  seek  unto  him  ;  the  more  we 
 have^ sinned,  the  more  praise,  and  glory,  and  honour  unto 
 him  that  pardoneth  our  sin.    But  mark  what  lewd  collec- 
 tions were  made  hereupon  by  some:  "Why  then  am  irRora- 
 condemned  for  a  sinner?"    And  the  Apostle  (as  we  are 
 blamed,  and  as  some  affirm  that  we  say,  "  Why  do  we  not 
 evil  that  good  may  come  of  it?")  he  was  accused  to  teach 
 that  which  ill-disposed  people  did  gather  by  his  teaching, 
 though  it  were  clean  not  only  besides,  but  against  his 
 meaning.    The  Apostle  addeth,  "  Their  condemnation 
 (which  thus  do)  is  just."    I  am  not  hasty  to  apply  sen- 
 tences of  condemnation :  I  wish  from  my  heart  their  con- 
 version, whosoever  are  thus  perversely  affected.    For  I 
 must  needs  say,  their  case  is  fearful,  their  estate  danger- 
 ous, which  harden  themselves,  presuming  on  the  mercy  of 
 God  towards  others.    It  is  true,  that  God  is  merciful,  but 
 let  us  beware  of  presumptuous  sins.    God  delivered  Jo- 
 nah from  the  bottom  of  the  sea ;  will  you  therefore  cast 
 yourselves  headlong  from  the  tops  of  rocks,  and  say  in 
 your  hearts,  God  shall  deliver  us?    He  pitieth  the  blind 
 that  would  gladly  see  ;  but  will  he  pity  him  that  may  see, 
 and  hardeneth  himself  in  blindness  ?     No ;  Christ  hath 
 vol.  11.  2  N 
 
54G        A    DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C. 
 
 spoken  too  much  unto  you,  to  claim  the  privilege  of  your 
 Fathers. 
 
 39.  As  for  us  that  have  handled  this  cause  concerning 
 the  condition  of  our  Fathers,  whether  it  be  this  thing  or 
 any  other  which  we  bring  unto  you,  the  counsel  is  good 
 which  the  Wise  Man  giveth,  "  Stand  thou  fast  in  thy  sure 
 understanding,  in  the  way  and  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  and 
 have  but  one  manner  of  word,  and  follow  the  word  of  peace 
 and  righteousness."  As  a  loose  tooth  is  a  grief  to  him 
 that  eateth,  so  doth  a  wavering  and  unstable  word  in 
 
 f<*  speech,  that  tendeth  to  instruction,  offend.  "  Shall  a  wise 
 man  speak  words  of  the  wind,"  saith  Eliphaz  ;  light,  in- 
 constant, unstable  words  ?  Surely  the  wisest  may  speak 
 words  of  the  wind :  such  is  the  untoward  constitution  of 
 our  nature,  that  we  do  neither  so  perfectly  understand  the 
 way  and  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  nor  so  stedfastly  em- 
 brace it  when  it  is  understood  ;  nor  so  graciously  utter  it, 
 when  it  is  embraced  ;  nor  so  peaceably  maintain  it,  when 
 it  is  uttered  ;  but  that  the  best  of  us  are  overtaken  some- 
 times through  blindness,  sometimes  through  hastiness, 
 sometimes  through  impatience,  sometimes  through  other 
 passions  of  the  mind,  whereunto  (God  doth  know)  we  are 
 too  subject.  We  must  therefore  be  contented  both  to 
 pardon  others,  and  to  crave  that  others  may  pardon  us  for 
 such  things.  Let  no  man,  that  speaketh  as  a  man,  think 
 himself,  while  he  liveth,  always  freed  from  scrapes  and  over- 
 sights in  his  speech.  The  things  themselves  which  I  have 
 spoken  unto  you  are  sound,  howsoever  they  have  seemed 
 otherw  ise  unto  some  :  at  whose  hands  I  have,  in  that  re- 
 spect, received  inj  ury,  I  willingly  forget  it ;  although,  indeed, 
 considering  the  benefit  which  I  have  reaped  by  this  neces- 
 sary speech  of  truth,  I  rather  incline  to  that  of  the  Apostle, 
 
 [Gai.    "  They  have  not  injured  me  at  all."  I  have  cause  to  wish 
 
 1T"  them  as  many  blessings  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  as 
 they  have  forced  me  to  utter  words  and  syllables  in  this 
 cause ;  w  herein  I  could  not  be  more  sparing  of  my  speech 
 
 [EPht.  than  I  have  been.  "  It  becometh  no  man  (saith  St.  Jerome) 
 
 ad  Para- 
 
 mad,,   to  be  patient  in  the  crime  of  Heresy."  Patient,  as  I  take  it, 
 33'  «s.] we  should  be  always,  though  the  crime  of  Heresy  were  in- 
 tended ;  but  silent  in  a  thing  of  so  great  consequence  I 
 could  not,  beloved,  I  durst  not  be ;  especially  the  love, 
 which  I  bear  to  the  truth  of  Christ  Jesus,  being  hereby 
 
A   DISCOURSE   OF   JUSTIFICATION,  &C.  547 
 
 somewhat  called  in  question.  Whereof  I  beseech  them  in 
 the  meekness  of  Christ,  that  have  been  the  first  original 
 cause,  to  consider  that  a  watchman  may  cry  "  An  enemy  !" 
 when  indeed  a  friend  cometh.  In  which  cause,  as  I  deem 
 such  a  watchman  more  worthy  to  be  loved  for  his  care, 
 than  misliked  for  his  error ;  so  I  have  judged  it  my  own 
 part  in  this,  as  much  as  in  me  lieth,  to  take  away  all  sus- 
 picion of  any  unfriendly  intent  or  meaning  against  the  truth, 
 from  which,  God  doth  know,  my  heart  is  free. 
 
 40.  Now  to  you,  beloved,  which  have  heard  these  things, 
 I  will  use  no  other  words  of  admonition,  than  those  that  are 
 offered  me  by  St.  James,  "My  brethren,  have  not  the  faith  V*™- 
 of  our  glorious  Lord  Jesus  in  respect  of  persons."  Ye  are  "'  '* 
 not  now  to  learn,  that  as  of  itself  it  is  not  hurtful,  so  neither 
 should  it  be  to  any  scandalous  and  offensive,  in  doubt- 
 ful cases,  to  hear  the  indifferent  judgments  of  men.  Be  it 
 that  Cephas  hath  one  interpretation,  and  A  polios  hath  an- 
 other. ;  that  Paul  is  of  this  mind,  and  Barnabas  of  that ;  if 
 this  offend  you,  the  fault  is  yours.  Carry  peaceable  minds, 
 and  you  may  have  comfort  by  this  variety. 
 
 Now  the  God  of  peace  give  you  peaceable  minds,  and 
 turn  it  to  your  everlasting  comfort. 
 
 2n  2 
 
A 
 
 LEARNED  SERMON 
 
 OF 
 
 THE  NATURE  OF  PRIDE. 
 
 His  mind  swelleth,  and  is  not  right  in  him  :  but  the  just  by  Faith  shall  live. 
 
 Habak. ii.  4. 
 
 The  nature  of  man,  being  much  more  delighted  to  be  led 
 than  drawn,  doth  many  times  stubbornly  resist  authority, 
 when  to  persuasion  it  easily  yieldeth.  Whereupon  the 
 wisest  Law-makers  have  endeavoured  always,  that  those 
 Laws  might  seem  most  reasonable,  which  they  would  have 
 most  inviolably  kept.  A  Law  simply  commanding  or  for- 
 bidding, is  but  dead  in  comparison  of  that  which  expresseth 
 the  reason  wherefore  it  doth  the  one  or  the  other.  And, 
 surely,  even  in  the  Laws  of  God,  although  that  he  hath  given 
 commandment  be  in  itself  a  reason  sufficient  to  exact  all 
 obedience  at  the  hands  of  men,  yet  a  forcible  inducement 
 it  is  to  obey  with  greater  alacrity  and  cheerfulness  of  mind, 
 when  we  see  plainly  that  nothing  is  imposed  more  than 
 we  must  needs  yield  unto,  except  we  will  be  unreasonable. 
 In  a  word,  whatsoever  be  taught,  be  it  precept  for  direction 
 of  our  manners,  or  article  for  instruction  of  our  Faith,  or 
 document  any  way  for  information  of  our  minds,  it  then 
 taketh  root  and  abideth,  when  we  conceive  not  only  wrhat 
 God  doth  speak,  but  why.  Neither  is  it  a  small  thing 
 which  we  derogate,  as  well  from  the  honour  of  his  truth,  as 
 from  the  comfort,  joy,  and  delight  which  we  ourselves 
 should  take  by  it,  when  we  loosely  slide  over  his  speech  as 
 though  it  were  as  our  own  is,  commonly  vulgar  and  trivial. 
 Whereas,  he  uttereth  nothing  but  it  hath,  besides  the  sub- 
 stance of  doctrine  delivered,  a  depth  of  wisdom,  in  the 
 very  choice  and  frame  of  words  to  deliver  it  in.  The  rea- 
 son whereof  being  not  perceived,  but  by  greater  intention 
 
THE   NATURE  OF  PRIDE. 
 
 549 
 
 of  brain  that  our  nice  minds  for  the  most  part  can  well 
 away  with,  fain  would  we  bring  the  world,  if  we  might,  to 
 think  it  but  a  needless  curiosity,  to  rip  up  any  thing  further 
 than  extemporal  readiness  of  wit  doth  serve  to  reach  unto. 
 Which  course,  if  here  we  did  list  to  follow,  we  might 
 tell  you,  that  in  the  first  branch  of  this  sentence  God  doth 
 condemn  the  Babylonian's  pride  ;  and  in  the  second,  teach 
 what  happiness  of  state  shall  grow  to  the  righteous  by  the 
 constancy  of  their  Faith,  notwithstanding  the  troubles 
 which  now  they  suffer ;  and,  after  certain  notes  of  whole- 
 some instruction  hereupon  collected,  pass  over  without 
 detaining  your  minds  in  any  further  removed  speculation. 
 But,  as  I  take  it,  there  is  a  difference  between  the  talk 
 that  beseemeth  nurses  among  children,  and  that  which 
 men  of  capacity  and  judgment  do,  or  should,  receive  in- 
 struction by. 
 
 The  mind  of  the  Prophet  being  erected  with  that  which 
 hath  been  hitherto  spoken,  receiveth  here  for  full  satis- 
 faction a  short  abridgment  of  that  which  is  afterwards  more 
 particularly  unfolded.  Wherefore,  as  the  question  before 
 disputed  of  doth  concern  two  sorts  of  men,  the  wicked 
 flourishing  as  the  bay,  and  the  righteous  like  the  withered 
 grass,  the  one  full  of  pride,  the  other  cast  down  with  utter 
 discouragement ;  so  the  answer  which  God  doth  make  for 
 resolution  of  doubts  hereupon  arisen,  hath  reference  unto 
 both  sorts,  and  this  present  sentence,  containing  a  brief 
 abstract  thereof,  comprehendeth  summarily  as  well  the 
 fearful  state  of  iniquity  over-exalted,  as  the  hope  laid  up  for 
 righteousness  oppressed.  In  the  former  branch  of  which 
 sentence,  let  us  first  examine  what  this  rectitude  or  straight- 
 ness  importeth,  which  God  denieth  to  be  in  the  mind  of  the 
 Babylonian.  All  things  which  God  did  create,  he  made 
 them  at  first  true,  good,  and  right :  true,  in  respect  of 
 correspondence  unto  that  pattern  of  their  being,  which  was 
 eternally  drawn  in  the  counsel  of  God's  foreknowledge ; 
 good,  in  regard  of  the  use  and  benefit  which  each  thing 
 yieldeth  unto  other;  right,  by  an  apt  conformity  of  all 
 parts  with  that  end  which  is  outwardly  proposed  for  each 
 thing  to  tend  unto.  Other  things  have  ends  proposed,  but 
 have  not  the  faculty  to  know,  judge,  and  esteem  of  them  ; 
 and  therefore  as  they  tend  thereunto  unwittingly,  so  likewise 
 in  the  means  whereby  they  acquire  their  appointed  ends, 
 
550 
 
 A    LEARNED    SERMON  OF 
 
 they  are  by  necessity  so  held  that  they  cannot  divert  from 
 them.  The  ends  why  the  heavens  do  move,  the  heavens 
 themselves  know  not,  and  their  motions  they  cannot  but 
 continue.  Only  men  in  all  their  actions  know  what  it  is 
 which  they  seek  for,  neither  are  they  by  any  such  necessity 
 tied  naturally  unto  any  certain  determinate  mean  to  obtain 
 their  end  by,  but  that  they  may,  if  they  will,  forsake  it. 
 And  therefore,  in  the  whole  world,  no  creature  but  only 
 man,  which  hath  the  last  end  of  his  actions  proposed  as  a 
 recompence  and  reward,  whereunto  his  mind  directly  bend- 
 ing itself,  is  termed  right  or  straight,  otherwise  perverse. 
 
 To  make  this  somewhat  more  plain,  we  must  note,  that 
 as  they,  which  travel  from  city  to  city,  inquire  ever  for  the 
 straightest  way,  because  the  straightest  is  that  which 
 [neb.  soonest  bringeth  them  to  their  journey's  end;  so  we,"  hav- 
 M]  ing  here,  (as  the  Apostle  speaketh,)  no  abiding  city,"  but 
 being  always  in  travel  towards  that  place  of  joy,  immor- 
 tality, and  rest,  cannot  but  in  every  of  our  deeds,  words, 
 and  thoughts,  think  that  to  be  best,  which  with  most  ex- 
 pedition leadeth  us  thereunto,  and  is  for  that  very  cause 
 termed  right.  That  sovereign  good,  which  is  the  eternal 
 fruition  of  all  good,  being  our  last  and  chiefest  felicity, 
 there  is  no  desperate  despiser  of  God  and  godliness  living, 
 which  doth  not  wish  for.  The  difference  between  right 
 and  crooked  minds,  is  in  the  means  which  the  one  or  the 
 other  eschew  or  follow.  Certain  it  is,  that  all  particular 
 things  which  are  naturally  desired  in  the  world,  as  food, 
 raiment,  honour,  wealth,  pleasure,  knowledge,  they  are 
 subordinated  in  such  wise  unto  that  future  good  which  we 
 look  for  in  the  world  to  come,  that  even  in  them  there  lieth 
 a  direct  way  tending  unto  this.  Otherwise  we  must  think, 
 that  God,  making  promises  of  good  things  in  this  life,  did 
 seek  to  pervert  them  and  to  lead  them  from  their  right 
 minds.  Where  is  then  the  obliquity  of  the  mind  of  man  ? 
 His  mind  is  perverse  and  crooked,  not  when  it  bendeth 
 itself  unto  any  of  these  things,  but  when  it  bendeth,  so  that 
 it  swerveth  either  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left,  by  excess 
 or  defect,  from  that  exact  rule  whereby  human  actions  are 
 measured.  The  Rule  to  measure  and  judge  them  by,  is 
 the  Law  of  God.  For  this  cause,  the  Prophet  doth  make 
 so  often  and  so  earnest  suit,  "  O  direct  me  in  the  way  of 
 thy  Commandments:  as  long  as  I  have  respect  to  thy 
 
THE   NATURE   OF  PRIDE. 
 
 551 
 
 Statutes,  I  am  sure  not  to  tread  amiss."  Under  the  name 
 of  the  Law,  we  must  comprehend  not  only  that  which  God 
 hath  written  in  tables  and  leaves,  but  that  which  Nature 
 also  hath  engraven  on  the  hearts  of  men.  Else  how  should 
 those  Heathens,  which  never  had  books  but  heaven  and 
 earth  to  look  upon,  be  convicted  of  perverseness  1  "  But  W 
 the  Gentiles,  which  had  not  the  Law  in  books,  had  (saith 
 the  Apostle)  the  effect  of  the  Law  written  in  their  hearts." 
 
 Then  seeing  that  the  heart  of  man  is  not  right  exactly, 
 unless  it  be  found  in  all  parts  such,  that  God  examining 
 and  calling  it  unto  account  with  all  severity  of  rigour,  be 
 not  able  once  to  charge  it  with  declining  or  swerving  aside 
 (which  absolute  perfection  when  did  God  ever  find  in  the 
 sons  of  mere  mortal  men  ?),  doth  it  not  follow,  that  all  flesh 
 must  of  necessity  fall  down  and  confess,  "We  are  not  dust 
 and  ashes,  but  worse ;  our  minds  from  the  highest  to  the 
 lowest  are  not  right ;  if  not  right,  then  undoubtedly  not 
 capable  of  that  blessedness  which  we  naturally  seek,  but 
 subject  unto  that  which  we  must  abhor,  anguish,  tribula- 
 tion, death,  wo,  endless  misery.  For  whatsoever  misseth  the 
 way  of  life,  the  issue  thereof  cannot  be  but  perdition.  By 
 which  reason,  all  being  wrapped  up  in  sin,  and  made  there- 
 by the  children  of  death,  the  minds  of  all  men  being  plainly 
 convicted  not  to  be  right ;  shall  we  think  that  God  hath 
 endued  them  with  so  many  excellencies  more,  not  only 
 than  any,  but  than  all  the  creatures  in  the  world  besides, 
 to  leave  them  in  such  estate,  that  they  had  been  happier 
 if  they  had  never  been  ?  Here  cometh  necessarily  in  a  new 
 way  unto  salvation,  so  that  they  which  were  in  the  other 
 perverse,  may  in  this  be  found  straight  and  righteous. 
 That  the  way  of  Nature,  this  the  way  of  Grace.  The  end 
 of  that  way,  salvation  merited,  presupposing  the  righteous- 
 ness of  men's  works ;  their  righteousness,  a  natural  ability 
 to  do  them ;  that  ability,  the  goodness  of  God  which  cre- 
 ated them  in  such  perfection ;  but  the  end  of  this  way,  sal- 
 vation bestowed  upon  men  as  a  gift,  presupposing,  not 
 their  righteousness,  but  the  forgiveness  of  their  unrighte- 
 ousness, justification ;  their  justification,  not  their  natural 
 ability  to  do  good,  but  their  hearty  sorrow  for  their  not 
 doing,  and  unfeigned  belief  in  Him,  for  whose  sake  not- 
 doers  are  accepted,  which  is  their  vocation  ;  their  vocation, 
 the  election  of  God,  taking  them  out  from  the  number  of 
 
552 
 
 A   LEARNED  SERMON  OF 
 
 lost  children ;  their  election,  a  Mediator  in  whom  to  be 
 elect;  this  mediation,  inexplicable  mercy;  his  mercy, 
 their  misery,  for  whom  he  vouchsafed  to  make  himself  a 
 Mediator.  The  want  of  exact  distinguishing  between  these 
 two  ways,  and  observing  what  they  have  common,  what 
 peculiar,  hath  been  the  cause  of  the  greatest  part  of  that 
 confusion  whereof  Christianity  at  this  day  laboureth. 
 The  lack  of  diligence  in  searching,  laying  down,  and  inur- 
 ing men's  minds  with  those  hidden  grounds  of  reason, 
 whereupon  the  least  particular  in  each  of  these  are  most 
 firmly  and  strongly  builded,  is  the  only  reason  of  all  those 
 scruples  and  uncertainties,  wherewith  we  are  in  such  sort 
 entangled,  that  a  number  despair  of  ever  discerning  what 
 is  right  or  wrong  in  any  thing.  But  we  will  let  this  matter 
 rest,  whereinto  we  stepped  to  search  out  a  way,  bow  some 
 minds  may  be,  and  are,  right  truly,  even  in  the  sight  of 
 God,  though  they  be  simply  in  themselves  not  right. 
 
 Howbeit,  there  is  not  only  this  difference  between  the 
 just  and  impious,  that  the  mind  of  the  one  is  right  in  the 
 sight  of  God,  because  his  obliquity  is  not  imputed  ;  the 
 other  perverse,  because  his  sin  is  unrepented  of:  but  even 
 as  lines  that  are  drawn  with  a  trembling  hand,  but  yet  to 
 the  point  which  they  should,  are  thought  ragged  and  un- 
 even, nevertheless  direct  in  comparison  of  them  which  run 
 clean  another  way  ;  so  there  is  no  incongruity  in  terming 
 them  right-minded  men,  whom  though  God  may  charge 
 with  many  things  amiss,  yet  they  are  not  as  hideous  and 
 ugly  monsters,  in  whom,  because  there  is  nothing  but  wil- 
 ful opposition  of  mind  against  God,  a  more  than  tolerable 
 deformity  is  noted  in  them,  by  saying,  that  their  minds  are 
 not  right.  The  Angel  of  the  Church  of  Thyatira,  unto 
 [Rev.  ii.  whom  the  Son  of  God  sendeth  this  greeting,  "  I  know  thy 
 19,20,]  works,  and  thy  love,  and  thy  service,  and  faith  ;  notwith- 
 standing, I  have  a  few  things  against  thee,"  was  not  as  he 
 [Acts  unto  whom  St.  Peter,  "  Thou  hast  no  fellowship  in  this 
 vni.  si.]  business  .  for  thy  heart  is  not  right  in  the  sight  of  God." 
 So  that  whereas  the  orderly  disposition  of  the  mind  of  man 
 should  be  this  ;  perturbation  and  sensual  appetites  all  kept 
 in  awe  by  a  moderate  and  sober  will,  in  all  things  framed 
 by  reason,  reason  directed  by  the  Law  of  God  and  Nature ; 
 this  Babylonian  had  his  mind,  as  it  were,  turned  upside 
 down.  In  him  unreasonable  cecity  and  blindness  trampled 
 
THE   NATURE  OF  PRIDE.  553 
 
 all  Laws,  both  of  God  and  Nature,  under  feet ;  wilfulness 
 tyrannized  over  reason,  and  brutish  sensuality  over  will : 
 an  evident  token  that  his  outrage  would  work  his  over- 
 throw, and  procure  his  speedy  ruin.  The  mother  whereof 
 was  that  which  the  Prophet  in  these  words  signified, 
 "His  mind  doth  swell." 
 
 Immoderate  swelling,  a  token  of  very  eminent  breach, 
 and  of  inevitable  destruction :  pride,  a  vice  which  cleaveth 
 so  fast  unto  the  hearts  of  men,  that  if  we  were  to  strip 
 ourselves  of  all  faults  one  by  one,  we  should  undoubtedly 
 find  it  the  very  last  and  hardest  to  put  off.  But  I  am  not 
 here  to  touch  the  secret  itching  humour  of  vanity,  where- 
 with men  are  generally  touched.  It  was  a  thing  more  than 
 meanly  inordinate,  wherewith  the  Babylonian  did  swell. 
 Which  that  we  may  both  the  better  conceive,  and  the  more 
 easily  reap  profit  by,  the  nature  of  this  vice,  which  setteth 
 the  whole  world  out  of  course,  and  hath  put  so  many,  even 
 of  the  wisest,  besides  themselves,  is  first  of  all  to  be  in- 
 quired into :  secondly,  the  dangers  to  be  discovered  which 
 it  draweth  inevitably  after  it,  being  not  cured :  and,  last 
 of  all,  the  way  to  cure  it. 
 
 Whether  we  look  upon  the  gifts  of  Nature,  or  of  Grace, 
 or  whatsoever  is  in  the  world  admired  as  a  part  of  man's 
 excellency,  adorning  his  body,  beautifying  his  mind,  or 
 externally  any  way  commending  him  in  the  account  and 
 opinion  of  men,  there  is  in  every  kind  somewhat  possible 
 which  no  man  hath,  and  somewhat  had  which  few  men 
 can  attain  unto.  By  occasion  whereof,  there  growetb  dis- 
 paragement necessarily  ;  and  by  occasion  of  disparage- 
 ment, pride  through  men's  ignorance.  First,  therefore, 
 although  men  be  not  proud  of  any  thing  which  is  not,  at 
 least  in  opinion,  good ;  yet  every  good  thing  they  are  not 
 proud  of,  but  only  of  that  which  neither  is  common  unto 
 many,  and  being  desired  of  all,  causeth  them  which  have 
 it  to  be  honoured  above  the  rest.  Now  there  is  no  man 
 so  void  of  brain,  as  to  suppose  that  pride  consisteth  in  the 
 bare  possession  of  such  things  ;  for  then  to  have  virtue 
 were  a  vice,  and  they  should  be  the  happiest  men  who  are 
 most  wretched,  because  they  have  least  of  that  which  they 
 would  have.  And  though  in  speech  we  do  intimate  a  kind 
 of  vanity  to  be  in  them  of  whom  we  say,  "  They  are  wise 
 men,  and  they  know  it ;"  yet  this  doth  not  prove,  that  every 
 
5-34 
 
 A   LEARNED   SERMON  OF 
 
 wise  man  is  proud  which  doth  not  think  himself  to  be 
 blockish.  What  we  may  have,  and  know  that  we  have  it 
 without  offence,  do  we  then  make  offensive  when  we  take 
 joy  and  delight  in  having  it  ?  What  difference  between 
 men  enriched  with  all  abundance  of  earthly  and  heavenly 
 blessings,  and  idols  gorgeously  attired,  but  this,  '  The  one 
 takes  pleasure  in  that  which  they  have,  the  other  none  ?'  If 
 we  may  be  possessed  with  beauty,  strength,  riches,  power, 
 knowledge,  if  we  may  be  privy  to  what  we  are  every  way, 
 if  glad  and  joyful  for  our  own  welfare,  and  in  all  this  re- 
 main unblameable;  nevertheless,  some  there  are,  who,  grant- 
 ing thus  much,  doubt  whether  it  may  stand  with  humility, 
 to  accept  those  testimonies  of  praise  and  commendation, 
 those  titles,  rooms,  and  other  honours,  which  the  world 
 yieldeth,  as  acknowledgments  of  some  men's  excellencies 
 above  others.  For,  inasmuch  as  Christ  hath  said  unto 
 [Luke  those  that  are  his,  "  The  Kings  of  the  Gentiles  reign  over 
 og."' c5,  them,  and  they  that  bear  rule  over  them,  are  called  gra- 
 cious Lords ;  be  ye  not  so ;"  the  Anabaptist  hereupon 
 urgeth  equality  among  Christians,  as  if  all  exercise  of 
 authority  were  nothing  else  but  Heathenish  pride.  Our 
 Lord  and  Saviour  had  no  such  meaning.  But  his  Dis- 
 ciples feeding  themselves  with  a  vain  imagination  for  the 
 time,  that  the  Messias  of  the  world  should  in  Jerusalem 
 erect  his  throne,  and  exercise  dominion  with  great  pomp 
 and  outward  stateliness,  advanced  in  honour  and  ter- 
 rene power  above  all  the  Princes  of  the  earth,  began  to 
 think  how  with  their  Lord's  condition  their  own  would 
 also  rise;  that  having  left  and  forsaken  all  to  follow 
 him,  their  place  about  him  should  not  be  mean  ;  and  be- 
 cause they  were  many,  it  troubled  them  much,  which  of 
 them  should  be  the  greatest  man.  When  suit  was  made 
 [Matt,  for  two  by  name,  that  of  them  "  one  might  sit  at  his  right 
 "  hand,  and  the  other  at  his  left,"  the  rest  began  to  stomach, 
 each  taking  it  grievously  that  any  should  have  what  all 
 did  affect :  their  Lord  and  Master,  to  correct  this  humour, 
 turneth  aside  their  cogitations  from  these  vain  and  fanciful 
 conceits,  giving  them  plainly  to  understand,  that  they  did 
 but  deceive  themselves  ;  his  coming  was  not  to  purchase  an 
 earthly,  but  to  bestow  an  heavenly,  Kingdom,  wherein  they 
 (if  any)  shall  be  greatest,  whom  unfeigned  humility  maketh 
 in  this  world  lowest,  and  least  amongst  others  :  "  Ye  arc 
 
THE  NATURE  OF  PIIIDE. 
 
 555 
 
 they  which  have  continued  with  me  in  my  temptations,  [luke 
 therefore  I  leave  unto  you  a  Kingdom,  as  my  Father  hath 
 appointed  me,  that  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in 
 my  Kingdom,  and  sit  on  seats,  and  judge  the  twelve  tribes 
 of  Israel."    But  my  Kingdom  is  no  such  Kingdom  as  ye 
 dream  of;  and,  therefore,  these  hungry  ambitious  conten- 
 tions are  seemlier  in  Heathens  than  in  you.  Wherefore, 
 from  Christ's  intent  and  purpose,  nothing  is  further  re- 
 moved than  dislike  of  distinction  in  titles  and  callings, 
 annexed  for  order's  sake  unto  Authority,  whether  it  be 
 Ecclesiastical  or  Civil.    And  when  we  have  examined 
 thoroughly  what  the  nature  of  this  vice  is,  no  man  knowing 
 it  can  be  so  simple,  as  not  to  see  an  ugly  shape  thereof 
 apparent  many  times  in  rejecting  honours  offered,  more 
 than  in  the  very  exacting  of  them  at  the  hands  of  men. 
 For,  as  Judas's  care  for  the  poor  was  mere  covetousness ; 
 and  that  frank-hearted  wastefulness  spoken  of  in  the  Gos- 
 pel, thrift ;  so,  there  is  no  doubt,  that  going  in  rags  may 
 be  pride,  and  thrones  be  clothed  with  unfeigned  humility. 
 
 We  must  go  further,  therefore,  and  enter  somewhat 
 deeper,  before  we  can  come  to  the  closet  wherein  this  poi- 
 son lieth.  There  is  in  the  heart  of  every  proud  man,  first, 
 an  error  of  understanding,  a  vain  opinion  whereby  he 
 thinketh  his  own  excellency,  and  by  reason  thereof  his 
 worthiness  of  estimation,  regard,  and  honour,  to  be  greater 
 than  in  truth  it  is.  This  maketh  him  in  all  his  affections 
 accordingly  to  raise  up  himself;  and  by  his  inward  affec- 
 tions his  outward  acts  are  fashioned.  Which  if  you  list 
 to  have  exemplified,  you  may,  either  by  calling  to  mind 
 things  spoken  of  them  whom  God  himself  hath  in  Scripture 
 especially  noted  with  this  fault ;  or  by  presenting  to  your 
 secret  cogitations  that  which  you  daily  behold  in  the  odious 
 lives  and  manners  of  high-minded  men.  It  were  too  long 
 to  gather  together  so  plentiful  a  harvest  of  examples  in 
 this  kind  as  the  sacred  Scripture  affordeth.  That  which 
 we  drink  in  at  our  ears  doth  not  so  piercingly  enter,  as 
 that  which  the  mind  doth  conceive  by  sight.  Is  there  any 
 thing  written  concerning  the  Assyrian  Monarch,  in  the 
 tenth  of  Isaiah,  of  his  swelling  mind,  his  haughty  looks, 
 his  great  and  presumptuous  taunts ;  "  By  the  power  of  [Ver,  13.] 
 mine  own  hand  I  have  done  all  things,  and  by  mine  own 
 wisdom  I  have  subdued  the  world  V  any  thing  concern- 
 
556 
 
 A  LEARNED  SERMON  OF 
 
 ing  the  dames  of  Sion,  in  the  third  of  the  Prophet  Isaiah, 
 of  their  stretched-out  necks,  their  immodest  eyes,  their 
 pageant-like,  stately,  and  pompous  gait?  any  thing  con- 
 cerning the  practices  of  Corah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram,  of 
 their  impatience  to  live  in  subjection,  their  mutinies,  re- 
 pining at  lawful  authority,  their  grudging  against  their  Su- 
 periors, Ecclesiastical  and  Civil?  any  thing  concerning 
 pride  in  any  sort  of  sect,  which  the  present  face  of  the 
 world  doth  not,  as  in  glass,  represent  to  the  view  of  all 
 men's  beholding  ?  So  that  if  books,  both  profane  and  holy, 
 were  all  lost,  as  long  as  the  manners  of  men  retain  the 
 estate  they  are  in  ;  for  him  that  observeth,  how  that  when 
 men  have  once  conceived  an  over-weening  of  themselves, 
 it  maketh  them  in  all  their  affections  to  swell ;  how  deadly 
 their  hatred,  how  heavy  their  displeasure,  how  unappeas- 
 able their  indignation  and  wrath  is  above  other  men's,  in 
 what  manner  they  compose  themselves  to  be  as  Hetero- 
 clites,  without  the  compass  of  all  such  rules  as  the  com- 
 mon sort  are  measured  by ;  how  the  oaths  which  religious 
 hearts  do  tremble  at,  they  affect  as  principal  graces  of 
 speech  ;  what  felicity  they  take  to  see  the  enormity  of  their 
 crimes  above  the  reach  of  Laws  and  punishments ;  how 
 much  it  delighteth  them  when  they  are  able  to  appal  with 
 the  cloudiness  of  their  looks ;  how  far  they  exceed  the 
 terms  wherewith  man's  nature  should  be  limited ;  how  high 
 they  bear  their  heads  over  others  ;  how  they  brow-beat  all 
 men  which  do  not  receive  their  sentences  as  oracles,  with 
 marvellous  applause  and  approbation ;  how  they  look 
 upon  no  man,  but  with  an  indirect  countenance,  nor  hear 
 any  thing,  saving  their  own  praise,  with  patience,  nor 
 speak  without  scornfulness  and  disdain ;  how  they  use 
 their  servants,  as  if  they  were  beasts,  their  inferiors  as  ser- 
 vants, their  equals  as  inferiors,  and  as  for  superiors  they 
 acknowledge  none  ;  how  they  admire  themselves  as  vener- 
 able, puissant,  wise,  circumspect,  provident,  every-way 
 great,  taking  all  men  besides  themselves  for  ciphers,  poor, 
 inglorious,  silly  creatures,  needless  burthens  of  the  earth, 
 off-scourings,  nothing  :  in  a  word,  for  him  which  marketh 
 how  irregular  and  exorbitant  they  are  in  all  things,  it  can 
 be  no  hard  thing  hereby  to  gather,  that  pride  is  nothing  but 
 an  inordinate  elation  of  the  mind,  proceeding  from  a  false 
 conceit  of  men's  excellency  in  things  honoured,  which  ac- 
 
THE  NATURE  OK  VRIDE. 
 
 557 
 
 cordingly  framcth  also  their  deeds  and  behaviour,  unless 
 they  be  cunning  to  conceal  it;  lor  a  foul  scar  maybe 
 covered  with  a  fair  cloth,  and  as  proud  as  Lucifer  may  be 
 in  outward  appearance  lowly. 
 
 No  man  expecteth  grapes  of  thistles ;  nor  from  a  thing 
 of  so  bad  a  nature,  can  other  than  suitable  fruits  be  looked 
 for.  What  harm  soever  in  private  families  there  groweth 
 by  disobedience  of  children,  stubbornness  of  servants,  un- 
 tractableness  in  them,  who,  although  they  otherwise  may 
 rule,  yet  should  in  consideration  of  the  imparity  of  their 
 sex,  be  also  subject ;  whatsoever,  by  strife  amongst  men 
 combined  in  the  fellowship  of  greater  societies,  by  tyranny 
 of  Potentates,  ambition  of  Nobles,  rebellion  of  subjects 
 in  Civil  States ;  by  heresies,  schisms,  divisions  in  the 
 Church;  naming  Pride,  we  name  the  mother  which  brought 
 them  forth,  and  the  only  nurse  that  feedeth  them.  Give 
 me  the  hearts  of  all  men  humbled  ;  and  what  is  there  that 
 can  overthrow  or  disturb  the  peace  of  the  world?  wherein 
 many  things  are  the  cause  of  much  evil ;  but  pride  of  all. 
 
 To  declaim  of  the  swarms  of  evils  issuing  out  of  pride, 
 is  an  easy  labour.  I  rather  wish  that  I  could  exactly  pre- 
 scribe and  persuade  effectually  the  remedies,  whereby  a 
 sore  so  grievous  might  be  cured,  and  the  means  how  the 
 pride  of  swelling  minds  might  be  taken  down.  Whereunto 
 so  much  we  have  already  gained,  that  the  evidence  of  the 
 cause  which  breedeth  it,  pointeth  directly  unto  the  likeliest 
 and  fittest  helps  to  take  it  away.  Diseases  that  come  of 
 fulness,  emptiness  must  remove.  Pride  is  not  cured  but 
 by  abating  the  error  which  causeth  the  mind  to  swell. 
 Then  seeing  that  they  swell  by  misconceit  of  their  own  ex- 
 cellency :  for  this  cause,  all  that  tends  to  the  beating  down  of 
 their  pride,  whether  it  be  advertisement  from  men,  or  from 
 God  himself  chastisement ;  it  then  maketh  them  cease  to 
 be  proud,  when  it  causeth  them  to  see  their  error  in  over- 
 seeing the  thing  they  were  proud  of.  At  this  mark  Job, 
 in  his  apology  unto  his  eloquent  friends,  aimeth.  For  per- 
 ceiving how  much  they  delighted  to  hear  themselves  talk, 
 as  if  they  had  given  their  poor  afflicted  familiar  a  school- 
 ing of  marvellous  deep  and  rare  instruction,  as  if  they  had 
 taught  him  more  than  all  the  world  besides  could  acquaint 
 him  with ;  his  answer  was  to  this  effect :  Ye  swell  as 
 though  ye  had  conceived  some  great  matter ;  but  as  for 
 
558 
 
 A  LEARNED  SERMON  OF 
 
 that  which  ye  are  delivered  of,  whoknowefh  it  not?  Is  any 
 man  ignorant  of  these  things  ?  At  the  same  mark  the  bless- 
 p  cor.  ed  Apostle  driveth  :  "  Ye  abound  in  all  things,  ye  are  rich, 
 ,v" 01    ye  reign,  and  would  to  Christ  we  did  reign  with  you :" 
 but  boast  not.    For  what  have  ye,  or  are  ye  of  yourselves  ? 
 To  this  mark  all  those  humble  confessions  are  referred, 
 which  have  been  always  frequent  in  the  mouths  of  Saints, 
 truly  wading  in  the  trial  of  themselves ;  as  that  of  the  Pro- 
 j-J'jh    phet :  "  We  are  nothing  but  soreness,  and  festered  corrupti- 
 on ;"  our  very  light  is  darkness,  and  our  righteousness  itself 
 unrighteousness :  that  of  Gregory,  "  Let  no  man  ever  put 
 confidence  in  his  own  deserts ; '  sordet  in  conspectu  Judicis, 
 quod  fulget  in  conspectu  operands,' in  the  sight  of  the  dread- 
 fulJ  udge,  it  is  noisome,  which  in  the  doer's  judgment  maketh 
 a  beautiful  show :"  that  of  Anselm, "  I  adore  thee,  I  bless  thee, 
 Lord  God  of  Heaven,  Redeemer  of  the  world,  with  all  the 
 power,  ability,  and  strength  of  my  heart  and  soul,  for  thy 
 goodness  so  unmeasurably  extended ;  not  in  regard  of  my 
 merits,  whereunto  only  torments  were  due,  but  of  thy  mere 
 unprocured  benignity."    If  these  Fathers  should  be  raised 
 again  from  the  dust,  and  have  the  books  laid  open  before 
 them,  wherein  such  sentences  are  found  as  this :  "  Works 
 no  other  than  the  value,  desert,  price,  and  the  worth  of  the 
 joys  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven ;  Heaven,  in  relation  to 
 our  works,  as  the  very  stipend,  which  the  hired  labourer 
 covenanteth  to  have  of  him  whose  work  he  doth,  as  a  thing 
 equally  and  justly  answering  unto  the  time  and  weight  of 
 his  travels,  rather  than  to  a  voluntary  or  bountiful  gift" 
 — if,  I  say,  those  reverend  lore-rehearsed  Fathers,  whose 
 books  are  so  full  of  sentences  witnessing  their  Christian 
 humility,  should  be  raised  from  the  dead,  and  behold  with 
 their  eyes  such  things  written ;  would  they  not  plainly  pro- 
 nounce of  the  authors  of  such  writs,  that  they  were  fuller 
 of  Lucifer  than  of  Christ,  that  they  were  proud-hearted 
 men,  and  carried  more  swelling  minds  than  sincerely  and 
 feelingly  known  Christianity  can  tolerate  ? 
 
 But  as  unruly  children,  with  whom  wholesome  admoni- 
 tion prevaileth  little,  are  notwithstanding  brought  to  fear 
 that  ever  after  which  they  have  once  well  smarted  for ;  so 
 the  mind  which  falleth  not  with  instruction,  yet  under  the 
 rod  of  divine  chastisement  ceaseth  to  swell.  If,  therefore, 
 the  Prophet  David,  instructed  by  good  experience,  have 
 
THE  NATURE  OF  PRIDE. 
 
 559 
 
 acknowledged,  Lord  I  was  even  at  the  point  of  clean  for- 
 getting myself,  and  so  straying  from  my  right  mind,  but  cxix!  71.] 
 thy  rod  was  my  reformer ;  it  hath  been  good  for  me,  even 
 as  much  as  my  soul  is  worth,  that  I  have  been  with  sorrow 
 troubled  :  if  the  blessed  Apostle  did  need  the  corrosive 
 of  sharp  and  bitter  strokes,  lest  his  heart  should  swell  with 
 too  great  "  abundance  of  heavenly  revelations  :"  surely,  v-cox. 
 upon  us  whatsoever  God  in  this  world  doth  or  shall  inflict,  *"'7'1 
 it  cannot  seem  more  than  our  pride  doth  exact,  not  only 
 by  way  of  revenge,  but  of  remedy.  So  hard  it  is  to  cure  a 
 sore  of  such  quality  as  pride  is,  inasmuch  as  that  which 
 rooteth  out  other  vices,  causeth  this ;  and  (which  is  even 
 above  all  conceit)  if  we  were  clean  from  all  spot  and 
 blemish  both  of  other  faults ;  of  pride,  the  fall  of  Angels 
 doth  make  it  almost  a  question,  whether  we  might  not  need 
 a  preservative  still,  lest  we  should  haply  wax  proud,  that 
 we  are  not  proud.  What  is  virtue  but  a  medicine,  and 
 vice  but  a  wound  ?  Yet  we  have  so  often  deeply  wounded 
 ourselves  with  medicine,  that  God  hath  been  fain  to  make 
 wounds  medicinable ;  to  cure  by  vice  where  virtue  hath 
 stricken ;  to  suffer  the  just  man  to  fall,  that,  being  raised, 
 he  may  be  taught  what  power  it  was  which  upheld  him 
 standing.  I  am  not  afraid  to  affirm  it  boldly,  with  St.  Au- 
 gustine, that  men  puffed  up  through  a  proud  opinion  of 
 their  own  sanctity  and  holiness,  receive  a  benefit  at  the 
 hands  of  God,  and  are  assisted  with  his  grace,  when  with 
 his  grace  they  are  not  assisted,  but  permitted,  and  that 
 grievously,  to  transgress  ;  whereby,  as  they  were  in  over- 
 great  liking  of  themselves  supplanted,  so  the  dislike  of  that 
 which  did  supplant  them,  may  establish  them  afterwards 
 the  surer.  Ask  the  very  soul  of  Peter,  and  it  shall  un- 
 doubtedly make  you  itself  this  answer :  My  eager  protes- 
 tations, made  in  the  glory  of  my  ghostly  strength,  I  am 
 ashamed  of ;  but  those  crystal  tears,  wherewith  my  sin  and 
 weakness  was  bewailed,  have  procured  my  endless  joy  ;  my 
 strength  hath  been  my  ruin,  and  my  fall  my  stay. 
 
A 
 
 REMEDY  AGAINST  SORROW  AND  FEAR: 
 
 DELIVERED  IN  A 
 
 FUNERAL  SERMON. 
 
 Let  not  your  hearts  be  troubled,  nor  fear. — John  xiv.  27. 
 
 The  holy  Apostles  having  gathered  themselves  together 
 by  the  special  appointment  of  Christ,  and  being  in  expec- 
 tation to  receive  from  him  such  instruction  as  they  had 
 been  accustomed  with,  were  told  that  which  they  least 
 looked  for,  namely,  that  the  time  of  his  departure  out  of  the 
 world  was  now  come.  Whereupon  they  fell  into  consi- 
 deration, first,  of  the  manifold  benefits  which  his  absence 
 should  bereave  them  of;  and,  secoudl_v,  of  the  sundry  evils 
 which  themselves  should  be  subject  unto,  being  once  be- 
 reaved of  so  gracious  a  Master  and  Patron.  The  one  con- 
 sideration overwhelmed  their  souls  with  heaviness ;  the 
 other,  with  fear.  Their  Lord  and  Saviour,  whose  words 
 had  cast  down  their  hearts,  raiseth  them  presently  again 
 with  chosen  sentences  of  sweet  encouragement.  '  My 
 dear,  it  is  for  your  own  sakes  T  leave  the  world  ;  I  know 
 the  affections  of  your  hearts  are  tender,  but  if  your  love 
 were  directed  with  that  advised  and  staid  judgment  which 
 should  be  in  you,  my  speech  of  leaving  the  world,  and  go- 
 ing unto  my  Father,  would  not  a  little  augment  your  joy. 
 Desolate  and  comfortless  I  will  not  leave  you ;  in  spirit  I 
 am  with  you  to  the  world's  end.  Whether  I  be  present  or 
 absent,  nothing  shall  ever  take  you  out  of  these  hands. 
 My  going  is  to  take  possession  of  that,  in  your  names, 
 which  is  not  only  for  me,  but  also  for  you  prepared  ;  where 
 I  am,  you  shall  be.  In  the  mean  while,  "  My  peace  I  give, 
 not  as  the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you :  let  not  your 
 hearts  be  troubled,  nor  fear." '  The  former  part  of  which 
 sentence  having  otherwhere  already  been  spoken  of,  this 
 unacceptable  occasion  to  open  the  latter  part  thereof  here, 
 
SORROW    AND  KEAR. 
 
 5G1 
 
 I  did  not  look  for.  But  so  God  disposelh  the  ways  of  men. 
 Him  I  heartily  beseech,  that  the  thing  which  he  hath  thus 
 ordered  by  his  providence,  may  through  his  gracious  good- 
 ness turn  unto  your  comfort. 
 
 Our  nature  coveteth  for  preservation  from  things  hurtful. 
 Hurtful  things  being  present,  do  breed  heaviness ;  being 
 future,  do  cause  fear.  Our  Saviour,  to  abate  the  one, 
 speaketh  thus  unto  his  Disciples,  "  Let  not  your  hearts  be 
 troubled  ;"  and  to  moderate  the  other,  addeth,  "  Fear  not." 
 Grief  and  heaviness  in  the  presence  of  sensible  evils,  can- 
 not but  trouble  the  minds  of  men.  It  may  therefore  seem 
 that  Christ  required  a  thing  impossible.  Be  not  troubled. 
 Why,  how  could  they  choose  ?  But  we  must  note,  this 
 being  natural,  and  therefore  simply  not  reprovable,  is  in  us 
 good  or  bad,  according  to  the  causes  for  which  we  are 
 grieved,  or  the  measure  of  our  grief.  It  is  not  my  meaning 
 to  speak  so  largely  of  this  affection,  or  to  go  over  all  the 
 particulars  whereby  men  do  one  way  or  other  offend  in  it; 
 but  to  teach  it  so  far  only,  as  it  may  cause  the  very  Apo- 
 stles' equal  to  swerve.  Our  grief  and  heaviness  therefore  is 
 reprovable,  sometime  in  respect  of  the  cause  from  whence, 
 sometime  in  regard  of  the  measure  whereunto  it  growcth. 
 
 When  Christ,  the  life  of  the  world,  was  led  unto  cruel 
 death,  there  followed  a  number  of  people  and  women, 
 which  women  bewailed  much  his  heavy  case.    It  was  a 
 natural  compassion  which  caused  them,  where  they  saw 
 undeserved  miseries,  there  to  pour  forth  unrestrained  tears. 
 Nor  was  this  reproved.    But  in  such  readiness  to  lament 
 where  they  less  needed,  their  blindness  in  not  discerning 
 that  for  which  they  ought  much  rather  to  have  mourned  ; 
 this  our  Saviour  a  little  toucheth,  putting  them  in  mind 
 that  the  tears  which  were  wasted  for  him,  might  better  have 
 been  spent  upon  themselves  ;  "  Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  [Luke 
 weep  not  for  me,  weep  for  yourselves  and  for  your  children."  XI"B-28- 
 It  is  not,  as  the  Stoics  have  imagined,  a  thing  unseemly 
 for  a  wise  man  to  be  touched  with  grief  of  mind  :  but  to  be 
 sorrowful  when  we  least  should ;  and  where  we  should 
 lament,  there  to  laugh,  this  argueth  our  small  wisdom. 
 Again,  when  the  Prophet  David  confesseth  this  of  himself, 
 "  I  grieved  to  see  the  great  prosperity  of  godless  men,  how  Psal 
 they  flourish  and  go  untouched ;"  himself  hereby  open- lxxiii- 3- 
 eth  both  our  common,  and  his  peculiar,  imperfection,  whom 
 
 VOL.  ii.  2  o 
 
5G2 
 
 A  REMEDY  AGAINST 
 
 this  cause  should  not  have  made  so  pensive.  To  grieve  at 
 this,  is  to  grieve  where  we  should  not,  because  this  grief 
 doth  rise  from  error.  We  err,  when  we  grieve  at  wicked 
 men's  impunity  and  prosperity;  because,  their  estate 
 being  rightly  discerned,  they  neither  prosper  nor  go  un- 
 punished. It  may  seem  a  paradox,  it  is  truth,  that  no 
 wicked  man's  estate  is  prosperous,  fortunate,  or  happy. 
 For  what  though  they  bless  themselves,  and  think  their 
 happiness  great  ?  Have  not  frantic  persons  many  times  a 
 great  opinion  of  their  own  wisdom  ?  It  may  be  that  such 
 as  they  think  themselves,  others  also  do  account  them.  But 
 what  others?  Surely  such  as  themselves  are.  Truth  and 
 reason  discerneth  far  otherwise  of  them.  Unto  whom  the 
 J  ews  wish  all  prosperity,  unto  them  the  phrase  of  their 
 speech  is  to  wish  peace.  Seeing  then  the  name  of  peace 
 containeth  in  it  all  parts  of  true  happiness,  when  the  Pro- 
 [fsa.  phet  saith  plainly,  "  That  the  wicked  have  no  peace ;"  how 
 g8" can  we  think  them  to  have  any  part  of  other  than  vainly- 
 imagined  felicity?  What  wise  man  did  ever  account  fools 
 happy  ?  If  wicked  men  were  wise,  they  would  cease  to  be 
 wicked.  Their  iniquity  therefore  proving  their  folly,  how 
 can  we  stand  in  doubt  of  their  misery  ?  They  abound  in 
 those  things  which  all  men  desire.  A  poor  happiness  to 
 Eecies.  have  good  things  in  possession.  "A  man  to  whom  God 
 hath  given  riches,  and  treasures,  and  honour,  so  that  he 
 wanteth  nothing  for  his  soul  of  all  that  it  desireth,  but  yet 
 God  giveth  him  not  the  power  to  eat  thereof;"  such  a  feli- 
 city Solomon  esteemeth  but  as  vanity,  a  thing  of  nothing. 
 If  such  things  add  nothing  to  men's  happiness,  where  they 
 are  not  used  surely  wicked  men,  that  use  them  ill,  the 
 more  they  have,  the  more  wretched.  Of  their  prosperity, 
 therefore,  we  see  what  we  are  to  think.  Touching  their 
 impunity,  the  same  is  likewise  but  supposed.  They  are 
 oftener  plagued  than  we  are  aware  of.  The  pangs  they 
 feel  are  not  always  written  in  their  forehead.  Though 
 wickedness  be  sugar  in  their  mouths,  and  wantonness  as 
 oil  to  make  them  look  with  cheerful  countenances ;  never- 
 theless, if  their  hearts  were  disclosed,  perhaps  their  glitter- 
 ing state  would  not  greatly  be  envied.  The  voices  that 
 have  broken  out  from  some  of  them,  "  O  that  God  had  given 
 me  a  heart  senseless,  like  the  flints  in  the  rocks  of  stone!" 
 which  as  it  can  taste  no  pleasure,  so  it  feeleth  no  wo ; 
 
SORROW   AND  FEAR. 
 
 503 
 
 these  and  the  like  speeches  are  surely  tokens  of  the  curse 
 which  Zophar,  in  the  Book  of  Job,  poureth  upon  the  head 
 of  the  impious  man,  "He  shall  suck  the  gall  of  asps,  and  [Job 
 the  viper's  tongue  shall  slay  him."  If  this  seem  light,  be-  **' 
 cause  it  is  secret,  shall  we  think  they  go  unpunished,  be- 
 cause no  apparent  plague  is  presently  seen  upon  them? 
 The  judgments  of  God  do  not  always  follow  crimes,  as 
 thunder  doth  lightning;  but  sometimes  the  space  of  many 
 ages  coming  between.  When  the  sun  hath  shined  fair  the 
 space  of  six  hours  upon  their  tabernacle,  we  know  not 
 what  clouds  the  seventh  may  bring.  And  when  their  pu- 
 nishment doth  come,  let  them  make  their  account  in  the 
 greatness  of  their  suffering,  to  pay  the  interest  of  that  re- 
 spite which  hath  been  given  them.  Or  if  they  chance  to 
 escape  clearly  in  this  world,  which  they  seldom  do ;  in  the 
 day  when  the  heavens  shall  shrivel  as  a  scroll,  and  the 
 mountains  move  as  frighted  men  out  of  their  places,  what 
 cave  shall  receive  them  ?  What  mountain  or  rock  shall 
 they  get  by  entreaty  to  fall  upon  them?  What  covert  to 
 hide  them  from  that  wrath,  which  they  shall  neither  be 
 able  to  abide  or  avoid  ?  No  man's  misery  therefore  being 
 greater  than  theirs  whose  impiety  is  most  fortunate ;  much 
 more  cause  there  is  for  them  to  bewail  their  own  infelicity, 
 than  for  others  to  be  troubled  with  their  prosperous  and 
 happy  estate,  as  if  the  hand  of  the  Almightydid  not,  or 
 would  not,  touch  them.  For  these  causes,  and  the  like 
 unto  these,  therefore,  Be  not  troubled. 
 
 Now,  though  the  cause  of  our  heaviness  be  just,  yet  may 
 not  your  affections  herein  be  yielded  unto  with  too  much 
 indulgency  and  favour.  The  grief  of  compassion,  whereby 
 we  are  touched  with  the  feeling  of  other  men's  woes,  is  of  all 
 other  least  dangerous :  yet  this  is  a  let  unto  sundry-duties ;  by 
 this  we  are  apt  to  spare  sometimes  where  we  ought  to  strike. 
 The  grief  which  our  sufferings  do  bring,  what  temptations 
 have  not  risen  from  it?  What  great  advantage  Satan  hath 
 taken  even  by  the  godly  grief  of  hearty  contrition  for  sins 
 committed  against  God,  the  near  approaching  of  so  many 
 afflicted  souls,  whom  the  conscience  of  sin  hath  brought  unto 
 the  very  brink  of  extreme  despair,  doth  but  too  abundantly 
 shew.  These  things,  wheresoever  they  fall,  cannot  but 
 trouble  and  molest  the  mind.  Whether  we  be  therefore 
 moved  vainly  with  that  which  secmeth  hurtful,  and  is  not ; 
 
 2o  2 
 
504 
 
 A  REMEDY  AGAINST 
 
 or  have  just  cause  of  grief,  being  pressed  indeed  with  those 
 things  which  are  grievous,  our  Saviour's  lesson  is  touching 
 the  one  Be  not  troubled,  nor  over-troubled  for  the  other. 
 For,  though  to  have  no  feeling  of  that  which  nearly  con- 
 cerneth  us  were  stupidity,  nevertheless,  seeing  that  the 
 Author  of  our  salvation  was  himself  consecrated  by  af- 
 fliction, so  the  way  which  we  are  to  follow  him  by  is  not 
 strewed  with  rushes,  but  set  with  thorns ;  be  it  never  so 
 hard  to  learn,  we  must  learn  to  suffer  with  patience,  even 
 that  which  seemeth  almost  impossible  to  be  suffered  ;  that 
 in  the  hour  when  God  shall  call  us  unto  our  trial,  and  turn 
 this  honey  of  peace  and  pleasure,  wherewith  we  swell,  into 
 that  gall  and  bitterness  which  flesh  doth  shrink  to  taste  of, 
 '  nothing  may  cause  us  in  the  troubles  of  our  souls  to  storm, 
 and  grudge,  andrepine  at  God,  but  every  heart  be  enabled 
 with  divinely-inspired  courage  to  inculcate  unto  itself,  Be 
 not  troubled  ;  and  in  those  last  and  greatest  conflicts  to  re- 
 member, that  nothing  may  be  so  sharp  and  bitter  to  be  suf- 
 fered, but  that  still  we  ourselves  may  give  ourselves  this 
 encouragement,  Even  learn  also  patience,  O  my  soul. 
 
 Naming  patience,  I  name  that  virtue  which  only  hath 
 power  to  stay  our  souls  from  being  over-excessively 
 troubled.  A  virtue,  wherein  if  ever  any,  surely  that  soul 
 had  good  experience,  which  extremity  of  pains  having 
 chased  out  of  the  tabernacle  of  this  flesh,  Angels,  I  nothing 
 doubt,  have  carried  into  the  bosom  of  her  father  Abraham. 
 The  death  of  the  Saints  of  God  is  precious  in  his  sight. 
 And  shall  it  seem  unto  us  superfluous  at  such  times  as 
 these  are,  to  hear  in  what  manner  they  have  ended  their 
 lives  ?  The  Lord  himself  hath  not  disdained  so  exactly 
 to  register  in  the  Book  of  Life,  after  what  sort  his  ser- 
 vants have  closed  up  their  days  on  earth,  that  he  descendeth 
 even  to  their  very  meanest  actions ;  what  meat  they  have 
 longed  for  in  their  sickness,  what  they  have  spoken  unto 
 their  children,  kinsfolks  and  friends,  where  they  have 
 willed  their  dead  carcases  to  be  laid,  how  they  have  framed 
 their  wills  and  testaments ;  yea,  the  very  turning  of  their 
 faces  to  this  side  or  that,  the  setting  of  their  eyes,  the 
 degrees  whereby  their  natural  health  hath  departed  from 
 them,  their  cries,  their  groans,  their  pantings,  breathings, 
 and  last  gaspings,  he  hath  most  solemnly  commended 
 unto  the  memory  of  all  generations.    The  care  of  the 
 
SORROW  AND  FEAR. 
 
 565 
 
 living  both  to  live  and  die  well  must  needs  be  somewhat 
 increased,  when  they  know  that  their  departure  shall  not 
 be  folded  up  in  silence,  but  the  ears  of  many  be  made  ac- 
 quainted with  it.    Again,  when  they  hear  how  mercifully 
 God  hath  dealt  with  others  in  the  hour  of  their  last  need, 
 besides  the  praise  which  they  give  to  God,  and  the  joy 
 which  they  have,  or  should  have,  by  reason  of  their  fellow- 
 ship and  communion  of  Saints,  is  not  their  hope  also  much 
 confirmed  against  the  day  of  their  dissolution  ?  Finally, 
 the  sound  of  these  things  doth  not  so  pass  the  ears  of  them 
 that  are  most  loose  and  dissolute  of  life,  but  it  causeth 
 them  sometime  or  other,  to  wish  in  their  hearts,  "  Oh,  that  tNun 
 we  might  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  that  our  end 
 might  be  like  his  !"  Howbeit,  because  to  spend  herein 
 many  words,  would  be  to  strike  even  as  many  wounds  into 
 their  minds,  whom  I  rather  wish  to  comfort:  therefore^con- 
 cerning  this  virtuous  gentlewoman  only  this  little  I  speak, 
 and  that  of  knowledge,  '  She  lived  a  dove,  and  died  a 
 lamb.'   And  if  amongst  so  many  virtues,  hearty  devotion 
 towards  God,  towards  poverty  tender  compassion,  motherly 
 affection  towards  servants,  towards  friends  even  serviceable 
 kindness,  mild  behaviour  and  harmless  meaning  towards 
 all ;  if,  where  so  many  virtues  were  eminent,  any  be  worthy 
 of  special  mention,  I  wish  her  dearest  friends  of  that  sex, 
 to  be  her  nearest  followers  in  two  things  :  silence,  saving 
 only  where  duty  did  exact  speech;  and  patience,  even  then 
 when  extremity  of  pains  did  enforce  grief.    "Blessed  are  [Rev 
 they  that  die  in  the  Lord."    And  concerning  the  dead  xiv 
 which  are  blessed,  let  not  the  hearts  of  any  living  be  over- 
 charged, with  grief  over-troubled. 
 
 Touching  the  latter  affection  of  fear,  which  respecteth 
 evil  to  come,  as  the  other  which  we  have  spoken  of  doth 
 present  evils  ;  first,  in  the  nature  thereof  it  is  plain,  that  we 
 are  notof  every  future  evil  afraid.  Perceive  we  not  howthey, 
 whose  tenderness  shrinketh  at  the  least  rase  of  a  needle's 
 point,  do  kiss  the  sword  that  pierceth  their  souls  quite 
 through?  If  every  evil  did  cause  fear,  sin,  because  it  is  sin,  Y 
 would  be  feared  ;  whereas  properly  sin  is  not  feared  as  sin, 
 but  only  as  having  some  kind  of  harm  annexed.  To  teach 
 men  to  avoid  sin,  it  had  been  sufficient  for  the  Apostle  to 
 say,  "  Fly  it:"  but  to  make  them  afraid  of  committing  sin, 
 because  the  naming  of  sin  sufficed  not,  therefore  he  addeth 
 
566 
 
 A  REMEDY  AGAINST 
 
 further,  that  it  is  a  "  serpent  which  stingeth  the  soul.' 
 Again,  be  it  that  some  nocive  or  hurtful  thing  be  towards 
 us,  must  fear  of  necessity  follow  hereupon?  Not,  except 
 that  hurtful  thing  do  threaten  us  either  with  destruction  or 
 vexation,  and  that  such,  as  we  have  neither  a  conceit  of 
 ability  to  resist,  nor  of  utter  impossibility  to  avoid.  That 
 which  we  know  ourselves  able  to  withstand,  we  fear  not; 
 and  that  which  we  know  we  are  unable  to  defer  or  diminish, 
 or  any  way  avoid,  we  cease  to  fear;  we  give  ourselves 
 over  to  bear  and  sustain  it.  The  evil  therefore  which 
 is  feared,  must  be  in  our  persuasion  unable  to  be  re- 
 sisted when  it  cometh,  yet  not  utterly  impossible  for  a 
 time  in  whole  or  in  part  to  be  shunned.  Neither  do  we 
 much  fear  such  evils,  except  they  be  imminent  and  near 
 at  hand  ;  nor  if  they  be  near,  except  we  have  an  opinion 
 that  they  be  so.  When  we  have  once  conceived  an  opi- 
 nion, or  apprehended  an  imagination  of  such  evils  pressed, 
 and  ready  to  invade  us ;  because  they  are  hurtful  unto  our 
 nature,  we  feel  in  ourselves  a  kind  of  abhorring ;  because 
 they  are  thought  near,  yet  not  present,  our  nature  seeketh 
 forthwith  how  to  shift  and  provide  for  itself;  because  they 
 are  evils  which  cannot  be  resisted,  therefore  she  doth  not 
 provide  to  withstand,  but  to  shun  and  avoid.  Hence  it  is, 
 that  in  extreme  fear,  the  mother  of  life  contracting  herself, 
 avoiding  as  much  as  may  be  the  reach  of  evil,  and  drawing 
 the  heat  together  with  the  spirits  of  the  body  to  her,  leaveth 
 the  outward  parts  cold,  pale,  weak, feeble,  unapt  to  perform 
 the  functions  of  life ;  as  we  see  in  the  fear  of  Belshazzar  King 
 of  Baljylon.  By  this  it  appeareth,  that  fear  is  nothing  else 
 but  a  perturbation  of  the  mind,  through  an  opinion  of  some 
 imminent  evil,  threatening  the  destruction  or  great  annoy- 
 ance of  our  nature,  which  to  shun,  it  doth  contract  and  de- 
 ject itself. 
 
 Now  because,  not  in  this  place  only,  but  otherwhere  often, 
 we  hear  it  repeated,  "  Fear  not,"  it  is  by  some  made  a 
 question,  Whether  a  man  may  fear  destruction  or  vexation, 
 without  sinning?  First,  the  reproof  wherewith  Christ 
 checketh  his  Disciples  more  than  once,  "  O  men  of  little 
 faith,  wherefore  are  ye  afraid  ?"  Secondly,  the  punishment 
 threatened  in  Rev.  xxi.  viz.  the  lake,  and  fire,  and  brim- 
 stone, not  only  to  murderers,  unclean  persons,  sorcerers, 
 idolaters,  liars,  but  also  to  the  fearful  and  faint-hearted  : 
 
S  O  K  B  O  W  A  N  D  1-  li  A  R  . 
 
 567 
 
 this  scemcth  to  argue,  that  tearfulness  cannot  but  be  sin. 
 On  the  contrary  side  we  sec,  that  he  which  never  felt  mo- 
 tion unto  sin,  had  of  this  affection  more  than  a  slight  feel- 
 ing. How  clear  is  the  evidence  of  the  Spirit,  that "  in  the  Heb. 
 days  of  his  flesh  he  offered  up  prayers  and  supplications, 
 with  strong  cries  and  tears,  unto  him  that  was  able  to  save 
 him  from  death,  and  was  also  heard  in  that  which  fie 
 feared?"  Whereupon  it  followeth,  that  fear  in  itself  is  a 
 thing  not  sinful.  For,  is  not  fear  a  thing  natural,  and  for 
 men's  preservation  necessary,  implanted  in  us  by  the  pro- 
 vident and  most  gracious  Giver  of  all  good  things,  to  the 
 end  that  we  might  not  run  headlong  upon  those  mischiefs 
 wherewith  we  are  not  able  to  encounter,  but  use  the  remedy 
 of  shunning  those  evils  which  we  have  not  ability  to  with- 
 stand ?  Let  that  people  therefore  which  receive  a  benefit 
 by  the  length  of  their  Prince's  days,  the  father  or  mother 
 which  rejoiceth  to  see  the  offspring  of  their  flesh  grow  like 
 green  and  pleasant  plants,  let  those  children  that  would 
 have  their  parents,  those  men  that  would  g'adly  have  their 
 friends  and  brethren's  days  prolonged  on  earth  (as  there  is 
 no  natural-hearted  man  but  gladly  would),  let  them  bless 
 the  Father  of  lights,  as  in  other  things,  so  even  in  this, 
 that  he  hath  given  man  a  fearful  heart,  and  settled  natu- 
 rally that  affection  in  him,  which  is  a  preservation  against 
 so  many  ways  of  death.  Fear  then  in  itself  being  mere 
 nature,  cannot  in  itself  be  sin,  which  sin  is  not  nature,  but 
 thereof  an  accessary  deprivation. 
 
 But  in  the  matter  of  fear  we  may  sin,  and  do,  two  ways. 
 If  any  man's  danger  be  great,  theirs  is  greatest  that  have  put 
 the  fear  of  danger  farthest  from  them.    Is  there  any  estate 
 more  fearful  than  that  Babylonian  strumpet's  that  sitteth 
 upon  the  tops  of  seven  hills,  glorying  and  vaunting,  "  I  am  a  Ktv 
 Queen,"  &c.  How  much  better  and  happier  are  they,  whose  xv'"  7' 
 estate  hath  been  always  as  his,  who  speaketh  after  this  sort 
 of  himself,  "Lord,  from  my  youth  have  I  borne  thy  yoke?"  [Mark 
 They  which  sit  at  continual  ease,  and  are  settled  in  the  lees  * 
 Of  their  security,  look  upon  them,  view  their  countenance, 
 their  speech,  their  gesture,  their  deeds :  "  Put  them  in  fear, 
 O  God,  (saith  the  Prophet),  that  so  they  may  know  them- 
 selves to  be  but  men ;"  worms  of  earth,  dust  and  ashes,  frail, 
 corruptible,  feeble  things.    To  shake  off  security,thercfore, 
 and  to  breed  fear  in  the  hearts  of  mortal  men,  so  many  ad- 
 
568 
 
 A  REMEDY  AGAINST 
 
 monitions  arc  used  concerning  the  power  of  evils  which 
 beset  them,  so  many  threatenings  of  calamities,  so  many 
 descriptions  of  things  threatened,  and  those  so  lively,  to 
 the  end  they  may  leave  behind  them  a  deep  impression  of 
 such  as  have  force  to  keep  the  heart  continually  waking. 
 All  which  do  shew,  that  we  are  to  stand  in  fear  of  nothing 
 more  than  the  extremity  of  not  fearing. 
 
 When  fear  hath  delivered  us  from  that  pit,  wherein  they 
 are  sunk  that  have  put  far  from  them  the  evil  day,  that  have 
 made  a  league  with  death,  and  have  said,  "Tush,  we  shall 
 feel  no  harm  ;"  it  standeth  us  upon  to  take  heed  it  cast  us 
 not  into  that,  wherein  souls  destitute  of  all  hope  are  plung- 
 ed.   For  our  direction,  to  avoid  as  much  as  may  be  both 
 extremities,  that  we  may  know,  as  a  ship-master  by  his 
 card,  how  far  we  are  wide,  either  on  the  one  side  or  on 
 the  other,  we  must  note,  that  in  a  Christian  man  there  is, 
 first,  Nature ;  secondly,  Corruption  perverting  Nature ; 
 thirdly,  Grace  correcting  and  amending  Corruption.  In 
 fear  all  these  have  their  several  operations :  Nature  teach- 
 eth  simply,  to  wish  preservation,  and  avoidance  of  things 
 dreadful;  for  which  cause  our  Saviour  himself  prayeth, 
 [Matt,   and  that  often,  "  Father,  if  it  be  possible."    In  which 
 39x cases,  corrupt  Nature's  suggestions  are,  for  the  safety  of 
 temporal  life,  not  to  stick  at  things  excluding  from  eternal ; 
 wherein  how  far  even  the  best,  may  be  led,  the  chiefest 
 Apostle's  frailty  teacheth.    Were  it  not  therefore  for  such 
 cogitations  as,  on  the  contrary  side, Grace  and  Faith  minis- 
 [Job     tereth,  such  as  that  of  Job,  "  Though  God  kill  me  ;"  that 
 2  nm5'  of  Paul,  "  Scio  cui  credidi, — I  know  him  on  whom  I  do 
 >  12  ]    rejy .»  small  evils  would  soon  be  able  to  overthrow  even 
 [prov-    the  best  of  us.    "  A  wise  man  (saith  Solomon)  doth  see  a 
 
 xxii  3  ] 
 
 plague  coming,  and  hideth  himself."  It  is  Nature  which 
 teacheth  a  wise  man  in  fear  to  hide  himself,  but  Grace 
 and  Faith  doth  teach  him  where.  Fools  care  not  to  hide 
 their  heads  :  but  where  shall  a  wise  man  hide  himself  when 
 he  feareth  a  plague  coming?  where  should  the  frighted 
 child  hide  his  head,  but  in  the  bosom  of  his  loving  father  ? 
 where  a  Christian,  but  under  the  shadow  of  the  wings  of 
 iv-  Christ  his  Saviour?  "  Come,  my  people  (saith  God  in  the 
 ««•  ■  pr0phet),  enter  into  thy  chamber,  hide  thyself,"  &c.  But 
 because  we  are  in  danger,  like  chased  birds,  like  doves, 
 that  seek  and  cannot  see  the  resting  holes  that  are  right 
 
SORROW  AND  FEAR. 
 
 560 
 
 before  them ;  therefore  our  Saviour  giveth  his  Disciples 
 these  encouragements  beforehand,  that  fear  might  never  so 
 amaze  them,  but  that  always  they  might  remember,  that 
 whatsoever  evils  at  any  time  did  beset  them,  to  him  they 
 should  still  repair  for  comfort,  counsel,  and  succour.  For 
 their  assurance  whereof,  his  "  Peace  he  gave  them,  his  [Jolin 
 Peace  he  left  unto  them,  not  such  Peace  as  the  world  of- 
 fereth,"  by  whom  its  name  is  never  so  much  pretended, 
 as  when  deepest  treachery  is  meant;  but  "Peace  which 
 passeth  all  understanding,"  Peace  that  bringeth  with  it  all 
 happiness,  Peace  that  continueth  for  ever  and  ever  with 
 them  that  have  it. 
 
 2 
 
 This  Peace  God  the  Father  grant,  for  his  Son's  sake ; 
 unto  whom,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  three  Persons,  one 
 eternal  and  everlasting  God,  be  all  honour,  and  glory, 
 and  praise,  now  and  for  ever.  Amen. 
 
A 
 
 LEARNED  AND  COMFORTABLE 
 
 SERMON 
 
 OP 
 
 THE  CERTAINTY  AND  PERPETUITY 
 OF  FAITH  IN  THE  ELECT : 
 
 ESPECIALLY  OF  THE  PROPHET  HABAKKUK'S  FAITH. 
 
 Whether  the  Prophet  Habakkuk,  by  admitting  this  cogitation  into  his  mind, 
 "  The  Law  doth  fail,"  did  thereby  shew  himself  an  unbeliever. — Hauak.  i.4. 
 
 1.  We  have  seen  in  the  opening  of  this  clause,  which  con- 
 cerneth  the  weakness  of  the  Prophet's  Faith,  first,  what 
 things  they  are,  whereunto  the  Faith  of  sound  believers 
 doth  assent :  secondly,  wherefore  all  men  assent  not  there- 
 unto :  and  thirdly,  why  they  that  do,  do  it  many  times  with 
 small  assurance.  Now,  because  nothing  can  be  so  truly 
 spoken,  but  through  misunderstanding  it  may  be  deprav- 
 ed ;  therefore  to  prevent,  if  it  be  possible,  all  misconstruc- 
 tion in  this  cause,  where  a  small  error  cannot  rise  but 
 with  great  danger,  it  is  perhaps  needful,  ere  we  come  to  the 
 fourth  point,  that  something  be  added  to  that  which  hath 
 been  already  spoken  concerning  the  third. 
 
 2.  That  mere  natural  men  do  neither  know  nor  acknow- 
 ledge the  things  of  God,  we  do  not  marvel,  because  they 
 are  spiritually  to  be  discerned ;  but  they  in  whose  hearts 
 the  light  of  grace  doth  shine,  they  that  are  taught  of  God, 
 why  are  they  so  weak  in  Faith?  wrhy  is  their  assenting  to 
 the  Law  so  scrupulous  ?  so  much  mingled  with  fear  and 
 wavering?  It  seemeth  strange  that  ever  they  should  ima- 
 gine the  Law  to  fail.  It  cannot  seem  strange  if  we  weigh 
 the  reason.  If  the  things  which  we  believe  be  considered 
 in  themselves,  it  may  truly  be  said  that  Faith  is  more  cer- 
 tain than  any  science.  That  which  we  know  either  by 
 sense,  or  by  infallible  demonstration,  is  not  so  certain  as 
 the  principles,  articles,  and  conclusions  of  Christian  Faith. 
 Concerning  which  we  must  note,  that  there  is  a  certainty 
 of  evidence,  and  a  certainty  of  adherence.  Certainty  of 
 evidence  we  call  ihat,  when  the  mind  doth  assent  to  this 
 
OF   FAITH  IN   THE   ELECT.  571 
 
 or  that,  not  because  it  is  true  in  itself,  but  because  the 
 truth  is  clear,  because  it  is  manifest  unto  us.  Of  things 
 in  themselves  most  certain,  except  they  be  also  most  evi- 
 dent, our  persuasion  is  not  so  assured  as  it  is  of  things 
 more  evident,  although  in  themselves  they  be  less  certain. 
 It  is  as  sure,  if  not  surer,  that  there  be  spirits,  as  that  there 
 be  men ;  but  we  be  more  assured  of  these  than  of  them, 
 because  these  are  more  evident.  The  truth  of  some 
 things  are  so  evident,  that  no  man  which  heareth  them 
 can  doubt  of  them  :  as  when  we  hear  that  a  part  of  any 
 thing  is  less  than  the  whole,  the  mind  is  constrained  to 
 say,  this  is  true.  If  it  were  so  in  matters  of  Faith,  then, 
 as  all  men  have  equal  certainty  of  this,  so  no  believer 
 should  be  more  scrupulous  and  doubtful  than  another. 
 But  we  find  the  contrary.  The  Angels  and  Spirits  of  the 
 righteous  in  Heaven  have  certainty  most  evident  of  things 
 spiritual:  but  this  they  have  by  the  light  of  Glory.  That 
 which  we  see  by  the  light  of  Grace,  though  it  be  indeed 
 more  certain  ;  yet  it  is  not  to  us  so  evidently  certain,  as 
 that  which  sense  or  the  light  of  Nature  will  not  suffer 
 a  man  to  doubt  of.  Proofs  are  vain  and  frivolous,  except 
 they  be  more  certain  than  is  the  thing  proved.  And  do  we 
 not  see  how  the  Spirit  every  where  in  the  Scripture  prov- 
 ing matters  of  Faith,  laboureth  to  confirm  us  in  the  things 
 which  we  believe  by  things  whereof  we  have  sensible 
 knowledge  ?  I  conclude  therefore  that  we  have  less  cer- 
 tainty of  evidence  concerning  things  believed,  than  con- 
 cerning sensible  or  naturally  perceived.  Of  those  who 
 doth  doubt  at  any  time  ?  Of  them  at  some  time  who  doubt- 
 eth  not  1  I  will  not  here  allege  the  sundry  confessions  of 
 the  perfectest  that  have  lived  upon  earth,  concerning  their 
 great  imperfections  this  way ;  which,  if  I  did,  I  should 
 dwell  too  long  upon  a  matter  sufficiently  known  by  every 
 faithful  man  that  doth  know  himself. 
 
 3.  The  other,  which  we  call  the  certainty  of  adherence  is, 
 when  the  heart  doth  cleave  and  stick  unto  that  which  it 
 doth  believe.  This  certainty  is  greater  in  us  than  the  other. 
 The  reason  is  this :  the  Faith  of  a  Christian  doth  appre- 
 hend the  words  of  the  Law,  the  promises  of  God,  not  only 
 as  true,  but  also  as  good ;  and  therefore  even  then,  when 
 the  evidence  which  he  hath  of  the  truth  is  so  small,  that  it 
 grievcth  him  to  feel  his  weakness  in  assenting  thereto,  yet 
 is  there  in  him  such  a  sure  adherence  unto  that  which  he 
 
572         THE   CERTAINTY   AND  PERPETUITY 
 
 doth  but  faintly  and  fearfully  believe,  that  his  spirit  having 
 once  truly  tasted  the  heavenly  sweetness  thereof,  all  the 
 world  is  not  able  quite  and  clean  to  remove  him  from  it ; 
 but  he  striveth  with  himself  to  hope  against  all  reason  of 
 believing,  being  settled  with  Job  upon  this  immoveable  re- 
 xm  is  so'ut'onJ  "  Though  God  kill  me,  I  will  not  give  over  trust- 
 Psai.    ing  in  him."    For  why?  this  lesson  remaineth  for  ever 
 xxxvii.  imprinted  in  him,  "  It  is  good  for  me  to  cleave  unto  God." 
 
 4.  Now  the  minds  of  all  men  being  so  darkened  as  they 
 are  with  the  foggy  damp  of  original  corruption,  it  cannot 
 be  that  any  man's  heart  living  should  be  either  so  en- 
 lightened in  the  knowledge,  or  so  established  in  the  love 
 of  that  wherein  his  salvation  standeth,  as  to  be  perfect, 
 neither  doubting  nor  shrinking  at  all.  If  any  such  were, 
 what  doth  let  why  that  man  should  not  be  justified  by  his 
 own  inherent  righteousness?  For  righteousness  inherent, 
 being  perfect,  will  justify.  And  perfect  Faith  is  a  part  of 
 perfect  righteousness  inherent ;  yea,  a  principal  part,  the 
 root  and  the  mother  of  all  the  rest :  so  that  if  the  fruit  of 
 every  tree  be  such  as  the  root  is,  Faith  being  perfect,  as 
 it  is  if  it  be  not  at  all  mingled  with  distrust  and  fear, 
 what  is  there  to  exclude  other  Christian  virtues  from  the 
 like  perfections  ?  And  then  what  need  we  the  righteous- 
 ness of  Christ  ?  His  garment  is  superfluous :  we  may  be 
 honourably  clothed  with  our  own  robes,  if  it  be  thus.  But 
 let  them  beware,  who  challenge  to  themselves  strength 
 which  they  have  not,  lest  they  lose  the  comfortable  sup- 
 port of  that  weakness  which  indeed  they  have. 
 
 5.  Some  show,  although  no  soundness  of  ground,  there 
 is,  which  may  be  alleged  for  defence  of  this  supposed  per- 
 fection in  certainty  touching  matters  of  our  Faith ;  as,  first, 
 that  Abraham  did  believe,  and  doubted  not :  secondly,  that 
 the  Spirit,  which  God  hath  given  us  to  no  other  end,  but 
 only  to  assure  us  that  we  are  the  sons  of  God  ;  to  em- 
 bolden us  to  call  upon  him  as  our  Father ;  to  open  our 
 eyes,  and  to  make  the  truth  of  things  believed  evident  unto 
 our  minds,  is  much  mightier  in  operation  than  the  common 
 light  of  Nature,  whereby  we  discern  sensible  things: 
 wherefore  we  must  needs  be  more  sure  of  that  we  be- 
 lieve, than  of  that  we  see ;  we  must  needs  be  more 
 certain  of  the  mercies  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  than 
 we  are  of  the  light  of  the  sun  when  it  shineth  upon 
 our  faces.    To  that  of  Abraham,  "  He  did  not  doubt  •," 
 
OF   FAITH   IN   THE  ELECT. 
 
 573 
 
 I  answer,  that  this  negation  doth  not  exclude  all  fear, 
 all  doubting,  but  only  that  which  cannot  stand  with 
 true  Faith.    It  freeth  Abraham  from  doubting  through 
 infidelity,  not  from  doubting  through  infirmity ;  from  the 
 doubting  of  unbelievers,  not  of  weak  believers ;  from  such 
 a  doubting  as  that  whereof  the  Prince  of  Samaria  is  at- 
 tainted, who,  hearing  the  promise  of  sudden  plenty  in  the 
 midst  of  extreme  dearth,  answered,  "  Though  the  Lord  t2  Ki 
 would  make  windows  in  heaven,  were  it  possible  so  to 
 come  to  pass  V  But  that  Abraham  was  not  void  of  all 
 doubtings,  what  need  we  any  other  proof  than  the  plain 
 evidence  of  his  own  words  ?  The  reason  which  is  taken  Geu. 
 from  the  power  of  the  Spirit  were  effectual,  if  God  did  xv"" 
 work  like  a  natural  agent,  as  the  fire  doth  inflame,  and 
 the  sun  enlighten,  according  to  the  uttermost  ability  which 
 they  have  to  bring  forth  their  effects :  but  the  incompre- 
 hensible wisdom  of  God  doth  limit  the  effects  of  his  power 
 to  such  a  measure  as  it  seemeth  best  to  himself,  wherefore 
 he  worketh  that  certainty  in  all,  which  sufficeth  abundantly 
 to  their  salvation  in  the  life  to  come;  but  in  none  so 
 great  as  attaineth  in  this  life  unto  perfection.    Even  so,  O 
 Lord,  it  hath  pleased  thee;  even  so  it  is  best  and  fittest 
 for  us,  that  feeling  still  our  own  infirmities,  we  may  no 
 longer  breathe  than  pray,  "  Adjuva,  Domine — Help,  Lord, 
 our  incredulity."    Of  the  third  question,  this  I  hope  will 
 suffice,  being  added  unto  that  which  hath  been  thereof  al- 
 ready spoken.    The  fourth  question  resteth,  and  so  an  end 
 of  this  point. 
 
 C.  That  which  cometh  last  of  all  in  this  first  branch  to  be 
 considered  concerning  the  weakness  of  the  Prophet's  Faith 
 is,  "  Whether  he  did  by  this  very  thought,  The  Law  doth 
 fail,  quench  the  Spirit,  fall  from  Faith,  and  shew  himself  an 
 unbeliever,  or  no  1"  The  question  is  of  moment;  the  repose 
 and  tranquillity  of  infinite  souls  doth  depend  upon  it.  The 
 Prophet's  case  is  the  case  of  many;  which  way  soever 
 we  cast  for  him,  the  same  way  it  passeth  for  all  others. 
 If  in  him  this  cogitation  did  extinguish  Grace,  why  the 
 like  thoughts  in  us  should  not  take  the  like  effects, 
 there  is  no  cause.  Forasmuch,  therefore,  as  the  matter 
 is  weighty,  dear,  and  precious,  which  we  have  in  hand, 
 it  behoveth  us  with  so  much  the  greater  chariness  to 
 wade  through  it,  taking  special  heed  both  what  we  build, 
 
574  THE    CERTAINTY    AND  PERPETUITY 
 
 and  whereon  we  build,  that  if  our  building  be  pearl,  our 
 foundation  be  not  stubble  :  if  the  doctrine  we  teach  be  full 
 of  comfort  and  consolation,  the  gTonnd  whereupon  we 
 gather  it  bejsure  :  otherwise  we  shall  not  save,  but  deceive, 
 both  ourselves  and  others.  In  this  we  know  we  are  not 
 deceived,  neither  can  we  deceive  you,  when  we  teach  that 
 the  Faith  whereby  ye  are  sanctified  cannot  fail ;  it  did  not 
 in  the  Prophet,  it  shall  not  in  you.  If  it  be  so,  let  the 
 difference  be  shewed  between  the  condition  of  unbelievers 
 and  his,  in  this  or  in  the  like  imbecility  and  weakness, 
 [l  johD  There  was  in  Habakkuk  that  which  St.  John  doth  call "  the 
 '"'9''  seed  of  God,"  meaning  thereby  the  first  grace  which  God 
 poureth  into  the  hearts  of  them  that  are  incorporated  into 
 Christ ;  which  having  received,  if,  because  it  is  an  adver- 
 sary to  sin,  we  do  therefore  think  we  sin  not  both  other- 
 wise, and  also  by  distrustful  and  doubtful  apprehending  of 
 that  which  we  ought  stedfastly  to  believe,  surely  we  do 
 but  deceive  ourselves.  Yet  they  which  are  of  God  do  not 
 sin  either  in  this,  or  in  any  thing,  any  such  sin  as  doth 
 quite  extinguish  Grace,  clean  cut  them  off  from  Christ 
 Jesus ;  because  the  seed  of  God  abideth  in  them,  and  doth 
 shield  them  from  receiving  any  irremediable  wound.  Their 
 Faith,  when  it  is  at  the  strongest,  is  but  weak ;  yet  even 
 then,  when  it  is  at  the  weakest,  so  strong,  that  utterly  it 
 never  faileth,  it  never  perisheth  altogether,  no  not  in  them 
 who  think  it  extinguished  in  themselves.  There  are  for 
 whose  sakes  I  dare  not  deal  slightly  in  this  cause,  sparing 
 that  labour  which  must  be  bestowed  to  make  plain.  Men 
 in  like  agonies  unto  this  of  the  Prophet  Habakkuk's,  are 
 throusjh  the  extremity  of  grief,  many  times  in  judgment  so 
 confounded,  that  they  find  not  themselves  in  themselves. 
 For  that  which  dwelleth  in  their  hearts  they  seek,  they 
 make  diligent  search  and  inquiry.  It  abideth,  it  worketh 
 in  them,  yet  still  they  ask,  where  ?  Still  they  lament  as  for 
 a  thing  which  is  past  finding:  they  mourn  as  Rachel,  and 
 refuse  to  be  comforted,  as  if  that  were  not  which  indeed 
 is ;  and  as  if  that,  which  is  not  were ;  as  if  they  did  not 
 believe  when  they  do,  and,  as  if  they  did  despair  when 
 they  do  not.  Which  in  some,  I  grant,  is  but  a  melancholy 
 passion,  proceeding  only  from  that  dejection  of  mind,  the 
 cause  whereof  is  the  body,  and  by  bodily  means  can  be 
 taken  away.    But  where  there  is  no  such  bodily  cause, 
 
OF   FAITH   IX   THE  ELECT. 
 
 575 
 
 the  mind  is  not  lightly  in  this  mood,  but  by  some  of  these 
 three  occasions:  One,  that  judging  by  comparison  either 
 with  other  men,  or  with  themselves  at  some  other  time 
 more  strong,  they  think  imperfection  to  be  a  plain  depri- 
 vation, weakness  to  be  utter  want,  of  Faith.  Another  cause 
 is,  they  often  mistake  one  thing  for  another.    St.  Paul, 
 wishing  well  to  the  Church  of  Rome,  prayeth  for  them 
 after  this  sort:  "  The  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy  of  ^°™- 
 believing."    Hence  an  error  groweth,  when  men  in  heavi- 
 ness of  spirit  suppose  they  lack  Faith,  because  they  find  not 
 the  sugared  joy  and  delight  which  indeed  doth  accompany 
 Faith,  but  so  as  a  separable  accident,  as  a  thing  that  may 
 be  removed  from  it;  yea,  there  is  a  cause  why  it  should  be 
 removed.    The  light  would  never  be  so  acceptable,  were 
 it  not  for  that  usual  intercourse  of  darkness.    Too  much 
 honey  doth  turn  to  gall;  and  too  much  joy,  even  spiritual, 
 would  make  us  wantons.    Happier  a  great  deal  is  that 
 man's  case,  whose  soul  by  inward  desolation  is  humbled, 
 than  he  whose  heart  is  through  abundance  of  spiritual 
 delight  lifted  up  and  exalted  above  measure.    Better  it  is 
 sometimes  to  go  down  into  the  pit  with  him,  who,  behold- 
 ing darkness,  and  bewailing  the  loss  of  inward  joy  and 
 consolation,  crieth  from  the  bottom  of  the  lowest  hell, 
 "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?"  than  [Psai. 
 continually  to  walk  arm  in  arm  with  Angels,  to  sit  as  it  1] 
 were  in  Abraham's  bosom,  and  to  have  no  thought,  no  co- 
 gitation, but  "  I  thank  my  God  it  is  not  with  me  as  it  is 
 with  other  men."    No,  God  will  have  them  that  shall  *vi  i' "  ] 
 walk  in  light  to  feel  now  and  then  what  it  is  to  sit  in  the 
 shadow  of  death.    A  grieved  spirit  therefore  is  no  argu- 
 ment of  a  faithless  mind.    A  third  occasion  of  men's  mis- 
 judging themselves,  as  if  they  were  faithless  when  they 
 are  not,  is,  they  fasten  their  cogitations  upon  the  distrust- 
 ful suggestions  of  the  flesh,  whereof  finding  great  abund- 
 ance in  themselves,  they  gather  thereby,  Surely  unbelief 
 hath  full  dominion,  it  hath  taken  plenary  possession  of 
 me  ;  if  I  were  faithful  it  could  not  be  thus  :  not  marking 
 the  motions  of  the  Spirit  and  of  Faith,  because  they  lie 
 buried  overwhelmed  with  the  contrary:  when  notwith- 
 standing, as  the  blessed  Apostle  doth  acknowledge,  that  [Rom.  viii 
 the  Spirit  groaneth,  and  that  God  heareth  when  we  do  not ; 26  "7 1 
 so  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  our  Faith  may  have,  and  hath, 
 
576         THE  CERTAINTY    AND  PERPETUITY 
 
 her  private  operations  secret  to  us,  yet  known  to  him  by 
 ■whom  they  are.  Tell  this  to  a  man  that  hath  a  mind  de- 
 ceived by  too  hard  an  opinion  of  himself,  and  it  doth  but 
 augment  his  grief :  he  hath  his  answer  ready,  Will  you 
 make  me  think  otherwise  than  I  find,  than  I  feel  in  myself? 
 I  have  thoroughly  considered  and  exquisitely  sifted  all  the 
 corners  of  my  heart,  and  I  see  what  there  is  ;  never  seek 
 to  persuade  me  against  my  knowledge ;  I  do  not,  I  know, 
 I  do  not  believe.  Well,  to  favour  them  a  little  in  their 
 weakness,  let  that  be  granted  which  they  do  imagine  ;  be 
 it  that  they  be  faithless  and  without  belief.  But  are  they 
 not  grieved  for  their  unbelief?  They  are.  Do  they  not 
 wish  it  might,  and  also  strive  that  it  may,  be  otherwise? 
 We  know  they  do.  Whence  cometh  this,  but  from  a 
 secret  love  and  liking  which  they  have  of  those  things  that 
 are  believed  ?  Xo  man  can  love  things  which  in  his  own  opi- 
 nion are  not.  And  if  they  think  those  things  to  be,  which 
 they  shew  that  they  love  when  they  desire  to  believe 
 them ;  then  must  it  needs  be,  that  by  desiring  to  believe 
 they  prove  themselves  true  believers  :  for  without  Faith  no 
 man  thinketh  that  things  believed  are.  Which  argument 
 all  the  sub  til  ty  of  infernal  powers  will  never  be  able  to 
 dissolve.  The  Faith  therefore  of  true  believers,  though 
 it  hath  many  and  grievous  downfalls,  yet  doth  it  still 
 continue  invincible ;  it  conquereth  and  recovereth  itself 
 in  the  end.  The  dangerous  conflicts,  whereunto  it  is  sub- 
 ject, are  not  able  to  prevail  against  it.  The  Prophet  Ha- 
 bakkuk  remained  faithful  in  weakness,  though  weak  in 
 faith.  It  is  true,  such  is  our  weak  and  wavering  nature, 
 we  have  no  sooner  received  Grace,  but  we  are  ready  to 
 fall  from  it.  We  have  no  sooner  given  our  assent  to 
 the  Law,  that  it  cannot  fail,  but  the  next  conceit  which  we 
 are  ready  to  embrace  is,  that  it  may,  and  that  it  doth  fail. 
 Though  we  find  in  ourselves  a  most  willing  heart  to  cleave 
 unseparably  unto  God,  even  so  far  as  to  think  unfeignedly 
 [Luke  with  Peter,  "  Lord,  I  am  ready  to  go  with  thee  into  prison 
 nii. S3.]  an(j  {0  death;"  yet  how  soon  and  how  easily,  upon  how 
 small  occasions,  are  we  changed,  if  we  be  but  awhile  let 
 alone,  and  left  unto  ourselves?  The  Galatians  to-day,  for 
 their  sakes  which  teach  them  the  truth  of  Christ,  are  con- 
 tent, if  need  were,  to  pluck  out  their  own  eyes,  and  the 
 next  day,  ready  to  pluck  out  theirs  which  taught  them. 
 
OF    FAITH    IN   THE  ELECT. 
 
 577 
 
 The  love  of  the  Angel  of  the  Church  of  Ephcsus,  how 
 greatly  inflamed,  and  how  quickly  slaked  ?  The  higher  we 
 flow,  the  nearer  we  are  unto  an  ebb,  if  men  be  respected 
 as  mere  men,  according  to  the  wonted  course  of  their  al- 
 terable inclination,  without  the  heavenly  support  of  the 
 Spirit.  Again,  the  desire  of  our  ghostly  enemy  is  so  incre- 
 dible, and  his  means  so  forcible  to  overthrow  our  Faith, 
 that  whom  the  blessed  Apostle  knew  betrothed  and  made 
 hand-fast  unto  Christ,  to  them  he  could  not  write  but  with 
 great  trembling:  "I  am  jealous  over  you  with  a  godly 
 jealousy,  for  I  have  prepared  you  to  one  Husband,  to  pre- 
 sent you  a  pure  Virgin  unto  Christ :  but  I  fear,  lest  as  the 
 Serpent  beguiled  Eve  through  his  subtilty,  so  your  minds 
 should  be  corrupted  from  the  simplicity  which  is  in 
 Christ."  The  simplicity  of  Faith  which  is  in  Christ,  taketh 
 the  naked  promise  of  God,  his  bare  Word,  and  on  that  it 
 resteth.  This  simplicity  the  Serpent  laboureth  continually 
 to  pervert,  corrupting  the  mind  with  many  imaginations  of 
 repugnancy  and  contrariety  between  the  promise  of  God 
 and  those  things  which  sense  or  experience,  or  some  other 
 fore-conceived  persuasion,  hath  imprinted.  The  word  of 
 the  promise  of  God  unto  his  people  is,  "  I  will  not  leave  [jos. 
 thee  nor  forsake  thee  :"  upon  this  the  simplicity  of  Faith  He5b'. 
 resteth,  and  is  not  afraid  of  famine.  But  mark  how  thexiii-5 
 subtilty  of  Satan  did  corrupt  the  minds  of  that  rebellious 
 generation,  whose  spirits  were  not  faithful  unto  God.  They 
 beheld  the  desolate  state  of  the  Desert  in  w  hich  they 
 were,  and  by  the  wisdom  of  their  sense  concluded  the  pro- 
 mise of  God  to  be  but  folly :  "  Can  God  prepare  a  table  in  [Psai. 
 the  Wilderness  V  The  word  of  the  promise  to  Sarah  was,  11gX]v" 
 "  Thou  shalt  bear  a  son."  Faith  is  simple,  and  doubteth 
 not  of  it :  but  Satan,  to  corrupt  this  simplicity  of  Faith,  en- 
 tangleth  the  mind  of  the  woman  with  an  argument  drawn 
 from  common  experience  to  the  contrary ;  "  A  woman  that  [Gen. 
 is  old ;  Sarah  now  to  be  acquainted  with  forgotten  pas- xvn1, 
 sions  again  of  youth !"  The  word  of  the  promise  of  God 
 by  Moses  and  the  Prophets  made  the  Saviour  of  the  world 
 so  apparent  unto  Philip,  that  his  simplicity  could  conceive 
 no  other  Messias  than  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  son  of  Jo- 
 seph. But  to  stay  Nathanael,  lest  being  invited  to  come 
 and  see,  he  should  also  believe,  and  so  be  saved,  the  sub- 
 tilty of  Satan  casteth  a  mist  before  his  eyes,  putteth  in  his 
 VOL.  II.  2  p 
 
578         THE   CERTAINTY    AND  PERPETUITY 
 
 head  against  this  the  common-conceived  persuasion  of  all 
 [John  men  concerning  Nazareth,  "  Is  it  possible  that  any  good 
 '  461  thing  should  come  from  thence  ?"  This  stratagem  he  doth 
 use  with  so  great  dexterity,  that  the  minds  of  all  men  are 
 so  strangely  bewitched  with  it,  that  it  bereaveth  them, 
 for  the  time,  of  all  perceivance  of  that  which  should  relieve 
 them  and  be  their  comfort;  yea,  it  taketh  all  remem- 
 brance from  them,  even  of  things  wherewith  they  are  most 
 familiarly  acquainted.  The  people  of  Israel  could  not  be 
 ignorant,  that  he  which  led  them  through  the  sea  was  able 
 to  feed  them  in  the  Desert :  but  this  was  obliterated  and 
 put  out  by  the  sense  of  their  present  want.  Feeling  the 
 hand  of  God  against  them  in  their  food,  they  remember  not 
 his  hand  in  the  day  that  he  delivered  them  from  the  hand 
 [Matt,  of  the  oppressor.  Sarah  was  not  then  to  learn,  that  "with 
 six.  .]  qQ(j  thjagS  were  possible."  Had  Nathanael  never 
 [i  cor.  noted  how  "  God  doth  choose  the  base  things  of  this  world 
 i  C7.C8.]  to  (jiSgrace  them  that  are  most  honourably  esteemed?" 
 The  Prophet  Habakkuk  knew  that  the  promises  of  grace, 
 protection,  and  favour,  which  God  in  the  Law  doth  make 
 unto  his  people,  do  not  grant  them  any  such  immunity  as 
 can  free  and  exempt  them  from  all  chastisements :  he  knew 
 that,  as  God  said,  "  I  will  continue  for  ever  my  mercy 
 towards  them ;"  so  he  likewise  said,  "  Their  transgressions 
 I  will  punish  with  a  rod  :"  he  knew  that  it  could  not  stand 
 with  any  reason  we  should  set  the  measure  of  our  own  pu- 
 nishments, and  prescribe  unto  God  how  great,  or  how  long, 
 our  sufferings  shall  be:  he  knew  that  we  were  blind,  and 
 altogether  ignorant  what  is  best  for  us;  that  we  sue  for 
 many  things  very  unwisely  against  ourselves,  thinking  we 
 ask  fish,  when  indeed  we  crave  a  serpent :  he  knew  that 
 when  the  the  thing  we  ask  is  good,  and  yet  God  seemeth 
 slow  to  grant  it,  he  doth  not  deny  but  defer  our  petitions, 
 to  the  end  we  might  learn  to  desire  great  things  greatly  : 
 all  this  he  knew.  But,  beholding  the  land  which  God  had 
 severed  for  his  own  people,  and  seeing  it  abandoned  unto 
 Heathen  nations ;  viewing  how  reproachfully  they  did  tread 
 it  down,  and  wholly  make  havock  of  it  at  their  pleasure ; 
 beholding  the  Lord's  own  royal  seat  made  a  heap  of  stones, 
 his  Temple  defiled,  the  carcasses  of  his  servants  cast  out 
 for  the  fowls  of  the  air  to  devour,  and  the  flesh  of  his  meek 
 ones  for  the  beasts  of  the  field  to  feed  upon ;  being  con- 
 
OF   FAITH   IN   THE  ELECT. 
 
 579 
 
 scious  to  himself  how  long  and  how  earnestly  he  had  cried, 
 f*  Succour  us,  O  God  of  our  welfare,  for  the  glory  of  thine 
 own  name ;"  and  feeling  that  their  sore  was  still  increased : 
 the  conceit  of  repugnancy  between  this  which  was  objected 
 to  his  eyes,  and  that  which  Faith  upon  promise  of  the  Law 
 did  look  for,  made  so  deep  an  impression,  and  so  strong, 
 that  he  disputeth  not  the  matter;  but,  without  any  further 
 inquiry  or  search,  inferreth,  as  we  see, u  The  Law  doth  fail." 
 
 7.  Of  us,  who  is  here  which  cannot  very  soberly  advise 
 his  brother?  Sir,  you  mustlearn  to  strengthen  your  Faith  by 
 that  experience  which  heretofore  you  have  had  of  God's 
 great  goodness  towards  you,  "  Per  ea  quae  agnoscas  prae- 
 stita,  discas  sperare  promissa,"  By  those  things  which  you 
 have  known  performed,  learn  to  hope  for  those  -things 
 which  are  promised.  Do  you  acknowledge  to  have  re- 
 ceived much  ?  Let  that  make  you  certain  to  receive  more : 
 "  Habenti  dabitur ;  To  him  that  hath,  more  shall  be  given." 
 When  you  doubt  what  you  shall  have,  search  what  you 
 have  had  at  God's  hands.  Make  this  reckoning,  that  the 
 benefits,  which  he  hath  bestowed  are  bills  obligatory  and 
 sufficient  sureties,  that  he  will  bestow  further.  His  present 
 mercy  is  still  a  warrant  of  his  future  love,  because,  "  whom 
 he  loveth,  he  loveth  to  the  end."  Is  it  not  thus?  Yet  if 
 we  could  reckon  up  as  many  evident,  clear,  undoubted 
 signs  of  God's  reconciled  love  towards  us  as  there  are 
 years,  yea  days,  yea  hours,  past  over  our  heads ;  all  these 
 set  together  have  no  such  force  to  confirm  our  Faith,  as  the 
 loss,  and  sometimes  the  only  fear  of  losing  a  little  transi- 
 tory goods,  credit,  honour,  or  favour  of  men ;  a  small  cala- 
 mity, a  matter  of  nothing,  to  breed  a  conceit,  and  such  a  con- 
 ceit as  is  not  easily  again  removed,  that  we  are  clean  crossed 
 out  of  God's  book,  that  he  regards  us  not,  that  he  looketh 
 upon  others,  but  passeth  by  us  like  a  stranger  to  whom  we 
 are  not  known.  Then  we  think,  looking  upon  others,  and 
 comparing  them  with  ourselves,  their  tables  are  furnished 
 day  by  day ;  earth  and  ashes  are  our  bread :  they  sing  to 
 the  lute,  and  they  see  their  children  dance  before  them ; 
 our  hearts  are  heavy  in  our  bodies  as  lead,  our  sighs  beat 
 as  thick  as  a  swift  pulse,  our  tears  do  wash  the  bed 
 whereon  we  lie  :  the  sun  shineth  fair  upon  their  foreheads; 
 we  are  hanged  up  like  bottles  in  the  smoke,  cast  into  cor- 
 ners like  the  shreds  of  a  broken  pot:  tell  not  us  of  thepro- 
 
 2  p  2 
 
580  THE  CERTAINTY    AND  PERPETUITY 
 
 mises  of  God's  favour,  tell  such  as  do  reap  the  fruit  of 
 them  ;  they  belong  not  to  us,  they  are  made  to  others.  The 
 Lord  be  merciful  to  our  weakness,  but  thus  it  is.  Well, 
 let  the  frailty  of  our  nature,  the  subtilty  of  Satan,  the 
 force  of  our  deceivable  imaginations  be,  as  we  cannot  deny 
 but  they  are,  things  that  threaten  every  moment  the  utter 
 subversion  of  our  Faith ;  Faith  notwithstanding  is  not  ha- 
 zarded by  these  things :  that  which  one  sometimes  told  the 
 [saiiust.  Senators  of  Rome,  "Ego  sic  existimabam,  P.  C.  ut  ipa- 
 
 'Jugurth.  ,  f.  ..  ..  . 
 
 c.u.)  trera  saepe  meum  pra?dicantem  audiveram,  qui  vestram 
 amicitiam  diligenter  colerent,  eos  multum  laborem  susci- 
 pere,  casterum  ex  omnibus  maxime  tutos  esse,"  As  I  have 
 often  heard  my  father  acknowledge,  so  I  myself  did  ever 
 think,  that  the  friends  and  favourers  of  this  State  charged 
 themselves  with  great  labour,  but  no  man's  condition  so 
 safe  as  theirs;"  the  same  we  may  say  a  great  deal  more 
 justly  in  this  case :  our  Fathers  and  Prophets,  our  Lord 
 and  Master,  hath  full  often  spoken,  by  long  experience  we 
 have  found  it  true,  as  many  as  have  entered  their  names  in 
 the  mystical  Book  of  Life.  "  eos  maximum  laborem  susci- 
 pere,"  they  have  taken  upon  them  a  laboursome,  a  toil- 
 some, a  painful  profession,  "sed  omnium  maxime  tutos 
 
 [Luke  esse,"  but  no  man's  security  like  to  theirs.  "  Simon,  Si- 
 mon,  Satan  hath  desired  to  winnow  thee  as  wheat;"  here 
 is  our  toil :  "  but  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail 
 not ;"  this  is  our  safety.  No  man's  condition  so  sure  as 
 ours  :  the  prayer  of  Christ  is  more  than  sufficient  both  to 
 strengthen  us,  be  we  never  so  weak ;  and  to  overthrow  all 
 adversary  power,  be  it  never  so  strong  and  potent.  His 
 prayer  must  not  exclude  our  labour:  their  thoughts  are 
 vaiu  who  think  that  their  watching  can  preserve  the  city, 
 which  God  himself  is  not  willing  to  keep.  And  are  not 
 theirs  as  vain,  who  think  that  God  will  keep  the  city,  for 
 which  they  themselves  are  not  careful  to  watch?  The 
 husbandman  may  not  therefore  burn  his  plough,  nor  the 
 merchant  forsake  his  trade,  because  God  hath  promised 
 "  I  will  not  forsake  thee."  And  do  the  promises  of  God 
 concerning  our  stability,  think  you,  make  it  a  matter  indif- 
 ferent for  us  to  use,  or  not  to  use,  the  means  whereby  to 
 attend,  or  not  to  attend,  to  reading?  to  pray,  or  not  to 
 pray,  that  we  "  fall  not  into  temptations  ?"  Surely,  if  we 
 look  to  stand  in  the  Faith  of  the  sons  of  God,  we  must 
 
OF   FAITH    IN   THE  ELECT. 
 
 581 
 
 hourly,  continually,  be  providing  and  setting  ourselves  to 
 strive.  It  was  not  the  meaning  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  in 
 saying,  "  Father,  keep  them  in  thy  name,"  that  we  should  [*°^\y 
 be  careless  to  keep  ourselves.  To  our  own  safety,  our 
 own  sedulity  is  required.  And  then  blessed  for  ever  and 
 ever  be  that  mother's  child,  whose  Faith  hath  made  him  the 
 child  of  God.  The  earth  may  shake,  the  pillars  of  the 
 world  may  tremble  under  us,  the  countenance  of  the  Hea- 
 ven may  be  appalled,  the  sun  may  lose  his  light,  the  moon 
 her  beauty,  the  stars  their  glory ;  but  concerning  the  man 
 that  trusteth  in  God,  if  the  fire  have  proclaimed  itself  un- 
 able as  much  as  to  singe  a  hair  of  his  head,  if  lions, 
 beasts  ravenous  by  nature,  and  keen  with  hunger,  being 
 set  to  devour,  have  as  it  were  religiously  adored  the  very 
 flesh  of  the  faithful  man ;  what  is  there  in  the  world  that 
 shall  changehis  heart,  overthrow  his  Faith,  alter  his  affec- 
 tion towards  God,  or  the  affection  of  God  to  him  ?  If  I  be 
 of  this  note,  who  shall  make  a  separation  between  me  and 
 my  God  ?  "  shall  tribulation,  or  anguish,  or  persecution,  [Rom. 
 or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword  ?  No ;  I  am  ^"'3^* 
 persuaded,  that  neither  tribulation,  nor  anguish,  nor  per- 
 secution, nor  famine,  nor  nakedness,  nor  peril,  nor  sword, 
 nor  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
 powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height, 
 nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  ever  prevail  so  far 
 over  me."  "  I  know  in  whom  I  have  believed ;"  I  am  not 
 ignorant  whose  precious  blood  hath  been  shed  for  me ;  I 
 have  a  Shepherd  full  of  kindness,  full  of  care,  and  full  of 
 power,  unto  him  I  commit  myself;  his  own  finger  hath  en- 
 graven this  sentence  in  the  tables  of  my  heart,  "  Satan 
 hath  desired  to  winnow  thee  as  wheat,  but  I  have  prayed 
 that  thy  Faith  fail  not :"  therefore  the  assurance  of  my 
 hope  I  will  labour  to  keep,  as  a  jewel,  unto  the  end ;  and 
 by  labour,  through  the  gracious  mediation  of  his  prayer,  I 
 shall  keep  it. 
 
TWO  SERMONS,  &c. 
 
 To  the  Worshipful  Mr.  George  Summaster,  Principal 
 of  Broad-Gates  Hall,  in  Oxford,  Henry  Jackson 
 wisheth  all  happiness. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Your  kind  acceptance  of  a  former  testification  of  that 
 respect  I  owe  you,  hath  made  me  venture  to  shew  the 
 world  these  godly  Sermons  under  your  name.    In  which, 
 as  every  point  is  worth  observation,  so  some  especially  are 
 to  be  noted  :  the  first,  that  as  the  Spirit  of  Prophecy  is  from 
 God  himself,  who  doth  inwardly  heat  and  enlighten  the 
 hearts  and  minds  of  his  holy  Penmen  (which  if  some 
 would  diligently  consider,  they  would  not  puzzle  themselves 
 with  the  contentions  of  Scot  and  Thomas,  Whether  God 
 only,  or  his  ministering  Spirits,  do  infuse  into  men's  minds 
 prophetical  revelations  "  per  species  intelligibiles"),  so 
 God  framed  their  words  also.    Whence  the  holy  Father 
 St.  Augustine  religiously  observeth,  "That  all  those  who  i  >v- 
 understand  the  Sacred  Writers,  will  also  perceive  that  they  de  Doct. 
 ought  not  to  use  other  words  than  they  did,  in  expressing  Chr- 
 those  heavenly  mysteries  which  their  hearts  conceived,  as 
 the  blessed  Virgin  did  our  Saviour,  by  the  Holy  Ghost." 
 The  greater  is  Castellio's  offence,  who  hath  laboured  to 
 teach  the  Prophets  to  speak  otherwise  than  they  have  al- 
 ready.   Much  like  to  that  impious  King  of  Spain,  Alphon-  Rob. 
 sus  the  Tenth,  who  found  fault  with  God's  works.  "Si™"' 
 (inquit)  creationi  affuissem,  mundum  melius  ordinassem ;" c* 3 
 If  he  had  been  with  God  at  the  creation  of  the  world,  the 
 world  had  gone  better  than  now  it  doth.    As  this  man 
 found  fault  with  God's  works,  so  did  the  other  with  God's 
 words ;  but,  because  "  we  have  a  most  sure  word  of  the  2  Pet- 
 
 i,  lp. 
 
 Prophets,"  to  which  we  must  take  heed,  I  will  let  his  Pr*f. 
 words  pass  with  the  wind,  having  elsewhere  spoken  to  you  D.i££ 
 more  largely  of  his  errors,  whom,  notwithstanding,  for  his  nold- 
 other  excellent  parts,  I  much  respect. 
 
584  THE   EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 
 
 You  shall  moreover  from  hence  understand,  how  Christ- 
 ianity consists  not  in  formal  and  seeming  purity  (under 
 which  who  knows  not  notorious  villany  to  mask  ?),  but  in 
 the  heart-root.  Whence  the  Author  truly  teacheth,  that 
 mockers,  which  use  Religion  as  a  cloak,  to  put  off  and  on, 
 as  the  weather  serveth,  are  worse  than  Pagans  and  Infidels. 
 "Where  I  cannot  omit  to  shew  how  justly  this  kind  of  men 
 hath  been  reproved  by  that  renowned  Martyr  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  Bishop  Latimer,  both  because  it  will  be  apposite  to 
 this  purpose,  and  also  free  that  Christian  worthy  from  the 
 
 fo^sin  slanclerous  reproaches  of  him,  who  was,  if  ever  any,  a 
 
 .■?.con-  mocker  of  God,  Religion,  and  all  good  men.  But  first  I 
 must  desire  you,  and  in  you  all  readers,  not  to  think  light 
 of  that  excellent  man,  for  using  this  and  the  like  witty 
 similitudes  in  his  Sermons.  For  whosoever  will  call  to 
 mind  with  what  riff-raff  God's  people  were  fed  in  those 
 
 Mai.  days,  when  their  Priests,  whose  "lips  should  have  pre- 
 served knowledge,"  preached  nothing  else  but  dreams  and 
 false  miracles  of  counterfeit  Saints,  enrolled  in  that  sot- 
 tish legend,  coined  and  amplified  by  a  drowsy  head  between 
 sleeping  and  waking  * — he  that  will  consider  this,  and  also 
 how  the  people  were  delighted  with  such  toys  (God  send- 
 ing them  strong  delusions  that  they  should  believe  lies), 
 and  how  hard  it  would  have  been  for  any  man  wholly,  and 
 upon  the  sudden,  to  draw  their  minds  to  another  bent, 
 will  easily  perceive,  both  how  necessary  it  was  to  shew 
 symbolical  discourse,  and  how  wisely  and  moderately  it 
 was  applied  by  the  religious  Father,  to  the  end  he  might 
 lead  their  understanding  so  far,  till  it  were  so  convinced, 
 informed,  and  settled,  that  it  might  forget  the  means  and 
 way  by  which  it  was  led,  and  think  only  of  that  it  had 
 acquired.  For  in  all  such  mystical  speeches,  who  knows 
 not  that  the  end  for  which  they  are  used,  is  only  to  be 
 thought  upon? 
 
 This  then  being  first  considered,  let  us  hear  the  story, 
 
 Pa&-   as  it  is  related  by  Mr.  Fox :  "  Mr.  Latimer  (saith  he)  in 
 
 1903. 
 
 edit,  his  Sermon,  gave  the  people  certain  cards  out  of  the 
 15,°*  fifth,  sixth,  and  seventh  chapters  of  Matthew.     For  the 
 chief  triumph  in  the  cards  he  limited  the  heart,  as  the  prin- 
 cipal thing  that  they  should  serve  God  withal,  whereby  he 
 
 *  Canus  locor.  I.xi.  c.  6.  Yives,  lib.  ii.de  corrupt,  art.  Hard.  lib.  iv. 
 
THE   EPISTLE   DEDICATORY.  585 
 
 quite  overthrew  all  hypocritical  and  external  Ceremonies, 
 not  tending  to  the  necessary  furtherance  of  God's  holy 
 Word  and  Sacraments.  By  this  he  exhorted  all  men  to 
 serve  the  Lord  with  inward  heart  and  true  affection,  and 
 not  with  outward  Ceremonies ;  adding,  moreover,  to  the 
 praise  of  that  triumph,  that  though  it  were  never  so  small, 
 yet  it  would  take  up  the  best  coat-card  beside  in  the 
 bunch,  yea,  thought  it  were  the  King  of  Clubs,  &c.  mean- 
 ing thereby,  how  the  Lord  would  be  worshipped  and  serv- 
 ed in  simplicity  of  the  heart,  and  verity,  wherein  consist- 
 eth  the  true  Christian  Religion,  &c."    Thus  Mr.  Fox. 
 
 By  which  it  appears,  that  the  holy  man's  intention  was 
 to  lift  up  the  people's  hearts  to  God,  and  not  that  he  made 
 a  Sermon  of  playing  at  cards,  and  taught  them  how  to 
 play  at  Triumph,  and  played  (himself)  at  cards  in  the  pul- 
 pit, as  that  base  companion  *Parsons  reports  the  matter 
 in  his  wonted  scurrilous  vein  of  railing,  whence  he  call- 
 eth  it  a  Christmas  Sermon.  Now  he  that  will  think  ill Sect 
 of  such  allusions,  may,  out  of  the  abundance  of  his  folly, 
 jest  at  f  Demosthenes  for  his  story  of  the  sheep,  wolves, 
 and  dogs ;  and  Menenius,  for  his  fiction  of  the  belly.'j; 
 But,  hinc  illce.  lacrymcB,  the  good  Bishop  meant  that  the 
 Romish  Religion  came  not  from  the  heart,  but  consisted 
 in  outward  Ceremonies :  which  sorely  grieved  Parsons, 
 who  never  had  the  least  warmth  or  spark  of  honesty. 
 Whether  Bishop  Latimer  compared  the  Bishops  to  the 
 Knave  of  Clubs,  as  the  fellow  interprets  him,  I  know  not: 
 I  am  sure  Parsons,  of  all  others,  deserved  those  colours  ; 
 and  so  I  leave  him.  We  see  then,  what  inward  purity  is 
 required  of  all  Christians,  which  if  they  have,  then  in 
 prayer,  and  all  other  Christian  duties,  they  shall  lift  up 
 pure  hands,  as  the  Apostle  speaks,  not  as  §  Baronius  }  ™ 
 would  have  it,  washed  from  sins  with  holy  water ;  but 
 pure,  that  is,  holy,  free  from  the  pollution  of  sin,  as  the 
 Greek  word  boiovs  does  signify. 
 
 You  may  see  also  here  refuted  those  calumnies  of  the 
 Papists,  that  we  abandon  all  religious  Rites  and  godly 
 duties ;  as  also  the  confirmation  of  our  doctrine,  touching 
 
 *  In  the  third  part  of  the  three  conversions  of  England  :  in  the  examination  of 
 Fox's  Saints,  c.  14.  sect.  53,  54.  p.  215. 
 
 t  Plutarch,  in  Demoslhen.  [c.  25.]       t  Liv.  Dec.  1.  1.  ii.  an.  U.  C.  60.  [c.  32.] 
 «  Annal.  torn.  i.  an.  57.  n.  109,  110.  et  torn.  ii.  an.  132,  Num. 
 
58G 
 
 THE   EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 
 
 certainty  of  Faith,  (and  so  of  salvation),  which  is  so  strongly 
 denied  by  some  of  that  faction,  that  they  have  told  the 
 world,  *  St.  Paul  himself  was  uncertain  of  his  own  salvation. 
 What  then  shall  we  say,  but  pronounce  a  wo  to  the  most 
 strict  observers  of  St.  Francis's  Rules  and  his  Canonical 
 Discipline,  though  they  make  him  even  f  equal  with 
 Christ,  and  the  most  meritorious  Monk  that  ever  was  re- 
 gistered in  their  Calendar  of  Saints  ?  But  we,  for  our 
 comfort,  are  otherwise  taught  out  of  the  Holy  Scripture, 
 and  therefore  exhorted  to  build  ourselves  in  our  most 
 jr-  holy  Faith,  that  so,  <{  When  our  earthly  house  of  this  ta- 
 bernacle shall  be  destroyed,  we  may  have  a  building  given 
 of  God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  but  eternal  in  the 
 Heavens." 
 
 This  is  that  which  is  most  piously  and  feelingly  taught 
 in  these  few  leaves,  so  that  you  shall  read  nothing  here, 
 but  what  I  persuade  myself  you  have  long  practised  in  the 
 constant  course  of  your  life.  It  remaineth  only  that  you 
 accept  of  these  labours  tendered  to  you  by  him,  who  wish- 
 eth  you  the  long  joys  of  this  world,  and  the  eternal  of  that 
 which  is  to  come. 
 
 Oxon,  from  Corpus  Christi  College,  this  13th  of  Janu- 
 ary, 1613. 
 
 *  S.  Paulus  de  sua  salute  incertus  •,  Kicheom  Jesuit,  lib.  ii.  c.  12.  Indolat.  Hu- 
 guen.  p.  119.in  marg.  edit.  Lat.  Mogunt.  113.  interpret.  Marcel.  Bomper.  Jesuita. 
 
 t  Witness  the  verses  of  Horatius,  a  Jesuit,  recited  by  Posse,  v.  Biblioth.  Select, 
 part.  2. 1.  xvii.  c.  19. 
 
 Exsue  Franciscum  tunica  Iaceroque  cucullo  : 
 Qui  Franciscus  erat,  jam  tibi  Christus  erit. 
 Francisci  exsuviis  (si  qua  licet)  indue  Christum  : 
 Jam  Franciscus  erit,  qui  modo  Christus  erat. 
 The  like  hath  Bencius,  another  Jesuit. 
 
TWO  SERMONS 
 
 UPON 
 
 PART  OF  ST.  JUDE'S  EPISTLE. 
 
 SERMON  t 
 
 But  ye,  beloved,  remember  the  words  which  were  spoken  before  of  the  Apostles 
 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ : 
 How  that  they  told  you,  that  there  should  be  mockers  in  the  last  time,  which 
 
 should  walk  after  their  own  ungodly  lusts. 
 These  are  makers  of  sects,  fleshly,  having  not  the  Spirit. 
 
 But  ye,  beloved,  edify  yourselves  in  your  most  holy  Faith,  praying  in  the  Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 And  keep  yourselves  in  the  love  of  God,  looking  for  the  mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ  unto  eternal  Life. — Jude  17 — 21. 
 
 The  occasion  whereupon,  together  with  the  end  wherefore, 
 this  Epistle  was  written,  is  opened  in  the  front  and  entry 
 of  the  same.  There  were  then,  as  there  are  now,  many 
 evil  and  wickedly-disposed  persons,  not  of  the  mystical 
 Body,  yet  within  the  visible  bounds  of  the  Church,  "  men 
 which  were  of  old  ordained  to  condemnation,  ungodly 
 men,  which  turned  the  grace  of  our  God  unto  wantonness, 
 and  denied  the  Lord  Jesus."  For  this  cause  the  Spirit  of 
 the  Lord  is  in  the  hand  of  "  Jude  the  servant  of  Jesus  and  [ver.  1.3 
 brother  of  James,"  to  exhort  them  that  are  called,  and 
 sanctified  of  God  the  Father,  that  they  would  earnestly 
 "  contend  to  maintain  the  Faith,  which  was  once  delivered  ^er- s  ] 
 to  the  Saints."  Which  Faith,  because  we  cannot  main- 
 tain, except  we  know  perfectly,  first,  against  whom ;  se- 
 condly, in  what  sort  it  must  be  maintained ;  therefore  in 
 the  former  three  verses  of  that  parcel  of  Scripture  which  I 
 have  read,  the  enemies  of  the  Cross  of  Christ  are  plainly 
 described ;  and  in  the  latter  two,  they  that  love  the  Lord 
 Jesus  have  a  sweet  lesson  given  them  how  to  strengthen 
 and  establish  themselves  in  the  Faith.  Let  us  first  there- 
 fore examine  the  description  of  these  reprobates  concern- 
 ing Faith ;  and  afterwards  come  to  the  exhortation,  where- 
 in Christians  are  taught  how  to  rest  their  hearts  on  God's 
 
588 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 eternal  and  everlasting  truth.    The  description  of  these 
 godless  persons  is  twofold,  general  and  special.  The 
 general  doth  point  them  out,  and  shew  what  manner  of 
 men  they  should  be.    The  particular  pointeth  at  them, 
 and  saith  plainly,  these  are  they.    In  the  general  descrip- 
 tion we  have  to  consider  of  these  things  ;  First,  when  they 
 were  described ;  "  They  were  told  of  before :"  Secondly, 
 the  men  by  whom  they  were  described ;  "  They  were  spoken 
 of  by  the  Apostles  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ:"  Thirdly, 
 the  days  when  they  should  be  manifest  unto  the  world, 
 they  told  you,  "  they  should  be  in  the  last  time :"  Fourthly, 
 their  disposition  and  whole  demeanour,  "  Mockers  and 
 walkers  after  their  own  ungodly  lusts." 
 [ver.  is,    2.  In  the  third  to  the  Philippians,  the  Apostle  describ- 
 i9  ]     eth  certain  ;  "  They  are  men  (saith  he)  of  whom  I  have 
 told  you  often,  and  now  with  tears  I  tell  you  of  them, 
 their  god  is  their  belly,  their  glory  and  rejoicing  is  in  their 
 own  shame,  they  mind  earthly  things."    These  were  ene- 
 mies to  the  Cross  of  Christ,  enemies  whom  he  saw,  and 
 his  eyes  gushed  out  with  tears  to  behold  them.    But  we 
 are  taught  in  this  place,  how  the  Apostle  spake  also  of 
 enemies,  whom  as  yet  they  had  not  seen,  described  a 
 family  of  men  as  yet  unheard  of,  a  generation  reserved  for 
 the  end  of  the  world,  and  for  the  last  time  ;  they  had  not 
 only  declared  what  they  heard  and  saw  in  the  days  wherein 
 they  lived,  but  they  have  prophesied  also  of  men  in  time 
 ta  Pet.  to  come.    And  "  you  do  well  (saith  St.  Peter)  in  that  you 
 co.]9'    take  heed  to  the  words  of  prophecy,  so  that  ye  first  know 
 this,  that  no  prophecy  in  the  Scripture  cometh  of  any 
 man's  own  resolution."  No  prophecy  in  Scripture  cometh 
 of  any  man's  own  resolution ;  for  all  prophecy  which  is  in 
 Scripture,  came  by  the  secret  inspiration  of  God.  But 
 there  are  prophecies  which  are  no  Scripture ;  yea,  there 
 are  prophecies  against  the  Scripture  :  my  brethren,  beware 
 of  such  prophecies,  and  take  heed  you  heed  them  not. 
 Remember  the  things  that  were  spoken  of  before ;  but 
 spoken  of  before  by  the  Apostles  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
 Jesus  Christ.  Take  heed  to  prophecies,  but  to  prophecies 
 which  are  in  Scripture  ;  for  both  the  manner  and  matter 
 of  those  prophecies  do  shew  plainly  that  they  are  of  God. 
 or  the      3.  Touching  the  manner  how  men,  by  the  Spirit  of  Pro- 
 vrophc°.f  phecy  in  Holy  Scripture,  have  spoken  and  written  of 
 
UPON   PART  OF   ST.  JUDE. 
 
 589 
 
 things  to  come,  we  must  understand,  that  as  the  knowledge  ey  re- 
 of  that  they  spake,  so  likewise  the  utterance  of  that  they  from  God 
 knew,  came  not  by  these  usual  and  ordinary  means  where- 
 by we  are  brought  to  understand  the  mysteries  of  our  sal- 
 vation, and  are  wont  to  instruct  others  in  the  same.  For 
 whatsoever  we  know,  we  have  it  by  the  hands  and  ministry 
 of  men,  which  lead  us  along  like  children  from  a  letter  to 
 a  syllable,  from  a  syllable  to  a  word,  from  a  word  to  a 
 line,  from  a  line  to  a  sentence,  from  a  sentence  to  a  side, 
 and  so  turn  over.    But  God  himself  was  their  instructor, 
 he  himself  taught  them,  partly  by  dreams  and  visions  in 
 the  night,  partly  by  revelations  in  the  day,  taking  them 
 aside  from  amongst  their  brethren,  and  talking  with  them 
 as  a  man  would  talk  with  his  neighbour  in  the  way.  Thus 
 they  became  acquainted  even  with  the  secret  and  hidden 
 counsels  of  God,  they  saw  things  which  themselves  were 
 not  able  to  utter,  they  beheld  that  whereat  men  and 
 angels  are  astonished,  they  understood  in  the  beginning, 
 what  should  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days. 
 
 4.  God,  which  lightened  thus  the  eyes  of  their  under-  of  the 
 
 °  J  Prophet 
 
 standing,  giving  them  knowledge  by  unusual  and  extraor-  manner 
 dinary  means,  did  also  miraculously  himself  frame  and  °'h 
 fashion  their  words  and  writings,  insomuch  that  a  greater 
 difference  there  seemeth  not  to  be  between  the  manner  of 
 their  knowledge,  than  there  is  between  the  manner  of  their 
 speech  and  others.    When  we  have  conceived  a  thing  in 
 our  hearts,  and  thoroughly  understand  it,  as  we  think  with- 
 in ourselves,  before  we  can  utter  in  such  sort,  that  our  bre- 
 thren may  receive  instruction  or  comfort  at  our  mouths,  how 
 great,  how  long,  how  earnest  meditation  are  we  forced  to 
 use  ?    And  after  much  travel  and  much  pains,  when  we 
 open  our  lips  to  speak  of  the  wonderful  works  of  God,  our 
 tongues  do  faulter  within  our  mouths,  yea,  many  times  we 
 disgrace  the  dreadful  mysteries  of  our  Faith,  and  grieve  the 
 spirit  of  our  hearers  by  words  unsavoury,  and  unseemly 
 speeches :  "  Shall  a  wise  man  fill  his  belly  with  the  eastern  job 
 wind  (saith  Eliphaz)  ?  Shall  a  wise  man  dispute  with xv'  8' : 
 words  not  comely?  or  with  talk  that  is  not  profitable?" 
 Yet  behold,  even  they  that  are  wisest  amongst  us  living, 
 compared  with  the  Prophets,  seem  no  otherwise  to  talk  of 
 God,  than  as  if  the  children  which  are  carried  in  arms, 
 should  speak  of  the  greatest  matters  of  state.  They  whose 
 
590 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 words  do  most  shew  forth  their  wise  understanding,  and 
 whose  lips  do  utter  the  purest  knowledge,  so  long  as  they 
 understand  and  speak  as  men,  are  they  not  fain  sundry 
 ways  to  excuse  themselves  ?  Sometimes  acknowledging 
 
 t  wisd.  with  the  Wise  Man,  **  Hardly  can  we  discern  the  things  that 
 are  on  earth,  and  with  great  labour  find  we  out  the  things 
 that  are  before  us.  Who  can  then  seek  out  the  things  that 
 are  in  heaven  ?"  Sometimes  confessing  with  Job  the  righ- 
 teous, in  treating  of  things  too  wonderful  for  us,  we  have 
 spoken  we  wist  not  what :  sometimes  ending  their  talk,  as 
 
 [i  Mace,  does  the  history  of  the  Maccabees  :  "  If  we  have  done  well, 
 
 *v.38]  -  J  ,      .  i 
 
 and  as  the  cause  required,  it  is  that  we  desire ;  if  we  have 
 spoken  slenderly  and  barely,  we  have  done  what  we  could." 
 But "  God  hath  made  my  mouth  like  a  sword,"  saith  Isaiah  : 
 [l  cor.  and  "  we  have  received  (saith  the  Apostle),  not  the  spirit 
 "jj  of  the  world,  but  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God,  that  we  might 
 know  the  things  that  are  given  to  us  of  God  ;  which  things 
 also  we  speak,  not  in  words  which  man's  wisdom  teacheth, 
 but  which  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  teach."  This  is  that  which 
 the  Prophets  mean  by  those  books  written  full  within  and 
 without ;  which  books  were  so  often  delivered  them  to  eat, 
 not  because  God  fed  them  with  ink  and  paper,  but  to  teach 
 us,  that  so  oft  as  he  employed  them  in  this  heavenly  work, 
 they  neither  spake  nor  wrote  any  word  of  their  own,  but 
 uttered  syllable  by  syllable,  as  the  Spirit  put  it  into  their 
 mouths,  no  otherwise  than  the  harp  or  the  lute  doth  give  a 
 sound,  according  to  the  discretion  of  his  hands  that  hold- 
 eth  and  striketh  it  with  skill.  The  difference  is  only  this  : 
 an  instrument,  whether  it  be  a  pipe  or  harp,  maketh  a  dis- 
 tinction in  the  times  and  sounds,  which  distinction  is  well 
 perceived  of  the  hearer,  the  instrument  itself  understandeth 
 not  what  is  piped  or  harped.  The  Prophets  and  holy  men 
 Ezek.  of  God,  not  so :  "I  opened  my  mouth  (saith  Ezekiel),  and 
 ni.2,3.  reached  me  a  scroll,  saying,  Son  of  man,  cause  thy 
 belly  to  eat,  and  fill  thy  bowels  with  this  I  give  thee ;  I 
 ate  it,  and  it  was  sweet  in  ray  mouth  as  honey,"  saith  the 
 Prophet ;  yea,  sweeter,  I  am  persuaded,  than  either  honey 
 or  the  honey-comb.  For  herein  they  were  not  like  harps 
 or  lutes,  but  they  felt,  they  felt  the  power  and  strength  of 
 their  own  words.  When  they  spake  of  our  peace,  every 
 corner  of  their  heart  was  filled  with  joy.  When  they 
 prophesied  of  mourning,  lamentations,  and  woes  to  fall 
 
UPON   PART  OF  ST.  JUDE. 
 
 591 
 
 upon  us,  they  wept  in  the  bitterness  and  indignation  of 
 spirit,  the  arm  of  the  Lord  being  mighty  and  strong  upon 
 them. 
 
 5.  On  this  manner  were  all  the  prophecies  of  Holy  Scrip- 
 ture.   Which  prophecies,  although  they  contain  nothing 
 which  is  not  profitable  for  our  instruction  ;  yet  as  one  star 
 differeth  from  another  in  glory,  so  every  word  of  prophecy 
 hath  a  treasure  of  matter  in  it :  but  all  matters  are  not  of 
 like  importance,  as  all  treasures  are  not  of  equal  price ;  the 
 chief  and  principal  matter  of  prophecy  is  the  promise  of 
 righteousness,  peace,  holiness,  glory,  victory,  immortality, 
 unto  "  every  soul  which  believeth  that  Jesus  is  Christ,  ®i [^°- 
 the  Jew  first,  and  of  the  Gentile."    Now  because  the  doc- 
 trine of  salvation  to  be  looked  for  by  Faith  in  Him,  who 
 was  in  outward  appearance,  as  it  had  been,  a  man  forsaken 
 of  God ;  in  him,  who  was  numbered,  judged,  and  condemned 
 with  the  wicked  ;  in  him,  whom  men  did  see  buffeted  on 
 the  face,  scoffed  at  by  the  soldiers,  scourged  by  tormen- 
 tors, hanged  on  the  cross,  pierced  to  the  heart;  in  him, 
 whom  the  eyes  of  many  witnesses  did  behold,  when  the  an- 
 guish of  his  soul  enforced  him  to  roar,  as  if  his  heart  had 
 rent  in  sunder,  '*  O  my  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  for-  [Matt: 
 saken  me  V  I  say,  because  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  Xi"' 
 him  is  a  thing  improbable  to  a  natural  man,  that  whether 
 we  preach  to  the  Gentile,  or  to  the  Jew,  the  one  condemneth 
 our  Faith  as  madness,  the  other  as  blasphemy ;  therefore, 
 to  establish  and  confirm  the  certainty  of  this  saving  truth 
 in  the  hearts  of  men,  the  Lord,  together  with  their  preach- 
 ings whom  he  sent  immediately  from  himself  to  reveal  these 
 things  unto  the  world,  mingled  prophecies  of  things,  both 
 Civil  and  Ecclesiastical,  which  were  to  come  in  every  age, 
 from  time  to  time,  till  the  very  last  of  the  latter  days,  that 
 by  those  things,  wherein  we  see  daily  their  words  fulfilled 
 and  done,  we  might  have  strong  consolation  in  the  hope  of 
 things  which  are  not  seen,  because  they  have  revealed  as 
 well  the  one  as  the  other.    For  when  many  things  are 
 spoken  of  before  in  Scripture,  whereof  we  see  first  one 
 thing  accomplished,  and  then  another,  and  so  a  third,  per- 
 ceive we  not  plainly,  that  God  doth  nothing  else  but  lead 
 us  along  by  the  hand,  till  he  hath  settled  us  upon  the  rock 
 of  an  assured  hope,  that  not  one  jot  or  tittle  of  his  Word 
 shall  pass,  till  all  be  fulfilled?  It  is  not  therefore  said  in 
 
592 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 vain,  that  these  godless  wicked  ones  "  were  spoken  of  be- 
 fore." 
 
 6.  But  by  whom  ?  By  them  whose  words,  if  men  or 
 Angels  from  Heaven,  gainsay,  they  are  accursed  ;  by  them, 
 [Luke   whom  whosoever  despiseth,  "  despiseth  not  them  but  me," 
 *' 10 1  saith  Christ.    If  any  man  therefore  doth  love  the  Lord 
 Jesus,  (and  wo  worth  him  thatloveth  not  the  Lord  Jesus !), 
 hereby  we  may  know  that  he  loveth  him  indeed,  if  he  de- 
 spise not  the  things  that  are  spoken  of  by  his  Apostles, 
 whom  many  have  despised  even  for  the  baseness  and 
 Anatu-  simpleness  of  their  persons.    For  it  is  the  property  of 
 perceiv-  fleshly  and  carnal  men  to  honour  and  dishonour,  credit  and 
 heavenly  discredit,  the  words  and  deeds  of  every  man,  according  to 
 things,  that  he  wanteth  or  hath  without.    "  If  a  man  of  gorgeous 
 
 James  °  ° 
 
 ii.  s.     apparel  come  amongst  us,"  although  he  be  a  thief  or  a 
 murderer  (for  there  are  thieves  and  murderers  in  gorgeous 
 apparel),  be  his  heart  whatsoever,  if  his  coat  be  of  purple 
 or  velvet,  or  tissue,  every  one  riseth  up,  and  all  the  re- 
 verend solemnities  we  can  use  are  too  little.    But  the  man 
 that  serveth  God  is  contemned  and  despised  amongst  us 
 for  his  poverty.  Herod  speaketh  in  judgment,  and  the  peo- 
 Af?*    pie  cry  out,  "  The  voice  of  God,  and  not  of  man."  Paul 
 on. '  preacheth  Christ,  they  term  him  a  trifler.  "  Hearken,  be- 
 janLs   loved,  hath  not  God  chosen  the  poor  of  this  world,  that 
 "■5-    they  should  be  rich  in  Faith?"    Hath  he  not  chosen  the 
 refuse  of  the  world  to  be  heirs  of  his  Kingdom,  which  he 
 hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him  ?    Hath  he  not  chosen 
 the  off-scourings  of  men  to  be  the  Lights  of  the  world,  and 
 the  Apostles  of  Jesus  Christ?    Men  unlearned,  yet  how 
 fully  replenished  with  understanding?    Few  in  number, 
 yet  how  great  in  power?  Contemptible  in  show,  yet  in 
 spirit  how  strong ?  how  wonderful ?    "I  would  fain  learn 
 the  mystery  of  the  eternal  generation  of  the  Son  of  God," 
 saith  Hilary.    Whom  shall  I  seek  ?  Shall  I  get  me  to  the 
 schools  of  the  Grecians  ?  Why,  I  have  read,  "  Ubi  Sa- 
 piens? ubi  Scriba?  ubi  Conquisitor  hujus  sasculi  ?"  These 
 wise  men  in  the  world  must  needs  be  dumb  in  this,  because 
 they  have  rejected  the  wisdom  of  God.    Shall  I  beseech 
 the  Scribes  and  Interpreters  of  the  Law  to  become  my 
 Teachers  ?    How  can  they  know  this,  sith  they  are  offend- 
 ed at  the  Cross  of  Christ  ?    It  is  death  for  me  to  be  igno- 
 rant of  the  unsearchable  mystery  of  the  Son  of  God ;  of 
 
UPON   PAHT   OF    ST.  JUDE. 
 
 593 
 
 which  mystery,  notwithstanding,  1  should  have  been  igno- 
 rant, but  that  a  poor  fisherman,  unknown,  unlearned,  new 
 come  from  his  boat,  with  his  clothes  wringing  wet,  hath 
 opened  his  mouth,  and  taught  me,  "  In  the  beginning  was  [John 
 the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  '  1  ] 
 was  God."  These  poor  silly  creatures  have  made  us  rich 
 in  the  knowledge  of  the  mysteries  of  Christ. 
 
 7.  Remember  therefore  that  which  is  spoken  of  by  the 
 Apostles ;  whose  words  if  the  children  of  this  world  do 
 not  regard,  is  it  any  marvel?    They  are  the  Apostles  of 
 our  Lord  Jesus ;  not  of  their  Lord,  but  of  ours.    It  is 
 true  which  one  hath  said  in  a  certain  place,  "  Apostolicam 
 fidem  saeculi  homo  non  capit,"  A  man  sworn  to  the  world 
 is  not  capable  of  that  faith  which  the  Apostles  do  teach. 
 What  mean  the  children  of  this  world  then  to  tread  in  the 
 courts  of  our  God?  What  should  your  bodies  do  at  Bethel, 
 whose  hearts  are  at  Bethaven?    The  god  of  this  world,  between 
 whom  ye  serve,  hath  provided  Apostles  and  Teachers  for  op°niODS, 
 you,  Chaldeans,  Wizards,  Soothsayers,  Astrologers,  and 
 such  like  ;  hear  them.    Tell  not  us  that  ye  will  sacrifice 
 to  the  Lord  our  God,  if  we  will  sacrifice  to  Ashtaroth  or 
 Melcom ;  that  ye  will  read  our  Scriptures,  if  we  will  listen 
 to  your  Traditions ;  that  if  ye  may  have  a  Mass  by  per- 
 mission, we  shall  have  a  Communion  with  good  leave  and 
 liking;  that  ye  will  admit  the  things  that  are  spoken  of 
 by  the  Apostles  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  if  your  Lord  and  Mas- 
 ter may  have  his  Ordinances  observed,  and  his  Statutes 
 kept.    Solomon  took  it  (as  he  well  might)  for  an  evident 
 proof,  that  she  did  not  bear  a  motherly  affection  to  her 
 child,  which  yielded  to  have  it  cut  in  divers  parts.  He 
 cannot  love  the  Lord  Jesus  with  his  heart,  which  lendeth 
 one  ear  to  his  Apostles,  and  another  to  false  Apostles ; 
 which  can  brook  to  see  a  mingle-mangle  of  Religion  and 
 Superstition,  Ministers  and  Massing-priests,  Light  and 
 Darkness,  Truth  and  Error,  Traditions  and  Scriptures. 
 No,  we  have  no  Lord  but  Jesus ;  no  Doctrine  but  the 
 Gospel;  no  Teachers  but  his  Apostles.    Were  it  reason  to 
 require  at  the  hand  of  an  English  subject,  obedience  to 
 the  Laws  and  Edicts  of  the  Spaniards  ?  I  do  marvel,  that 
 any  man,  bearing  the  name  of  a  servant  of  the  servants 
 of  Jesus  Christ,  will  go  about  to  draw  us  from  our  alle- 
 giance.   We  arc  his  sworn  subjects ;  it  is  not  lawful  for  us 
 VOL.  ii.  2  Q 
 
594 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 to  hear  the  things  that  are  not  told  us  by  his  Apostles. 
 They  have  told  as,  that  "  in  the  last  days  there  shall  be 
 mockers,"  therefore  we  believe  it;  "Credimus  quia  legi- 
 mus,"  We  are  so  persuaded,  because  we  read  it  must  be  so. 
 If  we  did  not  read  it,  we  would  not  teach  it :  "  Nam  quae 
 Libro  Legis  non  continentur,  ea  nec  nosse  decemus,"  saith 
 Hilary ;  Those  things  that  are  not  written  in  the  Book  of 
 the  Law,  we  ought  not  so  much  as  to  be  acquainted  with 
 them.    "  Remember  the  words  which  were  spoken  of  be- 
 fore by  the  Apostles  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
 "The"        ^ne  tn*r(*  tnmg to  De  considered  in  the  description  of 
 last     these  men,  of  whom  we  speak,  is  the  time  wherein  they 
 "me     should  be  manifested  to  the  world.    They  told  you  "  there 
 should  be  mockers  in  the  last  time."   Noah,  at  the  com- 
 mandment of  God,  built  an  ark,  and  there  were  in  it  beasts 
 of  all  sorts,  clean  and  unclean.   A  husbandman  planteth 
 a  vineyard,  and  looketh  for  grapes,  but  when  they  come 
 to  the  gathering,  behold,  together  with  grapes,  there  are 
 found  also  wild  grapes.    A  rich  man  prepareth  a  great 
 supper,  and  biddeth  many ;  but  when  he  sitteth  him  down, 
 he  findeth  amongst  his  friends  here  and  there  a  man  whom 
 he  knoweth  not.    This  hath  been  the  state  of  the  Church 
 sithence  the  beginning.  God  always  hath  mingled  his  Saints 
 with  faithless  and  godless  persons,  as  it  were  the  clean 
 with  the  unclean,  grapes  with  sour  grapes,  his  friends  and 
 children  with  aliens  and  strangers.    Marvel  not  then,  if  in 
 the  last  days  also,  ye  see  the  men  with  whom  you  live  and 
 walk  arm  in  arm,  laugh  at  your  Religion,  and  blaspheme 
 that  glorious  Name  whereof  you  are  called.   Thus  it  was 
 in  the  days  of  the  Patriarchs  and  Prophets,  and  are  we 
 better  than  our  Fathers?    Albeit  we  suppose  that  the 
 blessed  Apostles,  in  foreshewing  what  manner  of  men  were 
 set  out  for  the  last  days,  meant  to  note  a  calamity  special 
 and  peculiar  to  the  ages  and  generations  which  were  to 
 come.    As  if  he  should  have  said,  As  God  hath  appointed 
 a  time  of  seed  for  the  sower,  and  a  time  of  harvest  for  him 
 that  reapeth  ;  as  he  hath  given  unto  every  herb  and  every 
 tree  his  own  fruit  and  his  own  season,  not  the  season  nor 
 the  fruit  of  another  (for  no  man  looketh  to  gather  figs  in 
 the  winter,  because  the  summer  is  the  season  for  them ; 
 nor  grapes  of  thistles,  because  grapes  are  the  fruit  of  the 
 vine) :  so  the  same  God  hath  appointed  sundry  for  every 
 
UPON    PART  OF    ST.  JL'DE. 
 
 595 
 
 generation  of  men,  other  men  for  other  times,  and  for  the 
 last  times  the  worst  men,  as  may  appear  by  their  proper- 
 ties ;  which  is  the  fourth  point  to  be  considered  of  in  this 
 description. 
 
 9.  They  told  you  that  there  should  be  mockers :  he  Mock- 
 meaneth  men  that  shall  use  Religion  as  a  cloak,  to  put  off 
 and  on,  as  the  weather  serveth ;  such  as  shall,  with  Herod, 
 hear  the  preaching  of  John  Baptist  to-day,  and  to-morrow 
 condescend  to  have  him  beheaded ;  or  with  the  other 
 Herod,  say  they  will  worship  Christ,  when  they  purpose  a 
 massacre  in  their  hearts  ;  kiss  Christ  with  Judas,  and  be- 
 tray Christ  with  Judas  :  these  are  mockers.  For  Ishmael, 
 the  son  of  Hagar,  laughed  at  Isaac,  which  was  heir  of  the 
 promise  :  so  shall  these  men  laugh  at  you  as  the  maddest 
 people  under  the  sun,  if  ye  be  like  Moses,  choosing  rather 
 to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy 
 the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season ;  and  why  ?  God  hath 
 not  given  them  eyes  to  see,  nor  hearts  to  conceive,  that 
 exceeding  recompence  of  your  reward.  The  promises  of 
 salvation  made  to  you,  are  matters  wherein  they  can  take 
 no  pleasure,  even  as  Ishmael  took  no  pleasure  in  that  pro- 
 mise wherein  God  had  said  unto  Abraham,  "  In  Isaac  icen. 
 shall  thy  seed  be  called  ;"  because  the  promise  concerned  12 
 not  him,  but  Isaac.  They  are  termed  for  their  impiety 
 towards  God,  mockers ;  and  for  the  impurity  of  their  life 
 and  conversation,  "walkers  after  their  own  ungodly  lusts." 
 St.  Peter,  in  his  second  Epistle,  and  third  chapter,  sound- 
 eth  the  very  depth  of  their  impiety;  shewing  first,  how  they 
 shall  not  shame  at  the  length  to  profess  themselves  profane 
 and  irreligious,  by  flat  denying  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
 and  deriding  the  sweet  and  comfortable  promises  of  his 
 appearing.  Secondly,  that  they  shall  not  only  be  deriders 
 of  all  Religion,  but  also  disputers  against  God,  using  truth 
 to  subvert  the  truth ;  yea,  Scriptures  themselves  to  dis- 
 prove Scriptures.  Being  in  this  sort  mockers,  they  must 
 also  be  followers  of  their  own  ungodly  lusts.  Being 
 Atheists  in  persuasion,  can  they  choose  but  be  beasts  in 
 conversation  ?  For  why  remove  they  quite  from  them  the 
 fear  of  God  ?  Why  take  they  such  pains  to  abandon  and 
 put  out  from  their  hearts  all  sense,  all  taste,  all  feeling  of 
 Religion  ?  But  only  to  this  end  and  purpose,  that  they 
 may,  without  inward  remorse  and  grudging  of  conscience, 
 
 2  Q  2 
 
59G 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 trs 
 worse 
 than 
 
 Pagans 
 
 Mock-   give  over  themselves  to  all  uncleanness.    Surely,  the  state 
 of  these  men  is  more  lamentable  than  is  the  condition  of 
 Pagans  and  Turks.    For  at  the  bare  beholding  of  Heaven 
 and     and  earth  the  Infidel's  heart  by  and  by  doth  give  him, 
 * s'  that  there  is  an  eternal,  infinite,  immortal,  and  ever-living 
 God,  whose  hands  have  fashioned  and  framed  the  world  ; 
 he  knoweth  that  every  house  is  builded  of  some  man, 
 though  he  see  not  the  man  which  built  the  house ;  and  he 
 considereth  that  it  must  be  God  which  hath  built  and  cre- 
 ated all  things,  although  because  the  number  of  his  days  be 
 few,  he  could  not  see  when  God  disposed  his  works  of  old  ; 
 when  he  caused  the  light  of  his  clouds  first  to  shine,  when 
 he  laid  the  corner-stone  of  the  earth,  and  swaddled  it  with 
 bands  of  water  and  darkness,  when  he  caused  the  morning 
 star  to  know  his  place,  and  made  bars  and  doors  to  shut 
 x«b»iii.  UP  tne  sea  within  his  house,  saying,  "  Hitherto  shalt  thou 
 "1     come,  but  no  further."    He  hath  no  eye-witness  of  these 
 things ;  yet  the  light  of  natural  Reason  hath  put  this  wis- 
 dom in  his  reins,  and  hath  given  his  heart  thus  much  un- 
 derstanding.   Bring  a  Pagan  to  the  schools  of  the  Pro- 
 phets of  God  ;  prophesy  to  an  Infidel,  rebuke  him,  lay  the 
 judgments  of  God  before  him,  make  the  secret  sins  of  his 
 heart  manifest,  and  he  shall  fall  down  and  worship  God. 
 They  that  crucified  the  Lord  of  Glory,  were  not  so  far  past 
 recovery,  but  that  the  preaching  of  the  Apostles  was  able 
 [Acts    to  move  their  hearts,  and  to  bring  them  to  this,  "  Men  and 
 «.  37.]  Drethren,  what  shall  we  do  ?"    Agrippa,  that  sate  in  judg- 
 ment against  Paul  for  preaching,  yielded  notwithstanding 
 [Acts    thus  far  unto  him,  "  Almost  thou  persuadest  me  to  become 
 xxvi.28.]  a  Christian."   Although  the  Jews,  for  want  of  knowledge, 
 have  not  submitted  themselves  to  the  righteousness  of 
 [XR°™'   God  5  Yet  "  I  bear  them  record  (saith  the  Apostle),  that 
 they  have  a  zeal."    The  Athenians,  a  people  having 
 neither  zeal  nor  knowledge,  yet  of  them  also  the  same 
 xvu  22  ^Postie  heareth  witness,  "  Ye  men  of  Athens,  I  perceive 
 ye  are  ^Eim^aifjioviaTspoi,  some  way  religious ;"  but  mockers, 
 walking  after  their  own  ungodly  lusts,  they  have  smothered 
 every  spark  of  that  heavenly  light,  they  have  trifled  away 
 their  very  natural  understanding.    O  Lord,  thy  mercy  is 
 over  all  thy  works,  thou  savest  man  and  beast!  yet  a 
 happy  case  it  had  been  for  these  men,  if  they  had  never 
 been  born  ;  and  so  I  leave  them. 
 
UPON    PART   OK    ST.  JUDE. 
 
 597 
 
 10.  St.  Jude  having  his  mind  exercised  in  the  doctrine  of 
 
 the  Apostles  of  Jesus  Christ,  concerning  things  to  come  in  Pienset 
 the  last  time,  became  a  man  of  wise  and  staid  judgment,  j^u. 
 Grieved  he  was  to  see  the  departure  of  many,  and  their 
 falling  away  from  the  Faith  which  before  they  did  profess; 
 grieved,  but  not  dismayed.  With  the  simpler  and  weaker 
 sort  it  was  otherwise :  their  countenance  began  by  and  by 
 to  change,  they  were  half  in  doubt  they  had  deceived 
 themselves  in  giving  credit  to  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 St.  Jude,  to  comfort  and  refresh  these  silly  babes,  taketh 
 them  up  in  his  arms,  and  sheweth  them  the  men  at  whom 
 they  were  offended.  Look  upon  them  that  forsake  this 
 blessed  profession  wherein  you  stand  :  they  are  now  before 
 your  eyes ;  view  them,  mark  them,  are  they  not  carnal  ? 
 are  they  not  like  to  noisome  carrion  cast  out  upon  the 
 earth  ?  is  there  that  Spirit  in  them  which  crieth,  "  Abba, 
 Father,"  in  your  bosoms?  Why  should  any  man  be  discom- 
 forted ?  Have  you  not  heard  that  there  should  be  "  mockers 
 in  the  last  time  ?"  These  verily  are  they  that  now  do 
 separate  themselves. 
 
 11.  For  your  better  understanding  what  this  severing 
 and  separating  of  themselves  doth  mean,  we  must  know 
 that  the  multitude  of  them  which  truly  believe  (howsoever 
 they  be  dispersed  far  and  wide,  each  from  other)  is  all  one 
 Body,  whereof  the  Head  is  Christ ;  one  building,  whereof 
 he  is  corner-stone,  in  whom  they,  as  the  members  of  the 
 body,  being  knit,  and  as  the  stones  of  the  building,  being- 
 coupled,  grow  up  to  a  man  of  perfect  stature,  and  rise  to 
 an  holy  Temple  in  the  Lord.  That  which  linketh  Christ  to 
 us  is  his  mere  mercy  and  love  towards  us.  That  which 
 tieth  us  to  him,  is  our  Faith  in  the  promised  salvation  re- 
 vealed in  the  word  of  truth.  That  which  uniteth  and  join- 
 eth  us  amongst  ourselves,  in  such  sort  that  we  are  now  as 
 if  we  had  but  one  heart  and  one  soul,  is  our  love.  Who  be 
 inwardly  in  heart  the  lively  members  of  this  Body,  and  the 
 polished  stones  of  this  building,  coupled  and  joined  to 
 Christ,  as  flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  bones  of  his  bones,  by  the 
 mutual  bonds  of  his  unspeakable  love  towards  them,  and 
 their  unfeigned  faith  in  him,  thus  linked  and  fastened  each 
 to  other,  by  a  spiritual,  sincere,  and  hearty  affection  of 
 love,  without  any  manner  of  simulation ;  who  be  Jews 
 within,  and  what  their  names  be :  none  can  tell,  save  he 
 
598 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 •whose  eyes  do  behold  the  secret  dispositions  of  all  men's 
 hearts.    We,  whose  eyes  are  too  dim  to  behold  the  inward 
 man,  must  leave  the  secret  judgment  of  every  servant  to 
 his  own  Lord,  accounting  and  using  all  men  as  brethren, 
 both  near  and  dear  unto  us,  supposing  Christ  to  love  them 
 tenderly,  so  as  they  keep  the  profession  of  the  Gospel, 
 and  join  in  the  outward  Communion  of  Saints.  Whereof 
 the  one  doth  warrantize  unto  us  their  Faith,  the  other  their 
 Love,  till  they  fall  away,  and  forsake  either  the  one,  or  the 
 other,  or  both  ;  and  then  it  is  no  injury  to  term  them  as 
 they  are.    When  they  separate  themselves,  they  are  avro- 
 KaraKpiToi,  not  judged  by  us,  but  by  their  own  doings. 
 Three-  Men  do  separate  themselves  either  by  Heresy,  Schism,  or 
 fs°epdara-  Apostacy.    If  they  lose  the  bond  of  Faith,  which  then 
 tion.     jjjgy  are  justly  supposed  to  do  when  they  frowardly  op- 
 pugn any  principal  point  of  Christian  Doctrine,  this  is  to 
 i.  Here-  separate  themselves  by  Heresy.    If  they  break  the  bond 
 *'  *      of  unity,  whereby  the  Body  of  the  Church  is  coupled  and 
 knit  in  one,  as  they  do  which  wilfully  forsake  all  external 
 Communion  with  Saints  in  holy  exercises,  purely  and 
 orderly  established  in  the  Church,  this  is  to  separate  them- 
 2.  schism,  selves  by  Schism.    If  they  willingly  cast  off,  and  utterly 
 forsake  both  profession  of  Christ  and  Communion  with 
 Christians,  taking  their  leave  of  all  Religion,  this  is  to  se- 
 s.  Apos-  parate  themselves  by  plain  Apostacy.    And  St.  Jude,  to 
 tacy'     express  the  manner  of  their  departure  which  by  Apostacy 
 fell  away  from  the  Faith  of  Christ,  saith,  "They  separated 
 themselves  ;"  noting  thereby,  that  it  was  not  constraint  of 
 others,  which  forced  them  to  depart ;  it  was  not  infirmity 
 and  weakness  in  themselves ;  it  was  not  fear  of  persecution 
 to  come  upon  them,  whereat  their  hearts  did  fail ;  it  was 
 not  grief  of  torments,  whereof  they  had  tasted,  and  were 
 not  able  any  longer  to  endure  them :  no,  they  voluntarily 
 did  separate  themselves  with  a  fully-settled  and  altogether- 
 determined  purpose,  never  to  name  the  Lord  Jesus  any 
 more,  nor  to  have  any  fellowship  with  his  Saints,  but  to 
 bend  all  their  counsel,  and  all  their  strength,  to  raze  out 
 their  memorial  from  amongst  them. 
 
 12.  Now,  because  that  by  such  examples,  not  only  the 
 hearts  of  Infidels  were  hardened  against  the  truth,  but  the 
 minds  of  weak  brethren  also  much  troubled,  the  Holy 
 Ghost  hath  given  sentence  of  these  backsliders,  that  tbev 
 
UPON    PART   OF   ST.  JUOE. 
 
 599 
 
 were  carnal  men,  and  had  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  Jesus, 
 lest  any  man  having  an  over-weening  of  their  persons  should 
 be  over-much  amazed  and  offended  at  their  fall.  For  sim- 
 ple men,  not!  able  to  discern  their  spirits,  were  brought  by 
 their  Apostacy  thus  to  reason  with  themselves:  If  Christ 
 be  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  if  he  have  the  words  of  eternal 
 Life,  if  he  be  able  to  bring  salvation  to  all  men  that  come 
 unto  him,  what  meaneth  this  Apostacy  and  unconstrained 
 departure  ?  Why  do  his  servants  so  willingly  forsake  him? 
 Babes,  be  not  deceived,  his  servants  forsake  him  not. 
 They  that  separate  themselves  were  amongst  his  servants, 
 but  if  they  had  been  of  his  servants,  they  had  not  sepa- 
 rated themselves.    ".  They  were  amongst  us,  not  of  us,"  *°efa^i; 
 saith  St.  John ;  and  St.  Jude  proveth  it,  because  they  were  aence 
 carnal,  and  had  not  the  Spirit.    Will  you  judge  of  wheat  faithful, 
 by  chaff,  which  the  wind  hath  scattered  from  amongst  it  ?  ^  are 
 Have  the  children  no  bread,  because  the  dogs  have  not  God-B 
 tasted  it  ?    Are  Christians  deceived  of  that  salvation  they  [i  johT 
 look  for,  because  they  were  denied  the  joys  of  the  life  to  191 
 come  which  were  no  Christians  ?    What  if  they  seemed 
 to  be  pillars  and  principal  upholders  of  our  Faith  ?  What 
 is  that  to  us,  which  know  that  Angels  have  fallen  from 
 Heaven  ?    Although  if  these  men  had  been  of  us  indeed 
 (O  the  blessedness  of  a  Christian  man's  estate!),  they  had 
 stood  surer  than  the  Angels  that  had  never  departed  from 
 their  place  :  whereas  now  we  marvel  not  at  their  departure 
 at  all,  neither  are  we  prejudiced  by  their  falling  away ; 
 because  they  were  not  of  us,  sith  they  are  fleshly,  and 
 have  not  the  Spirit.    Children  abide  in  the  house  for  ever ; 
 they  are  bondmen  and  bondwomen  which  are  cast  out. 
 
 13.  It  behoveth  you  therefore  greatly,  every  man  to  ex- 
 amine his  own  estate,  and  try  whether  you  be  bond  or  free, 
 children  or  no  children.  I  have  told  you  already,  that  we 
 must  beware  we  presume  not  to  sit  as  gods  in  judgment 
 upon  others,  and  rashly,  as  our  conceit  and  fancy  doth 
 lead  us,  so  to  determine  of  this  man,  he  is  sincere,  or  of 
 that  man,  he  is  an  hypocrite ;  except  by  their  falling  away 
 they  make  it  manifest  and  known  that  they  are.  For  who 
 art  thou  that  takest  upon  thee  to  judge  another  before  the 
 time  ?  Judge  thyself.  God  hath  left  us  infallible  evidence, 
 whereby  we  may  at  any  time  give  true  and  righteous  sen- 
 tence upon  ourselves.    We  cannot  examine  the  hearts  of 
 
600 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 [i  joim  other  men,  \vc  may  our  own.    "  That  we  have  passed  from 
 '"• 14"  death  to  life,  we  know  it  (saith  St.  John),  because  we  love 
 [2  cor.  the  brethren:"  and  "Know  ye  not  your  ownselves,  how 
 xiii,5,]  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in  you,  except  you  be  reprobates'?" 
 I  trust,  beloved,  we  know  that  we  are  not  reprobates,  be- 
 cause our  spirit  doth  bear  us  record,  that  the  Faith  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  in  us. 
 
 14.  It  is  as  easy  a  matter  for  the  Spirit  within  you  to 
 tell  whose  ye  are,  as  for  the  eyes  of  your  body  to  judge 
 where  you  sit,  or  in  what  place  you  stand.    For  what 
 coios.  i.  saith  the  Scripture  ?    "  Ye  which  were  in  times  past 
 
 2ji  x  t 
 
 strangers  and  enemies,  because  your  minds  were  set  on 
 evil  works,  Christ  hath  now  reconciled  in  the  body  of  his 
 flesh,  through  death,  to  make  you  holy  and  unblameable, 
 and  without  fault  in  his  sight ;  if  you  continue  grounded 
 and  established  in  the  Faith,  and  be  not  moved  away  from 
 the  hope  of  the  Gospel :"  and  in  the  third  to  the  Colos- 
 
 ver.  24.  sians,  "  Ye  know,  that  of  the  Lord  ye  shall  receive  the 
 reward  of  that  inheritance ;  for  ye  serve  the  Lord  Christ." 
 If  we  can  make  this  account  with  ourselves  :  I  was  in 
 times  past  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  I  walked  after 
 the  Prince  that  ruleth  in  the  air,  and  after  the  Spirit  that 
 worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience ;  but  God,  who  is 
 rich  in  mercy,  through  his  great  love,  wherewith  he  loved 
 me,  even  when  I  was  dead,  hath  quickened  me  in  Christ. 
 I  was  fierce,  heady,  proud,  high-minded ;  but  God  hath 
 made  me  like  the  child  that  is  newly  weaned.  I  loved  plea- 
 sures more  than  God,  I  followed  greedily  the  joys  of  this 
 present  world ;  I  esteemed  him  that  erected  a  stage  or 
 theatre,  more  than  Solomon,  which  built  a  Temple  to 
 the  Lord ;  the  harp,  viol,  timbrel,  and  pipe,  men-singers 
 and  women-singers,  were  at  my  feast;  it  was  my  feli- 
 city to  see  my  children  dance  before  me;  I  said  of  every 
 kind  of  vanity,  0  how  sweet  art  thou  in  my  soul !  All 
 which  things  now  are  crucified  to  me,  and  I  to  them :  now 
 
 [Vsai.  I  hate  the  pride  of  life,  and  pomp  of  this  world ;  now  "I  take 
 as  great  delight  in  the  way  of  thy  testimonies,  O  Lord,  as  in 
 all  riches ;"  now  I  find  more  joy  of  heart  in  my  Lord  and 
 Saviour,  than  the  worldly-minded  man,  when  "  his  wheat 
 and  oil  do  much  abound ;"  now  I  taste  nothing  sweet  but 
 
 [John    the  "  bread  which  came  down  from  Heaven,  to  give  life 
 
 v..  S3.]  unto  tjje  wori<]  j"  novv  mine  eyes  see  nothing  but  Jesus 
 
UPON   PART  OF   ST.  JUDE. 
 
 601 
 
 rising  from  the  dead  ;  now  my  ears  refuse  all  kind  of  me- 
 lody, to  hear  the  song  of  them  that  have  gotten  victory  of 
 the  Beast,  and  of  his  image,  and  of  his  mark,  and  of  the 
 number  of  his  name,  that  stand  on  the  sea  of  glass,  "  hav-  [Rev. 
 ing  the  harps  of  God,  and  singing  the  Song  of  Moses  the  xv-2-3-J 
 servant  of  God,  and  the  Song  of  the  Lamb,  saying,  Great 
 and  marvellous  are  thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty,  just 
 and  true  are  thy  ways,  O  King  of  Saints."    Surely,  if  the 
 Spirit  have  been  thus  effectual  in  the  secret  work  of  our 
 regeneration  unto  newness  of  life;  if  we  endeavour  thus  to 
 frame  ourselves  anew :  then  we  may  say  boldly  with  the 
 blessed  Apostle,  in  the  tenth  to  the  Hebrews,  "We  are  not  [ver.39] 
 of  them  which  withdraw  ourselves  to  perdition,  but  which 
 follow  Faith  to  the  conservation  of  the  soul."    For  they 
 which  fall  away  from  the  Grace  of  God,  and  separate 
 themselves  unto  perdition,  they  are  fleshly  and  carnal, 
 they  have  not  God's  Holy  Spirit.  But  unto  you,  "because  ( 
 ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  6.] 
 your  hearts,"  to  the  end  ye  might  know  that  Christ  hath 
 built  you  upon  a  rock  unmoveable ;  that  he  hath  registered 
 your  names  in  the  Book  of  Life ;  that  he  hath  bound  him- 
 self in  a  sure  and  everlasting  covenant  to  be  your  God,  and 
 the  God  of  your  children  after  you ;  that  he  hath  suffered 
 as  much,  groaned  as  oft,  prayed  as  heartily,  for  you,  as  for 
 Peter,  "  O  Father,  keep  them  in  thy  name  ;  O  righteous  [John 
 Father,  the  world  hath  not  known  thee,  but  I  have  known  xvii- 
 thee,  and  these  have  known  that  thou  hast  sent  me.  I  have  25'e  1 
 declared  thy  name  unto  them,  and  will  declare  it,  that  the 
 love  wherewith  thou  hast  loved  them,  may  be  in  me,  and  I 
 in  them."    The  Lord  of  his  infinite  mercy  give  us  hearts 
 plentifully  fraught  with  the  treasure  of  this  blessed  assur- 
 ance of  Faith  unto  the  end ! 
 
 15.  Here  I  must  advertise  all  men  that  have  the  testi-  The 
 mony  of  God's  holy  fear  within  their  breasts  to  consider,  f^sp^,s 
 how  unkindly  and  injuriously  our  own  countrymen  and  ""use 
 brethren  have  dealt  with  us  by  the  space  of  twenty-four  H*iLy 
 years,  from  time  to  time,  as  if  we  were  the  men  of  whom  *npdos 
 St.  J ude  here  speaketh,  never  ceasing  to  charge  us,  some  ta<=y- 
 with  Schism,  some  with  Heresy,  some  with  plain  and  ma- 
 nifest Apostacy,  as  if  we  had  clean  separated  ourselves 
 from  Christ,  utterly  forsaken  God,  quite  abjured  Heaven, 
 and  trampled  all  Truth  and  Religion  under  our  feet. 
 
602 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 Against  this  third  sort,  God  himself  shall  plead  our  cause 
 in  that  day,  when  they  shall  answer  us  for  these  words, 
 not  we  them.  To  others,  by  whom  we  are  accused  for 
 Schism  and  Heresy,  we  have  often  made  our  reasonable 
 
 Acts  and,  in  the  sight  of  God,  I  trust,  allowable  answers.  "  For 
 in  the  way  which  they  call  Heresy,  we  worship  the  God  of 
 our  Fathers,  believing  all  things  which  are  written  in  the 
 Law  and  the  Prophets."  That  which  they  call  Schism,  we 
 know  to  be  our  reasonable  service  unto  God,  and  obedi- 
 
 Rev-  ence  to  his  voice,  which  crieth  shrill  in  our  ears,  *'  Go  out 
 of  Babylon,  my  people,  that  you  be  not  partakers  of  her 
 sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues."  And  there- 
 fore, when  they  rise  up  against  us,  having  no  quarrel  but 
 this,  we  need  not  seek  any  further  for  our  apology,  than 
 
 2Chroa.  the  words  of  Abiah  to  Jeroboam  and  his  army.  "  O  Jero- 
 boam and  Israel,  hear  you  me :  ought  you  not  to  know, 
 that  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  hath  given  the  Kingdom  over 
 Israel  to  David  for  ever,  even  to  him,  and  to  his  sons,  by 
 a  Covenant  of  Salt?"  that  is  to  say,  an  everlasting  Cove- 
 nant. Jesuits  and  Papists,  hear  ye  me :  ought  you  not  to 
 know  that  the  Father  hath  given  all  power  unto  the  Son, 
 and  hath  made  him  the  only  Head  over  his  Church, 
 wherein  he  dwelleth  as  a  husbandman  in  the  midst  of  his 
 vineyard,  manuring  it  with  the  sweat  of  his  own  brows,  not 
 letting  it  forth  to  others  ?    For,  as  it  is  in  the  Canticles, 
 
 vituii.  ''Solomon  had  a  vineyard  in  Baalhamon,  he  gave  the 
 vineyard  unto  keepers,  every  one  bringing  for  the  fruit 
 thereof  a  thousand  pieces  of  silver ;"  but  my  Vineyard, 
 which  is  mine,  is  before  me,  saith  Christ.  It  is  true,  this  is 
 meant  of  the  mystical  Head  set  over  the  Body,  which  is  not 
 seen.  But  as  he  hath  reserved  the  mystical  administration 
 of  the  Church  invisible  to  himself ;  so  he  hath  committed 
 the  mystical  government  of  congregations  visible  to  the 
 sons  of  David,  by  the  same  Covenant;  whose  sons  they  are 
 in  the  governing  of  the  flock  of  Christ,  whomsoever  the 
 Holy  Ghost  hath  set  over  them,  to  go  before  them,  and  to 
 lead  them  in  several  pastures,  one  in  this  congregation, 
 
 Acts     another  in  that;  as  it  is  written,  "Take  heed  unto  your- 
 
 ™"  '  selves,  and  to  all  the  flock  whereof  the  Holy  Ghost  hath 
 made  you  overseers,  to  feed  the  Church  of  God,  which  he 
 
 The     hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood."   Neither  will  ever 
 
 pope  s  any  Pope  or  Papist  under  the  cope  of  Heaven  be  able  to 
 
UPON  PART  OF  ST.  JUDE. 
 
 603 
 
 prove  the  Romish  Bishop's  usurped  Supremacy  over  all  usurped 
 Churches  by  any  one  word  of  the  Covenant  of  Salt,  which 
 is  the  Scripture.    For  the  children  in  our  streets  do  now 
 laugh  them  to  scorn,  when  they  force,  "Thou  art  Peter,"  to 
 this  purpose.    The  Pope  hath  no  more  reason  to  draw  the 
 Charter  of  his  universal  Authority  from  hence,  than  his  bre- 
 thren had  to  gather  by  the  words  of  Christ  in  the  last  of 
 St.  John,  that  the  Disciple  which  Jesus  loved  should  not 
 die.    "  If  I  will  that  he  tarry  till  I  come,  what  is  that  to  iJo}* 
 thee  ?"  saith  Christ.    ie  Straightways  a  report  was  raised  22, 23.] 
 amongst  the  brethren,  that  this  Disciple  should  not  die. 
 Yet  Jesus  said  not  unto  him,  He  shall  not  die ;  but  if  I 
 will  that  he  tarry  till  I  come,  what  is  that  to  thee  V  Christ 
 hath  said  in  the  sixteenth  of  St.  Matthew's  Gospel  to  Si- 
 mon the  son  of  Jonas,  "  I  say  to  thee,  Thou  art  Peter."  Matt. 
 Hence  an  opinion  is  held  in  the  world,  that  the  Pope  is  *V1* 18" 
 universal  Head  of  all  Churches.   Yet  Jesus  said  not,  The 
 Pope  is  universal  Head  of  all  Churches;  but,  "Tu  es  Pe- 
 trus,"  Thou  art  Peter.    Howbeit,  as  Jeroboam,  the  son  of 
 Nebat,  the  servant  of  Solomon,  rose  up  and  rebelled 
 against  his  Lord,  and  there  were  gathered  unto  him  vain 
 men  and  wicked,  which  made  themselves  strong  against 
 Roboam,  the  son  of  Solomon,  because  Roboam  was  but  a 
 child,  and  tender-hearted,  and  could  not  resist  them ;  so 
 the  Son  of  Perdition  and  Man  of  Sin,  (being  not  able  to 
 brook  the  words  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
 which  forbade  his  Disciples  to  be  like  Princes  of  Nations, 
 "  They  bear  rule  that  are  called  gracious,  it  shall  not  be  [Luke 
 so  with  you,")  hath  risen  up  and  rebelled  against  his  ""26] 
 Lord  ;  and,  to  strengthen  his  arm,  he  hath  crept  into  the 
 houses  almost  of  all  the  noblest  families  round  about  him, 
 and  taken  their  children  from  the  cradle  to  be  his  Cardi- 
 nals 5*  he  hath  fawned  upon  the  Kings  and  Princes  of  the 
 earth,  and  by  spiritual  cozenage  hath  made  them  sell  their 
 lawful  authority  and  jurisdiction  for  titles  of  Catholicus, 
 Christianissimus,  Defensor  Fidei,  and  such  like ;  he  hath 
 proclaimed  sale  of  pardons  to  inveigle  the  ignorant ;  built 
 seminaries  to  allure  young  men  desirous  of  learning; 
 erected  stews  to  gather  the  dissolute  unto  him.   This  is 
 the  rock  whereupon  his  Church  is  built.    Hereby  the  man 
 
 *  Cone,  delect.  Card.  Laud.  SuriuB  Com.  de  reb.  gest.  a  Pio  V.  Francisc.  San- 
 sovin.  de  gubem.  Rerum  pub.  1.  xi.  cap.  de  Jud.  Marescal.  et  Sold. 
 
604 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 is  grown  huge  and  strong,  like  the  cedars  which  are  not 
 shaken  with  the  wind,  because  Princes  have  been  as  chil- 
 dren, over- tender-hearted,  and  could  not  resist. 
 
 Hereby  it  is  come  to  pass,  as  you  see  this  day,  that  the 
 Man  of  Sin  doth  war  against  us,  and  not  by  men  of  a  lan- 
 guage which  we  cannot  understand,  but  he  cometh  as  Je- 
 roboam against  Judah,  and  bringeth  the  fruit  of  our  own 
 bodies  to  eat  us  up,  that  the  bowels  of  the  child  may  be 
 made  the  mother's  grave ;  and  hath  caused  no  small  num- 
 ber of  our  brethren  to  forsake  their  native  country,  and 
 with  all  disloyalty  to  cast  off  the  yoke  of  their  allegiance 
 to  our  dread  Sovereign,  whom  God  in  mercy  hath  set  over 
 them ;  for  whose  safeguard,  if  they  carried  not  the  hearts 
 of  tigers  in  the  bosoms  of  men,  they  would  think  the  dear- 
 est blood  in  their  bodies  well  spent.  But  now,  saith  Abiah 
 to  Jeroboam,  Ye  think  ye  be  able  to  resist  the  Kingdom  of 
 the  Lord,  which  is  in  the  hands  of  the  sons  of  David.  Ye 
 be  a  great  multitude,  the  golden  calves  are  with  you,  which 
 Jeroboam  made  you  for  gods  :  have  ye  not  driven  away 
 the  Priests  of  the  Lord,  the  sons  of  Aaron,  and  the  Levites, 
 and  have  made  you  Priests  like  the  people  of  nations  ? 
 whosoever  cometh  with  a  young  bullock  and  seven  rams, 
 the  same  may  be  a  Priest  of  them  that  are  no  gods.  If  I 
 should  follow  the  comparison,  and  here  uncover  the  cup 
 of  those  deadly  and  ugly  abominations,  wherewith  this  Je- 
 roboam, of  whom  we  speak,  hath  made  the  earth  so  drunk 
 that  it  hath  reeled  under  us,  I  know  your  godly  hearts 
 would  loath  to  see  them.  For  my  own  part,  I  delight  not 
 to  rake  in  such  filth,  I  hadrather  take  a  garment  upon  my 
 shoulders,  and  go  with  my  face  from  them  to  cover  them. 
 The  Lord  open  their  eyes,  and  cause  them,  if  it  be  possi- 
 ble, at  the  length  to  see  how  they  are  wretched,  and  mi- 
 serable, and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked.  Put  it,  O  Lord, 
 in  their  hearts  to  seek  white  raiment,  and  to  cover  them- 
 selves, that  their  filthy  nakedness  may  no  longer  appear. 
 For,  beloved  in  Christ,  we  bow  our  knees,  and  lift  up  our 
 hands  to  Heaven  in  our  chambers  secretly,  and  openly  in 
 our  Churches  we  pray  heartily  and  hourly,  even  for  them 
 also :  though  the  Pope  hath  given  out,  as  a  Judge,  in  a  so- 
 lemn declaratory  sentence  of  Excommunication  against 
 this  Land,  that  our  gracious  Lady  hath  quite  abolished 
 Prayer  within  her  Realm ;  and  his  Scholars,  whom  he  hath 
 
UPON   PAltT  OF   ST.  JUDE. 
 
 605 
 
 taken  from  the  midst  of  us,  have  in  their  published  writ- 
 ings charged  us,  not  only  not  to  have  any  Holy  Assemblies 
 unto  the  Lord  for  Prayer,  but  to  hold  a  common  School  of 
 sin  and  flattery  ;  to  hold  sacrilege  to  be  God's  service  ;  un- 
 faithfulness, and  breach  of  promise  to  God,  to  give  it  to  a 
 strumpet,  to  be  a  virtue ;  to  abandon  Fasting ;  to  abhor 
 Confession ;  to  mislike  with  Penance ;  to  like  well  of  usury ; 
 to  charge  none  with  restitution ;  to  find  no  good  before 
 God  in  single  life,  nor  in  no  well- working ;  that  all  men,  as 
 they  fall  to  us,  are  much  worse,  and  more  than  afore,  cor- 
 rupted. I  do  not  add  one  word  or  syllable  unto  that 
 which  Mr.  Bristow,  a  man  both  born  and  sworn  amongst 
 us,  hath  taught  his  hand  to  deliver  to  the  view  of  all.  I 
 appeal  to  the  conscience  of  every  soul,  that  hath  been 
 truly  converted  by  us,  whether  his  heart  were  never  raised 
 up  to  God  by  our  preaching;  whether  the  words  of  our  ex- 
 hortation never  wrung  any  tear  of  a  penitent  heart  from 
 his  eyes ;  whether  his  soul  never  reaped  any  joy  and  com- 
 fort, any  consolation  in  Christ  Jesus  by  our  Sacraments, 
 and  Prayers,  and  Psalms,  and  Thanksgiving ;  whether  he 
 were  never  bettered,  but  always  worse  by  us. 
 
 O  merciful  God  !  if  Heaven  and  earth  in  this  case  do 
 not  witness  with  us,  and  against  them,  let  us  be  razed  out 
 from  the  land  of  the  living !  Let  the  earth  on  which  we 
 stand,  swallow  us  quick,  as  it  hath  done  Corah,  Dathan, 
 and  Abiram  !  But  if  we  belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God,  and  8Ch«»- 
 have  not  forsaken  him ;  if  our  Priests,  the  Sons  of  Aaron,  io"n. 
 minister  unto  the  Lord,  and  the  Levites  in  their  Office  ;  if 
 we  offer  unto  the  Lord  every  morning  and  every  evening 
 the  burnt-offerings  and  sweet  incense  of  Prayers  and 
 Thanksgiving  ;  if  the  bread  be  set  in  order  upon  the  pure 
 table,  and  the  candlestick  of  gold,  with  the  lamps  thereof, 
 burn  every  morning ;  that  is  to  say,  if  amongst  us  God's 
 blessed  Sacraments  be  duly  administered,  his  Holy  Word 
 sincerely  and  daily  preached  ;  if  we  keep  the  watch  of  the 
 Lord  our  God,  and  if  ye  have  forsaken  him  :  then  doubt  ye 
 not,  this  God  is  with  us  as  a  Captain,  his  Priests  with  sound- 
 ing trumpets  must  cry  alarm  against  you;  "  O  ye  children  v*r.  it. 
 of  Israel,  fight  not  against  the  Lord  God  of  your  Fathers, 
 for  ye  shall  not  prosper." 
 
SERMON  II. 
 
 But  ye,  beloved,  remember  the  words  which  were  spoken  befoie  of  the  Apostles  of 
 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  j 
 How  that  they  told  you,  that  there  should  be  mockers  in  the  last  time,  which 
 
 should  walk  after  their  own  ungodly  lusts. 
 These  are  makers  of  sects,  fleshly,  having  not  the  Spirit. 
 
 But  ye,  beloved,  edify  yourselves  in  your  most  holy  Faith,  praying  in  the  Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 And  keep  yourselves  in  the  love  of  God,  looking  for  the  mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ,  unto  eternal  life. — Jude  17 — 21. 
 
 1.  Having  otherwhere  spoken  of  the  words  of  St.  Jude, 
 going  next  before,  concerning  mockers  which  should  come 
 in  the  last  time,  and  backsliders  which  even  then  should 
 fall  away  from  the  Faith  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesas 
 Christ;  I  am  now,  by  the  aid  of  Almighty  God,  and 
 through  the  assistance  of  his  good  Spirit,  to  lay  before  you 
 the  words  of  exhortation  which  I  have  read. 
 
 2.  Wherein,  first  of  all,  whosoever  hath  an  eye  to  see  let 
 him  open  it,  and  he  shall  well  perceive  how  careful  the  Lord 
 is  for  his  children,  how  desirous  to  see  them  profit  and 
 grow  up  to  a  manly  stature  in  Christ,  how  loth  to  have  them 
 any  way  misled  either  by  the  examples  of  the  wicked,  or  by 
 inticements  of  the  world,  and  by  provocation  of  the  flesh,  or 
 by  any  other  means  forcible  to  deceive  them,  and  likely  to 
 estrange  their  hearts  from  God.    For  God  is  not  at  that 
 point  with  us,  that  he  careth  not  whether  we  sink  or  swim. 
 No,  he  hath  written  our  names  in  the  palm  of  his  hand,  in 
 the  signet  upon  his  finger  are  we  graven ;  in  sentences  not 
 only  of  mercy,  but  of  judgment  also,  are  we  remembered  ; 
 he  never  denounceth  judgments  against  the  wicked,  but  he 
 maketh  some  proviso  for  his  children,  as  it  were  for  some 
 c?ai5   Priy^eSed  persons ;  "  Touch  not  mine  anointed,  do  my 
 Rev.    Prophets  no  harm :  Hurt  not  the  earth,  nor  the  sea,  nor 
 v"'3']  the  trees,  till  we  have  sealed  the  servants  of  God  in  their 
 foreheads."    He  never  speaketh  of  godless  men,  but  he 
 adjoineth  words  of  comfort,  or  admonition,  or  exhortation, 
 whereby  we  are  moved  to  rest  and  settle  our  hearts  on  him. 
 Tver.  is.  In  the  second  to  Timothy,  the  third  chapter,  "  Evil  men 
 **'      (saith  the  Apostle)  and  deceivers,  shall  wax  worse  and 
 
UPON   PART  OF  ST. 
 
 JUDE. 
 
 607 
 
 worse,  deceiving  and  being  deceived.  But  continue  thou 
 in  the  things  which  thou  hast  learned."  And  in  the  first  to 
 Timothy,  the  sixth  chapter,  "  Some  men  lusting  after  [»«•  10, 
 money,  have  erred  from  the  Faith,  and  pierced  themselves  u" 
 through  with  many  sorrows :  but  thou,  O  man  of  God,  fly 
 these  things,  and  follow  after  righteousness,  godliness, 
 faith,  love,  patience,  meekness."  In  the  second  to  the 
 Thessalonians,  the  second  chapter,  "  They  have  not  re- 
 ceived  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might  be  saved ; 
 God  shall  send  them  strong  delusions  that  they  may  be- 
 lieve lies.  But  we  ought  to  give  thanks  alway  to  God  for 
 you,  brethren,  beloved  of  the  Lord,  because  God  hath  from 
 the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salvation,  through  Sanctifi- 
 cation  of  the  Spirit,  and  Faith  in  the  truth."  And  in  this 
 Epistle  of  St.  Jude,  *<  There  shall  come  mockers  in  the 
 last  times,  walking  after  their  own  ungodly  lusts.  But, 
 beloved,  edify  ye  yourselves  in  your  most  holy  Faith." 
 
 3.  These  sweet  exhortations,  which  God  putteth  every 
 where  in  the  mouths  of  the  Prophets  and  Apostles  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  are  evident  tokens  that  God  sitteth  not  in  Heaven 
 careless  and  unmindful  of  our  estate.  Can  a  mother  for- 
 get her  child  1  Surely  a  mother  will  hardly  forget  her 
 child.  But  if  a  mother  be  haply  found  unnatural,  and  do 
 forget  the  fruit  of  her  own  womb ;  yet  God's  judgments 
 shew  plainly  that  he  cannot  forget  the  man  whose  heart  he 
 hath  framed  and  fashioned  anew  in  simplicity  and  truth  to 
 serve  and  fear  him.  For  when  the  wickedness  of  man  was 
 so  great,  and  the  earth  so  filled  with  cruelties,  that  it  could 
 not  stand  with  the  righteousness  of  God  any  longer  to  for- 
 bear, wrathful  sentences  brake  out  from  him,  like  wine  from 
 a  vessel  that  hath  no  vent:  "  My  Spirit  (saith  he)  can 
 struggle  and  strive  no  longer ;  an  end  of  all  flesh  is  come 
 before  me."  Yet  then  did  Noah  find  grace  in  the  eyes  of  Gen. 
 the  Lord  :  "  I  will  establish  my  covenant  with  thee  (saith  vekYw. 
 God) ;  thou  shalt  go  into  the  Ark,  thou,  and  thy  sons,  and 
 
 thy  wife,  and  thy  sons'  wives  with  thee." 
 
 4.  Do  we  not  see  what  shift  God  doth  make  for  Lot  and  for 
 his  family,  in  the  nineteenth  of  Genesis,  lest  the  fiery  destruc- 
 tion of  the  wicked  should  overtake  him?  Over-night  the  An- 
 gels make  inquiry  what  sons  and  daughters,  or  sons-in-law, 
 what  wealth  and  substance,  he  had.  They  charged  him  to 
 carry  out  all, "  Whatsoever  thou  hast  in  the  city,  bringit  out."  v«- «• 
 
608 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 God  seemed  to  stand  in  a  kind  of  fear,  lest  something  or 
 other  would  be  left  behind.  And  his.will  was,  that  nothing  of 
 that  which  he  had,  not  a  hoof  of  any  beast,  nor  a  thread  of 
 any  garment,  should  be  singed  with  that  fire.  In  the 
 morning  the  Angels  fail  not  to  call  him  up,  and  to  hasten 
 
 ver.  15.  him  forward ;  "  Arise,  take  thy  wife  and  thy  daughters 
 which  are  here,  that  they  be  not  destroyed  in  the  punish- 
 ment of  the  city."  The  Angels  having  spoken  again 
 and  again,  Lot  for  all  this  lingereth  out  the  time  still, 
 
 rer.  10.  till  at  length  they  were  forced  to  take  "  both  him,  his  wife, 
 and  his  daughters,  by  the  arms  (the  Lord  being  merciful 
 unto  him),  and  to  carry  them  forth,  and  set  them  without 
 the  city." 
 
 5.  Was  there  ever  any  father  thus  careful  to  save  his 
 child  from  the  flame  ?  A  man  would  think,  that  now  being 
 spoken  unto  to  escape  for  his  life,  and  not  to  look  behind 
 him,  nor  to  tarry  in  the  plain,  but  to  hasten  to  the  moun- 
 tain, and  there  to  save  himself,  he  should  do  it  gladly. 
 Yet  behold,  now,  he  is  so  far  off  from  a  cheerful  and  will- 
 ing heart  to  do  whatsoever  is  commanded  him  for  his  own 
 weal,  that  he  beginneth  to  reason  the  matter,  as  if  God  had 
 mistaken  one  place  for  another,  sending  him  to  the  hill, 
 
 *».  when  salvation  was  in  the  city.  "  Not  so,  my  Lord,  I 
 i8-jo.  beseech  jjjee .  foehold,  thy  servant  hath  found  grace  in  thy 
 sight,  and  thou  hast  magnified  thy  mercy,  which  thou  hast 
 shewed  unto  me  in  saving  my  life.  I  cannot  escape  in  the 
 mountain,  lest  some  evil  take  me  and  I  die.  Here  is  a 
 city  hard  by,  a  small  thing  ;  O,  let  me  escape  thither  (is  it 
 not  a  small  thing?)  and  my  soul  shall  live."  Well,  God 
 ver.  2i,  is  contented  to  yield  to  any  conditions  :  "  Behold,  I  have 
 received  thy  request  concerning  this  thing  also,  I  will  spare 
 this  city  for  which  thou  hast  spoken;  haste  thee,  save  thee 
 there  ;  for  I  can  do  nothing  till  thou  come  thither." 
 
 6.  He  could  do  nothing !  Not  because  of  the  weakness 
 of  his  strength  (for  who  is  like  unto  the  Lord  in  power  ?), 
 but  because  of  the  greatness  of  his  mercy,  which  would  not 
 suffer  him  to  lift  up  his  arm  against  that  city,  nor  to  pour 
 out  his  wrath  upon  that  place,  where  his  righteous  servant 
 had  a  fancy  to  remain,  and  a  desire  to  dwell.  O  the  depth 
 of  the  riches  of  the  mercy  and  love  of  God  !  God  is  afraid 
 to  offend  us,  who  are  not  afraid  to  displease  him ;  God  can 
 do  nothing  till  he  have  saved  us,  which  can  find  in  our  hearts 
 
UPON  PART  OF  ST.  JUDE. 
 
 609 
 
 rather  to  do  any  thing  than  to  serve  him.  It  contenteth 
 him  not  to  exempt  us  when  the  pit  is  digged  for  the  wicked ; 
 to  comfort  us  at  every  mention  which  is  made  of  reprobates 
 and  godless  men ;  to  save  us  as  the  apple  of  his  own  eye, 
 when  fire  cometh  down  from  Heaven  to  consume  the  inha- 
 bitants of  the  earth ;  except  every  Prophet,  and  every 
 Apostle,  and  every  servant  whomhesendeth  forth,  do  come 
 laden  with  these  or  the  like  exhortations,  "  O  beloved,  edify 
 yourselves  in  your  most  holy  Faith  :  give  yourselves  to 
 prayer  in  the  Spirit ;  keep  yourselves  in  the  love  of  God  ; 
 look  for  the  mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal 
 life." 
 
 7.  "  Edify  yourselves."  The  speech  is  borrowed  from 
 material  builders,  and  must  be  spiritually  understood.  It 
 appears  in  the  sixth  of  St.  John's  Gospel  by  the  Jews, 
 that  their  mouths  did  water  too  much  for  bodily  food  : 
 
 "  Our  fathers  (say  they)  did  eat  manna  in  the  Desert,  as  it  [ver.si. 
 is  written,  He  gave  them  bread  from  Heaven  to  eat ;  Lord, 341 
 evermore  give  us  of  this  bread."    Our  Saviour,  to  turn 
 their  appetite  another  way,  maketh  them  this  answer  : 
 "I  am  the  Bread  of  Life;  he  that  cometh  to  me  shall  [ver  35 
 not  hunger  ;  and  he  that  believeth  in  me  shall  never 
 thirst." 
 
 8.  A  usual  practice  it  is  of  Satan,  to  cast  heaps  of 
 worldly  baggage  in  our  way,  that  whilst  we  desire  to  heap 
 up  gold  as  dust,  we  may  be  brought  at  the  length  to  esteem 
 vilely  that  spiritual  bliss.   Christ,  to  correct  this  evil  aflec-  Matt, 
 tion,  putteth  us  in  mind  to  lay  up  treasure  for  ourselves  in  i  iim. 
 Heaven.    The  Apostle,  misliking  the  vanity  of  those"'9'10' 
 women  who  attired  themselves  more  costly  than  beseemed 
 
 the  heavenly  calling  of  such  as  professed  the  fear  of  God, 
 willeth  them  to  clothe  themselves  with  shamefacedness 
 and  modesty,  and  to  put  on  the  apparel  of  good  works. 
 "  Taliter  pigmentata?,  Deum  habebitis  amatorem,"  saith  [Decuit. 
 Tertullian.  Put  on  righteousness  as  a  garment;  instead  laTa.i 
 of  civet,  have  Faith,  which  may  cause  a  savour  of  life  to 
 issue  from  you,  and  God  shall  be  enamoured,  he  shall  be 
 ravished  with  your  beauty.  These  are  the  ornaments, 
 bracelets,  and  jewels  which  inflame  the  love  of  Christ,  and 
 set  his  heart  on  fire  upon  his  spouse.  We  see  how  he 
 breaketh  out  in  the  Canticles  at  the  beholding  of  this  attire : 
 VOL.  II.  2  R 
 
610 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 [vii.fi.]  "How  fair  art  thou,  and  how  pleasant  art  thou,  O  my 
 love,  in  these  pleasures  !" 
 
 9.  And  perhaps  St.  Jude  exhorteth  us  here  not  to  build 
 our  houses,  but  ourselves,  foreseeing  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Al- 
 mighty which  was  with  him,  that  there  should  be  men  in 
 the  last  days  like  to  those  in  the  first,  who  should  encourage 
 and  stir  up  each  other  to  make  brick,  and  to  burn  it  in  the 
 fire,  to  build  houses  huge  as  cities,  and  towns  as  high  as 
 Heaven,  thereby  to  get  them  a  name  upon  earth ;  men 
 that  should  turn  out  the  poor,  and  the  fatherless,  and  the 
 widow,  to  build  places  of  rest  for  dogs  and  swine  in  their 
 rooms ;  men  that  should  lay  Houses  of  Prayer  even  with 
 the  ground,  and  make  them  stables  where  God's  people 
 have  worshipped  before  the  Lord.  Surely  this  is  a  vanity 
 of  all  vanities,  and  it  is  much  amongst  men ;  and  a  special 
 sickness  of  this  age.  What  it  should  mean  I  know  not, 
 except  God  hath  set  them  on  work  to  provide  fuel  against 
 that  clay,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  shew  himself  from 
 Heaven  with  his  mighty  Angels  in  flaming  fire.  What 
 good  cometh  unto  the  owners  of  these  things,  saith  Solo- 
 mon, but  only  the  beholding  thereof  with  their  eyes? 
 
 [Luke   "  Martha,  Martha,  thou  busiest  thyself  about  many  things ; 
 
 «.] '  one  thing  is  necessary."  Ye  are  too  busy,  my  brethren, 
 with  timber  and  brick ;  they  have  chosen  the  better  part, 
 they  have  taken  a  better  course  that  build  themselves. 
 
 [2  cor.  "  Ye  are  the  temples  of  the  living  God,  as  God  hath  said, 
 
 vl- 16,]  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  will  walk  in  them ;  and  they 
 shall  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God." 
 
 10.  Which  of  you  will  gladly  remain  or  abide  in  a 
 mishapen,  or  a  ruinous,  or  a  broken  house  ?  And  shall  we 
 suffer  sin  and  vanity  to  drop  in  at  our  eyes,  and  at  our 
 ears,  and  at  every  corner  of  our  bodies,  and  of  our  souls, 
 knowing  that  we  are  the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ? 
 Which  of  you  receiveth  a  guest  whom  he  honoureth,  or 
 whom  he  loveth,  and  doth  not  sweep  his  chamber  against 
 his  coming  ?  And  shall  we  suffer  the  chambers  of  our  hearts 
 and  consciences  to  lie  full  of  vomiting,  full  of  filth,  full  of 
 
 [John    garbage,  knowing  that  Christ  hath  said,  "  I  and  my  Father 
 *>v-  23.  wjrj  come  an(j  dwell  with  you  ?"  Is  it  meet  for  your  oxen 
 to  lie  in  parlours,  and  yourselves  to  lodge  in  cribs?  Or  is 
 it  seemly  for  yourselves  to  dwell  in  your  ceiled  houses, 
 
UPON  PART  OF   ST.  JUDE.  Cll 
 
 and  the  House  of  the  Almighty  to  lie  waste,  whose  house 
 ye  are  yourselves  ?  Do  not  our  eyes  behold,  how  God  every 
 day  overtaketh  the  wicked  in  their  journeys  ?  How  sud- 
 denly they  pop  down  into  the  pit?  How  God's  judgments 
 for  their  crimes  come  so  swiftly  upon  them,  that  they  have 
 not  the  leisure  to  cry,  alas !  How  their  life  is  cut  oft'  like 
 a  thread  in  a  moment !  How  they  pass  like  a  shadow  ! 
 How  they  open  their  mouths  to  speak,  and  God  taketh 
 them  even  in  the  midst  of  a  vain  or  an  idle  word  ?  and 
 dare  we  for  all  this  lie  down,  and  take  our  rest,  eat  our 
 meat  securely  and  carelessly  in  the  midst  of  so  great  and 
 so  many  ruins  ?  Blessed  and  praised  for  ever  and  ever  be 
 his  name,  who  perceiving  of  how  senseless  and  heavy 
 metal  we  are  made,  hath  instituted  in  his  Church  a  spiri- 
 tual Supper,*  and  a  Holy  Communion  to  be  celebrated 
 often,  that  we  might  thereby  be  occasioned  often  to  ex- 
 amine these  buildings  of  ours,  in  what  case  they  stand.  For 
 sith  God  doth  not  dwell  in  Temples  which  are  unclean, 
 sith  a  Shrine  cannot  be  a  Sanctuary  unto  him  :  and  this 
 Supper  is  received  as  a  seal  unto  us,  that  we  are  his  House, 
 and  his  Sanctuary;  that  his  Christ  is  as  truly  united  to 
 to  me,  and  I  to  him,  as  my  arm  is  united  and  knit  unto  my 
 shoulder ;  that  he  dwelleth  in  me  as  verily  as  the  elements 
 of  bread  and  wine  abide  within  me ;  which  persuasion,  by 
 receiving  these  dreadful  mysteries,  we  profess  ourselves 
 to  have  a  due  comfort,  if  truly ;  and  if  in  hypocrisy,  then 
 woe  worth  us.  Therefore  before  we  put  forth  our  hands 
 to  take  this  blessed  Sacrament,  we  are  charged  to  ex- 
 amine and  try  our  hearts  whether  God  be  in  us  of  a  truth  or 
 no :  and  if  by  Faith  and  Love  unfeigned  we  be  found  the 
 Temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  then  to  judge  whether  we 
 have  such  regard  every  one  to  our  building,  that  the  Spirit 
 which  dwelleth  in  us  hath  no  way  been  vexed,  molested, 
 and  grieved :  or  if  it  had,  as  no  doubt  sometimes  it  hath 
 by  incredulity,  sometimes  by  breach  of  charity,  sometimes 
 by  want  of  zeal,  sometimes  by  spots  of  life,  even  in  the 
 best  and  most  perfect  amongst  us  :  (for  who  can  say  his 
 heart  is  clean  ?)  O  then  to  fly  unto  God  by  unfeigned  re- 
 pentance, to  fall  down  before  him  in  the  humility  of  our 
 souls,  begging  of  him  whatsoever  is  needful  to  repair  our 
 decays,  before  we  fall  into  that  desolation,  whereof  the 
 
 •  The  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 2  r  2 
 
612 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 Lam.    Prophet  speaketh,  saying,  "  Thy  breach  is  great  like  the 
 "' 1S'    sea,  who  can  heal  thee  V 
 
 11.  Receiving  the  Sacrament  of  the  Supper  of  the  Lord 
 after  this  sort  (you  that  are  spiritual  judge  what  I  speak)  is 
 not  all  other  wine  like  the  water  of  Marah,  being  compared 
 to  the  cup  which  we  bless?  Is  not  manna  like  to  gall,  and 
 our  bread  like  to  manna  ?  Is  there  not  a  taste,  a  taste  of 
 Christ  Jesus  in  the  heart  of  him  that  eateth  ?  Doth  not  he 
 which  drinketh  behold  plainly  in  this  cup,  that  his  soul  is 
 bathed  in  the  Blood  of  the  Lamb  ?  O  beloved  in  our  Lord 
 and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  if  ye  will  taste  how  sweet  the 
 Lord  is,  if  ye  will  receive  the  King  of  Glory,  build  your- 
 selves. 
 
 12.  Young  men,  I  speak  this  to  you,  for  ye  are  his 
 House,  because  by  Faith  ye  are  conquerors  over  Satan, 
 and  have  overcome  that  evil.  Fathers,  I  speak  it  also  to 
 you,  ye  are  his  House,  because  ye  have  known  him,  wrho  is 
 from  the  beginning.  Sweet  Babes,  I  speak  it  even  to  you 
 also,  ye  are  his  House,  because  your  sins  are  forgiven  you 
 for  his  namesake.  Matrons  and  Sisters,  I  may  not  hold  it 
 from  you,  ye  are  also  the  Lord's  Building;  and  as  St. 
 
 [i  Pet.  Peter  speaketh,  "  Heirs  of  the  grace  of  life  as  well  as  we." 
 
 «».?.]  Though  it  be  forbidden  you  to  open  your  mouths  in  public 
 assemblies,  yet  ye  must  be  inquisitive  in  things  concern- 
 ing this  building  which  is  of  God,  with  your  husbands  and 
 friends  at  home  ;  not  as  Delilah  with  Samson,  but  as 
 Sarah  with  Abraham  ;  whose  daughters  ye  are,  whilst  ye 
 do  well,  and  build  yourselves. 
 
 13.  Having  spoken  thus  far  of  the  exhortation,  as 
 whereby  we  are  called  upon  to  edify  and  build  ourselves ; 
 it  remaineth  now,  that  we  consider  the  things  prescribed, 
 namely,  wherein  we  must  be  built.  This  prescription 
 standeth  also  upon  two  points,  the  thing  prescribed,  and 
 the  adjunct  of  the  thing.  And  that  is,  our  most  pure  and 
 holy  Faith. 
 
 14.  The  thing  prescribed  is  Faith.  For,  as  in  a  chain 
 which  is  made  of  many  links,  if  you  pull  the  first,  you 
 draw  the  rest;  and  as  in  a  ladder  of  many  staves,  if 
 you  take  away  the  lowest,  all  hope  of  ascending  to  the 
 highest  will  be  removed :  so,  because  all  the  precepts 
 and  promises  in  the  Law  and  in  the  Gospel  do  hang 
 upon  this,  Believe  ;  and  because  the  last  of  the  graces  of 
 
UPON  PART  OF  ST.  JUDE. 
 
 G13 
 
 God  doth  so  follow  the  first,  that  he  glorifieth  none,  but 
 whom  he  hath  justified,  nor  justifieth  any,  but  whom  he 
 hath  called  to  a  true,  effectual,  and  lively  Faith  in  Christ 
 Jesus  ;  therefore  St.  Jude  exhorting  us  to  Build  ourselves, 
 mentioneth  here  expressly  only  Faith,  as  the  thing  wherein 
 we  must  be  edified  ;  for  that  Faith  is  the  ground  and  the 
 glory  of  all  the  welfare  of  this  building. 
 
 15.  "Ye  are  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  citizens  with  Ephes.  if. 
 the  Saints,  and  of  the  Household  of  God  (saith  the  Apos- 
 tle), and  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  Prophets 
 
 and  Apostles,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  Corner- 
 stone, in  whom  all  the  building  being  coupled  together, 
 groweth  unto  an  holy  Temple  in  the  Lord,  in  whom  ye 
 also  are  built  together  to  be  the  habitation  of  God  by  the 
 Spirit."  And  we  are  the  habitation  of  God  by  the  Spirit, 
 if  we  believe ;  for  for  it  is  written,  "Whosoever  confesseth  [l  r°h" 
 that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  in  him  God  dwelleth,  and  he 
 in  God."  The  strength  of  this  Habitation  is  great,  it  pre- 
 vailed against  Satan,  it  conquereth  sin,  it  hath  death  in 
 derision ;  neither  principalities  nor  powers  can  throw  it 
 down  ;  it  leadeth  the  world  captive,  and  bringeth  every 
 enemy  that  riseth  up  against  it  to  confusion  and  shame, 
 and  all  by  Faith  ;  for  "  this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  i  '"i>» 
 the  world,  even  our  Faith.  Who  is  it  that  overcometh  the  v  ' 
 world,  but  he  which  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of 
 God  r 
 
 16.  The  strength  of  every  building  which  is  God,  stand- 
 eth  not  in  any  man's  arms  or  legs ;  it  is  only  in  our  Faith, 
 as  the  valour  of  Samson  lay  only  in  his  hair.  This  is  the  rea- 
 son, why  we  are  so  earnestly  called  upon  to  edify  ourselves 
 in  Faith.  Not  as  if  this  bare  action  of  our  minds,  whereby 
 webelieve  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  were  able  in  itself,  as  of  itself, 
 to  make  us  unconquerable,  and  invincible,  like  stones,  which 
 abide  in  a  building  for  ever,  and  fall  not  out.  No,  it  is  not 
 the  worthiness  of  our  believing,  it  is  the  virtue  of  him  in 
 whom  we  believe,  by  which  we  stand  sure,  as  houses  that 
 are  builded  upon  a  rock.  He  is  a  wise  man  which  hath 
 builded  his  house  upon  a  rock ;  for  he  hath  chosen  a  good 
 foundation,  and  no  doubt  his  house  will  stand  ;  but  how 
 shall  it  stand  ?  Verily,  by  the  strength  of  the  rock  which  Matt, 
 beareth  it,  and  by  nothing  else.  Our  fathers,  whom  God  v"-  2o* 
 delivered  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  were  a  people  that  had 
 
614 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 no  peers  amongst  the  nations  of  the  earth,  because  they  were 
 built  by  Faith  upon  the  Tock,  which  rock  is  Christ.  "  And 
 
 [vtr.4.]  the  rock  (saith  the  Apostle  in  the  first  to  the  Corinthians, 
 the  tenth  chapter)  did  follow  them."  Whereby  we  learn 
 not  only  this,  that  being  built  by  Faith  on  Christ,  as  on  a 
 rock,  and  grafted  into  him  as  into  an  olive,  we  receive  all 
 our  strength  and  fatness  from  him ;  but  also,  that  this 
 strength  and  fatness  of  ours  ought  to  be  no  cause, 
 why  we  should  be  high-minded,  and  not  work  out  our 
 salvation  with  a  reverent  trembling  and  holy  fear.  For  if 
 thou  boastest  thyself  of  thy  Faith,  know  this,  that  Christ 
 chose  his  Apostles,  his  Apostles  chose  not  him ;  that  Israel 
 
 Rom.    followed  not  the  rock,  but  the  rock  followed  Israel :  and 
 
 U.  18.  ' 
 
 that  thou  bearest  not  the  root,  but  the  root  thee.  So  that 
 every  heart  must  thus  think,  and  every  tongue  must  thus 
 speak,  "  Not  unto  us,  O  Lord,  not  unto  us,"  nor  unto  any 
 thing  which  is  within  us,  but  unto  thy  Name  only,  only  to 
 thy  Name  belongeth  all  the  praise  of  all  the  treasures  and 
 riches  of  every  Temple  which  is  of  God.  This  excludeth 
 all  boasting  and  vaunting  of  our  Faith. 
 
 17.  But  this  must  not  make  us  careless  to  edify  our- 
 selves in  Faith.  It  is  the  Lord  that  delivereth  men's  souls 
 from  death,  but  not  except  they  put  their  trust  in  his  mercy. 
 
 1TJ°l,n'  It 13  God  that  hath  given  us  eternal  life,  but  no  otherwise 
 than  thus,  if  we  believe  in  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God; 
 for  he  that  hath  not  the  Son  of  God,  hath  not  life.  It  was 
 the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  which  came  upon  Samson,  and  made 
 him  strong  to  tear  a  lion,  as  a  man  would  rend  a  kid  ;  but 
 his  strength  forsook  him,  and  he  became  like  other  men, 
 when  the  razor  had  touched  his  head.  It  is  the  power  of 
 [Heb.  god  whereby  the  faithful  "have  subdued  Kingdoms, 
 34  ]  '  wrought  righteousness,  obtained  the  promises,  stopped  the 
 mouths  of  lions,  quenched  the  violence  of  fire,  escaped  the 
 edge  of  the  sword  :"  but  take  away  their  Faith,  and  doth 
 not  their  strength  forsake  them  ?  Are  they  not  like  unto 
 other  men  ? 
 
 1 8.  If  ye  desire  yet  further  to  know,  how  necessary  and 
 LHf6  ]  needful  it  is  that  we  edify  and  build  up  ourselves  in  Faith, 
 
 mark  the  words  of  the  blessed  Apostle ;  "  Without  Faith  it 
 is  impossible  to  please  God."  If  I  offer  to  God  all  the 
 sheep  and  oxen  that  are  in  the  world  ;  if  all  the  temples 
 that  were  builded  since  the  days  of  Adam  till  this  hour, 
 were  of  my  foundation  ;  if  I  break  my  very  heart  with  cal- 
 
UPON  PART  OF  ST.  JUDE. 
 
 615 
 
 ling  upon  God,  and  wear  out  my  tongue  with  preaching; 
 if  I  sacrifice  my  body  and  soul  unto  him,  and  have  no 
 Faith,  all  this  availeth  nothing.    "  Without  Faith  it  is  im-  ^°  . 
 
 r  o  pleasing 
 
 possible  to  please  God."  Our  Lord  and  Saviour  therefore,  of  ood 
 being  asked  in  the  sixth  of  St.  John's  Gospel,  "  What  shall  ram° 
 we  do  that  we  might  work  the  works  of  God  ?"  maketh J?>"» 
 
 °  vi.28. 
 
 answer,  "  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  in  him,  29. 
 whom  he  hath  sent." 
 
 19.  That  no  work  of  ours,  no  building  of  ourselves  in 
 any  thing  can  be  available  or  profitable  unto  us,  except 
 we  be  edified  and  built  in  Faith,  what  need  we  to  seek 
 about  for  long  proof?  Look  upon  Israel,  once  the  very 
 chosen  and  peculiar  of  God,  to  whom  the  Adoption  of  the 
 faithful,  and  the  glory  of  Cherubim,  and  the  Covenants  of 
 Mercy,  and  the  Law  of  Moses,  and  the  Service  of  God, 
 and  the  Promises  of  Christ  were  made  impropriate,  who 
 not  only  were  the  offspring  of  Abraham,  father  unto  all 
 them  which  do  believe,  but  Christ  their  offspring,  which  is 
 God  to  be  blessed  for  evermore. 
 
 20.  Consider  this  people,  and  learn  what  it  is  to  build 
 yourselves  in  Faith.  They  were  the  Lord's  Vine  :  "  He  [J**1- 
 brought  it  out  of  Egypt,  he  threw  out  the  Heathen  from  8— 11.] 
 their  places,  that  it  might  be  planted  ;  he  made  room  for  it, 
 and  caused  it  to  take  root,  till  it  had  filled  the  earth ;  the 
 mountains  were  covered  with  the  shadow  of  it,  and  the 
 boughs  thereof  were  as  the  goodly  cedars;  she  stretched 
 
 out  her  branches  to  the  sea,  and  her  boughs  unto  the  river." 
 But,  when  God  having  sent  both  his  Servants  and  his  Son 
 to  visit  this  vine,  they  neither  spared  the  one,  nor  received 
 the  other,  but  stoned  the  Prophets,  and  crucified  the  Lord 
 of  Glory  which  came  unto  them  ;  then  began  the  curse  of 
 God  to  come  upon  them,  even  the  curse  whereof  the  Pro- 
 phet David  hath  spoken,  saying,  "  Let  their  table  be  made  lsal 
 a  snare,  and  a  net,  and  a  stumbling-block,  even  for  a  re-  22,23. 
 compence  unto  them :  let  their  eyes  be  darkened,  that  they  **g/10< 
 do  not  see,  bow  down  their  backs  for  ever,"  keep  them 
 down.  And  sithence  the  hour  that  the  measure  of  their 
 infidelity  was  first  made  up,  they  have  been  spoiled  with 
 wars,  eaten  up  with  plagues,  spent  with  hunger  and  fa- 
 mine ;  they  wander  from  place  to  place,  and  are  become 
 the  most  base  and  contemptible  people  that  are  under  the 
 sun.    Ephraim,  which  before  was  a  terror  unto  nations, 
 
61G 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 and  they  trembled  at  his  voice,  is  now  by  infidelity  so  vile, 
 that  he  seemeth  as  a  thing  cast  out  to  be  trampled  under 
 men's  feet.    In  the  midst  of  these  desolations  they  cry, 
 psai.    «  Return,  we  beseech  thee,  O  God  of  hosts,  look  down 
 
 lxxx.  14.  '  ' 
 
 from  Heaven,  behold  and  visit  this  Vine."  But  their  very 
 prayers  are  turned  into  sin,  and  their  cries  are  no  better 
 Rom-    than  the  lowing  of  beasts  before  him.    "  Well  (saith  the 
 
 xi.  SO. 
 
 22.  Apostle),  by  their  unbelief  they  are  broken  off,  and  thou 
 dost  stand  by  thy  Faith :  behold  therefore  thebountifulness 
 and  severity  of  God  ;  towards  them  severity,  because  they 
 have  fallen,  bountifulness  towards  thee,  if  thou  continue  in 
 his  bountifulness,  or  else  thou  shalt  be  cut  off."  If  they 
 forsake  their  unbelief  and  be  grafted  in  again,  and  we  at 
 any  time  for  the  hardness  of  our  hearts  be  broken  off,  it 
 will  be  such  a  judgment  as  will  amaze  all  the  powers  and 
 principalities  which  are  above.  "Who  hath  searched  the 
 counsel  of  God  concerning  this  secret?  And  who  doth  not 
 [Hosea  see,  that  infidelity  doth  threaten  Lo-ammi  unto  the  Gen- 
 tiles, as  it  hath  brought  Lo-ruchama  upon  the  Jews  ?  It 
 may  be  that  these  words  seem  dark  unto  you :  but  the 
 words  of  the  Apostle,  in  the  eleventh  to  the  Romans,  are 
 Jiom.  plain  enough ;  "  If  God  hath  not  spared  the  natural 
 branches,  take  heed,  take  heed,  lest  he  spare  not  thee:" 
 build  thyself  in  Faith.  Thus  much  of  the  thing  which  is 
 prescribed,  and  wherein  we  are  exhorted  to  edify  ourselves. 
 Now  consider  the  condition  and  properties  which  are  in 
 this  place  annexed  unto  Faith.  The  former  of  them  (for 
 there  are  but  two)  is  this,  Edify  yourselves  in  your  Faith. 
 
 21.  A  strange  and  a  strong  delusion  it  is  wherewith  the 
 Man  of  Sin  hath  bewitched  the  world ;  a  forcible  spirit  of  * 
 error  it  must  needs  be,  which  hath  brought  men  to  such  a 
 senseless  and  unreasonable  persuasion  as  this  is,  not  only 
 that  men  clothed  with  mortality  and  sin,  as  we  ourselves 
 are,  can  do  God  so  much  service  as  shall  be  able  to  make 
 a  full  and  perfect  satisfaction  before  the  tribunal  seat  of 
 God  for  their  own  sins,  yea,  a  great  deal  more  than  is  suffi- 
 cient for  themselves ;  but  also,  that  a  man  at  the  hands  of 
 a  Bishop  or  a  Pope,  for  such  or  such  a  price,  may  buy 
 the  overplus  of  other  men's  merits,  purchase  the  fruits  of 
 other  men's  labours,  and  build  his  soul  by  another  man's 
 Faith.  Is  not  this  man  drowned  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  ? 
 Is  his  heart  right  in  the  sight  of  God  ?    Can  he  have  any 
 
UPON   PART  OF   ST.  JUDE. 
 
 617 
 
 part  or  fellowship  with  Peter,  and  with  the  successors  of 
 Peter,  who  thinketh  so  vilely  of  building  the  precious  Tem- 
 ples of  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  Let  his  money  perish  with  him, 
 and  he  with  it,  because  he  judgeth  that  the  gift  of  God 
 may  be  sold  for  money. 
 
 22.  But,  beloved  in  the  Lord,  deceive  not  yourselves, 
 neither  suffer  ye  yourselves  to  be  deceived  :  ye  can  receive 
 no  more  ease  nor  comfort  for  your  souls  by  another  man's 
 faith,  than  warmth  for  your  bodies  by  another  man's  clothes, 
 or  sustenance  by  the  bread  which  another  man  doth  eat. 
 The  just  shall  live  by  his  own  Faith.  "  Let  a  Saint,  yea  a 
 Martyr,  content  himself  that  he  hath  cleansed  himself  of 
 his  own  sins"  (saith  Tertullian).  No  Saint  or  Martyr  can 
 cleanse  himself  of  his  own  sins.  But  if  so  be  a  Saint  or  a 
 Martyr  can  cleanse  himself  of  his  own  sins,  it  is  sufficient 
 that  he  can  do  it  for  himself.  Did  ever  any  man  by  his 
 death  deliver  another  man  from  death,  except  only  the  Son 
 of  God?  He  indeed  was  able  to  safe  conduct  a  thief  from 
 the  cross  to  Paradise  :  for  to  this  end  he  came,  that  being 
 himself  pure  from  sin,  he  might  obey  for  sinners.  Thou 
 which  thinkestto  do  the  like,  and  supposest  that  thou  canst 
 justify  another  by  thy  righteousness,  if  thou  be  without  sin, 
 then  lay  down  thy  life  for  thy  brother  ;  die  for  me.  But  if 
 thou  be  a  sinner,  even  as  I  am  a  sinner,  how  can  the  oil  of 
 thy  lamp  be  sufficient  both  for  thee  and  for  me  ?  Virgins 
 that  are  wise,  get  ye  oil,  while  ye  have  day,  into  your  own 
 lamps:  for  out  of  all  peradventure,  others,  though  they 
 would,  can  neither  give  nor  sell.  Edify  yourselves  in  your 
 own  most  holy  Faith.  And  let  this  be  observed  for  the  first 
 
 '*  property  of  that  wherein  we  ought  to  edify  ourselves. 
 
 23.  Our  Faith  being  such,  is  that  indeed  which  St.  Jude 
 doth  here  term  Faith :  namely,  a  thing  most  holy.  The 
 reason  is  this,  we  are  justified  by  Faith :  for  Abraham  be- 
 lieved, and  this  was  imputed  unto  him  for  righteousness. 
 Being  justified,  all  our  iniquities  are  covered  ;  God  be- 
 holdeth  us  in  the  righteousness  which  is  imputed,  and  not 
 in  the  sins  which  we  have  committed. 
 
 24.  It  is  true  we  are  full  of  sin,  both  original  and  actual; 
 whoso  ever  denieth  it  is  a  double  sinner,  for  he  is  both  a 
 sinner  and  a  liar.  To  deny  sin,  is  most  plainly  and  clearly 
 to  prove  it  ^because  he  that  saith  he  hath  no  sin,  lieth,and 
 by  lying  proveth  that  he  hath  sin. 
 
618 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 25.  But  imputation  of  righteousness  hath  covered  the 
 sins  of  every  soul  which  believeth ;  God  by  pardoning  our 
 sin  hath  taken  it  away  :  so  that  now,  although  our  trans- 
 gressions be  multiplied  above  the  hairs  of  our  head,  yet 
 being  justified,  we  are  as  free  and  as  clear  as  if  there  were 
 no  one  spot  or  stain  of  any  uncleanness  in  us.  For  it  is 
 God  that  justifieth ;  "  And  who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the 
 charge  of  God's  chosen?"  saith  the  Apostle  in  Rom. 
 viii.  33. 
 
 26.  Now  sin  being  taken  away,  we  are  made  the  righte- 
 ousness of  God  in  Christ:  for  David,  speaking  of  this 
 
 [Psai.    righteousness,  saith,  "  Blessed  is  the  man  whose  iniquities 
 
 xxxii.  1.] 
 
 are  forgiven."  No  man  is  blessed,  but  in  the  righteous- 
 ness of  God :  every  man  whose  sin  is  taken  away  is  bless- 
 ed; therefore  every  man  whose  sin  is  covered,  is  made 
 the  righteousness  of  God  in  Christ.  This  righteousness, 
 doth  make  us  to  appear  most  holy,  most  pure,  most  unblam- 
 able before  him. 
 
 27.  This  then  is  the  sum  of  that  which  I  say,  Faith  doth 
 justify;  Justification  washeth  away  sin;  sin  removed,  we 
 are  clothed  with  the  Righteousness  which  is  of  God;  the 
 righteousness  of  God  maketh  us  most  holy.  Every  of 
 these  I  have  proved  by  the  testimony  of  God's  own  mouth  ; 
 therefore  I  conclude,  that  Faith  is  that  which  maketh  us 
 most  holy,  in  consideration  whereof,  it  is  called  in  this 
 place,  "  Our  most  holy  Faith." 
 
 28.  To  make  a  wicked  and  a  sinful  man  most  holy 
 through  his  believing,  is  more  than  to  create  a  world  of 
 nothing.  Our  Faith  most  holy!  Surely,  Solomon  could 
 not  shew  the  Queen  of  Sheba  so  much  treasure  in  all  his 
 Kingdom,  as  is  lapt  up  in  these  words.  O  that  our  hearts 
 were  stretched  out  like  tents,  and  that  the  eyes  of  our  un- 
 derstanding were  as  bright  as  the  sun,  that  we  might  tho- 
 roughly know  the  riches  of  the  glorious  inheritance  of  the 
 Saints,  and  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power 
 towards  us,  whom  he  accepteth  for  pure,  and  most  holy, 
 through  our  believing!  O  that  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
 would  give  this  doctrine  entrance  into  the  stony  and  brazen 
 
 Rom.  ix.  s  ^ 
 
 31—33.]  heart  of  the  Jew,  which  followeth  the  Law  of  Righteous- 
 ness, but  cannot  attain  unto  the  Righteousness  of  the  Law ! 
 Wherefore,  saith  the  Apostle,  they  seek  Righteousness, 
 and  not  by  Faith ;  Avherefore  they  stumble  at  Christ,  they 
 
UPON  PART  OF  ST.  JUDE. 
 
 619 
 
 are  bruised,  shivered  to  pieces,  as  a  ship  that  hath  run 
 herself  upon  a  rock.  O  that  God  would  cast  down  the 
 eyes  of  the  proud,  and  humble  the  souls  of  the  high-minded ! 
 that  they  might  at  the  length  abhor  the  garments  of  their 
 own  flesh,  which  cannot  hide  their  nakedness,  and  put  on 
 the  Faith  of  Christ  Jesus,  as  he  did  put  it  on,  who  hath 
 said,  "  Doubtless  I  think  all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excel-  [ 
 lent  knowledge  sake  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,  for  whom  1 1 
 have  counted  all  things  loss,  and  do  judge  them  to  be  dung, 
 that  I  might  win  Christ,  and  might  be  found  in  him,  not 
 having  my  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  Law ;  but 
 that  which  is  through  the  Faith  of  Christ,  even  the  Righte- 
 ousness which  is  of  God  through  Faith."  O  that  God 
 would  open  the  Ark  of  mercy,  wherein  this  doctrine  lieth, 
 and  set  it  wide  before  the  eyes  of  poor  afflicted  con- 
 sciences, which  fly  up  and  down  upon  the  water  of  their 
 afflictions,  and  can  see  nothing  but  only  the  gulf  and  de- 
 luge of  their  sins,  wherein  there  is  no  place  for  them  to 
 rest  their  feet.  The  God  of  pity  and  compassion  give  you  all 
 strength  and  courage,  every  day,  and  every  hour,  and  every 
 moment,  to  build  and  edify  yourselves  in  this  most  pure 
 and  holy  Faith.  And  thus  much  both  of  the  thing  pre- 
 scribed in  this  exhortation,  and  also  of  the  properties  of 
 the  thing,  "  Build  yourselves  in  your  most  holy  Faith."  I 
 would  come  to  the  next  branch,  which  is  of  Prayer ;  but  I 
 cannot  lay  this  matter  out  of  my  hands,  till  I  have  added 
 somewhat  for  the  applying  of  it,  both  to  others  and  to  our- 
 selves. 
 
 29.  For  your  better  understanding  of  matters  contained 
 in  this  exhortation,  "  Build  yourselves,"  you  must  note, 
 that  every  Church  and  Congregation  doth  consist  of  a  mul- 
 titude of  believers,  as  every  house  is  built  of  many  stones. 
 And  although  the  nature  of  the  mystical  body  of  the 
 Church  be  such,  that  it  suffereth  no  distinction  in  the  vi- 
 sible members,  but  whether  it  be  Paul  or  Apollos,  Prince 
 or  Prophet,  he  that  is  taught,  or  he  that  teacheth,  all  are 
 equally  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  equally  theirs  :  yet  in  the 
 external  administration  of  the  Church  of  God,  because  God 
 is  not  the  author  of  confusion,  but  of  peace,  it  is  necessary 
 that  in  every  Congregation  there  be  a  distinction,  if  not  of 
 inward  dignity,  yet  of  outward  degree ;  so  that  all  are 
 Saints,  or  seem  to  be  Saints,  and  should  be  as  they  seem  : 
 
620 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 but  are  all  Apostles  ?  If  the  whole  body  were  an  eye,  where 
 were  then  the  hearing?  God,  therefore,  hath  given  some  to 
 be  Apostles,  and  some  to  be  Pastors,  &c.  for  the  edification 
 of  the  Body  of  Christ.  In  which  work  we  are  God's  la- 
 bourers, saith  the  Apostle,  and  ye  are  God's  husbandry, 
 and  God's  building. 
 
 30.  The  Church,  respected  with  reference  unto  Adminis- 
 tration Ecclesiastical,  doth  generally  consist  but  of  two  sorts 
 of  men,  the  labourers  and  the  building ;  they  which  are  minis- 
 tered unto,  and  they  to  whom'the  work  of  the  Ministry  is  com- 
 mitted ;  Pastors,  and  the  flock  over  whom  the  Holy  Ghost 
 hath  made  them  Overseers.  If  the  Guide  of  a  congregation, 
 be  his  name  or  his  degree  whatsoever,  be  diligent  in  his 
 
 [i  vet.  vocation,  feeding  the  flock  of  God  which  dependeth  upon 
 him,  caring  for  it,  "  not  by  constraint,  but  willingly ;  not 
 for  filthy  lucre,  but  of  a  ready  mind ;"  not  as  though  he 
 would  tyrannize  over  God's  heritage,  but  as  a  pattern  unto 
 the  flock,  wisely  guiding  them :  if  the  people  in  their  de- 
 gree do  yield  themselves  frameable  to  the  truth,  not  like 
 rough  stone  or  flint,  refusing  to  be  smoothed  and  squared 
 for  the  building :  If  the  Magistrate  do  carefully  and  dili- 
 gently survey  the  whole  order  of  the  work,  providing  by 
 Statutes  and  Laws,  and  bodily  punishments,  if  need  require, 
 that  all  things  might  be  done  according  to  the  rule  which 
 cannot  deceive ;  even  as  Moses  provided,  that  all  things 
 might  be  done  according  to  the  pattern  which  he  saw  in 
 the  Mount ;  there  the  words  of  this  exhortation  are  truly 
 and  effectually  heard.  Of  such  a  congregation  every  man 
 will  say,  "  Behold  a  people  that  are  wise,  a  people  that 
 walk  in  the  Statutes  and  Ordinances  of  their  God,  a  people 
 full  of  knowledge  and  understanding,  a  people  that  have 
 skill  in  building  themselves."  "Where  it  is  otherwise,  there, 
 "  as  by  slothfulness  the  roof  doth  decay ;"  and  as  by 
 "  idleness  of  hands  the  house  droppeth  through,"  as  it 
 is  in  Eccles.  x.  18.  so  first  one  piece,  and  then  another  of 
 their  building  shall  fall  away,  till  there  be  not  a  stone  left 
 upon  a  stone. 
 
 31.  We  see  how  fruitless  this  exhortation  hath  been  to 
 such  as  bend  all  their  travel  only  to  build  and  manage  a 
 Papacy  upon  earth,  without  any  care  in  the  world  of  build- 
 ing themselves  in  their  most  holy  Faith.  God's  people 
 have  inquired  at  their  mouths,  "  What  shall  we  do  to  have 
 
UPON  PART  OF  ST.  JUDE. 
 
 621 
 
 eternal  Life  ?"  Wherein  shall  we  build  and  edify  ourselves  ? 
 And  they  have  departed  home  from  their  Prophets,  and 
 from  their  Priests,  laden  with  doctrines  which  are  precepts 
 of  men;  they  have  been  taught  to  tire  out  themselves  with 
 bodily  exercise :  those  things  are  enjoined  them,  which 
 God  did  never  require  at  their  hands,  and  the  things  he 
 doth  require  are  kept  from  them  ;  their  eyes  are  fed  with 
 pictures,  and  ears  are  filled  with  melody,  but  their  souls  do 
 wither,  and  starve,  and  pine  away  :  they  cry  for  bread,  and 
 behold  stones  are  offered  them  ;  they  ask  for  fish,  and  see 
 they  have  scorpions  in  their  hands.  Thou  seest,  O  Lord, 
 that  they  build  themselves,  but  not  in  Faith ;  they  feed  their 
 children,  but  not  with  food :  their  rulers  say  with  shame, 
 bring,  and  not  build.  But  God  is  righteous;  their  drunk- 
 enness stinketh,  their  abominations  are  known,  their  mad- 
 ness is  manifest,  the  wind  hath  bound  them  up  in  her 
 wings,  and  they  shall  be  ashamed  of  their  doings.  "  Ephraim  [Hose* 
 (saith  the  Prophet)  is  joined  to  idols,  let  him  alone."  I IV' 
 will  turn  me,  thereofre,  from  the  Priests,  which  do  minister 
 unto  idols,  and  apply  this  exhortation  to  them  whom  God 
 hath  appointed  to  feed  his  chosen  in  Israel. 
 
 32.  If  there  be  any  feeling  of  Christ,  any  drop  of  hea- 
 venly dew,  or  any  spark  of  God's  good  Spirit  with  in  you, 
 stir  it  up,  be  careful  to  build  and  edify,  first  yourselves,  and 
 then  your  flocks,  in  this  most  holy  Faith. 
 
 33.  I  say,  first,  yourselves ;  for,  he  which  will  set  the 
 hearts  of  other  men  on  fire  with  the  love  of  Christ,  must 
 himself  burn  with  love.  It  is  want  of  Faith  in  ourselves, 
 my  brethren,  which  makes  us  (careless)  wretchless  in 
 building  others.  We  forsake  the  Lord's  inheritance,  and 
 feed  it  not.  What  is  the  reason  of  this  ?  Our  own  desires 
 are  settled  where  they  should  not  be.  We  ourselves  are 
 like  those  women  which  have  a  longing  to  eat  coals,  and 
 lime,  and  filth;  we  are  fed,  some  with  honour,  some  with 
 ease,  some  with  wealth;  the  Gospel  waxeth  loathsome 
 and  unpleasant  in  our  taste ;  how  should  we  then  have  a 
 care  to  feed  others  with  that  which  we  cannot  fancy  our- 
 selves ?  If  Faith  wax  cold  and  slender  in  the  heart  of  the 
 Prophet,  it  will  soon  perish  from  the  ears  of  the  people.  The 
 Prophet  Amos  speaketh  of  a  famine,  saying,  "  I  will  Amos 
 send  a  famine  in  the  land,  not  a  famine  of  bread,  nor  &ig"'u' 
 thirst  of  water,  but  of  hearing  the  Word  of  the  Lord.  Men 
 
622 
 
 TWO  SERMONS 
 
 shall  wander  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  North  unto  the 
 East  shall  they  run  to  and  fro,  to  seek  the  Word  of  the 
 i  pa.  Lord,  and  shall  not  find  it."  "  Judgment  must  begin  at 
 IT'  the  House  of  God,"  saith  Peter.  Yea,  I  say,  at  the  Sanc- 
 tuary of  God  tins  judgment  must  begin.  This  famine  must 
 begin  at  the  heart  of  the  Prophet.  He  must  have  dark- 
 ness for  a  vision,  he  must  stumble  at  noon-day,  as  at  the 
 twilight,  and  then  truth  shall  fall  in  the  midstof  the  streets; 
 then  shall  the  people  wander  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the 
 North  unto  the  East  shall  they  run  to  and  fro,  to  seek  the 
 Word  of  the  Lord. 
 
 34.  In  the  second  of  Haggai,  "  Speak  now  (saith  God 
 to  his  Prophet),  speak  now  to  Zerubbabel,  the  son  of 
 Shealtiel,  Prince  of  Judah,  and  to  Jehoshua,  the  son  of 
 Jehozadak  the  High-priest,  and  to  the  residue  of  the  peo- 
 ple, saying,  Who  is  left  among  you  that  saw  this  House  in 
 her  first  glory  ?  and  how  do  you  see  it  now  1  Is  not  this 
 House  in  your  eyes,  in  comparison  of  it,  as  nothing  V* 
 The  Prophet  would  have  all  men's  eyes  turned  to  the  view 
 of  themselves,  every  sort  brought  to  the  consideration  of 
 their  present  state.  This  is  no  place  to  shew  what  duty 
 Zerubbabel  or  Jehoshua  does  owe  unto  God  in  this  re- 
 spect. They  have,  I  doubt  not,  such  as  put  them  hereof 
 in  remembrance.  I  ask  of  you,  which  area  part  of  the  re- 
 sidue of  God's  elect  and  chosen  people,  Who  is  there 
 amongst  you  that  hath  taken  a  survey  of  the  House  of  God, 
 as  it  was  in  the  days  of  the  blessed  Apostles  of  Jesus 
 Christ  ?  Who  is  there  amongst  you  that  hath  seen  and 
 considered  this  holy  Temple  in  her  first  glory  ?  And  how 
 do  you  see  it  now  ?  Is  it  not,  in  comparison  of  the  other, 
 almost  as  nothing  ?  When  you  look  upon  them  which  have 
 undertaken  the  charge  of  your  souls,  and  know  how  far 
 these  are,  for  the  most  part,  grown  out  of  kind,  how  few 
 there  be  that  tread  the  steps  of  their  ancient  predecessors, 
 ye  are  easily  filled  with  indignation,  easily  drawn  into  these 
 complaints,  wherein  the  difference  of  present  from  former 
 times  is  bewailed  ;  easily  persuaded  to  think  of  them  that 
 lived  to  enjoy  the  days  which  are  now  gone,  that  surely  they 
 were  happy  in  comparison  of  us  that  have  succeeded  them : 
 were  not  their  Bishops  men  irreprovable,  wise,  righteous, 
 holy,  temperate,  well  reported  of,  even  of  those  which 
 were  without?  AVere  not  their  Pastors,  Guides,  and  Teach- 
 
UPON  PART  OF  ST.  JUDE. 
 
 623 
 
 crs,  able  and  willing  to  exhort  with  wholesome  doctrine, 
 and  to  reprove  those  which  gainsayed  the  truth  ?  Had  they 
 Priests  made  of  the  refuse  of  the  people  ?  Were  men, 
 like  to  the  children  which  were  in  Nineveh,  unable  to 
 discern  between  the  right  hand  and  the  left,  presented  to 
 the  charge  of  their  congregations?  Did  their  Teachers 
 leave  their  flocks,  over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  had  made 
 them  overseers  ?  Did  their  Prophets  enter  upon  holy  things 
 as  spoils,  without  a  reverend  calling?  Were  their  Leaders 
 so  unkindly  affected  towards  them,  that  they  could  find  in 
 their  hearts  to  sell  them  as  sheep  or  oxen,  not  caring  how 
 they  made  them  away  ?  But,  beloved,  deceive  not  your- 
 selves. Do  the  faults  of  your  Guides  and  Pastors  offend 
 you?  It  is  your  fault  if  they  be  thus  faulty.  "  Nullus,  qui 
 malum  Rectorem  patitur,  eum  accuset :  quia  sui  fuit  meriti 
 perversi  Pastoris  subjacere  ditioni,"  saith  St.  Gregory ; 
 '  Whosoever  thou  art,  whom  the  inconvenience  of  an  evil 
 Governor  doth  press,  accuse  thyself,  and  nothim :  his  being 
 such  is  thy  deserving.'  "  O  ye  disobedient  children,  turn  jer.  m 
 again,  saith  the  Lord,  and  then  will  I  give  you  Pastors  ac~  14> l5- 
 cording  to  mine  own  heart,  which  shall  feed  you  with 
 knowledge  and  understanding."  So  that  the  only  way  to 
 repair  all  ruins,  breaches,  and  offensive  decays,  in  others, 
 is  to  begin  reformation  at  yourselves.  Which,  that  we 
 may  all  sincerely,  seriously,  and  speedily  do,  God  the 
 Father  grant  for  his  Son  our  Saviour  Jesus's  sake,  unto 
 whom,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  three  Persons,  one  eternal  and 
 everlasting  God,  be  honour,  and  glory,  and  praise,  for  ever. 
 Amen. 
 
A 
 
 SERMON, 
 
 FOUND   AMONG   THE  PAPERS  OF 
 
 BISHOP  ANDREWS. 
 
 Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you :  seek,  and  you  shall  find  :  knock,  and  it  shall  be 
 opened  unto  you.    For  whosoever  asketh,  See. — Matth.  vii.  7,  8. 
 
 As  all  the  creatures  of  God,  w  hich  attain  their  highest  per- 
 fection by  process  of  time,  are  in  their  first  beginning  raw ; 
 so  man,  in  the  end  of  his  race  the  perfectest,  is  at  his  en- 
 trance thereunto  the  weakest,  and  thereby  longer  enforced 
 to  continue  a  subject  for  other  men's  compassion  to  work 
 upon  voluntarily,  without  any  other  persuader,  besides 
 their  own  secret  inclination,  moving  them  to  repay  to  the 
 common  stock  of  humanity  such  help,  as  they  know  that 
 themselves  before  must  needs  have  borrowed ;  the  state 
 and  condition  of  all  flesh  being  herein  alike.  It  cometh 
 hereby  to  pass,  that  although  there  be  in  us,  when  we  enter 
 into  this  present  world,  no  conceit  or  apprehension  of  our 
 own  misery,  and  for  a  long  time  after  no  ability,  as  much 
 as  to  crave  help  or  succour  at  other  men's  hands;  yet 
 through  his  most  good  and  gracious  providence,  which 
 feedeth  the  young,  even  of  feathered  fowls  and  ravens 
 (whose  natural  significations  of  their  necessities  are  there- 
 fore termed  in  Scripture  "prayers  and  invocations"  which 
 God  doth  hear),  we  amongst  them  whom  he  values  at  a  far 
 higher  rate  than  millions  of  brute  creatures,  do  find  by 
 perpetual  experience,  daily  occasions  given  unto  every 
 of  us,  religiously  to  acknowledge  with  the  Prophet  David, 
 psai.  "  Thou,  O  Lord,  from  our  birth  hast  been  merciful  unto  us, 
 9'  we  have  tasted  thy  goodness,  hanging  even  at  our  mothers' 
 
ON  ST.  MATTHEW,  VII.  7,  8.  G25 
 
 breasts."  That  God,  which  during  infancy  preserveth  us 
 without  our  knowledge,  teacheth  us  at  years  of  discretion 
 how  to  use  our  own  abilities  for  procurement  of  our  own 
 good. 
 
 "  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you ;  seek,  and  you 
 shall  find  ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you.  For 
 whosoever  doth  ask,  shall  receive ;  whosoever  doth  seek, 
 shall  find  ;  the  door  unto  every  one  which  knocks  shall  be 
 opened." 
 
 In  which  words  we  are  first  commanded  to  ask,  seek, 
 and  knock:  secondly,  promised  grace  answerable  unto 
 every  of  these  endeavours  ;  asking,  we  shall  have ;  seeking, 
 we  shall  find  ;  knocking,  it  shall  be  opened  unto  us :  thirdly, 
 this  grace  is  particularly  warranted,  because  it  is  generally 
 here  averred,  that  no  man  asking,  seeking,  and  knocking, 
 shall  fail  of  that  whereunto  his  serious  desire  tendeth. 
 
 1.  Of  asking  or  praying  I  shall  not  need  to  tell  you,  ei- 
 ther at  whose  hands  we  must  seek  our  aid,  or  to  put  you  in 
 mind  that  our  hearts  are  those  golden  censers  from  which 
 the  fume  of  this  sacred  incense  must  ascend.  For  concern- 
 ing the  one,  you  know  who  it  is  which  hath  said, "  Call  rsai. 
 upon  me ;"  and  of  the  other,  we  may  very  well  think,  that l' 15' 
 if  any  where,  surely  first  and  most  of  all  in  our  prayers, 
 God  doth  make  his  continual  claim,  ei  Fili,  da  mihi  cor  pr0v. 
 tuum,"  Son,  let  me  never  fail  in  this  duty  to  have  thyxxiii,! 
 heart. 
 
 Against  invocation  of  any  other  than  God  alone,  if  all 
 arguments  else  should  fail,  the  number  whereof  is  both 
 great  and  forcible,  yet  this  very  bar  and  single  challenge 
 might  suffice;  that  whereas  God  hath  in  Scripture  deli- 
 vered us  so  many  patterns  for  imitation  when  we  pray, 
 yea,  framed  ready  to  our  hands  in  a  manner  all,  for  suits 
 and  supplications,  which  our  condition  of  life  on  earth 
 may  at  any  time  need,  there  is  not  one,  no  not  one  to  be 
 found,  directed  unto  Angels,  Saints,  or  any,  saving  God 
 alone.  So  that,  if  in  such  cases  as  this  we  hold  it  safest  to 
 be  led  by  the  best  examples  that  have  gone  before,  when 
 we  see  what  Noah,  what  Abraham,  what  Moses,  what 
 David,  what  Daniel,  and  the  rest  did ;  what  Form  of  Prayer 
 Christ  himself  likewise  taught  his  Church,  and  what  his 
 blessed  Apostles  did  practise ;  who  can  doubt  but  the  way 
 for  us  to  pray  so  as  we  may  undoubtedly  be  accepted,  is 
 
 VOL.  II.  2  vS 
 
G26 
 
 A  SERMON 
 
 by  conforming  our  prayers  to  theirs,  whose  supplications 
 we  know  were  acceptable  ? 
 
 Whoso  cometh  unto  God  with  a  gift,  must  bring  with 
 him  a  cheerful  heart,  because  he  loveth  hilarem  datorem,  a 
 liberal  and  frank  affection  in  giving.  Devotion  and  fer- 
 vency addeth  unto  prayers  the  same  that  alacrity  doth  unto 
 gifts  ;  it  putteth  vigour  and  life  in  them. 
 
 Prayer  proceedeth  from  want,  which  being  seriously 
 laid  to  heart,  maketh  suppliants  always  importunate ;  which 
 importunity  our  Saviour  Christ  did  not  only  tolerate  in  the 
 woman  of  Canaan,  but  also  invite  and  exhort  thereunto, 
 as  the  parable  of  the  wicked  Judge  sheweth.  Our  fervency 
 sheweth  us  sincerely  affected  towards  that  we  crave :  but 
 that  which  must  make  us  capable  thereof,  is  an  humble 
 spirit ;  for  God  doth  load  with  his  grace  the  lowly,  when 
 the  proud  he  sendeth  empty  away :  and  therefore  to  the 
 end  that  all  generations  of  the  world  might  know  how  much 
 it  standeth  them  upon  to  beware  of  all  lofty  and  vain  con- 
 ceits when  we  offer  up  our  supplications  before  him,  he 
 hath  in  the  Gospel  both  delivered  this  caveat,  and  left  it 
 Luke,  by  a  special  chosen  parable  exemplified.  The  Pharisee 
 To— 14.  and  Publican  having  presented  themselves  in  one  and  the 
 same  place,  the  Temple  of  God,  for  performance  of  one 
 and  the  same  duty,  the  duty  of  prayer,  did  notwithstand- 
 ing, in  that  respect  only,  so  far  differ  the  one  from  the 
 other,  that  our  Lord's  own  verdict  of  them  remaineth  (as 
 you  know)  on  record,  They  departed  home,  the  sinful 
 Publican,  through  humility  of  prayer,  just ;  the  just  Pha- 
 risee, through  pride,  sinful.  So  much  better  doth  he  ac- 
 cept of  a  contrite  peccavi,  than  of  an  arrogant  Deo  gratias. 
 
 Asking  is  very  easy,  if  that  were  all  God  did  require : 
 but  because  there  were  means  which  his  providence  hath 
 appointed  for  our  attainment  unto  that  which  we  have  from 
 him,  and  those  means  now  and  then  intricated,  such  as  re- 
 quire deliberation,  study,  and  intention  of  wit ;  therefore 
 he  which  emboldeneth  to  ask,  doth  after  invocation  exact 
 inquisition ;  a  work  of  difficulty.  The  baits  of  sin  every 
 where  open,  ready  always  to  offer  themselves ;  whereas 
 that  which  is  precious,  being  hid,  is  not  had  but  by  being 
 sought.  "  Praemia  non  ad  magna  pervenitur  nisi  per  ma- 
 gnos  labores ;"  Straightness  and  roughness  are  qualities  in- 
 cident unto  every  good  and  perfect  way.    What  booteth  it 
 
ON  ST.  MATTHEW,  VII.  7,  8.  627 
 
 to  others  that  we  wish  them  well,  and  do  nothing  for  them  ? 
 As  little  ourselves  it  must  needs  avail,  if  we  pray  and  seek 
 not.  To  trust  to  labour  without  prayer,  it  argueth  impiety 
 and  profaneness ;  it  maketh  light  of  the  providence  of  God  : 
 and  although  it  be  not  the  intent  of  a  religious  mind ;  yet 
 it  is  the  fault  of  those  men  whose  Teligion  wanteth  light  of 
 mature  judgment  to  direct  it,  when  we  join  with  our  prayer 
 slothfulness  and  neglect  of  convenient  labour.  He  which 
 hath  said,  "  If  any  man  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask" — hath 
 in  like  sort  commanded  also  to  seek  wisdom,  to  search  for 
 understanding  as  for  treasure.  To  them  which  did  only 
 crave  a  seat  in  the  Kingdom  of  Christ,  his  answer,  as  you 
 know,  in  the  Gospel,  was  this ;  To  sit  at  my  right  hand 
 and  left  hand  in  the  seat  of  glory  is  not  a  matter  of  common 
 gratuity,  but  of  divine  assignment  from  God.  He  liked 
 better  of  him  which  inquired,  "  Lord,  what  shall  I  do  that 
 I  may  be  saved  ?"  and  therefore  him  he  directed  the  right  16. 17. 
 and  ready  way,  "  Keep  the  commandments." 
 
 I  noted  before  unto  you  certain  special  qualities  belong- 
 ing unto  you  that  ask:  in  them  that  seek  there  are  the 
 like  :  which  we  may  observe  it  is  with  many  as  with  them 
 of  whom  the  Apostle  speaketh,  they  "  are  alway  learning, 
 and  never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth."  "  Ex 
 amore  non  quaerunt,"  saith  Bernard ;  they  seek  because 
 they  are  curious  to  know,  and  not  as  men  desirous  to  obey. 
 It  was  distress  and  perplexity  of  mind  which  made  them 
 inquisitive,  of  whom  St.  Luke  in  the  Acts  reporteth,  that  u.  37. 
 sought  counsel  and  advice  with  urgent  solicitation  ;  Men 
 and  brethren,  sith  God  hath  blessed  you  with  the  spirit  of 
 understanding  above  others,  hide  not  from  miserable  per- 
 sons that  which  may  do  them  good ;  give  your  counsel  to 
 them  that  need  and  crave  it  at  your  hands,  unless  we  be 
 utterly  forlorn ;  shew  us,  teach  us,  what  we  may  do  and  live. 
 That  which  our  Saviour  doth  say  of  prayer  in  the  open 
 streets,  of  causing  trumpets  to  be  blown  before  us  when  we 
 give  our  alms,  and  of  making  our  service  of  God  a  means 
 to  purchase  the  praise  of  men,  must  here  be  applied  to  you, 
 who  never  seek  what  they  ought,  but  only  when  they  may 
 be  sure  to  have  store  of  lookers  on.  "  On  my  bed,"  saith  u 
 the  Canticles,  "  there  did  I  seek  whom  my  soul  doth  love." 
 When  therefore  thou  resolvest  thyself  to  seek,  go  not  out 
 of  thy  chamber  into  the  streets,  but  shun  that  frequency 
 
 2  s  2 
 
628 
 
 A-"SEK  M  ON 
 
 which  distractelh ;  single  thyself  from  thyself,  if  such  se- 
 questration may  be  attained.  When  thou  seekest,  let  the 
 love  of  obedience,  the  sense  and  feeling  of  thy  necessity, 
 the  eye  of  singleness  and  sincere  meaning  guide  thy  foot- 
 steps, and  thou  canst  not  slide. 
 
 You  see  what  it  is  to  ask  and  seek ;  the  next  is  "  knock." 
 There  is  always  in  every  good  thing  which  we  ask,  and 
 which  we  seek,  some  main  wall,  some  barred  gate,  some 
 strong  impediment  or  other  objecting  itself  in  the  way  be- 
 tween us  and  home ;  for  removal  whereof,  the  help  of 
 stronger  bands  than  our  own  is  necessary.  As  therefore 
 asking  hath  relation  to  the  want  of  good  things  desired,  and 
 seeking  to  the  natural  ordinary  means  of  attainment  there- 
 unto ;  so  knocking  is  required  in  regard  of  hindrances,  lets, 
 or  impediments,  which  are  doors  shut  up  against  us,  till 
 such  time  as  it  please  the  goodness  of  Almighty  God  to  set 
 them  open :  in  the  mean  while  our  duty  here  required  is  to 
 knock.  Many  are  well  contented  to  ask,  and  not  unwilling 
 to  undertake  some  pains  in  seeking ;  but  when  once  they 
 see  impediments  which  flesh  and  blood  doth  judge  invinci- 
 ble, their  hearts  are  broken.  Israel  in  Egypt,  subject  to 
 miseries  of  intolerable  servitude,  craved  with  sighs  and 
 tears  deliverance  from  that  estate,  which  then  they  were 
 fully  persuaded  they  could  not  possibly  change,  but  it  must 
 needs  be  for  the  better.  Being  set  at  liberty  to  seek  the 
 land  which  God  had  promised  unto  their  Fathers,  did  not 
 seem  tedious  or  irksome  unto  them :  this  labour  and  travel 
 they  undertook  with  great  alacrity,  never  troubled  with  any 
 doubt,  nor  dismayed  with  any  fear,  till  at  the  length  they 
 came  to  knock  at  those  brazen  gates,  the  bars  whereof,  as 
 they  had  no  means,  so  they  had  no  hopes,  to  break  asunder. 
 Mountains  on  this  hand,  and  the  roaring  sea  before  their 
 faces  ;  then  all  the  forces  that  Egypt  could  make,  coming 
 with  as  much  rage  and  fury  as  could  possess  the  heart  of  a 
 proud,  potent,  and  cruel  tyrant:  in  these  straits,  at  this  in- 
 stant, Oh  that  we  had  been  so  happy  as  to  die  where  be- 
 fore we  lived  a  life,  though  toilsome,  yet  free  from  such  ex- 
 tremities as  now  we  are  fallen  into  !  Is  this  the  milk  and 
 honey  that  hath  been  so  spoken  of?  Is  this  the  paradise 
 in  description  whereof  so  much  glossing  and  deceiving 
 eloquence  hath  been  spent?  have  we  after  four  hundred 
 and  thirty  years  left  Egypt  to  come  to  this  ?  While  they 
 
ON  ST.  MATTHEW,  VII.  7,  8.  629 
 
 are  in  the  midst  of  their  mutinous  cogitations,  Moses  with 
 all  instancy  beateth,  and  God  with  the  hand  of  his  omni- 
 potency  casteth  open  the  gates  before  them,  maugre  even 
 their  own  infidelity  and  despair.  It  was  not  strange  then, 
 nor  that  they  afterward  stood  in  like  repining  terms ;  for 
 till  they  came  to  the  very  brink  of  the  river  Jordan,  the 
 least  cross  accident,  which  lay  at  any  time  in  their  way, 
 was  evermore  unto  them  a  cause  of  present  recidivation 
 and  relapse.  They  having  the  land  in  their  possession, 
 being  seated  in  the  heart  thereof,  and  all  their  hardest  en- 
 counters past,  Joshua  and  the  better  sort  of  their  Governors, 
 who  saw  the  wonders  which  God  had  wrought  for  the  good 
 of  that  people,  had  no  sooner  ended  their  days,  but  first 
 one  tribe,  then  another,  in  the  end  all,  delighted  in  ease ; 
 fearful  to  hazard  themselves  in  following  the  conduct  of 
 God,  weary  of  passing  so  many  strait  and  narrow  gates, 
 condescended  to  ignominious  conditions  of  peace,  joined 
 hands  with  Infidels,  forsook  him  which  had  been  always 
 the  Rock  of  their  salvation,  and  so  had  none  to  open  unto 
 them,  although  their  occasions  of  knocking  were  great  af- 
 terward, more  and  greater  than  before.  Concerning  Issa- 
 char,  the  words  of  Jacob,  the  father  of  all  the  Patriarchs, 
 were  these ;  Issachar,  though  bonny  and  strong  enough  m/m. 
 unto  any  labour,  doth  couch  notwithstanding  as  an  ass 
 under  all  burdens ;  he  shall  think  with  himself  that  rest  is 
 good,  and  the  land  pleasant ;  he  shall  in  these  considera- 
 tions rather  endure  the  burden  and  yoke  of  tribute,  than 
 cast  himself  into  hazard  of  war.  We  are  for  the  most  part 
 all  of  Issachar's  disposition,  we  account  ease  cheap,  how- 
 soever we  buy  it.  And  although  we  can  haply  frame  our- 
 selves sometimes  to  ask,  or  endure  for  a  while  to  seek ;  yet 
 loth  we  are  to  follow  a  course  of  life,  which  shall  too  often 
 hem  us  about  with  those  perplexities,  the  dangers  whereof 
 are  manifestly  great. 
 
 But  of  the  duties  here  prescribed  of  asking,  seeking, 
 knocking,  thus  much  may  suffice.  The  promises  follow 
 which  God  hath  made. 
 
 2.  "  Ask  and  receive,  seek  and  find,  knock  and  it  shall 
 be  opened  unto  you."  Promises  are  made  of  good  things 
 to  come  ;  and  such,  while  they  are  in  expectation,  have  a 
 kind  of  painfulness  with  them;  but  when  the  time  of  per- 
 formance and  of  present  fruition  cometh,  it  bringcth  joy. 
 
630  A  SERMON 
 
 Abraham  did  somewhat  rejoice  in  that  \\hich  he  saw 
 would  come,  although  knowing  that  many  ages  and  gene- 
 rations must  first  pass :  their  exultation  far  greater,  who 
 beheld  with  their  eyes,  and  embraced  in  their  arms  him 
 which  had  been  before  the  hope  of  the  whole  world.  We 
 John,  have  found  that  Messias,  have  seen  the  salvation  :  "  Behold 
 here  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 
 world."  These  are  speeches  of  men  not  comforted  with 
 the  hope  of  that  they  desire,  but  rapt  with  admiration  at 
 the  view  of  enjoyed  bliss. 
 
 As  oft  therefore  as  our  case  is  the  same  with  the  Pro- 
 phet David's ;  or  that  experience  of  God's  abundant  mercy 
 towards  us  doth  wrest  from  our  mouths  the  same  acknow- 
 psai.  civi.  ledgments  which  it  did  from  his,  "  I  called  on  the  name  of 
 *~8-  the  Lord,  and  he  hath  rescued  his  servant :  I  was  in  mi- 
 sery, and  he  saved  me:  Thou,  Lord,  hast  delivered  my 
 soul  from  death,  mine  eyes  from  tears,  and  my  feet  from 
 falling:"  I  have  asked  and  received,  sought  and  found, 
 knocked  and  it  hath  been  opened  unto  me  :  can  there  less 
 be  expected  at  our  hands,  than  to  take  the  cup  of  salva- 
 tion, and  bless,  magnify,  and  extol  the  mercies  heaped 
 upon  the  heads  of  the  sons  of  men?  Are  we  in  the  case  of 
 them,  who  as  yet  do  only  ask  and  have  not  received  ?  It  is 
 but  attendance  a  small  time,  we  shall  rejoice  then ;  but 
 how?  we  shall  find,  but  where?  it  shall  be  opened,  but 
 with  what  hand  ?  To  all  which  demands  I  must  answer. 
 John,    Use  the  words  of  our  Saviour  Christ :  "  Quid  hoc  ad  te  V 
 
 xxi  £2. 
 
 '  what  are  these  things  unto  us  ?  Is  it  for  us  to  be  made  ac- 
 quainted with  the  way  he  hath  to  bring  his  counsel  and 
 purposes  about  ?  God  will  not  have  great  things  brought 
 to  pass,  either  altogether  without  means,  or  by  those  means 
 altogether  which  are  to  our  seeming  probable  and  likely. 
 Not  without  means,  lest  under  colour  of  repose  in  God  we 
 should  nourish  at  any  time  in  ourselves  idleness :  not  by 
 the  mere  ability  of  means  gathered  together  through  our  own 
 providence,  lest  prevailing  by  helps  which  the  common 
 course  of  nature  yieldeth,  we  should  offer  the  sacrifice  of 
 thanksgiving  for  whatsoever  prey  we  take  to  the  nets 
 which  our  fingers  did  weave  ;  than  which  there  cannot  be 
 to  him  more  intolerable  injury  offered.  "  Vere  et  absque 
 dubio,  (sailh  St.  Bernard,)  hoc  quisque  est  pessimus,  quo 
 optimus,  si  hoc  ipsum  quo  est  optimus  adscribat  sibi;"  the 
 
ON  ST.  MATTHEW,  VII.  7,  8. 
 
 G3L 
 
 more  blest,  the  more  curst,  if  we  make  his  graces  our  own 
 glory,  without  imputation  of  all  to  him ;  whatsoever  we 
 have  we  steal,  and  the  multiplication  of  God's  favours  doth 
 but  aggravate  the  crime  of  our  sacrilege  :  he  knowing  how 
 prone  we  are  to  unthankfulness  in  this  kind,  tempereth  ac- 
 cordingly the  means,  whereby  it  is  his  pleasure  to  do  us 
 good.  This  is  the  reason  why  God  would  neither  have 
 Gideon  to  conquer  without  tiny  army,  nor  yet  to  be  fur- 
 nished with  too  great  an  host.  This  is  the  cause  why,  as 
 none  of  the  promises  of  God  do  fail,  so  the  most  are  in 
 such  sort  brought  to  pass,  that,  if  we  after  consider  the 
 circuit,  wherein  the  steps  of  his  providence  have  gone,  the 
 due  consideration  thereof  cannot  choose  but  draw  from  us 
 the  self-same  words  of  astonishment,  which  the  blessed 
 Apostle  hath  :  "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  of  the  wisdom  of  R0m. 
 God  !  how  unsearchable  are  his  counsels,  and  his  ways  X1, 33- 
 past  finding  out !"  Let  it  therefore  content  us  always  to 
 have  his  word  for  an  absolute  warrant ;  we  shall  receive 
 and  find  in  the  end  ;  it  shall  at  length  be  opened  unto  you: 
 however,  or  by  what  means,  leave  it  to  God. 
 
 3.  Now  our  Lord  groundeth  every  man's  particular  as- 
 surance touching  this  point  upon  the  general  rule  and 
 axiom  of  his  providence,  which  hath  ordained  these  effects 
 to  flow  and  issue  out  of  these  causes;  gifts  of  suits,  finding 
 out  of  seeking,  help  out  of  knocking;  a  principle  so  gene- 
 rally true,  that  on  his  part  it  never  faileth. 
 
 For  why?  it  is  the  glory  of  God  to  give;  his  very  nature 
 delighteth  in  it ;  his  mercies  in  the  current,  through  which 
 they  would  pass,  may  be  dried  up,  but  at  the  head  they 
 never  fail.  Men  are  soon  weary  both  of  gran-ting  and  of 
 hearing  suits,  because  our  own  insufficiency  maketh  us 
 still  afraid,  lest  by  benefiting  of  others  we  impoverish  our- 
 selves. We  read  of  large  and  great  proffers,  which  Princes 
 in  their  fond  and  vain-glorious  moods  have  poured  forth : 
 as  that  of  Herod  ;  and  the  like  of  Ahasuerus  in  the  Book  of  Mark 
 Esther.  "  Ask  what  thou  wilt,  though  it  reach  to  the  half  ]!^*'{ 
 of  my  Kingdom,  I  will  give  it  thee:"  which  very  words  of vi'-'2- 
 profusion  do  argue,  that  the  ocean  of  no  estate  in  this  world 
 doth  so  flow,  but  it  may  be  emptied.  He  that  promiseth 
 half  of  his  Kingdom,  foreseeth  how  that  being  gone,  the  re- 
 mainder is  but  a  moiety  of  that  which  was.  What  we  give 
 we  leave ;  but  what  God  bestoweth  benefiteth  us,  and  from 
 
632       A  SERMON  ON  ST.  MATTHEW,  VII,  7,  8. 
 
 him  it  taketh  nothing  :  wherefore  in  his  propositions  there 
 are  no  such  fearful  restraints  ;  his  terms  are  general  in  re- 
 john  Sai-d  °f  making,  "  Whatsoever  ye  ask  the  Father  in  my 
 xvi.23! name;"  and  general  also  in  respect  of  persons,  "  whoso- 
 ever asketh,  whosoever  seeketh."    It  is  true,  St.  James 
 jam.  saith,  "  Ye  ask,  and  yet  ye  receive  not,  because  you  ask 
 amiss ;"  ye  crave  to  the  end  ye  might  have  to  spend  upon 
 your  lusts.  The  rich  man  sought  Heaven,  but  it  was  then 
 that  he  felt  hell.    The  Virgins  knocked  in  vain,  because 
 they  overslipped  their  opportunity;  and  when  the  time  was 
 £a-6  to  knock,  they  slept :  but "  Quaerite  Dominum  dum  inveniri 
 potest,"  Perform  these  duties  in  their  due  time  and  due  sort. 
 Let  there,  on  our  part,  be  no  stop,  and  the  bounty  of  God 
 we  know  is  such,  that  he  granteth  over  and  above  our  de- 
 sires. Saul  sought  an  ass,  and  found  a  Kingdom.  Solomon 
 named  wisdom,  and  God  gave  Solomon  wealth  also,  by  way 
 Psal     of  surpassing.    "  Thou  hast  prevented  thy  servant  with 
 x*L  3. 4.  blessings,"  saith  the  Prophet  David.   "  He  asked  life,  and 
 thou  gavest  him  long  life,  even  for  ever  and  ever."    God  a 
 jam.  giver ;  "  He  giveth  liberally,  and  upbraideth  none  in  any 
 u  *  wise :"  and  therefore  he  better  knoweth  than  we  the  best 
 times,  and  the  best  means,  and  the  best  things,  wherein  the 
 good  of  our  souls  consisteth. 
 
 INDEX. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 ABSOLUTION,  the  extravagant  abuse  of 
 it  by  the  papists,  ii.  204,  211.  What  in  the 
 doctrine  of  the  church  of  England,  206,  207, 
 
 Adversity,  prayer  to  be  evermore  deliver- 
 ed from  it,  vindicated,  i.  546. 
 
 Aerius,  his  different  opinion  from  Tertul- 
 lian  about  fasting,  ii.  56.  The  first  opposer 
 of  the  order  of  bishops,  279. 
 
 Agents,  natural  and  voluntary,  how  distin- 
 guished, i.  156. 
 
 Anabaptists  in  Germany,  their  first  tenets, 
 1.  138.  By  what  steps  they  gained  ground, 
 141.  Their  bold  assertions  at  last,  143.  Their 
 notions  as  to  the  liberty  of  Christians  cen- 
 sured, 307. 
 
 Angels,  what  law  they  act  by,  i.  l6l.  How 
 some  of  them  came  to  fall,  163.  How  dis- 
 persed after  their  fall,  164.  Their  know- 
 ledge full  and  complete,  165. 
 
 Antiquity,  what  deference  to  be  paid  to  it 
 jn  disputable  points,  i.  418. 
 
 Apocryphal  books,  what  denoted  by  the 
 word  formerly,  and  what  now,  i.  452,  453. 
 The  reading  of  them  in  churches  vindicated, 
 455. 
 
 Apollinarians,  their  heresy,  what,  i.  577. 
 
 Apostacy,  what,  ii.  599. 
 
 Apostles,  in  what  things  they  have  succes- 
 sors, and  in  what  not,  ii.  244.  The  danger 
 of  despising  their  words  or  preaching,  592. 
 
 Appetite,  how  it  differs  from  will,  i.  169. 
 
 Archbishop,  to  what  end  appointed,  ii.  270. 
 
 Archdeacon,  his  office  what,  ii.  266. 
 
 Archpresbyter,  his  office  what,  ib. 
 
 Arianism,  its  rise  and  progress,  i.  527. 
 
 Athanasian  creed,  by  whom  and  when 
 written  (according  to  the  judgment  of  Mr. 
 Hooker),  i.  531.  The  use  of  it  in  our  Liturgy 
 vindicated,  534. 
 
 Atheism,  when  affected,  the  most  opposite 
 to  true  religion,  i.  408. 
 
 Augustine  (St.),  vindicated,  i.  239. 
 
 Baptism,  in  cases  of  necessity,  to  be  ad- 
 ministered without  the  usual  ceremonies,  i. 
 598,  606.  The  necessity  of  it,  598.  The  in- 
 ward grace  of  it  conferred  where  the  outward 
 means  cannot  be  had,  604.  The  case  of  in- 
 fants dying  without  it  considered,  605.  To 
 be  privately  administered  iu  cases  of  neces- 
 sity, C08.  Administered  by  women  and  lay- 
 men valid  and  effectual  (in  the  judgment  of 
 Mr.  Hooker),  612.  Administered  by  heretics, 
 why  rejected  by  the  ancients,  274.— (See  Cross, 
 Interrogatories.) 
 
 Benedictus,  the  use  of  it  in  our  service 
 vindicated,  i.  521. 
 
 Benefice,  what  the  name  signifies,  ii.  121. 
 
 Bishops,  their  order  appointed  of  God,  Ha 
 234.  Were  in  all  churches  universally,  for 
 1500  years  after  Christ,  ib.  In  England  be- 
 fore the  year  350,  and  ever  since,  235.  Whence 
 they  took  their  name,  237.  Their  order  an- 
 cienter  than  their  name,  ib.  A  definition  of 
 a  bishop,  and  in  what  his  office  consists,  239. 
 At  large,  and  with  restraint,  how  distinguish- 
 ed, ib.  Their  superiority,  in  what  sense  dis- 
 puted, ib.  The  apostles  the  first  bishops,  and 
 all  bishops  the  apostles'  successors,  241.  All 
 bishops  originally  called  apostles,  ib.  They 
 were  first  instituted  with  restraint,  and  why, 
 244.  St.  Jerome's  notion  of  them  vindicated, 
 246.  Their  succession  from  the  apostles  to 
 be  proved  in  all  churches  which  the  apostles 
 founded,  252.  What  their  power  was  origi- 
 nally, 254.  Have  the  power  of  ordination  in- 
 vested solely  in  them,  255.  Have  the  power 
 of  jurisdiction  invested  solely  in  themselves, 
 256.  How  far  they  admitted  presbyters  to 
 the  exercise  of  jurisdiction,  264.  How  far 
 their  power  extended  originally  in  compass, 
 268.  Some  superior  to  others,  and  why,  270. 
 By  whom  their  order  was  first  opposed,  271. 
 Their  interest  in  civil  affairs  vindicated,  307. 
 What  honours  due  to  them,  and  upon  what 
 account,  325,  337.  In  what  instances  honour 
 is  to  be  shewed  them,  339.  What  share  they 
 had  formerly  out  of  the  public  maintenance 
 of  the  church,  354.  Their  behaviour  and  con- 
 duct, what  it  should  be,  360.  The  great  sin 
 of  procuring  their  office  by  simony,  36l.  Their 
 visitation  and  courts,  how  they  ought  to  be 
 managed,  365,  366.  The  great  detriment  that 
 arises  from  careless  bishops  to  the  church, 
 367.  The  duty  of  their  clergy  and  people  to 
 bear  with  their  infirmities,  369.  Their  reve- 
 nues and  wealth  to  be  carefully  protected, 
 371.  Their  title  to  their  revenues  justified, 
 376.— (See  Episcopacy,  Maintenance,  and  Pre- 
 lates.) 
 
 Bowing  at  the  name  of  Jesus  vindicated,  i. 
 499. 
 
 Brazen  serpent  destroyed  by  Hezekiah.how 
 far  to  be  drawn  into  a  precedent,  i.  650. 
 
 Burial-office,  the  design  of  it,  ii.  68.  Mourn- 
 ing attire  at  funerals,  lawful  and  decent,  69. 
 Processions  at  funerals,  decent  and  ancient, 
 ib.  Sermons  at  funerals,  the  proper  use  of 
 them,  70.  Funeral  banquets  or  doles,  the 
 decency  of  them,  ib.  Testification  of  our 
 hope  of  the  resurrection,  at  such  times,  how 
 necessary,  71.  Funeral  offices  used  by  Jews 
 and  Christians  of  old,  ib. 
 
 Calviu  (John),  born  in  France,  and  origi- 
 nally a  lawyer,  i.  99.    How  he  introduced 
 
634 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Iiimself  into  the  church  of  Geneva,  ib.  Is 
 banished  thence,  and  recalled  thither  again, 
 100,  101.  What  conditions  he  required  of 
 them  upon  his  return,  102,  The  subtilty  of 
 his  conditions,  and  how  received  by  the  peo- 
 ple, 102,103.  Is  again  disgusted,  and  takes 
 his  leave  of  them,  1*>4.  His  just  praise,  and 
 hew  universally  honoured  among  the  foreign 
 reformed,  105, 
 
 Catechizing,  the  design  and  usefulness  of 
 it,  i.  443,414. 
 
 Ceremonies,  what  meant  by  them,  1.  3C6, 
 337.  The  use  of  them,  307.  043.  How  univer- 
 sal, 338.  How  far  we  may  vary  from  the 
 primitive  ceremonies,  340.  The  objections 
 that  are  made  agaiust  our  ceremonies  as 
 popish,  343.  These  objections  contradict 
 themselves,  346.  Mot  to  be  abolished  upon 
 account  of  the  boasts  and  hopes  of  the  papists, 
 3<5l.  The  grief  of  those  that  are  disturbed 
 at  them,  by  whom  to  be  remedied,  3C5.  Not 
 always  to  be  rejected,  because  originally  de- 
 rived from  the  Jews,  307.  When  scandalous, 
 and  when  not,  379-  When  to  be  removed  for 
 fear  of  scandal,  and  when  not,  381.  Not  ne- 
 cessary to  be  formed  after  the  pattern  of  elder 
 churches,  384.  The  moderation  and  prudence 
 of  the  church  of  England  111  establishing 
 them,  392. 
 
 Certainty  of  assurance,  what,  ii.  572.  Of 
 evidence,  what,  573. 
 
 Chorepiscopi,  how  distinguished  from  bi- 
 shops, ii.  269. 
 
 Christ  hath  the  second  person  in  the  Tri- 
 nity united  with  him,  i.  563.  Is  but  one  per- 
 son, 565.  Hath  two  natures  entire  and  dis- 
 tinct, 568.  What  his  humanity  gained  by  its 
 union  with  the  Deity,  ii.  572.  580,  581.  His 
 body  not  every  where  present,  578.  In  what 
 sense  he  may  be  said  to  be  present  every 
 where  as  man,  581.  In  what  manner,  and  by 
 what  means,  he  is  united  with  his  church, 
 584.  Has  the  same  authority  in  the  govern- 
 ment of  the  world  as  in  the  government  of 
 the  church,  ii.  412. 
 
 Chrysostom  (St.),  vindicated  as  to  his  no- 
 tion of  the  jurisdiction  of  bishops,  ii.  261. 
 
 Church,  what  it  signifies,  ii.  17.  Mystical 
 and  visible,  sound  and  unsound,  how  distin- 
 guished, i.  269.  How  united  with  Christ, 
 584.  What  power  we  attribute  to  it,  in  the 
 making  of  laws,  327.  What  deference  due  to 
 her  judgment,!.  421.  How  it  is  distinguished 
 from  the  commonwealth,  ii.  380.  Both  one 
 and  the  same  society,  381.  334.  The  notion 
 of  their  being  two  separate  societies,  whence 
 it  arises,  382. 
 
 Churches,  the  decency  of  dedicating  them 
 solemnly  to  God,  i.  430.  The  lawfulness  of 
 distinguishing  them  by  the  names  of  angels 
 and  saints,  434,  The  fashion  of  them  vindi- 
 cated, 435.  Ought  to  be  stately  and  sump- 
 tuous, 436.  Not  to  be  abolished,  because 
 formerly  abused  to  superstitious  uses,  440, 
 441. 
 
 Church-goods,  lands,  offerings,  and  reve- 
 nues, &c.  the  property  of  them  in  God,  ii. 
 344.  The  right  of  the  clergy  to  receive  and 
 use  them,  349.  Sacrilege  to  alienate  them, 
 359.  The  sad  consequences  that  would  at- 
 tend a  sacrilegious  alienation, 372.  374. 
 
 Church. polity,  see  Ecclesiastical  Polity. 
 
 Churching  of  women,  the  lawfulness  of  the 
 rite,  ii.  66.  The  woman  not  before  excluded 
 the  church  as  unholy,  68.  The  attire  of  a 
 womau  at  churching  to  be  decent.  Oblations, 
 a  proper  name  for  her  offerings  at  such  times, 
 ib. 
 
 Civil  powers,  see  King. 
 
 Clergy  (Christian),  three  orders  of  them 
 mentioned  in  the  New  Testament,  ii.  09,  101. 
 — (See  Maintenance.) 
 
 Clergy  (Jewish),  their  distinct  orders  and 
 offices,  ii.  91.  Their  distinct jurisdiction,  148. 
 Their  plentiful  maintenance  allotted  by  God, 
 351.352. 
 
 Collects,  the  shortness  of  them  vindicated, 
 i.  504,  505. 
 
 Common  prayer,  the  place  where  perform- 
 ed to  be  decent  and  solemn,  i.  483.  The  mi- 
 nisters that  perform  it  to  be  zealous  and  fer- 
 vent, 484.  The  several  exceptions  made 
 against  it,  487  ,  508.  The  objections  to  it  as 
 popish  considered,  489.  Not  to  be  postponed 
 to  any  foreign  liturgies,  490.  The  easiness 
 of  reading  it  considered,  501.  The  length  of 
 it  vindicated,  502.  The  shortness  of  the  col- 
 lects vindicated,  504,  505.  The  frequent  pe 
 titions  for  temporal  blessings  vindicated,  508. 
 —(See  Forms  of  prayer.) 
 
 Commonwealth,  see  Church — Prayer. 
 
 Communion,  see  Eucharist. 
 
 Communion  of  saints,  wherein  it  consists, 
 i.  592. 
 
 Conference,  see  Disputation. 
 
 Confession,  how  practised  by  the  primitive 
 church,  ii.  157.  How  practised  among  the 
 Jews,  161.  How  practised  by  the  protestants 
 abroad,  183.  How  it  stands  with  the  church 
 of  England,  184. 
 
 Confession  (auricular)  the  pretended  texts 
 of  Scripture  for  it  examined,  ii.  102.  The 
 rise,  progress,  and  discontinuance,  of  it  in 
 the  primitive  church,  165.  How  abused  by 
 the  papists,  176.  How  far  practised  by  the 
 church  of  England,  185- 
 
 Confirmation,  the  antiquity  of  it,  i.658.  An 
 office  peculiar  to  bishops,  660.  Why  sever- 
 ed from  baptism,66l. 
 
 Contrition,  wherein  it  consists,  ii.  155. 
 
 Councils  to  be  called  and  dissolved  by  the 
 civil  powers,  ii.  422. 
 
 Courts  (of  bishops)  how  pernicious,  if  cor- 
 rupt, ii.  365. 
 
 Cross  in  baptism,  justified,  i.  641.  Its  an- 
 tiquity and  use,  and  why  made  in  the  fore- 
 head, 644.  Not  to  be  discontinued  because 
 abused  by  the  papists,  649. 
 
 Cyprian  (St.)  vindicated,  i.  £40.  €91.  295- 
 322. 
 
 Deacons,  their  order  and  office,  ii.  96- 
 
 Death  (sudden),  the  petition  against  it  in 
 the  Litany  vindicated,  i.  542. 
 
 Diocess  and  province  (of  a  bishop),  how 
 they  differ,  ii.  2*2.  Whence  the  distinction 
 at  first  arose,  ib. 
 
 Discipline  and  doctrine,  the  difference  be- 
 tween them,  i.  282.  (Penitential),  the  severity 
 of  it  in  the  primitive  church,  ii.  198.  The 
 danger  of  too  easily  remitting  it,  200.  How 
 abused  by  the  papists.SOl.   (Of  the  puiitans). 
 
INDEX. 
 
 635 
 
 by  what  means  it  got  footing  among  the  peo- 
 ple, i.  108.  By  what  means  among  the  learn- 
 ed, 116.  The  dangerous  consequences  that 
 would  follow  from  it,  131. 
 
 Disputation,  public,  where  properly  to  be 
 held,  i.  120.  Not  to  be  admitted  upon  all  de- 
 mands, 123.  How  to  be  managed,  124.  The 
 proper  manner  to  end  it,  125. 
 
 Doles,  at  funerals,  the  decency  of  them,  ii. 
 70. 
 
 Dominion,  spiritual,  the  power  of  it,  what, 
 ii.  390.— (See  Head  of  the  church— King — Su. 
 preniacy.) 
 
 Donations,  endowments,  or  foundations, 
 religious,  the  impiety  or  sacrilege  of  alienat- 
 ing or  impairing  them,  ii.  111. 
 
 Donatists,  the  ground  of  their  schism,  i.  617. 
 
 Doxology,  see  Gloria  Patri. 
 
 Ecclesiastical  Polity,  why  chosen  by  the 
 Author  for  the  title  of  his  book,  i.  280.  The 
 substance  and  matter  of  the  eight  books,  10Q. 
 Not  necessary  to  be  the  same  in  all  churches, 
 280.  Nor  to  be  wholly  and  minutely  set 
 down  in  Scripture,  281. — (See Discipline.) 
 
 Elect,  never  wholly  fall  from  the  faith,  ii. 
 573,  599.  God's  care  of  them,  when  he  exe- 
 cutes judgments  on  the  wicked,  607. 
 
 Endowments,  religious;  see  Donations. 
 
 Episcopacy,  by  whom  first  opposed,  ii.  279. 
 In  what  respect  opposed  by  the  modern  sec- 
 taries, 282.  Their  arguments  against  it  as  a 
 human  invention,  ib.  Those  arguments 
 answered,  284.  Their  arguments  against  the 
 necessity  of  it,  290.  An  answer  to  those'ar- 
 guments,  291.  The  objection  of  bishops  usurp- 
 ing more  power  now  than  formerly,  answer- 
 ed,295.  Nowhere  condemned  in  Scripture  or 
 antiquity,  317.— (See  Bishops — Prelates.) 
 
 Error  and  heresy,  how  they  differ,  ii.  509. 
 541. 
 
 Evangelists,  what  they  were,  ii.  98. 
 
 Eucharist,  not  to  be  received  before  bap- 
 tism, ii.  1.  The  design  and  use  of  it,  ib.  The 
 manner  of  Christ's  presence  in  it,  not  to  be 
 inquired  into  too  curiously,  3.  10.  In  what 
 sense  the  elements  are  his  body  and  blood,  4. 
 Distributing  the  elements  to  every  person 
 singly,  justified,  13.  Kneeling  at  the  time  of 
 receiving,  justified,  15.  Examination  of  the 
 communicants  not  to  be  laid  aside,  16.  Pa- 
 pists, when  conforming,  not  to  be  repelled,  ib. 
 The  objection  as  to  the  fewness  of  our  com- 
 municants answered,  23.  Very  properly  ad- 
 ministered at  marriages,  66.  The  power  of 
 ministers  to  exclude  men  from  it,  185. 
 
 Evil,  as  evil,  not  to  be  desired,  i.  170.  How 
 to  be  distinguished  from  good,  172. 
 
 Eutyches,  his  error,  what,  ii.  568.  577. 
 
 Faith,  why  weak  and  imperfect  in  some  be- 
 lievers, ii.  570.  When  once  received,  never 
 afterward  entirely  fails,  534.  574.  599.  The 
 sole  basis  of  a  Christian,  6ll.  The  founda- 
 tion of  it,  what,  510.  518.  What  it  is  to  hold 
 it,  520.  What  to  deny  it  directly,  and  what 
 by  consequent,  521.  The  difference  of  faith 
 in  good  men  and  wicked,  522.  He  that  once 
 holds  it  can  never  afterward  directly  deny  it, 
 534. 
 
 Fasting,  the  design  and  use  of  it,  ii.  47. 
 
 What  fasts  observed  by  the  Jews,  49.  What 
 by  the  Christians,  52.  The  oppositions  made 
 to  it,  55.  The  political  benefits  of  it,  6l. 
 Why  appointed  before  festivals,  ib. 
 
 Fathers,  how  far  they  make  use  of  nega- 
 tive arguments  from  Scripture,  i.  240. 
 
 Fathers,  Romish  ;  see  Romanists. 
 
 Fear,  not  sinful  in  itself,  ii.  567.  On  what 
 it  ought  to  be  exercised  most,  ib. 
 
 Fear  and  zeal,  the  roots  of  superstition,  i. 
 412. 
 
 Festivals,  the  natural  cause  of  their  insti- 
 tution, ii.  26.  In  what  manner  to  be  cele- 
 brated, 29.  What  days  to  be  observed  as  fes- 
 tivals, 32.  The  objections  against  observing 
 them  answered,  35. 
 
 First  cause,  acknowledged  by  the  heathens, 
 and  what  they  thoughtof  it,  i.  15S. 
 
 Forms  of  prayer,  used  by  the  Jews  and 
 primitive  Christians,  i.  485,  486. — (See  Com- 
 mon Prayer.) 
 
 Foundation,  see  Faith. 
 
 Foundations,  religious;  see  Donations. 
 
 Funerals,  see  Burial-office. 
 
 Geneva,  see  Calvin. 
 
 Gestures,  different,  at  the  time  of  prayer, 
 vindicated,  i.  498. 
 
 Gloria  Patri,  why  the  usual  conclusion  of 
 Psalms,  &c.  i.  532.  The  use  made  of  it 
 against  the  Arians,  533.  The  use  of  it  in  our 
 Liturgy  vindicated,  535.  The  Arian  doxolo- 
 gy, orthodox  in  words,  ib. 
 
 God  and  his  doings  unsearchable,  i.  152. 
 A  law  to  himself,  153.  Does  nothing  with- 
 out reason,  ib. 
 
 Good  works,  how  far  instrumental  to  sal- 
 vation, ii.  516.  Not  meritorious,  or  the  cause 
 of  salvation,  518.  531. 
 
 Goodness,  the  degrees  of  it,  and  whence  it 
 proceeds,  i.  164.  166.  How  to  be  discerned, 
 173.    How  to  be  distinguished  from  evil,  172. 
 
 Government,  public,  how  and  upon  what 
 occasion  it  at  first  began,  i.  187.  The  kinds 
 of  it  arbitrary,  188.  Its  happiness  and  pros- 
 perity dependent  upon  religion,  ii.  76. 
 
 Grace,  no  falling  away  from  it  entirely,  ii. 
 534.  574. 599. 
 
 Grief  and  heaviness,  when  reprovable,  ii. 
 561. 
 
 Habit  of  the  clergy  for  distinction,  proper, 
 ii.  102. 
 
 Halting  between  two  opinions  condemned, 
 ii.  593. 
 
 Head  of  the  church,  the  lawfulness  of  ap- 
 plying that  title  to  the  king,  ii.  405.  Not  ap- 
 plied in  the  same  sense  to  the  king  as  to 
 Christ,  406.  In  what  sense  applied  to  one  and 
 the  other,  408.  417-  Implies  no  contradic- 
 tions or  absurdities,  when  applied  to  the 
 king,  410.  Applied  to  the  king  and  to  the 
 pope  in  different  senses,  419. 
 
 Heresy,  what,  ii.  597-  How  it  differs  from 
 error,  508.  526. 
 
 Hezekiah's  destroying  the  brazen  serpent, 
 how  far  to  be  drawn  into  a  precedent,  i.  650. 
 
 Holidays,  see  Fasts — Festivals. 
 
 Holy  Ghost,  in  what  sense  given  and  re- 
 ceived in  ordination,  ii.  84. 
 
 Honour,  to  whom,  and  upon  what  accounts 
 
636 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 due,  ii.  326.  How  to  be  expressed,  ib.  How 
 and  upon  whataccounts  due  to  the  clergy,  337. 
 Iu  what  respects  to  be  shewed  them,  339. 
 — (See  Bishops — Prelates.) 
 
 Human  authority,  how  far  to  be  urged,  i. 
 253. 
 
 Jerome  (St.),  vindicated  as  to  his  notions  of 
 episcopacy,  ii.  246.  26l. 
 
 Jerusalem,  the  council  of,  superior  authori- 
 ty to  any  since,  ii.  4-46. 
 
 Jesus,  bowing  at  his  name  vindicated,  i. 
 499- 
 
 Jews,  their  destruction  the  result  of  their 
 infidelity,  ii.  615. 
 
 Jewish  ceremonies  and  rites,  how  far  they 
 may  be  lawfully  retained  by  Christiaus,  i. 
 367. 
 
 Jewish  clergy,  see  Clergy  Jewish. 
 
 Ignorance  in  the  clergy,  the  true  cause  of 
 it,  ii.  129.  In  some  cases  not  to  be  remedied, 
 130.  Ought  not  to  be  suffered  unnecessarily, 
 363. 
 
 Imposition  of  hands,  ah  ancient  ceremony 
 in  blessing,  &c.  i.  658. 
 
 Indulgences  (popish),  exposed,  ii.  201. 
 
 Incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God  with  Christ, 
 i.  563.  How  diversely  misinterpreted  by  he- 
 retics, 565.  The  orthodox  account  of  it  ex- 
 pressed in  four  words,  in  refutation  of  the 
 four  principal  heresies,  577. 
 
 Infants,  dying  without  baptism,  their  case 
 considered,  i.  605. 
 
 Intention  of  the  priest,  in  the  administra- 
 tion of  the  sacraments,  to  be  always  supposed 
 sincere,  i.  598. 
 
 Interrogatories  in  baptism  justified,  ii.  631. 
 633. 
 
 Jurisdiction,  a  distinct  power  from  ordina- 
 tion, ii.  148.  To  what  end  given  by  Christ, 
 149. 
 
 Justification,  what  in  the  sense  of  the 
 church  of  Rome,  ii.  500.  What  in  the  sense 
 of  our  own  church,  502.  How  it  differs  from 
 sanctification,  503. 
 
 King,  had  a  supremacy  in  ecclesiastical  af- 
 fairs among  the  Jews,  ii.  379.  380.  Has  the 
 same  power  with  us,  380.  By  what  right  he 
 has  it,  393.  And  in  what  sort,  304.  In  what 
 measure,  398.  May,  in  a  limited  sense,  be 
 lawfully  termed  Head  of  the  Church,  405. 
 Hath  a  power  to  call  and  dissolve  councils, 
 &c.  422.  Hath  power  to  make  laws  concern- 
 ing ecclesiastical  affairs,  427.  Hath  power  in 
 all  causes  and  over  all  persons  as  well  eccle- 
 siastical as  civil,  433.  His  consent  necessary 
 to  the  making  of  laws,  447. — (See  Dominion — 
 Head  of  the  Church — Supremacy.) 
 
 Kneeling  at  the  sacrament  justified,  ii  15. 
 
 Law  (in  general),  what  it  is,  i.  151.  (Eter- 
 nal), what  it  is,  152.  (Set  by  God  to  himself), 
 what,  153.  174.  Unsearchable,  154.  (Ob- 
 served by  natural  agents)  what,  157.  175. 
 (Observed  by  angels)  what,  l6l.  (By  which 
 man  is  to  be  guided)  what,  164.  (Of  reason) 
 what,  and  how  to  be  known,  179.  The  benefit 
 of  keeping  it,  182. 
 
 Laws  (politic),  to  what  end  ordained,  i.  185. 
 189.  By  whom  to  be  made,  190.  From  whence 
 
 they  take  their  force,  191.  Why  so  much  va. 
 riety  in  them,  192.  (Mixed  aud  merely  hu- 
 man)  how  they  differ,  193.  (Of  nations),  of 
 what  use,  195.  (Primary  and  secondary),  how 
 distinguished,  196.  (Supernatural),  why  it 
 pleased  God  to  make  them  known,  198.  (Na- 
 tural and  rational)  why  6et  down  in  Holy 
 Scripture,  206.  (Divine)  the  benefit  of  having 
 them  written,  208.  212.  (Positive),  when  mu- 
 table and  when  not,  i.  215.  308.  How  to 
 judge  of  laws,  219.  When  well  or  ill  made, 
 305.  How  far  to  be  obeyed,  223.  (Of  Christ 
 and  Moses),  how  they  differ,  315.  Whether 
 Christ  has  forbidden  all  change  of  his  laws, 
 ib.  In  what  cases  we  may  add  to  or  diminish 
 them,  327-  (Ecclesiastical),  by  whom  to  be 
 made,  ii.  425.  443. 
 
 Laity,  their  consent  necessary  in  ecclesias- 
 tical laws,  ii.  447. 
 
 Lay-baptism,  valid  and  effectual  in  the  opi- 
 nion of  the  author,  i.  612. 
 
 Learning  in  the  clergy  not  every  where  to  be 
 expected,  ii.  130.  The  want  of  it  does  not 
 vacate  their  commission,  136. 
 
 Lessons,  the  intermingling  of  them  with  the 
 public  service  vindicated,  i.  505. 
 
 Litanies,  the  antiquities  and  use  of  them,  i. 
 523,  524. 
 
 Liturgy,  see  Common  Prayer. 
 Lord's  Prayer,  the  frequent  use  of  it  in  the 
 Liturgy  vindicated,  i.  508. 
 
 Magnificat,  the  use  of  it  in  our  service  vin- 
 dicated, i.  521. 
 
 Maintenance  of  the  clergy  among  the  Jews 
 how  liberal,  ii.  351.  Among  Christians  ought 
 to  be  the  same,  353.  373.  How  scandalously 
 small  it  is  with  us,  378.  Sacrilege  to  alieuate 
 it,  359  .  372. 374. 
 
 Man  aspires  to  a  conformity  with  God,  i. 
 164.  By  what  degree  he  attains  to  knowledge, 
 166.  What  happiness  or  perfection  he  aims 
 at,  198.  By  what  means  he  must  attain  it,  202. 
 
 Masses  for  the  dead  (as  practised  by  the  pa- 
 pists), exposed,  ii.  202. 
 
 Matrimony,  why  instituted,  ii.  62.  How 
 esteemed  by  heathens  and  Jews,  63.  Not  to 
 be  celebrated  at  improper  times,  ib. 
 
 Mercy  for  all  men,  the  praying  for  it  vin- 
 dicated, ii.  557. 
 
 Merits,  none  whatsoever  in  the  best  of  men, 
 ii.  504.  The  popish  doctrine  of  them  refuted, 
 541.  6l6. 
 
 Metropolitan  bishops,  how  they  came  to  be 
 archbishops,  ii.  273. 
 
 Ministers,  their  zeal  and  fervency  in  public 
 prayer,  how  necessary,  i.  484.  Of  great  im- 
 portance to  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  the 
 commonwealth,  ii.  72.  Their  authority  and 
 power,  81.  Their  character  indelible,  82. 
 The  scandal  of  admitting  unfit  persons  to  the 
 ministry,  134.— (See  Clergy.) 
 
 Mockers,  who  properly  so  called,  ii.  594. 
 The  danger  of  their  state,  595. 
 
 Mourning  attire  at  funerals,  lawful  aud  de- 
 cent, ii.  69. 
 
 Music,  the  power  of  it,  i.  514.  Helpful  to 
 devotion,  515.    How  it  ought  to  be  regulated 
 
 in  churches,  5l6. 
 
 Natures  (two  diotinct)  in  Christ,  i.568. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 637 
 
 Necessity,  liow  far  it  may  dispense  with 
 laws,  i.  423. 
 
 Negative  arguments,  from  Scripture,  how 
 far  of  force,  i.  238.  246. 
 
 Nestorius,  his  heresy,  what,  i.  565.  His 
 heresy  confuted,  577. 
 
 Noah's  seven  precepts,  i.  371. 
 
 Non-residence,  how  far  reprovable,  ii.  124. 
 In  what  cases  allowed  of,  131.  How  and  by 
 whom  to  be  in  some  measure  redressed,  143. 
 
 Novatius,  his  error,  what,  ii.  210. 
 
 Nunc-dimittis,  the  use  of  it  in  our  service 
 vindicated,  i.  521. 
 
 Offensive  and  scandalous,  what  properly  so, 
 i.  377. 
 
 Pagans,  how  the  name  came  to  be  used  for 
 heathens,  ii.  115. 
 
 Papists,  see  Romanists. 
 
 Parishes  or  districts,  when  and  by  whom 
 first  appointed,  ii.  116. 
 
 Parliament  of  England,  its  authority  to 
 make  laws  in  ecclesiastical  affairs,  ii.  425. 
 
 Pastors,  in  the  New  Testament,  what  they 
 were,  ii.  98. 
 
 Patriarchs  or  primates,  their  superiority, 
 what,  ii.  274. 
 
 Patronage  of  churches,  whence  the  right  of 
 it  arises,  ii.  121. 
 
 Penance,  the  discipline  of  it  instituted  by 
 Christ,  ii.  156.  Practised  by  the  primitive 
 Christians,  157.  What  it  is,  and  of  how  many 
 parts  it  consists  among  the  papists,  158.  How 
 abused  by  the  papists,  202.  Very  severe  in 
 the  primitive  church,  198.  The  danger  of  its 
 being  too  remiss,  199- 
 
 Penitentiary's  office,  when  and  for  what 
 reason  set  up,  ii.  158.  Wheu  and  why  discon- 
 tinued, 173. 
 
 People,  how  drawn  into  a  liking  of  the  new 
 discipline,  i.  108.  Their  right  to  the  election 
 of  ministers  more  infringed  by  that  discipline, 
 than  by  the  church,  ii.  299. 
 
 Person,  one  only,  and  not  two  in  Christ,  i.  565. 
 
 Philosophy,  see  Reason. 
 
 Places  appropriate  to  divine  worship,  how 
 universally  set  apart,  i.  428.  Such  places 
 ought  to  be  sacred,  483. — (See  Churches.) 
 
 Pluralities,  considered,  ii.  125.  -  In  what 
 cases  allowed  by  the  laws,  133.  How  and  by 
 whom  to  be  retrenched,  144. 
 
 Pope,  his  supremacy  a  usurpation,  ii.  603. 
 
 Prayer,  for  blessings  which  we  are  not  sure 
 to  receive,  not  unlawful,  i.  517.554.  The  use 
 of  it,  ib.  How  God  accepts  the  prayer  which 
 he  does  not  grant,  ib.  559. —(See  Common 
 Prayer. 
 
 Preaching,  what  properly  so  called,  i.  443. 
 Reading  the  Scriptures  in  churches,  a  proper 
 preaching,  445.  460. 
 
 Prebends,  and  places  of  jurisdiction,  the  de- 
 sign of  them,  and  to  whom  they  ought  to  be 
 given,  ii.  364. 
 
 Prelates  in  the  church,  the  benefit  and  cre- 
 dit of  them,  ii.  329-  332.  What  honour  due  to 
 them,  and  how,  332.  The  benefit  of  them  to 
 commonwealths  in  general,  332.  To  4(ings 
 and  princes,  ib.  To  the  nobility,  334.  To  the 
 people,  336.  To  the  clergy,  337.— (See  Bi- 
 '•qds — Episcopacy — Honour.) 
 
 Presbyters,  their  order  and  office,  what,  ii. 
 
 95.  Their  laying  on  of  their  hands  with  the 
 bishops  iu  ordination,  does  not  infer  that  they 
 have  a  power  of  ordaining,  256.  How  far 
 they  were  concerned  in  jurisdiction,  263,264. 
 
 Pride,  what  it  is,  ii.  553.  The  haughtiness 
 and  iusolence  of  it,  555.  The  cause  of  all 
 evils,  557.   How  cured,  ib. 
 
 Priest,  a  name  not  improperly  applied  to 
 presbyters,  ii.  93. 
 
 Primates  or  patriarchs,  their  superiority, 
 what,  ii.  274. 
 
 Processions  at  funerals,  ancient  and  decent, 
 ii.  69. 
 
 Prophets,  in  the  New  Testament,  what  they 
 were,  ii.  98.  Received  their  instructions  im- 
 mediately from  God  himself,  589. 
 
 Prosperity  of  the  wicked,  no  just  cause  of 
 other  men's  grief,  ii.  56l. 
 
 Province  and  diocess  of  a  bishop,  how  dis- 
 tinguished, and  whence  the  distinction  at  first 
 arose,  ii.  271. 
 
 Psalms,  the  great  usefulness  of  them,  and 
 why  repeated  oftener  than  any  other  parts  of 
 Scripture,  and  in  a  different  manner,  i.  513. 
 The  singing  them  with  music  vindicated,  514. 
 The  singing  or  repeating  them  alternately 
 vindicated,  517. 
 
 Punishment,  see  Rewards. 
 
 Quare  irupedit?  the  inconvenience  and  abuse 
 of  it,  ii.  363. 
 
 Real  presence  of  Christ  in  the  sacrament, 
 whether  in  the  elements  or  the  receiver,  ii.  5. 
 10. 
 
 Reason,  the  guide  of  human  actions,  and 
 the  natural  judge  of  right  or  wrong,  i.  171. 
 
 Reason  or  philosophy,  six  objections  against 
 it,  and  each  objection  distinctly  answered,  i. 
 291.  The  use  of  it  in  judging  of  divine  mat- 
 ters, 301. 
 
 Receive  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  ordination 
 office,  vindicated,  ii.  84. 
 
 Religion,  the  support  of  commonwealths,  i. 
 402.  The  foundation  of  temporal  happiness 
 and  prosperity,  ii.  74.  80.  How  far  false  re- 
 ligions may  contribute  to  the  support  of  a 
 state,  i.  405.  (Internal)  how  aptly  expressed 
 by  outward  duties,  417. 
 
 Repentance,  the  nature  of  it,  ii.  150.  The 
 virtue  and  discipline  of  it,  how  distinguished, 
 ib.  How  the  heart  is  framed  to  it,  151.  The 
 advantages  of  it,  194.  Men  may  be  too  scru- 
 pulous in  it,  229.— (See  Penance.) 
 
 Repetitions  of  prayers  after  the  minister 
 vindicated,  i.  511. 
 
 Restitution,  the  necessity  of  it,  and  to  whom 
 due,  ii.  196,  197. 
 
 Rewards  and  punishments  presuppose  good 
 or  evil,  willingly  done,  i.  184.  Are  not  re- 
 ceived but  from  those  who  have  power  to 
 judge  of  our  actions,  ib.  To  what  end  de- 
 signed, 190.    Who  to  assign  them,  ib. 
 
 Righteous,  see  Elect. 
 
 Righteousness,  actual  and  habitual,  how 
 they  differ,  ii.  516,  517- 
 
 Rogations,  see  Litanies. 
 
 Romanists,  to  be  followed  in  some  things, 
 though  not  the  people  of  God,  i.  350.  Not  to 
 be  dissented  from  in  every  thing,  because  he- 
 retics and  neighbours,  351.  It  is  not  policy  to 
 disagree  with  them  about  things  that  are 
 
038 
 
 TNDEX. 
 
 sound,  336.  Mot  to  denied  the  communion 
 when  they  conform,  ii.  16.  Who  partakers  of 
 their  errors,  508.  Their  error  and  their  heresy, 
 how  they  differ,  ib.  Hold  the  foundation  of 
 faith,  511.  530.  Notwithstanding  their  errors 
 may  possibly  be  saved,  531.  Falsely  accuse 
 us  of  heresy  and  apostacy,  &c.  601. 
 
 Sacraments,  their  name,  author,  and  force, 
 
 i.  56l.  The  uses  of  them,  593.  Several  dell, 
 nitions  of  them,  597.  Whether  signs  only,  or 
 means  of  Grace,  ii.  215. — (See  Baptism- 
 Eucharist — Intention.) 
 
 Sacrilege,  the  odiousness  and  danger  of  it, 
 
 ii.  110.  359.  372.  At  the  Reformation  repre- 
 sented,  374. 
 
 Salvation  by  Christ  alone,  how  to  be  under- 
 stood, ii.  531. 
 
 Sanctification,  how  it  differs  from  justifica. 
 tion,  ii.  503. 
 
 Satisfaction,  what  in  the  notion  of  the  an- 
 cient fathers,  ii.  189.  How  made  to  God  for 
 sin,  10X).  What  demanded  of  offenders  in  the 
 primitive  church,  198.  The  danger  of  remit, 
 ting  it  too  easily,  199-  How  abused  by  the 
 papists,  201. 
 
 Scandalous  and  offensive,  what  properly  so, 
 i.  377. 
 
 Schism,  what,  ii.  597,  598. 
 
 Scriptures,  want  nothing  needful,  nor  con- 
 tain any  thing  superfluous,  i.  209.  Sufficient 
 to  the  end  for  which  they  were  given,  210. 
 The  general  use  of  them,  218.  Not  designed 
 to  direct  men  in  actions  indifferent,  228.  238. 
 262.  286.  Negative  arguments  from  them, 
 how  far  of  force,  238.  246.  The  honour  of 
 them  not  impaired  by  the  established  church, 
 285.  General  rules  in  Scripture,  how  far 
 to  be  applied  to  particular  duties,  288.  Their 
 authority,  from  whence  to  be  deduced,  300. 
 The  reading  of  them  in  churches,  a  kind  of 
 preaching,  445.  460.  Some  seeming  contra- 
 dictions in  our  translations  of  them  recon- 
 ciled, 446.  The  method  and  choice  in  our 
 reading  them  vindicated,  448.  In  what  man- 
 ner read  in  the  Jewish  synagogues,  450.  The 
 great  use  of  reading  them  publickly,  461.  By 
 what  means  they  conduce  to  salvation,  458. 
 
 Serapion,  his  case  stated,  ii.  24. 
 
 Sermons,  not  the  only  means  of  saving 
 souls  i.  459.  The  good  use  of  them,  461. 
 Considered  comparatively  with  bare  reading 
 the  Scriptures,  460.  478.  What  gains  them 
 their  great  repute,  479-  At  funerals,  the  pro. 
 per  use  of  them,  ii.  70. 
 
 Simony,  the  heinousness  of  it  in  bishops,  ii. 
 361. 
 
 Sin,  the  horror  of  it,  after  committed,  ii. 
 226.    Against  the  Holy  Ghost,  what,  227. 
 
 Societies  (public),  the  foundations  of  them, 
 i.  185. 
 
 Substance,  part  of  it  to  be  dedicated  to  the 
 uses  of  religion,  ii.  102.  Tithes  or  tenths  of 
 it,  ajust  proportion  to  be  allotted  to  this  use, 
 106. 
 
 Sudden  death,  the  petition  against  it  in  the 
 Litany  vindicated,  i.  542. 
 
 THE 
 
 Superstition,  whence  it  springs,  i.  412. 
 
 Supremacy  of  the  pope,  a  usurpation,  ii. 
 603.  Of  the  king,  what  it  is,  391.  By  what 
 right  invested  in  him,  393.  And  in  what 
 sort,  395.  And  in  what  measure,  397.— (See 
 Dominion— King.)  . 
 
 Surplice,  the  objection  to  it  answered  and 
 exposed,  i.  490. 
 
 Synods  and  councils  to  be  called  and  dis- 
 solved by  the  civil  powers,  ii.  422. 
 
 Tabernacle  and  temple  of  the  Jews,  the 
 sumptuousness  of  them,  ii.  105. 
 
 Teachers  in  the  New  Testament,  what  they 
 were,  ii.  99. 
 
 Teaching,  see  Preaching. 
 
 Temple,  see  Tabernacle. 
 
 Temple-church,  a  disorderly  practice  in  re- 
 ceiving the  communion  there  noted,  ii.  477- 
 
 Temporal  happiness  or  prosperity,  how  far 
 a  blessing,  ii.  74.  The  consequence  of  reli- 
 gion, 76,77.    Wherein  it  consistetli,  76. 
 
 Ten  commandments,  given  after  a  different 
 manner  from  the  other  laws  of  Moses,  i.  317. 
 
 Tenthi.    See  Tithes. 
 
 Tertullian  vindicated,  i.  239.  241.  His  and 
 Aerius's  opposite  opinions  about  fasting,  ii. 
 55,56. 
 
 Thanksgivings  (particular),  the  want  of  them 
 in  our  Liturgy  considered,  i.  537. 
 
 Time,  what  it  is,  ii.  27. 
 
 Tithes  or  tenths  of  our  substance  to  be  of- 
 fered to  God,  ii.  106.  These  never  afterward 
 to  be  alienated,  110. 
 
 Title  (at  ordination),  what  the  name  implies, 
 ii.  119.  For  what  reason  required,  120.  Not 
 absolutely  necessary,  ib. 
 
 Tradition  (oral),  the  uncertainty  of  it,  i. 
 209.  When  of  authority,  214.  What  tradition 
 we  make  use  of,  642. 
 
 Trinity  (holy),  how  united  and  distinguish- 
 ed, i.  563. 
 
 Unworthiness,  those  things  which  for  our 
 unworthiness  we  dare  not  ask,&c.  the  petition 
 vindicated,  i.  544. 
 
 Virgin  Mary,  whether  conceived  in  sin,  not 
 determined  by  the  church  of  Rome,  ii.  482. 
 
 Visitations  (of  bishops),  the  design  of  them, 
 and  how  they  ought  to  be  managed,  ii.  365. 
 
 When  thou  hadst  overcome  the  sharpness  of 
 death,  &c.  in  the  Te  Deum,  explained,  and 
 vindicated,  i.  540. 
 
 Wicked  men,  their  prosperity  no  just  cause 
 of  other  men's  grief,  ii.  56l. 
 
 Widows,  whom  Saint  Paul  means  by  them, 
 ii.  313. 
 
 Will  of  man,  how  it  is  influenced,  i.  l6d. 
 How  it  differs  from  appetite,  I69.  But  one 
 will  in  God,  551.    Two  wills  in  Christ,  ib. 
 
 Women  apt  by  nature  to  be  drawn  into  ad- 
 miration of  new  doctrines,  i.  114. 
 
 Works,  see  Good  Works. 
 
 Worship,  in  what  sense  promised  to  the 
 wife  in  the  office  of  matrimony,  ii.  65. 
 
 Xistus  (bishop  of  Borne),  his  conduct  and 
 courage  to  save  the  treasures  of  the  church, 
 ii.  112. 
 
 Zeal  and  fear,  roots  of  superstition,  i.  412. 
 
 END. 
 
 Printed  by  J.  F.  Dove,  St.  John's  Square. 
 
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